by T. C. Edge
And alone now, he turns to me with a peering gaze, and sends a harsh whisper from his lips.
“There’s much more to you than meets the eye, Brie,” he says. “I saw something when I first met you. And it’s only grown more pronounced now. Tell me the truth, Brie. Tell me who you are.”
He stares at me, and I stare back, two Hawks inspecting one another. I feel a faint rise of my pulse, but it quickly settles. And in my head, I search for the right words to say, battling over revealing the truth or keeping it hidden.
But now, really, there’s only one choice before me. I have to help. And to do that, I have to step out of the shadows.
And so, staring right back at Rycard, I whisper: “I’m a hybrid,” and watch closely for his reaction, and sneak into his mind to examine the state of his thoughts.
Nothing odd happens. His left eye doesn’t widen in shock. His thoughts don’t clatter and rush with amazement at the reveal. He merely stares back and nods.
“That’s what I thought,” he says.
Now it’s my turn to react. And I do, with a frown.
“You did?”
He nods.
“I’ve watched you closely, Brie, every time I’ve seen you. Nothing about you has been normal to me. I think I knew all along, but it was confirmed when I found you in that shelter over in district 6 of the western quarter. You’re a hybrid, and you’re with the Nameless. And you’re here for a reason…”
A silence hits the room. Maddox’s wailing fades down the corridor as Sophie tends to him. Slowly, I realise what I have to do.
“I’m here…to help you,” I say. “You’re right. You’re right about everything. But there’s a lot you don’t know. And there’s a lot I can’t tell you. But right now, I can help. I can get you and Sophie and Maddox to safety. If you want to stay together as a family, and you want to stay safe, then I can get the Nameless to take you in.”
He stares and listens and, slowly, a small smile breaks the grimace on his face.
“You’ve a brave woman, Brie,” he says. “But surely this would put you at risk?”
“I don’t care,” I tell him. “My life is constantly at risk as it is. Helping you won’t change that for me, but it will for you. The Consortium have been behind all of the Fanatics’ attacks, Rycard. The attack at Culture Corner. The attack at the warehouse. The attack at the market…” He grimaces again, a snarl creeping onto his face at the memory of his maiming. “All of it was them…everything that’s happened, everyone that’s been killed, has been because of them.”
Once more, only a shadow of a reaction graces his face. Like the reveal of who I really am, it appears he’s had his suspicions about this as well.
“Is that really true?” he asks.
I nod slowly.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “Do you remember back to when the Nameless took over the video feed during my ceremony? They said the Fanatics were not who we thought they were.”
“I remember,” he says.
“And after, when Sophie brought me here with my friend, Tess, you said you thought the Fanatics were just Unenhanced who worshipped the Savants.”
He nods.
“Well, that’s not true,” I continue. “The Fanatics are Unenhanced, yes, but those reconditioned and directed by the Consortium. They’ve been performing these attacks to spread fear, and to fill the streets with more City Guards and Con-Cops. It’s Cromwell. He’s trying to completely subdue the Unenhanced, to make them completely compliant and, eventually, phase them out…”
A brief silence falls as Rycard processes the information. He does so calmly, before a whisper flows from his lips.
“Then it’s as I feared,” he says, his eyes staring into empty space. “I’ve been a sympathiser for the Nameless’ cause for a long time. But part of me never thought it would get this far, that the whole of Outer Haven would be at threat.”
“But you’re not surprised either,” I suggest.
He shakes his head.
“No. I’m not surprised one bit.”
“Then you’ll know that you need to go,” I say. “You and Sophie and Maddox all need to leave before you’re torn apart. I can help you, Rycard…”
“How?”
The voice comes from the corridor. We both turn up to see Sophie coming back into the room, Maddox now settled back down. Rycard rushes to his feet. I stay seated, searching Sophie’s reaction.
There’s barely any shock to her either. She comes forward as the room falls silent and looks at me again in that curious fashion. Her eyes are red, but now dry. There’s a new resolve there that’s hiding the fear.
“Are you with the Nameless, Brie?” she asks softly, peering into my eyes. “I saw it, the way you were looking out there after the attack. Your eyes…they reminded me of Rycard. Are you…a hybrid?”
I nod, and her eyes change, looking at me in an entirely different way. But it’s not fear or doubt that spreads through her face, but wonder.
“I knew you were special,” she whispers. “I knew it…”
I look back to Rycard, and then to her.
“I can get you to the Nameless. I can get you all to safety. But you’ll need to do everything I tell you, and be ready to leave all of this behind. Can you do that? Can you do that, Sophie?”
Her visage stiffens and she nods.
“I’ll do anything to stay with my family. Anything, Brie.”
I smile and take a breath.
“Good. Then listen carefully to what I tell you, and leave everything else with me.”
95
I return to the High Tower with another pressing issue on my plate, battling through several levels of security in order to gain admittance.
Outside, the streets teem with City Guards, much of the area cordoned off as the investigation into what happened begins, with several people up on the balcony analysing the crime scene where Commander Fenby was shot, ferried up by some piece of machinery.
