*Elsa’s Shelf

GRANDFATHER

A Journey Leading To A Post-Apocalyptic World

The Infinity Trilogy:

Book One

∞

Anthony Wade

Elsa’s Shelf

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real places, or real people are used fictitiously. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

ELSA’S SHELF

Elsa’s Shelf is an imprint created by the published author.

Copyright © 2015 by Anthony Wade

All right reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in every form.

The text for this book is set in future United States

Ebook brought to you by Amazon Kindle Publishing

Editor: Josephine Sparrow

First digital edition December 2014

Grandfather / Anthony Wade – 1st ed.

(Infinity Trilogy: bk. 1)

For My Mom Who Supported Me The Entire Way

Chapter One

Grandfather wasn’t dead.

I wish I was wrong, because everything’s been destroyed.

So many people have died, and I think some of it was my fault.

I’m sitting here, writing this all down, hoping to gather my thoughts and really think about what happened . . . what has changed.

I’ve changed the most. At least I think so. I don’t know if anybody is actually reading this because I’m not writing to anybody in particular. This is just for me. I don’t want to forget. But if somebody is reading, I think you’ll agree that I have changed the most.

I want to write every single detail. Every single memory. Maybe that will help me figure out if I did, in fact, make things worse.

I’m going back to the very beginning and, unfortunately, that means returning to the orphanage.

Let me tell you, this place was loud. Kids screaming, kids crying, kids fighting . . . I get a headache just thinking about it. Good thing nobody paid much attention to us. That meant I could easily sneak out to escape the brats. Honestly, things weren’t much better outside.

I passed beggars. And I mean a LOT. They were constantly asking for bitcoin so they could buy food. Of course I didn’t have any to give. I’d feel so bad for them that I’d sometimes sneak some of the orphanage food for them. They appreciated it, but then they always expected me to have something every time they saw me. That would’ve been fine if I was able to help them. But there were days where I simply couldn’t sneak any food out because the orphanage wouldn’t have extras. All I could do was frown and shake my head. They may have understood, but that didn’t mean they weren’t disappointed.

Then there were the protests and rallies on the streets. They were everywhere and just as noisy as the orphanage. Most of these protestors usually complained about how we were being ignored while the rich had everything. A lot of times, they complained about food and supply shortages and how people were wasting resources. Sometimes, the protests were about religion and how we were in our last days. Those speakers really got into their speeches. All the rallies were pretty pointless if you ask me. I ignored them.

Except for one.

I saw the protestor in the distance, standing on a platform in the middle of the road. I didn’t want to accidently lead on the homeless by making eye contact, so I kept my eyes on the grass growing from the cracks in the faded blacktop. But the moment the protestor screamed the word ‘Grandfather,’ I stopped, jerking my head back up. People didn’t mention that word anymore. Grandfather was dead. I was curious, so I just had to get a closer look. Painfully ignoring the beggars around me, I rushed to join the small crowd gathered around the platform where the protestor stood. There weren’t many people. Maybe twenty.

“They’ve been hiding in secret, recruiting!” the tall, young man shouted. He didn’t look any different from us with his murky clothing, his ruffled, dirty hair, and gray bags sagging below the eyes. I glanced at the people in the crowd. They didn’t seem at all excited about the protest. I supposed they were listening because there wasn’t much else to do around there.

The protestor noticed this and tried his best to pump his audience up. “Grandfather is back. They’re infiltrating New Dawn, and when they take it – our capitol, they will have control over the entire United Regions. We have to work together to not let this happen! If th–”

“Conspiracy!” a woman from the crowd cried, pushing people aside to get closer to him. Everyone swung around to see who’d actually gotten worked up over the protestor’s speech. She had on a clean black skirt and a wrinkle-free red turtleneck sweater. Her heels were shiny black. She had a huge pearl necklace dangling over her top along with a pair of matching earrings. Her skin was flawless. And I swear, not even kidding, everybody’s eyes and mouth flew open. Including mine. Even the protestor had the same reaction. It wasn’t every day we saw a woman like her on our streets.

The protestor got himself together again. “Conspiracy?” he asked. “Do you–”

She wouldn’t even give him a chance. “Grandfather was caught and stopped a long time ago,” she said, her chin high in the air.

“Then how do you explain this?” he asked, shoving a newspaper at her. I joined the crowd to get an even better look.

“What is it?” a gray-bearded man asked.

My curiosity grew with his.

“What is it?” the protestor asked, amused. “Proof!”

“This proves nothing,” the woman said, crumbling the newspaper up and throwing it back at him. He flinched as the wad hit his cheek before falling to the platform. “I don’t know who writes your paper, but they’re foolish, just like the writers of every other underground paper.”

Ignoring her, the protestor picked up the newspaper page and unraveled it. “The president was just saying last month how he would never sign the tracking law. And now,” he held up the wrinkled article for everyone to see. The headline read: WILL TRACKING LAW PASS? “They’re making it to where we can’t travel across borders without paying a price! Grandfather is behind this.”

“Tracking law,” the rich-looking woman said with a slight chuckle. “So that’s what you people call it?”

“Well,” the protestor said. “That is what it is.”

There’s a reason for the Bill of Border Control,” the woman said. “It’ll help prevent crime.” She spread out her arms. “Simple.”

“Is that what you people inside think?” he asked, pointing a finger toward the direction of what was most likely her home. “It’s not fair that I have to pay just to go and see my family.” The rest of the crowd stayed quiet, eyes skipping between the two. “We don’t have spare bitcoin here. None of us can afford additional fees.”

“If we don’t have proper regulations, then there won’t be any regions left to go to,” the woman said, her arms falling to her side. “This regulation would help keep crime under control.”

“Excuses!” another man from the crowd yelled out. Everyone turned to look at him. “This law isn’t right.”

The protestor stood straight up, smiling. He had finally gotten somebody on his side.

To me, the protest had grown a bit boring, so I crossed the street, ignoring their arguing. I hadn’t heard about this tracking law, as the protestor called it. But it didn’t matter to me. I mean, the orphanage was all I knew. Unfortunately, those boys were the only people I knew. I had no reason to go to another region.

I soon found a place free from people arguing and free from beggars. That didn’t happen very often. I took advantage of the quiet. But my mind wouldn’t relax. I wondered why the rich woman was away from home. Was she just bored or curious? Or was she a spy from another country, secretly working for some agency that . . . yeah, my imagination got ridiculous at times, but hey, nothing exciting was going to happen in reality. I had to make up my own stuff.

The weird thing was that just as I was thinking about the lack of excitement, something did happen. I guess it wasn’t exactly exciting . . . just different from the usual routine. Actually, it was a bit creepy. The grunting came first, aimed directly into my ear, too. I looked straight ahead, gazing at the enormous gray wall barely peeking through a gap in the trees. The grunter grew louder and louder. I picked up the pace. The grunter did the same. Was this person thinking about robbing me when I had nothing? Up ahead was an alleyway. I contemplated using it as an escape route, but who knew what would be there waiting for me. I was about to just break off into a full sprint when the grunter walked up beside me and spoke in a raspy voice.

“He’s right ya know.”

I looked over to see a chubby man, probably a few inches taller than me. I knew for a fact that he hadn’t washed his long, greasy black hair in weeks. It looked like he was wearing a mop on his head. His skin was covered in scars and there was a gap where a front tooth used to be. “That protestor,” he said.

“Oh,” I said, looking forward again. “I don’t really care. It doesn’t have anything to do with me.”

I guess I said too much, because out of nowhere, he pushed me into the alley. “Hey!” I yelled when I slammed onto the concrete, scraping my elbow.

“Ya don’t understand,” he growled, moving closer.

Ignoring the blood running down my elbow, I sat up and scooted back until I was against a brick wall. There was nothing I could do. I quickly scanned the area, hoping somebody would see what was going on and help. Some glanced as they passed by the alley, but they hurried off. The only thing going through my mind was that this maniac was going to kill me right then and there.

“Please,” I said.

“Ya don’t understand how big a deal this is,” he continued, pointing down at me. It affects everyone, including you. Hell, especially you.”

“Okay, okay,” I said, standing up slowly, keeping my back against the wall. “It’s important, I get it. Just . . . just let me go.”

The man snickered, shaking his head. “They told me you’d be this way. Careless.”

Man, this guy was crazy. “Just let me go,” I said again, this time taking a sterner approach.

It didn’t affect him. “You’re Carsyn,” he said casually.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

I tried to remember if I had ever seen him at the orphanage. I hadn’t. And trust me, if I had even so much as caught a glimpse of this ugly guy, I would’ve remembered. Maybe he’d been stalking me?

“I don’t know who you are or how you know me,” I started, “but let me go. Or I will get the police.”

Spit flew from his mouth as he laughed.

Disgusting.

“How ya gonna do that?”

Yeah, he had a point. I couldn’t get away.

“Ya don’t even know what’s going on. Nobody does.”

I searched once more for an escape. There was nothing. He would catch me within seconds if I tried to run. He had me blocked. I even looked for something I could use to hit him with, maybe knock out another tooth. There was nothing. Just my luck.

“Somethin’s about to go down,” he said. “Nobody is safe, especially you.”

“Why are you acting like you know me?” I finally yelled at him. “Somebody! Hel –”

Before I could finish calling for help, he pressed his dirty, cut-up hands against my mouth. I wanted to gag as dirt rubbed against my lips. “Grandfather controls much more than ya know,” he whispered with his nose nearly touching mine.

I held my breath to keep from smelling his. It didn’t work.

“They been planning their next big move for years. Tonight’s the night.”

I tried yelling at him again.

Stupid move.

Dirt squeezed between my lips and into my mouth as he forced more pressure against it.

“We don’t know what they’re planning, but it’s sure as hell gonna change everything. You’re in trouble, Carsyn.”

I didn’t care about what he was saying. I needed to get away. I did the only thing I could think of. Through difficulty, I forced my mouth open and bit his hand. I could taste the dirt and salty sweat. It was absolutely disgusting, but hey, it worked.

He grasped his hand and screamed in pain. I didn’t hesitate. I sprinted out of that alley, not even daring to look back.

“You’ll see tonight,” he screamed. “We’ll find ya!”

I didn’t stop until I reached the orphanage. It was the first time I was happy to see that place again. Breathing heavily, I burst through the doors only to get suspicious looks from the women who called themselves housemoms. Maybe I didn’t have a mom while growing up, but I knew the women at the orphanage didn’t act the way moms were supposed to. I usually just called them houseladies.

“What’s up with you?” one of them said in her usual hoarse voice. “Sneak out again?”

They wouldn’t care about my story. But on the off chance they did, they may have kept an eye on me, making sure I couldn’t sneak out again. I really doubt it. Still, it wasn’t worth the risk. I liked getting away.

As always, I ignored the houseladies and passed them without making eye contact. I went straight to the room where all the guys slept … 5th row, 3rd bed.

I ignored three boys ganging up on a smaller one in the back corner and lied down to catch my breath. It was cold, so I tried covering my entire body up with the thin blanket. Of course it didn’t work; I had outgrown that a few years back.

That night, I sat in the dining room, away from the other annoying bullies. For some reason, they thought they had it made. I always wondered if they actually knew the truth. They were close to being homeless. I was closer than most of them. Ten months and twenty three days. That’s how long it was until my 17th birthday. This was the day they forced orphans out in order to make room for others. I tried to not think about it much. I’d worry about that when the time came.

I stayed to myself, about to go over my math homework. I couldn’t believe they actually tried to teach us. First of all, the houseladies had no idea what they were talking about in any subject. Anytime we asked a question, they would spend several minutes looking up the answer in the old books we used, only to respond with an ‘I don’t know’ in the end. Second of all, well, we would never use any of it in our lives. Maybe they used it inside the wall. But not outside.

I did the homework anyways, just so I had something to do. It was hard with other boys screaming and the houseladies yelling at them to shut up to no avail. But I managed to get through some of the problems. And the good thing was that the problems took my mind off the lunatic from earlier that day. Just as I thought I was going to be able to forget about him altogether, I heard the houseladies in the other room. “Oh my God!” one of them cried. “I can’t believe it,” another said.

I usually didn’t care what happened in the orphanage. But once again, as earlier in the day, curiosity got the best of me. I had to know what was going on because they actually sounded concerned. They were never concerned. I walked into the next room to see several people, including some of the boys, staring at an old radio. I moved to hear better.

“Just hours ago,” the woman reporter was saying in a sobering voice. “The president was . . .” she paused. I could hear her swallow. “The president was shot and killed.” There was a long pause of silence before the reporter continued. “As of now, all we know is that they are still searching for the killer and . . .”

Everything seemed to stop. The creepy lunatic from the alleyway was the first thing to cross my mind. He warned me that something big was going to happen that night. Was it just a coincident? Something told me it wasn’t. He somehow knew my name. I had been telling myself that he had just been stalking me … that he was crazy. But there was more to it. There had to be. Or maybe I was crazy.

I knew one thing for sure. If it wasn’t a coincident, then maybe he was right about the other stuff.

Grandfather.

Were we all in trouble? Especially you, the lunatic had said. There was something that I was sure of. He was probably going to find me again, just as he had said. And I wasn’t looking forward to it.

The next day, everything seemed to move slower than usual. The news of the assassination had struck everyone, even though nobody around there had really cared too much for the president to begin with. I think people were just shocked. The killer hadn’t been found, so everybody had the same question. Who did it and why?

I was constantly glancing around, just looking for that hideous face. Sure, I could’ve stayed in the orphanage so that I didn’t risk seeing him again. But I didn’t want to stay there. I preferred taking the risk. And a part of me wanted to see him again. I wanted to know what he was talking about. No, I needed to know.

I was shocked when I went hours without seeing him. Soon, I quit expecting him and thought about what he said. Grandfather. I kind of wanted to know more. I thought of the protestor.

Later in the day, I found myself standing in the back of a crowd surrounding a familiar platform. The crowd had tripled since the previous day. I looked to see if the same woman from the previous day was there. She wasn’t.

“This is their doing!” the same protestor screamed. “The president has been taken away from us in order for Grandfather to rise.”

“Do you think this was an inside job?” someone asked.

“Inside job?” the protestor asked, snickering. “Probably. Who do you think will take the spot as president?” He asked. Nobody answered, so he asked again, louder.

“Ferr Cornelius,” an older woman yelled out.

“Exactly!” the protestor screamed. “Vice President Cornelius will assume the powerful position as president.” He glanced around at different people in the crowd. More people joined. “He knew he’d be the one to take the job if something ever happened to the president. He is involved with Grandfather! He’s involved in the assassination so that he can be in control.” Whispering rippled through the crowd. “So that Grandfather can be in control! He may even be the leader, and I –”

“You are under arrest!” a deep voice shouted from behind. I spun around to see six armed officers in their usual black uniforms. “Move out of the way,” the same officer growled as he pushed his way through the crowd. The other officers followed him.

“And on what charges?” the protestor asked. “For spreading my opinion?”

“For treason,” the officer calmly said once he reached the platform. Everybody stood in silence while the officers kept their weapons pointed at the protestor.

“Treason?!” he shouted.

“You have spoken against our vice president, a friend of the president’s!”

“So now Grandfather is arresting those who speak against them?”

“We can make this as easy as possible,” the officer said through his teeth. “Get off the platform, and come with us.”

The protestor didn’t budge. “This is the work of Grandfather!” he screamed. This is the work of Cornelius.”

“Quiet!” the officer ordered.

“And you’re probably with them too! Why else would you be arresting me?”

“Arrest him,” the officer in authority said to two others. They stepped up to the platform. I was actually surprised that the protestor didn’t resist. But he did keep protesting. I didn’t know anything about what the protestor was saying, but he believed strongly in it.

“They’re using the tracking law to keep us where we can be controlled!” He was led off of the platform. “There’s more to come, everybody. There’s more coming!”

“Go back to your homes,” the officer ordered the crowd. “This nonsense is over.” The crowd didn’t hesitate due to fear. They didn’t even whisper to each other or look the officers in the eye. The protestor was just about to scream something else out when one of the officers banged him in the head with his gun, knocking him out.

“Still think I’m crazy?” a familiar voice asked from behind me. I didn’t need to turn around. I knew exactly who it was.

“Who are you?” I asked firmly, watching the people scatter from the platform.

He moved beside me. “Just come with me.”

“Sure, whatever you say. Since you don’t look creepy at all, I’ll go wherever you want me to go.”

He definitely sensed the sarcasm, and he wasn’t amused.

“Why should I go with you?” I asked. “I have no idea who you are. And no offense, but look at you.”

He snickered. “Like I said. You’re in danger.”

“And why should I believe you?” Man, I don’t think I had ever been so curious.

He grabbed my shoulder hard and jerked me around to where I was facing him. “I knew your name, and I knew Grandfather was making a huge move last night. You know about the assassination. You saw the police take away that protestor. Do you really want to question me right now?”

I looked him in the eyes. His breath still smelled bad.

“Well,” I started, but was unable to finish.

“Do you think it’s worth the risk?” he asked.

I honestly didn’t know what to say or do. He had been right so far, and he somehow knew my name.

“Why am I in more danger than anybody else?” I asked. “Nobody knows me. I know nobody. I have no family or anything . . .”

“Come with me, and you will find out.” His eyes narrowed while he waited for an answer. He looked as if he would kill me if I were to decline.

“Tell me your name first.”

The man hit his forehead with a hand, shaking his head. “Edgar. Ya happy now?”

