Dad opened his arms wide, “Kylie Rodgers, it's been a long time.”
Kylie stepped towards him, raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.
“Hey,” I snapped at her stepping forward.
Dad rubbed at his reddened cheek. “It's okay, Aurora. I deserved that.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kylie's expression remained stern as Dad turned and gave me a reassuring grin, persuading me to drop my glare.
Kylie didn't appear to notice. “Yes, you do deserve it. Come here telling me I need to help you reveal the truth, then I hear you're dead. Some crazy 'accident'. I've spent the last four years hoping they wouldn't discover my involvement and help me meet the same fate. Now here you are on my doorstep with… who did you say she was?” Her voice was high pitched and irrational.
“Aurora,” Dad replied.
“Aur, your daughter?” her eyes widened. “What on Eden is going on Ben? You know Officer Banks will have my head if he finds out you're not only alive but here with me. And your daughter is a fugitive. Do you know what they're saying she did?”
The mention of Officer Banks sent a shiver down my spine. I'd be happy if I didn't see the man responsible for my mother's death and unravelling my life ever again.
“Calm down.” Dad placed his hands on her shoulders and she visibly relaxed. “Let's go find somewhere to sit and talk. You're right, there's a lot to discuss.”
Once again Kylie was nodding to herself and I followed her as Dad led her away from the front door and towards the back of the large room. They stood in front of a metal door where Kylie pressed numbers into a panel beside it before the door slid open.
“Grab the lights please Aurora,” Dad said.
I looked along the wall and found a square button illuminated in green. Pressing it, the room fell into darkness and I followed them through the open doorway.
On the other side lay the laboratory. Its metal shelves gleamed under the lights casting a glow over the clear glass ceiling reaching over us in a big dome. Tall buildings blocked out much of the sky except for the area directly above it. The buildings appeared as though they were leaning in towards us, allowing anyone to see inside.
“What if someone sees us from one of those?” I asked.
“It's one way glass honey. No one's going to know we're here.” Dad reassured me.
“Let's go to my living quarters and have a cup of tea?” suggested Kylie wrapping her nightgown tighter around her.
She led us through two more doors before we found ourselves standing in a small living area.
“You're living in the guest quarters?” asked Dad.
“After your accident I didn't feel safe being at home anymore. Officer Banks was asking a lot of questions, and he was keeping a close eye on me. The laboratory has one of the best security systems available, I'm safe here. Now, who wants tea?” She raised her thin eyebrows waiting for a reply.
“I'd love a tea please,” Dad began. “White with…”
“Two. Yes, I remember,” she sighed, raising her eyebrows towards me for an answer.
“Water for me, please.” I tried my best to give a friendly smile but my heart wasn't in it.
“Too easy, I'll be back in a moment.” Kylie disappeared into what I imagined was her kitchen and I mimicked Dad as he took a seat on one of the long sofas.
“We can trust her Aurora,” he said.
“Can we? She slapped you when she saw you. She looks frightened, frightened people are unpredictable.”
Dad's grin irritated me.
“What?” I snapped at him.
“Since when did you become so mistrusting? When you were younger you trusted everybody,” he said cocking his left eyebrow.
“Yeah, well, that was before my whole life was a lie and people wanted me dead,” I said.
“It's not healthy. There are still good people in the world.”
“I know. And they're all my friends. I don't need to care for anyone else.”
“Then why go to all of this trouble to reveal the truth if you don't care for everybody else?”
He was right. Why was I putting myself and my friends in danger when I could easily build a life on Earth and forget the lies out in the big bad world?
“Because it's not who I am.”
“Precisely.” He pointed towards my chest. “You have a kind heart Aurora. Don't let the Officer Banks and the Brents of the world change that.”
“Tea's ready.” Kylie stepped through the doorway, drinks in hand.
* * *
“What an incredible story. Losing your dad, and then your mother in such a terrible way. I'm so sorry you've gone through all of this Aurora, your father, the other scientists and I have a lot to answer for.” Her eyes were pink and damp.
