He helped Lena inside and waited while their eye’s adjusted, then led them down a winding staircase. Opening a door, they stepped into an old hallway. The rugs running across the floor, though aged, looked like they’d once been magnificent. Lena felt the beat of distant music. Ollie took them down a hall to the left, then to large double doors on the right. The upbeat music was coming from behind the doors. Ollie knocked three times. One side of the large double doors opened. A hand grabbed Ollie’s arm.
“Ollie, it’s good ta see ya up here, ol’ pal.” The person who must have been his friend stopped suddenly and eyed the three. “You brought people. What were you thinking, Ollie?” The friend turned to the room and hollered three notes above the music. Lena heard frantic movement on the other side of the door.
“No, No. Wai’,” Ollie called. The sound of movement stopped. “Thes’ er my friends. Solders are lookin’ fer them. They need our help.”
“Please,” Lena said. “What he says is true. We don’t plan to stay long. Just until the soldiers pass. Please help us?”
Ollie’s friend looked at her skeptically.
“We’ll pay you,” Gideon said.
The friend opened the door and beckoned them inside. Lena eyed him as she passed. He wore torn jeans and a leather jacket. He wore his hair in an unnatural shade of black with bright blue streaks. Half of it stood up in a row down the middle of his head. He looked at them with an air of distrust.
“Your money,” the friend said. Gideon pulled out some cash and handed it to him. The boy slid it in his pocket and whistled over the noise of the crowd. “Your money will buy you an hour here,” he said. “Sit over there.”
“Don’ be so rotten, Bates,” Ollie said. “She took offs my cuff and built me a workin’ bot. She’s good.”
Bates glared at the group. “We’ll see,” he said.
Lena’s eyes adjusted to the shadowed room. Tattered sofas and chairs scattered the area and a large, but dusty, chandelier hung in the center of the room. Kids and teens wearing dusty and tattered clothes stared at her suspiciously, each clasping some type of weapon. Around twenty people sat or stood in various parts of the room. Not one looked much older than her.
Lena felt the pounding of her heart against her ribs. Her mouth felt dry. Taking a breath, she licked her lips. “What is this place?” she whispered leaning into Ollie.
“We like ta call it the gazebo. Fancy, ‘eh?” Ollie said. “It’s our home. Was my home, too, till I got caugh’ by the Defenses and sold ta pay fer wha’ I stole.”
“The Defenses sold you?” Lena couldn’t keep the disgust out of her voice as she stepped back to analyze Ollie.
Ollie just shrugged his shoulders and hopped on top of an old chest of drawers. Lena felt Gideon’s shoulder brush against hers as he stepped closer to her. Bates stood to the side of the dresser Ollie had hopped on. His hand rested on his hip, the movement pushing back his jacket to reveal a handgun.
Lena didn’t need to hear the words to know he was threatening her. But why? She turned to Ollie. “Ollie, who are all these kids?” she asked.
“The question is, who are you?” a sharp female voice called from the middle of the group. Lena turned towards the voice. The shadows hid the girl’s face. “And why are hoards of soldiers looking for you?” The girl’s articulated words sounded clean. Too well spoken for this rag-tag place.
The way she spoke seemed familiar to Lena. More than familiar, her voice was a memory. A memory Lena would never forget. Lena took a step closer to the girl talking.
“And why should we risk our lives to protect you?” the girl said, stepping from the shadows. Her shiny black hair hung past her shoulders covering her right half eye. The left side of her head looked either shaved over her ear or didn’t grow around the scars that covered that part of her skull. Her left arm was prosthetic from the elbow down, the clear covering buzzed with electricity. The girl wore a combination of tattered clothes that she made look stylish. She wore a small hat on the side of her head, and a short sleeved jacket that cut off high above her waist. A belt draped sideways across her body. The room echoed as her boots hit the wooden floor. Bates moved to the girls side. As she came into the light, Lena gasped. The girl stopped with a sudden jerk as recognition filled her eyes. Silence pulsed throughout the room then shattered.