Perhaps it was curiosity again. I really wanted to know how this guy knew my name. Perhaps it was fear because, like I said, he looked as if he would kill me if I didn’t do as he said. Or perhaps it was a reason to get away from the orphanage: an adventure. Either way, I ended up going with him, which was by far the dumbest risk I had ever taken. I mean, I didn’t know the man. He could’ve been a killer, luring me far away from the people. I’d find out soon enough.

Chapter Two

He led me away from the buildings until we reached a road leading to the wall’s entrance. I had never been that far away from the orphanage because there was no point. Nothing was there. The forest stretched for miles to my left. I hadn’t even been in there. Nobody ever walked into the forest. I guess that could’ve been a good place to go when I wanted to get away from everybody. But for some reason, I never did.

Edgar stopped beside the road, waiting, not saying a word. Yup, I was right. He was about to kill me. Or so I thought. We waited until a white vehicle approached us, headed toward the wall. It was very shiny and rounded. The very few vehicles I had seen were so loud and shook around as if they were about to just fall apart any second. This white vehicle didn’t make a single noise. It came to a stop next to us.

“What are we doing?” I asked.

“Our ride,” was all he said.

Edgar opened the back door, motioning for me to get in.

“Why are we getting in here?” I asked.

“Quit asking so many damn questions,” Edgar said, grabbing my shoulder and forcing me inside the vehicle.

I was starting to regret this.

While I had seen very few vehicles drive by, I had never been in one. The seats were made of black, clean leather. I felt as if I was sinking deep into them. So comfortable. The black carpet on the floor had no stains unlike the carpet at the orphanage. Up front were a lot of buttons and lights. The driver, dressed in some hideous green suit, kept his eyes straight ahead, not saying a word.

What was sitting – more like floating – next to him was the most interesting thing. It was a transparent screen hovering in mid-air. A white line led all the way to a huge structure that resembled the wall. And on the white line was a blinking blue arrow, pointing toward the city. When I saw the grass, trees, and old buildings around the arrow, something seemed familiar. Just a few glances out the window told me that the transparent screen was displaying our location.

Very cool.

“Headed straight back,” Edgar told the guy once he slammed the door shut.

The driver didn’t say anything. He hit the gas, turning the car around so quickly I slid and shoved into Edgar. His horrible odor invaded my nostrils. Once again, I wanted to vomit.

Once I situated myself, I saw the blue arrow was moving away from the wall.

“GPS,” Edgar said, noticing my interest.

“A what?”

“Navigate ya to your location if ya don’t know where you’re going.”

“Oh,” I said. “Where are we going?”

No answer, which made me all the more suspicious.

The ride overall was just awkward. Nobody said a word. There was no humming or anything. I just watched the cool GPS thingy as the arrow moved with the car. The road became steeper and curvier, and the transparent screen showed a few steep cliffs off to the side. We were definitely in the mountains I’d observed from the orphanage.

The trees passed by quickly as I stared out the window. It was like we were flying! I kept my forehead pressed to the window, enjoying the ride when another vehicle going in the opposite direction flew past us, causing me to nearly jump out of my seat. I heard Edgar chuckle, which I pretended to ignore. Why did I go with him again? Oh yeah, curiosity. What is it they say? Curiosity killed the cat? I really hoped I didn’t become the cat.

A few more minutes went by before the vehicle slowed down. I was ready to see our destination, and when I examined the area, I saw nothing but thick forest and a ledge just to the left of the street.

There was nothing else because we were in the middle of nowhere. I just knew my theory was definitely true. Edgar was taking me far away from people to kill me. No witnesses.

Edgar opened the door, but before stepping out, he dug into his pocket and pulled out a plain, white card. “We appreciate what you do,” Edgar told the driver. “Here’s 20 bitcoin for your trouble.” Edgar waved the card across the seat in front of him. Immediately, a tiny red light flashed from an even smaller hole on the back of the headrest.

The driver never said a word, and Edgar apparently didn’t mind because he jammed the card back into his pocket and hopped out, rushing me to do the same.

I shut the door behind me, and immediately the car sped off into the distance, disappearing behind a curve. I was alone with this guy, and there was nobody around.

“What are you up to?” I asked, my voice quivering.

Edgar said nothing.

“You’re not about to kill me or something, are you?”

Edgar was still quiet.

You’d think I would’ve learned that the guy rarely answered my questions, but that didn’t stop me from asking. But hey, I wasn’t just going to keep quiet.

In silence, he walked to a particular tree, no different than any other. At least not until I got a closer look. Once I was standing a few feet from it, I made out a carving of an arrow, which was pointing slightly to the left.

“This way,” Edgar said.

“What on Earth are we doing in the middle of nowhere? You –”

“One more damn question and I’ll leave you out here,” he shouted, moving a little too close to me. I backed away, not wanting to get spit on again. He shook his head, turned around, and entered the forest. I looked down the road in the direction we had just come from. Edgar noticed this.

“Not gonna kill ya,” he said.

I guess I didn’t really have a choice. And besides, if he was gonna kill me, he’d just catch me if I tried to make a run for it. I’d just go inside the woods with a random man I didn’t know. Not stupid at all.

“So what’s out here?” I asked him once we had been walking for a few minutes. I was actually having a hard time keeping up. I tripped over so many branches and almost stepped into several random holes.

Edgar didn’t answer me, of course.

“Before, you said ‘we.’ Are there other people out here or something?”

I heard faint mumbling come from him.

“I’ll just follow you then.”

Still nothing.

About five minutes later, Edgar stopped beside a tree where another arrow had been carved. This one pointed toward the right.

“What are those for?” I asked, taking another shot at it.

No answer.

“Hey!” I yelled.

Edgar swung around so quickly I nearly ran into him. Man, he was angry. His fists were clenched so tight.

“You never stop, do you?” he growled, taking a step toward me. I took one back, not realizing the root sticking out of the ground behind me. Yeah, I slammed onto the ground. I yelped as a branch jabbed into my back. Edgar pointed at the arrow carving in the tree, ignoring the fact that I was on the ground. “We got carved arrows all throughout this place,” he finally answered. “Points us in the right direction.”

“To where?” I asked, standing back up and wiping the leaves off my clothes “And who is we?”

Edgar threw his arms into the air and started walking in the direction the arrows pointed.

I examined the arrow a bit closer as we passed it, and when we rounded the tree, I noticed another, pointing in the direction we had just come from.

We passed several more of these arrows, and eventually he stopped … next to a tree with an arrow pointing at the ground. Several more trees had the same display. Edgar bent down to the ground.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

He didn’t answer.

I watched as he used both his hands to feel the ground. Then, he pulled a brown handle that easily blended in with the ground. He lifted it, revealing a trap door. The top of the door was made of grass and leaves, blending in with the forest. It was actually a pretty good idea. I certainly wouldn’t have found it.

I moved closer to look down. It was pitch black. Edgar pulled a small flashlight out of his pocket, turned it on, and flashed its light into the hole, revealing a ladder. “Hurry it up,” he said. “Go on.”

So now, the lunatic was telling me to climb into a pitch black hole leading to I-didn’t-know-where. Things couldn’t get any creepier, that was for sure. I didn’t move at all.

“Maybe I’ll just go back to the orphanage,” I said.

Edgar wasn’t buying that. He grabbed my arm and jerked my body toward the ladder, nearly throwing me into the hole. “Let’s go,” he yelled, letting go of my arm.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said as I bent down and found a step with one foot. “Who are you?” Without a choice, I slowly made my way down, examining each step with a foot to make sure the next one was there. Soon, my foot touched a surface broader than the steps. I let go of the ladder. Yup, I had made it. Once my eyes adjusted, I was able to examine my surroundings. The ladder had led to a tunnel about five feet wide. The floor and walls were made out of cracked concrete. They were covered with moss in some places. I’m pretty sure I saw some mold too. That sure wasn’t safe. What on Earth was this place? It was definitely old.

“Catch,” Edgar said, tossing the flashlight. I wasn’t expecting that so, of course, I didn’t catch it. It slammed into the ground. The light flickered but didn’t go off completely. I picked it up and shined it in his direction. He pulled the trap door shut as he climbed down. Good thing the flashlight didn’t break, or we would’ve been stuck in pitch darkness. He reached the bottom much quicker than I had. He took the flashlight back from me and shined it into the distance. The tunnel was much longer than what I’d thought.

I followed him. “What in the world is this place?” I asked, knowing what the response would be.

Not a peep.

“Can’t you at least answer some of my questions?”

Still no answer.

I followed him for the next few minutes, until he slowed down. There was an old wooden door on my left with some light shining out from the bottom crack. Edgar stopped in front of it, turned the knob, and opened it. I followed Edgar into the room and was amazed.

I had never seen anything like it. The orphanage was so bland. The places I had been to were rundown. This room, though, was not. Yeah, it was small, but it was filled with elegant wooden furniture and gave me a warm and relaxed feeling. On one end of the room, there was a small tidy kitchen with shiny gray marble counters and dark, polished wooden cabinets. In the middle of the room was a mahogany dining table with tablemats in front of four matching chairs. Underneath the table was a large, maroon area rug. The opposite end of the room was the living area complete with three red leather sofas surrounding a mahogany coffee table. One of the sofas occupied a man in a fancy gray suit with a white dress shirt and pink tie. His black hair was combed over perfectly. His brown eyes watched me with curiosity. Beside him was a tall woman with long, ruby hair. She was dressed in black pants and a dark green sweater. Her green ring and matching earrings sparkled where the light bounced off them. Her skin – and his – was flawless, just like their clothes. They were definitely from within the wall. What were they doing underground?

They stood up immediately and walked over to me. The woman’s long hair swayed from side to side. She smiled, her eyes glistening. “Welcome,” she said calmly, extending a hand. I shook it slowly, keeping my eyes on her gorgeous dark green ones. Everything about her was just so stunning.

“I’m Belladonna, and this is Robert.” The man had a slight grin on his face.

“Pleasure,” he said.

I stayed quiet of course. What else was I supposed to do?

Edgar walked over to the kitchen, opened up a cabinet, took out a loaf of bread, and began making himself a sandwich.

Belladonna motioned me toward the dining table. “I’m sure you have many questions,” she said.

Boy, was she right. “Yeah,” I said sheepishly, walking slowly to the table.

I heard Edgar snicker again. That was really starting to get on my nerves.

Belladonna and Robert followed me while Edgar stayed in the kitchen.

Impatience got to me. As I took a seat at the table, I let out my questions all at once. “What is this place? Who are you guys? I don’t understand. And this whole Grandfather thing. And how did Edgar know my name? And why am . . .”

“Good gracious,” Belladonna said, putting her hand on her chest. “Please, one question at a time.”

I didn’t say anything.

“Ya don’t say,” Edgar said from the kitchen. “Try being around him the whole way here. One damn question after another.”

He wasn’t amusing me at all.

“Well, Edgar,” Belladonna said, still looking at me with a smile as she sat down in the chair to my right. Robert stood behind her. “You can’t expect him to stay hushed when he’s been dragged away from his home with no warning.”

“I don’t have a home,” I snapped back at her.

Belladonna looked down for a moment, her smile vanishing.

“The orphanage isn’t my home.” If there was one thing I was going to do, I was going to make sure they understood that. Even if they were about to kill me or something.

Robert appeared shocked. Belladonna didn’t seem all that shocked.

“No,” she said slowly.

“It’s just some . . .”

“Some place to keep children and use them as slaves?” Belladonna finished. “Just a place to keep children until they reach the proper age to be shoved out and onto the streets?”

I nodded at Belladonna. That’s exactly what it was.

“I was an orphan, too,” she told me. “I understand. But that’s a story to be told at a later time.”

Wow, she definitely didn’t look like somebody who had come from an orphanage. Like, she was absolutely beautiful. I still couldn’t get over how she looked. Her eyes grew stern for just a few seconds, as if thinking back to…to whatever her orphanage experience was. I imagined it wasn’t good.

Edgar finally finished up in the kitchen and returned with his sandwich and a glass of water. He sat the water down in front of me. With everything going on, I didn’t realize how thirsty the trip had made me. Edgar sat in the chair across from me.

“Let’s start with Grandfather,” Belladonna said, her eyes glistening once again. “What do you know about that?”

“Just what Edgar told me,” I answered. I took a drink of water then did my best impression of Edgar’s voice as I said, “They have returned.” Edgar wasn’t amused. Good.

“I’m afraid so,” Belladonna said, ignoring my manners toward Edgar. “Most people only see it as a conspiracy as of now. But after the death of the president, I imagine more will realize.” Edgar and Robert nodded in agreement.

“How did you guys know that was going to happen?” I asked. “could’ve stopped it.”

She placed a hand on the placemat in front of her and straightened it up. “Trust me, if I could’ve, I would’ve,” she said. “But we only knew that something big was going to happen last night.” Satisfied with the placemat, she returned her gaze to me.

“You see,” Robert began slowly. “We’ve known Grandfather has been back for several years now. But they had such a low profile; we couldn’t tell who was involved for sure. And even then, we couldn’t tell the officials for fear their leader would have us killed.”

Edgar, who had been eating his sandwich, spoke, pieces of bread flying out of his mouth. Eww. “I was the one who figured it out.”

“What do you mean?” I asked him.

He finished his sandwich quickly. “Believe it or not, I used to work with the government. I was one of the suits within the wall.”

I examined him again: his filthy clothing, his missing tooth, the dirt on his skin. “You?” I asked. “You lived within the wall? You look like . . .”

“Dammit, I know what I look like,” he barked, glaring at me. I didn’t think this guy liked me very much. “Ya think I do this on purpose?”

“Well . . . how am I supposed to know?” I asked. “Don’t forget that I have no idea who you people are.”

“You’re right,” Belladonna said. “But let him explain.”

Edgar gave her a nod, as if to thank her. “I don’t always look like this,” he said. “This is just for show. I have to blend in when I go out to gather information. When I travel inside the wall, I wear a suit.”

I tried picturing Edgar in a suit like Robert’s. Nope. Couldn’t do it. “Oh,” I said, looking at the hole where a tooth once was. I was about to ask, but I didn’t know what he would do to me if he got too angry. It was as if Edgar could read my thoughts.

“Except for the tooth, of course,” he said. “I got caught once. Couple of guards gave me a good beatin’”

“Oh,” I said again. There was one mystery solved.

“Now, as I was saying,” he continued, no longer glaring at me. “I intercepted a letter by accident a few years ago. It was an invitation, and signed at the bottom . . . Grand Imperial, Leader of Grandfather.” Edgar was about to continue, but I interrupted with another question.

“Grand Imperial? You’re sounding crazier by the minute.”

Edgar’s teeth grinded together, making me wince at the noise. He looked at Belladonna, who, with a nod, urged him to continue. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“I had concerns,” he started again, pacing himself. “which is why I went to the meeting; at least close enough to the room to hear it take place.”

“And?” I asked.

“And I heard them mention Grandfather. Couldn’t really recognize any of the voices. Too far away. But I’m sure that Cornelius was there – Their Grand Imperial.”

I was about to ask yet another question but, as if foreseeing it, Belladonna started talking before I got the chance to even open my mouth.

“To make a long story short, Edgar found another letter with the date of the president’s assassination on it.”

“Last night’s date,” Robert added.

“Didn’t know what the date meant, though,” Edgar interrupted. “Just knew it was something big. That’s what they said in the meeting.”

“I ran into Edgar not long after,” Belladonna said, smiling. “We were both spying on the government. After combining our resources, we created this.”

She made it sound as if they had created some magical place. Yeah, the room was enough to brag on. But they were living underground.

“And now you think Cornelius is leading Grandfather, and you’re trying to kill him?” I asked.

“We’re trying to get enough resources and proof to expose Grandfather to the people,” Belladonna said. “I hate violence. I don’t want it. But if it comes to that, then it must.”

Well, at least I knew where they were getting this ‘proof.’ But I still didn’t know if I believed it or not. Many times, I had heard about people being brainwashed into believing things. There were a lot of guys at the orphanage who believed anything the houseladies told them. I wasn’t going to do that. Then, I remembered how Edgar knew who I was. I had one more question. They were silent. They must have known that I was about to ask something else.

“You guys think I’m involved. How?” I asked. “Edgar knew my name. I . . . I don’t understand.”

“It’s so complicated,” Belladonna said. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

“But we’re going to try and explain it,” Robert said before I could argue.

“You see,” Belladonna started. “Edgar, Robert, and I spy on government officials, hoping to learn anything that can help us. Recently, w—”

“Very recently,” Robert added. Belladonna didn’t seem to mind the interruption.

“Yes,” she said. “Just a few days ago, we overheard that there was an orphan outside of the city. Then, we got your name.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I started. “The people at the orphanage barely know my name. I never talk to anybody outside the dang place. You’re telling me that people I’ve never talked to know me?”

“Are you sure you haven’t talked to anybody?” Robert asked.

“I’m very sure,” I snapped. “I’ve never given anybody my name because I don’t talk to people. You guys don’t get it.”

“I’m just telling you what we heard,” Belladonna said quietly, trying to calm me. It worked a little, but not much.

“We called every damn orphanage in New Dawn,” Edgar said, “Pretending to be looking for our child. It was a longshot, but we got lucky. You’re the only orphan named Carsyn.”

He made it sound as if I should rejoice over that. Not gonna happen.

“And if this is true, what do they want from me?” I asked. “I mean, what do I have to do with . . . with anything when I don’t do anything.”

They all glanced at one another. I noticed Edgar shake his head, annoyed once again. He let out a deep breath.

