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There Once Were Stars

Page 6

by Melanie Mcfarlane


  “Nice to meet you.” I force a smile. “I’m Nat.”

  “Is that all you brought?” Tassie points to my bag.

  “Yes.” I grab my clothes, and stuff them back in the bag. “I thought I was coming for one night. I didn’t realize this was permanent. They didn’t really give me any notice.”

  “Oh, you look like a little deer in the headlights.” Tassie grabs my hands and pulls me up. “Come with me. I’ll help you get sorted out. The odd one like you comes in. You must be a legacy, summoned to the big tower because of your parents.”

  I raise my eyebrows. I’ve never heard of legacies before.

  “What area do your parents work in? Wait! Let me guess, Research and Development?”

  “No. My parents are—dead.” The words come out like heavy weights. I don’t remember the last time I had to say those words. It’s old news to everyone back home. I let go of her hands, and cross my arms, pulling them tight to my chest.

  “I’m so sorry.” Tassie pats my shoulder. “They must have been scientists, though. Why else would you be here without any notice?”

  I nod. “They were.” But that’s all I say. For the first time since I can remember, one person won’t look at me like the poor orphan of the Greyes scientists. Today, I want as little attention as possible.

  “Let’s get you some clothes.” Tassie’s girlish voice breaks apart the tension in the air. She grabs my hands again, and pulls me out into the hallway.

  “So,” she begins her tour, “every fifteen floors is a cafeteria. Our division starts on Floor 16, so we have to use the cafeteria on Floor 30. Don’t tell anyone, but sometimes I like to sneak down to the cafeteria on Floor 15. Gives a little variety to my day. Trust me, you get bored of the same fifty people or so to hang out with, day-in, day-out. Especially the boys.”

  We take the elevator to Floor 30, and it reveals a short hallway. To the north, is the cafeteria, where the clanging of dishes and the buzz of conversation comes through its doors. To the south, is a door labeled Science Division Depot. We go south.

  “So, Nat,” Tassie smiles, “what Floor are you working on?”

  “Floor 18.”

  “I work on Floors 19 and 20. My area studies the plant life that old expeditions brought back. I’m excited to say that our entire Biological Research department was ecstatic to hear they were reopening Floor 18. It has been nearly a decade since we’ve seen anything new. One can only do so much with one strain of carrots!”

  Her enthusiasm is a nice change, but I still don’t know what happens on Floor 18. She talks so much, I understand how Jak must feel when he gets around Xara and me. A pang of guilt hits me at the thought of my best friends. I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to either of them. And if I don’t get to apologize to Jak, I’ll never forgive myself.

  I turn around, and see that Tassie has filled up a cart with outdoor gear, lab gear, casual clothing, personal items, bedding, and tons of other items I never knew existed in the dome. She pushes the cart to the till and dread fills my gut.

  “I have no way to pay for all of this.”

  Tassie shakes her head, letting her curls bounce around her smooth skin, “I have so much to teach you. All we need to do is swipe our ID cards. Everything is free!”

  Tassie drops me off at our room, and leaves for work. I make my bed, noticing that these sheets have no tears or repair stitches on them. It takes me forever to put away my new clothes, I’ve never had this many before. I stand back, staring at the closet; it’s bursting at the seams. So many luxuries are offered here in the Axis. What’s the catch?

  What do I wear to work? I grab a pair of scrubs, similar to Tassie’s cotton pants and shirt. Before I leave the room, I look myself over in the mirror. For a moment, it’s like my mom is staring back at me. Am I walking in her shoes?

  Floor 18 looks like Floor 16. A long hallway extends past the elevator in both directions. The sign pointing to the north reads Meeting Room. The sign pointing to the south reads Lab. I go south.

  I push the handle on the door, but it doesn’t budge. A scanner hangs on the wall. I hold up my ID card, and the light on the scanner turns from red to green, and I hear a click. The door opens easily.