“Suki?” Lena cried at the same time the girl called, “Evangeline?”
Bates stepped between them. His hand clenching the gun still in its holster. Suki placed her hand on his arm calming him. Her eyes turned to Lena, then Gideon, then back to Lena again. Her shoulders relaxed and she broke out into a huge smile. “Evangeline, Gideon?” Her eyes blinked as she shook her head in disbelief. She took another step forward into even better light. She carried herself with confidence. Lena couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Suki, her schoolmate in Everleigh—probably her best friend next to Gideon—stood directly in front of her. Suki was the very girl who had drawn the Defenses away from Lena in order for her to escape the attack on Everleigh. Lena had spent the last three years wondering if Suki had survived the attack, and here she was, standing right in front of her. Before Lena knew what was happening, Suki had closed the gap between them and wrapped Lena in a tight embrace.
Chapter Sixteen
They sat next to a window that overlooked a large and dead courtyard. Broken tiles and benches littered the once magnificent enclosure. Dead grass and branches gave everything a dirty brown look, but Lena had a feeling this place wasn’t as it seemed. As soon as Suki had released Lena from her hug, she ordered some of the kids who were in the room to do something called maneuvers. They acted quickly and didn’t question Suki. She also ordered extra alarms.
Lena quickly filled her in on what happened to her after leaving Everleigh. She left out most of the details, only explaining that Gideon had helped hide her at the Defense Training Facility, that the Priestess had found them, and now they were on the run hoping to make it to The Port. Lena wanted to tell her every detail, but didn’t feel like she had the time.
“The Port is closed,” Suki said. “No one is getting in right now.”
“Do you know of a way we can get in? Tern is seeking information on where the Priestess may have taken one of their prisoners, and we are meeting friends there.”
“I might have a way in, but I’ll need to run it by a few people first. It will take some time.” Suki said as she relaxed against the window obviously not intent to run it by a few people immediately.
Gideon motioned to Tern. They walked a few steps away and started talking about the other options they might have.
Lena studied Suki again. She couldn’t take her eyes off the scarring and the prosthetic arm. “Suki, what happened to you after Everleigh? Where is your Dad, and Migel?” She thought of the last time she’d seen their friend Migel. He’d asked her to dance at the Founding of the World celebration. He never got the chance. “What brought you here?”Lena asked.
“After Everleigh was attacked, my father was taken. Migel and I hid. He’d been hit by some shrapnel. As had I. I pulled him to a hiding spot I knew of. I stayed with him until he died a few days later,” Suki explained. Lena stared at the scars that surrounded her ear. They were red and jagged as if they healed without proper care. Suki talked as if she were detached from the horror of it all. As if it were another person’s story she was telling and not her own.
“You lost your arm,” Lena said.
“Not at first. It was hit with shrapnel. Infection set in after the explosion. I couldn’t go to a real doctor, or I’d have been arrested. So, it got cut off. I found Evren and he made me this a few years ago.”
Lena shook her head and lowered her chin. She wanted to ask who cut it off, and how. And why people were being arrested after the Everleigh attack. But she didn’t know if she really wanted the answers. “Suki, I’m so sorry. You both saved me. And this horrible thing happened to you. I’ll never be able to repay that debt.”
Bates
, entered the room. He was returning from maneuvers. He whispered in her ear and Suki nodded confidently and thanked him. “The Defense patrols have passed,” Suki said. “You’ll be safe here for now.”
Suki slid her hair behind her ear. “Evangeline, I know why the Priestess wants you. She thinks you can destroy her. My father told me about it when I met you the day we came to Everleigh as refugees.”
Lena snapped her head up. “You knew? That’s why you saved me. In Everleigh, you said I was meant to survive. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Suki raised her lips in a half smile. “My dad made me promise not to. He thought it would burden you. No one else on Mir told you because they are skeptical about prophecies. They think it forces you into being something you don’t want to be. That prophecies take away your choices,” Suki said. “But I think prophecies are just a possibility of what you can be. If you choose it.”
