Ana nodded, wondering why her father was asking again. Nothing had changed.
Ana’s father sat back and gazed at the mountains. The air was crystal clear and the reflection of the sun off the snow made them appear clothed in gold.
“Then I will continue to trust you, my little hawk,” he said. “And I dearly hope you are correct. Because if you’re not, we are all doomed.”
“I know, Daddy,” Ana said, laying a hand on his arm. “But I truly believe Jan is being honest with me.”
The pair turned as the door slid open, plastering smiles on their faces when Jan stepped out.
“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” Jan asked, sensing he had just missed something. “I can go back inside if you want to be alone.”
“No, it’s fine,” Ana said. “Daddy was just showing me a hawk. It flew away and hasn’t come back. You’ll see it if it does, though. It has a nest right there.”
Ana pointed and smiled at Jan as she rose.
“I need to go make some digi-recordings of Jax for Niall. Want to help?”
Jan nodded and bowing slightly to Ana’s father, followed her inside. Ana’s father sighed, slightly irritated that Jan kept slipping to the more formal address. The almost instinctive bows could very well indicate he spent a lot of time reporting to the very people he claimed to hate. Sighing again, he rose and followed the pair inside.
Rosita hugged Ana tightly when they arrived, then followed the same path to the back area. Ana had the digi-drive tucked inside her hair again, worried about losing it if she placed it in a pocket. She told no one she had it, intending on asking Rosita about a tab a little later. But first, she wanted to get something to eat and warm up, having spent the afternoon traipsing around the market. The weather had stayed nice, but as the shadows lengthened, the air grew chill, and she shivered slightly.
The three had left the house several hours earlier, squeezing into the sporty transport amid much laughter. Her father offered to call for a larger one, but Ana declined. Jan was fascinated with the vehicle and Ana had to drag him away from his inspection to get him inside it. Her father watched in amusement as Jan and Ana attempted to share the same seat. The two eventually came to an uncomfortable arrangement, Jan pushed back with his legs leaning left and Ana perched in front with her knees drawn to her chest. She was thankful the ride was short, almost falling out when they parked due to the numbness in her legs. It took several painful minutes for the feeling to return, and she stamped her feet and beat her thighs to speed the process.
The group spent the afternoon shopping, only purchasing what could be stored in the transport. Ana found several hooded shirts and knit pants for Jax and hoped Jax would like them. She bought a blanket for Jan’s bed at the Academy after he mentioned his room seemed to be cold all the time. He fought with her, but she ignored him, purchasing it despite his heated objections. She had discovered Jan was living off the credits the school supplied. He refused to say where he had been between the yacht and the Academy and Ana got the impression that wherever it was, he was only allowed to purchase the basics. He didn’t seem to have access to credits of his own and she felt no remorse in using the government’s money. In addition, she purchased a heavier coat and gloves for him, having noticed his jacket was extremely thin.
Jan seemed embarrassed he couldn’t buy a gift for her. She replied by holding out the wrist with the bracelet, telling him it was more precious than anything he could buy. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her lightly, squeezing his appreciation.
Rosita had bread, cheeses, and an assortment of meats on the table when they arrived. Shortly after taking their seats, bowls of hearty vegetable soup arrived. Rosita vanished while the three consumed the appetizers but returned as they were finishing up. She looked at Ana seriously, nodding slightly in Jan’s direction.
“He’s trustworthy,” Ana said, pushing her empty bowl away and sipping some water.
Jan had the good sense to remain quiet as Rosita sized him up, refusing to flinch under her intense gaze. Eventually, she made some sort of internal decision and smiled broadly, turning her attention back to Ana.
“Now, my dear,” Rosita said, crossing her long legs and leaning one elbow on the table. “What brings you back to my humble bistro?”
“Cappuccino,” Ana answered, eyes twinkling.
Rosita roared, throwing her head back as her laughter echoed around the courtyard. Several diners at the other tables glanced over and smiled. Collecting herself, she looked at Ana, eyes dancing.
“So, you admit mine is the best in all Atlantica?”
“I have no idea,” Ana replied, laughing. “I haven’t had it anywhere else. But why should I when I was told Rosita’s can’t be beat?”
“My dear,” Rosita said, laughing again. “Your flattery has scored you points. You shall have your cappuccino, but it is for after dinner, capiche?”
Ana didn’t know what that meant but nodded anyway. Sobering, she gazed at Rosita intently.
“I have some questions I didn’t ask last time. Is that okay?”
“Of course, my dear,” Rosita answered. “If I can answer your questions, I certainly will.”
“Why does the government send people into exile? It would be just as easy to kill them but still say they were being sent to a labor camp. No one would be any wiser. And why would they take a chance on them reaching the sectors? You said your job was to roust them if they were found living in them. Wouldn’t that mean the people living there are aware the exiles come from here?”