“So, I'm guessing you know what I'm going to ask for,” said Dad.
“Yes, I knew what you wanted the moment I saw your damned face in the security monitor. But I'm not sure Benjamin, I'm not sure I can give you what you want,” her eyes looked solemn and she wrung her hands in her lap.
“If we can have your piece of the pendant we can be free of what we did. What the Elite did,” he pleaded.
“Can we ever truly be free? We created this, we created the end of Earth as we knew it. No amount of truth revealing can change that,” said Kylie.
“No, it can't. But it can give people the chance at freedom again, at choosing their own lives and living back on the planet they belong to. The floating cities were a short-term plan until the world was inhabitable again. The Elite are lying and controlling everyone on them,” he replied.
“Is it so bad? These people don't know any better.” There was a plea in her tone and there was pain behind her glassy eyes.
I drew in a deep breath. I had to make her see reason. “Yes, it is. I was one of those people, oblivious to the truth of why I was on Utopia. I did as I was told, dressed as I was told, but I wasn't happy. There was part of me that believed I didn't belong up there, that something wasn't right. These people deserve the choice. To live their blissfully ignorant lives on their floating cities or to return to Earth.”
“I understand you've been through so much to get here Aurora. But, I need time,” said Kylie.
“We have to leave tomorrow evening. If we could have somewhere to stay the night, we'll give you those hours to mull it over. I know why you're reluctant Kylie, but it would be doing the right thing.” Dad rose from the couch and picked up our empty glasses before taking them to the kitchen.
“Can I see it?” Kylie asked, pointing at the chain around my neck.
I lifted my hand to touch the pendant, looking around Kylie to find my father. Something inside me told me not to trust her, but my father was right, I couldn't let bad people change the way I saw the world.
“Sure.” I unclasped it from my neck and tipped it into her cupped hands.
She turned it over several times before tracing her finger over its engraved pattern. “These were your father's idea. A failsafe. We'd learnt we couldn't trust the Elite to do the right thing. Their greed had overtaken their hearts. Officer Banks was our friend once you know. He was more than a friend to some of us. I'm not sure what changed in him, greed is a funny thing. But your father created these pendants so if things got too bad we could reveal the truth and free the people of the floating cities. The thing is, I'm not sure if they've gone bad enough for such a drastic measure.”
“Drastic measure? What exactly do these pendants do?” I asked.
“He hasn't told you?” Kylie rubbed at her forehead looking towards the doorway Dad left through before returning her gaze to me. “When all three of the pieces are assembled…”
“Let's get to bed,” said Dad as he stepped through the kitchen doorway brushing off his hands.
“Yes,” Kylie stood to full height. “I think you're best sleeping in the lockdown room. It's not comfortable, but at least you'll be safe.”
“Comfort hasn't been on my lis
t of priorities for a while,” I replied.
Kylie led us out of her home and back to the laboratories where she guided us towards a large metal doorway that slid open to reveal a small room lined with metal. “I don't have a lot to offer you in the way of bedding I'm afraid.”
“We'll be fine. Thank you, Kylie. I know you've risked a lot to help us, and we appreciate it.” Dad pulled Kylie in for a hug, but I couldn't help notice her reluctance.
Looking down I noticed her clasped hand. “Kylie, can I have my pendant back now please?”
She looked to her hand, her cheeks reddening. “Of course, sorry.” She passed me the necklace and I clasped it around my neck. “Good night.”
“Before you go can I ask you something?” asked Dad.
“Sure, what is it?” She relaxed against the doorway.
Dad stepped toward her and spoke in a lowered voice. I made out the words, “samples and test,” but nothing more. Dad pulled two small containers from his bag and handed them to Kylie. “I need to know if they're a match.”
Kylie knew what he meant and stepped away from us, entering a code into the pin pad before the door slid closed.
The dull blue lights above us barely lit up the room making my stomach queasy and my head light, so I pulled out my torch and sat in the far corner of the room.
