Embattlement: The Undergrounders Series Book Two (A Young Adult Science Fiction Dystopian Novel)

by Hinkens, Norma

  “We’ll have the advantage if we stay inside the city,” the tall man at the back yells up. “I say we stand our ground.”

  Several Undergrounders nod in approval.

  “We don’t have that option.” I rub my hand briskly over my throbbing brow.

  “Why not?” the man demands.

  I hesitate, squeezing my fingers into a fist. Blood pounds my temples. “Because if we’re not there by midnight, the Rogues will torch the city.”

  The room falls deathly silent once more. Even Rummy pales, which tells me it’s no idle threat on The Ghost’s part.

  “We either risk the lives of everyone in this room by going out there, or we risk the lives of everyone in the city by staying put,” I say.

  “That’s the best you’ve got?” the tall man calls out. A few more disgruntled voices chip in.

  “I say we give The Ghost what he’s really after,” the man adds. “Tie up the deserter and send him out there. Express delivery.”

  “No!” A voice calls out.

  I look up, startled to see Nikki elbowing her way out from the middle of the crowd. She marches up to the front of the room, and then turns and faces the Undergrounders. “If The Ghost wants Rummy, he can have him, but not until he helps us defeat the Sweepers. If we keep Rummy as collateral, we have a better chance of persuading The Ghost to join us. We’ll hand Rummy over to him after we’ve taken down the Sweepers. He can do what he wants with his trophy head after that.”

  I gasp, shaken by the callous tone in Nikki’s voice. “We’re not promising anyone’s head to The Ghost when this is over,” I say. “We’re not murderers.”

  Nikki glares at me. “You’re wasting time worrying about a Rogue, when the clock’s ticking on Owen’s life. This is an opportunity to save your own flesh and blood. Don’t you think Owen would do whatever it took to save you?”

  I step toward her. “Murder’s not an opportunity, it’s a crime.”

  She leans into my face, twitching with rage. “Rummy’s a murderer and a criminal. So in my book, the shoe fits.”

  “Except you don’t get to make those kind of decisions.”

  “Why not?” She turns and faces the room once again. “I say we take a vote. Why should Derry Connolly make the decision for all of us? I’m game for trading Rummy in return for The Ghost’s help. Who’s with me?”

  The Undergrounders exchange uncertain looks. The tall man at the back leans a shoulder against the wall and folds his arms, a strange smirk stretched across his face.

  “Well, what’s it to be?” Nikki yells out over the flock of faces, her eyes flashing with emotion.

  Voices ebb and flow across the room. A crowd is already gathering around the tall Undergrounder at the back of the room. I discreetly signal to Jerome to send a couple of his men over.

  “That’s enough, Nikki,” I say, laying a hand on her shoulder.

  She spins and flings me off, spittle flying from her lip. “Don’t tell me what to do. You’re a nobody, just Owen’s little sister.”

  “I lead the Undergrounders in his absence, and I won’t hand Rummy over to The Ghost to have his throat slit, even to save Owen. There’ll be enough lives lost in the fight for freedom as it is.”

  “And what about Owen?” Nikki makes a choking sound and flails at me with her fists. “You don’t care what happens to him, do you? You left him behind to die!”

  I flinch beneath the weight of her words that sting far more than her thrashing fists.

  Jerome’s men step forward and pull her off me. She sinks to her knees, shaking, tears tracking down her cheeks. They escort her, half-walking, half-carrying her to the door. Jakob gives me a subtle nod and slips out after her. A surge of gratitude goes through me, True to his word, Jakob’s stepping up to keep an eye on Nikki, and hopefully relieve me of the burden of breaking it to her that she won’t be going with us after all. She’s part emotional wreck, part wrecking ball, and more than I can handle with everything else unraveling around me.

  “So what’s your grand plan if you don’t want to give up the Rogue?” the tall Undergrounder shouts out. “If that’s who The Ghost’s after, he won’t rest until we give him what he wants.”

  I blow out a long breath. “We’ll play along with The Ghost for now, act like we’re willing to turn Rummy over to him after we defeat the Sweepers.”

