The Dissenters

by Lauren M. Flauding

  Ramirez! Of course! I think. That's my mother's maiden name. So this must be her ancestor.

  "I believe that belonged to your great-great-grandmother," Blaine states, as if reading my thoughts.

  "How did it end up here?" I wonder aloud, my excitement building as I leaf through the journal and see page after page of carefully written accounts.

  "That's actually an interesting story," Blaine starts, but before he can continue, a voice echoes from across the room.

  "Hey Blaine, they're about to start the meeting."

  I whip around in my chair and see Miles leaning against the library doorway, looking pointedly at Blaine.

  "Oh!" Blaine exclaims, "I must have lost track of the time!" He turns back to me. "It was wonderful to meet you, Mari," he says quickly, then stands and rushes out of the library.

  I look back down at the journal. I had momentarily forgotten about Miles while looking around the base, but now all the feelings I had come flooding back. Atleast his tacky blonde girlfriend isn't with him. I try to busy myself with reading the journal as I hear him approach, but as excited as I am to read about my great-great-grandmother's life, I can't seem to focus on any of the words. He clears his throat, but I don't want to look up at him.

  "So, what do you think of the base?" He asks pleasantly.

  My curiosity wins out and I glance up at his face. What is this, small talk? His expression seems friendly, but there's a subtle coldness in his eyes.

  "It's really incredible," I admit. "Especially the lake, it's gorgeous!"

  "If you knew what was in that water, I doubt you'd find it so beautiful," Miles chuckles as he sits down next to me. Couldn t be anything worse than the way you've made me feel, I think bitterly.

  "Mari, what were you doing out there so late?" Miles says quietly, suddenly very serious.

  "I missed the last Mall-cruiser to Compound Q, so I was running home," I respond vaguely. I'm caught off guard by his sudden change of mood.

  "Why were you in Compound L?"

  I exhale slowly. I should have known that he would have seen me on one of their many surveillance feeds.

  "I went to visit some old friends. I was trying to get more information about the war," I respond defensively.

  "Things are really escalating with the North, and it's not safe to be out wandering around by yourself, especially at night."

  "But I'm sick of being kept in the dark about everything!" I nearly shout, my frustrations finally surfacing. "I still don't even know who the North is or what they want or why we're even at war with them!"

  "The North likely wants total control," Miles answers calmly, "and soon you'll learn more about this war than you ever wanted to know."

  "What is that supposed to mean?"

  Miles looks down at the floor. "Just trust me."

  "Why?" I choke out, wishing that there wasn't so much emotion in my voice. "Why should I trust you?"

  When Miles finally looks at me, there is no more coldness in his eyes. Instead, there is clarity, intensity, and compassion.

  "Because I value your trust more than anyone else's." He answers sincerely. "But other than that, I really can't give you any valid reason."

  I don't know what to say. He reaches up and tucks a stray strand of my hair behind my ear, then runs his fingers down my neck over the scar from where I clawed out my own Amplifier. My heart starts racing. What are you trying to do to me? He moves in closer and puts his other hand on my shoulder. My head is about to explode from dizziness and anticipation.

  "Mari," he whispers, "I'm really sorry about this."

  Before I can figure out what he means, I feel a sharp pain in my arm and for the second time tonight I lose consciousness.

  Chapter 8

  "Whoa, what did those tomatoes ever do to you?" Brexlynn muses, peering into my bin of vegetables. I look down and realize that I must have been harvesting with a little more vengeance than I had intended. I was thinking about the Dissenter base again, and about how angry I was when I was abruptly returned to my house after being drugged. I woke up groggily in my bed a few mornings ago and didn't fully process what had happened until I saw the bandage on my arm and a short note of apology from Miles. The nerve of that guy. He asks me to trust him and then seconds later knocks me out and drags me back home. Now I'm in the fields of the farm again when I would much rather be at the Dissenter base with Miles. I feel the heat rising in my face and get even more angry about the lingering emotions I have for him.

