Suddenly, Brexlynn and everyone around me start to stand up. The Mall-cruiser was going so slow that I hadn't realized we'd stopped. I get up and wonder where my mom went. She went to the bathroom when we first boarded and I haven't seen her since. I peer down the aisle of our compartment and am a little startled to see Daniel rushing toward me, but relax when I see the goofy smile on his face.
"Mari! Y-y-you should see th-them! They're everywhere!" He exclaims in his characteristic stutter.
"What are you talking about?" I ask, amused at his unbridled enthusiasm.
"The R-Restrainers! I b-bet they're going t-t-to escort us to the meeting!"
My body stiffens. I had guessed that the Restrainers would point us in the direction we should go, but I can't imagine why they would actually board the Mall-cruiser.
"Awesome!" Brexlynn shouts, almost directly in my ear. "Do you think we'll get to talk to them? There are so many things I would love to ask a Restrainer."
"M-maybe," Daniel responds eagerly, "especially if w-w-we c-can get close to one o-of them!"
As if in answer their wish, we're suddenly surrounded by several Restrainers, their shiny silver uniforms almost blinding us. They're holding out their transcribers which all display the same picture. When I realize what the picture is, I nearly choke.
"Have any of you seen this boy?" A bearded Restrainer demands. "He was reported to have been on this cruiser."
My head is reeling. I try to keep my expression blank, but it's nearly impossible. Shoving a picture of Miles Paxton in my face is startling enough, but even more alarming is discovering that he was on the Mall-cruiser and perhaps still is. I glance at Brexlynn and Daniel. Brexlynn appears to be awestruck with the Restrainers, but it's Daniel I'm worried about. Surely he recognizes Miles, will he know to keep his mouth shut? To my surprise, Daniel simply shrugs his shoulders and says: "Nope. N-Never seen that g-guy before."
The Restrainers skip over Brexlynn, who is staring at them with an open-mouthed smile, and look expectantly at me. I manage to shake my head, and the Restrainers move on to another group of people. I exhale and give an odd look to my brother. He just winks at me and heads off toward the exit.
"I can't believe I just froze like that!" Brexlynn wails. "They must think I'm so stupid!"
"I doubt it," I say lightly, trying to console her, "I think the Restrainers were pretty preoccupied with other things."
"Yeah, they did seem really concerned about finding that guy," Brexlynn concedes. "I wonder who he is?"
"Probably no one important," I reply nonchalantly. But the pounding of my heart betrays my words. At least to me, I know that Miles Paxton is incredibly important.
____________
The crowd cheers when the image of Governor Plenaris appears on the massive screen. I want to vomit. Brexlynn's guess about a huge amphitheater wasn't too far off; we're all standing on platforms at varying heights facing a large wall where the Governor's face is projected. I knew we had a lot of people in our Community, but seeing everyone together in one place is a little dizzying. Every time I try to estimate how many there are, my head starts to hurt and I give up. I could have figured it out with the Amplifier.
I glance around looking for Miles, but it's futile. I should know that he's too smart to just be out in the open, especially with all the Restrainers and soldiers milling around. He's probably halfway back to the Dissenter base by now. I'm frustrated that he was so close — right there on the Mall-cruiser - and I missed him. Oh well. If he wanted me to see him, then I would have. There's nothing I can do about it now.
The cheering dies down and the Governor begins his address. I wish I had something else to distract me from him, but he's unavoidable. His placid face is so enormous and his distorted voice so loud, I can't help but to pay attention. Probably just the way he wanted it.
"I speak to you all tonight with utmost solemnity, but not without hope. As you may have already deduced, we have entered into conflict with a group named the North. Their unprovoked and highly ineffective attack several days ago left us with no choice but to reciprocate."
I wonder what he means by "highly ineffective." I'd say taking out our food supply was pretty damaging.
"All of our soldiers and some of our Amplified personnel are currently positioned throughout various compounds to protect the Community against further attacks. In addition, special units of Restrainers are actively pursuing plans to take down and weaken the enemy's strongholds. We are confident that this inferior group is no match for our Amplification system."
