by T. C. Edge
“Maybe he wanted Zander to know only. For him to find me or something. I don’t know, really. I guess it doesn’t matter now.”
A fresh puff of smoke spreads from Mrs Carmichael’s mouth. She looks so weary, so old. Her once smooth skin has grown so wrinkled and pallid, spiderwebs spreading from the sides of her eyes and mouth. She’s aging fast now, the flesh being lost from her body and a gauntness beginning to set in.
“I never asked before,” I continue. “My father – what was his name?”
She sets the cigarette into its ashtray.
“Maxwell. But he let me call him Max. I never knew his second name, if he even had one.”
Maxwell…I like the name.
“And, he was only a Hawk?”
She nods lightly.
“Just a Hawk, yes. He’d keep watch around the streets here. He was a kind man, Brie. He had a good heart, like you…”
“But it makes no sense,” I mutter, breaking her stride as she speaks.
“What do you mean?”
“Zander. He has so many gifts. He’s not just a Hawk, but a Dasher too. And a Mind-Manipulator. If my mother was a Savant, then my father must have been more than just a Hawk. He must have been a Dasher as well.”
“A Hawker?” says Mrs Carmichael. “No, that’s highly unlikely. That would make him a hybrid. There’s no way he could have been part of the City Guard.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“Unless your mother was a Savant, and a Dasher?” she says, “Although, that would make her a hybrid too, so the same principle applies.”
“What about old blood,” I ask. “Could my father have had old Dasher blood somewhere back in his bloodline? Maybe it never properly manifested in him, but did in Zander?”
Mrs Carmichael considers it for a moment, her fingers creeping to her spiky jaw.
“Yes, that’s possible. And, actually, that makes quite a lot of sense, given your mother’s gifts.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, she was a Savant, and a Mind-Manipulator at that. That’s a powerful ability, and as you say, Zander has the same potential.”
“So…”
“So, having such an ability would enable him to open up pathways to old bloodlines, something that your father couldn’t have done. If there was old Dasher blood in him, somewhere in his past, it would be rare for that to manifest. With Zander, however, his Savant side would have the capacity to mine his potential more fully. So, I suppose that’s what happened.”
“And now it’s my turn,” I say.
Her enthusiasm is quenched. Her words collapse along with her posture, drawn out by a sudden sigh.
“Yes,” she says dryly. “Now it’s your turn.”
She doesn’t want this for me, that’s obvious enough. That’s her role here: a parent looking out for their child, wanting to see them safe from harm. It’s a strange one, really. Parents will do anything for their children to ensure they live long and safe lives, even to the detriment of doing something worthwhile.
I have a chance here to help, to make a difference. I can make sure that others don’t suffer the same fate as my parents, and the many more who have seen their lives ruined by the ‘logic’ of the Savants.
That’s my role. That’s my path. Perhaps, one day, Mrs Carmichael will see that.
“I know you don’t approve,” I say, my words disrupting a short silence.
“It’s not about approval, Brie,” she counters with a soft frown. “It’s about wanting you to be safe, and happy.”
“Sometimes that’s not possible. Not in this city. How many people do you know who are happy? Or safe? They may think they are, but they’re not. That’s what we’re trying to stop.”
“We? You’re really a part of their cause now, aren’t you,” she sighs. “I just don’t want to see you hurt.”
“I know. But that’s not up to you. I have no choice, Brenda. You must understand that?”
Lighting up a new cigarette, she takes a drag and nods.
“I do. Some people are made for more than a simple life. You’re one of them, Brie Melrose. I just hope you find some happiness along the way…”
Happiness? It’s an alien concept.
“And you? Are you happy?”
Her eyes sink and darken.
“My happy years are spent, Brie,” she says. “They died when Derek did. Now it’s you, and Tess, and all the other kids I worry about. I’m just like you…I just want to do some good.”
“And you are,” I say, rising from my chair and moving around to her. I take her withered hand and squeeze it tight between my fingers, young but marked and blemished by years of labour. “You’ve done enough good for a hundred lifetimes. Now it’s time I repaid the favour.”
She cups my cheek in her palm and smiles.
“You have the eyes of your father,” she says. “And his good heart. I wonder what your mother was like, for him to have fallen for her…”
“So do I,” I say, releasing her hand and stepping back.
And when I go to Inner Haven, that’s exactly what I’m going to find out.
30
The following morning, I rise early in preparation for my chaperone. The air in the academy carries a bitter chill, but no more so than the atmosphere brought about by Tess’s frosty mood.
Having ignored me since our little argument the previous morning, I settle in for the expected two or three days of silent treatment. Over the years, that’s the general format I’ve grown used to.
This time, however, I won’t be around to endure it. And that’s probably a good thing. When she finds out I’m attending a bachelor ball tomorrow evening, her crankiness is likely to magnify tenfold.
Heading to the canteen nice and early, I find Drum already present, wolfing down a couple of bowls of gruel – he gets larger portions, given his size – as if he’s gorging on chocolate cake.
