SHATTERED

by S. C. Deutsch

  Jan used one finger to tilt Ana’s head up and wiped away a tear with his thumb.

  “If you can never forgive me, I understand,” he said softly. “I wouldn’t blame you for hating me. Hell, I hate myself. I’ve wronged so many people. Some may have deserved it, but most did not. Especially you. If you don’t want to ever see me again, I’ll leave. I just hope you’ll remember the good things, the few fun times we had.”

  Ana went to say something and found herself kissing Jan instead. Unsure of how it happened, she leaned forward and put her hands around his neck. Jan hesitated, then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. Ana eventually pulled back slightly and glanced over, relieved to see her father and Rosita were gone.

  “Jan, I’m sorry, too,” she said. “I have no business getting angry at you for lying. I lie as much as you. And my lies are hurting those I care about. I don’t want to lose you. But we can’t go on like this. It’s too hurtful.”

  “I know Ana. We need to be honest with each other. But I worry about where our honesty might lead. Neither of us has proven to be trustworthy and I am scared that because of that, we may always have problems.”

  “I’m willing to try again,” Ana whispered. “If you are.”

  “Of course, I am, Ana,” Jan said, pulling her into a hug. “I don’t want to lose you.”

  A discreet cough caused the pair to quickly separate, Ana blushing furiously. Ana’s father gave them an unfathomable look, but Rosita laughed merrily.

  “Young love,” she said, practically dancing her way back to her chair. “So tempestuous. I hope you two have made up. I would hate for Jan not to taste the best cappuccino in Atlantica.”

  Ana laughed, sliding her chair back to the table. Jan did the same, tentatively picking up the bracelet and looking at Ana. She held her wrist out without saying a word, smiling as he re-tied it. He went to place his hands in his lap and Ana took one, keeping hold of it for the remainder of the meal.

  Chapter 17

  Month 3

  Week 2

  The tab’s notification light blinked steadily, causing an eerie blue light to fill the room. Ana hurried to the desk, wondering why she was receiving a message. Her stomach contracted and a small trickle of fear crawled down her spine when she opened it. She was to report to the main office immediately. Quickly settling Jax, she signed she would be back soon. Making her way to the main building, she tried to open the door and found it locked. The office was still closed. Taking one last look inside, Ana jumped when she heard the voice behind her.

  “Let’s take a walk, shall we Miss Swift?”

  Ana turned, the color draining from her face. Fighting to still her trembling hands, she made a fist and raised it to her chest, bowing as she did.

  “Good day, kind sir,” Ana said. “May the day bring you luck and good fortune.”

  “Yes, yes, and to you also,” Vice Premier Drake said, bowing slightly. He found himself a little baffled. He usually insisted on the formal protocol but for some reason it bothered him when Ana did it. Waving a hand, he invited her down the steps.

  Descending, Ana stopped at the Vice Premier’s side and looked at him nervously.

  “Is something wrong, sir?” she asked.

  “It’s been a while, my dear,” he answered, smiling. “I was in the area and thought I’d see how you were.”

  Ana highly doubted either statement was true. She kept pace with the Vice Premier and remained silent.

  “This campus is beautiful, is it not?” he asked conversationally. “It is especially glorious in the fall with the changing leaves. The spring is very pretty also. Many of the trees are covered in pink and white blossoms.”

  And here we go again, Ana thought. Talking about something meaningless like we’re friends.

  “Tell me, Miss Swift. How are your classes going?”

  “Better,” she answered easily. “I’m catching up in math and doing well in several others.”

  “Anything you want to impart regarding one of them?”

  “Not really,” Ana responding, hoping this wasn’t another trap. “I’m making some progress with Jax. She understands simple sentences but still only responds in single words.”

  “That is good news. I am glad there is progress, even if it’s maddingly slow. But that’s not the class I was referring to.”

