Truancy

by Isamu Fukui

  “How did you do it?” Tack demanded the moment he entered the flower shop.

  Having led the attack on the Student Militia, Tack had been repeatedly subjected to that very same question, and certainly didn’t have an answer to it. Being exhausted, he had gone to sleep early the previous night, though he had awoken that morning feeling both more curious and more rested than he had in weeks.

  “Pardon me?” Zyid raised an eyebrow, looking up from his seat at the table. “What did I do?”

  “Set a fire inside the warehouse. Scattered the Student Militia. Killed Edward.” Tack ticked off each deed on his fingers.

  “I did nothing of the sort, Takan.” Zyid smirked.

  “That fire didn’t start itself,” Tack accused.

  “One of the students must have set it by accident.” Zyid yawned.

  “You told me that Edward would die,” Tack pointed out. “You knew.”

  “Call it a lucky guess,” Zyid said smoothly. “In any case, Takan, this is the opportunity that we’ve been waiting for. The Enforcers will be in disarray after the loss of their chief, and Edward no longer stands in our way. Morale has never been higher, and the entire Truancy is prepared to fight.”

  “We’re going to launch those big attacks you were talking about?” Tack asked, distracted from his questioning. “Today?”

  “Tonight, actually,” Zyid said, turning back to the papers on the table. “It will be messy, and destructive, but it’s our best chance of ending this war. And there is a particularly important part that I want you to play.”

  “What’s that?” Tack asked curiously.

  “The Mayor’s grip on the media has given him the opportunity to shape the public image of the Truancy. Naturally, we have been unable to contest this, unable to plead our case.” Zyid paused to scribble something onto a sheet before continuing. “Tonight, that will change.”

  “Wait.” Tack’s mind was suddenly racing. “So you want me to ‘plead our case’ to the City?”

  “Of course not.” Zyid smiled ruefully. “I will do that myself. Your job will be to help me get into Penance Tower so that I can spread the word.”

  Everyone in the City knew about Penance Tower. Named after its designer, it was by far the tallest building in the entire City. Located in District 1, it stood at the very center of the City so that its ominous silhouette could be seen from just about every other district. It was a prominent Educator building, and contained controls for everything from the City’s drawbridges to its school speakers. Tack suspected that Zyid would make use of the latter in order to “spread the word.”

  But it wasn’t the mention of Penance Tower that had caught Tack’s attention. “Just me?” he asked, unable to believe that he’d be so lucky.

  “Yes, Takan,” Zyid repeated lightly. “Just you.”

  Tack willed his face to remain impassive, but his thoughts were churning. Tonight the Truancy would deal a decisive blow against the Educators, and afterwards Tack would have as clean a shot at Zyid as he could possibly hope for. There would be no other Truants to witness it, and if Tack returned alone, it would be easy to say that Zyid had been killed by an Enforcer.

  Tack knew that he might not succeed, and that even if he did, Zyid’s death might very well throw the Truancy into chaos. Still, it was a chance that Tack had to take. Everything came after Suzie, and from that standpoint, he had never felt more hopeful than he did as he stood in the flower shop, listening to Zyid begin to relate the risks of what he hoped would be the Truancy’s decisive battle.

  * * *

  “You’ve got to be joking,” the Mayor said disbelievingly, his lighter falling from his hand onto the carpeting where it lay forgotten.

  “I’m afraid not, sir,” the Enforcer officer replied, clasping his hands behind his back as he stood in front of the Mayor’s desk.

  “Edward, dead?” the Mayor breathed, standing up.

  “Presumed dead,” the Enforcer corrected. “The Student Militiamen under his command have been scattered, and their headquarters have been burned.”

  “But … but Edward had over sixty Student Militiamen with him!” the Mayor sputtered. “The Truants slaughtered their own kind to get to Edward?”

  “We actually don’t know how many were killed, and Edward’s body still hasn’t been recovered,” the Enforcer pointed out. “That’s not surprising though, since the fire was quite thorough.”

