The Dissenters

by Lauren M. Flauding

  They start to argue amongst themselves and I take off running in the direction of Compound L. So it appears what Adrian's lady friend said was true; the Community bribed everyone in the city to subject themselves to the new Override Program. I'm disgusted, and a little apprehensive. Why is the Community pushing so hard to get everyone on this program? What are they planning? Or more importantly, do they know something's coming?

  These thoughts are secondary, however, and soon my mind is again preoccupied with Daniel and the virus. I assume that he'd only had the virus for an hour or so when he came home, which means he probably has about 8 hours left. And it doesn't help that the farther I run from our compound means twice as much time lost. But from the way Adrian responded before his Override took over, it seems like the virus might be easy to overcome. At least I hope it is.

  I'm running out of breath, but I don't dare slow down. I'm hoping that Alia and the other soldiers are still in Compound L, and I'm hoping that Alia has not signed on with the Override Program. I don't think she would voluntarily, but they might have made it a requirement for all the soldiers. Guess I'll find out soon.

  I reach Compound L just after midnight. The familiar cement dust fills my lungs and nearly makes me choke. I see the lights are on in the South wing of the power plant, which is somewhat encouraging. At least I know someone's in there. I pull open the door and am met with a scene of utter chaos. Dozens of soldiers are running everywhere, stripping the bunks and throwing their belongings and various ammunition into small backpacks. They all seem to be yelling, but at no one in particular, and about 20 of them appear to have the 12-Hours Virus.

  I spot Hannah, a girl I recognize from training, and rush over to talk to her.

  "Hey Hannah, what's going on?"

  "Emergency transfer," she responds quickly, not seeming to notice or care that I don't belong here. "Everyone is needed in the Outer Reaches."

  She rushes off to a pile of guns before I can ask her more. To the left of me a boy is slowly taking sheets off his bed. He has red lines on his face, but they're faint.

  "Do you have the 12-hours virus?" I ask bluntly.

  "Had it," he replies, "and it was nasty. I spent about 2 hours vomiting before I had the presence of mind to command myself to get rid of it."

  "How'd you get rid of it?" I press.

  "I used my Amplifier," he answers, looking at me as if I'm the dumbest person in the world.

  "Well, of course you did," I respond. "But how did it feel?"

  "I don't know. It was like the virus was being purged from my body."

  "Hm, interesting." I respond, trying to sound nonchalant. "Any idea how a non-Amplified person would go about getting rid of the virus?"

  "Nope. And I couldn't tell you if I tried. Earlier, some lady came running in asking how to cure it because her daughter had the virus, and when I tried to find out, the Override stopped me."

  "Of course," I say curtly and quickly turn away. Apparently I'm not the only person trying to get answers from the Amplified. I make my way down the rows of bunks, looking for Alia or anyone who might not be subject to the Override Program. I'm nearing the back of the room when I run right into Joby.

  "Mari! What are you doing here?" He demands, eyeing me with obvious concern.

  "I - I came to get help."

  Joby brightens a little, although he's still glancing around as if he's expecting a threat. "What do you need?" He asks, almost smiling.

  "Well, I need someone who's not on the Override Program," I say cautiously.

  "I see," he states stiffly. The friendliness drains from his face and his eyes deaden before he puts his head down and walks away. I feel a heaviness in my chest as I watch him leave. I want to go after him and try to repair our friendship, but my brother's life takes precedence. I just wish I knew why Joby is acting so strange.

  I'm startled by a loud, crackling voice that suddenly erupts out of a nearby speaker.

  "Attention soldiers, we will be departing for the Outer Reaches in 10 minutes. Please ensure that all of your belongings and weapons are packed."

  10 minutes? I think frantically, I don't even know if I'll be able to find Alia in that time, much less figure out the cure for the virus. I start running through the rows of bunks, asking anyone I pass if they know where Alia is, but everyone is too focused on getting their stuff together to help me. Finally, I catch a glimpse of Liam by the pile of weapons.