“I understand that you’re having a hard time believing any of this,” Belladonna said. “And I don’t expect you to believe it right away. But you asked, and we’re telling you what we have figured out.”

“So why was my name mentioned?” I asked.

Belladonna hesitated before answering me. “Cornelius somehow knows who you are. Unfortunately, we don’t know how yet. But what we do know is that Grandfather needs you for some reason. Whatever it is, it can’t be good.”

I threw my hands up in the air. “Okay,” I said. “This is crazy.”

“But it’s true,” Robert pleaded.

After examining the people again, there was only one explanation. No, it wasn’t that I was dreaming. All of these people were lunatics. “This is absolutely crazy. I shouldn’t have come.”

“Like I said,” Belladonna said. “I don’t expect you to believe this right away. I know it must be a lot to take in. I’m just answering the questions you need answering. I’m trying to help you.”

“Why would they need me?” I asked. “I’m not going to need time to believe this because I’m never going to believe this crap. Grandfather was depowered a long time ago.”

“You’re the most hard-headed kid I’ve ever met,” Edgar yelled. “I’ve never in my entire damn life.”

“Edgar!” Belladonna snapped.

He looked at her and crossed his arms at his chest. “I told you I wasn’t good with kids,” he said.

Belladonna didn’t say anything else to him. “We’re continuing to spy in order to figure out why they need you,” she said. “But it’s going to take some time.”

“As I said before, I don’t know anybody.”

“We’re trying to figure this out,” Robert said. “As soon as we do, we’re going to let you know right away.”

I drank the last of the water in my glass and scooted my chair back. It made a loud, screeching noise. I stood up. “I think it’s time for me to leave,” I said.

“Leave?” Robert asked, standing up immediately.

“You can’t leave!” Edgar said, jumping up. “It’s dangerous out there for you.”

“I don’t care about any of this,” I said. “First of all, it’s probably not true. Second of all, if it is true, I still don’t care. What does it matter to me?”

“Bah!” Edgar blurted out. “How can you sit here and say you don’t care!”

“This affects everybody,” Robert said. “You will lose everything!”

“You can’t lose anything when you have nothing,” I argued, making my way to the door.

“If you –” Edgar started, but was unable to continue.

“Quiet you two!” Belladonna yelled. I halted. Her angry tone actually frightened me. I turned around to see she, too, was standing up, glaring at Edgar and Robert. Her lips trembled. Edgar and Robert held their heads down, looking like two puppies that had been whipped by their master. “Please,” she said. They nodded slowly. She moved her eyes toward me. Her lips stopped trembling and she grinned again. Her soothing tone returned. Talk about a mood swing.

“You don’t care because you feel as if you have nothing to lose. Robert said that you would lose everything.” She glanced at Edgar and Robert.

Edgar reclaimed his seat, looking guilty. It was kind of funny to see him like that.

Belladonna continued. “You came from an orphanage so you have nothing. You feel as if you have nothing at risk to lose if Grandfather takes over.” The room was dead silent. I kept my eyes on Belladonna, ignoring Edgar and Robert. I thought about what she’d said. Wow, I couldn’t believe it.

Slowly, I told her, “It’s true. I feel that way because it’s true.”

There was an awkward moment of silence. At least it was awkward for me. I don’t know what they were thinking about, but I was a bit embarrassed talking about such personal things.

“May I ask you a question?” Belladonna asked slowly.

I nodded. Belladonna motioned to the seat I had been sitting in. I thought for a second. I couldn’t just leave because…well, for one thing I had no idea how to get back to the orphanage. I walked to her, slowly, and took a seat. She and Robert also sat down again.

“If Grandfather didn’t exist…and you were at the orphanage like normal, never having met us, where do you think you’d be in a few years?”

I gave Belladonna a puzzled look. Why was she asking that, and why did she even care? “Why?” I asked her.

“Well, if I’m not mistaking, you’re almost seventeen. You’ll be kicked out of the orphanage soon. I just want to know where you see yourself in a few years.” She ran her fingers through her red hair to remove some strands from her eyes. I thought about the question for a few seconds before answering.

“Nowhere,” I finally said. Edgar and Robert looked puzzled.

“What do you mean?” Edgar asked. “How can you –”

“Edgar,” Belladonna said quietly. “Please.”

He obeyed her. Man, I was enjoying seeing him like that.

“I don’t see myself anywhere,” I repeated.

“Edgar,” Belladonna started. “Robert. You two will never understand what it’s like to come from an orphanage these days. Children who stay in these orphanages have nobody: no family, nobody. They can stay until they’re seventeen. Then they’re kicked out to go . . . to go where?”

Edgar and Robert stayed silent. Edgar glanced at me and then back at Belladonna. Robert kept his eyes on the table.

“To go nowhere,” I replied.

“Nowhere,” Belladonna repeated, shaking her head with disappointment. “You see, Carsyn. I understand. You feel as if you’ll be like every other orphan out there. They go their entire childhood, stuck in a terrible orphanage, not knowing anybody from the outside. Then they’re forced to leave at seventeen with nowhere to go but the streets. The system is far from perfect.”

I nodded my head. She had nailed it on the spot. I’d seen it many times. When I’d go outside the orphanage, I would sometimes see a familiar face begging for bitcoin . . . a familiar face of somebody who used to be in the orphanage. I remembered one of the older guys who actually defended me when I was seven. Three kids had been picking on me, making fun of my hair. Jim fought all three of them off. Of course he got in some big trouble and wasn’t allowed to do anything for a few weeks. But he still defended me. I remembered that I was going to try and make friends with him since he seemed like the only one that mattered. But a few days later, he turned seventeen and was kicked out. It was only a year later when I heard some of the older guys talking about how they saw him lying dead on the street.

“Carsyn,” Belladonna said quietly and slowly. “You feel as if you have no future. That’s why you don’t care.”

I said nothing. I had never talked to anybody about it. I certainly wouldn’t have talked to the houseladies about it. I didn’t even think about it. I forced the thought out of my mind and told myself to worry about it when that time came.

“You can’t think that way, Carsyn,” Belladonna said. “I understand why you would. I did the same thing when I was in my orphanage.”

Man, I still couldn’t believe that she was an orphan. I tried to picture her living in some old building, cramped up with a bunch of poor, deprived girls. I tried imagining her on the streets, but I couldn’t do that either, just as I couldn’t picture Edgar in a suit. She was too beautiful and dressed too nicely to have been from the streets.

“I was kicked out at seventeen and lived on the streets for about a year.”

“You?” I asked, still in disbelief. I looked at Edgar and Robert. They listened to her but didn’t seem as shocked as I was. I assumed they already knew.

“Yes,” Belladonna said. “Every orphan had the same future of ending up on the streets. But one day, I decided I was going to change that.”

“That easy?” I asked.

“Easy?” she asked, quietly chuckling. “Not at all. I mean, we have nothing when we’re kicked out. Nothing. It was hard getting myself to believe that I even had a chance.”

I looked at her appearance again. “You don’t look like you were an orphan,” I told her.

“Everyone has potential, Carsyn. But not everyone can get there. You have to want it badly.” She extended an arm and opened her hand, revealing a silver key. “Hold it.”

I did so. “What is this for?” I asked, examining it. It was cold and dirty. The end of it was bent pretty badly. I wondered if the old key would even work again.

“I was given this on my first day of work,” she said. “Some rich man built his stables outside of the wall.”

“Why out here?” I asked. “I didn’t think they liked to do much outside of the wall.”

“I don’t know,” Belladonna answered. “But he gave me the key to the stables so I could take care of his horses.” She reached for the key again. I handed it back to her.” This key is where it all started for me,’ she said.

I was silent for a few seconds. Edgar and Robert were staring at me. It was weird. I didn’t want to be looked at. I glanced back at Belladonna, trying to ignore them. “I wouldn’t even know where to start,” I told her. I thought of the day I’d be kicked out. I knew nobody from the city. I’d be lost right away, not knowing where to start. I would end up like Jim.

“The starting point is right here in front of you,” she said, standing up. She walked to my side, appearing as if she was gliding. She placed a hand on my shoulder. “Your key is right here. Of course it’s your choice whether you stay or not. You can choose to believe or not believe in Grandfather. You can choose to believe that you’re not in danger. But believe that the three of us can help you get to where you want to be. I know you have a future, and I know you have it in you to do anything you set your mind to.”

The only thing that was going through my mind was if any of it was true. Could these people really help me stay off of the streets after I was kicked out? I tried to picture what my future could be if they were telling the truth, but nothing came to mind. It was really strange. I guess I’d never thought about what I would like to do with my life. How could these lunatics help me? I actually believed Belladonna. Sure, I only knew her for a few minutes, but I believed her. “I don’t even know what I want to do,” I confessed.

“Not everyone knows what they want to do,” she said. “That’s something you have to figure out on your own. It may take time, yes. But that time will be well worth it.”

I nodded at Belladonna. Perhaps she was right.

“I’ll never understand,” Edgar said. For the first time since I had met him, he didn’t sound like his usual angry self. He continued. “I’ll never understand what it feels like to be an orphan . . . to feel like ya have no future. I know you’re not completely with us on Grandfather’s return. Definitely know that you have lots of questions. Figured that out on our way over here.”

I snickered.

“But if you decide to stay here, we can answer those questions for you. We can keep you safe, and you can see for yourself whether or not we’re right.”

“And more importantly,” Belladonna said. “We can help you stay off the streets.”

Robert wouldn’t take his eyes off of me, waiting for an answer. It was kind of annoying. Edgar still looked like a sad puppy. But not a cute one. Definitely not a cute one.

Belladonna moved away from my side and sat back down. “This is your decision,” she said. “We have connections and Edgar has plenty of bitcoin from his investments. We can help you.”

I pictured myself going back to the orphanage. By the time I would make it back, it would be late. Who knew what the houseladies would say or make me do. I could try telling the houseladies where I was, but they wouldn’t believe me. They would probably laugh at me and make me complete my chores and homework. Then I’d go to bed, wake up, do more chores and homework, and then go to bed again. My days would be the same until I turned seventeen and was kicked out. I had no doubt I’d end up on the streets. I’d probably starve or freeze to death within the year. Many died that way. There was no way I could do that.

Belladonna beamed at me, waiting for an answer. I still couldn’t believe she had been an orphan. She knew exactly what I was going through. I had never talked to anybody like that. I didn’t even talk to the other orphans about it, even though they were to meet the same fate as me.

“Like I said,” I started slowly, still getting my mind wrapped around things. “I don’t really think Grandfather has returned. I don’t understand why you guys think I’m in danger. I’m still confused as to how you know my name. But I do know that I don’t want to go back to that orphanage.” Belladonna nodded in satisfaction. “I don’t know if you can actually help me, but I have to take a chance. I’ll stay.”

Edgar leaned over and patted me on the shoulder. “Glad to hear it,” he said. “All questions will get answered. You’ll learn what we’re all about.”

“But there’s something else I want,” I said.

They all went silent. “You name it and we’ll try our best,” Belladonna said.

“You say that you go out on missions or something, trying to get information?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Edgar replied.

“And you said they need me.”

“That’s right,” Edgar said, his eyes brimmed with curiosity.

“On the off chance that somebody actually needs me for whatever reason, I want to go with you guys to hear the information myself . . . my own eyes and ears. I want to learn for myself if and why I’m in danger.”

Edgar didn’t like the idea at all. Robert didn’t either. They immediately started arguing with me, spit flying from Edgar’s mouth, Robert waving his arms all about.

“Too dangerous,” Edgar snapped. “Terrible idea.”

“Then I’m not staying,” I snapped back, standing up. “I need to hear this stuff for myself so that I can make my own opinion.”

“Edgar’s right,” Robert said. “It’s too dangerous. Who knows why Grandfather wants you. If you could help him somehow…we can’t risk it.”

Edgar looked at Belladonna for help. But she didn’t give him any. She didn’t seem bothered by my request. She said, “Okay.” Simple as that.

Edgar and Robert were dumbfounded.

“If he wants to go, let him go,” she continued. “We’ll just be extra careful.”

“Belladonna,” Edgar and Robert pleaded together.

“It’s too dangerous!” Robert yelled.

“We want him to understand Grandfather,” she started. “The best way to do that isn’t to hear it from other people, but hear it or see it for yourself, just as he said.”

I nodded. “I need to do this,” I said. “I can’t just stay here listening to you talk about this Grand Imperial and how he wants me. I can’t just believe something that big, especially when I don’t know you guys. If I’m staying here, I’m gonna see for myself.”

Edgar and Robert said nothing. Edgar threw a hand into the air in defeat “Okay,” he said. “But you’re going to be careful and do everything we tell you.”

“Fine,” I said to Belladonna.

“He’s curious,” she said. “I was like that too.”

I don’t know if it was curiosity. I did know that it was worth a shot. And I was no longer afraid of them. Sure, they were odd. I had no idea who they were and what they were about. They were living underground! They were definitely an odd group. But if they meant me harm, I think they would have already made their move; unless for some reason they were making me wait. I didn’t think that was the case.

“Yeah, yeah,” Edgar said. “Take him to his damn room. I’m sure he’s tired as hell.”

Belladonna agreed. “We have several people hiding here with us,” she said. “You’ll meet others.

“There are others?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yeah,” Edgar said, still annoyed. “Don’t think there are other orphans. But we got other people who will help us fight the Grand Imperial and his followers.

“Can we just quit this Grandfather talk?” I asked, getting really annoyed.

Edgar shrugged his shoulders. Robert nodded.

“We have a room waiting for you,” Belladonna said.

I nodded. “I would like to think everything through.” I mainly just wanted to get away from them.

“I understand,” Belladonna said, taking out a flashlight and turning it on. “Come.”

I followed Belladonna out of the room, to the left, and down the hall. It seemed as if the underground facility was made up of mostly tunnels. Occasionally, we would pass up an old wooden door. They also seemed as if they hadn’t been touched for quite some time. Rust built up all around the doorknobs. I wondered if they would even open if I tried. We turned a corner and Belladonna led me down another tunnel.

“I found this place a couple of years ago,” She said.

“What is this place?” I asked.

“Well, we think it was used as a shelter during World War II.”

Whoa. Nobody knew about World War II. Heck, nobody knew anything about what came before the 2nd civil war.

“Wow,” I said. “Then it’s ancient.”

“Yeah,” she said. “I don’t think anybody else knows about it. If so, they would have likely found it by now.”

“Yeah,” I agreed.

As we walked down the hall, the floors began to look cleaner. I didn’t see mold or rust anywhere. It even started to smell fresher. We turned yet another corner, entering another hall. This one was much different than the others. There was a line of torches on each wall lighting the way. Belladonna turned the flashlight off.

Up ahead I saw two people walking in the same direction as us. They stopped at a door, opened it, and disappeared. “That’s where you’ll go to eat,” Belladonna told me.

“How do you get food down here?” I asked. What I wanted to know was whether or not they had to carry everything down that ladder.

“That’s something Edgar figured out. Usually, when we need something, Edgar will make the purchases from a friend of his. They’ll park a truck on an old dirt road nearby and we’ll get everybody down here to run out and help carry it in.

“But how do they get it inside?”

“Oh,” Belladonna said. “There’s another entrance leading straight to our dining hall.”

“No ladder?” I asked. I mean, how else were they going to get underground?

“No ladder,” she responded.

Hmm. That was odd. I guessed I would learn soon enough.

“I’m sorry to say that the food’s not that great…especially with the whole food shortage everyone seems to be ignoring. But it’ll get us through until things get worked out.”

I thought back to the food at the orphanage. We ate mostly sandwiches and cheap frozen foods. They hardly ever cooked for us. Even if Edgar could only get food like that, I would’ve been happier – because I wasn’t at the orphanage.

“Here’s your room,” Belladonna said, stopping in front of an old door. She opened it for me. I walked into a small room with a twin-sized bed in one corner, a small dresser beside it, an old chair in one corner, a clock above the bed, and a small closet.

“I’m sorry it’s not much,” Belladonna said.

“It’s great,” I said, smiling and truly meaning it. At the orphanage, I slept in a room three times that size, and all the guys had to sleep in that same room, each of us sharing a bunk bed with somebody. Having my own room was so surreal to me. Nobody watching me, nobody snoring, nobody crying, no worrying about bullies harassing or waking me up . . . it was perfect. For once in my life, I was going to have privacy. This was turning out to be a great idea. All I had to do was ignore these Grandfather-obsessed lunatics.

“I suppose it’s better than the orphanage,” Belladonna said, reading my thoughts.

“Oh, definitely,” I told her. “It really is.”

“We’ll see what kind of clothes we can find you later. Dinner is always at six for everybody. I’m sure Edgar will stop by to get you for that.”

“Him?” I groaned, not meaning to.

Belladonna chuckled. “He can be different. He’s helping me a whole lot, so I’ve learned to overlook it.”

“I suppose,” I said, not looking forward to seeing the lunatic so soon. Perhaps, now that I had my own room, I would lock the door and just not answer it when he came.

Apparently, they had a bunch of clothes stored. So, Belladonna asked me for my pant and shirt size. She left, and I closed the door, turning around to look at my room. My room. Now that was something I could get used to.