Again, I know that my tendency to help those I care about is rising to the fore, even if it may put my mission in jeopardy. No doubt Zander will have some harsh words to say on the matter, and perhaps even Adryan too.
And yet, I don’t care. Frankly, my brother has plenty of explaining to do himself once I finally connect with him in my mind, something that I seem to be unable to do right now.
Naturally, along with my desire for an explanation, my concerns about his safety also begin to burgeon.
Please be OK, Zander. Please don’t be dead
And if you’re not, I’m going to kill you myself…
Before leaving Sophie and Rycard, however, I make sure to dull their memories of what I’ve told them about me, the Nameless, the Consortium, and everything else. And while they were both seemingly unsurprised by my status as a Hawk, revealing that I’m a Mind-Manipulator does cause some level of astonishment.
Still, it was a necessary reveal. Unlike simply imparting an order, I need to spend a little time in their minds in order to hide their recollections of the past couple of hours. And while I could just try to erase the knowledge of who and what I am completely, I feel such a thing could be counterproductive given the situation.
After all, it’s important that they know who I really am if they’re to trust me and go along with my plan. So, I have to satisfy myself with doing a rather untidy job of hiding their recollections and hoping that no one comes prying. Unfortunately, I’m not yet anywhere near as skilled as my brother at concealing memories
The one person, of course, who I fear the most right now is Agent Woolf, the stalking nemesis who just won’t leave me alone. And as I return to my apartment that evening, she rushes straight back to the forefront of my mind once more.
Stepping out of the lift at level 51, I see a flash of grey disappearing into another lift down the corridor. In truth, it could be anyone, but with me being on such high alert, I can’t help but worry that she’s been snooping around.
Rushing into the apartment, I find Ad
ryan in the living room, watching the hologram as it plays re-runs of the attack only hours ago. Seeing me, he jumps to his feet and paces straight at me.
“Brie! Where have you been? Are you alright? I’ve been worried…”
“I’m fine, just fine. Um, was someone just here with you?” I inquire.
“No,” he says, frowning. “Like who?”
“Oh…it doesn’t matter. I’m just being paranoid.”
“Well, what’s been going on? Why weren’t you back here for the start of the ceremony? I was waiting for you.”
“I, erm, got distracted,” I say. “I went out for some fresh air and ran into a few old friends. Then…it all happened.”
“And since then? Where have you been, Brie?”
“With Sophie and her husband, Rycard. She was in a state. I helped her home.”
“Right…”
“So have you heard from my brother? It was him, wasn’t it? Him and the Nameless. Did you know about this, Adryan? Did you know this was going to happen?”
I peer at him, and his hands rise up to tell me to slow down.
“One question at a time, Brie,” he suggests. “And no, I didn’t know about this. Like you, they only tell me what they think I need to know. I’m as in the dark as you are…”
“And Zander?” I ask quickly. “Have you spoken to him, or Lady Orlando? I can’t get through to him telepathically. I need to know that he’s alright.”
“I’ve tried, but there’s no response. I’m sure he’s fine, Brie. Your brother can handle himself, and if it was him down there, then he’ll have planned it all out, escape routes and all. It seemed to be very professionally arranged to me…”
He turns to the hologram, which plays out the event once more in real-time. I watch again as the pulse of blue light zips from a darkened window, breaking apart the invisible energy barrier in front of Commander Fenby. Then the bullet comes, almost immediately, cutting straight through his head and leaving him in a crumpled heap on the floor.
It’s as Adryan says: extremely professional. And watching it without using my Dasher powers, it’s quite astonishing how quickly it all happens. The blue pulse round to disable the shield, the sniper bullet that kills Commander Fenby, the crackling gunfire that follows, causing all manner of chaos on the streets.
All of it happens in a flash, so fast that no one down at the ceremony has a chance to react before it’s all over.
Watching the footage, I’m reminded of the many times I used to sit in the common room at the academy doing the same, or head off to the large intersection just south of Brick Lane, where the huge screens drew so many eyes.
A thought comes to me.
“Is this being televised across Outer Haven too?” I ask.
Adryan glances towards the windows.
“It wasn’t meant to be – just an official function for Inner Haveners. But you can bet they’ll be making sure all of Outer Haven sees this now. It will only help to increase panic.”
“But they won’t blame the Fanatics, will they? They’ll have to admit that it’s the Nameless, right?”
“I suspect so,” says Adryan. “But all the better for them. The people are already terrified of the Fanatics. If the Consortium make them think that some sort of war is coming between the two groups, then their fear is only going to grow.”
“And so their grip gets tighter,” I murmur.
I turn from the footage, not wishing to view it any longer, and march into the open plan kitchen. Pouring a glass of water, I gulp it down, and find Adryan following me over. I look up to him, shaking my head.
“Why, Adryan,” I ask. “Why would Lady Orlando want Commander Fenby dead? It’s only going to make my job – our job – so much harder here. Security’s going to grow even tighter now, surely?”
He doesn’t have the answers. Or he won’t give them to me. I glance into his eyes and find that his confusion is similarly strong as mine. I’m grateful, at least, that he’s not keeping secrets like the rest of them.