  "Liam!" I yell as I run across the room, "Have you seen Alia?"

  "Hey Mari, did you decide you wanted to take a vacation to the Outer Reaches?" He says jovially, but there's a hint of apprehension in his voice.

  "Where's Alia?" I ask, trying not to sound too demanding.

  "Well, it's good to see you too," he responds sarcastically. "She's just outside the door, organizing supplies."

  "Thanks," I say hurriedly as I bolt out the door. Outside, I locate Alia easily among a few other soldiers loading crates into large trucks. When she sees me, her face becomes a mixture of surprise and concern.

  "Mari, you have got to stop traveling to other compounds by yourself!" She scolds. "Plus, if any of the Restrainers caught you hanging around here-"

  "Daniel has the 12-hours virus and I need your help," I interject. "Please tell me you haven't signed on to the Override Program."

  "No, I... I haven't," she replies, stumbling over her words in confusion, "but how am I supposed to help?"

  "Find out how to overcome the virus for someone who's not Amplified," I urge, praying that this will work.

  "All right," she concedes.

  I watch as she gives herself the command and wait nervously as the information comes to her through her Amplifier. Finally, she turns to me, but her expression is grave.

  "The only way to expel the virus is with Digest capsules, at least three of them."

  Of course! I think, remembering the coveted capsules from training that can clean a person out in one hour.

  "Okay," I say hopefully, "do you have some to spare?"

  "I haven't had a Digest since the war started," Alia explains regretfully. "We're only rationed the Regular capsules and some Energy when we're in combat. The only place where there are still Digest capsules is at the Governor's mansion."

  I take a deep breath and look up at Alia.

  "Well, then," I say steadily, "I guess I know where I need to go next."

  Alia's eyes widen as I turn away and start running back toward the city. "Mari, don't do it!" She calls after me. "There's no way you'll get past the guards!"

  But I'm out of earshot before she can talk any sense into me.

  Chapter 11

  This is suicide. I gasp for breath as I survey the grounds of the mansion behind the massive iron gates, illuminated by the city lights just beyond its perimeter. I've run over 30 miles tonight on just one Hydration and no sleep. Even if I somehow manage to obtain the Digest capsules, I might just collapse from fatigue on the way home.

  What am I doing? I think. I don't have a plan, I don't even know where the capsules would be, and this mansion isn't exactly small. I look at the huge house, far more ornate than anything else in the Community. Just one of the heavy marble pillars in front of the house is probably more valuable than everything in my compound combined. Once again, it seems the Equality Movement does not apply to Governor Plenaris.

  I creep along the gate, unsure where to start. Beyond the iron bars is an electric fence, and after that there appears to be some sort of laser boundary. And of course there are bound to be tons of guards and cameras. As if validating my musings, I see two guards approaching the gate. It's dark enough where I am that I don't think they can see me, but I crouch down low behind some scraggly bushes just in case. Soon, they're close enough that I hear their conversation.

  "So they're saying the virus originated in the schools this time?" One of the guards comments.

  "That's right," the other guard responds. "It's a shame, too. Mostly kids contracted it, and without an Ampli
fier, they don't stand a chance."

  "I had the virus years ago when it first hit us. I only suffered through it for about half an hour before I cured myself with my Amplifier, but it was excruciating. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

  I think of the pain Daniel must be going through and let out an involuntary groan.

  "What was that?" One the guards asks nervously, looking in my direction. I curse myself for being so careless.

  "Might have been the wind," the other offers, walking slowly toward me, "but we better make sure."

  They approach cautiously, a couple more steps and they'll definitely be able to see me. I'm wondering if I'm crazy enough to try and attack these guards when bright lights appear behind me. A large truck, similar to the ones Alia and the other soldiers were loading, is lumbering across the uneven ground toward the gate entrance. The guards are momentarily blinded by the lights, and the engine of the approaching vehicle is loud enough to drown out any sound of movement, so I take advantage of this opportunity and roll several feet away from the guards, praying that whoever is driving the truck doesn't see me. I wait for the slow-moving vehicle to pass me, then jump up and run behind the truck, climbing onto some thick netting that covers the back.