The crowd cheers again, and Governor Plenaris pauses until the noise dies down. He must be giving this speech live from a nearby, secret location. Coward.
"During this time of crisis, it will be beneficial for all of our citizens to rally together in support and hard work. Everyone should give their best effort and do their equal part in order to ensure our success. In an effort to conserve, nutrition rations will be lessened slightly. This is merely to be prudent and cautious in the unlikely event of a disaster."
I have to consciously stop myself from letting out a bitter laugh. The disaster has already occurred. Unless we receive aid from somewhere else, we'll all starve in a few months. Why can't the Governor ever just tell us the truth?
"This will be an excellent opportunity to improve character and sharpen our Amplified skills. May we ever be superior in our abilities and equal in our strengths."
Everyone erupts into deafening applause and excited shouts as the projection fades. I can't imagine what they're celebrating. We're most definitely at war and all we heard was a collection of vague and overly optimistic statements from our "cherished" Governor. What a waste of a night.
Chapter 4
I loose Brexlynn and Daniel in the chaos of getting back to the Mall-cruisers. With hoards of people pressing in on every side, I have to dart into any opening I can find to keep from being trampled. I should be worried about my mom, who I still have not seen since we left our compound, but she's so self-sufficient that I'm sure she's all right. It's hard to get lost in our Community. We'll all make it back to the compound one way or another.
In addition to all the pandemonium, there are dozens of soldiers diligently trying to pass out information on the new program the Governor is instituting. One of the soldiers shoves a pamphlet into my hands as I pass by. I glance at the title. "Can't decide? Use the Override!" I roll my eyes. I don't even know if I want to read the rest of it.
I'm almost at the Mall-cruisers when I catch a glimpse of white-blonde hair. I look more closely and see that the soldier I just passed was Cassidy Prewitt. I was so caught up in looking for Miles, I hadn't considered that some of the people from my Training group would probably be here. I double back, fighting against the crowds, and approach her from behind.
"Cassidy!" I yell over the noise, "How are you doing?"
She spins around and points a taser at my face.
"Oh, Mari!" She exclaims, quickly lowering the weapon, "I'm sorry! I'm just a little on edge tonight."
"That's okay," I respond, but I take a small step back just in case.
"I just can't believe how many people are here, and the Restrainers gave us so many instructions about what to do in every kind of situation, and I know all I have to do is use my Amplifier, but my head is so full of stuff that I don't know if I'm going to command myself to do the right thing, you know? And then there's all this new equipment..."
Cassidy continues to ramble on, but I'm distracted by the way she's acting. She's always been jittery and excitable, but she seems agitated — almost like she's embarrassed to see me. Shouldn't it be the other way around? I am the inferior one after all, the clam who chose to have her Amplifier removed. Cassidy will finish her service and then enter the work rotations where she'll get to be a teacher, a doctor, a lawyer, an entertainer, and every other worthwhile profession. I'll just be a laborer on the farm for the rest of my life. I sigh as I tune back in to Cassidy's never ending stream of w
ords.
"... I guess that's why they stationed me here in the city instead of in Compound L with everyone else from our Training group," she finishes sheepishly, a pained expression on her face.
I panic. She's just confided something personal to me and I wasn't listening. I'm such a terrible friend.
"I'm sure there's a better reason than that," I offer vaguely. "You were always great in Training, the Community is probably just utilizing your skills in a different way."
To my relief, she brightens slightly.
"Thanks Mari, that means a lot coming from you. Everyone knows you were the best in our group."
I'm caught off guard by that comment, but I don't have time to dwell on it. The Mall-cruisers are starting to leave and I don't want to be stuck in the city all night.
"Cassidy, it was really great seeing you, but I've got to go," I say, gesturing at the slowly departing Mall-cruisers.
"Oh, okay sure," she replies, smiling weakly.