  “So Edward might be alive?” the Mayor said desperately.

  “There is a slight possibility,” the Enforcer conceded. “But if he were alive and still interested in aiding us, he would have contacted us by now.”

  “So…,” the Mayor began weakly.

  “We cannot rely on the boy anymore,” the Enforcer said firmly. “Apparently he sent us a call for aid when he came under attack. Of course, our forces were all occupied at the time, dealing with the other Truancy attacks.”

  The Mayor stiffened and narrowed his eyes dangerously at the Enforcer.

  “You mean to tell me,” the Mayor breathed, “that Edward called for help and was refused?”

  The Enforcer frowned. “Yes.”

  “Imbeciles!” The Mayor groaned. “He was the Chief Enforcer! He was to be denied nothing!”

  “I’m aware of it,” the Enforcer said silkily. “But as you know, his status was not made public. There are still some in uniform that are unaware that a child was chosen to lead the Enforcers.”

  “Find out who received the message,” the Mayor snapped. “And have him imprisoned indefinitely for treason.”

  The Enforcer hesitated, but quickly wilted under the Mayor’s furious gaze.

  “It will be done,” the Enforcer assured him.

  “No one can know about this,” the Mayor hissed. “You hear? No one else finds out that the Student Militia is leaderless! I want whatever is left of the Militia out there on the front lines. Find them a new leader. And while you’re at it, arm a few dozen more students and send them out there, today!”

  “Today?” the Enforcer repeated cautiously.

  “Yes, today,” the Mayor snapped. “I don’t care how little training they get; if they can stop a bullet, that’s one bullet more that we won’t have to worry about.” The Mayor kicked at his lighter and missed. “Speaking of which, did you deal with those other Truancy attacks?”

  “We’ve forced them into a full retreat,” the Enforcer said quickly. “We’ve suffered heavy losses, of course, but so did they. And we have men to spare, while they don’t.”

  “Did they all retreat at the same time?” the Mayor demanded.

  “Yes,” the Enforcer replied, frowning.

  “Before or after the attack on the Student Militia?” the Mayor pressed.

  “Shortly after,” the Enforcer said uncomfortably, seeing where the conversation was going.

  “So would it be a fair assumption that these other attacks were nothing more than diversions to keep us busy while they murdered our most valuable officer?” the Mayor snarled; he was no fool.

  “Well … yes, I suppose so,” the Enforcer replied.

  The Mayor shut his eyes in exasperation and leaned on his desk wearily. Of course the Enforcers had arrived at that conclusion before, and had tried to hide it from him. Not stirring from his position, the Mayor felt something inside him snap as he opened his mouth to address the Enforcer before him.

  “Get out!” the Mayor roared.

  “But sir, shouldn’t we prepare to—”

  “Out!”

  Not inclined to argue, the Enforcer swiftly turned around and left the Mayor alone to brood in his dimly lit office. Even without the Student Militia, without Edward, the Truants were still outnumbered by the Enforcers. Really, it was far from hopeless. But then again, why did it suddenly feel that way to the Mayor?

  And then the Mayor remembered why, though he kept that greatest of secrets to himself as he stamped his foot in frustration. His expensive black boots hammered his dropped lighter, driving it deeper
and deeper into the thick carpet.

  * * *

  Tack carefully buttoned up the blue Student Militia uniform, admiring the quality of the fabric. The uniform had been taken from a deserter, and Zyid had provided it as a disguise that they would use to sneak into the television station. Tack thought it looked good on him, though it did have a sort of uncomfortably formal fit that Tack hadn’t been accustomed to since his days as a student. Taking a deep breath, Tack straightened his cuffs and tried to mentally prepare himself for what he knew lay ahead, but somehow he just couldn’t manage it.

  Giving up on mental preparation, Tack sighed and strapped his sheathed sword to his belt, idly wondering if it would be the weapon to kill Zyid or if he would simply end up shooting the Truancy leader in the back. Tack decided that he’d figure it all out later. In the more immediate future, he had to worry about the attack on Penance Tower. If Zyid accomplished what he set out to do with his broadcast, the Educators might well fall even if Zyid died afterwards, which would be the best-case scenario for Tack.