The haste of his feasting, however, isn’t due to the delicious taste of the sludge, but his ever-increasing workload. I join him, but he only has a couple of minutes to spare before he has to get off to work.
“Clearance work at an old building,” he tells me when I ask him what the job is. “It’s being torn down and replaced, over in district 9 of the eastern quarter.”
That’s a long way away, right on the far side of the city near the boundary wall. No wonder he’s up so early. It’ll take him a little while to get there.
It’s great that he’s getting so much work, though. And since I’m not coming back – although I don’t tell him that, of course – he’s only likely to have more jobs lined up in the coming weeks and months.
“So how’s it all going?” I ask tentatively.
Mostly, when Drum gets work, he’s only got bad things to say about it. Not the job itself, but his performance. He’s always walking on eggshells, which, as you can imagine, isn’t ideal for a boy of his size.
When he says, “good,” however, I feel a warm sensation spread through me. I may have just found a brother by blood, but I’ve had an adopted one for years.
“That’s great, Drum. Will the job last long?”
“Until the end of next week at least. It’s good work for me. I can break stuff and it doesn’t matter!”
His bountiful lips explode into a smile, revealing teeth the size of tablets.
“Perfect!” I say as he scoops a final heaped spoonful of porridge into his cavern of a mouth.
“Anyway, I’d better get going,” he announces, rising high from the bench and sending the table shaking as his thick thighs graze it.
The tremors send my bowl vibrating off onto the floor, where it smashes into a mixture of pottery shards and grey slop.
“Oh no…” groans Drum, bounding around the bench to clean it.
“Don’t worry,” I laugh, “I’ll take care of it. You can’t be late for work. Off you go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, of course. Now go, Drum!”
&n
bsp; He sets a huge paw down on my head, engulfing my skull, and gives me a quick stroke. Drum has some trouble expressing his emotion through personal contact. Apparently, stroking me like a cat is his chosen method of showing appreciation.
“Thanks, Brie. I owe you one,” he mumbles, before marching off out of the room, leaving me giggling to myself as I mop up his mess.
Some things never change.
The exchange has me losing track of time. By the time I’m done, I haven’t even realised that the clock has ticked straight past 8AM.
A quick check of my watch tells me it’s 8.03.
As I work my way through towards the entrance hall, however, I’m accosted by a familiar face staring at me from down the corridor.
I’m hardly surprised. Neither by the fact that it’s her, nor that her time-keeping is so typically precise.
“You were supposed to greet me at the door, Brie,” says Sophie, standing like a beacon in the dingy passage, her silky brown hair shining under the meagre allotment of light.
She comes towards me with a rising smile.
“I lost track of time,” I say.
“Well, that’s all well and good around here. But if you’re to make your mark in Inner Haven, it won’t do at all.”
She reaches out and lays her hand on my shoulder, before dragging me into a rather perfunctory hug.
“Congratulations, Brie!” she announces as I squirm in her grip. “I must say, it’s wonderful to see that you’ve come around. I didn’t think you enjoyed your trip to Inner Haven much. Clearly, my intuition isn’t as good as I thought it was. I considered that Tess would be far more interested in marrying up.”
I ease away from her embrace.
“Well, I guess I changed my mind when the invite came through. It’s an honour I can’t refuse.”
“No invite for Tess though, I see. She must be bitterly disappointed.”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“You haven’t told her?”
“Not yet…”
“Told me what?”
Tess’s voice takes me by surprise. I look over Sophie’s shoulder to see her emerging from the entrance hall and making her way to the canteen for breakfast. I guess she was always going to find out.
“Tess, darling,” says Sophie, turning. “So good to see you. I trust you’re feeling better after last time?”
“What? Oh…yeah. Sorry about that. The apple wine went to my head.”
“And your stomach, no doubt!” laughs Sophie. “No apologies needed. You’ll learn your limits sooner or later.”
“Right. So, what are you doing here, Sophie?” she asks, her eyes narrowing.
“Well, Brie has some wonderful news to share with you.”
Jeez. This damn woman has no tact at all.
Tess stares at me from a few metres away, that frosty countenance sending chills in my direction.
“More secrets, hey Brie?” she asks bitterly.
“No secrets,” I say, defending myself. “I’ve been invited to a bachelor ball in Inner Haven tomorrow night.”
Her face curls into some unpleasant concoction of anger, jealousy, and confusion. It’s not a pretty look for her.
“You’ve been invited?! And you said yes?!”
“Well, yeah. Wouldn’t you?”
“Of course I would. But you hate the Enhanced!”
“They’re not so bad,” I say, glancing at Sophie. “I’m just going to see what the fuss is about, that’s all,” I lie. “I doubt anything will come of it…”
“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure,” comes Sophie’s voice. “From what I hear, you’re the talk of the town after the ceremony. There are plenty of bachelors after you.”
For crying out loud, Sophie…shut up!
This time, however, she does seem to take note of how inappropriate her words are, adding: “And so are you, Tess. Perhaps you’ll get an invite next time?”
Tess shakes her head, glaring at me.