“Ah, I see you have been thinking on this,” Rosita said, wagging a finger in mock severity. “I never said the people in Centra were unaware of Atlantica. I said the people in Centra believe both Atlantica and Centra are the same. But as your father said, who would believe one person with no evidence? If someone who was half-dead came stumbling out of the wilderness with a story about living in a fabulous city, one that was wealthy beyond imagining, would you believe them? Or would you think them mad?
“Look at it from the perspective of someone living in Centra. You live in abject poverty under a repressive government. If you misbehave, your children are sent away. If you continue to misbehave, you are sent away. You cannot admit you took an exile in. The punishment for that is death. If you do provide haven, you can never, ever talk about it. Because of this, you have no idea if your neighbor, your sister, or your child’s teacher also took in an exile. Because they can never talk about it, either. If no one talks about it, then there is no way to know how many others also know.
“Instead, you keep your secret, not sure if what you hear is true. But even if you did believe, what could you possibly do about it? You are only one person. It’s not like you can go find out. You spend your entire life just trying to survive and maybe finding a small amount of happiness along the way.”
Ana thought about this. She assumed the exiles could convince the people Atlantica was wealthy and could be overthrown. But she had underestimated the extent the people of Centra were held down. As bad as it was here, it was a thousand times worse there.
Jan sat quietly, completely mesmerized. He was shocked at what was being discussed but was afraid to open his mouth.
“That still doesn’t explain why they are sent into exile.” Ana said. “I don’t see the point of it.”
“I wish I knew, my dear,” Rosita answered heavily. “I have thought and thought about this for many years. I have been unable to come to any definite conclusion, only theories, many of which don’t really make sense.”
“Like what?”
“As I told you, I went to Centra straight from the Academy. In addition to sending the exiles away, I was also responsible for punishing those that harbored them. I was forced to oversee the punishment. Families torn apart, each member sent into exile alone. It broke my heart to pull crying children away from their parents, knowing there was no way they would survive. And I had to make sure the entire sector knew what had happened and watch
ed the exiles being sent away. I have since concluded this is another form of control. Like sending children to the island, only far worse.
“I also have a theory that many exiles were spies, sent to find out if there was any hint of an uprising. Should the population of Centra ever band together, they can overrun Atlantica by sheer force of numbers. Keeping them in fear and abject poverty makes them feel both hopeless and helpless.
“The sectors in Centra are not monitored like here. The houses do not have surveillance equipment. The sectors are surrounded by walls and there are vid-recorders, but the vid-recorders are monitored by the guards stationed at each settlement. In this way, Centra has a type of freedom we do not. They can speak freely amongst themselves. If the government wants to know what they are saying, what better way than to have an exile be taken in?”
“Let’s say they are spies,” Ana said thoughtfully. “What would be in it for them?”
“If they were a spy, they would be picked up after being turned out. No one would know any differently.
“But if they were criminals sentenced to exile, then it comes back to a government ruling by fear. It is possible they are told their families will suffer if they do not report back. It is also possible they are told that by doing this their sentence will be forgiven.”
“Our government lies. Constantly.”
“You and I know this. But most citizens of Atlantica do not. They believe what they are told. You did for a very long time, did you not?”
Ana bowed her head in agreement, realizing Rosita had a point. Taking a minute, she eventually looked up and continued.
“Can you think of anything else?”
“Only that there is no real reason beyond our government being cruel just because they can be.”
“I have a feeling it’s a combination of things, but I also think there’s more. Our government doesn’t do things without a reason. They may be cruel, but their cruelty usually has an ulterior motive behind it.”
“You are most likely correct, Ana. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about the exiles. As much as I wish we could help them, they’re beyond our reach.
“Now, my dear, what news do you have for us?”
“Not much, I’m afraid,” Ana said. “I haven’t heard anything about what Vice Premier Drake is planning. I know he’s telling the school how to handle me. I’ve been placed in upperclassman courses without having to take the lowerclassman ones. I’ve had to take remedial classes and I spend all my free time studying. Jan has been helping me but I was told I have to pass on my own.
“Vice Premier Drake has only made one visit to see me so far. I’m a little surprised since I thought he would come more often, but he probably doesn’t need to since everything at the Academy is monitored.”
“For what reason did he come?” Rosita asked.
“I had a problem and broke a couple rules when I took care of it. I thought I was going to be sent away but instead was sent back to class and told not to talk about it.”
“What exactly did the Vice Premier say?” Ana’s father interjected, concerned. “And what did you do?”
“I was being harassed. When I fought back, the boy came after me. I had smuggled a weapon onto the school grounds and when he attacked me, I stabbed him.”
“What happened to him, Ana?” her father asked quietly. “And what did the Vice Premier say to you after?”
“He died,” Ana said so softly it was almost a whisper. “I tried to only hurt him, but according to Vice Premier Drake, he had an undiagnosed condition and had a heart attack. Everyone was told he failed out.”
“And the Vice Premier?”
“He showed up the next day. I thought I was meeting with my coordinator, but Vice Premier Drake talked to me instead. He told me my actions had proven he was right. I had been chosen because he knew I would never give up. Then he told me to get another weapon.”