The first thing I did was throw myself onto the bed. Any other may have found it too rough, but it was perfect for me. I cuddled under the blanket that was actually big enough for me. Then, I kind of ruined the moment by thinking about everything I’d been told. I still thought these were some pretty crazy people. I was pretty sure they were wrong about everything. And I didn’t know where they were getting the information about “Grandfather” knowing who I was. But then again, Edgar knew my name. Were they right? Gosh, I didn’t know what to think. My mind was starting to feel a little stretched. But I guessed nothing mattered as long as they were making me happy with my own room. It definitely didn’t matter if staying would keep me off of the streets.

Chapter Three

I heard a loud bang. At first, I thought I was dreaming. I then realized it was the door. I opened my eyes, knowing exactly who it was. Belladonna had warned me. “Open this damn door,” Edgar yelled from behind it. “Or no food.”

Great. Edgar was back to his usual self.

It was dinner time. I actually contemplated staying in bed and ignoring him. That would’ve made him angry. But I had to admit that I was pretty hungry. If not now, I wouldn’t be able to eat until morning, so I forced myself out of bed and dragged myself to the door.

“Okay,” I said as soon as I opened the door.

“About damn time,” Edgar said. “Don’t want ya to go hungry. Let’s go.”

Edgar led me down the hall. There were others leaving their rooms, probably headed for the dining hall as well. I watched them as Edgar talked about where the restrooms were and how most of the doors were rooms just like mine. He also mentioned that I’d soon be given some clothes.

These other people I saw looked rather average with their plain clothing. They didn’t look like they belonged within the wall or outside. More importantly, they looked happy, unlike the people I was used to seeing around the orphanage. Why were they so happy? I mean, they lived under the freaking ground.

Edgar led me through some double doors at the end of the hall, and we entered a large room where there were about thirty old, round wooden tables, each accompanied by six chairs, also made out of old wood. Splinters poked out everywhere, so I had to be careful.

On the other end of the room was a small line of people, which started at a long table. Two ladies and two guys helped prepare sandwiches for people. Beside the long table was a large bucket of water. I watched as an older lady dipped her cup inside and take a sip. This was definitely no luxury dining experience. In fact, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the food was worse than the orphanage’s. But hey, I was still better off.

“Not much,” Edgar commented, leading me toward the table. “But it gets us by.”

Edgar led me past those waiting in line and straight to the table where the food was being served. “Wouldn’t do this normally, Linda,” Edgar told one of the older ladies serving the people. She had a lot of wrinkles and short silver hair. I’d say she was about sixty. She wore a white sweater and jeans. She looked average, just like everybody else. And she even seemed pretty happy.

“Oh, Edgar,” Linda said, handing us a ham sandwich and an apple on an old plastic tray. “You’re the one who gets us all of this.”

“Ah,” Edgar said, dipping a cup in the water bowl.

I did the same thing. I wondered if it was sanitary. No. There was just no way. Hopefully it wouldn’t make me sick.

“That may be, Linda, but I won’t take advantage of that.”

“Which is why we love you,” Linda flirted. Again, I was in disbelief. She seemed to actually like Edgar. What did she see in him? He even smiled at her. It was as if he was a completely different person. I supposed he just didn’t care for me too much. Oh well.

“Yeah, yeah,” Edgar said. “I’ll see ya around, I’m sure.” Linda nodded as she helped the next person in line. Edgar walked slowly, inspecting every table. Nearly every one of them was occupied. But a few were empty. “There she is,” I heard him whisper. I followed him to a table where a lady in her forties sat. Beside her was a girl around my age. They both had long, wavy brunette hair and blue eyes. The older lady was dressed in a bright yellow short-sleeve shirt and jeans. She was pretty, but I had to admit that she was nowhere as pretty as Belladonna. The younger girl wore jeans also. It seemed to be pretty common underground. Her shirt was maroon. Both of them had fair skin. They were both attractive.

“Who is that?” I asked Edgar quietly, but he ignored me, leading me all the way to them.

“How ya doing, Mae,” Edgar asked when we reached the table.

Mae looked up and grinned, revealing her dimples. “Oh, good, Edgar,” she said in an extremely cheerful tone. “Just been helping out Dr. Mac as usual,” she told him. When her eyes landed on me, that smile grew even wider. I honestly didn’t think that was possible “Well, you must be Carsyn,” she said. Once again, some random person knew my name.

“Yeah,” Edgar said. “But watch out. He’s got a lot of questions and he’ll give you one hell of a time.”

Mae snickered. “I’m Maebelle, but everybody calls me Mae.” She then pointed at the girl sitting next to her. “This is my daughter, Marley.” Marley looked at me, her mouth wide open. She couldn’t take her eyes off me. It was actually really awkward.

“Hi,” Marley said slowly. Mae nudged her in the arm. Marley quickly closed her mouth and smiled, revealing dimples just like her mother’s. They were both way too happy-looking. Something told me that was going to get annoying. Quick.

“Hi,” I said quietly. I honestly didn’t have much more to say.

Edgar sat down, so I did too. We ate as he and Mae talked about the Dr. Mac guy Mae had mentioned. He was apparently the only doctor in the underground facility. He, like Edgar, was pretty rich, and Mae made him out to be one of the greatest doctors out there. I, of course, didn’t know if that was true. “He’s gone to get more medicine,” Mae told Edgar. “Left this morning. Roselyn still has the flu, but she’ll be perfectly fine.”

Marley focused primarily on her food, not saying a word. I guess I couldn’t really judge since I kept quiet too. I tuned out of Edgar’s and Mae’s conversation to focus on my sandwich and the other people eating around me. The sandwich actually wasn’t that bad. I wondered if it was because I was just so hungry. And the water . . . it didn’t taste bad. I figured it was safe, or at least I hoped so.

Watching the people was interesting. They talked and laughed with one other. Actually, that was really all you could hear in the room: talking and laughter. They really seemed to like it there. They were so . . . normal-looking! I wondered who they were before discovering the underground community. Were they poor, or were they rich like Edgar?

I tuned back to the goings-on of my own table to see that Edgar and Mae had stood up. Leaving their unfinished food on the table, and without saying anything, they left. What were they doing? Edgar was just going to leave me there alone. I sure did wish I’d been paying attention rather than looking at everybody else. Was I supposed to go with them?

“They’ll be back,” Marley said, responding to my looks of confusion. “They’re just going to ask Andria how Roselyn’s doing.” I followed Marley’s finger to a table occupied by several ladies, all laughing with one another. Edgar and Mae went to one woman in particular. I assumed that was Andria. I was too far away to hear what they were saying, but they didn’t seem too worried.

Andria looked like she was Mae’s age. And not to be mean or anything, but she didn’t look nearly as good as Mae. But she did look happy like everybody else.

“Oh,” I said, twisting my body back around.

“Yeah,” Marley said. A few awkward seconds of silence passed. “You like it here so far?”

I waited to swallow the last of my sandwich before answering. “I’ve not been here long.”

“You’ll love it,” she said excitingly.

There was another pause of silence.

“How old are you?” she asked.

“Sixteen,” I replied, taking my apple from the tray.

Marley took a sip of water. “I just turned sixteen,” she said. “And Ashton is your age, too.”

I think she was waiting for me to ask who Ashton was. I nodded, pretending to be interested. I honestly just wanted her to leave me alone. I wasn’t sure if Edgar needed me for anything else that night. If I knew he didn’t, then I would’ve left to take another nap.

“Me, you and Ashton are the only teenagers in here,” Marley said once it was obvious that I wasn’t going to say anything to keep the conversation going. “Then there’s four other kids, all under ten. One of them is just a toddler. He’s so cute.”

I nodded.

I could feel Marley’s eyes watching me. She probably thought I was kind of rude, but I didn’t care. “You don’t talk much, do you?” she finally asked.

“Not really,” I said.

She didn’t say anything else. I was thankful. There was nothing wrong with her. I just wanted to be left alone.

Eventually, Edgar and Mae came back to the table to finish their sandwich and apple. They continued talking about getting new supplies and how they were worried about the food shortage. And, of course, Grandfather came up, briefly.

“Belladonna mentioned there will be a new report soon.” Mae said.

“Yeah,” Edgar said. “We’re pretty sure it’s just about the tracking law. People been questioning it, so I imagine he’s gonna make something up about it, just to get people feelin’ better.”

“Yeah,” Mae said. She looked at me. “I’m assuming they told you everything?”

“Yeah,” Edgar answered before I could swallow a bite of my apple to answer for myself. “He’s havin’ a bit of a hard time believing it all.”

“Well, I do imagine it’s hard to grasp at first,” Mae said, smiling at me. “But you’ll be able to understand soon enough.”

I said nothing. I’m just glad she didn’t try to force the idea on me like Edgar and Robert had been doing.

She kept on. “Have you had time to explore the place?” she asked, sounding as if the underground facility was some sublime paradise.

“I’ve not had time,” was my simple answer.

“Basically just got here,” Edgar said. “Might be a good idea to check everything out, though,” he continued, finishing off his sandwich. He picked up the apple, tossed it a few inches in the air, and caught it.

“With all these tunnels, it’s like an adventure,” Mae said, snickering. “I think everybody needs an adventure every now and then. Makes life exciting!”

I didn’t respond.

“Maybe Marley here can give you a bit of a tour,” Edgar said.

Marley smiled but didn’t look at me. She probably knew I wouldn’t like the idea. I was pretty sure I got the point across that I wanted to be left alone.

“That’s a great idea!” Mae said. “There are only two others your age down here. You might as well get to know them.” I remembered the Ashton guy Marley had mentioned.

“I guess,” I said.

Edgar looked at me and frowned. “You guess?” he said.

“Don’t sound so down about it,” Mae said. “You probably just need to get some rest before the tour. We’ll give him a few days.”

“Should be good by then,” Edgar said.

Um, no. I wasn’t going to be good by then. I wasn’t going to ever be good.

“And, like I said, you never know what there is to discover down here,” Mae said. “Certainly could be fun.”

After another thirty minutes sitting at the table, awkwardly, just listening to the boring conversation about Edgar’s and Mae’s high hopes to expose Grandfather soon, I left to be alone in my room. When I got to my bed, I found the clothes Belladonna and Edgar had mentioned. There were a few pairs of jeans close in my size and several shirts and sweaters. I still don’t know who brought them, but I was thankful. Who knew people living underground would have decent clothing.

I basically stayed locked up in my room for the next few days. I’d usually wake up pretty late because I never got the chance to do so at the orphanage. That meant I didn’t make it to breakfast. But I did make it to lunch and dinner. I tried to sit by myself, but that didn’t always go as planned. Edgar would sometimes find me, and he’d have me sit with him, Mae, and Marley. Other times, they would join me.

I continued not saying much to anybody. I did, however, ask Edgar when I was going to be able to go with him on one of their missions or whatever they called them. He still wasn’t happy about me participating but assured me that they would let me know when that time came. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was lying to me. I’d have to bring it up to Belladonna at some point.

And speaking of Belladonna, I hadn’t seen her at all those past few days. She didn’t even come out to eat, so where was she getting food? I asked Edgar where she was, and he told me she did things best when kept to herself. I didn’t blame her.

Then, one day, I was just lying in my room, actually reading a random book I had found about a boy and his dog. I remembered seeing a copy of it at the orphanage, but I never picked it up. A knock came at the door. I assumed it was Edgar and hoped he was ready to take me with him and Belladonna. I opened up the door to find Marley and Belladonna standing next to each other.

“I hope you’ve been adjusting nicely,” Belladonna said with a bright tone.

“Oh . . . yeah,” I replied, glad to finally see her. “It’s been nice to have some peace for once.”

“Orphanages can get rather loud, I understand,” she said. “I don’t remember it ever being quiet, unless everybody was sleeping.

“That didn’t happen very often,” I said.

“Well, I’m glad you don’t have to deal with any of that anymore,” she said.

“Yeah.” I looked at Marley who was, of course, smiling. She must have been trying really hard to get me to be her friend or something, and I just couldn’t figure it out, especially if she already had Ashton, whoever that was.

“It came to my attention that you still haven’t explored the place,” Belladonna said. “You know . . . it might help to get out of this old room and get to know your new, temporary home.”

I didn’t say anything. I knew exactly what Belladonna was getting at, and I was pretty sure that Edgar had put them up to it. I didn’t like it one bit.

“Marley, here, knows the place really well, so I took it upon myself to bring her here to give you the grand tour.”

I forced an obvious fake smile.

“It’ll be alright,” Belladonna said. “Now, Marley, don’t get him into any trouble or anything.”

“I’ll try not to,” she said. “But you know me.”

Belladonna chuckled and took a step back. “I’ll leave you guys alone,” she said. “Just be sure you’re in the dining room at six. Cornelius is addressing the nation then.” Marley told her she would make sure of it, and Belladonna left us alone.

“You ready?” Marley asked me.

I wanted to tell her that I wasn’t, but they were going to continue forcing it on me until I actually went with her. “I guess,” I said, shutting the door behind me and following her down the hall toward the dining hall.

“All of these doors are rooms like yours,” she was saying. She then pointed at the door I had used every day. “You know that leads to the dining hall.”

I followed her down a couple of other halls as she talked about the routine. Of course, breakfast, lunch, and dinner were always at the same times because it helped organize the small community. According to Marley, there were about 150 people in the facility, but they were planning to gather a few more, especially after the tracking law passed.

Soon, the hall grew dark as torches no longer lit up the place. Marley took out a flashlight and shined it forward. I hadn’t been paying much attention to where we were going, so I was pretty much lost. No surprise there. I started seeing grass growing between the cracks again. The place was starting to smell pretty muggy. There was obviously nothing there being used, so why had Marley led me there. And how big was this freaking place?

“This place is like a maze,” I said, more to myself.

She took it as an opportunity to have a conversation. “Yeah,” she said. “That’s what I thought at first.” She slowed down to make sure we stayed side-by-side as she talked to me. “It’s not too bad once you get to know it.”

We were silent for a while. I walked with her, wishing for the tour to be over. The silence between us became awkward. Marley eventually asked what I had seen of the underground facility.

“My room,” I told her.

She laughed. “I knooow that,” she said. “I mean anything else?”

“Nah,” I said. I thought about the first room I was in. I had completely forgotten. “I did meet Belladonna and Robert in this really nice room.”

“Yeah, it’s really nice,” she said. “I’ve only been in it once. It’s mainly where Edgar, Belladonna and Robert plan for things.”

“What do they plan?” I asked.

“That’s where they plan before any of them goes into the city to learn more about Grandfather. They talk about any problems and concerns going on with people down here and work out a way to fix them. They’re really good at it.”

She turned down a hall to the right. I forced myself to keep up beside her. It was a little difficult since I didn’t know where we were going.

After a few minutes of more silence, I figured I’d force myself to talk to her. Perhaps that would make things less awkward. “What do you think about this whole Grandfather thing?” I asked, not believing I was the one bringing it up this time. But I was curious to see if she had the same opinion as the others.

“What do you mean?” she asked, sounding shocked.

“Well,” I started. “I mean, do you believe it?”

“Do I believe it?” Marley asked loudly, as if she had never heard anybody ask such a thing.

“I mean . . .”

“Yeah I believe it,” she said.

I said nothing.

“Don’t you?” she asked.

I scratched my head, not sure if she would be mad if I said no. Perhaps that was a terrible question to ask. “I don’t really know.”

“How can you not know, Carsyn?” she asked immediately.

“I don’t know,” I repeated. Marley stopped in the middle of the hall. I did the same. Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t seem angry, really . . . just a little suspicious. Or maybe she was angry, and I just couldn’t tell. I never got the chance to talk to other girls. The houseladies were the only women I was around, and . . . well, you know how I feel about them. I wondered if all girls were like Marley.

“You can’t not know, Carsyn,” Marley said. “There has to be a reason.”

I thought for a second, making sure I didn’t say the wrong thing. “Well, I did just learn about all of this yesterday.”

“So,” she said.

Now I was getting annoyed.

“Okay. Well, Edgar tells me that something big is going to happen one day. He pretty much attacks me. Then, the president is killed. He and Belladonna then tell me that these Grandfather people and their Imperial leader dude needs me for something, which apparently means that I’m in danger.”

Marley didn’t say anything.

“That all happened within a day.”

Marley looked at the ground. Then, slowly, she started walking again. If I had known how to get back, I probably would have left. But I didn’t. I was lost. I walked with her.

“I guess I didn’t think about it like that,” she said. “Sorry.”

“I’ve not seen proof,” I said. “I’ve not had time to see proof yet. The only thing I have is that Edgar knew my name, and he said that something huge would happen the night the president was killed.”

I had been talking to Marley to try and take away some of the awkwardness, but if there was one thing I did, it was make things more awkward. Oh well. I wasn’t exactly taught how to communicate with people. That could’ve been my fault too since I didn’t even try.

“Sorry,” she said. “I get carried away sometimes.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I just want to see for myself and find out on my own. Nobody but Belladonna seems to understand that.”

“I understand,” Marley said.

I wasn’t sure if she actually did or if she was just saying that to make me feel better. Either way, we didn’t say much more during the next few minutes.

It was pretty obvious that there was nothing but tunnels ahead. I knew people didn’t sleep this deep inside. There was absolutely nothing but darkness, except for the little bit of light coming from Marley’s flashlight.

“So where are you taking me?” I asked, a little bit worried.

“The coolest place ever,” she answered, excitedly. “I actually don’t think we’re supposed to be there, but I don’t really care.”

Whoa. I definitely didn’t get the vibe that Marley was a rule breaker. “What happens if we get caught?” I remembered what Belladonna had told her. If there was one thing I didn’t want to do, it was to mess things up with Belladonna. She was the only person I actually liked.

