Clover

by Lisa Jade

  My cheeks burn.

  “You don’t need to. I wasn’t even sure what I was doing. Adrenaline took over.”

  “That’s good. It means you can snap into action. That’s helpful in a tough situation. In fact if you’re up for it, I want to bring you with us tomorrow. My ankle’s strapped up and all, but it still hurts like a bitch. It’d be good to have you along, just in case.”

  “What’s tomorrow?”

  “The plan,” he says softly, “but it’s dangerous. I’d understand if you said no.”

  “I don’t mind. But will Jay trust me to come along?”

  “Trust isn’t the issue. Just come with us, and let’s see if he tries to stop you. Come into my room tomorrow morning. I’ll explain the plan.”

  I open my mouth, wanting to ask more, but stop myself. He’ll explain it all tomorrow.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Jensen’s room is bigger than I’d have thought – but any useable space has been taken over by computers. Grey and black boxes fill every available surface, even the bed, and the whole place is dominated by a vast screen. He sits with his back to the door, tapping away at the keyboard.

  Jay, Nate and Pan are already here, along with Nelson and another guy I don’t recognise. Nobody seems confused as I walk into the room; either they were already expecting me, or are unsurprised that I’m here.

  Jensen glances my way with a smirk.

  “Morning. I’d have thought you’d be the first here.”

  “I’ve been up for hours,” I correct him, “I’ve been working the crop patch. I guess I figured you’d be like Pan and wouldn’t wake up until noon.”

  Pan blushes at that – but Jensen seems to find it funny, at least. He waves a hand at the screen.

  “Gather round then, guys. I’ll explain everything.”

  On his screen is a map. It takes me a few seconds to realise that it’s Thorne, perfectly round with strong borders. I remember the chain-link fence I had to pass to get in here, and wonder if it goes all the way around the city. What a waste of the perfectly fertile soil beyond their borders. My eyes follow the lines of the roads – straight and joined from the entrance, splitting off into thousands of separate roads that worm their way into every corner, but always come back together at the closest of three points. Jensen catches me looking at them and points.

  “These are the HQs for the three leaders. Each one’s impossible to access. I’m talking cameras, alarm systems… they’re always on total lockdown. This one here in the middle… this is Maynard’s.”

  It’s just a dot on a screen, but for some reason the thought of that woman’s stern, cold face is enough to leave me shaken.

  “Okay.”

  “Long story short, we need to break into it.”

  I gasp, but the others seem unsurprised. It seems they’ve already discussed this. Still, they exchange grim glances. This isn’t going to be easy.

  “I don’t understand,” I say, “how will this help us?”

  “We think you might be Ada because our database said so. But that’s not reliable because the leaders have control of the system. Maynard in particular has messed with it before. So we can’t be sure that it isn’t just set up to mark any similar person as a match.”

  My heart sinks.

  “So there’s no way to know?”

  “Let me finish. There’s no way for us to know with the access we have. I’ve still not been able to remotely hack their systems. They have too much protection. But if we could get in, we could use their internal database to check. Their data will be completely untouched. We could do a multi-point identity check, and confirm for certain if you’re actually her. Problem is, I can’t get into it from here. I think you see where this is going.”

  I swallow hard.

  “We need to get into that building,” Jay interjects, “so that Jensen can get into their computers. We won’t have time to do the checks while we’re there, so we’ll bring a copy of the database back with us.”

  “But if they’re really well protected, how do we get in?”

  “Jensen’s spent sixteen years breaking into every other system the leaders have. He can remotely turn off their cameras and security systems. He can even short the electricity, giving us a chance to get in and out while the building’s using emergency power.”

  Jensen nods.

  “They have a flawed system. If they’re running on emergency power, their internal system security goes down, too. We can get in without much trouble.”

  They exchange small smiles, and suddenly there’s a small rush of something warm in my chest. Happiness, maybe? They had a plan all along.