  "Hey, Mari, I was just kidding. I'm sorry if I upset you."

  I come out of my thoughts and see that I've completely demolished a tomato between my fingers. I glance over at Brexlynn, who's looking worried.

  "I'm sorry, Brexlynn," I say quickly, wiping the tomato juice on a nearby rag, "I've just been a little preoccupied and frustrated these past few days."

  "I'll say," she responds. "You've been moodier than old Judd over there." I follow Brexlynn's gaze to Judd, who is sitting on a crate, muttering profanities as he empties dirt out of his shoes. I manage a small laugh, but Brexlynn isn't satisfied.

  "What's going on with you?" Brexlynn prods, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

  I study Brexlynn for a moment. A part of me thinks she wouldn't understand. She is, after all, still enamored with the Community and eagerly awaiting the day of her Amplification. Then again, maybe she has had experiences that would allow her to relate to some of these frustrations.

  "Do you ever wonder if all this is worth it?" I ask her hesitantly.

  "What do you mean?" Brexlynn says carefully.

  "I just think that sometimes we might all be better off without the Amplifiers," I state softly.

  Brexlynn's mouth goes into a tight line and suddenly she's very intent on her bin of vegetables. I knew I shouldn't have said anything, I think, wondering if Brexlynn is going to stop talking to me altogether now. After a few minutes, she speaks up.

  "My parents used to say things like that." She keeps her head down as she sorts the vegetables in her bin, but there's an odd smile on her face. "Whenever I would praise the Amplifiers, they would mention something negative about them. It was pretty harmless when it was just me, but when they started saying those kinds of things to other people in our compound, the Restrainers came and took them away." Brexlynn stands up and brushes the dirt off her pants. She looks around to see if anyone is listening, but the closest person is still Judd, who looks far more interested in getting a splinter out of his toe than in eavesdropping on our conversation. "But I guess if they're punished for doing something as simple as that, then the Community must not be as great as they make it out to be, right?"

  It's the first time I've ever heard Brexlynn speak against the Community. Maybe her enthusiasm for the Amplifiers is actually an effort to avoid ending up like her parents.

  "Have you heard from them lately?" I press gently.

  "Not for three months," Brexlynn answers solemnly.

  I don't know what to say. I can't imagine the uncertainty that she must feel, much less the pain of not knowing what is going on with her parents, but it doesn't seem like she's looking for comfort. She shows no emotion as she starts gathering her spade and gloves.

  Suddenly the sirens come on, warning us that the North may be attacking nearby. Lately they've all been false alarms, but we make our way to the shelter anyway. Judging from the meager amount of vegetables in our bins after three hours of harvesting, there isn't really much left for them to destroy. Well, except our spirits, I suppose.

  ____________

  "Hey Mom, do you have any idea where the Dissenter base might be?"

  I had tried to ask it in a casual way, but I think the anxiety in my voice is evident. My mom sets down the towels she was folding and turns to me with a wary smile.

  "Why the sudden interest?"

  "I don't know," I hedge, "it just seems like it might be a useful thing to know, especially with the way our Community is falling apart."

  My m
om raises her eyebrows, but otherwise doesn't give any indication that she knows anything about the base. I decide to try a different approach.

  "Have you, uh, talked to Miles lately?" At this question my mother stiffens and looks instinctively in the direction of the surveillance camera, but there should be no threat there. The faint whir of the camera switched off about 10 minutes ago like it always does from 7:00 to 8:00 in the evening. Usually during this time we play the games, but Daniel had to stay late at his school for a special meeting.

  "Mari," my mother begins in a hushed voice, "I know that you've had some correspondence with Miles, and so have I, but it is incredibly important, even when we think it's safe, that we do not mention his name. Ever."