Marley laughed. “They won’t do anything unless we do something really bad. Like leave this place for a few hours.”

“Oh,” I said. I assumed Marley knew best since she had been there longer than me.

“We’re almost there,” she said. “Come on,” she stopped in front of an old door. “The good thing is that nobody ever comes this deep inside because there’s nothing here for them.

“So nobody knows about this place you’re taking me?”

“Nope,” Marley said. “I don’t think so. Only me and Ashton.”

I still hadn’t seen who this Ashton kid was. I didn’t even see him during lunch or dinner. What was he like?

“You’ll meet him tomorrow,” Marley said, as if reading my mind.

I hate when people do that.

“He went with Dr. Mac to get some more medicine. About once a month, Dr. Mac meets some friend of his outside the wall. Ashton likes to go. ” Marley opened the door, which caused a loud screeching noise to echo throughout the entire hall.

I glanced around, wondering if anybody would be able to hear it. She didn’t seem worried. “Come on,” she said, shining the flashlight inside. I followed her.

Once inside, Marley shined the flashlight all around, allowing me to get a look at the entire place. It wasn’t a large room at all . . . probably half the size of my room. Mold grew on the walls, which couldn’t be safe. The air had a musky smell, which wasn’t pleasant. Was this the big surprise? Wow, this girl had been stuck underground for way too long.

That’s when I noticed a ladder in one corner leading straight up to the ceiling.

Great. I was already tired of ladders.

Marley walked to it. I took a closer look at the ceiling where the ladder ended. I saw a small crack forming a square. I knew at once that it had to be another trap door. Maybe the room wasn’t the finale.

“You hold this,” Marley said, handing me the flashlight. “I’ll go up first to open the door since I’ve been here before.”

I stood still, shining the flashlight at the door. Marley climbed the ladder slowly. She reached the top, and with one hand, she pushed the trap door open. Sunlight burst through the hole, lighting up the entire room.

I turned away to keep my eyes from burning too badly. Once they adjusted, I turned around and looked up, seeing blue skies. Sunlight. I turned the flashlight off as Marley crawled out of the room.

“Hurry up,” She said. “You’re going to love this.”

Was it safe? Marley had been up there before, so I trusted her, which was weird since I didn’t know her that well. I put the flashlight in my pocket and slowly climbed the ladder. It may have taken me longer to get to the top than Marley, but I eventually made it. I pulled myself out of the ground to find myself at the edge of a small grass area surrounded by trees. It was like a perfect circle.

“You’ve never really seen the city, right?” Marley asked. She stood at the edge of a cliff.

What I saw past her was absolutely astonishing. I had never seen anything like it. In the far distance was a skyline made up of hundreds of tall buildings behind the tall wall, each ranging from fifty to over a hundred stories high. The tallest one seemed to be directly in the middle. The city had to be a several miles wide. And hugging it tightly, of course, was the gray wall. I had lived right outside of the wall my entire life and never really knew how big it was. I knew it was extremely tall. But seeing it from a distance was amazing.

I didn’t even think there were that many skyscrapers left in the United Regions. I had read about them and how most of them were destroyed during the 2nd civil war.

The site was just spectacular. Until I remembered what it all stood for. I’d heard protests about the separation and those inside all the time. None of my kind liked them.

I walked to Marley’s side and looked down. The ledge wasn’t too high up, but high enough to break several bones if one was to fall off. I made a mental note to not get too close.

“Bet you didn’t know we were this high up, did you?” Marley asked.

I shook my ahead. We were actually very high up. From the orphanage, the mountain was always visible in the distance. There I was on that very landmark. I gazed at the city and the wall completely circling it. Wow.

“I was bored one day,” Marley said. “People were arguing about what we should all do about Grandfather. You’ll learn to get tired of hearing about that here.”

“It seemed to me that you felt strongly about Grandfather and everything,” I told her, remembering her reaction earlier.

“I believe they’re secretly gaining power, but I still get tired of it.” I watched as a square aircraft glided over the city. I would see them sometimes fly above the orphanage. I never knew what they were doing.

“So they mention it that often?” I asked as the aircraft lowered out of site.

“Yeah,” Marley said. “I believe they exist, but I don’t want to hear about it constantly. Sometimes, I just want me and momma to live normal lives.”

I nodded, actually understanding. I wished for a normal life too. But I never had one and wasn’t getting one.

Marley continued. “I guess normal is too much to ask for when you’re living inside of a mountain.”

I snickered. “That would make it difficult,” I said. “But hey, at least you have your mom.”

She somehow took that the wrong way. “Oh,” she said quickly. “I’m sorry . . . I didn’t mean to . . .”

“It’s okay,” I told her, knowing exactly why she was freaking out. “I accept that I’m an orphan. I was just saying, it’s cool that during all of this, you and your mom are together.”

Marley still had an apologetic look on her face. She looked back at the city. She sat down on the edge of the cliff and let her feet dangle over. I, slowly and cautiously, did the same. “And all of that is controlled by Grandfather,” she said. “People just don’t know it yet.”

I didn’t say anything.

Marley noticed my silence and said, “Well, at least that’s what us ‘believers’ think.”

“I’m not judging,” I said, smiling. “Just need some time to get things straight.”

“Yeah, and I understand.” She said. Once again, I wasn’t sure if she actually did or was just saying that.

I imagined what it would be like to live within the wall. I pictured all the men dressed in suits like Robert’s, and beautiful women like Belladonna. Again, my eye caught the tallest building in the center. “Is that where the president stays?” I asked. “The tallest one?”

“I don’t know,” Marley said. “But if I was the president, I’d want to live far away from the city but still be close enough to get to it pretty quickly.”

“Like here?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Marley answered. “Like here.”

“This is the first time I’ve been to a place like this,” I said, looking up. “Even the sky looks different.” In the distance, behind the city, the sun began to disappear behind the skyscrapers.

“I think so too,” Marley said. “I figured you would like to see this more than the other things below. There’s not really anything down there. Momma made it sound like it was heaven on Earth.”

I laughed. “She seems nice.”

“Oh she’s great,” Marley said. “She’s my mom and my best friend. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

“She seems to get along with Edgar really good, too,” I said.

Marley snickered. “Yeah, they get along really well.” Marley looked at the sun and stood up. “I wish we could stay longer,” she said. “But the new president should be making his address soon. We should probably find Edgar and Momma.”

I stood and followed Marley back to the hole in the ground. I glanced at the city once more.

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring you back,” Marley said. “Tomorrow, Ashton gets back. We can all come here. Just please don’t tell anybody. Not even Momma or Edgar. They’d say it was dangerous.”

Well, Marley certainly didn’t have to worry about that. I didn’t plan on having a conversation with many people. I definitely wasn’t going to confide in Edgar about anything.

“Just curious,” I said as I found a step on the ladder with my feet. “You barely know me. Why did you bring me here? Why do you trust me?”

Marley looked at me and back at the city skyline. “I don’t know,” she said, looking back at me. That’s all she said.

“I won’t tell,” I told her again, climbing down the ladder. When I reached the bottom, I took out the flashlight and turned it on before Marley slammed the trap door shut, leaving us in darkness again.

I definitely didn’t remember the way back, so I just followed Marley again. I tried remembering the turns in case I wanted to come back alone, but after a while I realized it was impossible. I supposed it would just take a little time and a few more trips. A few more trips meant that I’d have to go with Marley again, which I guessed was okay. While I still wanted to be left alone, she didn’t annoy me… yet. As long as she wasn’t knocking on my door every day, I was good.

Chapter Four

Marley and I eventually found ourselves in the dining room sitting with Mae and Edgar. Everybody was there for President Cornelius’s address. Mae asked how I liked the place after touring it. I told her it was pretty cool, sure not to mention the place on the hill, just as Marley had asked.

Belladonna walked in carrying what seemed to be an old radio. Edgar at once stood up and joined her at the front of the room.

“This could be big,” Mae exclaimed. “I sure hope it doesn’t pass, but who knows what Cornelius’s councilmen will do.”

“It’s going to happen at some point,” Marley said. “Might as well be now.”

Mae didn’t seem too happy. “Perhaps,” she said. “It would be nice to have more time to plan what we’re going to do. But I trust everything will work out in the end.”

Music suddenly sounded throughout the dining hall. “I love this song!” Mae yelled so loudly I nearly fell out of my chair. Her fingers snapped to the beat. I had never heard the song, so I assumed it was quite old. Mae seemed disappointed when Belladonna changed the station with a turn of a knob.

Belladonna stopped at a particular station where two newscasters were discussing the upcoming address. “We can expect it to go either way,” she was saying. “Many feel that the Bill of Border Control will not be considered after President Marx’s death.”

“It all depends if President Cornelius wishes to follow in those footsteps,” the man added.

The lady reporter went on talking about how people were still iffy with the ‘tracking law.’ It was all pretty boring, but everybody in the room seemed interested. I kind of just wanted to go to my room. But I’m sure Edgar would never let me hear the end of it. And I admit, I was a bit curious as to what was going on.

The woman was talking about how the family was mourning the president’s death when she stopped in mid-sentence. “And it seems like the president is ready. Let’s see what he has to say.”

There was a pause. Not one sound came from the radio but a steady buzzing noise. The entire dining hall was silent. People were fidgeting and others were leaning out of their seats toward the radio, as if getting a few inches closer was going to speed everything up. Finally, after a few moments passed, a strong, deep voice spoke.

“Good evening,” President Cornelius said slowly. I tried picturing what he looked like. I imagined a pretty stout guy because of the deep tone of his voice. Everybody’s eyes were glued to the radio, as if waiting for it to actually jump up and do something. These people knew President Cornelius as the Grand Imperial. For all I knew, he was just a normal man.

“My friend’s death – your president’s – has affected us all,” he started, still speaking slowly, as if searching for the right words. “We all knew him as a man – a citizen – just like each and every one of us. He would do anything in his power to make this country a better place. And he has not disappointed. I’d say he very was successful.” The voice paused.

Mae and Marley were just like everybody else, watching the radio closely. Marley did glance at me, grin, and quickly turned her attention back to the radio.

“I understand that The Bill of Border Control is not popular among many of you. President Marx understood this as well. I want to use my time today to reassure everyone that the bill will, indeed, help this country move forward – something President Marx would have wanted.”

“Yeah right,” A man sitting at the next table said. Everyone ignored him. I looked back at the radio.

“The good news is that we’ve caught the killer. He will be tried, and he will receive an appropriate punishment.” Cornelius paused again, as if allowing his audience to take in the information. “This killer was from a different region! This is another example in which somebody has traveled from one region to another to commit a crime. Usually they aren’t caught. But under these extreme circumstances, we were able to use more resources than usual in order to find the murderer.”

“Oh, he’s good,” Mae whispered. She had a sobering look on her face. “He knows what he’s doing.”

I didn’t know what Mae was talking about. So I asked “What’s he doing?”

“He’s pretending somebody from another region killed the president when he had it done himself,” Mae answered quickly, not looking away from the radio. “Somebody from another region killing the beloved president sure does make the tracking law look good, wouldn’t you say?”

I didn’t ask any more questions. I turned my attention to the radio again.

“The Bill of Border Control can help prevent this! And it will go into effect within the next couple of weeks. This bill will act as a way to avenge President Marx’s death. It’s time we took the next step in making this country a safer place. Thank you, nation. I hope you will stand beside me in making President Marx’s dream come true.”

Well, that was a quick address. But it apparently meant the world to everybody in the room. Everybody in the dining hall erupted in conversation, discussing what was said.

“I suppose it’s official now,” Mae said, having to raise her voice over the commotion.

“I wonder what others are thinking,” Marley said. “You think they’ll fall for it?”

“It’s hard to say,” Mae said. “He does sound charming. A lot of people will stand by him just because of that.”

At the front of the dining hall, Belladonna and Edgar were engaged in some serious conversation. I wondered if they were planning their next move. Perhaps they would soon so I could go with them to see what this whole Grandfather thing was about and how I was involved. President Cornelius just sounded like a man who was dealing with the loss of his friend and truly wanted to protect the people of the regions. There was a good chance that’s all he was trying to do. He probably wasn’t the Grand Imperial.

After a while, Belladonna and Edgar came to our table. “. . . Nothing we can do,” Edgar was telling her.

“We’ll figure something out,” Belladonna said.

They both took a seat across from me. “Many will support the law,” Edgar went on. “Too many damn naïve people in this world.”

“That’s something that’ll never change,” Belladonna said. “All we can do is hope they don’t.”

Mae frowned. “Well, isn’t that just wasting time? We know most people are going to fall for it.”

“These damn people within the wall have their heads up their asses,” Edgar said angrily. “And I’d be damn if those outside of the wall just don’t care either way.” Edgar looked at me.

I knew I was one of those people, and it killed Edgar. What killed him even more was that he knew there were a lot more like me.

“Patience,” Belladonna said quietly. “Yes, people in this world are naïve. Some of them also tend to lack patience.”

“It’s easy to lose patience when you’re running out of time,” Edgar snapped, his face getting a bit red.

Belladonna didn’t appear offended. She actually seemed amused. “Well, Edgar, if you only knew how patient I’ve had to be. It’s not fun.”

“Belladonna’s right,” Mae said. “It sure isn’t fun. But by golly it’ll be well worth it in the end.” Mae’s concern had completely vanished, quickly replaced by the familiar jovial expression.

Edgar forced himself to agree. “You’re right, Maebelle. As usual.”

Mae appeared satisfied, giggling at him.

Belladonna stood up. “If the people want to support the tracking law because it will appear to stop people like the president’s so called killer, then let them. They’ll learn eventually.” Without another word, Belladonna left the dining hall. Edgar still wasn’t happy by the address and said the law would make “our” job harder.

“Me and Robert will go out tomorrow,” Edgar said. “See what the people are saying about it.”

They were going out again. It was my chance. “Do I get to go on this one?” I asked.

He shook his head. “No point,” he said. “Still don’t think we should let ya.”

“You already agreed,” I said. “Belladonna agreed. She won’t take it back.”

He looked as if he already knew that. “You’ll get your chance,” he said.

“But I want to now,” I demanded. I was ready to actually do something.

“Did ya not just hear us talking about patience?” Edgar asked with a smirk on his face. “It’s not fun, but we got to do it.”

Whatever. I would just talk to Belladonna in the next few days. She would make him take me. Without telling anybody “bye” I went back to my room where I finished the book about the boy and his dog and hated it. The author killed the dog. Who does that?

The next day, after lunch, Marley planned on taking me to the hilltop again, just as she said. I didn’t really want to meet another person, especially Ashton. I hadn’t had much luck with other boys. I mean, what if Ashton was just like the boys back at the orphanage? I was tempted to say no, but it was going to happen eventually. Best to get it over with. Hey, at least I’d get to see the amazing view again.

Marley led me through the many halls, talking about how I was going to like Ashton. “He likes it down here,” she told me. “And he really likes the people here too.” I just nodded and listened.

We entered the familiar small room with the ladder. I admired the view of the city as I climbed up from the ground. I wasn’t the only one doing so. A guy stood tall at the edge of the cliff, gazing at the buildings. His shaggy brown hair blew in the wind. He wore blue jeans and a gray shirt.

“Ashton,” Marley said. He swung around. His hazel eyes darted at me. My eyes went straight to his right cheek. There, a scar ran from his ear to his nostrils. I wondered where it came from, but didn’t plan on asking. “This is Carsyn,” Marley told him.

He walked toward me, the stern look on his face not leaving. When he was a few feet in front of me, he extended his hand. I took it and shook it. “I’m Ashton,” he said.

“Carsyn,” I said.

He turned his gaze to Marley. “So, Marley showed you our secret spot,” he said. He turned back around to look at the city again. I wondered if it bothered him that Marley brought me.

“It’s pretty cool up here,” I told him.

“Yeah,”

“A cool view of the city,” I added.

“Yeah,” he said again. “Just don’t tell anybody about it.”

“He won’t,” Marley said quickly. “I trust him.”

“Don’t trust anybody,” Ashton snapped at her.

Marley and I didn’t say anything. Ashton walked toward the edge of the cliff again. Marley shrugged her shoulders and joined Ashton. I followed.

“Carsyn never saw the city until he came here,” Marley said.

Ashton didn’t seem surprised. “I first saw the city here, too,” he said. “That means you’re from outside the wall, like most of us down here.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Came from the orphanage.”

He glanced at me.

My eyes caught the scar again. I looked away, hoping he didn’t notice I was staring.

He looked back at the city. “If you ask me, outside any city wall is better than the inside.”

“Well, you’ve also never been inside,” Marley said.

“I know,” Ashton replied. “And I don’t want to. He pointed toward the buildings. “Because all of that . . . that’s where Grandfather is planning our destruction.”

I didn’t say anything. Marley looked at me, knowing how I felt about the entire thing.

“The people inside are so caught up in their fancy lives,” Ashton said, crossing his arms against his chest. “I don’t want to be ignorant of Grandfather’s existence like they are.” Ashton looked at me again. “Edgar mentioned you before going to get you . . . how do you like it down here so far?”

“It’s alright I guess,” I said. “I don’t really have anything to do yet.”

“Well, it sure is interesting,” Ashton said. “You see, down here, you get to be around people who know the truth. Down here, we get to look forward to stopping that evil group.”

“Well,” I started. “I’m still working on that one.”

Ashton tilted his head and squinted. “Working on what?” he asked.

“I’m still working on the whole Grandfather thing still.” I was honest. No point in lying.