  “So, when do we go?”

  I try to inject some degree of confidence into my voice as I speak, but Jay still seems mortified.

  “We? You’re not going.”

  “Why not? You’re doing this because of me. I should be allowed to help. Besides, if you’re still worried I’m going to do something bad, then check Atlas’ records. It’s not left my side since I got here – except for when I was with Pan or Jensen.”

  He seems frustrated at that, partly because I’m arguing with him, but mostly because there’s no good reason to keep me here. Pan gently pats his arm.

  “Jay, it’s alright. We’ll give her a hood and scarf, keep her face covered. Just like last time.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “She saved my ass,” Jensen admits, “I think she’ll do okay.”

  I just smile, my eyes meeting his. With a single glance, I issue a firm challenge. Give me the chance – and I’ll prove myself. He heaves a pained sigh.

  “Fine. Fine! We go as soon as it gets dark. Leave that Hoverbot behind, though.”

  “I thought you needed it to watch me?”

  “We don’t want to risk anyone spotting it. Besides, we’ll be right there. I’ll watch you myself.”

  They lead me through the labyrinth and up to one of the entrances, which turns out to be some kind of corrugated metal shed. Inside are a number of contraptions I vaguely recognise as motorbikes. They bear some resemblance to the quads we sometimes use to cross fields at the Mill, but these ones are bigger and infinitely more intimidating.

  “Bikes?” I ask. Pan flashes a smug smile my way.

  “We can’t exactly drive a car around – and we get chased a lot. It’s the best way of getting around. Before anyone even recognises us, we’re gone.”

  “We’re using these to get there?”

  “Yep.”

  I eye the nearest one, trepidation building. They’re different from the ones I’ve used before. Taller, less balanced. Pan chuckles.

  “Don’t worry. You can ride with me. I’ve got added stands on the wheels, so you can perch on the back pretty easily.”

  I shoot her a confused look, but she doesn’t seem to notice.

  “Ahem.”

  Nate steps up behind us, casting a cursory glance over the scene before him. He seems somewhat amused as he looks me up and down. I suppose I must look out of place among these glossy machines.

  “You guys ready for this?”

  The others nod in agreement; I stay silent, not knowing the answer.

  “Remember, we’re probably going to have to fight someone,” says Jay, “so be prepared.”

  “Exactly what I was about to say,” Nate replies, “that’s why I’ve brought some gear. Just joint guards, bandages to keep with you. Things like that.”

  He passes them out to everyone, but stops at me.

  “You alright, kiddo?”

  “I think so.”

  “Good. Listen, I’ve thrown something together for you. It’s not much, and I won’t be offended if you don’t want it, but here.”

  He presses something into my hand – a long, curved piece of metal and rubber with straps around it.

  “What’s this?”

  “It’s a gauntlet. I noticed when you sparred with the others that you instinctively block blows with your left arm. It’s a surpri
sing move – most people try to avoid the blow altogether rather than taking it directly like that. It’s good, it’ll catch them off guard. But it’s still dangerous. One good blow and you could break your arm, and if you block a shock baton like that you’ll go down easily.”

  “Oh.”

  He takes it from me now, wrapping it around my outstretched arm. I run a hand over it; the object is stiff and metallic, with a series of ridges and bumps across its surface.

  “This is to protect your arm,” he explains, “so when you block, it won’t hurt as much. The bottom’s insulated with rubber so it should withstand the worst of a shock baton blow – not to say it won’t hurt, but it might not kill you, at least. The top’s textured to make blows glance off. I didn’t have enough time to make it bulletproof or anything, but it’s something. What do you think?”

  I look down at it, and slowly the realisation dawns on me that this is mine. Made for me, just for me. The first possession I’ve ever had.

  “I love it. Thank you.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Driving through the streets on the back of Pan’s bike is a wholly different experience from running down alleyways. It’s strange, really – when Jensen and I came here, I’d been disturbed by the sheer number of people wandering about, acting strangely. Now? We go by too fast to see detail. They’re just figures, just blurry shapes in the otherwise peaceful streets.