  The man throws out his hands in a gesture of disgust. “We’ll end up fighting the Rogues too once The Ghost realizes we’ve screwed him over.”

  I fold my arms in front of me. “Not if Rummy escapes during the attack on the Craniopolis.” I slide a knowing glance in Rummy’s direction. “It’s the best I can offer him—a chance to save his own stinkin’ skin.”

  He glances furtively around, as if seeking the approval of the crowd.

  The Undergrounders stare at him, their expressions strained as they wait for his response.

  His inked face relaxes and he gives me a guarded smile. “I accept the offer, and I ain’t gonna forget such generosity.”

  I throw him a scathing look in return. “This isn’t about you, Rummy. It’s about us being able to live with ourselves.”

  “No matter. That’s twice you saved my hide now.”

  I eye him curiously. “Why does The Ghost want you dead so badly anyway?”

  Rummy scrunches his eyes into slits. “That’s just it, ain’t it? You never know what sets him off. One day you’re a shoo-in, and then he gets bored, starts looking around for some sucker to snuff out. And you don’t know why, but you know you’re next. And that’s when you beat a trail outta there.”

  “Maybe you became too strong a rival,” I suggest.

  Rummy’s face darkens. “And maybe Blade’s the sucker he’s picked to bring him my head on a platter.”

  28

  I turn and face the Undergrounders. “You heard him,” I say. “Rummy’s willing to go along with our plan. That means the mission is a go. Tonight, we’ll meet with the Rogues outside the city.”

  I signal to Sven to escort Rummy back to the guards, and then pull Jerome and Trout aside. “Get the Undergrounders organized into the groups we assigned them to in training. I want the sharpshooters flanking us when we head out. I’m going to find Jakob and tell him we’re leaving.”

  Trout rumples his brow. “You’re not still planning on bringing Nikki, are you?”

  I shake my head. “After the stunt she pulled, we’ll all be a lot safer if she stays behind.”

  “She’ll fight you every inch of the way.”

  “I’d rather have that fight now, than on the trail.”

  Trout gives a dubious nod. “I’ll help Jerome here with the preparations.”

  I take off in the direction of the Aquaponics Center, hoping I can remember the way to Nikki’s dilapidated apartment complex from there.

  From the moment I first spotted her standing by the tubs of fish, I knew she wasn’t herself, staring at me with that otherworldly air. It wrecked her when I told her I thought Owen was dead. Her eyes took on that manic look that she hasn’t been able to shake since. But, it was almost worse when she found out Owen had been resuscitated. The enormity of it was hard for all of us to grasp. I can hardly blame her for losing it. But emotion like that can be deadly. It’s like no one else exists for her anymore but the two of them. The rest of us just get in her way. I don’t think there’s anything she wouldn’t stop at to save Owen. That’s the part that scares me.

  I finally spot Nikki’s crumbling apartment complex, and race up the cracked concrete steps. I charge through the front entry and up the staircase to the second floor. I yank the handle back and forth, but the door to her apartment is jammed, as if something heavy has been shoved in front of it. “Jakob! Nikki!” I yell, pounding on the door. “Are you in there?”

  “Give us just a minute,” Jakob calls out.

  I take a step back and wait impatiently for him to open the door. He’s probably still trying to talk her off the ledge. I wander across to th
e railing at the top of the stairs and rest my elbows on it.

  Seconds later, the sound of a gunshot curdles my blood. My heart lurches. I turn and race back over to Nikki’s apartment. I put my boot to the makeshift door and kick at it until I manage to shove whatever was blocking it aside, and barge through. My breath freezes in my throat.

  Jakob is seated on the shabby couch in the center of the room. Nikki stands behind him, holding a Glock to his head.

  “Jakob, are you okay?” I ask, my voice a whisper.

  “He’s fine!” Nikki snaps. “That shot was just to get your attention.”

  Hot saliva pools beneath my tongue. I raise my hands up slowly in a soothing gesture and take a tentative step forward. “Nikki, please—

  “Don’t come any closer,” she hisses.

  I stop moving, except for the tremors running up and down my spine.

  She tilts her head to the side and peers cautiously around me.

  “I came alone,” I say. “Put the gun down, Nikki. I know you don’t want to hurt anybody.”