Returning to the sofas, we shut off the hologram, and Adryan asks me whether my task earlier was successful. I’d half forgotten it all amid the mayhem, but at least have some good news for the day.
“Yeah, Rebecca is working until 3AM at the moment,” I tell him. “I suppose I should get some rest if I’m going to…”
“No, Brie, not tonight. Not after what happened. Let’s wait for the dust to settle first, shall we.”
“And how long will that take?”
“We’ll have to wait and see. But Savants don’t tend to let any crisis affect them for long. It’ll probably be business as usual tomorrow, only with a few more City Guards around the place.”
Why does that not surprise me. Other than creating a talking point, I doubt the death of Commander Fenby has had any impact whatsoever upon the residents of this building.
In truth, I suppose I don’t mind taking a break for the evening. I’m still pretty wired after everything that’s gone on, and have plenty on my mind without having to go in search of Rebecca and the secrets that may, or may not, lie in wait in her head.
Still, that stage of the plan is speculative, but there’s something else I need to be getting on with now too – getting Sophie, Rycard, and Maddox down to the underlands.
That will, of course, involve my brother, giving me another pressing reason to get in touch with him. So leaving Adryan in the dark about this particular side-mission, I tell him I’m tired and should get an early night. Given how he spent most of last night trying to decipher the security files and building schematics, he’s probably in need of the same.
With a weary kiss to the cheek that turns into a long, drawn-out hug, we leave each other in the living room and go our separate ways, heading off towards our own private rooms at opposite ends of the apartment.
Reaching my room, I immediately order for the bright lights to be significantly doused and clamber into bed. Clinging to the final vestiges of energy I have, I sit in the silence and the darkness, shut my eyes tight, and call out for Zander once more.
Zander, can you hear me? Zander, are you OK?
I wait for a moment and get no reply, something I’ve grown used to. And then, rumbling from the depths, I hear him answer.
Brie…I’m here. I’m OK. Are you?
A rush of air escapes me at his words. He sounds calm, in control, no tension to his voice.
I’m fine! Was it you, Zander? Tell me, was it you?
My own voice isn’t controlled. It gallops through my mind and into his.
A short silence follows. Then his answer comes.
I didn’t pull the trigger, he says. But yes, it was us.
Why?! I shout in my mind. The city is in lockdown now! You’ve just made my job impossible!
It was necessary, Brie. I can’t tell you why…not yet. But you have to trust me. We had no choice. Your mission is merely part of a greater plan. I have my role too, as do others. There are lots of moving parts, of which you are just one…
I feel my eyes scrunching up tight as his words come at me.
Just one part of a greater plan? I ask aggressively. Then why aren’t I being included?
I’ve told you before, Brie, he says, his own voice rising in volume. Focus on your role, and nothing else. That’s your job here.
I suck in a deep breath, and a whole bunch of curse words flow through my thoughts. I want to project them to him, but refuse the urge. After all, this isn’t anything new, being told to just ‘focus on my mission’. Yet I never expected this to happen. I never expected another member of the Consortium to be assassinated, right before I took out the biggest dog of them all!
I decide to not push the issue. He won’t budge, I know that about him now. And I know, too, that somewhere deep down, he’s right.
So instead, I move towards a more personal matter, a fresh favour that I need to ask him. Last time he helped me out, I promised I’d do this job. I guess, now, since he’s made it so much harder, he c
an help me out again.
I need you to do something for me, I tell him.
I can almost see him rolling his eyes by the way he asks: What?
It’s Sophie and her husband, Rycard, I say. I need you to give them safe passage to the underlands and take them in…
Jesus, Brie! What the hell…
Zander, this isn’t a request, OK. It’s an order. I’m doing the best I can here, and it’s not easy, but these are my friends, and I need them to be safe. Will you help me?
Another silence follows. And then comes the expected concession.
Fine. I’ll help, he says. But why? Why do they need to get out?
It’s a long story, I say. Suffice to say, they’re in real danger of losing their son. If you’d been in my shoes here, you’d know what a big deal that is. I won’t let them lose him.
And it’s just passage to the underlands they need? asks Zander.
Passage and refuge, I say. Rycard is – was – a member of the City Guard. He may be able to help you. But mostly, I just need them safe so I can get on with my job.
Right, if that’s what it takes, then I’ll make sure they’re taken in. And they’re definitely on board with the idea?
Yep, a hundred per cent on board, I answer. It shouldn’t be hard to get them all across to Outer Haven. I’ll just need you to pick them up and get them to safety.
Well, make your plans and let me know. And do it quickly, Brie, so you can get back to why you’re really there…
There’s a small bite of irritation to his voice that he clearly doesn’t want me to miss. Evidently, he’s got plenty to be doing without all of this, and yet knows that my cooperation is paramount.
Best to keep me sweet and focused, is what he’ll be thinking. And, well, that works for me if it will ensure that Sophie, Rycard, and Maddox are given sanctuary.
I will, I assure him. Tomorrow. I’ll be in touch tomorrow. Be ready to help.
I’ll be listening, he says. I’ll be waiting.
And with that all cleared up, and my own mission on a very temporary hiatus, I manage to drop into an unexpectedly peaceful sleep.