  Inside the lab everything is bright white, illuminated by the fluorescent lights above. Two long tables run down the center of the room, with scientists working on either side. There are nine of them, including Rowenna. I make ten. Rowenna looks up and waves me over.

  “Looks like you made out alright,” Rowenna says looking me up and down again. “You managed to find Floor 30?”

  “My roommate helped.”

  “Ah, yes,” Rowenna nods, “the always-happy Tassie. She’s a good worker. Should be a good roommate. Knows her place well.”

  “Rowenna—” I begin.

  “Call me Roe.”

  “Roe, how am I supposed to know what to do around here? I have no training. Honestly, I barely paid attention in science classes at the Institute.”

  “I know, I’ve seen your transcripts.” She sighs. “I’m putting you with Waldorf. He’s a good teacher, patient. He’ll teach you the basics, which is all you need to know. Trust me.”

  “But what do we do here?”

  “Our role is mainly extraction. Get in and get out. That’s it. We’re the new Expedition team.”

  “What? They reopened the division?”

  She nods. “You and Evan are new. From what I can tell, it’s his outside expertise that sent him here.”

  “But I’ve never been—” I pause, about to say outside, when I see the Outsider stand up from a table and come toward us. My pulse races as my breath catches in my throat. He’s here, working in the Axis. He’s not in a cell. His hair has been trimmed, revealing more of the soft lines of his face. The faintest shadow of stubble runs along his jawline, meeting in the center, below his lips, which curl up slightly at the edges. I step back as he joins us.

  “Nat, this is Evan.” She tilts her head, frowning at me. “Have you met before?”

  “Briefly.” Evan smiles as he holds out his hand to me. I hold back, unsure of whether to touch him or not, but Roe is still watching me carefully. I reach across, and put my hand in his. His skin is warm, but rough. In slow motion, my gaze meets his.

  “Nice to meet you again. Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

  “It’s Nat.” I’m barely able to squeak it out. “Remember, we met at the elevator.”

  “Does Nat stand for something?”

  “Natalia. Natalia Greyes.”

  “Greyes?” Evan says loud enough for everyone to hear. The other scientists look up from their stations, and I wish I had somewhere to run to. I slipped up. This guy knocks me off my game.

  Roe evidently sees my distress. “Yes, everyone, we have the daughter of the famous Greyes on our team. Is that a reason to stop working? I think not. We have an expedition leaving in two days to prepare for. Everyone back to work. Evan, take Nat back to her room. You can fill her in on your roles.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Evan salutes Roe. A smile plays at the edge of her mouth.

  “I think she likes you,” I say to Evan once we are alone in the elevator.

  “She’s a little old for me.” He laughs. “Plus, military women aren’t really my type.”

  “You have a type?”

  “You think these good looks get wasted on just anyone?” Evan points to himself. “I’ll have you know, I like only the brightest. And a little pretty never hurt anyone.”

  I turn away from Evan, wishing we weren’t stuck in this elevator together. I’d met guys like him at the Institute; there was a reason I was one of the last girls to kiss James Poole.

  “Come on now,” Evan nudges my shoulder with his. “I’m pulling your leg. Where’s your sense of humor?”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t leave yours on B2.”

  Silence fills the elevator as the doors slide open. He walks into the hall
way, his back rigid as he calls out, “Aren’t you coming?” His voice is raised. I walk past him to my room, but he follows me inside.

  I turn toward him, about to ask him to leave, but he advances toward me. I step back until I bump against the wall. My heart beat feels like it’s going to explode from my chest. He leans toward me, and I draw in my breath with a quiet gasp. The earthy smell is gone, replaced by the scent of cologne I’ve never smelled before. I close my eyes, and savor it as he reaches behind me. With a click, Tassie’s music pod turns on, blaring some funky pop music. My eyes jump open.

  “Eww.” Evan shakes his head at the bouncing beats.

  “What are you doing in here?” I can barely hear my voice.

  “Elevators are about as private as the dorms around here.” He gestures toward the ceiling.