  The pair followed the path around the building and headed down the hill. Several students passed before realizing the Vice Premier was walking the campus. Stopping dead, they offered the same proper greeting, worried they would be punished if they didn’t. Vice Premier Drake ignored them as he chatted with Ana.

  “If you’re referring to my Battles and Critique class, it was nothing,” Ana said tiredly.

  “Oh, I do believe it was something, Miss Swift,” Vice Premier Drake said airily. “No student has ever received both an ovation and the salute reserved for higher officials. You’ve made quite the impression.”

  “Vice Premier Drake,” Ana said, sighing heavily. “Everyone keeps saying my performance was perfect. But it wasn’t. I don’t understand why others can’t see the mistake I made. If it hadn’t been for luck, the second dragon would have escaped and killed either me or Snick.”

  “Miss Swift,” the Vice Premier said, stopping to face her. “At the time, you believed the Cham-var had been permanently immobilized. You were basing that assumption on your experience with the leeches. Do you really believe that if it escaped, it would have done so before you finished with the second one? Or that it would be in any shape to continue its attack?”

  “No,” Ana said, gazing steadily at the Vice Premier. “But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t have. I should have killed it immediately and removed the threat completely.”

  “Yes, it could have. And it is remarkable only you were able to find the mistake. But I can honestly tell you that even someone trained in combat would have behaved similarly. Your entire focus was on killing both creatures. You didn’t have time to waste worrying about the first Cham-var after it was neutralized. And if I remember correctly, you collapsed after killing the second, having suffered some pretty nasty injuries. Is that correct?”

  “Yes, sir,” Ana said, tired of doing this. Again.

  “You behaved incredibly well for someone with no formal training,” Vice Premier Drake said, taking up the stroll again. “If I do say so, you behaved better than many of Atlantica’s most well trained soldiers. And you behaved similarly well against the other creatures you fought. The battle with Can-urso was particularly impressive. It should be used for training in the future.”

  Ana stopped short, causing Vice Premier Drake to stop and turn as well. She thought she should be flattered, but instead, she was embarrassed. She had no desire to become a role model and chose her words carefully.

  “I am honored you feel that way, sir,” she said finally. “But I would prefer they not be used for that purpose. Personally, I would prefer no one ever sees them again.”

  “Why not, Miss Swift?” Vice Premier Drake asked.

  “No disrespect, sir, but I did what I needed to do to survive. All the battles were fought because I had no choice. Each person is different, and each battle is different. It would be wrong to have people attempt to copy what I did, thinking it will make them better if they face a similar fight. For example, if someone copies my movements from my fight with the dog-bear, it won’t help them if they face the dragons. Or with something I never encountered. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”

  “I believe so,” Vice Premier Drake replied, surprised by Ana’s insightfulness. “I agree every battle is different. A good soldier adapts to each situation. Which you have done remarkably well. But I’m talking about the technical aspects. The way you roll into a somersault. The way you use your body’s strengths to your best advantage. These are things that can be pointed out to new recruits. Too many of our vids rely on techniques used before the Great War and are a one-size-fits-all style of fighting. You adapt o
n the fly, changing as the fight changes.”

  Ana wondered if Vice Premier Drake was grooming her to train new recruits. The way he was discussing her tactics seemed like something military commanders would say and the more she thought about it, the sicker she felt.

  “Again, not wanting to be disrespectful, sir, but if you choose to use these vids, I cannot stop you. I only sought to give you my reasons for not wanting them to be used in such a manner.”

  Vice Premier Drake smiled inwardly. For some reason, she felt strongly about this and was trying hard to be diplomatic. Every conversation he had with her reinforced his belief he had been correct in his choice.

  “I will take it under advisement,” he said. “Shall we?”

  Ana nodded, falling into step with the Vice Premier again. But when he turned towards the west side of the campus, she stopped short, reluctant to continue.

  “My dear,” Vice Premier Drake said. “What is it this time?”

  “Students are barred from the west side,” Ana said.

