Gavin looks back and forth between the two of us. He doesn’t say anything, but I have to wonder what he’s thinking. If he’s questioning how much I know. How much I remember. And, if I do remember, why I haven’t said anything to him.
I give a small shake of my head to tell him I don’t remember any of what she’s saying.
“But you weren’t perfect, were you? You were a failure.” She gives me a smug grin. “Which left me to take your place. And I did. I became Mother’s new prodigy. And I’m better than you ever were.”
I don’t say anything. I don’t know what she wants from me.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” she snarls.
“Say what? That I’m scared? Or surprised? Angry? What?”
“I’ve waited years for this moment.” She presses her fists to her eyes. “And it isn’t going at all how I wanted it to. You don’t care. Just like always. You’ve never cared about anyone but yourself.”
Her words remind me of what Macie said. “Mother and Father adore you. You can do no wrong in their eyes.… You’ve never cared about anyone but yourself.… But now this Surface Dweller comes and you show what you really are. A selfish, flighty, and foolish little girl.”
Are they both right? Am I really so selfish I never noticed this girl?
Then I remember what happened to Nick. What Mother did to him. What she’s done to the men we killed. What she did to me. It’s all because of the Conditioning.
“You’re still not listening!” she yells, pulling me back from my thoughts.
“You’re right,” I say. “I am selfish.”
Gavin gives me a quizzical look with his brows knit together. The girl, however, tilts her head as if not understanding what I said.
“But so are you,” I continue. “And it’s because of Mother that we’re this way. It’s the Conditioning. You think you’re her new prodigy? Her pet? Think again! She’s using you. Just like she used me.”
Veronica laughs. “Nice try. Is that what he wants you to think?” She jerks her head toward Gavin. “It’s more like he’s using you. And you expect me to fall for it, too?” She laughs. “Mother explained everything to me. How your training failed and your true self is coming out. That without the Conditioning you’re just a stupid, flighty, foolish girl.”
“… But now this Surface Dweller comes and you show what you really are. A selfish, flighty, and foolish little girl.”
My eyes widen as I begin to understand. Why the two sound the same. Macie was Conditioned. Just like Veronica. Like Nick. Like me.
“… And you can’t even see that Mother isn’t using you. She’s had only the best intentions for you. It’s the Surface Dweller who is.”
I glance over at Gavin, who is glaring at the girl. He shoots me a worried look, but I turn my attention back to her.
“No,” I say. “He isn’t. But Mother is using you. And me. She’s destroying the city. She’s experimenting with Conditioning, and it’s failing!”
She shakes her head. “That’s what Mother said you’d say. It’s not destroying anything.”
“We’ve seen it,” Gavin blurts out. “Everyone in this Sector is either dead or some kind of experiment gone bad. People are killing one another.”
Veronica raises her brow. “Then you must feel right at home, Surface Dweller. Your people are nothing but savages and murderers.” She dismisses him and turns back to me. “No one here was killed by anyone other than us. They were traitors, just like you.”
It’s no use arguing with her, and we’re wasting time. Gavin nudges me and then tilts his head toward the left. I follow his gaze to see he’s gesturing to the control panel for the submersibles.
Obviously, he wants to get over there so we can open the doors to one of the tiny little ships. I give a slight incline of my head, gesturing to him that I understand and agree.
“They were innocents,” I shout, startling everyone but Gavin, who creeps toward the panel.
Veronica glares at me. “They were not. They were helping you escape. Once they found out you’d murdered your best friend. They were coming to your aid.”
“What? No they weren’t.” Why would they do that? After I killed Macie? It doesn’t make sense.
“Yes. They were Timothy’s friends and family.” She tilts her head. “Remember him?”
I don’t say anything. I’m too shocked. That was his name. The boy with all the blood.
“Oh, of course, you don’t,” she snickers. “Why should you? He was nothing. Just a commoner. A Third that was never good enough. Just. Like. You.”
“He wasn’t a nothing. Not to me. I thought I loved him,” I say quietly, as the memories of all the times we’d snuck out together collide in my mind. Gavin stops and stares at me, his eyes a storm of emotions.
All those twisted memories make sense now. The dark recesses. The rough touches and gentle kisses. The plan. One night plays in front of my eyes. We’d decided we’d couple. I’d chosen him.
Then Mother had him killed.
Veronica laughs. “You loved him? Well, look where that got him. Two shots to the chest and a permanent resting place at the bottom of the sea.” She glances over at Gavin—who pales—with a grin. “Better hope she doesn’t love you, Surface Dweller. Or you’ll never make it out. Oh wait. That isn’t going to happen anyway.”
Anger bubbles up in me, then just as suddenly it’s gone. I grin at the girl, whose smile fades when I say, “I’m not nothing. I’m more than you’ll ever be.”
I lift the plasma pistol up and aim at her.
Nothing happens.
Veronica bursts out laughing. “Out of ammo? See? You are a failure.”
“First rule,” I say, swinging the Reising up to my shoulder. “Always come prepared.” I pull the trigger slightly so only a single bullet leaves the chamber.
It’s a perfect shot, and the sound echoes throughout the tiny room. But I’m not prepared for what happens next.