  I'm stunned at the severity of my mother's voice and the paleness in her face. I've seen her serious, but never in this way, like life and death were hanging on her words. I don't dare press her for more information about Miles, but now I'm more curious than ever to know why he's so important. Surely he's a valuable asset to the Dissenters - I remember seeing how skilled he was in combat — but why is my mom so intent on protecting him?

  I hear footsteps outside and realize Daniel is probably home. Moments later, he stumbles in through the door. I'm so worried about how afraid my mom still looks that at first I don't notice the awkward way my little brother is standing.

  "I d-don't feel so great," he half moans before collapsing into a nearby chair. When I finally focus on his face, I immediately break into a cold sweat. His skin is ashen and his eyes are unfocused. But most disturbing are the faint red lines etched on his face and hands, the terrifying red lines that plagued our community over 6 years ago.

  My little brother has the 12-Hours Virus.

  Chapter 9

  "Mari," my father whispers, "could you bring me a blanket?" I tiptoe past my mom, who is sound asleep from exhaustion, and pull a blanket out of the cabinet in the corner of the room.

  "How long are you going to be like this?" I ask as I spread the blanket across my father's hunched shoulders.

  "It'll pass soon," he says with a grim smile, "I think I'm starting to feel better already."

  I look at him skeptically, taking in the weakened shape of his body and his pale face, which makes his bright read hair look even more shocking. A few hours ago he came home from the farm looking terrible; his eyes were vacant and small red lines had appeared all over his skin. Since then he has vomited a dozen times and he's stiffening up. He can barely walk now. My mom has been taking care of him all night, but during this time of relative calm, she's fallen asleep. Something must be going around because several people at the farm and in the compound are feeling like this. My friend Miles is the only one in his family who isn't sick.

  "Do you know what the strongest part of the body is, Mari?"

  "The legs?"I venture.

  "Technically, it's the jaw, " my dad answers, "which means that there could potentially be an immense amount of power unleashed every time you open your mouth." He shifts slightly in his chair before he continues. "But in my estimation, it's the brain, because it controls every other part of the body. So if you can have complete mastery of your thoughts, you'll be able to control your actions, and your words."

  I cock my head to the side, wondering why my father is telling me this now. Maybe he's getting delirious.

  Just then the door bursts open and Miles comes running in. I smile instinctively when I see him, but my expression changes when I notice his face.

  "Frank Miller, Veronica Latham, and Judy Trujillo are dead," he says hurriedly, frantically, "and so are my parents."

  "What?" My mother cries out. She must have woken up when Miles ran in.

  "They're all dead," Miles exclaims shakily, an unnatural pallor lightening his usually dark skin.

  My mother hurries over to my father and grasps his hand, her eyes full of worry. I want to go to Miles, I want to comfort him and make his infectious smile come back, but I'm in shock. Both of his parents are dead? His wonderful, jovial parents who always welcomed me into their house and had the funniest stories to tell? I stare at my dad. Five people who had the same symptoms as him are now dead. How much longer does he have? Miles looks dazed as he walks slowly out the door. I try to follow him, but I'm frozen to my chair.

  The memory fades and all I have left to concentrate on is the rhythmic pounding of my feet on the dirt. I know I've been warned about the dangers of running alone at night, but I don't see any other alternative. As soon as I saw the red lines all over Daniel, I didn't waste any time. I took off for the city to get Adrian's help.

  When the 12-Hours Virus broke out six years ago, it was an anomaly; no one knew what to expect. They didn't know how it was transmitted or how long it would last or how devastating it would be. But when the epidemic passed, of those who had been infected, only the Amplified had survived. They were able to manipulate their bodies to overcome the virus, while for everyone else, there was no time. So if I can get Adrian to use his Amplifier to tell me how to heal the virus, maybe Daniel will have a shot at making it. I mean, this could be a completely useless attempt, it could be a process that only Amplified people are able to do, but I at least have to try.