  I adjust my hold on Pan’s shoulders and blush. I’m not used to being this close to anyone. She’d tried to convince me to grab onto her waist or wrap my arms around her, but I just can’t do it. Nonsense or not, the Mill’s teachings are still embedded in my brain, warning me away from physical contact.

  Pan checks back to make sure I’m still holding on, then tugs the front of my hood forward. I’m wearing a thick black scarf around my mouth and the light rain has soaked my hair to my forehead, exposing only my eyes. I have to admit, it feels kind of nice.

  It’s only now that I realise just how vast the city is. I quickly lose all sense of direction and find myself pulling closer to Pan as we venture deeper into the maze that is her home. It’s not all bad, though. The speed is pleasant, fun even – I catch myself standing on the spokes and enjoying the sensation of air blustering by. There’s a strange, small adrenaline rush when I feel the wind on my face, even though it’s dark and cold and wet.

  We cut through a street that’s decorated as though for a parade; barriers line the kerb and there are bunches of flowers hanging from every streetlight. Strings of multicoloured fairy lights are strung from building to building, hanging low overhead. I find myself reaching upwards for them. The bulbs are just beyond my reach, but that’s okay. Just seeing the colours flash by against my scarred hand is enough to make me smile.

  Suddenly, I feel eyes on me. And sure enough when I look back, the others are watching. Most are clearly bemused by my reaction to the lights, but Pan, Jensen and Nate seem pleased by it. I suppose it makes sense. If I turn out to be her, they’d want me to love it here, right?

  Jay’s face is a picture of conflict. He doesn’t know what to think.

  My gut clenches at the thought and I sink back down next to Pan, stomach churning. I’d been so distracted by new sights and sounds and feelings that I’d forgotten why we were here. The others seem to remember, too, and a solemn silence falls over us.

  We quickly approach a tall, shadowed building, abandoning our bikes just outside the perimeter. I catch sight of that awful stage from the earlier transmission, darkened in the shadow of the building. I tell myself the structure is only shadowed because Jensen turned off their electricity. The barbed wire on a nearby fence casts an unnerving silhouette in the light.

  “This way,” says Jay. We move slowly, hands tucked in our pockets, trying not to draw attention now we’re getting close. I know, though, that they have weapons stashed away. As Pan had dressed before coming out, she’d fastened a strange item to her thigh. It looked like a gun, only it couldn’t be. Guns are illegal; Jensen told me. Only a tiny fraction of the Guard have them. When I’d asked her about it she’d put a finger to her lips and warned me not to tell Jay. It was just insurance, she told me. Just in case.

  The entrance to the building is still thick with Guards, and I find myself wondering for the first time why Jensen would choose Maynard’s building for this. If she’s really the most dangerous one of the bunch, surely her Guards would be, too. I make a mental note to ask about it later.

  The other guy who came with us, a lanky, bespectacled man called Hue, pulls out a number of laminated cards. I can’t read the text on them in the dim light, but they look official. Jensen mentioned this, too. He added us to the system earlier – but only temporarily. As soon as the power comes back on, the cards will stop working. We head towards an old, unused security door.

  The door is rusted shut, and for a moment I doubt the cards will work. But when Jay scans his, it beeps. It takes a little combined effort to push it open, but we eventually sneak inside. I open my mouth to ask why we all needed cards even though we only used one, but think better of it. I don’t think they’d take any chances – and there are more important things to think about right now.

  The hallways are creepy. I’m not scared of hallways in general; if I were, living in the Atrium for the past week would have driven me mad. But these ones are different. The ceilings are too high and the floors are too white, and the way the ground dips in corners seems to play with my sense of balance. Doors line the walls on every side, and the thought of someone stepping out right in front of us is enough to send my heart racing.