  After a few feet the truck stops abruptly. They must have noticed me climbing on, I think with growing dread. But after a few moments I realize they've stopped to talk to the two guards. Soon we're moving again, and I hope it's dark enough that the guards don't see a teenage girl clinging to the back of the truck. I hold my breath as we pass through the security check points of the outer gates and the electric fence, but so far it seems no one has detected me. When we reach the laser field, I watch as the driver reaches out of the truck's window and enters a code on a keypad. The lasers are immediately shut off. Once the truck has cleared the field, the ominous lasers flicker back on.

  It's almost been too easy, I worry as the truck descends into some kind of garage beneath the mansion. It appears to be a storage area, but it's hard to tell because the quality of everything is so nice. Hundreds of boxes are stacked on beautiful granite shelves, and the space is lighted by dozens of crystal chandeliers. It kind of makes me want to vomit.

  I spot a flight of stairs down one of the aisles and jump off the truck right before it turns a corner. I wait for the rumbling of the truck to fade away completely before I backtrack to find the stairs. I ascend them slowly, looking for cameras or guards, but oddly, I don't see any. Either this area is not important enough to warrant any security or so important that it needs to be completely secret. In any case, I don't have time to find out. There's a small sliding door at the top of the stairs. I open it easily and step out into a room with the largest collection of weapons I have ever seen. Every inch of space on the walls and even the ceiling is covered with various firearms, swords, spears, clubs, arrows, and knives. Some of them look almost ancient.

  "I guess The Governor has an obsession with collecting weapons," I murmur as I carefully cross the room. I'm tempted to take one of the guns for defense, but I'm worried it might trigger an alarm. It takes me a while to navigate my way out of the huge armory, but I finally locate a passageway that looks like it leads to the rest of the house. I attempt to make my steps silent, a nearly impossible feat on the slick marble floors.

  I enter a hallway and pass by a massive ballroom, a swimming pool, a greenhouse, and what appears to be an observatory. Oddly, the lights in all these rooms and the hallway are on. Looks like no one's concerned about conserving electricity here. The end of the hallway opens up into a spacious room trimmed with rich mahogany and filled with dozens of instruments and containers that are altogether foreign to me. But what makes me nearly cry with relief are several glass bowls on the counters filled with capsules. I move swiftly to the nearest bowl and fish out a handful of Digestion capsules, plus a couple Hydration capsules for my run home. I'm considering taking some Satisfy and Energy capsules as well when I'm startled by a sharp buzzing sound. I turn around to see Governor Plenaris standing 20 feet away from me, aiming a gun at my head.

  "Please don't shoot me," I say pathetically, wondering why I'm even trying to plead with a man who doesn't have an ounce of kindness in him, "my brother has the virus and without an Amplifier, this is the only way he'll survive."

  The Governor, predictably, remains expressionless. Although his silence is a bit perplexing. I look down at my hand gripping the capsules. A Hydration is visible through the gap left by my seared-off finger — the finger that was damaged by touching the hologram of the Governor in school. Wait a minute, I think as I look up at Governor Plenaris again. He's wearing a suit, which is odd for four o' clock in the morning, and his silence really is uncharacteristic. The man loathes me, he would not pass up this opportunity to torture me with his awful rhetoric. I slowly step a few paces to the left and he follows me with his gun, but makes no other movement or comment. Through an archway I catch a glimpse of what looks like another Governor Plenaris in the observatory. There must be dozens of holographic Governors standing guard throughout the mansion.

