“Dreaming’s a dual-sided coin, Jackson. As much as we despise it, Dreamers, if controlled, will be the source of our resurrection and the true death of individuality. More will follow into the fold once Project Dark Phoenix rips into The Dreamers’ loyalties and their creative use of magic and talents.” Principal Hill adjusted her spectacles.
“And yet The Commander puts his faith in a pre-teen girl. I don’t see The Commander saying he approves all of this—” Mr. Knight mumbled.
“I may look twelve but—” Mai clenched her jaw.
A man in a black lab coat interrupted. “We know what you are, Lieutenant Mai. Your aging stopped long ago as did your humanity. The markings on your arm prove that much — Sollicitus.”
A pause lingered in the room. That word — I’d never heard of it before, and just saying it sounded like a challenge. If it was a key to us beating The Regime, I knew my mother would go on to talk about it. She had to.
“Hey! No one calls me that. Ever.” Mai ruffled the pink in her gothic dress.
“I agree. The Commander puts faith in her. Besides, we all respected the other Sollicitus we came across. She was a remarkable young woman,” Principal Hill added.
“Status report on Base Darkguard and Project Dark Phoenix’s operations there?” Mr. Knight inquired.
“Darkguard? That’s where they’re keeping Aurelia!” Wes’ eyes lit like fireworks.
“Shh—” I quieted him down.
The scientist in the lab coat gazed out the glass window to his right. “The girl’s been helpful. More useful than intended for sure. Her capabilities toward prediction have helped us find Dreamers worthy of the program — other than The Commander’s prime candidate, Lieutenant. No one has matched that potential — it’s no wonder The Commander wants Testanoid One as his heir, other than distant blood, of course.”
“You look startled. Something wrong?” Mr. Jackson’s eyes shifted to the window.
The scientist let out a huff of air. “It’s my own son, I’m afraid. The program was draconian for him. His behavior has grown further from ideal — talk of rebellion might spread from his lips.”
“Dr. Moreno, I can see to it he’s disciplined personally,” Mr. Knight spoke up.
I knew what that meant. The bruising, the beatings — everything Mr. Knight ever did to me would be transferred on someone else. Everything good in his life would wash away without anything to hold onto. After Cal, I couldn’t believe my adoptive father — if he should even be called that — was doing this behavior again. Mrs. Knight never liked it. Cal never liked it. I couldn’t bear it.
Clink! I must’ve pushed too hard on the grate. What a time to do it too!
Mai perked up to look at the glass window beside her. “Someone else is here.”
The skyline of Fortress cracked in the glass — the window cracked from the inside. It didn’t look smashed. Instead, it looked manipulated from magic? That was the best guess I had.
“Get The Illusionist and anyone else you can find. No one leaves until this is solved.” Mr. Knight clutched onto his pistol from within its holster.
“Sweet paintings! We’ve gotta go before we’re discovered too.” Wes pulled my arm.
FIFTEEN
Ambert
Crash!
Wes booted the grate open and sent an echo down the hallway. In an instant, the shadowed figure of The Illusionist gleamed under the flickering lights. Mist fogged behind him, but I kept running. Wes’ sweaty palms squeezed my hand; fear gushed through his entire system.
Adrenaline rushed through my veins and I exhaled quick, desperate breaths. Despite The Illusionist’s slow movements, our steps traveled nowhere. He remained stiff, unfazed by the two rebels he had to catch. Signs lingered on the walls and I searched for the safest path. One mistake could mean our capture — and with it, death.
The footsteps of Regime soldiers echoed on the hardwood floor. If I couldn’t find an escape route, they’d surround us within seconds. Wes ran beside me, just as eager as I was to avoid capture. I had to get us out before it was too late.
I looked at the room signs above us:
Containment
Testing
Vial Storage
Bingo. That last one could work.
“This way,” I said.
He followed me down the east hallway. I’d never been down the hall before, but if Dreamers invaded The Core again, The Regime would expect them to free prisoners, not go to a storage area — even if it was for vials.
“Through that door. We should be safe there.” I pointed to a pair of doors at the end of the hall.
The doors slammed open, and a mix of neon colors in glass containers glared back at us. Wes and I struggled to catch our breath, but that couldn’t stop us from examining the vials. Bubbling sounds resounded either side of us, and the containers were shaped variously, some in circular shapes, others in zig-zags.
Wes’ eyes bulged. “Get a load of this place! The colors are brighter than those in my paint supply!”
“Let’s find out why The Regime has them.” I stepped forward to get a closer look.
Wes picked up a flamed colored vial. “This one’s labeled Pyro.”
“This one is Hydro.” I held a clear vial in my hand. “These are the root words for different elements. Fire and water, correct?”
“Guess you learned something from my history lesson on magic after all.” Wes chuckled.
Clink — clank! We weren’t alone.
“Show yourselves.” my eyes shifted around the room, searching for Regime soldiers.
There was silence at first, but two figures emerged from the shadows, highlighting their silhouettes in the neon lights. One wore a lab coat like a scientist, but by the color, I knew we weren’t in danger.