The three stared at Ana in shock. The Vice Premier had not only stepped in and protected her but had condoned her actions and told her to continue breaking the rules.
“Do you have another weapon?” her father asked.
“Not yet. Since then, I’ve been left alone. It would be impossible to get one there, anyway.”
“I suggest we try and find you something before you go back. Vice Premier Drake’s recommendation leads me to believe you are still being tested. Which means that something could be coming.”
Ana nodded, thinking it made sense. Why else would the Vice Premier want her armed, in violation of the school’s rules?
“Ana, have you heard anything about what he plans for you?”
“Nothing,” she replied. “I thought he’d come after what happened with Jan and Jax, but I’ve heard nothing.”
“What happened?” her father asked.
“I have a secluded place where Jax and I go every night. Jan followed me and has been coming every night since. I don’t think the area is monitored, but I find it hard to believe they haven’t figured out that he joins me. We try to stagger our coming and going, but we both leave the building every night and neither of us have classes during that time. The government knows where I go and they have to know I spend most of my free time with him.”
“Is there anything else you think might be important?” her father asked.
“At the Vice Premier’s orders, Jax and I are learning this thing called sign language. It’s a way of talking using shapes you make with your hands. Jax and I go to a room where there is a historian who has a book. I try to learn the signs from the book, then teach them to Jax. I’ve told the Vice Premier that Jax only understands simple things, but I lied. Jax understands much more. I can talk to her using my hands and she can answer me. Other than that, nothing. I go to class, I study, and I work with Jax.”
“Sir,” Jan said, finally speaking up. “There is one more thing. It didn’t come from Vice Premier Drake, but it might be just as important.”
“Jan, please don’t,” Ana said, instinctively knowing what he was going to say. “It’s not relevant.”
“But it is, Ana,” Jan said, then faced her father again. “We have a class together that critiques our battles on the island. Ana’s vid received both a standing ovation and a gesture of respect from everyone. There was no jeering, no laughing, nothing like what happens to the other students when their vids are shown. Not only that, Ana critiqued herself, telling the instructor what she did wrong and what she should have done instead. The instructor felt Ana was flawless and told her so. She’s holding off showing another one for the exact same reason.”
Ana was blushing furiously. She wished people would stop telling her she was perfect. She wasn’t and she knew it.
“I think that’s why Vice Premier Drake is watching over her,” Jan said, oblivious to Ana’s embarrassment. “He believes Ana is one of a kind. Whatever he needs her for, he plans to exploit her uniqueness.”
“Thank you, Jan. I wish one of us had had heard something about what he plans for my little hawk. The fact he overrode the school on punishing her means she’s under his protection. That will keep her safe, but it also means it will be much harder to escape him once she finishes.”
Ana was getting angry. They were talking about her like she wasn’t there. Slamming a fist on the table, she reclaimed their attention.
“Hello, remember me?” she said hotly. “You know. The special one. You realize I’m sitting right here, right?”
Ana glared at each of them. Her father dropped his eyes, Jan blushed, but Rosita laughed, her eyes twinkling.
“Good for you, my dear,” she said. “You need to stand up for yourself. Now what do you have to say about all this?”
“I’m well aware of my special protection. Vice Premier Drake has made it clear he wants me for something, and I have no choice in the matter. But I’m still my own person and should be involved in what everyone thinks I should do. Stop treating me like a child.”
Jan reached over to take Ana’s hand,
but she shrugged it off. He had once again refused to listen to her, and she was getting tired of it.
“Okay, Ana,” her father said. “What do you want?”
“First, I want to know what everyone else knows. Everything. No more secrets.”
“That works both ways,” her father said mildly.
“Yes, it does, and I promise to come clean as well. About everything we’ve talked about. But about what happened to me on the island, no. Some of those things still hurt too much and it has no bearing on any of this.”
“Anything else?” her father asked.
“Rosita, do you have a tab that’s not connected to the government’s main one?”
“Yes, of course,” Rosita answered, sobering immediately. “Why do you ask?”
“I have a digi-drive I want to look at. But I can’t plug it in to a regular tab.”
“I will be right back,” Rosita said, rising. “I’ll order our dinners so we can eat while we review the digi-drive.”
“Is that why you still have it?” Ana’s father asked.
“I want to see what’s on it myself,” Ana responded. “It was given to me for a reason. I need to know if there’s anything on it that might help me.”
“And my journal?”
“Still where I told you I put it. I can’t bear to give it up.” Ana hung her head, feeling guilty at the admission.
“I’m glad, hon,” her father said. “I won’t stand in your way if you think it could be useful to others, but I would prefer it stay with us.”
Rosita returned with an older tab that had obviously been taken apart and put back together. Ana carefully undid her braid and handed the digi-drive to Rosita, scooting her chair over so she could see. Jan and Ana’s father both rose and stood behind the women.
When the information appeared, Ana sat back, confused. She had no idea what any of it meant. The other three, however, had looks of shock on their faces. Ana’s father took the tab, quickly swiping before handing it back.
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