by Alexia Purdy
I reached out and shook Fran’s shoulder. “Come on, I have work to do.”
“It’s fascinating to watch. I think I might sit here and listen to the music for a bit. I’ll find you later?”
I could see her face settling into a curious, dreamy state. “Sure. See you later.”
I pivoted and walked away with heavy strides, afraid that if I turned back, the pain and tears would seize my heart once more. I had to distract myself. I’d been holed up for weeks, avoiding news from the surface and never asking anyone if there’d been any updates from Clyde. I didn’t want to know.
Or maybe I did want to know. My heart tugged at my mind, causing my breath to hitch as I reached the cafeteria. By the time I slipped down onto the first chair I saw in the dimmed room, I was sobbing.
How did I get past this? What did I have to do to forget?
I grabbed some napkins from the holder sitting on the old, cracked table and blew my nose. I let it all out until I had no more tears left. I swore that after this, I wouldn’t let anything or anyone hurt me again.
I jumped up from the booth and reached over the counter to find a pad of paper and a pen. Sitting back down, I began to write down what needed to be fixed and then promised myself that once I had finished those tasks, I would return aboveground and find a way to finish President Farlan for good.
Staring at the list, I knew I had a few weeks of work ahead of me. That was fine with me. It gave me time to prepare some sort of plan about how to sneak back into the governor’s mansion and do what I needed to do:
Kill Farlan and avoid Clyde at all costs.
Chapter Nine
Clyde
I crumbled the note and tossed it into the fireplace, watching the flames eat away at the paper. It had nothing useful on it. At least, it wasn’t useful to me. Fran’s update held nothing I genuinely wanted to know. It’d been short and to the point:
The sky is safe. Parents remain safe. No further actions at this time.
Rubbing the stubble on my chin, I groaned. This eternal waiting was unbearable. If I didn’t hear some news about Star, I was going to lose my mind. The last I had seen of her was when I’d sedated her and she’d been carried off to the infirmary in Farlan’s mansion. When I’d gone to visit her, I was told she’d never arrived there.
Someone had taken Star. But who? And where? And the biggest question of them all… why?
“Mister Secretary?”
I turned to find one of President Farlan’s messenger boys standing awkwardly at the door. His fingers were white as they curled around the edge of the doorframe, and his cheeks were red from running. I wondered what the urgency was. I hadn’t heard him knock.
“Yes, Paul? What is it?” I straightened, throwing one last look at the fire. The note was nothing but ashes now, but I had to make sure.
“President Farlan asked for you. It seems you are missed at supper.”
I nodded, waving him off. “Let him know I’m on my way. The time must’ve gotten away from me. Please offer my apologies.”
“Yes, sir.”
Paul departed just as quickly as he’d come. I wanted to shut the door and cut off the emotional ropes wrapped around my chest. I was a slave to the mission of the rebellion, and wearing this mask as a faithful follower to President Farlan drained all my energy.
But it was time to turn the show back on for Farlan. I’d earned his trust—in fact, I was now his right-hand man—but keeping the pretense up was far more difficult than I’d imagined it would be. Especially when my fate was now intertwined with Farlan’s daughter, Gigi. Unfortunately, she’d run away. She hadn’t hinted to me why, or where she would go, but she’d disappeared right after Star had. I hated to think the one had anything to do with the other’s disappearance. Both women in my life gone, just like that. Reluctantly, I grabbed my dinner jacket and headed toward the dining room.
“Clyde! I almost thought you wouldn’t be joining us tonight. Please, have a seat.” Farlan waved at the servants, urging them to set a place for me. The six-course meals constantly served at the mansion were destined to increase my waist size, but denying the good food the president had us served would be seen as an insult.
“I apologize for my late arrival. There were some files I had to finish up.”