  Through the flower shop window, Tack could see what looked like the entire Truancy spilling out into the darkening City streets, climbing into or atop vehicles, arming themselves, wishing each other good luck. There were more of them than Tack had ever seen at the same time, though Tack knew they were much fewer than there had been a week ago. Tack also knew that Zyid was walking somewhere among them, probably already dressed in his Student Militia uniform, giving last-minute instructions as he waited for Tack to finish. Tack silently vowed that this night would be the last for at least one of the two of them. The pieces were all in place. The Truancy was poised for victory. And Zyid would be out there in the chaos, with no one but Tack to witness his death.

  The door swung open and Tack spun around, expecting to see Zyid standing in the doorway. Tack’s heart leaped up into his throat when he saw it was not Zyid but Noni, looking oddly at him with unusually warm blue eyes. Tack immediately noticed that she had done away with her scarf completely, leaving her scar in plain sight. Try as he might, he couldn’t find anything to say as she walked forward, letting the door swing shut behind her.

  “So,” Noni said quietly. “This is it.”

  “Yeah,” Tack said.

  “The last battles.”

  “Hopefully,” Tack agreed.

  “I heard you’re going along with Zyid,” Noni murmured.

  “Yeah.” Tack nodded. “Where are you going?”

  “Nowhere so dangerous,” Noni replied quietly. “I’m leading an attack on a power station.”

  “Good luck,” Tack said sincerely, suspecting that her assignment was more dangerous than she’d have him believe.

  A few moments passed during which the two stared at each other, and Tack could feel an excited tension begin to build up inside him as they locked gazes.

  “Takan,” Noni said suddenly in a voice that instantly drew Tack’s undivided attention.

  “Yes?” Tack asked breathlessly.

  “In case one of us doesn’t survive,” Noni said hesitantly, “there’s something I wanted to do.”

  Noni slowly drew closer to him, and as if controlled by a puppeteer’s strings, Tack moved forward to meet her. The next thing he knew, Noni had flung her arms around him and pressed her lips to his. Tack didn’t remember his arms sliding around her waist, but once he found them there he hugged her tightly to him, as if there were some danger of her being wrested from his grip. It seemed awkward at first, but after a few seconds all Tack could think about was how good it felt to be wrapped around her body, how tender her lips were, how sweet her fragrance was. It was like conscious thought had abandoned him, replaced by a primal rush of excitement.

  “Ahem.”

  Tack and Noni sprang apart instantly, turning to see Zyid standing in the doorway, a massive shadow in the growing dark. Tack knew that he must look embarrassed, and he chanced a quick glance at Noni, whose cheeks had reddened slightly, though her expression made it clear that she had no regrets. That was good, Tack thought, because he had none himself …

  except for one.

  Tack suddenly felt a mad urge to confide in Noni now, at the last minute. He wanted to tell her what he planned to do to Zyid, to apologize in advance for killing someone she so obviously cared about. But Tack knew that he couldn’t—ever since he first joined the Truancy, he had worked under his own agenda. His was a secret that could be shared with no one, a secret that he’d even buried from himself, and one that could never come to light.

  And in that respect, Tack realized that he was truly alone.

  “It’s time to go,” Zyid said briskly, as if he had not just walked in on two of his lieutenants kissing. “We’re behind schedule.”

  Noni nodded reluctantly, and as she made for the door, she turned to look at Tack once more, and though she said nothing, in an instant Tack read all he needed to in her glittering blue eyes. Then she broke eye contact and darted out the door, leaving Tack alone with a uniformed Zyid, who gestured wordlessly outside. Tack picked up his gun from the table, and then followed Zyid out into the bustling street, where cars filled with Truants were already departing, roaring down the streets and around the corners.

  “How are we getting there?” Tack asked as Zyid led him away from the vehicles.