“What do you mean? You’re still working on trying to expose them? That’s what we’re all here for.”

Marley breathed heavily beside me. “I should mention, Ashton, that Carsyn doesn’t really believe yet that Grandfather has returned.”

“You what?” Ashton asked, his eyes narrowing in on mine. “You don’t believe in Grandfather?” I could already tell things weren’t going to go as Marley had hoped.

“I just need some time to see for myself,” I told him.

Ashton didn’t understand that. And he just lost it. Not even kidding. His face turned bright red in a second. He clinched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. I was worried he might actually throw a punch. Even Marley seemed worried so I didn’t put it past him. “You don’t believe?!” he shouted so loudly a flock of birds in a nearby tree flew away. “How can you live with us down here and not believe?”

“Not yet,” I said, trying to amend the situation. “I mean, I’ve just heard about them days ago.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Ashton,” Marley said. “We didn’t believe at first either.”

“Well, at first there was nothing to go on,” Ashton told her. “Now it’s so obvious.” He stretched out his fingers, then made a fist again

“Belladonna and Edgar have told me things, but I just want to see for myself,” I told him, still preparing to be punched.

“So you think we’re liars?” Ashton said. He moved closer until his face was just inches away from mine. “Is that what you’re saying?” he asked, his stare so firm it could’ve burned a mark on my forehead. First meeting with Ashton was not going so well. I was wishing I refused to meet him.

“No,” I said. “I . . . you don’t understand.”

“Oh, I think I understand,” he growled. “If you don’t believe us, then you think we’re liars. Why else would you want to find out for yourself?”

He kind of had a point. I didn’t believe them. And if I didn’t believe them, well . . . that did mean I thought they were lying . . . technically. But my point was that maybe they couldn’t help it. Belladonna and Edgar believed strongly in Grandfather, so I knew they weren’t just lying. Maybe they were just being misled. Oh, I don’t know.

“Come on, Ashton,” Marley begged. She grabbed his arm and pulled him out of my face. “Just stop. He’ll find out soon.”

“Oh, he’ll find out soon,” Ashton said. “Let’s just hope it’s not too late.” I couldn’t take much more of Ashton. I didn’t understand why everybody wanted to shove Grandfather at me. Edgar and Robert were that way. I was surrounded by them. My not believing was as if it was the end of the world for these guys. Yeah, I was angry, and I just let it all out.

“I’m attacked by Edgar in an alley. The guy looks absolutely creepy. He tells me I’m in danger and need to go with him . . . all in one day. I know nothing about Grandfather. I’m sorry, but it’s kind of hard to just believe.”

Ashton shook his head. He just wasn’t buying it. “But the clues are right there. The tracking law. And the night the President was killed . . . weren’t you warned?”

“Yeah,” I said.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“You don’t understand,” I yelled. “I’m not saying it’s not true. I’m saying that I want—”

“What are you saying?” Ashton asked. He poked my chest with his finger. I really wanted to punch this guy. I had felt the urge many times at the orphanage, but not once did I actually go through with it. I came closer to punching Ashton than anybody else. It was a good thing Marley was there. She got in between us and pushed Ashton away even further.

“He’s just saying that he wants to learn on his own,” Marley said.

“So you’re on his side, Marley?’ he asked.

“I’m on nobody’s side,” she said. “Now stop this right now.”

Ashton turned around and walked back to the ledge. I had nothing more to say to him. All I wanted to do was leave and get back to my room where I didn’t have to deal with people. I told Marley. She agreed to take me back.

“I’ll see you later, once you’ve calmed down,” Marley told Ashton, her cool tone returning.

“Don’t even think about bringing the nonbeliever,” he told her.

I stomped my way down the ladder, followed by Marley. My face was hot with anger. A few more minutes with Ashton would’ve surely led to a fight.

“I shouldn’t have come,” I told Marley as I darted through the tunnels.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, having a difficult time keeping up. “I should have warned you.”

“What’s his problem anyways?” I asked, finally allowing her to catch up. After all, I had no idea how to get back.

“He feels more strongly about Grandfather than anyone.”

“Yeah, I noticed that,” I snapped.

Marley looked at me with gloomy eyes. “Something happened to him before I met him. He won’t tell me what, but I know it’s the reason why he’s so angry with the group.”

Well, I didn’t know what Ashton went through, but it didn’t give him a reason to treat me that way. He needed to take things down a notch.

Marley left me alone in my room until dinner. I was just going to go back to staying in my room, talking to nobody.

I was afraid I’d have to sit close to Ashton at dinner, but he sat at another table beside a man in a white uniform. I guessed that was Dr. Mac. Occasionally, I would catch him glaring at me. I just forced myself to ignore him. I’m pretty sure Marley noticed this, but she didn’t mention it. What could she do? There was no chance in changing Ashton’s mind.

I couldn’t even sleep that night. My blood was ready to spew. I wanted to leave that underground facility so bad. I even thought about it, but knew the only place I could go was the orphanage. I was not letting that happen. I even thought about going to another region but realized how ridiculous that was. I wouldn’t even know where to go. I’d probably starve to death on the streets. I had no choice but to stay with these people, so I was just going to have to get used to things. I was trapped, and the anxiety just kept swelling inside me, twisting my stomach. This was going to be harder than what I thought.

Chapter Five

I spent the next week keeping to myself, rarely leaving my room. When I did get out, I kept my eye out for Ashton. I wanted to stay as far away from his as possible. He continued eating with Dr. Mac, and he continued glaring at me. Eventually, I started giving it right back to him. Marley did her best to keep on common ground. “I like hanging out with both of you guys,” she told me. She liked hanging out with me? It was strange because nobody had ever said that. I wondered what I did to make her like me. I thought I was kind of a boring person.

In other news, Edgar started to change. At least his appearance did. His foul attitude was exactly the same as before though. He started wearing clean pants and decent looking button-down shirts. His skin wasn’t as dirty either. The only thing that was the same was his missing tooth, of course. That wasn’t exactly something easily replaced, although he could’ve probably afforded it. Which begged another question: why didn’t he fix it?

One afternoon, after I had finished my lunch, Edgar told me he wouldn’t make it to dinner but wanted me to stay there until he came to get me. He didn’t tell me what we were going to be doing, but I told him I would do so. Even if I refused and went to my room, he’d probably beat the door down.

After I finished dinner, I waited for him to come and get me. I wondered what he possibly wanted and if it was just going to be me and him. I sure did hope not.

Everyone left the dining room until it was just me sitting there. Marley offered to stay and keep my company, but I told her I’d be fine. After being alone for nearly ten minutes, I was starting to think Edgar had forgotten about me. That’s when I heard him complaining about something. I looked up to see him walk in through the double doors, followed by Belladonna and Robert. They all stopped.

Edgar glared at me. “Said ya wanted to go with me. Here’s your chance.” He motioned for me to follow him, and I did so until we reached Belladonna’s meeting room. I followed them in to find somebody else was already there, sitting at the table. I froze. Great.

It was Ashton.

Things got even worse when Edgar pointed at the seat beside Ashton. “Sit,” he demanded. I did so. I didn’t acknowledge Ashton and he didn’t acknowledge me. Good. I wanted to keep it that way. Edgar looked at us curiously. Deciding not to question what was going on, he sat down across from me. Belladonna took a seat beside him and Robert stood behind her.

“Basically,” Robert started. “We need your help . . . both of you.” I kept my eyes on Robert, forcing myself not to look at Ashton.

“What is it?” Ashton asked. I noted excitement in his tone.

“Well, I’ve been within the wall these past few days,” Robert said. “Grandfather is hiding something.”

“Well, yeah, aren’t they hiding a lot of things?” Ashton asked.

“Yes,” Robert replied. “But this . . . this is probably the most dangerous.”

Here they were, once again, going on about Grandfather. I asked Robert what they were supposedly hiding.

“I was following a couple of guys I knew to be followers,” Robert answered me. “After getting some information, I tracked the location of some secret vials.”

“Vials?” Ashton and I asked at the same time. He gave me a quick, angry glance. I ignored him.

“To make a long story short, they’re hiding vials with some sort of substance,” Robert told us.

“Very dangerous,” Edgar added.

“Listen,” I said. “How can you possibly assume the vials are the most dangerous thing they’re hiding?”

Ashton turned to me. “Just be quiet,” he told me.

“No,” I argued. “I want to know more and –”

“Why is he here?” Ashton asked Edgar and Robert. Edgar looked taken aback. Robert shook his head as if in disappointment.

“We don’t have time for this,” Edgar yelled at us. “You both been goin’ on about how you want to help. Here it is. Shut that damn mouth and listen.”

Neither one of us were going to argue with Edgar. Sure, I wanted to. And I knew Ashton did too. I nodded at Robert, urging him to continue. He did so.

“Anyways, I have learned that the vials have a substance in them . . . a disease. Virus. I overhead it could be airborne.”

Edgar took out a map and laid it across the table. There were streets in every direction, and gray squares to represent buildings. It looked like a busy place, so I knew it had to be a map of the city within the wall. Edgar said, “Those sons of bitches could be planning to do anything with this. Could expose it to everybody in the city.”

“They call it Sub X, and I know where they’re hiding it,” Robert told us with certainty. He placed a finger on one of the smaller gray squares on the map. “This is where they are hiding the vials. We need to steal them before they decide to use them.”

I looked at the map. The gray square was on the corner of two streets: Luther Drive and Cabella Street. I wondered if it was true. I definitely thought it was a little odd for somebody to hoard a bunch of vials filled with some sort of virus. Perhaps Robert misunderstood. The stern and serious look on his face told me he was very sure of himself. I had one more question. Ashton got to it before me.

“So why do you need us?” Ashton asked.

“Four of us are gonna sneak in,” Edgar said. “This building is storage space for the president and his councilmen. I know the layout. Was in there a lot back in the day.”

I shot a quick glance at Ashton. He was smiling. The idea of stealing vials from Grandfather took away all of his anger. He looked at the map, his eyes twinkling.

“I saw them put the code in at the door,” Robert said. “So we can get in.”

“This is great,” Ashton said.

Edgar seemed satisfied with Ashton’s excitement.

“Why us?” I asked Robert.

“Who’s gonna suspect two boys your age?” Edgar said. “You two will make us look like normal people from within the wall.”

Within the wall. Not once in my life did I ever think I’d see what it looked like inside. And now, it seemed as if I was about to. I looked down at what I was wearing. There was one problem.

“What is it?” Edgar asked. I guess I made it pretty obvious that I had some concerns. “I know you don’t believe in Grandfather yet, but you wanted to come with me. Here you are.”

“We’re not dressed fancy,” I told Edgar. “They’ll notice us fast, even with me and Ashton there.”

Robert shook his head. “That’s the easy part. We’ve already got suits for you. They should fit. Edgar and I already have one, of course.”

Oh.

“How are we carrying it all out?” Ashton asked.

“That’s an easy part, too,” Robert answered.

“We’ll have our own briefcases,” Edgar elaborated. “Robert says we’ll be able to carry it all.”

I was about to ask why we were even bothering stealing the vials if there wasn’t a large supply but decided not to. I assumed that even just a small amount of the substance would be extremely harmful. Or so that was what Robert and Edgar were obviously thinking.

“How are we getting there?” I asked.

“Same way we got here,” Edgar said, sounding somewhat annoyed.

Oh.

“We have a driver always on standby,” Robert said. “I know the guy, but he is a bit odd.”

“It’s best he doesn’t say anything,” Belladonna said. “He gets us where we need to go.”

Well that certainly explained the driver’s silence.

Edgar told us we’d be leaving that next evening, just before dark. Even though I was taking a trip with people who really annoyed me, I was actually excited for it, but wondered if the people hiding the vials actually planned to infect everybody with the virus. Of course, I questioned whether or not those hiding it were actually Grandfather members. Perhaps the vials were for educational purposes, and Edgar and Robert were making it a bigger deal than what it really was. There was only one thing that mattered: Learning more about the truth. Why was I so important? If the trip proved to me that Grandfather was real, then Edgar and Belladonna were right. If there was no proof, then everybody living underground was going to look even more like lunatics. Oh, and another thing. It looked like I was going to get to see what it looked like in the city. I was extremely eager about that part.

That next evening came quickly. Edgar told Mae what was going on, and Marley came up to me to make sure I would be careful. She also told me that she talked to Ashton about leaving me alone while we were gone. I just hoped he actually did so.

“That goes for you too,” she told me.

I didn’t plan on even speaking to him, so that wasn’t going to be a problem.

Before leaving, Edgar handed me a clean, black suit, complete with a white dress shirt and a black tie. I took it to my room and tried putting it on. I got everything except for the tie. I didn’t even know where to start. I still tried, only to form a jumbled up knot. As if knowing, Edgar knocked on my door. I let him in to find he was already dressed in his black suit. Whoa, did he look like a completely different person. “Here,” he said, taking my tie and tying it for me. I had never worn a suit before, and I had to give it to myself . . . I looked good.

Edgar led me away to the meeting room. Robert and Ashton were already there, sitting at the table. They, too, had on black suits. Belladonna stood beside Robert, dressed in black pants and wearing a red turtleneck. There, in the middle of the table, were black briefcases, one for each of us.

“Just get the vials, and we’ll put them where nobody’ll find them,” Belladonna said, all business. Just as we were leaving, she told me to be careful. “And I hope you find something that helps you realize the truth. But if you don’t this time around, that’s completely fine.”

Ashton looked at Belladonna with wide eyes, probably in disbelief it didn’t bother her that I didn’t believe. I had a smirk on my face as Ashton’s eyes met mine.

“Better get going,” Edgar said. Belladonna told us to be careful once again while we each took a briefcase and left the room. Edgar and Robert took out their own flashlight and led the way back toward the entrance. Ashton and I walked side-by-side, following them. We didn’t say a word to each other.

We soon reached the ladder that led us to the surface. Great . . . I was going to have to climb it again. First, Edgar went up so that he could open the door. Second was Robert, followed by Ashton, then me. I reached the surface and Edgar closed the hidden trap door.

I was back in the forest. This time, the sun was going down and the forest was much darker. It would definitely be pitch black by the time we got back. I wasn’t looking forward to walking at night. Hopefully I didn’t go tripping on more roots.

“We’ll get to the road . . . driver will be waiting,” Edgar said. He and Robert started walking. Ashton and I followed.

We passed more arrows, and each time, we followed them. Each time we passed one, I looked at the other side of the tree to see another arrow. I finally got it. Two sets of arrows.

Good thing, because I would’ve never found the road again.

“Be sure to keep the suits clean,” Robert told us once we could see the road up ahead. I made sure I hadn’t gotten my suit dirty or anything. I was good . . . so far. That probably wouldn’t last long. Knowing me, I’d get something all over it.

As soon as we reached the road, a car sped by. I lost grip of the briefcase and dropped it

“Don’t be a dropping it,” Edgar shouted. “Do that with the vials in it . . . you’ll kill us all!”

“Okay, okay,” I griped, making a mental note to be more careful.

Giving me a worried look, Edgar headed toward the familiar white car sitting on the side of the road just a few yards ahead.

“Aren’t you guys afraid somebody driving by will get suspicious?” I asked.

“Nah,” Robert said. “People rarely leave the city. No reason to. And when they do, they’re more focused on getting to the next city. They don’t care what’s going on here.”

“Mostly cab drivers,” Edgar said.

Robert took the front seat, not even acknowledging the driver. I was stuck in the back, squished between Edgar and Ashton. “Corner of Luther and Cabella,” Robert said, more to himself than the driver. Immediately, the familiar 3D image floating up front zoomed out, revealing more of the mountain we were in. Finally, the screen passed over the landmarks, flying across the city wall before stopping and zooming back in on an intersection. The words ‘Luther’ and ‘Cabella’ were listed.

The GPS was, by far, one of the coolest things I had seen. I just had to look at the others’ reaction, and of course Edgar and Robert didn’t seem surprised. Neither did Ashton, which made sense. He had been out a few times with the doctor.

The car sped off, and just as expected, the driver didn’t say a word. None of us spoke that much. I wondered if all car rides were silent.

It didn’t really bother me because it gave me a chance to enjoy the scenery. It was beautiful, though scary at times when the road got too close to a drop-off. The occasional vehicle would pass by, which I was used to. Soon, as we moved downhill, the forest grew sparse, and the familiar road leading straight to the orphanage came into view. The car passed up the street and eventually took a left. I looked over my shoulder at the road, wondering if people at the orphanage were searching for me. They probably wondered where I’d gone, but there was no way they would go out of their way to actually find me. Actually, the houseladies probably hadn’t even noticed.

Up ahead, the street led straight to the tall wall. Man, it was huge. Probably twenty or thirty stories high. To our left, there was nothing but a flat, green field where cows grazed. It stretched until bordering the forest: the same forest we were just in. To our right, there were several trees blocking whatever was on the other side.

The closer we got to the wall, the taller it became. I got even more excited. I was finally going to be able to see what was on the other side. I looked up ahead to see how far we were. Not even a mile ahead, there was a tunnel going through the wall. It was the first time I had ever seen the entrance. It was probably one of many. Ashton kept his cheeks against the window, looking straight up at the wall. Edgar and Robert looked straight ahead. I caught a glimpse of the driver’s eyes through the mirror. They stayed on the road.

The tunnel grew closer and closer. My excitement grew more and more. What was it going to be like? What were the people like? Then, I remembered how most people didn’t like the rich people. I had to be prepared to hate what I saw.