“That’s Clyde for you. All work and no play. Driven. That’s why Gigi is so fond of him.” President Farlan spoke to a man sitting across from me as though he’d just brought in an old friend. I took a sip from my glass of water and observed the new stranger. He was young, probably the same age as me, but the sharp gleam in his eye made him seem a few years older. I couldn’t be sure. His youthful glow hid it well.
“Yes. Well, you know,” I answered, “there’s a lot of red tape involved. The trade negotiations with the surrounding territories are a delicate matter. Negotiations have been rather time consuming.” Try as I might, I felt uneasy with the stranger’s eyes drilling into me as I attempted to sip on my soup and appear unperturbed. I was far from it.
“Of course, Clyde. You’ve been working all hours to keep my presidency running like a well-oiled machine. That’s exactly why I’ve procured Jon Herman here; he’s going to help you. I know you’ve been stretched thin. Jon is an excellent worker. He can help write any speeches, look over contracts, or even take over some of the visits to other regions.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Clyde. I’m thrilled to finally be meeting you.” Jon smiled widely. He flashed a rack of brilliant white teeth, like a predator displaying its fangs. I disliked him immediately.
I gave him a curt nod, but inside I felt an inferno growing. How dare Farlan act as if this man would just be around to “help” me. I knew the look of greed and poisonous ambition lurking behind Jon’s eyes. He probably thought he was clever, slipping into the ranks of President Farlan to advance himself any way he could. Too bad I could see right through him. In a way, I was staring at my own reflection.
“It’s great to meet you too…Jon, was it?”
He nodded. His mouth twitched on one side, a tell giving away that he was up to no good. Let the games begin.
“I’m so pleased you both have met.” President Farlan waved for the servants to pour us some wine. I hated the stuff, but he seemed to indulge in it quite frequently. “I am going to be adding more manpower to the search for my daughter, and I want you, Clyde, to oversee it. That’s why it’s important you show Jon the ropes. He can take care of the tedious matters which bury you up to your neck all day long. I need someone I can trust to infiltrate the rebellion and find my daughter. As her fiancé, you are the best man for the job. What do you say?”
I looked up at Farlan, sweat gathering at my brow. Was he serious? How could he dump me into a pointless search for his runaway daughter? Did he think I cared? Of course, he must have thought so. Gigi was pretty, and I liked her and had asked her to marry me, but I didn’t have any feelings for the girl. It had all been part of my strategy. Knowing Farlan had plans for us once we were married made me cringe, but this—ripping me away from other duties which could help me get vital information to the rebellion just to chase his wayward daughter—was ridiculous. Why couldn’t his underlings chase Gigi? I had more important things to do.
Like take down Farlan and his regime.
I realized Jon and Farlan were staring at me. I cleared my throat.
“Of course. She’s my intended, and I’d do anything to make sure Gigi is returned safely to her family.”
I couldn’t have said it any better, but the smirk lining Jon’s lips ever so slightly told me he might be able to see right through me as well. I straightened and wiped away my emotions, grinning smugly at him as I grabbed my wine glass, which up until now had sat untouched, and raised it in the air.
“To finding Gigi safe and sound and conquering the rebellion.”
“Hear, hear!” The others called out, lifting their glasses as well before downing their drinks. I reluctantly swallowed half of the bitter wine, but
I could tell the others were enjoying theirs. Farlan was already rosy-cheeked and talking too much. Jon, who was not yet drunk, listened, flicking his eyes my way now and then, not with curiosity but with the scrutiny of a predator sizing up his prey. I had to give it to him, he responded appropriately to the president’s questions and comments without losing his composure. A quick tongue and a sharp mind wasn’t all a person needed to navigate this game. I knew better than most how difficult it was risking my life every day and lying about every single thing about myself.
I threw in some of my own comments now and then to keep up pretenses, but I was relieved my unusual silence had gone unnoticed. It was hard to turn on the charisma when I was failing my mission on every end. Now, being pulled from negotiations and regulations, I was going to have to find some other way to pry open Farlan’s ultimate plans for the city of Petra, even if it meant having to find Gigi.