  I notice the cameras and instantly feel my skin crawl from under my scrubs. I undressed in here. Who the hell was watching?

  “How are we supposed to hear each other over the music?” I shout.

  Evan grabs my wrists, and pulls me close to his chest, and whispers in my ear. “Trust me, and speak slowly, like this.” His breath tickles my neck, and his firm chest presses against mine, through the thin fabric of our lab clothes. He’s stronger than I thought. His muscles tense as we sway together to the same rhythm.

  I wrap my pale arms around Evan’s neck, a stark contrast against his tanned skin which is weather-worn from the outside, touched by a sun I’ve never been allowed to feel. The pulse in his neck beats through his skin, vibrating close to the bend in my elbow. I want to run my finger over it, to feel the vibration against my own skin. I don’t. I bite my lip and look away.

  “They want us to help them find areas to examine outside,” he whispers. A shudder runs down my back from the sensation of his breath against my bare neck. He pauses and clears his throat. Does he feel it too? “They figure my experience, combined with your mother’s notebook, will lead them to where the last team left off.”

  “I don’t have my mother’s notes any longer.”

  He hesitates a moment. What does he know of my mother’s notes?

  “Maybe that’s why you didn’t end up on B2. They must think you’re hiding it all up here.” He removes a hand from the small of my back and runs it down my hair. Another shiver runs through me.

  “I think they took my grandfather there.”

  “That, my dear, is not something I’m privy to.”

  “How did you get out?”

  “They tried getting information out of me the old-fashioned way.” His body tenses. “But when answers didn’t come fast enough, I guess they felt killing me with love would work better.” His humor is comforting.

  “It looks like they gave you a haircut since I saw you last.” I take a deep breath of his cologne again. “And possibly a bath?”

  “Though company would have been nice, I did manage the bath on my own.”

  A nervous laughs sputters out, and I keep my face down, glad we are not face-to-face. Visions of Evan undressing to take a bath flood my head, and my skin heats. I need to change the subject.

  “Where did you get that picture?”

  “I needed to make sure you knew I was a friend.”

  “That doesn’t explain why you had it.” I bite my lip. It’s now or never. “So, you didn’t kill my parents?”

  Evan grabs my shoulders and pulls me away from him, his steel gray eyes narrowing as his face reddens. “Is that what you think?”

  “What am I supposed to think? You show up here with a photo of me, one that only my parents would have. They were killed on the outside, and that’s where you come from. Then you just expect me to trust you? I don’t even know you.”

  He raises his voice and starts to shake me, anger flashing in his eyes. “Do you know what I did to get here? The crap I put up with? I can’t believe you think I had anything to do with your parent’s death. It’s ridiculous. What was that, nine years ago? I was eleven.”

  I shrug his hands from my shoulders and shrink away from him, the moment spoiled. Turning around, I shut off Tassie’s music. The heat in my face is making me sweat. It was stupid, but Evan just showed me a quick-temper I’m not interested in putting up with.

  “Please leave.”

  “Fine,” Evan grumbles from behind me.

  I don’t turn around until the door slides shut, confirming I’m alone. Then I turn and crawl into my bed, pressing my warm cheeks into the cool cotton as I let out a scream. I’m stuck here, with a bunch of strangers, who expect things from me I can’t provide. Now I know the reason I’ve been brought here. The Order still suspects my mother of something, after all these years. To them, I’m a link to the past, ready to lead them to the evidence they seek. What happens to me when they find out I’m useless?

  I role onto my side and run my fingers under the pillow along the smooth sheet. What I wouldn’t give for one of my mother’s stitches to comfort me. Instead, I curl into a ball and don’t move from my bed for the rest of the day. I hear the door slide open and shut, as Tassie comes to get me for lunch, but I decline. At suppertime, when I reject another invitation from her, she brings back Roe. Roe doesn’t say a word to me, just watches for a minute, and then leaves. No one bothers me again.