The bullet tears through her chest and hits the Enforcer behind her, but Veronica remains standing.
“Ow,” she says. “That hurts!” Then she sprints forward, coming straight at me.
I shoot again. This time a three-round burst. They rip through her and blood sprays everywhere, but it still doesn’t stop her. She tackles me to the ground and my head slaps the concrete. Stars dance in my eyes and compete with the wave of pain.
But I don’t have time to wallow in it. She’s trying to tear me apart. It takes everything I have to wrangle my legs between us. I set my feet on her chest and kick as hard as I can.
She flies backward into her group of Enforcers. I don’t understand why they aren’t attacking me. Why didn’t they kill us the minute we stepped in here?
I shove myself to my feet and glance around for Gavin. He’s over at the control panel, but he’s facing down two Enforcers. While he looks like he’s fighting with everything he has, they’re not even breaking a sweat.
What is going on here?
Hearing a shout, I twist my body just in time for Veronica to pass by. When she turns back around, she’s covered in blood, but the wounds on her body are closing. I don’t understand what I’m seeing.
She grins. “I asked for better healing. I was already perfect at everything else.”
Wonderful.
I glance over to where Gavin is still fighting with the girls. They’re just slapping away his advances like he’s an annoying fly.
Even Veronica is just standing there in front of me. Grinning.
“You’re wondering why you aren’t dead yet, aren’t you?”
I nod.
“We have orders to try and take you alive. Both of you.” She smiles wider. “But what Mother doesn’t know won’t hurt us and I’m done playing games.”
She pulls out her gun and aims it at me at the same time I slap in a canister and pull out the plasma pistol, taking aim at Veronica. “Last chance, Veronica. Stand down and let us by, or I shoot you and your girls.”
/> She laughs. “Haven’t you learned anything? Bullets have no long-term effects on me.”
“They don’t have to.” I sigh. “These aren’t bullets.”
I aim and fire. The surprise on her face quickly morphs into fear, then pain. But before the flames can engulf her face, the rest of the Enforcers are pulling out their own guns. Gavin yanks the plasma pistol out of his pocket and shoots the nearest one. My eyebrows lift when he manages to get not only the first girl, but also the one nearest to her with the single blast. They drop to the ground, fire encasing them, and even though they’re still trying to get to him, it isn’t long before they’re a pile of ash on the ground.
Two more Enforcers aim and fire at me, and I spin just in time to avoid getting a bullet to the head. I fire again, this time not taking a chance. Apparently it’s me and Gavin or them. So I continue to shoot until there’s no one in the room except Gavin and me, several piles of ash, and one or two who died when I shot Veronica with the Reising.
Emotionally exhausted, I stare at what’s left of the group, but Gavin has more worries on his mind than how we’ve destroyed girls who had no choice.
“Evie, are you hurt?”
I shake my head.
“There’s blood all over you.”
“It’s not mine. It’s Veronica’s.”
I stumble over to the control panel and try to figure out how it works. We’re interrupted when Mother’s voice comes through the speakers in the ceiling.
“For the last time, Evelyn, I won’t allow you to leave. It’s only a matter of time before your own Conditioning takes over. You can’t fight it forever.” Her voice wavers and there’s a ferocity to it now. Obviously us prevailing over her Enforcers wasn’t part of her all-knowing plan.
“We’re at the submersibles dock, Mother. There’s nothing you can do,” I say.
There’s a long silence, and I wonder what she’s doing. Then the speakers hiss again. “That’s what you think,” she says softly. “You know? Killing those girls was not very smart. How do you expect you’ll find the power room now? Though I doubt they would have helped you anyway.” She laughs, and it isn’t just me that hears the madness behind it.
Gavin looks at me and narrows his eyes. “We’re getting to her,” he finally says.
“It’s such a shame, really,” Mother says, either not hearing Gavin or ignoring him. “Because you were right about his eyes. And his genetics. The child you would have made together would have been perfect for my plans. An indestructible Enforcer.”
“Indestructible? What are you talking about, Mother?” It comes out as a sigh. I’m over all this nonsense. I just want it to end.
“Didn’t Veronica tell you?” She clicks her tongue. “Your genetics are superior to anyone in this city. You were the perfect Enforcer. Your body was quite literally designed for it. A wunderkind, so to speak. I should know; I made sure of it. You did everything perfectly your first time out. Sadly, your brain is constantly rejecting the Conditioning, but that’s easily fixed. In your children. A few modifications and we would have had the perfect Enforcers.”
Rage tears through me. “Is that why you kept me alive, Mother? When it would have been easier to kill me?”
“Yes. But once we were quite sure the children were what we wanted, you would have been destroyed. Just like anything defective.”
“Sorry to upset your plans, but that’s not going to happen,” Gavin says.
“Oh, it will,” Mother says. “Her Conditioning will take over, then she’ll kill you and return to me and we’ll put all this nasty stuff behind us.” She pauses. “Oh, and Evelyn, do be safe, will you? I’d rather you not get killed by those defectives running around Sector Three.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The War has corrupted the Surface Dwellers. They have been consumed with hate and violence, and should be considered extremely dangerous. Any Surface Dweller who attempts to break into Elysium should be shot on sight.
