Genesis Lie (Genesis Book 2)

by Eliza Green

  Laura’s eyes flitted around the room. She stood up suddenly, attracting the attention of the other passengers. She pulled at her neckline. ‘I can’t stay here. I need to lie down.’

  ‘Sit down, Laura,’ said Bill. ‘It’ll be fine.’

  Laura headed for the exit.

  ‘Where’s she going?’ he hissed at Jenny. ‘The quarters are off limits. She needs to stay here.’

  ‘I’ll get her.’

  Jenny caught up with her and led a jittery Laura back to the table. She whispered something in her ear and sat her down.

  Laura squeezed her eyes shut. ‘I can’t take it anymore. It’s like a switch in my head keeps flicking back and forth. I need a distraction. Sleep sometimes works. I don’t know how else to control this.’

  Jenny took her hands. ‘Let me try something with you.’ Laura’s eyes shot open. ‘Have you tried meditation to deal with your seasonal depression?’

  Her frantic look softened and she shook her head. Bill averted his gaze from the woman who, usually so confident and in control, was struggling to keep it together.

  ‘Perhaps we could try together.’

  Laura nodded, a soft breath escaping her lips. ‘At this point I’ll try anything.’

  Jenny shook both sets of hands. ‘Okay, first you need to relax. Take a deep breath in. Hold it—and then let it out slowly. And again—’

  Laura tried but gave up after a few breaths. Her gaze flitted around the room. ‘There are too many people here. I don’t know how to block them out.’

  ‘Just ignore them,’ said Jenny shaking her hands again. ‘Close your eyes. You won’t notice them in a little while, I promise.’

  Laura took more deep breaths. Bill saw her shoulders relax and her grip on Jenny loosen.

  ‘I want you to picture a place that makes you happy, a place that comforts you.’

  Laura smiled.

  ‘Where are you?’

  ‘In Dublin, before we moved to Sydney. The sun still shone back then.’

  Bill leaned in, curious to hear about her past.

  ‘What are you doing?’ said Jenny.

  ‘My dad and I are taking a walk. I’m four years old.’ She laughed softly. ‘He’s holding my hand so I don’t blow away.’

  ‘How does it make you feel?’

  ‘Excited, exhilarated, I guess.’ She shrugged, pulling her hands back. ‘I loved it when it was just the two of us. He gave me a strength my mother never could.’

  ‘Keep taking deep breaths and remember how you felt with your father. Control your feelings, don’t let them control you.’

  Laura’s breathing slowed, taking the manic tension with it.

  Bill folded his arms and smiled.

  After a few minutes of silence, Jenny said, ‘Come back to the present. Listen to the sounds around you... and when you’re ready open your eyes.’

  Laura blinked a few times and looked at Jenny.

  ‘How do you feel, Laura?’

  She blinked again. ‘Better, I think.’

  ‘The effects are only temporary. But when you feel rough again, I want you to practise that technique and find your inner calm. Can you do that?’

  ‘I think so. Thanks. And I’m sorry’—she looked from Jenny to Bill—‘I wish I could help the mood swings.’

  ‘No worries,’ said Jenny. ‘Find that inner calm when you feel low and you’ll be all right. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.’ She sat back. ‘Bill told me what happened with Harvey Buchanan. Why did you risk your life like that?’

  Laura frowned. ‘I didn’t really think about it. One minute I saw the scalpel in his hand, the next I was holding it up to his neck. I just did what I had to.’

  ‘Exactly. Do what you have to do.’

  Laura closed her eyes and smiled.

  Impressed, Bill leaned closer to Jenny. ‘Where did you learn that trick?’

  ‘Meditation helped me to handle the craziness of transporting criminals in my early flying days. I was also a single mother with a wilful daughter.’

  Maybe he should try meditation. ‘What will you say to Stephen when you see him again?’

  She sighed. ‘Ask him for forgiveness? I should have helped him.’

  ‘But you did help him. He found me and Laura because of the risk you took.’

  Laura still had her eyes closed.

  ‘I guess, but it’s not enough. I wonder every day if he’s safe, or if my actions made things worse for him.’

