“Why do you ask?”
“Just the way you talk about him,” I said. “You can tease him and talk about him easily, but you don’t seem to worship the ground he walks on. It’s like you can see past that spell he casts over people.”
“No,” Sean shook his head. “That works on me just the same as everyone else, but I don’t hunger for power. I don’t want anything more than what I already have. I just want a job to do, a goal to accomplish. I don’t need anything else. And it took me a long time to finally get the nerve up to stand up to him as I do now,” he chuckled.
“Do you understand him?”
“Not at all,” Sean groaned. “And I don’t really think I want to,” he admitted with a broken laugh. “I don’t make excuses for him, or say that what happened to him all those years ago made him what he is and, therefore, he should be forgiven for his actions. He’s cruel, and he can be downright evil. I know that.”
“So why do you work for him?”
“Self-preservation,” Sean said. “I am stuck, Miss Sandover, just like you.”
“You are the one closest to him,” I hissed. “Why don’t you do something about it?”
Sean closed his eyes and shook his head.
“What would that do?” he asked. “It wouldn’t accomplish anything. It would only bring rise to a new leader of the Commission. And with Eyna close to being done, it will be almost impossible to stop the Machine of Neutralization project, regardless of Dana’s influence.”
“He’s almost done?” I gasped.
“He’s getting close to being finished, yes,” Sean confirmed. He smiled and leaned forward in his chair, laughing. “And now I’ve said too much.” He looked at me with warm, comforting eyes. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Oh, actually, I was wondering if it would be possible for me to meet Leader Simon when he comes on Wednesday,” I said innocently. “I haven’t met him before, and I really want to.”
Sean turned to his computer and moved his mouse before turning back to me.
“Well, you should show up just as the meeting is finishing…” he stated slowly, thinking. “You might be able to catch him on his way out. I can ask him if he would be willing to stay and meet you, if you would like. We have to work with his security team, so as long as they don’t have a problem with him staying a little longer, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be possible.”
“Could you ask?” I breathed hopefully.
“I will ask his security detail.”
“Thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome. Is that all you needed?”
“Yes, sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you,” I nodded, standing.
“Oh, no, it’s no problem,” he assured. “If you ever need me, you can come here. Or just call me. My number is in your phone.”
“Thank you again, Sean.”
“You’re welcome,” he repeated. “Oh, and Miss Sandover,” he called to me as I started to turn away. “Try and stay away from Dana until he’s in a different mood, okay?”
“Okay.”
I felt a little guilty using Sean, but I fully planned on finding out if Leader Simon would be willing to turn a blind eye to the rebellion until we had support from the people. I did not tell anyone my secret plan, thinking about how I wanted to approach the subject with the leader of our country and how I could do so without anyone noticing. I did not discuss it with Clark or Mykail, deciding that I didn’t want to deal with them trying to talk me out of it.
I spent the entirety of Tuesday thinking over what to do when I met Leader Simon. When I was with Clark, we discussed possible ways to get to the experiments and sneak them out, but without further knowledge of how large the Commission cells were and how long it would take for an experiment to get from one door to another, it was difficult to figure out how to override the security system, shut it down, get the experiments out of their cells, get them out of the Commission, and then hide them in the fort before Dana and the rest of the Commission discovered what we were doing. And, we also had the holding cells to worry about.
I was thrilled when Wednesday finally came around, and not as nervous as I should have been considering the situation.
I had not seen Dana since Saturday and was unsure of his mood. If he was still in his suspicious and angry mood then it was unlikely I could execute my plan. I hoped Dana was no longer as agitated and that he might be in a more playful mood, because that meant he could be distracted easily.
I did not say much during the drive to the Commission and went through the increased security measures that had been put in place after Saturday’s meeting. Josh checked all of us, including Mark, before we were allowed into the basement. When we exited the elevators and walked through the main meeting room, we were checked by another security detail before being let further inside.
I was excited. Leader Simon was still there.
I walked quickly toward the door, eager to put my bags in a conference room and search for the leader of our country. But when Mark opened the door for me, I stopped, surprised to see Dana, Sean, Mrs. Markus, my parents, and several unfamiliar faces in the hallway.
I finally began to feel nervous.
I stepped carefully toward the group and Dana quickly noticed, turning away from his conversation with my mother and Mrs. Markus.
“Ah, Little Lily,” he greeted with a white smile.
“Dana,” I nodded to him tightly, stepping away to allow Mark and Clark to follow. I looked among the faces of the people inching closer to the exit, trying to spot the face I had only seen on television and in pictures.
“Miss Sandover,” Sean called from over someone’s head, motioning me over. I quickly went to him as he took my hand and led me through the crowd of diplomats and the combined security teams of the Commission of the People and Leader Simon. Most were in their own conversations and when Dana stopped walking to watch Sean lead me away, everyone stopped as well without noticing.
Leader Simon was speaking to my father as I approached. He was shorter than I expected. He was barely shorter than my father, and even though his suit was expensive and well cared for, making his frame intimidating, his face was very different than it appeared on news broadcasts and interviews. He seemed meek and timid, nervous about where he was. I wondered if the change was only because he was in the Commission of the People, where Dana Christenson lurked.