“Cosy,” I said. “What's she testing for you?”
“No need to worry yet. It might be nothing more than a hunch,” he shrugged half-heartedly.
“Okay, that was vague.” I rolled my eyes.
Dad laughed. “It might not be important. I don't want to say anything until I know for sure okay?”
“Okay. It's just, I know you said to be more trusting, but I can't. Something is off with Kylie. I know she's your friend but I don't think she's telling us everything.”
Dad took a deep breath. “It's not being mistrusting honey. It's trusting your instincts. I know I said we could trust her, but now I'm not so sure. There's something you need to know about Kylie.”
“Which is?”
“Before Officer Banks found out you weren't my biological daughter, and he beat me and kicked me off Utopia, he and Kylie were together,” he revealed.
“Together as in dating?” My mouth dropped open.
“Together as in engaged,” he said.
“Great, you've brought me to visit the ex-fiancé of the guy who killed mum?”
“No, well, yes. But it couldn't be avoided. To do what we need to do, we need her piece of the pendant,” he said.
I sighed and relaxed against the cool wall behind me. “You think her alliance is still with him?”
“I'm not sure. Officer Banks has changed so much since he was one of my scientists. Kylie is a good person, but she doesn't do well with fear. She's scared of him, I can see it when she says his name.”
At his words I sat up straight. “He was what? He's one of you?”
“He was. He was assigned to work on Elysium, but when it collapsed their Elite Leader Mr Bolten decided he wanted to use Officer Banks' military skills to his advantage. The Guard were his creation and he got into Officer Banks' head with the promise of riches and superiority. That's when I designed the pendants,” he revealed.
“So, Officer Banks doesn't have one?”
“No, just Kylie, Geoffrey and me.”
“But someone told him you created the pendants. Or hinted at it at least. When I was escaping Utopia, he told me he didn't want it to use it, he wanted to destroy it. I imagine he thought if he could destroy yours the others wouldn't work.”
“And he'd be right in thinking that. They all need to be connected to work efficiently. And he could only know they existed if one of the three of us had told him.”
“Kylie.”
“I suspect so,” he replied.
“What now?”
“Now we get as much rest as we can. Keep your knife within reach, and in the morning we hope Kylie has seen some sense and gives us her pendant piece.”
“And if she doesn't?”
“Then we take it from her.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Torn from my nightmares of helicopters and Officer Banks, by the scream of an alarm, I bolted upright my eyes wide much like my fathers who sat across the room from me. A moment later the door slid opened and Kylie's panicked face appeared in the doorway.
“He knows, you have to go,” her voice was shrill and her chin trembled.
I rose to my feet as she pressed madly at the buttons on the keypad and Dad rose and made his way over to her placing his hands on either side of her face forcing her to look him in the eyes. She drew in a deep breath.
Dad spoke in a calm tone despite the blaring alarm. “Calm down. That's it. Take a deep breath and enter the pin.”
She keyed in a number and the alarms fell silent, the relief was short lived as the panic returned in Kylie's eyes and her face grew pale. “He knows Benjamin. He's coming, you have to go.”
“Who's coming?” I ran my hands over my meagre belongings strapped into my utility belt.
“Frank,” she said.
“Who's Frank?” I strode towards where they stood in the doorway.
“Officer Banks, Frank Banks,” explained my father before turning back to Kylie. “How does he know?”
Her eyes dropped to her bare feet scuffing at the floor. “He contacted me this morning. You know I can't lie to him Benjamin, I never could.”
“You told him we're here?” I growled.
“No, but he knows somethings happening and he's coming. Maybe we should give him the pendant? Then he will leave us all alone,” she begged Dad.
“Like he left my mother alone?” I crossed my arms across my chest.
“You're mother?” The realisation dawned on her contorting her face. “No, no. He wouldn't have. Oh Benjamin, I know he's changed but murder?”
“He was too much of a coward to do it himself. He ordered his men to do it,” I said.