  Laura opened her eyes. ‘Things would have been far worse had he been caught.’

  ‘You saved his life, Jenny,’ said Bill. He paused. ‘I haven’t told you what the Indigenes are or how the government used them. Do you want to know?’

  Jenny shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter. When it comes to the World Government, I’ll always be on the side of the Indigenes.’

  28

  Stephen couldn’t believe Anton was home. All his previous fears about his friend had vanished; the visions and the pain were gone. Elise had been right about his pain and confusion being a warning of change. He just hadn’t understood it. For the first time since meeting the human child, Ben Watson, Stephen felt calm.

  He embraced his new gift as he crossed the open space of District Three’s core. Anton had been found wandering around here a few days before. Off to one side, Arianna was speaking with a group of females. They laughed at something. Bright colours danced around them: shades of blues and greens mostly. It wasn’t that long ago she’d warned him of some Indigenes wanting revenge for Anton’s capture. With Anton safely home, he hoped they no longer felt that way.

  Stephen hadn’t spoken to her since Anton’s return. For some reason, Arianna had been keeping her distance from him. As he neared his smiling friend, he noticed a dark grey spoiling the bright colours of her aura. Okay, he hadn’t been the easiest Indigene to be around these last few months. Elise had accepted his apology. When things were less busy, he would apologise to Arianna too.

  Walking past her group, he gave her a short wave. She nodded once in reply.

  He exited the core and entered the tunnel. With his mind clear he could better understand Elise’s theory about evolution. But something still bothered him. What was the point in seeing the moods and feelings of Indigenes as bright colours? It was a neat parlour trick, but he failed to see how it could help them survive this latest threat to their species. If he were being honest, his new ability felt like an extension of his telepathy.

  Stephen arrived at Council Chambers to find Anton waiting outside. Pierre had given up his private space so Anton could reconnect with friends and family privately. Leon had spent the morning with him. Now it was Stephen’s turn.

  The mood between them was too quiet. Anton had been back a few days, but he still hadn’t learned how his friend had escaped the humans’ prison on Earth.

  They entered the Council Chambers. Stephen closed the door, blocking out the distractions of the district.

  I saw what they did to you. He explained the room from his visions.

  Anton shrugged. ‘Sorry, I don’t remember what happened to me.’ He walked to the bookshelf in the middle of the room with a mix of leather-bound books about Indigene life and some human books too. A wall screen to the left of the books contained hundreds of documents about human history, downloaded from New London’s digital library. Anton ignored the screen and pulled a book off Pierre’s bookshelf. He opened it.

  We tried to find a way to get you back.

  Anton flicked through its pages. ‘Yes, Leon told me.’

  I’m sorry for leaving you behind on Earth.

  ‘I don’t remember much.’

  Stephen switched to his voice. ‘When I returned home, the visions, or dreams possibly, about you started. I experienced everything the humans did to you.’ Stephen frowned. ‘Are you sure you don’t remember the room?’

  Anton flicked some more. ‘Yes, I’m sure.’

  ‘But you were communicating with me. I’m
sure of it.’

  His friend looked up with a frown. ‘What did I say?’

  Stephen shook his head and smiled. ‘It was nothing.’ Maybe it was better Anton remembered nothing.

  Anton held the book in one hand. He used his other to give a flourished sweep down the length of his body. ‘As you can see, they’ve left me intact. I’m no worse for my journey.’ He resumed reading. ‘No need to worry, old friend.’

  Old friend. It was an old fashioned phrase and something Pierre might say. He studied Anton’s aura made up of the same muddy colours—dark purples, murky greens, dull greys—that had surrounded him when he’d first arrived back. The sound insulating omicron must be muting Stephen’s new ability. Even after a few days, the colours had still not brightened to match Anton’s joy at returning home.

  ‘How are you feeling?’ said Stephen.

  Anton shrugged. ‘Fine, why do you ask?’

  ‘No, what do you feel at this very moment? Explain your mood. Be specific.’

  Anton looked up from his book, frowned. ‘I feel... nothing.’ Stephen stared at him. He added, ‘Nothing of significance that is.’