  Jakob’s eyes fasten on mine. His face glistens with sweat. I try to read the message he’s giving me, but my panicked brain can’t make sense of any of this.

  “Give me the gun, Nikki,” I say, gently. “Let’s talk about this.”

  “Shut up!” she yells in a frenzied voice. “Just shut up for once!”

  I lift my hands higher in surrender.

  “I know you don’t want me on this mission,” Nikki says, moving restlessly from one foot to the other. “But Owen needs me.”

  “Of course he does,” I say, in a reassuring tone. “If you put down the gun we can talk about it.”

  “Shut up already!”

  “Let Jakob go, please,” I say, in a pleading tone. “He has nothing to do with this.”

  Nikki stares at me, her green eyes vacant receptors. I don’t know how to reach her, but I’ve got to keep trying. “I know you’re scared, Nikki. I want to help you.”

  “Don’t patronize me!” she snaps. “I know what you’re trying to do, and it won’t work. Either I’m going with you to the Craniopolis or Jakob won’t be going anywhere ever again.”

  I drop my gaze, trying to collect my thoughts, my senses electrified. The smell of mold in the room is suddenly overpowering. I can hear the blood pumping through me, like it’s pumping through Jakob, at least for now. The Nikki that Owen loved would never hurt anyone, but she’s lost touch with reality. There’s no telling what she’ll do if I don’t give in to her demands.

  “Do you really think Owen would want this?” I ask. “You, holding a gun to an Undergrounder’s head.”

  She blinks, relaxes her grip slightly. A shudder goes down her arm, and quick as a flash Jakob slides out from under her.

  The Glock falls from her hand and clatters to the floor. Nikki stares down at it in confusion, her shoulders sagging. “I put the safety on after I fired,” she sobs. “I didn’t want—”

  Jakob scoops her up in his arms and helps her to the couch. “It’s all right,” he says. She tips her head back and lets out an eerie moan that sets my teeth on edge.

  “She needs a doctor,” Jakob says, looking up at me. “You go. I’ll stay with her.”

  “I’m not leaving you alone with her again,” I say.

  Jakob kicks the Glock across the floor to me. “We’ll be fine now.”

  I reach down and pick up the gun. “I’m still not leaving you here. We’ll take her to the clinic. But we have to make it snappy. They’re waiting for us at the courthouse.”

  Jakob whispers something in Nikki’s ear, and then reaches an arm around her waist and pulls her to her feet with difficulty.

  Getting down the stairs and outside with Nikki’s dead weight proves an even greater challenge. All the adrenalin that fired her up earlier is gone, and her limbs flop around like limp spaghetti. Her shoulders shake from time to time, but she doesn’t make a sound anymore. I’m not sure if she’s crying silently or going into shock. When we reach the street, we secure her arms around both our necks and begin inching our way along. More than once, she loses her grip and we narrowly miss catching her.

  By the time we reach the clinic, Nikki has sunk into an unresponsive trance. She stares past us, oblivious to our repeated pleas to answer us.

  Jakob scoops her up and hurries up the steps with her, yelling for a doctor.

  A pale-faced man with spectacles appears in the foyer. “Bring her in here,” he says, motioning us into an examining room. He helps Jakob lay Nikki down on a bed and immediately begins checking her vitals. “What happened?”

  “I think it was some kind of nervous breakdown,” Jakob says. “She was stressed out and exhausted—”

  “She held a gun to Jakob’s head,” I interrupt.

  Jakob furrows her brow. “She didn’t know what she was doing.”

  “He needs to know the truth, Jakob. She could be a danger to herself or anyone else in here.”

  The doctor straightens up and lays his stethoscope aside. “Her heart’s racing. I can give her something to calm her down.”

  “Can she stay here?” Jakob asks. “We’re leaving …” He hesitates, and glances across at me, as if unsure how much to reveal.

  “The mission, I know.” The doctor pulls off his spectacles and rubs his eyes. “Jerome told me when he came by to check on Blackbeard.” He gestures to Nikki. “I’ll give her a sedative and make sure she’s comfortable. She’s our only other patient, so I can handle her.”