The fact that searching for her could inevitably lead me back to Star had my stomach in knots. How could I ever face her when I’d failed her in so many ways? Would she ever forgive me? I had only myself to blame, but if I hadn’t intercepted her when she’d taken Gigi hostage, someone else would have and might have hurt her in a far worse way. I never would’ve forgiven myself if something had happened to her. It was enough that she would have been thrown into a cell again, but it was better than death.
But that’s not what had happened. Nothing had gone as I had hoped. Now Star was long gone. When Gigi had disappeared, I’d wondered if Star had had anything to do with it, but Gigi had run away days after Star’s departure. I was never allowed to visit Star in her prison globe, so I had no idea if she was all right in there or if they treated her well. When I saw her perform, my whole world had sunk to the bottom of the sea. How could I have ever saved her from such a prison? It was more secure than the mansion surrounding it. There was no way to get a message to her or even see her. I’d never felt more helpless than seeing her locked up.
At least Star and Gigi were resourceful women. Even Gigi, with her pampered life and princess-like demeanor, could finagle her way into anything she wanted. She had mentioned to me how stifling this new life as the president’s daughter been. It did little for her social life and had effectively imprisoned her. I didn’t blame her if she had run away.
Once the evening concluded, I retreated to my quarters, dressed for the night, and laid in bed as I stared at the ceiling, wondering so many things.
Star, where are you? Can you ever forgive me? I never meant to hurt you in any way.
The constant barrage of thoughts made my head hurt, and I had to close my eyes to let sleep wipe away my sorrow. I had to remain sharp for the next few weeks while dealing with Jon breathing down my neck and trying to steal my position. I would not be replaced by such a devious man. I’d teach him just enough to be able to function while I went on a rescue mission for a maiden in distress. That way, when Jon did eventually screw up—and I’d make sure he would—I’d still be there to clean up the mess and continue as President Farlan’s go-to guy.
I couldn’t trust anyone. The only person I could trust was myself.
Chapter Ten
Star
“No, the number two drill bit, not the number one,” I groaned. I was being forced to work with Fran, and even though she was an android, she wasn’t into fixing things whatsoever and knew nothing about tools.
“Here.” She handed me the right type of drill bit and frowned, crossing her arms as she swayed on her feet, a look of boredom crossing her face. “How much longer?”
“This was the last one,” I said, turning the last of the screws that held the air conditioner grate in place. I beamed with satisfaction. “There. All fixed. Switch it on. Just have to make sure nothing else is loose.”
Fran fumbled as she reached around the ladder to the switch below the air conditioner unit. She flipped it on and jumped back as a spark flickered on her fingertips. Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
“Ouch! It shocked me!”
“Yeah.” I chuckled at her confusion. “Try not to drag your feet on this floor. The static electricity in here is insane.”
“It scrambled the sensors on my fingertips!” She shook out her hand and groaned, flexing each finger and frowning at them. “It’ll be numb for hours!”
“Better to be numb than electrocuted or dying of heat due to no air conditioning.” I wiped my brow, enjoying the cold air blowing from the fixed unit. I let it blow my hair away from my face until my cheeks nearly froze. It was perfectly ice-cold but would take a few hours to cool the entire cafeteria. There was only one unit, and it was worth every bit of work. Everyone cheered as I climbed off the ladder and surveyed the room.
Gigi jumped to her feet, hollering as she clapped with the others, cheering me on. She’d sat on a chair watching us work the entire time. She’d been kind enough to bring us drinks and towels to clean up the parts. She made a good assistant as long as I gave her clear instructions. At least it kept us both out of each other’s hair.
People lined up to thank me and compliment all my hard work. I was glad I’d earned the badge of “extreme fixer” even though I didn’t socialize much. It would be a shame to see how disappointed they were going to be when I left the Glass Sky in a few days. My list of jobs was almost finished. All the repairs were completed except one. After that, I’d be leaving this place forever.