  “That may very well be,” Vice Premier Drake said, “but I am not. Since you are here at my invitation, the rules do not apply. Come. Let’s continue. It’s a beautiful day and we shouldn’t waste it.”

  Ana looked around fearfully and was gratified to see no other students around.

  “Miss Swift,” Vice Premier said. “Have you ever wondered what is on this side of the campus?”

  “Of course. Every student does. It’s hard to miss the dome, but no one knows what it is.”

  “Would you like to see?”

  Ana nodded, too curious to ask any questions.

  “Then let us take a look, shall we?”

  The Vice Premier led Ana past several low buildings and Ana noticed that many of the people strolling about looked like the scientists from the yacht. She tried not to stare, concluding the area must be a research facility. The scientists paid her no heed when they saluted Vice Premier Drake, not at all surprised to see him.

  As she got closer to the dome, Ana began to see how massive it was. A large, white building, at least three stories tall, fronted it. There were several doorways on the main level, floor-to-ceiling glass between them. The second floor had a row of windows running the entire length and silhouettes passed in front of them periodically. The third floor had no more than six windows down the entire length. The dome towered above them, dwarfing everything, and Ana could see the panels were made of a reflective material, making it impossible to see inside.

  Vice Premier Drake led Ana through one of the doors, passing through the security checkpoint with a word, and into a large, open space, bright with natural light. The floor was black marble and large stairways flanked the lobby. Straight ahead was a blank wall with only one set of doors, guarded by two armed men.

  Vice Premier Drake turned right and led Ana up the stairs, nodding to several scientists in passing. The scientists bowed, clenching their fists to their breast. Ana was ignored completely, which suited her fine.

  Reaching the second floor, Ana found herself in another, much smaller lobby. Vice Premier Drake continued, passing through another security checkpoint and down a long hallway. Offices lined one side and windows the other and Ana saw the hallway was curved. By the time the Vice Premier stopped, the lobby was no longer in sight.

  Vice Premier Drake placed his palm on a pad, spoke softly, then placed his palm on it again. The door opened, leading into a large, plush office. A massive oak desk sat in the center and a high-backed chair, currently facing away from them, sat behind it. Ana was shocked to see a pair of tall cases filled with books on each side of the room. The desk held a paper file, several small tabs, two large vid-conference ones, and pair of vid-magnifiers. Ana noticed two books on the desk and strained to read the titles.

  “Sir, I have brought Miss Swift, as you requested.”

  The chair turned and Ana almost fainted. Sitting on the other side of the desk was Premier Vanessa Raven. Quickly remembering herself, Ana clenched her right fist to her chest, bowing deeply and giving the required greeting.

  “Good day, kind lady,” Ana said. “May the day bring you luck and good fortune.”

  “And to you as well, Ana,” Premier Raven replied, smiling. “How are you?”

  Ana was completely tongue-tied. The last thing she expected was to meet the Premier face-to-face. And the Premier was talking to her just as she had when she was a little girl. But Ana was no longer a small child. She was well aware of how much power this woman wielded. She struggled to find her voice.

  “I’m fine, sir,” she finally said. “Just surprised.”

  “Toma didn’t tell you where you were going?”

  “No, sir. He asked if I wanted to see the dome.”

  “And what did you tell him?”

  “That I would.”

  “Then we will have to show you. But first, let’s chat, shall we?”

  “Yes, Premier Raven,” Ana responded, no longer wanting to see anything but her room and Jax.

  “Do you remember me, Ana?” Premier Raven asked.

  “I remember you coming to my father’s office when I was a little girl.”

  “Do you remember what I said to you?”

  “I remember you were kind, asking me questions and listening as I answered.”

  “So you don’t remember?”

  “You wished me luck in my future.”

  “Yes. I wished you luck in whatever you chose to do. Do you believe you’ve been lucky?”

  Ana hesitated, worried about answering honestly. To some extent, she had been. But it had come with a price. Did she honestly feel lucky? The answer was no but telling the Premier that might be a problem, especially with the Vice Premier standing at her side.