  “How’s Blackbeard doing?” I ask.

  “Much better than expected. He’ll be out of here by tomorrow.”

  Jakob leans over and rubs Nikki’s shoulder gently. “We’ll find Owen, I promise.”

  Nikki’s cheek twitches once or twice, but she doesn’t respond.

  I lean toward the doctor so Jakob can’t overhear me. “We can’t take the chance of her following us and jeopardizing the mission. Do whatever you have to do.”

  “I understand,” he says. He offers me his hand and I shake it. For some reason it makes me uncomfortable, the kind of awkward good-bye that covers all your bases in case you never meet again.

  The sound of pounding boots and panicked shouts from the street startles us apart.

  “What’s going on?” the doctor asks, his eyes wide behind his glasses.

  “I’m not sure,” I say, hurriedly reaching for my pack. “But something’s wrong. Stay inside.”

  Jakob and I exchange a look of dread and race out into the street together. A young man runs by, his face threaded with fear. “Take cover!” he yells to us as he disappears around the corner.

  “Quick,” I say to Jakob. “We need to find Jerome.”

  “Do you think the Rogues got through the gate?” Jakob asks, breaking into a run.

  “No. That kid would have been going the other direction if the gate was down. Let’s go! This way!”

  We veer down a side street and begin picking our way through a maze of deserted alleyways that reek of fermenting trash. Every now and then we hear a muffled shout, or the thud of footsteps barreling down the main street, but for the most part the city has fallen eerily silent. Trepidation seeps through my veins. What is everyone running from?

  29

  When we reach the courthouse, the foyer is jammed with angry Undergrounders jostling for position and shouting back and forth. Several armed Undergrounders block the entrance to the main courthouse meeting room. I look around in confusion, still trying to catch my breath.

  “Derry! Jakob!” Trout elbows his way through the crowd. “Where have you been?”

  “Long story.” I say. “What’s going on?”

  His voice is low and hoarse when he speaks. “The superconductor’s down.”

  It takes me a minute to register what he’s saying. I straighten up and stare at him dubiously, but I can tell by the strained look on his face that he’s not messing with me.

  “Why would it suddenly stop working?” Jakob asks.
/>   Trout knits his brow together. “That was my first question.”

  The words snake through my brain, sinister and foreboding. I suck in a quick breath. “Are you saying you think it was sabotage?”

  “That’s what Jerome suspects,” Trout replies. “He’s heading over there right now with some of his men. He told everyone to stay inside until he gets back.”

  I frown as I process the information. No wonder the streets were deserted. Without the protection of the superconductor, the entire city is at risk for extraction. “It could have been the Rogues,” I say. “They might have made it through the barricade. We need to get over to the superconductor right away. If the Rogues have seized control of it, Jerome could be in trouble.”

  “I know the way,” Trout says, gesturing for us to follow him as he shoulders a path through the jittery herd of Undergrounders and down the courthouse steps.

  “I take it you’ve been off blood-hounding by yourself again?” I say to Trout, as Jakob and I fall into step beside him.

  He gives a throaty chuckle. “I nosed around the perimeter a bit. Don’t worry, I didn’t climb any chain-link fences.”

  I raise a skeptical brow. Somehow I doubt a quick scout around the superconductor would have been enough to satisfy Trout’s curiosity, but he knows better than to admit to anything more after being warned to stay away.

  “Do you think there’s any chance it was Undergrounders who tampered with it?” Jakob asks.

  Trout shrugs. “Half the city’s yammering to go back underground because of the radiation leaks. Someone might have tried to force Jerome’s hand.”

  My mind immediately goes to the tall, scowling man who heckled us in the meetings as a likely candidate. I ball my hands into fists. “We can’t afford a mutiny over the superconductor, not with The Ghost’s deadline to set the city on fire hanging over our heads.”

  Trout gives a dismissive grunt, but I notice he picks up the pace.

  We weave our way through a web of tangled steel, ducking under chunks of concrete, the size of small cars, lodged at precarious angles against uprooted houses on the east side of town. The stench in this uninhabited area of the city is overpowering, and I try not to think of what might be buried beneath the debris.