“And he was the person who caused my 'accident'. He's not the Frank we once worked with and cared for Kylie,” Dad argued.
Kylie stumbled back a little before regaining her balance and looking around the room lost in her thoughts and shaking her head. “I'm so sorry Benjamin. This is all my fault. How could I have ever loved him?”
“You didn't love Officer Banks. You loved the man who was helping us fix the world. Now all you need to do is give us the pendant and we can fix all of the mistakes we've made.” Dad held out his hand expectantly.
Kylie backed away from us towards the opposite door shaking her head. “I can't. He'll kill me.”
She turned and disappeared through the doorway. Dad and I ran after her, stepping over the threshold as a scream tore through the room. Ahead of us Kylie was wrapped in the muscular right bicep of Officer Banks a gun pressed to her right temple. His dark features and slicked back black hair highlighted the darkness in his eyes. Kylie shuddered and cried in his grasp.
Flanked by two guards, his steely expression locked onto Dad. “Benjamin Adams.”
“Frank,” Dad replied coldly taking a defensive stance.
I followed suit.
“I thought you were dead. What's it been? Four years?” said Officer Banks.
“If you'd had your way, I would be dead.” Dad narrowed his eyes and I rested my hand on the hilt of my knife.
“Me?” He laughed, tilting his head back before maintaining his steely glare. “I could've killed you. But I let you go, it was up to you then to survive or fall.”
“Unfortunately for you I survived.”
“And you found your daughter.” His eyebrows lifted casting shadows over his face. “How's the whole father daughter thing going? Does she know you aren't her biological father?”
“Yes, it's going fine thank you,” I snarled.
“Ah, she speaks.” He pulled Kylies head back to look her in the eyes, not letting the gun leave her temple. “They might not be related but she has a mouth like his late wife.
” Snapping his gaze back towards Dad his face contorted into a sneer. “Did you know she passed away Ben? So tragic.” His deep voice showed no hint of sadness or remorse.
Clenching my spare fist at my side and my right around the hilt of my knife I looked to Dad for instruction. If it wasn't for the gun Officer Banks held at Kylie's head, I would've leapt forward and ripped out his throat. A snarl left my lips at the thought.
“Frank, please,” Kylie begged.
Officer Banks softened his gaze in mock sweetness as he pulled Kylies head back to look at him once again. “Sweetie, it's okay. Once our friend Benjamin gives us his piece of the pendant I'll let everyone go.”
“Please, give it to him,” her voice trembled as she begged.
“Milton, please take the pendant from Mr Adams.” He waved the gun for his sidekick to approach us.
Milton, a toned man with the standard Utopian crew cut stepped forward towards my father.
“Benjamin?” Kylie sobbed the name.
“Yes?” Dad replied, keeping an eye on Milton.
“I'm so sorry,” she whimpered. “This man isn't our Frank anymore. You were right.”
Officer Banks pushed the barrel of the gun harder against her skull and she cried out in pain. “Shut it Kylie.”
She slid an envelope from her pocket and held it towards Dad. “These are your test results. Please remember me for the good things I did.” She flicked her wrist, sending the envelope flying towards Dad and to the tiled floor.
Milton dashed towards the envelope but Dad lifted it from the ground, as Milton drew closer I pulled the knife from my utility belt and held it out towards him forcing him to back away. He held his hands up, looking back to Officer Banks for instruction. But Officer Banks eyes narrowed as he peered at the envelope gripping Kylie tighter.
“What's in it?” demanded Officer Banks.
Dad peered inside giving Kylie a nod. “I asked Kylie to run a test for me. It's the results, no need to get excited.”
“Milton, take the envelope from Mr. Adams,” Officer Banks instructed.
Milton stepped forward cautious of my knife, and Dad folded the envelope in half and slid it into his pocket as I took a step closer to Milton. He peered back towards Officer Banks, unsure what to do.
Eden (Secrets of Aurora Book 2) Page 18