  I make a plan to try to get past the hologram. It's still dangerous, I don't want the rest of my body to end up like my finger, but now at least I know the technological illusion can't actually shoot me. I sprint straight at the hologram and then take a sharp right turn just before I reach it. I barely get around it. I can feel the edge of my shirt being singed as I run by. I head into the observatory, just far enough to activate the other hologram, then double back toward the first room. I stop right in the middle of the two rooms and watch as both holograms come at me full speed, praying that my plan will work. At the moment that they're both about to overtake me and burn me into oblivion, I dive out of the way. There's a small explosion as the two holograms collide. The lights flicker a few times, then everything goes dark.

  Well, that's a nice bonus, I think. I was only trying to destroy the holograms, but the resulting power surge gives me quite an advantage for my escape. My inhibitions gone, I rush back into the hallway, searching for a way out of the mansion. On the far end of the pool room, I see a door that looks like it leads outside, but when I open it, I see it's just a patio about three stories up from the ground. I'm about to go back in when suddenly I hear gunshots and yelling coming from behind me and realize that the patio is my best option. I secure the capsules in my pocket and climb over the railing. Luckily, the wall is lined with large stone slabs, making it fairly easy for me to maneuver down to the ground.

  And once again, I'm running. The laser field is down, the electric fence is dead, and the main entrance to the iron gate is wide open. Bullets hit the dirt behind me, but whoever is shooting them probably can't see me too well in the darkness. I feel euphoric as I clear the mansion's perimeter and start heading back in the direction of Compound Q. But of course, this feeling of triumph doesn't last long.

  Beams of light slash through the blackness. I look back and recognize the headlights of the truck I rode on before. I quicken my pace and try not to think of the severity of the situation as I glimpse the shadow of a skinny girl frantically trying to outrun a truck. In the open, flat desert, I have nowhere to hide.

  The truck swiftly closes the distance between us and drives up on my left. The window rolls down and I expect gunfire, so I'm surprised when I hear a voice calling out to me.

  "Mari! Get in!"

  I stop abruptly, and the truck zooms past me, then stops and backs up. I peer into the window, and even though I can't see him, I know the voice unmistakably belongs to Miles Paxton.

  "Hurry! Get in!" He repeats.

  I climb into the passenger seat and slam the door.

  "You were in this truck the whole time?" I shout at him.

  "Yeah," he responds with a faint smile.

  "Why didn't you say anything?"

  "I couldn't compromise the mission."

  "What mission?"

  Miles pulls a device out of his jacket, then looks in his rear view mirror and pushes a button
. I look out the back window in time to see a chunk of the mansion explode.

  "Was that the storage area you drove into?" I ask incredulously.

  "Yep."

  "What was in there?"

  "Some weapons and propaganda, but mostly Override machines."

  "Override machines?" I spit out. "We're in the middle of a war and you guys are still spending all your time trying to get rid of those?"

  "Yeah, Mari," Miles says impatiently, "what do you think they're warring over?"

  I have no response. It makes a lot of sense that the North would want the ability to control everyone through the Override machines.

  "What were you doing?" Miles asks, changing the subject.

  I take a deep breath before I answer. "Daniel has the 12-hours virus. I had to get some Digest capsules."

  Miles is silent. He drives the truck a little faster. I look over at him. His face is somber. I don't know if he's thinking about his family that he lost to the virus or the mission he just completed, but in any case, he looks like he doesn't want to be disturbed. It's just as well. There are so many things I want to talk to him about, but with the strain and exhaustion of the last several hours setting in, and the relief of not having to run home, I'm soon falling fast asleep.

  ____________

  "Mari, we're here."

  I wake with a start and see my house out the window of the truck. My left hand feels suddenly cold, as if up until now there was something warm on it. Miles is looking at me with a half amused expression, maybe I was making funny noises in my sleep. But there's no time to wonder whether or not I embarrassed myself in front of Miles. I have to get to Daniel.

  I stumble out of the truck and mumble a groggy "thank you" to Miles. I watch him drive off past our house, which is mildly surprising. I would have expected him to head back toward the city. I prepare myself for the worst as I walk up the front steps of our house. I open the door and find my mother asleep at the table and Daniel lying pale and motionless on the floor.

  Chapter 12