  He and Anton had an easy friendship. His friend had been a prisoner on Earth for the last three months. Now, all that remained between them was awkward conversation. Stephen had no idea how to talk to him anymore.

  ‘Maybe we should leave our chat for another day,’ he said. ‘You look tired.’

  ‘Yes, I am feeling a little tired now that you mention it.’

  They abandoned their session and Stephen walked Anton back to his private dwelling. Venturing farther from the omicron appeared to drain what little colour there was in his friend’s aura.

  Stephen’s skin tightened. This was not the Anton he’d left on Earth. This Anton was too calm, too in control for someone with such a dark emotional spectrum.

  Anton walked ahead, shoulders rounded, a slight shuffle to his gait. Behind him, Stephen attempted to read his friend’s aura in more detail. He hadn’t mastered ‘reading’ the auras yet—his gift was too new.

  A flicker of something caught his eye. Brighter colours were bleeding into the murky green and grey fog that had encapsulated his friend.

  Stephen gasped, causing Anton to stop and turn round.

  ‘Is something the matter, old friend?’ he said.

  ‘No, I just stubbed my toe. Everything’s fine.’ They walked on in silence, Stephen adding protection to his private thoughts. They arrived at Anton’s dwelling. His friend went inside without a goodbye.

  A deep chill ran through him. Stephen retreated out of the area. He turned and ran down one tunnel, needing to escape.

  His guilt reared its head. His friend was not himself and he was to blame.

  What did the murky colours of Anton’s aura mean? There were brighter ones, too, but not as dominant as the green and grey fog. Was he witnessing the psychological damage caused by the experiments the humans had carried out on him?

  Stephen slowed to a walk. He tried to think like Elise, more open to ideas than he was. But the elder had also been acting strange, refusing to welcome Anton the way Pierre and Leon had. While Elise’s thoughts could be hard to read sometimes, her colourful aura spoke volumes. In Anton’s presence, her usual blue calm flicked over to crimson with flashes of yellow.

  He had questions for the elder. Perhaps she could help to answer them.

  How had Anton escaped Earth? If the humans had let him go, why?

  29

  Elise finally saw what she couldn’t before: the alteration to Anton’s neural pathways. Not to mention the deep scarring on his hippocampus, the area of the brain that stored memories. That vessel was no longer Anton. Unsure if the real Anton had survived, she’d attempted to delve deeper into his mind. A distant voice had called out to her. A dark mass had blocked her efforts to communicate.

  Anton’s sudden return had shocked everyone. Even Arianna had been wary around him. She, too, had struggled to get inside this new Anton’s head.

  Then there was the female, Serena, an Indigene with stunning blue eyes claiming to be from District Eight. Anton told Elise she was a friend who had visited this district before.

  But both she and Pierre knew the elders from District Eight. Neither Gabriel nor Margaux had heard of Serena either. And Pierre, a regular visitor to Eight, had not seen her there.

  Her attempts to probe the female’s mind had unsettled her. A rush of emotions coming from Serena had hit her. Those emotions had confused Elise, forced her to change her mind.

  Away from her influencing charms, Elise could see the truth.

  Serena believed she was an Indigene. Elise could see she was not.

  30

  The passenger ship remained in orbit around Exilon 5. From the ship’s hold, Jenny piloted her spacecraft with just Bill and Laura on board to the New London docking station. There, Bill and Laura joined the queue for security. Jenny joined a different queue and flashed her pilot’s badge showing a false identity. The attendant took her to one side and had her sign something. The attendant then waved her through security.

  Ahead of Bill was the general security counter. His nerves kicked in as he and Laura arrived at the counter together. A different attendant scanned their thumbs. Their alter egos flashed up on screen. No alarm bells sounded. The replicas worked; he wasn’t sure they would.

  The passengers jostled Laura. Her step slowed and her widening eyes scanned the area. Bill worried they might not make it out of the station.

  He led her over to an area away from the main exit. Tinted glass surrounded the entire building and made everything look dark outside. Jenny rejoined them. Together they waited for the station to clear a little of passengers.