  Premier Raven waited patiently, smiling at Ana with a friendly look in her eyes. Ana wasn’t fooled. She knew how dangerous this woman was and how cruel she could be. Smiling falsely, Ana chose her words carefully.

  “I have been very lucky for most of my life, Premier Raven. I’ve broken rules others were punished severely for, I was granted access to the Academy without having to go through the normal channels, and Vice Premier Drake has taken a special interest in Jax and I.”

  “Oh, my dear Toma,” Premier Raven said, laughing. “You were correct. She is a treasure.”

  “Sit my dear,” the Premier continued, gesturing to a plush chair. Ana did, holding herself stiffly as she folded her hands in her lap.

  “Now Ana, tell me about yourself. Not what you think I want to hear. But what you like, what you find interesting.”

  Ana had to think about this. Had she been asked before her trips to the island, the answer would have been easy. But things had changed. She had spent so much of her time trying to obtain information while managing to stay out of trouble that she hadn’t pursued any new hobbies. Except the books, which she could feel calling to her. But that wasn’t something she could admit without getting a lot of people in trouble. She opted to take the safe route.

  “I like bird watching. I used to do it in Flaga, but then stopped. I just recently started again.”

  “Like your father?”

  “Yes,” Ana said, a little surprised the Premier was aware of her father’s hobby.

  “What else?

  “I like geography. And I love sunsets.”

  “Those are very nice. But isn’t there anything else you like? Gardening, cooking, sports, things like that?”

  “Honestly, sir, I never really thought about it. I’ve been busy since returning from the island. My days are full of schoolwork. My free time is spent with Jax.”

  “And with the boy, Jan. Am I correct?”

  Ana felt the ground tilt, just like on the yacht.

  “Yes, I spend time with Jan. We like each other. And we know each other from the island.”

  “You took him home with you this weekend. Am I correct?”

  “Yes, he came home with me.”

  “Why, Ana? I’m curious. You had to kn
ow we would find out.”

  “Jan told me he had nowhere to go. He said he’d stay at the school for the weekend. I didn’t want him to be alone, so I asked him to come with me.”

  “By taking him home with you, you allowed him to see the Ra-mur. Yet I believe you were told no one was supposed to see the creature.”

  “With all due respect, Premier Raven, Jan knows Jax. Jax went and got Jan when I was stuck in the mud with the leeches. Jax also sat with Jan and I at the camp and then again on the beach. I swore him to secrecy.”

  “Ana,” Premier Raven sighed, “Once more, you seem to have a problem with the rules. It doesn’t matter if Jan and Jax knew each other prior to this weekend. No one is supposed to know Jax is at the Academy. Yet now, someone does. How can we be sure he won’t tell anyone?”

  Ana felt the ground tip a little more. Time to resume acting, she thought wearily.

  “I’m sorry, Premier Raven,” Ana said contritely, hanging her head. “I felt so bad for Jan I didn’t even think about him seeing Jax. I just didn’t want Jan to be by himself.”

  Vice Premier Drake looked at Premier Raven, a look of admiration on his face. Premier Rave gave an imperceptible nod.

  “Because of this visit, I now need to ask you some serious questions. And I expect full and honest answers. In normal situations, we would just remove someone like Jan from the picture. But this is not a normal situation, and I would prefer not to have a second student disappear so quickly after the first. One student will not cause any questions but two, especially one that just arrived, is sure to start rumors. That is something we would like to avoid.”

  Ana nodded. She knew the real reason why Jan wasn’t going to be removed but had no intention of letting either the Premier or Vice Premier know she knew.

  “You and Jax are working on this sign language thing, are you not?”

  “Yes. I’ve taught Jax a ton of signs and she’s starting to understand simple sentences. But she can still only answer with simple words.”

  “Has Jan been learning this language? Can he talk to Jax?”

  Ana started panicking. She had no idea what the Premier or Vice Premier might have seen. Taking a deep breath, she hoped her nervousness didn’t show.