I swallowed, fighting to keep a smile on my face. I waved at everyone as I grumbled to myself, folding up the ladder and yelling at Fran to help me with it. Getting out of the crowded cafeteria was my priority. I avoided socializing like the plague and for a good reason. Attachments were hazardous to my health.
Gigi jogged to catch up with us, her cheeks flushed from the physical effort.
“Hey, Star! Hold up. What’s the rush?”
I groaned, never in the mood to deal with Gigi outside of her attempts to help me at work. She and Jess had been spending a lot of time together, whether he liked it or not. I could tell Gigi was a hard person to dislike, and she was growing on him, but I barely saw him come around my stations anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy for them, but I wondered what that meant for her engagement to Clyde. Did she still love him? Had she been forced to accept his proposal and run away due to it? I was learning Gigi wasn’t a dense girl. She was far trickier than I’d given her credit for. Who knew why she’d run away in the first place? Why had they let her down here into the rebellion’s headquarters anyway? She was harmless but should have been considered a security risk, no matter how many people they had watching her.
“Star!” she called out again.
“What’s up, Gigi?” I forced another smile as she fell into step with me. We were headed toward the storage room where all the equipment was kept. Returning the ladder was crucial because Hamm, the attendant there, would hunt me down if I didn’t do it promptly. He was an older man with a severe, pockmarked face, rosy cheeks, and a plum nose. He was never pleasant and always suspicious of all borrowers, and he kept meticulous records on who borrowed equipment from the city’s storeroom. He was great at his job but not so great at social interaction.
“I haven’t seen you in a few days. You’ve been so busy,” Gigi remarked.
“Lots to fix around here. Some of us have work to do.” I bit my tongue, knowing my insult wouldn’t go unnoticed, but I knew she wouldn’t bring it up.
“I know, I know. I just missed chatting with you. I wanted to ask you if you’d heard anything about Clyde VanWright?”
My lips tightened into a thin line as I shook my head. “Nope. Why would I have heard about him?” I avoided looking at her. Did she know Clyde was part of the underground rebellion? Had she found out we knew each other? If so, he could be in more danger than I thought.
“I just thought that maybe the rebellion was probably watching my fiancé. I was hoping someone around here knew something about him. I hope he’s doing okay.” She picked at her nails, fidgeting before her
face brightened. “What about my father? Heard about anything going on with him? I’m sure there are people in the rebellion watching him.”
I pressed my lips together. Yeah, there were people watching him. People like Clyde.
“I wouldn’t know anything about what’s going on out there. Most of it’s classified,” I muttered.
“I know, but I want to know how my father and Clyde are doing. I hate to admit it, but I miss them terribly.”
“Why’d you come here, then?” I asked. Not that I wanted to know what the heck was going on with Farlan. Just the mention of the old monster made me furious.
“He seemed bothered by something when I left. I think it has to do with the cancer he had a few years back. I think he might’ve had a relapse even though he hides it well. I didn’t think he was being honest about how serious it was. Has anyone heard any news like that from aboveground?”
“No.” Fran and I both shook our heads, throwing each other a glance. I tried to shrug it off as we entered the store room, pausing at Hamm’s desk as he narrowed his eyes at the three of us. Gigi was silent behind us.
“Hi, Hamm. Busy day?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood.
“Sign here,” he huffed, shoving a clipboard my way and eyeing the other two girls with disdain. “This isn’t a sorority. If you aren’t signing out any equipment, get out,” he barked.
“They were just helping me with this ladder, Hamm,” I commented sweetly. Everyone thought it was useless to be nice to him, but I found he usually let me take any of the tools and equipment I needed without much coaxing. “It’s pretty heavy. It helped a lot for fixing the air conditioner unit in the cafeteria. You should head up there; it’s ice cold now.” I batted my eyelashes.
He grunted a response as he grabbed his ledger to check the ladder back in.