  “We’re taking the subway,” Zyid said, setting a quick pace towards the living City. “We have no reason not to. To commuters we’d look like nothing more than two foolish students fighting to keep ourselves in chains.”

  “I thought the Student Militia was routed, though,” Tack said cautiously, walking faster to keep up with Zyid.

  “You were there, not me,” Zyid pointed out.

  “Won’t they know that the real Student Militia is routed? And notice us?” Tack asked, gesturing at their uniforms.

  “Unlikely,” Zyid said dismissively. “There’s been nothing on the news. The Mayor wouldn’t want to make that public anyway. Edward and the Student Militia were among his greatest assets, and were their loss to become known, Enforcer morale would plunge. Besides,” Zyid added as they slipped over a short wire fence and into the living City, “there are doubtless hundreds of students still lined up to earn that instant graduation. If we allow it to, the Student Militia will soon revive and perhaps even thrive, though likely under less competent leadership.”

  “So we don’t allow them,” Tack said logically as they strode down the dark and empty avenue towards the moving lights of traffic.

  “Of course we don’t,” Zyid agreed. “I have decided to stake everything on tonight’s events. The entire Truancy will face the Enforcers. It will be a battle that encompasses the entire City. If we succeed, we’ll come very close to winning this war.”

  “So why even bother spreading your message?” Tack asked as they turned a corner to join the nighttime pedestrians walking along the noisy and unnaturally bright street.

  “Because, Takan, I hope to incite a larger revolt,” Zyid explained.

  “A larger revolt?” Tack repeated uncomprehendingly as they walked down the stairs to the subways below the City.

  “Yes.” Zyid nodded. “There are thousands of students still in this City who are neither Truants nor part of the Student Militia, and there may be dozens of Student Militia members-in-training that are armed and might be swayed.”

  “And you think that you can convince them to turn against the Educators?” Tack asked skeptically.

  “That remains to be seen,” Zyid said as they each slipped over the turnstiles without scanning their student bar codes. “And, incidentally, there’s something else I’d like to talk to you about.”

  “What’s that?” Tack asked curiously.

  “Noni.”

  Tack nearly tripped over his boots in surprise, grabbing ahold of a railing to prevent himself from tumbling down the stairs that they had been descending to reach the actual subway platform. Tack straightened up and looked suspiciously at Zyid, who was now regarding him with a raised eye
brow. The way that Zyid had ignored his intimacy with Noni made him assume that the Truancy leader would have nothing to say on the subject, and Tack didn’t enjoy the prospect of taking fire from this unexpected direction.

  “What about her?” Tack asked defensively.

  “I’m pleased that she’s found someone she might be able to open up to,” Zyid said, resuming his descent. “I helped her cover up her scar, but you helped her overcome it.”

  Tack was utterly speechless at what he was hearing, and could barely force his legs to move him down the stairs in pursuit of Zyid, who wasn’t waiting for Tack’s input before continuing.

  “She’s had a very difficult life,” Zyid said as he reached the platform. “More so than you can imagine, and perhaps more than even I know. It is immensely difficult to gain her trust, and yet you have done so. She deserves to be loved, and I think that she expected it of me. Obviously, I disappointed her in that regard.”

  Tack felt his voice returning. “Why’s that?” he asked.

  “Because, Takan”—Zyid turned around to smirk at Tack—“I’m a heartless bastard.”

  Tack certainly couldn’t argue with that.

  “There is one thing I must warn you about, however,” Zyid said casually. “Noni is dangerously attached to me. Should I die, Noni might become … unpredictable.”

  Tack froze, feeling a sudden panic welling up in his chest. He forced himself to appear calm as he studied Zyid’s face carefully. It was as if he knew; it was as if Zyid knew what Tack intended to do. Tack waited with bated breath, but as seconds dragged on in silence and Zyid gave no indication of suspecting an attempt on his life, Tack allowed himself to believe that it was just a coincidence.

  “Unpredictable?” Tack repeated.