—ENFORCER STATUTE 104A.1
The speaker crackles, then cuts off. I glare at it before moving my gaze to the console.
Gavin rubs a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Evie. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I don’t say anything because I’m still staring at the console. There’s not a single light on it. Just like in the corridors. Apparently the emergency power doesn’t extend to these.
“Damn it!” I pound my fist against the glass.
“What’s wrong?” Gavin demands.
“There’s no power,” I reply with a sigh.
The news doesn’t surprise him. He only shrugs. “Well, that’s easy to fix, right? I mean, we’re in the Engineering Sector. Didn’t you say that the power control room is in this Sector?”
“Yes, but I don’t know where it is.” I look at the ground. I’m having trouble looking at him again. Partly from embarrassment, partly because just looking at him makes me want to snap his neck.
Unaware how hard I’m fighting, but obviously sensing something is wrong, he rubs a hand up and down my bare arm. Unable to control myself, I grab his hand and toss it aside.
“Don’t touch me,” I growl. “Don’t you realize what I want to do to you?”
“For God’s sake, Evie! You’re hurting. I can see it. Do you expect me to just do nothing?”
“Yes. Yes I do. Because I want to kill you. I want to take my hands and wrap them around your neck and watch as you die.” Gavin blinks and takes a step away from me. “Now will you please stop touching me!”
“I’m sorry,” he says quietly.
Seeing the fear in his eyes, I curse and pull at my hair. “No. I’m sorry. It’s just getting harder and harder for me to be around you.”
“Do you want to split up? Will it help you not kill me?” He grins, but I only shake my head.
“No. I can— I will control this, and we shouldn’t split up. Not with those … things walking around. All in all, you’re still probably safer with me.” This time I force a smile. “We’re in this together, right?”
“For better or worse,” he says. “Besides, I suppose if anyone was going to kill me, I’d rather it be you.” He kisses the side of my cheek, just to the left of my lips, and watches me as he pulls away, as if to see what my reaction will be.
Surprisingly, the kiss and his words make the haze of hate fade. Just a tiny bit.
“We need to find out how to get to the power room. Any ideas?” he asks.
I slowly shake my head. For the life of me, I can’t remember anything about this Sector. It seems the harder I fight the Conditioning to kill Gavin, the less I remember.
Gavin purses his lips and for just a moment he reminds me so much of Mother, my hand is at my plasma pistol before I realize it. It takes every ounce of self-control I have to pull my arm back.
I want to kill him. He’s a dirty, filthy Surface Dweller. He means nothing to me. He’s not my friend. Why am I helping him escape?
The voice in my head doesn’t sound like mine. It sounds like Mother. I wonder if she has a direct path into my mind.
I shake it off. Because he’s your only hope, I tell myself. If you stay, you will die like everyone else. The Surface is worth the risk, if it means you’ll live.
I force my hand away from the pistol.
Gavin continues to watch me for a moment, before asking, “Are you okay?”
My life is just about perfect, I want to say, but another surge of anger overtakes me as I fight the programmed response. After just a few seconds I say, “Yes. Fine.”
He breathes a sigh of relief, then searches the remaining bodies for something we can use. Suddenly, his face brightens. He reaches into a pile of gore and pulls out a thin piece of glass.
I frown. I have no clue what it is.
He hands it to me. “Macie had something like this. She tried to find the route you’d take when you snuck off to the Palace, but it didn’t show the maintenance level.”
I shake my head. “I don’t kn
ow what it is.”
His brows bunch together. “You don’t?”
I lift my shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
He studies it for a few minutes, then says, “Can I see your hand?”
Grudgingly, I hold it out. He presses the cool glass against my palm. A green light shoots out of the glass, then it beeps. A whole slew of words pop up onto the glass.
“I thought so,” he mutters. “Recognize it now?” He holds it out to me.
I don’t. I shake my head again.
He groans. “I really, really hate your mother.”
I don’t know what to say to that. He continues to study it and then starts pressing different things on the glass.
“Aha!” he says after a few minutes, and then a picture is projected from the glass. It’s a 3-D rendering of the facility.
“A map?” I ask.
“Yep, and I think this here is where we are.” He points to a blinking red dot. “I don’t really know how to work it. Do you?”
I know this. I know I do. I hold out my hand and he hands it to me. The contact with the device gives my memory a little boost and I’m able to locate the find feature. Then I pause. I can’t remember where we were going.
I look up at Gavin, who says, “Power control room.”
Right. I type it in, using the holographic keyboard, and it brings the map up again. This time there’s a red dot: us. And a flashing orange dot: power control room. Small pink dots lead from the red dot to the orange dot.
It appears to be several levels below us and on the opposite side of the Sector. I hand the map back to Gavin. “Probably safer for you to have it,” I say.
He takes it without question, reloads his plasma pistol, then hikes the backpack onto his shoulder. I do the same, and we cautiously slip out the door and start down the path.
It’s quickly evident that following behind him isn’t a good idea. The urge to shoot him in the back is too great. I’m still in control—so far—but I decide to take the lead. He’ll just have to direct me.
Renegade Page 25