  I'm nearing the outskirts of the city, and I can see some of the damage from recent bombings. A row of apartment buildings are missing their upper floors — it looks like they were blown off — but judging by the lights coming from the lower levels, they are still in use. The nutrition factory was destroyed, of course. Now all that remains is the high security fence that surrounded the building. It kept out intruders for years. Not very effective in an air strike, though.

  It doesn't take me long to find the blocky row of apartments where Adrian lives. It's right in the center of the city, next to the hospital and the entertainment district. It seems that most of the younger Amplified people live in this area. I run right into the building. It's only 10:00 at night so the doors aren't locked yet. I hurry down the neon-tinged hallway and don't bother knocking when I find Adrian's door. I don't have time for pleasantries. I let myself in.

  "What the... ?"

  "Sorry, Adrian," I cut in, taking in the awkward scene before me, "I need your help right now."

  My brother is entangled with a shapely, pale girl on his couch. At least they have their clothes on, I think uncomfortably.

  "Who is this?" The girl asks defiantly, pushing her semi-sweaty black hair out of her face.

  "It's my kid sister," Adrian shoots back defensively.

  "Oh," the girl responds, clearly annoyed but no longer suspicious. She slides off the couch and heads toward the bathroom.

  "Mari, what are you doing here?" Adrian demands angrily.

  "Daniel has the 12-hours virus."

  Adrian's face goes slack and there's a gasp from the bathroom.

  "He had it when he came home from school tonight, about 7:30," I continue, trying not to stumble over my words, "but I don't know how much time he really has left."

  "Are you sure, Mari? It could just be something else with similar symptoms," Adrian rationalizes.

  "It's exactly the same as when dad had it!" I yell desperately. "And even if it is something different, I'm not willing to risk it. Are you?"

  Adrian furrows his brows, apparently trying to decide if he wants to burden himself with something as serious as the death of our younger brother. Finally, he looks up at me helplessly.

  "What do you want me to do?"

  "Tell me how to heal the virus."

  "How would I know how to do that?"

  "Use your Amplifier!" I say impatiently. "Figure out how to survive it!"

  "Yeah, I guess I could do that," Adrian responds easily, as if I've just asked him to bring me a towel. "Adrian," he begins, "figure out how to survive the 12-hours virus." He waits a moment, and then his eyes light up. "Okay. All you have to do is-"

  Suddenly, he stiffens and his jaw sets.

  "I'm sorry, that is classified information available only to thos
e who are Amplified." He states blandly.

  I stare at my brother in disbelief. Is he really so arrogant about his Amplification that he won't divulge information that could save Daniel's life? I'm trying to understand Adrian's sudden change in behavior when I see a pamphlet on a nearby table; the familiar, bold title making my heart sink. "Can'tDecide? Use The Override!"

  "You signed up with the Override Program?" I ask frantically.

  He doesn't respond, but the answer is evident in his eyes.

  "We all did."

  I jump at the sound of the girl's voice, having momentarily forgotten that she was in the bathroom.

  "Everyone in the city signed on with the Override Program," she explains as she crosses the room.

  "Everyone?"

  "Yeah, pretty sure. The Community made a big event out of it today. They were offering incentives and all kinds of prizes for referrals. Seemed like fun, so we all did it."

  I start to back away, the sick feeling in my stomach building by the second. I glance at Adrian, who is still stiff, but I can see the fear in his eyes. I can't believe it. Every single person in the city subject to the Override Program. There's nobody here who can help me. I can only think of one other option.

  I'm going back to Compound L.

  Chapter 10

  "Did you sign on with The Override Program?"

  I've run into a group of people leaving the night club across from Adrian's apartment and decide to make sure I have no other options before going all the way to Compound L.

  "Yeah! And I got this awesome watch!" Responds a young man with spiky hair.

  "That's nothing," his friend pipes up, "when I signed on they gave me an extra month's ration of nutrition capsules."

  "What?" A woman behind them exclaims, "All I got was a lousy certificate from the Governor!"