“What are you and Wes doing here? This place is more dangerous than finding a pack of wolves!” Zeke’s voice echoed in the darkness.
I sighed, relieved it was someone I knew. “We were nearly caught trying to save Vana. What are you doing here with her?”
I could recognize Becky’s curls in the neon lights.
“Ambert! Lovely seeing you again. Enjoying the aesthetics?” Becky asked.
“You didn’t answer his question,” Wes defended me. He always did.
“Isn’t it obvious. Zeke’s collecting some of these for medicine, aren’t you?” Becky batted her eyes.
“These are strange, Ambert. I have to get some away from The Regime so we can analyze the contents. Doesn’t that sound like an excellent plan?” Zeke’s expression hardened, keeping a secret wrath behind his eyes.
“If we escape the dream-killers unscathed. Any ideas, Ambert?”
A window reflected the skyline of Fortress to my right. We could escape from there. If it weren’t locked from the inside, Becky and Zeke could’ve entered from that spot as well. Maybe it was open when they arrived.
“Let’s escape through the window,” I said.
“Brilliant idea. I’ll meet you boys outside.” Becky moved a stray hair away from her eyes.
The couple pried open the window and left Wes and me alone.
“That was close back there. Let’s agree to never tell Enya or Calista about this.” Wes wiped his forehead.
“Agreed. You were so scared you were going to get caught…”
He interrupted, “I’ve avoided The Regime for years. I was worried you were going to get caught. You’re my best friend!”
My lower lip trembled. “Just like you lost Henry, right?”
His mouth set in a hard line as he nodded. The artist who painted with a rainbow in his hand let his colors darken and turn to ash gray. The Regime swiped away anyone he ever cared about. He knew their totalitarian despair just as much as I did — maybe more so.
Silence now separating us, we walked back to Safe Haven. Wes looked down, and his eyes glanced into the trees beside us.
“Mind if I ask you something? I
t might be off topic but…” Wes placed his hands in his pockets. “Why are you called The Sparrow of Silence?”
My expression hardened. “You know I hate talking about that.”
“I’ve gotta know why The Illusionist was in the woods with us the other night. You kind of owe me since I almost died and all.”
Furrowing my brow, I took a breath in. “And you want to know here? Now?”
He shrugged. “No one else is here to talk about it.”
I paused and clasped my hands together. Wes deserved to know. He was my best friend.
I released a breath of air. “Military school’s unbelievably harsh. I got the name after our final exam.”
“You get all the answers right or something?” the corners of his mouth quirked up.
I blazed with hatred. Not for Wes, but for The Regime — and the blood. The shots, the screams — the sounds still echoed through my head. I wanted nothing more than for it to never happen to anyone else, including me.
“If you call surviving an organized shooting getting all the answers right, then yes.”
“Dang—” His face went blank, trying to process what I said. “The Regime did that to its own students? It’s top students?!”
“To thin the herd and get the strongest. Yes.”
“How did you—?”
“I organized a team. We took out the four gunmen using nothing but wits and the surrounding sounds.”
“How many students kicked the bucket?”
“I’d rather not talk about this, Wes. It’s the reason I hate fighting so much. It’s also why I refused to become one of The Regime’s top strategists.”
“I see.” his face darkened. “The Regime’s done more harm to you than I thought. You didn’t have to say anything to me if it’s that painful.”
“I trust you. You’re my closest friend. Just… just don’t spread it around, okay? I don’t want to fight any more battles like that.”
He put his hand on my shoulder. I gave him a once-over, finding his glistening eyes staring back at me. “It’s nice to have someone who trusts me like that.”
A corner of my mouth lifted. “Don’t mention it.”
As we returned to Safe Haven, my mind focused on two things: the vials in the room and that cracked glass. Was there a connection? Everything I heard that night seared into my memories. I swore I would never forget it.
SIXTEEN
Ambert
Light dawned on Safe Haven, but it didn’t come without worries. Mai took Vana. The Regime had vials for an unknown purpose. Cal might’ve been in danger. My best friend knew the meaning behind my Regime-given nickname…
That last part didn’t seem real. I’d confessed something I swore I’d never tell anyone. Guess close friendships did that to you.
Knowing all this information gave me two goals:
1. Keep the others safe. Keep Cal, Wes, and Enya safe.
2. Learn what The Regime’s flaw is to stop the war.
It was never going to be easy. I knew that from the beginning. Dreamers and The Regime were already at each other’s throats in some parts of the country. If this kept up, anyone could die from our clash. That had to be stopped for the good of everyone.
Sitting by the fireplace in Safe Haven’s kitchen, I looked again at the journal. The latest entry confused me; at least with the others, I had a general idea of what was going on. But this one — this entry stumped me. I doubted Becky could figure it out. My mother was cryptic and obviously didn’t want The Regime finding out the meaning.
“Dear Firebird,
There is a place I visited long ago with a little girl in pigtails. She was the greatest friend I ever had — and this silence and darkness opened my eyes to a world I never expected or intended. Unconfined, your ambitions fall prey to the darkness and it turns you against yourself. I lost my best friend that day. She couldn’t escape the whispers. Those voices. Those dreadful demons in the light of the flames spoke of great riches and power. If it weren’t for her — my life would’ve been forfeit.