  ‘What did he have you sign back there?’ Bill asked Jenny.

  ‘I was placing my space craft into temporary storage,’ she replied.

  Laura was staring through the dark windows. ‘This was a mistake.’

  ‘It’s okay, we’re safe.’

  She shook her head. ‘This is not what I expected.’

  ‘We’re leaving now, I promise.’

  ‘To find Stephen?’ Bill nodded. ‘Out there?’

  ‘Of course.’

  Laura slumped against the window. Her eyes glistened. ‘This is just another shitty government lie. There’s no sunshine here.’ Her voice shook. ‘I expected it from them but not from you, Bill. I still would have come if you’d told me the truth.’

  The place had quietened enough for them to move. ‘I’m not lying.’ Bill took her arm and urged her forward. ‘Wait until you get outside and you can see for yourself.’

  Laura eased her arm out of his grip. Fat tears fell. ‘I’ll follow you in a minute.’

  Why wouldn’t she believe him?

  He shook her shoulders. When she refused to look at him, he lifted her chin with one finger. ‘Trust me, Laura. This is all good. This is exactly as I promised.’ Her glossy eyes rounded. ‘Put a little faith in me.’

  Laura blushed and dropped her gaze to the floor.

  He lifted her chin up again. She stared at him with bloodshot eyes. ‘Do you trust me?’

  ‘No.’ Laura’s smile drew one from Bill. ‘I know I’m being stupid. I’m just... I don’t know, shocked.’ She took a deep breath and dried her tears. ‘Okay, let’s go.’

  Bill and Jenny took the lead, while Laura trailed behind. Bill collected three pairs of eye shields from a wicker basket on a table next to the exit. He tossed a pair to both Jenny and Laura.

  The second he stepped outside all his problems melted away. The bright sun warmed his chilled and pale skin. He tilted his face up and closed his eyes, drinking in the Vitamin D. How had he ever thought Earth would be enough for him?

  A pain shot through his eyes. He pressed a pair of shields to them. They throbbed and watered.

  Using his fist he swiped at the tears. ‘Put the protectors on. Your eyes won’t be used to the brightness.’

  Jenny slipped hers on, but Lau
ra stood there squinting up at the sun. New tears leaked from her eyes.

  When it looked like she might never move, Jenny helped her put the shields on.

  ‘We need to get going,’ said Bill.

  Laura didn’t move. She stayed where she was, eyes covered, face still tilted to the sky. When she dropped to her knees suddenly, Bill cursed. He’d hoped they’d be on the transport before Laura had another meltdown.

  Jenny tried to help her up but Laura sank back down. ‘Give me a hand, Bill,’ she said.

  Bill considered scooping Laura up into his arms and carrying her to the automated transport.

  He chose the least embarrassing option for her and lifted her to her feet. ‘Time to go. Lean on me.’

  Together they managed a few steps, then Laura’s legs went from under her again.

  ‘Just give me a minute,’ she begged.

  Jenny and Bill stepped back from her; a few smiling passengers turned to watch the spectacle.

  Bill saw red. ‘What the hell are you looking at?’ He stepped towards one individual. ‘Yeah, I’m talking to you. Get the hell out of here before I beat the shit out of you.’

  Laura covered her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook. The people moved away but her dramatics attracted an officer’s attention.

  ‘What’s the problem here?’ he asked.

  Bill cursed and hid his face from the officer. While he worked out how to diffuse the situation, Jenny stepped forward.

  ‘She suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder,’ she said. ‘The girl needs a moment to adjust. These conditions are pure shock to her system.’

  The officer nodded to Bill. ‘Is he giving you trouble?’

  Jenny smiled. ‘She’s his sister. He’s just protective of her.’

  The officer eyed all three of them. Then, as if they weren’t worth the trouble, he shook his head and walked off.

  Jenny turned to Bill, her smile vanishing. ‘Another outburst like that and I’ll let the next officer arrest you. Do you hear me?’

  Bill nodded. He thought better of arguing with her. She’d just saved them from a trip to a detention centre. Length of stay: unknown.