  CHAPTER 8

  I open my eyes and see Jak sitting on the edge of my bed, half-asleep, propped against the wall of my cubby. His tall frame is hunched to fit at the end of my bed, and his short blonde hair is tousled from its usual perfect placement, crisscrossed as if he’s been running his hands through it. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard Jak talk about being worried, let alone physically show it. His lashes flutter open as I shift in bed.

  “Dreaming about me?” he murmurs.

  I jolt up and throw my arms around him, pulling him tight against my body. His warm arms slide past my sides until they meet behind me, one resting against the small of my back and the other gently holding the back of my head to his shoulder. A sigh escapes my lips, threatening to wrack my body with sobs.

  “Thank goodness!” Tassie squeals. She’s sitting on the edge of her bed, watching intently. “I was so worried about you. No one has had a roomie lose it before. I’m going to pay special attention to you from now on, I promise.”

  I glance up at the camera set deceitfully above us. “There are enough people watching me already. What I need are some friends.”

  Jak laughs. “You talk like you’re in prison.”

  Tears spring to my eyes, and I push myself away from him to cover my face. Tassie slips out of the room, and Jak slides next to me, holding out his hand, then tucking them back at his sides as if he can’t decide how to handle me.

  I wipe the tears from my face, before reaching back toward him. His hand feels warm in mine, and I instantly melt against his side.

  “I’m so sorry for what I said to you, before, the night they took Grandfather.”

  “It’s okay.” His arms wrap behind me and pull me close once again.

  “No, it’s not,” I say, pulling back to see his face. “It was mean and terrible. I thought I’d never see you again, to apologize.”

  “Easy.” He reached up and wipes the last of my tears from my cheeks. “You haven’t lost us. We’re still here. Xara works a couple blocks away, and you and I both work in the Axis.”

  “But I can never leave here.”

  “You’re not a prisoner. They just need you on call for expeditions. You’re part of a very important team. You get to take up where your mother and father left off.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  “I started working for the Director, remember?”

  Right. I’d forgotten Jak was going to finally get to live out his dream. Why did I think he’d forget about me so quick? He’ll be down on Floor 2, close to me every day.

  “Jak,” I decide to change the subject. “Did you destroy my mother’s notebook?”

  “Yes.” His gaze darts away fr
om mine. “I brought it to work yesterday and dealt with it.”

  “Thank you.” I wrap my arms around him again. Now the Order will never be able to point a finger at my mother.

  “Nat.” His tone changes and he presses his cheek against the top of my head. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you too.”

  “I don’t want anyone else.”

  I lean away, absorbing his words, but I can’t commit. “Right now, I need to deal with all of this.” I wave my hands to the tiny room around us. “Plus, I still have no idea what happened to Grandfather. My entire world has fallen apart. Give me time, please.”

  He winces as he lets go of me. I know I’m being selfish, but I really can’t extend myself any further. I reach for his hand, but he pulls it away and stands, leaving me sitting alone.

  “I still love you and Xara, like always.” I try to reassure him.

  He walks to my desk, absentmindedly running his hand across the top. There’s nothing there. I’ve barely tried to make myself at home in the short amount of time I’ve been here. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, his face not meeting mine. But his movements are deliberate and rigid.

  “I’d better get back to work.” His voice cracks, and he clears his throat. “Duty calls.” He pauses at the door, without looking back. “Be careful outside. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “Thank you, Jak. I love you.”

  “Not in the way I need you to,” he mumbles from the hallway.

  I throw myself back on my bed and cover my face with my hands. When did life get so complicated? If Jak really loves me, then he should understand I need time to adapt to all this change. Seeing him come when I needed someone means so much to me, but I’m not ready for something serious, and I’m not sure I want that with Jak. Shouldn’t I feel more than platonic love?

  I touch my ear where Evan whispered yesterday. Evan makes me feel different than Jak does. There’s more of a mystery there, but at the same time he frustrates me. Jak is secure, and predictable. I’ve known him since we were little kids. Evan is unpredictable and showed me just how explosive he can become.

 

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