Love,
Mom”
Was there an ally I could find to help me? That first thought popped into my head.
The second was the darkness and the whispers she talked about. It was like she still lingered in that darkness, and if true, the little girl — my mother’s best friend — couldn’t escape her own ambition. Was it a metaphor? A real place?
The third thought that crossed my mind was Mai — maybe it was the pigtails, but something in me refused to believe my mother and Mai could’ve been friends at one point.
Besides the journal, thoughts of what happened the night before kept me up all night. The cracked glass, the vials, and that conversation between The Regime’s High Council left my head spinning.
More importantly, it kept me from injecting a vial of Antiserum. I unzipped my backpack and took out the needle, but Wes barged into the room, eyes widened.
I hid the needle and zipped my backpack closed. “What is it?”
“More Dreamers. They came last night.” Wes gave a half smile.
“That’s great. I’ll make sure they’re situated and—”
“They bumped into Calista. She, Enya, and a few others got separated. The Committee wants you to talk to them.”
That last part caught me off my guard. “What?”
I set down the journal and darted into Safe Haven’s valley.
Two new figures — a young girl and an older man — arrived in Safe Haven, and though their physical features consisted of the same hooded brown eyes, olive skin, and dark hair, they acted like opposites.
The girl, probably Cal’s age, gave off confidence like Enya. A katana suspended itself on a hilt in her belt, and the flowering tree on her ankle struck out against anything else on her. The older man beside her gave a sterile appearance like a Regime scientist. I would’ve mistaken him for one if he hadn’t been dressed in white.
By the bickering in their voices, they spoke like how Mr. Knight and I used to argue. I had more important things to worry about than their bickering.
I cleared my throat. “I heard you all saw Cal?”
“Then you must be Ambert.” the girl shook my hand with a strong grip. “Calista told us to come to you right away.”
“Kuan-yin, be polite!” the man bowed to me — a gesture Eastern culture in origin. That was a sure sign they came from Jīnlóng.
I bowed back. “You are?”
“Dr. Liu.” the man — Dr. Liu — bobbed his head again.
The corners of my mouth curved upward. “Glad you’re both safe here. If there’s anything I can—”
Kuan-yin’s face lit up. “Got any food around here?”
I blinked, caught off guard by her question. “We were about to have breakfast, Kuan-yin.”
“Just ‘Kuan’ is fine.” she rocked back and forth.
I led her to the kitchen and started making a fruit salad. Sitting in a nearby chair, the girl flung her katana hilt off her shoulder and jiggled one of her legs below the table. She looked around the room at first before the corners of her mouth lifted.
“Love the rock formations here.” she drew in a long breath. “Definitely uses the cave for a creative room design.”
I handed her the fruit salad bowl. “So, you saw Cal?”
“Yeah, but she got separated from me and my father.”
“I’m actually glad she and Enya aren’t here. We had a situation last night—” a muscle in my jaw twitched. “A Dreamer who lived here was kidnapped last night by a girl named Mai. Turns out she’s The Lieutenant of The Regime.”
Kuan-yin straightened in her chair. “You already know?!”
“Cal had another vision?”
“Yep.” Kuan-yin munched on her fruit salad and released a moan. “This is so good. I was starved!”
“So where are Calista and Enya now?” I inquired.
“Heading for Weisheit by bo
at. They’re hoping to gather more Dreamers. Mai threatened Calista before she saw us, so she didn’t want you to know — or go after her.”
“But I do now.” I beamed. “How handy are you with that katana?”
“I’m the Lady of the Katana. I’ve trained with it since I was three — at least a toy one.”
“Then let’s go. Wes can come with us — and anyone else who wants to come.”
“Awesome…” Kuan-yin lowered her head. “Though I doubt my dad will be happy. He can be crazy overprotective… which isn’t bad, but still, I’ve gotta have choices!”
She reminded me more and more of a mix between Enya and Cal.
“You said you’ve trained with that blade since you were three. I trust that opinion.”
A voice shouted from behind me. “So, where are we going?”
“Becky—” my expression closed up. “I didn’t realize you wanted to come.”
“I grew up in Weisheit. I’d be happy to come with her.” Zeke snapped his fingers.
“That’s right, and I won’t let him go anywhere without me.” Becky placed her hands on her hips.
“Cool, welcome aboard!” Kuan-yin reached out her hand to shake theirs.
I bobbed my head. “Sure — the more help we get the better.”
“Fabulous.” Becky toyed with a lock of hair.
Zeke continued, “I’m sure we’ll get more Dreamers than Calista ever could.”
“And Weisheit’s the city of inventions! I’ve always wanted to go there. The electronics, the AI, the cyborgs…” Kuan-yin punched the air.
“What’s going on? Why are we talking about Weisheit?” the blond artist yawned with a paintbrush in his hand.
I welcomed Wes into the room and whispered into his ear. “Cal’s in Weisheit. She knows about Mai already,”
Wes blew a raspberry. “Typical Calista. Always an Oracle.”
Splintering Reality (Breaking Order Series Book 2) Page 10