  Luckily, the others don’t seem so unnerved. They stride down the halls with surprising ease, even though they can’t possibly know where to go. There’s a distinct air of confidence as they lead the way down the hallways, even daring to glance into the occasional room.

  “Not here, either,” says Pan as she checks the fourteenth door in a row.

  “The blueprints said there was a terminal,” Jensen mutters, “there has to be something nearby.”

  I nudge at the next door, taking a deep breath before stepping inside. It looks to be a boardroom of sorts; a long, black table dominates the room, surrounded by chairs. At the head is a large velvet throne, more suited to royalty than a politician. I can almost smell Maynard’s ego soaked into the space around me.

  No computer, though.

  The next room over is just as dark and just as silent, but this one looks different. It’s bland and empty, the floors, walls and ceiling neatly tiled. There are shadows across one wall, and as I step closer I find myself tripping on something. The familiar rattle of chains rings out and I freeze.

  This is a cell. The things on the wall are shackles.

  Suddenly, I can’t breathe. I imagine the two smiling people on Nate’s picture strapped up in a place like this. Hurt. Frightened. Wondering where their son could be. Wondering what happened to their daughter. My blood runs cold at the thought.

  “Noah?”

  Jay’s behind me. He must have heard the chains. His eyes travel down to the shackles, then settle on me. I must look scared, because his expression softens. I fight the desire to move closer to him, to seek comfort in his presence.

  “Is this…?”

  My voice is weak, fragile, like I’m on the verge of tears. But my cheeks are bone dry; it’s not grief that fuels my reaction.

  “Is this what they do? Keep them in shackles?”

  “This is their idea of justice. This is what we’re fighting against.”

  “And they…”

  I pause. I can’t ask about his parents. I can’t get upset. I never knew them, don’t remember their faces. They might be perfect strangers to me – but to him, they’re the parents he lost.

  “And they think this is okay?”

  “I guess so.”

  There’s a pregnant pause as he looks me up and down, concern flickering in his eyes.

  “Noah, are you okay?”

  “
C’mon, let’s keep looking.”

  I dart from the room before he can say another word.

  Despite my reassurances to Jay, the cell has left me shaken. At the Mill, a back-talking teen can expect a good beating. At worst, they might wipe your mind and give you a ‘fresh start’. But they’d never chain us to a wall and just leave us there to rot. The thought is sickening. I pace the halls again, taking deep breaths to help slow my breathing. I don’t want the others to see.

  “Found it!”

  We all dart towards Pan’s voice – and sure enough, the office she’s standing in has an active terminal nestled in one corner. Jensen sets to work straight away, telling us to stand watch. We obey immediately, and for the first time I realise how perfectly they work together. Jay might lead, sure, but they move in sync like they’re parts of one body, controlled by the same mind.

  The corridors are still and silent. The only sounds are our unsteady breathing and the tapping of Jensen’s fingers on the keypad. Suddenly, that strikes me as strange.

  “Guys.”

  Jay presses a finger to his lips.

  “No, really. Guys?”

  “Shh! You’ll draw attention to us!” he hisses.

  “No, I won’t. There’s nobody around. Isn’t that strange?”

  He pauses.

  “What?”

  “We’ve not seen or heard anyone,” I point out, “all their systems are down. It’s pitch black. No electricity. You’d think they’d be worried, maybe suspicious. But we’ve not seen anyone. Not a patrol. Not even a repairman. I’d expect someone to be trying to fix whatever’s gone wrong.”

  His jaw drops.

  “They know we’re here.”

  I nod.

  “I think they do. There’s probably a trap set up for us.”

  “Damn it! Jensen, hurry up!”

  “Nearly done.”

  Pan clears her throat.

  “Wait. If they knew we were coming, why wouldn’t they protect their computer systems?”

  “They did,” Jensen mutters, “they’ve put up all their security again. Fixed the loophole. I’m hacking the whole damn system this time.”