Lena looked around the dusty ill-kept room. She saw Gideon and Tern still whispering nearby and wondered what options they were coming up with. Suki interrupted her thoughts.
“Do you believe the prophecy?” Suki asked. “Are you going to try to destroy the Priestess?”
Lena took a deep breath, trying to relieve the pressure constantly growing inside her. “I just found out about the prophecy a few days ago.” Lena thought about the timeline. She’d only found out five days before. It seemed like weeks. “I’ve known for a long time that the Priestess searched for me. I never knew why until Azara told me. Suki, to be honest, I’m still processing it all. And Gideon— Well Gideon wants me to leave. I don’t want to but it makes sense. The people closest to me are getting hurt.” Suki raised both her eyebrows and look from Gideon back to Lena. She looked as if she wanted to say something but held back.
“So you’re going to The Port and you’re going to leave?” Suki asked
“At this point, that’s the plan that makes the most sense,” Lena answered. She wanted to tell Suki she was searching for a way to stay on Mir, but Suki didn’t give her a chance. Grabbing Lena’s arm she pulled her to her feet.
“Come on,” she said. She motioned to Tern and Gideon who immediately joined them. “I want to show you something.”
Suki led them down a hall towards large ornate double doors. Windows lined one side of the hall. Only the dim light of the evening sun filtered through the dirt-caked windows. Gideon and Tern walked behind her. Ollie walked at Lena’s side. It seemed that he’d taken it upon himself to protect her and introduce her to anyone that might look their way. She didn’t mind having him around.
Suki stopped at the carved doors. Turning to the new arrivals, she said, “I think you should meet our crew.” Suki threw the doors open and stepped aside for the others to see.
Lena stepped inside and gasped. They stood on the highest balcony of the old performing hall. Walking to the edge of the balcony she looked down then across the vaulted room. The theater seats had been removed and turned into open workspaces. The room buzzed with activity. Service bots floated through the air. Kids flew around on ragtag flying machines. Guns sounded in the distance and an explosion caused a section of the room to momentarily fill with smoke. A stage held all sorts of devices. Lena couldn’t begin to guess what they were.
“Meet the Centizoons,” Suki said waving her hand over the scene below.
“The Centizoons?” Gideon questioned.
“Zoons for short,” Ollie added.
“What are you guys?” Lena asked in awe.
“It’s a name Evren came up with,” Suki responded, without explaining who Evren was. “Centi means hundreds and Zoons are individuals produced from the same source.”
“What da ya mean?” Tern asked.
“We’re all the results of the Priestess’ reign,” Suki explained. “Most of these kid’s parents worked as scientists, others as merchants. When the Priestess starting taking over, their parents were some of the first to stand up against her. All of their parents fought for the Resistance. As a result, their parents were also some of the first to be imprisoned or killed. Most of the kids here are orphans because of her. They are like us, Evangeline. Their lives torn apart by her tyranny. But we found each other. And found a way to survive. We’re the Children of the Resistance,” Suki said. “We all hold on to the hope that there’ll come a time to overthrow our current government. But until then, we deal in information.”
Lena didn’t really understand what Suki meant but didn’t question it. Suki whistled and a teenage boy came over haphazardly carrying what looked like a pile of old machinery. He dropped them to the ground in an awkward heap. The boy stepped back and looked wide-eyed at Lena. He tried straightening his hair and flattening down his twisted shirt at the same time. Suki cleared her throat and the boy turned red and looked away from Lena. He shuffled forward to pick up one of the machines he’d been carrying. He stepped to the side tripping on his own feet. Suki grabbed his elbow with her prosthetic arm to balance him. When he regained his feet, Suki let go, and he rubbed his arm.
“Remind me I to need to calibrate the grip on your arm,” the boy said.
“I think I just did,” Suki chuckled. “Allow me to introduce Evren,” Suki said. “He’s unofficially in charge of anything that happens in this room. Mostly for the fact that he’s brilliant,” Suki said. Evren looked at Lena and took a step forward, tripping on the machines he’d just dropped on the floor. He caught his footing and stepped through the pile to shake Lena’s hand.
