Conspired: A Young Adult Dystopian Romance (The State Series Book 6)

by M. J. Kaestli

  Lewis reached for his glass of water. He didn’t know what they were referring to, but he knew Dr. Rhetta was lying, or at least speaking in a half-truth.

  She knows I was Colin’s handler for his training. She knows I know he was a part of the rebellion, but maybe she doesn’t know what I witnessed. Colin loved her, and he definitely didn’t abandon her. Is this ruse all for her military induction?

  “You said you wanted to keep me informed. May I ask the nature of this item you hope she discovers?”

  “Yes,” the Head of State responded, “we have been tracking the history on her tablet and she has yet to watch the archived broadcast of the spacecraft launch. You see, Colin was shown in the video, which is how she found out he had been taken to the colony world. I’ve tried to tell her he wasn’t worthy of her, but what she is unwilling to hear is that he has already been coupled with someone new. He chose to be re-coupled and went to the new world to do so.”

  There was clearly a lack of communication between departments as neither one of them knew Lewis witnessed James bribing Colin with being reunited with Freya. He didn’t understand why they were doing this, but if nothing else, he was a soldier. Sacrifices were always necessary in a time of war; it wasn’t his place to ask questions. Colin was a part of the rebellion. No matter what, he had to keep that fact front of mind at all times.

  “And the broadcast video will help her discover this?”

  “Lewis, Freya may be naïve, but she isn’t stupid,” Dr. Rhetta said. “The surveillance footage shows the woman Colin is coupled with. She is standing directly behind him in line on the spacecraft. If Freya continues watching the video to the end—which she didn’t do when she watched the original broadcast—she will know that he left her for someone new.”

  Lewis nodded and took a deep breath. The evidence was sparse at best. He couldn’t imagine Freya would buy it. As Dr. Rhetta said, she wasn’t stupid. He knew he had to push his personal judgments to the side; he wasn’t in charge of this mission. Who was he to question the Head of State?

  “And you believe that by simply being trapped in her room with her tablet, she will discover this video?”

  The Head of State smiled coyly. “We’ve ensured it has been pushed through to all tablets so that navigating almost anywhere will bring the video into view. If it’s sitting right in front of her, I doubt she’ll be able to resist the temptation. And where do you think Freya likes to go when she’s upset?”

  Lewis swallowed the dry air in his throat. “She’ll want to go to the shooting range. That girl has a temper.”

  Lewis could see their logic, and he hoped it worked. If she watched it and jumped to a terrible conclusion, she would seek him out. It would be the chance they had been waiting for.

  The Head of State smiled warmly. “Exactly. I need something specifically from you Lewis, as we hope to conclude her training this very evening. We need you to communicate to us when she opens up to you, so we know the time is right. We would like you and Freya to embark on your mission tomorrow. The only way she will consent to this is if she is angry and upset about Colin.”

  It all added up. With her temper, believing his infidelity could drive her to do something rash.

  Lewis nodded. “I will send you a message the second her back is turned.”

  The Head of State beamed. “Lewis, I’m putting a lot of faith in you, and I think I have chosen the right man for this mission. This could advance you in ways you’ve never even dreamed of—if you’re successful. If you can coerce Freya to go on this mission and complete it with our desired results, it would position you for the rest of your life. You would no longer be taking orders but giving them instead. Someday, you may even have my job.”

  Lewis’s skin blanched. He had always wished to earn his stripes, but he had never dreamed of climbing that high. He knew this mission was important from the start, but he didn’t realize it held the potential to elevate him beyond his wildest dreams.

  He stood and saluted the Head of State. “I won’t let you down, sir.”

  ***

  His nerves churned in his core even as his fists slammed into the bag. Sweat glistened his hot skin as he bounced from foot to foot between each blow. Boxing normally calmed him, but now nothing felt normal about his life.

  It would be easier if he were busy. The last two assignments were different, higher profile, and incredibly dull. He scoffed at the irony. Maybe the true test wasn’t how much he could handle when he was busy, but if he managed silence. Maybe the State gave him less work to do when more was at stake.

  He may never know why Freya was so important, but he knew his future rode on the success of this mission. All he could do in his downtime was to train. He needed strength, not of the body but in his mind, and exercise was the only way he knew to silence his fears.

  He struck the bag again and as it jostled to the side, Freya flashed in his vision. He licked his lips and wished he had seen her coming, wished he had more time to think of something natural to say. “Freya, it’s not time yet, is it?”

  “No, I’m early.” She stood rigid with her jaw firmly set. “I can just do target practice if I’m disturbing you.”

  “No, it’s fine. I just finished up training new recruits and wanted to box before you came.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “So, that’s boxing that you’re doing?”