“Leader Simon,” Sean interjected when there was a lull in the conversation. They both turned to me and my father smiled, reaching his hand out and pulling me close, hugging me tightly with one arm. “This is Miss Lily Sandover. She wanted to meet you,” Sean introduced.
“This is my daughter, Leader,” my father smiled.
“Wow, Thomas, you didn’t tell me your daughter was so beautiful!” Leader Simon smiled, reaching his hand out to me. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sandover.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” I said excitedly. Apart from the plan I had to figure out Leader’s general attitude toward the Commission of the People and Dana, I was legitimately excited to meet the leader of our country.
“Are you in Third Tier?” Leader Simon asked, breaking our handshake.
“Yes, sir.”
“You are…seventeen?” When I nodded again, his grin widened. “So it’s the year for An Angel Without Wings, then, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“Are you enjoying it?”
“I am,” I lied. I had not been reading the book recently, particularly when I got caught up in bringing other Commish Kids to the fort and putting propaganda out through the Censor Board computers.
“Maybe not quite what you were expecting to learn about the legendary revolutionary of our country,” Leader Simon chuckled knowingly.
“Nothing ever is what we expect,” I smiled, excited and acting like a moron, but I didn’t care. He obviously hesitated and then nodded slowly. “I mean, we just met Bryant Morris in the book, and I didn’t expect the man who found
ed the Commission of the People to act the way the book says he did,” I continued, pretending not to notice Leader Simon’s tense shoulders.
“Well, some say the book is exaggerating,” Leader Simon chuckled, nervous. “His intense hatred and temper, I’m sure, were embellishments.”
“No, I don’t think it’s exaggerating,” Dana disagreed, suddenly behind me. “Actually, I think it understates many things…Particularly about his temper.”
“Well, you would know best, Dana,” Leader Simon laughed, his voice higher with tension as he spoke to the man leading the Commission of the People. “Unlike you, I never met him.”
“You didn’t miss anything,” Dana assured, rolling his eyes. He put a hand on my shoulder and I stiffened immediately, though I refused to look at him. “I see you have met Little Lily.”
“Yes, she seems like a wonderful young woman,” Leader Simon nodded. “You raised her right, Thomas.”
“Thank you, Leader Simon,” my father smiled, bowing his head.
“Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sandover,” Leader Simon smiled. “But…I believe that we’re heading out, correct?”
“Oh, actually, Leader Simon, sir,” I said quickly, still keeping the excitement in my voice to mask my nerves. “I have a final paper I have to write for this semester, and I was really hoping I could ask you a few questions. I just…I’m in over my head with the topic I chose.”
“What is the paper about?” Leader Simon pressed, confused by the request.
I felt Dana’s hand slip from my shoulder and I heard my mother’s voice behind me, much to my relief. That was the first and only time I was pleased that my mother was having an affair with Dana, because it distracted him from what I was saying to Leader Simon.
“Well, because we’re learning about the formation of the Commission of the People in An Angel Without Wings, I wanted to research what Central’s role, specifically the Leader’s role, is in the Commission. I mean, Thomas Ankell and Bryant Morris had to create a really delicate balance, particularly with the Sweeps and the cleansing of the American population. I wanted to ask you what your role is in the Commission now and how it has transformed over time.”
“My role?” Leader Simon asked, clearing his throat.
“Well, for instance, when the Sweeps started recently, how did you know that the people wouldn’t rebel against the idea? You have to have some say in what the Commission does because you are the voice of the people, so I wanted to ask you what that role is in the decisions.”
“Lily…” my father said in an appalled and worried tone. “I’m so sorry, Leader Simon.”
“No, no, it’s fine,” Leader Simon assured quickly. “You know, I would be happy to answer your questions, but don’t you want to ask Mr. Christenson’s opinion?”
“Well, sir…” I said slowly, turning to be sure that Dana was still speaking with my mother. I leaned a little closer and dropped my voice. I was thrilled that he leaned closer, instinctively understanding my intensions. “I don’t really feel comfortable speaking to him about such topics…”
“Ah, yes, he can be a little overwhelming…” Leader Simon chuckled, clearing his throat again and running a hand over the side of his graying hair nervously. My heart was in my throat. I knew he understood. Maybe he didn’t understand entirely that I was thinking of taking down Dana and the Commission, but he knew that I wanted to talk to him about the reinstatement of the Sweeps and how we both felt about them. He was clearly willing to talk to me, which meant that he was also not happy with putting the Sweeps back into effect.
My plan was going better than I could have ever dreamed.
“Well, I don’t have any time today, but maybe Saturday in the early morning, around nine?” he asked. “I can have my security pick you up and bring you to Central Hall.”
“Really?!” I gasped, excited and thrilled at my luck. “That would be amazing! Of course, if you’re not too busy, I know you have the country to run…”
“Nonsense, it’s no trouble at all,” Leader Simon assured with a warm smile. “Besides, you and your generation are the future of the country and the Commission of the People, so it’s a joy to meet with you and discuss things with you.”