"You're a great soldier, Cassidy!" I shout back as I run toward the Mall-cruiser. I catch a glimpse of her struggling to put her taser away before I slide into the last compartment.
I can't help but feel indignant about Cassidy's situation. Sure, she's always been a little off, but I don't think that warrants separating her from everyone else. Although I didn't get all the details, I feel like she's being treated unfairly, which, of course, is not in line with the Equality Movement.
But another detail Cassidy let slip has my mind churning. Positions of any individual soldier are kept secret, mainly so that their families don't go try to visit them and interrupt their service. Even the few Adhesive messages I've received from Alia are screened and edited to remove any information that might give away her location. But Cassidy mentioned that everyone from our Training group is stationed in Compound L. It'd be so easy for me to get over there - I wonder if I could find any of my old friends. I'd love to be able to talk to Alia or Joby for just a few minutes, even though Joby and I didn't really end on the best terms. Maybe I could get some more information about the North or just generally how we're doing in the war. Although, who knows if they'd even be able to talk to me about it.
I find an empty sleeping pod, which is pretty miraculous considering how many people are on the Mall-cruiser. I shut myself into the tiny room and sit down on the small bed. I skim through the pamphlet I'm still holding about the new Override program. It's full of pictures of people looking scared or confused. It doesn't take long for me to realize that this is yet another way that the Governor is trying to get more people to consent to the Override System. Apparently, Amplified people can now opt to use the Override for difficult decisions and situations. They simply sign up for the program and have unlimited access to the Override, granted they submit to "random yet harmless Override activities." Yeah right, I think. Dozens of my fellow trainees attempted to kill me as a result of a similar Override Program at the end of Training, and it definitely was not "harmless" for anyone involved.
The Override System is supposed to be used strictly for emergencies or during battle, but I guess Governor Plenaris isn't satisfied with that level of control. The frustrating part of all this is that tons of people will likely sign up for this program because of the fear of being at war, and then the Governor will have thousands of puppets at his disposal. I wouldn't trust him to make my decisions for me, much less give him full control of my mind and body for whatever purposes he deems necessary. I guess it's not enough that people have an Amplifier to act for them, now they need someone to think for them as well.
I slouch back on the bed and put the pamphlet into the pocket of my jacket. To my surprise, I feel a small piece of paper in the bottom of my pocket. I pull out the mysterious scrap and unfold a handwritten note.
Mari, I'm glad you weren't hurt too badly during the attack.
-Miles
I jump out of the bed and open the door of the sleeping pod, peering down the hallways, but I know he's not here. He must have somehow slipped this note into my pocket on the way to the city, or even had someone else do it for him during the meeting. I sit back down on the bed and read the note over and over. It's such a simple, general statement, and yet my cheeks are flushed and I can't stop smiling. I try to get control of my emotions, but this is his first communication with me in a year, and I keep cycling through relief, excitement, doubt and anticipation. Leave it to Miles Paxton to send my senses reeling with something as inconsequential as a handwritten note.
Chapter 5
Compound L smells like sweat. Back in school we learned what each compound specializes in, but it was so boring that I never really paid attention. As far as I can tell, Compound L specializes in making cement. Everywhere I look, people are hauling cement bricks in and out of squat, cement buildings. The chalky cement powder in the air adds to the natural dust and makes me feel like my lungs are coated in paste. I would take a hydration capsule, but I only have two more to last me for the rest of the day thanks to the lessening of our rations. I'm glad our compound specializes in farming.
Despite our rations being cut almost in half, no one's really had much of a problem with it at the farm. It's only when I'm on the Mall-cruisers or in the city that I really see the difference. Most of the Amplified are really on edge, trying to obtain more nutrition capsules in any way they can. There are more fights breaking out than ever before, and they're all generally angry and irrational. There was even a group that tried to break into the nutrition factory, which has been heavily guarded by Restrainers ever since the war began. Needless to say, they didn't get very far. They had barely crossed the perimeter when the Restrainers surrounded and arrested them. I thought it'd take more than a little hunger to drive someone to risk prison. I guess Amplified people aren't used to being denied anything.