  Lewis smiled softly, hardly able to believe the timing of her arrival.

  This could be perfect.

  “Yeah, you want to try it?”

  “Oh, you have no idea.”

  He chuckled, attempting to seem natural as he walked to the cupboard to get her a pair of gloves. Remarkably, she seemed to play directly into the Head of State’s plan.

  A perfect example of why he had to remember to still his questioning mind.

  The State always knows best.

  “So, who pissed you off today?”

  Her jaw tightened. “Don’t ask.”

  Lewis walked over to the punching bag. “Well, I heard they were installing a new security system around the State House today. I heard Victor won’t let you out of your room when they do that. I’m glad you came down. I wouldn’t want to be pent up all day either.”

  He ensured her gloves were laced properly and instructed her on how to throw a punch. Then he stepped back and let her experiment on her own. The one thing he had learned about Freya was she wanted to figure things out with less interference.

  At first, she focused and held her form but soon became sloppy. She abandoned any focus and soon looked like a child throwing a temper tantrum as she flailed about and ravaged the punching bag. She pushed and fought until she had completely winded herself and hunched over to catch her breath.

  “Feel better?”

  “Yeah.”

  He could see the exact moment she shifted from the rush of adrenaline to the walls closing in on her. She suddenly burst into tears and tried to turn away from him. He had to grab her arm to keep her from leaving. She tried to keep herself turned away and refused to look at him as she cried.

  She looked so weak, so broken, he thought she may even accept physical contact. He loosened his grip on her and shifted around to face her and then wrapped his arms around her. Her body hung limp, neither accepting nor fighting his embrace.

  “Just let it out,” he whispered softly.

  She gave in to him and buried her face in his shoulder. He gently stroked her back, rocked her, and whispered encouragements in her ear. They stood together for what felt like an eternity. He wished he could stay with her longer—it felt so nice to hold her, even if she was upset.

  He wanted to let her be the one to break contact, but he knew he always had to keep the mission top of mind. The Head of State said she had to be upset to accept their joint mission, and he had to send the message before that window closed.

  “I think it’s time for you to go and shoot something, hey?”

  Freya laughed and choked on her own mucus. He unlaced
her gloves and pointed her in the bathroom’s direction. The moment her back was turned, he deftly maneuvered over to his tablet. He opened the secure line and keyed in a simple message.

  It’s time.

  He sent the message and tucked his tablet away, then quickly grabbed the bullets and safety equipment. She looked a little embarrassed as she returned from the bathroom, so he reverted to a professional tone and encouraged her to begin her target practice.

  He didn’t know how long it would take for a message to come through. The Head of State had said they wanted the meeting that evening, but Freya had wandered down into the training area earlier than expected.

  It didn’t take long before Chastity appeared in the firing range. She alerted them to a request from the Head of State. Freya seemed to think she had gotten the pair of them into some kind of trouble by coming down to the firing range, and he tried to reassure her while remaining vague. He had too much riding on the line to mess up and pass classified information to Freya because he felt sorry for her.

  As they entered the Head of State’s office, the Head of State spoke to Freya in his normal, charming, jovial voice. Lewis could see the manipulation in the Head of State’s kindness.

  The State always knows best.

  As expected, the Head of State explained how they were going on a mission together. Lewis thought it was interesting Freya was being misled to think Lewis was the lead of this mission when it was clearly her. Lewis’ role here was merely token, he knew that for certain now. He was still training a new recruit, only the teaching method changed.

  “Since you have taken the news so well thus far,” the Head of State said, “we might as well get the worst of it. One of your targets.” He spun his tablet around to show a picture to Freya. “This is Ursa.” He swiped the screen to show her another picture. “And this is her partner, Rowen. They are part of the reason we need you, Freya, and you alone. This couple—they are Colin’s parents.”

  Oh shit. That’s why she’s important.

  Lewis’s attention immediately shifted from the Head of State to Freya as her skin drained of color. His mind could hardly process the information himself; he could only imagine how she felt. This was a twist even he couldn’t have seen coming.

  “You will not assume a false identity,” the Head of State continued. “Everyone will be informed that you have been re-coupled. Once you have met your targets, you will share with them how you used to work in the State House but asked for reassignment due to your hatred of me. You will tell them all about how you were coupled to Colin, and he went off on the colonization project.”

  Lewis marveled at the Head of State’s focus, especially while speaking such bold lies.

  He must have been one hell of a spy during his service. Better than I will ever be.

  The Head of State continued, “We have found the best lies contain a piece of the truth. I know that Colin is still a tender subject for you, but because of that genuine raw emotion, you will gain their trust, Freya. I know just how much we are asking of you. I know how hard this will be, but we wouldn’t ask you to do something if we weren’t totally confident in your abilities. We need you, and I know you will succeed.”