I didn’t have to wait much longer. The car finally entered the brightly lit tunnel. There were four lanes going one way, and four going the other. Hardly any vehicles entered or left. I knew it was because people usually stayed inside the city. They didn’t leave. A shiny red car drove beside us. It was curvy and beautiful. I imagined myself driving. Of course I didn’t know how to, but I could maybe learn.

The wall was pretty thick. I’d say it took us ten seconds just to get through. And when we did leave the tunnel, I got my first look at the city. It was absolutely amazing. I’m gonna try to explain it as best as I can, but it’s just something you’d have to see with your own eyes.

First of all, as soon as we exited the tunnel, there were tons of roads going in every direction. Some were several feet in the air while others disappeared into tunnels going underground. These roads were crowded with tons of cars, all perfect and clean. The driver took a specific exit that was smaller than the others. The skyscrapers towered the city, gazing at the vast amount of people. Other buildings reflected off of the skyscrapers’ shiny surfaces. The reflection of the sun bounced off the tallest. As I remembered, it was in the very middle. I may have seen the city from far off with Marley, but these buildings were much bigger than what I’d thought. They could hold thousands of people! And they looked brand new too. They were all silver and slick-looking.

The driver took a few more turns until we entered a much busier street located directly among the skyscrapers. People filled the sidewalks, rushing in and out of different stores, in all different directions. They moved at a much quicker pace than the people around the orphanage. Many of them also carried large bags. I wondered what they had in them.

Some of the people talked and laughed with others. Many held a clear rectangle device to their ear and talked. It looked like a piece of glass with smooth edges. I assumed they were cell phones. I had heard of them, but I had never actually seen one.

I noticed that almost everybody walking was smiling. Nobody looked like they were having a bad time . . . not one single person. To no surprise, they stood up straighter than anybody I had seen. They dressed in elegant clothing ranging from suits like ours to the nicest shirts and sweaters with all sorts of unique designs. Most of the women wore extravagant dresses and skirts and jewelry. Their hair was fixed in very complicated ways. I even saw a few people with hair colors like blue, green, and purple. Very different.

Ashton looked just as amazed as I did. Of course he did. This was his first time in the city also. He and Dr. Mac may have seen the technology in vehicles, but from what Marley said, they picked up the medicine outside the wall.

I caught Edgar looking back at us. He seemed entertained by our reactions.

Traffic grew denser as we got closer to the center of the city, forcing our driver to slow down. I continued watching the rich people interact with the city, fascinated by them. Everything they did was completely different from what I was used to seeing. It was as if the rich and poor were two completely different breeds. Interesting but scary.

There’s something else I should mention. It was really cool. Almost every skyscraper had a huge green logo at the top: a green infinity sign. It looked pretty cool.

The car made a turn onto a small street with less traffic. The buildings were less tall so I assumed we were driving away from the city center. Then, the driver came to a stop at an intersection. I looked at the electronic signs with the road names on them. One read Cabella. The other read Luther. We had arrived.

The GPS announced our arrival, and we exited as Robert told the driver to wait. I took the time to observe the people. They didn’t pay any attention to us.

“The new one comes out next week,” a girl around my age was casually telling an older woman. I imagined it was her mom. “Can I get it?”

“We’re all getting it,” the woman replied as they walked away.

“We’ll get a steak dinner,” an older man said onto his phone as he passed by. I tried getting a better look at his phone since I had never seen one before, but it just looked like a thin piece of glass. When the man took the phone away from his ear, the piece of glass lit up, revealing several numbers. Amazing.

“Should be dark soon,” Edgar said.

“We need to wait until it’s completely dark,” Robert said. “Safer then.”

Edgar agreed. “Been here many times. There’s a coffee shop around the corner.”

We all followed Edgar, not saying a word. Ashton and I were still using our time to take in the city life. I wondered if others could easily notice we were from outside the wall. Our facial expressions probably gave it away . . . if they were paying attention to us. I had a feeling the city life was something I’d never get used to. But apparently it was possible since Edgar and Robert didn’t pay much attention to everything going on around us.

We rounded the corner, and the crowd became denser. It must’ve been a popular area. The noise of people talking and laughing filled the air. Edgar and Robert snaked their way through the crowd pretty easily while Ashton and I were pushed and shoved in every direction. People may have looked nice, but they sure didn’t act it toward strangers.

Finally, we reached the coffee shop Edgar was talking about. I read the sign. Starbucks. Never heard of it. Some fast-paced song I had never heard of was playing when we entered. There were several people sitting at different tables focused on different types of electronic devices. Most of them were just small boxes in which a light jet out of a small hole, projecting a hologramic screen into the air in front of them. People used their fingers to navigate. We may have never seen much technology around the orphanage, but most of us had read about it. I remembered reading about computers, which were described much similar to what I saw in that coffee shop. Awesome.

We walked up front to where a short blond-headed woman in a green uniform stood, smiling at us. In a friendly and confident voice, she asked, “How may I help you?”

“I’ll take a cappuccino, grande,” Robert said.

“Make that four,” Edgar said. He turned around to look at me and Ashton. “I know you two don’t know what ya want,” he said, smiling.

Yeah, he was right.

I watched the order appear on a transparent screen next to the woman. She didn’t even do anything. “Names?” the woman asked.

“Robert.”

“Edgar,”

“Uh . . . Carsyn,” I said slowly.

“Ashton.” He also spoke slowly.

Each time we spoke, our name appeared on the screen.

Edgar laughed at us, and the tone of his voice was even happier. It was as if the city changed him. I bet he missed the city life. I wanted to learn more about his previous life but didn’t think it would be a good idea to ask.

Me, Ashton, and Robert took a seat while Edgar paid. When I heard the woman say it was nearly twenty bitcoin, my eyes widened. Edgar didn’t even seem to mind. How much bitcoin did this guy have anyways?

After a few minutes of waiting in silence, the woman called our names, and we each grabbed our green cups filled with whatever cappuccino was.

“Watch out now,” Edgar started to say as we reclaimed our table, but I took a drink before letting him finish. Ashton did the same thing.

Big mistake.

We both jumped, spitting back up what we didn’t swallow. My tongue and throat felt like they were on fire.

“Hot,” I said in pain.

Edgar and Robert just laughed at us.

“It’s hot,” Edgar finished. I guessed I should have let him finish.

I wiped the cappuccino off of my chin and looked down to see I had spit some onto my suit.

“Dammit,” Robert said. “Not the suit. Both of you.” Ashton apparently did the exact same thing.

Then Edgar said casually as he took a small sip. “Doesn’t matter.”

I tried again, this time going much slower. I allowed the cappuccino to come out of the cup and gently touch my tongue. I slowly swallowed the small amount. My chest warmed up immediately. I had never had a drink like it, and it was pretty amazing.

“Good, isn’t it?” Robert asked.

“Yeah,” I said. Ashton loved it too.

“I used to come here all of the time,” Edgar said. “Miss those days.”

“Maybe you can after Grandfa –” Ashton started to say but was interrupted.

“Shhhhhh,” Edgar and Robert said at the same time.

Edgar nearly jumped out of his seat, as if he was ready to tackle Ashton. “What the hell ya think you’re doing?” he whispered, looking around to see if anybody had heard. They all kept their eyes on the screens floating in front of them. They didn’t care about us.

“Oops,” Ashton said, putting his head down. “Didn’t mean to.”

“We know,” Robert said, forgiving him pretty quickly. “Just remember where we are.”

“That goes for you too, Carsyn,” Edgar said.

I nodded, showing him I understood.

We finished our cappuccinos while Edgar told us stories about what he would do in the city. Apparently they had movie theaters, places called malls that had hundreds of stores all in one place, and even a place where they could go and play games. He called them arcades. “Arcades were my favorite places to go to as a kid,” he said. Edgar having fun? Impossible. But then again, he was a kid.

The sky grew darker and darker until the sun had completely vanished, leaving the fluorescent lights coming from the city structures as the only light source. The dark sure didn’t stop the people from walking outside. It was just as busy.

“It’s about that time,” Edgar said, growing serious once again. We all threw away our empty cups and followed Edgar outside and around the corner to where the white vehicle was still sitting. Once again, Edgar and Robert slithered their way through the crowd while Ashton and I were pushed and shoved. I didn’t know if I could ever get used to the city life as Edgar and Robert had. But I guessed I didn’t have to worry about that since I was living under a mountain.

Once we were out of the way of people, Edgar stopped. We all huddled together. “That’s it over there,” Edgar said, pointing at a building across the road. It was a good thing we were on a road not very popular, or else there would’ve been people all around, making it difficult for us to get in.

The building was a lot shorter than the other buildings. Ten stories high. All the lights were off with the exception of a few on the top floor. I was trying to figure out how in the world we were going to track small vials. “This building is huge,” I told Edgar. “It’s going to take us forever.”

“You think this is huge?” Robert asked.

Edgar laughed. “Easy,” he said. “I know exactly where to go. Came here many times for my job.”

Ashton pointed at the floor where the lights were on. “It looks like there are people there,” he said.

“Doubt it,” Edgar said. “Those are offices. Lights always stay on.”

“And besides,” Robert said in a reassuring tone. “Most people have gone home for the day. It’s 8:00.”

“Exactly,” Edgar said.

I wanted to argue, of course, but they knew more about what was going on. I was just along for the ride.

“Come on,” Edgar said, crossing the road. We all followed him. I glanced around to make sure nobody was watching. The only people I saw were those passing by on the main road where the Starbucks was. They weren’t paying attention to us. I kind of felt like everybody was just oblivious to everything around them. Oh well. It worked in our favor. That’s all that mattered.

Edgar approached a door. Beside the door handle was a keypad with touch screen numbered buttons. “What’s the code?” he asked, looking around to also make sure nobody was watching.

“0-6-0-5-2-0-7-6,” Robert answered.

Edgar pushed each one, and the door clicked. I checked one last time to make sure nobody was watching. I was being paranoid. We were in the clear.

“That passcode,” Edgar whispered as he led us inside. “That’s the date of the President’s assassination.”

“June, 5th,” Robert said. “I didn’t even think about that.

Interesting.

Edgar closed the door behind us. It was dark inside the building. Edgar reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small flashlight. He turned it on, revealing nicely painted white walls, the clean beige tiles, and the shiny, slick furniture all matching. I wished the lights were on so I could get a better look at the room, but it made sense to use flashlights. It could look suspicious if somebody saw a light on, I guess.

“Follow me,” Edgar said. He led us to what seemed like a metal door. Beside it, on the wall, was a small screen. Edgar waved his hand across it, revealing a lit up arrow pointing up and another arrow pointing down. Edgar tapped the down button. It turned green. Above the door, there was a green number ‘7.’ It changed to a ‘6’, followed by a ‘5’.

“What’s this?” Ashton whispered.

“Elevator,” Edgar whispered back. “We need to get to the bottom floor.”

“And this will take us there?” Ashton asked.

Edgar nodded.

“Wait,” I said. “How do you know where we need to go?”

“Didn’t I tell ya I been here many times before,” Edgar asked, annoyed. That sounded more like the Edgar I knew. “The basement is where they store their most important things.”

“Well, these vials certainly would be something extremely important to Grandfather,” Robert said with a snicker. “So that’s probably exactly where it is.”

The number above the door stopped at ‘1’. There was a ding as the doors opened, revealing a small, bright closet. Once inside, I noticed a much larger lit up screen. This one had several numbered buttons. Edgar tapped a button reading‘B3.’ The doors shut quickly, and my insides shifted downward with the elevator. So surreal.

“You were whispering. You sure nobody will be here?” I asked.

“Edgar’s sure,” Robert said. “Whispering is an instinct when you’re robbing somebody.”

“We’ll steal the vials and get out quickly.”

Ashton smiled. “I’m just glad to be stealing from Grandfather,” he said. His eyes met mine and his expression became hard. “I guess you wouldn’t care.”

My hatred toward him was building. “Can’t you shut up about that?” I asked. “Worry about what you think, not what I think. And besides –”

“Quit this nonsense,” Edgar said angrily as the elevator stopped and the door slid open with another ding. “I don’t give a damn what’s going on between ya. Now’s not the time.”

Robert frowned at us. Ashton actually looked ashamed. I really didn’t care. His attitude was really going too far. I wasn’t just going to let somebody treat me like that.

We stepped out of the elevator and into a large room with rows and rows of rectangular tables. On each of them, every few feet, were sinks, folders, and tubes filled with different colored liquids. Alongside the walls were large machines. They all had blinking lights on them. Of course, I had no idea what any of them did and what the lights meant. Edgar didn’t move as the elevator doors shut behind us. He flashed his light around the entire room. Caution is good.

“What is it?” Robert asked when Edgar still didn’t move.

“This room,” Edgar said. “It’s different than before.”

“What?” Robert asked, worried. “Is it not here?”

Edgar slowly walked down one of the aisles. We followed him. He looked at each table, and stopped to examine one of the machines. He picked up a clear tube with some sort of green liquid in it. His face cringed when he sniffed it.

“What is it?” Ashton asked.

Edgar sat the tube back onto the table, shaking his head. “Don’t know.”

I moved along the table. I saw another tube, this one filled with a bluish greenish liquid. I wasn’t going to make the dumb mistake Edgar made. I looked at the other tables again. “There’s a bunch of different colors,” I said. “What is this?”

“Yeah,” Edgar said, picking up another tube with purple liquid in it. “Experimenting.”

“Experimenting?” Ashton asked. “On what?”

“Don’t know,” Edgar said, setting the tube back down. “Looks like they’re trying to make something.”

“And whatever it is,” Robert added, “it’s probably not good.”

Edgar agreed.

“Why are they all different colors?” Ashton asked.

“Because,” Robert said. “They’ve not discovered an answer to whatever they’re trying to figure out.”

“Exactly,” Edgar said, glancing around the room again. His eyes stopped past me. He pointed, so I followed his attention to see a glass door. It was dark on the other side, but blinking lights coming from what I assumed to be machines inside. Edgar walked to the door quickly. We did the same. He turned the knob. It didn’t open.

“You think they’re in there?” Robert asked.

“I bet they are,” Edgar said, placing a hand on the glass door.

“What is this room?” Ashton asked.

“It’s refrigerated,” Edgar said.

I felt the glass door. It was cold.

“Probably the best condition to store the virus,” Edgar added. He kept his face close to the glass door, hoping to get a better look at what was inside. But it was too dark.

“Look,” Ashton said. We all followed the direction of his finger to another small dark screen on the wall. “Will that help?”

Edgar looked at it.

“Maybe,” he said, waving a hand across it. The screen came to life. This time, I only saw a black square. No numbered buttons. Edgar put his thumb over the black square. A red line ran across the screen before making a beeping noise. The screen turned green.

“Your fingerprint?” Robert asked. “How’s that possible?”

Edgar smiled. “Can’t believe it. Guess they never took my fingerprints out the system once I quit. Surprising since I’ve not been working for a few years now.”

“So you could get anywhere?” I asked.

“Basically,” Edgar said. “But they’ll change it in the morning once they realize they’ve been robbed.” Edgar opened the door. The room lit up automatically as we walked in. Alongside the wall were several more strange machines. In the middle was a long table. A few other unfamiliar devices sat on it. This one, unlike those outside of the small room, didn’t have tubes of liquids on it.

Robert nudged Edgar on the shoulder and pointed to the furthest corner. I followed the direction of his finger to see a round black device on the ceiling. On it, a red light flashed every second.

“We’ll be on video,” Robert said.

“Don’t worry about that,” Edgar said, placing his briefcase on the table and walking around looking at the machines. “Their security system is one floor above us. I know how to delete every damn thing.” He walked around the table and stopped in front of a smaller glass door. It reminded me of a small refrigerator.

“Is that it?” I asked.

Edgar said nothing. He opened the glass door. A thick smoky vapor rose out. Edgar stuck his hand inside and brought out a silver vial about three inches long.

“Open the briefcases,” Edgar said, slowly reaching for more. Robert sat his briefcase on the table and opened it. Ashton and I did the same. Edgar carefully began putting the vials in Robert’s briefcase.

It was a good thing the inside of the briefcase was cushioned, I thought. Or else, the vials could easily break. But as Edgar placed them inside, I still became nervous. I mean, what if I somehow dropped one? Who knew what the substance would do to me. I pushed the thought out of mind in order to keep my head clear. Relax, I told myself.

“What do they say on it?” Robert asked.

“That’s the odd thing,” Edgar said. “They don’t say anything. You said this was their first batch, right?”

Robert nodded. “Takes about a year to create it, from what I’ve learned.”

“Good,” Edgar said, taking a break from handling the vials. “With any luck, this is all there is.”

“Oh yes,” Robert said, joining Edgar to help him with the vials. They moved very slowly. “From what I heard, this is all there is.”

Ashton and I just watched, hoping none of the vials would get knocked off onto the floor. .After he and Robert filled up the first briefcase, Edgar turned to us. “Make yourself useful. Go out there and see if there’s anything suspicious. Don’t want you handling these vials.”

Ashton and I glanced at each other. Neither one of us wanted to be alone with the other. More importantly, everything looked suspicious to me. Ashton probably thought so too because we had never seen any of this. I didn’t know what Edgar wanted us to look for. But I didn’t argue.

“And stay together,” Robert added, handing me a flashlight. He didn’t give Ashton one.

Great. Now we had to stick together if we both wanted to see in the dark. Of course I could’ve just left Ashton in the dark. But I wasn’t going to be that mean. We left the room and walked toward the elevator without saying a word. I looked at the tubes again, wondering what was being experimented on. Perhaps it was a special kind of medicine. Or another virus.