I walk toward what seems to be the center of the compound, looking for any sign of soldiers. I should have thought this through better before I came, but the new war schedule only gives us one day off from labor a month, and I wanted to see if I could find Alia now while I still know where she's stationed. I walk into what appears to be a supply store, but it's really hard to tell when everything is caked in cement dust. Even the man behind the front counter seems to be covered in a layer of the inescapable particles.
"What can I do for you?" He asks cheerfully when I approach the counter. I hesitate for a moment. What should I say? Visiting soldiers is frowned upon, but I really have no other purpose for being here.
"I, um, have a message for the soldiers," I say feebly, "do you know where I can find them?"
The man looks at me suspiciously.
"Who is this message from?"
"The soldiers in Compound Q," I lie.
The man pauses for a bit, then shrugs his shoulders.
"Most of the time the soldiers are stationed on the South wing of the power plant. It's the tall building about 300 feet to the east."
"Thanks," I say with a small smile as I step quickly out of the store.
Turns out all the man had to say was "tall building." The power plant towers above all the other one-story buildings in the area. I locate the South wing, and seeing no other entrance, walk right through the massive double doors. I find myself in a spacious, ugly room filled with bunk beds, tables, and about a dozen soldiers who are starting awkwardly at me. I recognize every single one of them from my Training group.
"Maybe I should have knocked," I blurt, attempting to dispel the unpleasantness. It doesn't work. I'm at a loss for words. This was another aspect of my trip here that I didn't consider. Somehow it didn't register in my mind that everyone from my Training group would be stationed here, even the people that I have no desire to see, like that scumbag Jaren, who emerges from behind a bunk bed.
"Well, well, Mari Quillen," he taunts, approaching me slowly," did you decide you wanted to be a worthwhile member of the Community after all?"
"Hm, you mean being a failure at life like you? No thanks." I retort coldly.
"I protect all you clams from getting killed. What do you do, play in the dirt all day?"
"I grow crops that keep jerks like you fed and alive, which you're probably finding out is pretty vital right now."
"Well I'd rather have-"
"Jaren, don't do this," I cut in. "We both know how these things end. You try to insult me, I shut you down. You try to come on to me, I destroy your masculinity. So how about you save yourself the embarrassment and just shut your mouth?"
The other soldiers look wide-eyed at the stunned Jaren, and for a moment I think he's going to take my advice. But that, of course, would be the sensible thing to do. His face hardens and he rushes toward me while commanding his Amplifier.
"Jaren, break her arms."
I let him run at me, and then at the last second dive out of the way, causing him to crash into the double doors. It doesn't take long for him to reorient himself and pursue me again, but by that time I've made it to the back of the room, behind all the bunk beds.
"Where are you, Mari?" He calls out frantically. "You can't hide from the Amplifier!"
It's such a lame threat, I'd laugh if I wasn't genuinely afraid of having my arms ripped off. Another one of the soldiers must have told him where I went because suddenly he's heading directly toward me. Just before he reaches me, I push hard on the bunk nearest me, sending it crashing down on top of Jaren. He lets out a strangled yelp, but since the bunk was pretty easy to tip over, I doubt it's going to hold him down for very long. And I'm right.
Before I've even taken two steps in the other direction, he's grabbed my feet out from under me and knocked me on my back. In seconds he's on top of me, making a grab for my arms, but I reach back to a bunk behind me and slide underneath the bed, pulling Jaren with me until his face slams into the metal bars at the base of the bunk. He detaches himself from me momentarily, and I take the opportunity to kick wildly in his direction. I hear a satisfying crack as my foot connects with some part of his body, but I have no idea if I'm doing any real damage. Apparently not, because suddenly the bunk I'm under is lifted off of me and thrown to the side, leaving me exposed as an infuriated Jaren towers over me.
The Dissenters Page 2