  Freya appeared to have gone nearly catatonic. The Head of State adjourned the meeting and Lewis escorted Freya back to her room, then slipped down the military access point.

  Out of all the thoughts and emotions he could be processing, there was only one thing he could fixate on, something which he would never have the clearance to know.

  Was Colin needed on the colony world? Or was Freya coupled with Colin in the first place so his family could be caught?

  It hadn’t sat right with him that they would send a known rebellion member. It didn’t seem right Freya would be coupled with a rebellion member only to have him get taken away. It seemed inhumane, but this was a time of war. The State could stop at nothing to defeat the rebellion.

  If the State coupled them just so his family were executed, it means they have to be ringleaders, not low-level pawns.

  Lewis realized this mission was no longer about a promotion. This was his chance to solidify the State’s power. Forever.

  Chapter 13

  Chastity

  She walked into Victor’s office with her tablet in hand. She hoped to wrap up early and check in with Freya. Despite her obvious improvements, Chastity worried about her. But it wasn’t just her concern; Chastity missed the companionship. While living in the State House, she was always surrounded by people yet continually felt alone.

  “Victor, if there is nothing more you need from me—”

  Victor turned his attention from her to his tablet as it chimed an atypical alert. Chastity knew the sound was not a typical correspondence but a secured line. It was usually a communication from the High Council, and so she immediately silenced herself and stood by to await his command. Victor didn’t seem to look at the message for long before he looked up at her.

  “Actually, Chastity, I do need you right now.” He placed his tablet back on his desk. “I sent Freya to her room for the day, but I have a feeling she’s made her way down to the firing range. Could you check on her for me? Could you collect her, and if she’s with Lewis, bring him as well?”

  Chastity nodded. “Of course.” She turned and exited the room without closing the door behind her.

  As she gave a quick knock at Freya’s door, Chastity heard Victor’s voice. “James, I need you in my office, immediately.”

  Chastity hesitated momentarily as she scanned into Freya’s apartment. As expected, Chastity found the access point to the military underground open. Her senses heightened as her mind processed the situation. It was odd that Victor was calling an emergency meeting with James and Freya. But even more peculiar that he had requested Lewis’s presence. Military personnel were not invited to Victor’s office, especially not the low-ranking ones.

  As Victor predicted, Freya was offloading a round in the firing range. She approached the booths and squared her shoulders.

  Lewis turned to her and removed his ear covers.

  “Yes, Chastity? Is Freya needed back in the State House?”

  Chastity nodded. “Yes, Victor has requested her immediate presence in his office.” She hesitated slightly before proceeding. “He would like you to accompany her.”

  Lewis nodded and turned his attention to Freya. Chastity couldn’t help but to notice that Lewis didn’t seem surprised by this peculiar request.

  Something is going on, but what?

  Lewis tapped Freya’s shoulder and tugged at her ear covers. “Chastity needs to talk to you.”

  Chastity was nearly at a loss for words. Her mind kept circling around Lewis’ lack of response to her request. Only the Head of the Military was ever invited inside Victor’s office, and even then Victor more commonly met him in the underground.

  “Actually, I’m just a messenger, and I was sent for the two of you. Victor would like both of you in his office, immediately.”

  She looked to the two of them in hopes to glean some information from their body language. As Freya’s face flushed and her jaw clenched, it was apparent Freya was as surprised as Chastity; it was only Lewis who wasn’t phased by this odd occurrence.

  She turned and left before Freya could ask questions of her. Chastity had done her duty by collecting the pair of them and returned to Victor’s office for further instructions.

  “There you are.” Victor looked at Freya with a warm smile as she entered. “At least when you go missing, I know where to look for you. I tell you to work on your training courses, but you would rather shoot guns. I did hope you would make more progress today.” He shrugged. “Well, ready or not, here you go.”

  James had somehow beaten them to Victor’s office. With James sitting adjacent Victor, Freya took a seat beside James while Lewis stood behind. As Chastity was not dismissed, she tucked in near Lewis.

  Chastity tried to appear casual, but her entire body stiffened at his wor
ds.

  Go? Why has he summoned her? And why are both James and Lewis here?

  She had been on the Council for nearly a decade and didn’t understand what was happening. He was requesting something of Freya, something big, something he wouldn’t normally ask of a Council member. In her time, being a member of the Council meant she was armed and privy to more confidential information. It appeared he had bigger plans for Freya than he or the Council had ever had for Chastity.

  “He is a part of this assignment, or should I say, you are a part of his.”

  Chastity suddenly realized she was so dazed she had missed part of the conversation. Her attention lurched back into the present, hearing Freya’s assignment.