“Brilliant, but a wee bit clumsy,” Evren said straightening out his posture.
“Evren, allow me to introduce...” Suki began.
“Ah, I know. Evangeline Adhara and Captain Gideon Merak,” Evren said as Lena tried unsuccessfully to withdraw her hand.
“How do you know who we are?” Gideon asked. “Who else here knows?” His eyes darted across the room, his posture tense. Lena wasn’t sure if Gideon was looking to fight or escape, but she was sure if Evren gave the wrong response, someone would get hurt.
Chapter Seventeen
“Uh, I’ve seen both your faces on the holos,” Evren explained with a red face. Gideon didn’t relax and gave Evren an intimidating glare. Evren didn’t seem bothered. “I can’t believe you escaped the facility. Don’t worry about me turning you in, though. I’d never turn someone over to that horrible hag of a woman.” Evren stopped shaking Lena’s hand as his eyes landed on Tern. He dropped her hand. “I don’t think I know you.”
“Tern,” Tern said with a nod.
“Wait,” Lena cut in. “How do you know about the facility? I only told Suki.”
Evren looked to Suki and blushed. Suki put her hands on her hips. “Evren, what have you done?” she asked.
“Well, it’s really not that complicated. I accessed the satellite from the Interplanetary Military Academy. The Academy keeps tabs on all worlds associated with its training. It’s all top secret and what not, but they really should have better security.” Suki rolled her eyes as Evren pointed towards the busy room. “Come, then. I’ll show you around.”
“Come on, Lena,” Ollie yelled, grabbing a piece of machinery off the floor. Lena screeched as Ollie threw himself over the edge of the balcony. A split second later he was hovering upside down in the air in front of her. The machine clamped onto his feet and kept him hovering in the air in front of her. Lena looked over the five-story fall then back at Ollie who now flipped the machine right side up.
“What in the world is that?” Lena gasped.
“Just a little something we like to call a Zoom-zoon.” Evren said, puffing out his chest.
Suki shook her head. “We’re not calling them that, Evren.”
“Well, I think it’s a fantastic name. And that’s what I’m calling them,” Evren said, straightening out his jacket.
“It’s a stupid name, and no one calls them that,” Suki said. “It’s a glider.”
“Yes, but they would if you did.”
“I’m not calling them that,” Suki responded.
“Not yet, but you will.”
Suki rolled her eyes again and handed Lena a glider. “They’re all different. They’re pieced together with whatever we have on hand, but they all basically function the same,” Suki explained. Throwing one in front of her, it gave off a low hum and hovered a few inches from the ground. Suki stepped onto it and the machine clamped around her feet. “These are the basics. Lean to guide it where you want it to go. Angle it up to go higher and down to go lower.” Suki flipped herself upside-down and grabbed one off the ground for Lena before throwing it towards her and flipping herself right side up again. “If you’re clamped in, you shouldn’t have problems figuring it out.”
Stepping onto the glider, it clamped around Lena’s feet causing her to feel unsteady. Trying to catch her balance, she leaned forward only to have the machine jolt forward into the railing. Lena fell to the side. The glider pulled her feet above her.
The sound of laughter filled her ears. She looked to Gideon who stood next to Suki. Both failed to hide their amusement. Gideon laughed again as she scrunched her face in disapproval. “You could help me,” Lena said.
“Helping you wouldn’t be nearly this funny,” Gideon said with another laugh. Lena gave him another incredulous look before pushing herself upright. The glider immediately centered itself under her but she still grabbed at the railing until she found her balance. Tightening her stomach muscles, she let go of the railing. The glider didn’t move. Gideon grabbed one off the floor and threw it in front of him. Stepping onto it, it clamped around his feet. He swayed it under his feet a few times before steering it over the balcony and around in a controlled circle.
The Mir Chronicles- The Complete Series Page 30