“Whatever. I don’t even care. Have fun at the ball…”
She turns on her heels and disappears back through the door, her appetite seemingly abandoning her. I look to Sophie and offer my own admonishing look.
“You didn’t handle that very well, did you?” I say accusingly.
She appears to have realised that herself.
“Yes, well, this isn’t about Tess, so let’s not get bogged down with all that. This is your day of triumph, Brie. Perhaps Tess’s will come, but not today. Now come along, we have plenty to do.”
She leads me straight outside, remarking on how my appearance has taken a tumble for the worse since she last saw me a few days ago. Of course it has. Then, I was all dressed up like a mannequin, on show for all the world to see. Around here, I’m not exactly trying to impress anyone.
Parked a little way down Brick Lane, we find her car awaiting us, all blacked out and offering us privacy as soon as we step inside. As it whirs to life and begins moving south, Sophie begins explaining what today is all about.
“Preparation, my dear. Thankfully, you’ve been through a bit already, what with the celebration the other day. Having been to Inner Haven, you have some idea as to what to expect.”
“Good. So I guess it’s just a case of getting dressed up and looking pretty again?”
“Well, on the surface, yes. Of course, all the same principles of etiquette apply. I’ll take you through any specifics, and the procedures for the ball itself. It’s really a very exciting affair,” she beams. “I’ve very fond memories of when I attended mine.”
“When you met Rycard?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“And were there others?” I ask. “Or was it just, I don’t know, love at first sight?”
“A bit of both, I suppose. I met many bachelors that night, but it wasn’t until I came face to face with Rycard that I knew he was the one. It all happened very quickly after that. I wasn’t long for Outer Haven, I can tell you. If you go in with the right mindset, perhaps the same will happen to you.”
Yes...I’m fairly certain it will. For show, at least.
The car draws further south, to no surprise, passing Culture Corner, which remains out of action, and moving down Liberty Row with its multitude of fashion outlets and beauty parlours and fancy cafes and restaurants.
“We shopping for dresses again?” I ask, just as we pass ‘The Inner Circle’, the shop specifically designed for kitting out Unenhanced who are set to marry up.
Sophie shakes her head.
“We have our own collection all set and ready to go. All of you girls will be dressed the same, as will all the men. At a bachelor ball, it’s prohibited for anyone to try to out-do the competition through fashion and makeup and any other physical embellishments. The dress code is standardised for everyone.”
“Why’s that? We’re all unique, after all.”
Or not. Not in Inner Haven anyway.
“It’s merely a method of…”
“Control?” I cut in.
“Come now, Brie, less of that please. If you’re to marry an Enhanced and live in Inner Haven, you’ve got to stop with all these conspiracy theories.”
“Fine. So, why then?”
“Well, dressing the same merely makes it simpler to ensure we find personality matches. After all, that’s the most important thing in any functioning relationship.”
I guess it makes sense when she puts it like that. I know full well how people can shift their appearance quite dramatically with some creative makeup and interesting fashion choices. And not just the women either.
“And, how many people will be at this ball?”
“Oh, I’m not sure exactly. A few hundred, most likely.”
“That many?!”
“Of course. I myself am taking charge of 20 women. They’re waiting for us just down the street. I was told specifically to fetch you myself, given the lateness of your invite. The rest have been more officially scouted.”
She lets her pristine skin fold into a
frown.
“Actually, I’ve been wondering exactly why you didn’t need to go through official channels…”
“Beats me,” I lie.
“Hmmmm. It can only be that someone rather important requested your presence. Let’s hope he’s a keeper, whoever he is.”
The car begins to slow, sweeping around a corner and coming to a stop. Sophie leads me outside, and straight towards a cream coloured and well maintained building, with pleasant looking balconies looking out over the southern quarter and a raft of colourful flowers adorning its sides.
“Right, this is it,” she says breezily, leading me towards a set of warm oak doors.
“What exactly is this place?”
“It’s a training house for Unenhanced like you,” she says, pulling out a key and unlocking the entranceway. “Girls come here to learn about Inner Haven etiquette and so forth, and how best to assimilate into the ranks of the Enhanced as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Come now, the others are waiting.”
We move through a hallway and I quickly note that someone here likes floral displays. The colours are vibrant and varied, and the place smells unlike any place I’ve ever been. Natural and fresh, and so different from the many pungent aromas that spread through the city streets.
Down the hall, we reach a door that opens into some sort of large meeting room. Several dozen seats are lined up, facing a wall covered in a large screen. On them sit a host of young women, tidily dressed and made up and every one of them looking prim and proper. Quite the opposite of me.
Their eyes arch as one to us as the door opens, passing from Sophie to me where they linger. I immediately feel a similar frost as that back at the academy, an atmosphere of animosity lingering in the air.
I don’t exactly get a chance to inspect every face, but those that I do examine look upon me with a measure of disdain and displeasure. I think it’s safe to say I dislike them from the word ‘go’.
When their eyes turn back to Sophie, however, inane smiles rise again. In fact, they rather remind me of her, their expressions so forced and put on and well rehearsed.
Preparation for life in Inner Haven, by the looks of things, is already well underway.