“Thank you so much, Leader Simon, sir!” I smiled broadly.
“Everyone, we need to move out of the hallway. Leader Simon’s convoy is waiting outside,” one of the security guards called. Slowly, the mass of people turned and began moving out of the hallway, my father stepping in front of me and in between me and Dana and my mother, who were still talking. As I took a step forward, I felt a hand on my shoulder and stiffened in surprise.
There was a voice in my ear the next moment.
“Tonight. Eleven-thirty,” Leader Simon hissed. “Be outside your house, my car will be there.”
My heart stopped. I nodded once as he straightened and began to follow me out, both of us trying to keep cool and calm.
“Lily,” Clark called, pushing into the crowd with Mark when he saw me. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” I assured, turning to motion back to Leader Simon. “I just wanted to meet Leader Simon. I’ve never met him before.”
“Clark,” Leader Simon greeted. “It has been a long time since I’ve seen you,” he grinned, reaching a hand out to the other teenager. Clark smiled and took his hand, nodding.
“Yes, it has, sir.”
“Ah, Mark,” Leader Simon grinned, releasing Clark’s hand, seeing the experiment. Mark smiled nervously, his eyes down, away from the leader of America as he bowed deeply.
“Dana,” Leader Simon called to the head of the Commission of the People. Dana turned quickly, surprised. “I will never forgive you for giving Mark away. No offense, Danielle. I’m just jealous!” he called to Clark’s mother, who was standing next to my mother.
“You can’t have him, Leader Simon!” Danielle laughed, shaking her head. “He’s mine.”
“I know,” Leader Simon pouted, putting a hand on Mark’s shoulder, though the experiment flinched away. “I was first in line to get him, but then Dana gave him to you, instead. That wasn’t fair, Dana.”
“He’s quite special, isn’t he?” Dana grinned, looking over Mark. “Everyone wants him. Before I gave him to Danielle, seven other foreign leaders wanted him. I was worried if I gave him to you, someone would steal him.”
I blinked at Mark. I did not realize he was so popular. While I adored Mark and he always had a way to make me smile, I was beginning to wonder what everyone saw in him as part of a security detail that I did not know.
“And because I love him too much, I wanted to keep him around. Giving him to Danielle was the only option. I still steal him back from time to time when I need him,” Dana added.
Leader Simon sighed and shook his head slowly.
“I’m still jealous. I would give ten of my security detail to have him,” Leader Simon chuckled. “My wife even wanted to buy him from you, Danielle. She was willing to pay a lot of money.”
“I’m not selling!” Mrs. Markus teased with a broad smile.
“Too bad,” Leader Simon shook his head, his hand dropping from Mark’s shoulder. “If you change your mind, let me know. I’d pay good money for him.”
“We’ll have to see if I’m willing to sell him,” Dana laughed. “Come, you’re convoy is waiting.”
Clark pulled me out of the group and I quickly thanked Leader Simon again, acting excited and giggly, even though my excitement was far more profound.
It had worked.
I had managed to get a meeting with Leader, and what made it even better was that he knew I wanted to talk to him about potentially treasonous actions and he still wanted to meet with me.
It was impossible for me to concentrate on my homework as Clark and I sat in the conference room. Clark was busy trying to find some way to get people out of their cells, getting more frustrated by the moment.
We had a large problem when it came to the humans of the holding cel
ls. It was entirely possible that they would be frightened to see the experiments and, therefore, would compromise the entire operation. It was also difficult to figure out how to tell these people to prepare to be freed and inform them of the plan when the holding cells and the higher wards of the Commission were under such tight security. The only probable way we could conceive to get the experiments out was through the car elevators on the far side of the holding cells, but those were heavily guarded and the security team at the front of the Commission would see Clark and me walk into the back. If we were to disappear, or even come back when all the experiments were gone, we would be found out quickly.
As Mark drove me home, Clark and I discussed in hushed tones ways we could trick security and sneak into the Commission. Clark agreed to look at the security system to figure out how to shut down the camera feeds as well as how long he could keep them off during our escape. He asked me to finish going through my half of the list of the holding cells and decide which prisoners we could break out by the end of the week.
Throughout dinner, all I could hope was that my parents would go to bed early enough for me to sneak out of my room and go to the front of the house to be picked up by the car that would be waiting for me.
When dinner was over, I slipped upstairs to Mykail’s room, telling him that I had a report to do and that I needed to get some sleep. He agreed with a gentle smile and a kiss, telling me that he would see me tomorrow. I kissed him back and went to my room, where I spent the remaining two hours looking over the list of people in the holding cells.
Unfortunately, my parents were not asleep when eleven-twenty rolled around. I opened my bedroom door carefully, also worried about tipping Mykail off that I was sneaking out, which would cause him to try and talk me out of it. I heard my parents in the kitchen talking about the Europe trip. I was surprised they were speaking so civilly to one another, considering the heated arguments they had been in recently. I carefully made my way down the stairs until I could see my parents. I watched them, my eyes darting between my mother’s back and my father looking at the papers in his hands.
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