I noticed a hall leading to another room. I pointed at it. Ashton didn’t say anything. It was the same as the previous room: machines everywhere and tables filled with tubes of liquid.

After a few minutes, Ashton finally said something. “This all looks pretty suspicious. You still don’t believe after seeing all of this?”

I didn’t want to get into it again, so I ignored him. I shined the light up and down the tables.

“Okay, okay,” he said. “I’ll be quiet.”

“Please do,” I snapped. I knew I should have just kept my mouth shut.

“So what is it?” he asked. “What is keeping you in denial like this?”

I didn’t say anything.

“I don’t even know why Edgar and Belladonna want to help you,” he said. “You’re basically a lost cause.”

I stopped in front of another elevator and turned to Ashton, flashing the light directly in his eye. He closed them and swung his hand at mine, knocking the flashlight onto the ground. It flickered off, leaving us in the dark.

“Why does it kill you that I don’t believe in Grandfather?” I asked, trying my best to stay calm. I didn’t even bother getting the flashlight. I didn’t want to see him.

“Because you’re sleeping on our beds, drinking our water, and eating our food,” Ashton growled. “That stuff should only be for those who want to help. You don’t deserve to be one of us.”

“What happened to you?” I asked angrily. “Why are you always so angry? I bet it has something to do with the scar.”

Oh, bad idea. Ashton’s hands squeezed my shoulder tightly, as if he was ready to pick me up and throw me across the room. I mean, my whole arm went numb. I cringed, moving downward, trying to pull away. Finally, he let go, and I exhaled, rotating my shoulder around to rub off the pain.

“Never, ever, ask me that again,” he said slowly. “Where’s the flashlight?”

Whoa. Honestly, Ashton probably could’ve hurt me right then and there. He was bigger than me, and that grip of his told me he was extremely strong. I wasn’t complaining. He let me go. I was about to bend down and look for the flashlight when I heard footsteps. Two shadows walked in our direction. Ashton and I faced them.

“It’s about time,” Ashton said.

A hand reached around my body and covered my mouth. My first reaction was to jump forward and turn around, but whoever it was, they were strong. I tried elbowing them, but failed, once again. Ashton was struggling too, his feet scuffling against the floor while he tried to free himself. These people were too strong for him too. With nothing else to do, I looked back at the first two shadows we had seen. They were tall officers dressed in black uniforms, pointing a gun at us. “Come with us,” one of them said, tapping the elevator button pointing up.

Oops. We weren’t along.

Who were these people? And more importantly, where was Edgar and Robert?

Chapter Six

I tried screaming for Edgar and Robert, but the hand was pushed too hard against my mouth. They dragged us into the elevator and tapped the button for the top floor. Once the doors shut and we started to move, they released us.

My first reaction was to scream for Edgar and Robert. But once I thought things through, I realized there was a chance Edgar and Robert hadn’t been discovered yet. I didn’t want these officers knowing there were others. Thank God Ashton didn’t scream for help, either.

I turned around to get a good look at the two men who released us. They were officers as well, dressed in black uniforms, guns on their waist. One of them had short red hair, and the other had long brown hair.

“What are you guys doing down here?” the man who had been behind me asked.

“Nothing,” Ashton said. “We were just messing around.”

“And broke in?” the other officer asked. We didn’t say anything. “I don’t think so. You’re up to something.”

“No, we’re not,” I pleaded. My voice cracked.

Great.

They didn’t believe me. “There’s only one way you could’ve gotten in,” one of the officers behind us said. “Somebody gave you the code. You are up to something.”

“We’re not,” Ashton and I said in unison.

They watched us closely. Ashton was giving one of the officers a nervous look, which made it so obvious we were lying.

“You’ll have to take it up with him,” the red-headed man said.

Him? Man, this night was not turning out so great. I thought of Edgar and Robert. I wondered if they’d realized we were gone yet. I waited impatiently, not knowing who we were about to meet.

The elevator stopped at the tenth floor. The doors slid open with another ding. There, standing feet wide apart, arms crossed, was a tall man. His brown eyes beamed at us while he gave us a crooked smile. This man was quite different from the others. He wore a full gray suit with a black tie that looked far better than any suit I had seen. Light bounced off his bald head. I saw the time change to 8:48 on his fancy golden watch.

“Hello,” he said in his deep voice. “Come.”

He motioned for us to follow him down a particular hall. Ashton and I exchanged looks. There was nothing else we could do. We followed the tall, bald-headed man with the two officers staying close behind us, making it impossible for us to make a run for it.

Ashton and I kept our distance from the man, until he stopped at a particular door, opened it, and waved us through. We walked in and stopped.

Like everything else, the office was clean, elaborate, and organized. In the middle, there was a dark, mahogany desk with a clock that ticked quietly, several green plants, and a lamp so shiny my reflection bounced off it. A huge, white cushiony chair sat behind the desk. Across from it were two black chairs.

At the center of the desk was a computer much similar to the ones I had seen at the Starbucks. The only difference was this didn’t have the hologram shining from the box and into the air. It must’ve been turned off.

Pictures of landmarks and people I had never seen were displayed all around the room, and several shelves matching the mahogany desk stood firm alongside the walls, holding a few books, small boxes similar to the computers, and many majestic figurines. The one that caught my attention the most was a porcelain giraffe that looked as if was made of gold.

The door slammed behind us, causing me to gasp.

The bald-headed man passed us and went to his white chair. Before seating himself, he motioned, again with his hand, for us to have a seat.

Ashton and I took a seat and watched the man get comfortable in his white chair. Once he’d situated himself, he clasped his hands together, sat them on the table, and said, “I’m President Cornelius.”

Immediately, I looked at Ashton who looked more frightened than I did. He knew the guy as the Grand Imperial. I was still figuring it out. But there was one thing for sure. Edgar was wrong: there were people inside the building. We were definitely in trouble.

“Surprised?” he asked, snickering to himself.

My heart was pounding so hard, I couldn’t get one single word out.

“What are two young boys such as yourselves doing in one of my office buildings?” Cornelius asked.

“We were just messing around,” Ashton answered a little too quickly.

“Oh?” Not giving us a chance to prepare, Cornelius shouted for the guards standing outside the door. Again, I thought my heart was going to explode. I nearly fell out of my seat.

The door opened immediately.

“Go see if there are any others,” Cornelius said.

“Are you sure, sir?” the red-headed asked.

“I can be alone with these two,” he said. “They can’t do anything.” The officer obeyed, shutting the door behind them.

“What’re your names?” Cornelius asked, looking at Ashton first.

“Ashton,” he replied slowly.

Cornelius turned to look at me. “And you?”

I remembered what Edgar had told me. I was in danger of Grandfather. If President Cornelius really was the Grand Imperial, then I didn’t want them knowing who I was. I gave him the first name that came to mind. “Jim,” I said, stumbling over the name. “I’m Jim.”

Cornelius smiled at me. He glanced at Ashton, whose eyes were flickering between Cornelius and me. “Tell me,” Cornelius started. “What’s your real name?”

“That is my real name,” I answered too quickly. It was obvious I was lying.

“I’ve told many lies in my lifetime,” he said, glaring at me. “I’m quite good at it, so do believe me when I tell you I know when somebody is lying to me.”

Ashton and I stayed silent. He’d caught us. But that didn’t mean I was going to give him my real name.

“Who helped you get in?” Cornelius asked. “I know you didn’t do it alone.”

“I already told you, sir,” Ashton said. “We broke in. We thought it would be funny.”

Cornelius chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. “If you say so, Ashton. I guess we’ll find out when my security gets back.” He got into a desk drawer, shuffled something around, stood up, and made his way to the door. “Don’t bother trying to get out,” he said. “I’ll know.” He left the room, shutting the door behind him. Ashton waited a few seconds before saying anything.

“Don’t give anything away,” he told me.

“Do you really think I’m gonna give something away?” I asked. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

“Well, who knows about you?”

“Just be quiet,” I said.

We were silent for a few seconds. “I just hope they don’t find Edgar and Robert,” I said.

“They won’t,” Ashton said, glancing around at the door. “Come on.” He stood up.

“Ashton, he’s going to know,” I said, staying seated, remembering what Cornelius had said.

“What’s he going to do, Carsyn?” he argued. “I’m not just going to sit here when the leader of Grandfather is here. We have to get out.”

Ashton walked to the door. I couldn’t stop him, so I had to join him. I followed his lead. He opened the door and walked out. We didn’t get far.

“Where you going?”

We both jumped, looking to our right to see Cornelius walking toward us, smiling. He was amused.

We froze.

“Get back in there,” he said calmly.

We didn’t move.

“Now!” he shouted, causing my body to jolt. We did so quickly, and sat down in the same chairs.

Cornelius shut the door behind us and reclaimed his seat. “You know,” he started, “you guys aren’t from around here, are you?” He shuffled through the same drawer and took out a clear device. It looked like a piece of glass. It looked very similar to what I saw people using on the streets around the coffee shop. Cornelius touched the screen and it lit up.

“We’re from here,” Ashton insisted.

“Oh, really?” he asked.

Ashton and I nodded.

“Tell me, what is this?” Cornelius pointed at the device he had just taken out.

Ashton didn’t respond.

“A phone,” I said.

Cornelius nodded. “Surely you have one. Everyone inside any city wall has one.”

Ashton responded slowly. ”We lost ours.”

Cornelius chuckled. He pushed a large green button, and I heard a recording of Ashton’s voice, followed by mine. It was everything we had just said after Cornelius left the office, including my actual name. Ashton dipped his head down in defeat.

“Edgar and Robert,” Cornelius repeated once the recording stopped. “I had a feeling there was somebody else with you.” He sat the phone onto his desk. The screen disappeared.

Cornelius’s gaze settled upon me. He had the same crooked smirk. “How interesting,” he said. “Who would’ve guessed that you, Carsyn, would come to me?” He leaned back in his seat, crossed his legs, and clasped his hands together. I noticed a huge black ring on his finger. It was plain. Didn’t even shine. It was kind of ugly.

I glared at Ashton for giving my name away. I wouldn’t let him forget about that. “What do you want?” I asked, looking back at Cornelius.

“I found the orphanage you were in.”

“So,” I replied. “I don’t care.”

“Feisty, aren’t you,” he said. He kept smiling and stayed calm. I wondered if he actually cared. “I discovered the orphanage but only to find you were missing.”

“I ran away,” I told him. “I hated it there.”

“Perhaps you hated it,” he said. “But you didn’t run away.” He looked at Ashton. “So you are with the rebels as well?

Ashton didn’t reply.

“Shy?” Cornelius asked.

“No,” Ashton finally said after a few seconds of silence. “You’re the Grand Imperial,” he said.

Cornelius erupted in laughter. He stood up, and walked behind us, still laughing. I didn’t dare turn around. I thought about Edgar and Belladonna. They weren’t looking like lunatics anymore. There was some truth. I was learning.

“Ashton,” he said. “I’m very interested in people with interesting pasts. I bet anything that scar has a story behind it. Perhaps it’s why you joined the rebels. How did you get it?”

Ashton looked like he had just been shot. Cornelius noticed this. He placed a hand on each of our shoulders.

“What do you guys hope to accomplish with the rebels?” he asked.

“Stopping you,” Ashton replied through his teeth.

Again, Cornelius erupted in laughter. “Really?” he asked, amused once again. “Please tell me . . . how?”

“That doesn’t concern you,” I answered for Ashton.

“And it no longer concerns either of you,” he said. “I’m afraid you won’t be going back.”

We had only one hope to get away, and that hope was being hunted down. I hoped the officers didn’t actually find Edgar and Robert. Cornelius took his hands off of our shoulders and walked to the front of his desk again. This time, he just stood there.

“So it’s all true?” I asked him, buying some time before he did whatever it was he planned on doing to us. “You’re the leader of Grandfather. The Grand Imperial.”

“Such an honorable title,” he replied. “One that would never suit either of you.”

Ashton snickered. “That’s the title of somebody who thinks he has power. I wouldn’t want it.”

Cornelius suddenly frowned, glaring at Ashton. He turned his attention back to me. “So I’m guessing somebody figured out my whole scheme . . . got to you before I could. Don’t you want to know why I want you?”

I did want to know. Really bad. I just didn’t understand how I was important when I didn’t know anybody. I sat silently, waiting for an answer.

“You’ll find out,” he said. “Soon enough.”

He was playing me.

Cornelius was about to sit down when the two officers burst into the room. “It’s gone,” one of them said, gasping for air.

“What’s gone?” Cornelius asked, straitening his body.

“Sub X,” the other replied.

I glanced at Ashton. We knew what that meant. Edgar and Robert had gotten away with the vials, but to where?

Cornelius’s nostrils flared and his right eye began twitching. I had never seen somebody go from calm to completely angry in a nanosecond.

“There are two of them, and I want you to find them!” he screamed. “Go!” He picked up his phone and threw it as hard as he could. I expected it to shatter as it slammed into the wall, but it didn’t. The officers rushed away in panic.

Cornelius stood there for a second, taking a deep breath. He then walked to his phone, picked it up, and dialed a number once the screen came to life. “We’ve got a security breach,” he said before hanging up.

A siren sounded immediately throughout the entire building. A red light flashed in the room and I imagined all the others. Cornelius kicked the wall, his foot going all the way through the drywall. He jerked it out and turned to us. “You guys won’t ruin this.” He stomped to the door. My eyes bolted to the lamp. Without thinking, I leaped for it, taking and flinging it so hard my joints popped. It slammed against Cornelius’s head, knocking him down. His head slammed against the door handle before he flopped onto the floor, motionless.

“Let’s get out of here, now,” I ordered, my adrenaline running high. That was the first time I had hit anybody and man, it felt good.

Ashton didn’t hesitate. We ran toward the elevator. I knew it was only a matter of time before more security reached the building, so we had to get out of the building quick. I hit the down button on the elevator. It opened immediately. I tapped the button for the first floor.

“Do you believe now?” Ashton asked.

“Now’s not the time to rub it in my face,” I shouted over the loud sirens.

He didn’t say anything else. Good. He was probably afraid I’d hit him too.

The elevator reached the first floor. Luck must’ve been on our side, which was the first for me. As soon as the door slid open, Edgar and Robert just happened to be running by, each carrying two briefcases, one in each hand. They stopped and looked at us. “Thank God,” Robert said.

“Let’s get the hell out of here,” Edgar shouted, motioning us toward the front door. “Talk later. “

I was not arguing with that. I wanted to get as far from the building as possible.

We made a speedy exit and rushed across the street. Our timing was perfect because three fire trucks rounded the corner and braked in front of the building. In the air, a square aircraft hovered over the building, not making a single sound.

Edgar led us around the corner and past the familiar Starbucks. The crowd was less dense than before, so it was easier to move around. Some of the pedestrians looked curious as we ran by while most ignored us, living in their own world.

When the white vehicle came into site, we kicked into a whole new gear. Edgar was running so fast, and it looked like he had lost control of his body, which would’ve been funny under other circumstances.

“I think there’s a fire,” a woman was saying behind us.

Robert jumped into the front seat and this time I got lucky, claiming the window seat behind the driver. Robert didn’t even have to say anything, because before the doors were even closed, the driver floored it.

The entire ride through the city was nerve-wracking for me. I just knew we’d get caught. But Edgar and Robert . . . they had already caught their breath and seemed to be enjoying the ride like nothing had happened.

We left the city the same way we came in. Once I felt we were out of trouble’s reach, I was able to catch my breath. I twisted my body around to get one last look at the city, which at night was more spectacular than during the day. The towers seemed to light up the whole city. Different colors flashed off of signs and buildings, keeping the city alive after dark. I turned back around. The city was great to see, but after what had just happened, I didn’t think I wanted to go back for a while.

“Hold on to that briefcase,” Edgar said.

I knew he was mostly referring to me. And I didn’t really blame him because we had a deadly virus just inches from us. One mistake and we could all be dead. My stomach turned and I gripped the briefcase even tighter. Ashton did the same with his.

We climbed the mountain, and this time it was a lot scarier. The only light came from the vehicle and, honestly, they weren’t that great. I really hoped this guy was a good driver.

Finally, the driver pulled to the side. I couldn’t help but wonder how he knew exactly where to stop. Perhaps he was just so used to driving Edgar and Robert around that he knew.

“Give ya 50 bitcoin this time,” Edgar said, swiping the card as I had seen him do before. Again, a red light flashed as Edgar waved the card over the front headrest.

“We appreciate it as always,” Robert said, jumping out.

Once we were all out, I watched again as the car disappeared behind the curve ahead.

Edgar turned on his flashlight and shined it into the pitch-black forest. If it wasn’t for the moon, I was sure the light wouldn’t have helped all that much. “Be careful with the briefcases,” he warned again. I was holding it so tightly my hand was beginning to cramp.

Edgar’s light shined on a carved arrow, and we followed it.

We were silent for a few minutes, gathering our thoughts after everything that had happened. I was finally able to catch my breath and think about what I had heard. Cornelius really did need me. Edgar was right. And Cornelius really was the Grand Imperial.

Grandfather wasn’t dead. I didn’t know what that meant to me exactly, but one thing I was sure of. Everything Edgar and Belladonna had told me was true so far. I bet I was in danger. What would Cornelius have done to me if we didn’t get away? I didn’t even want to think about that. From what I had seen of him, he wasn’t exactly a nice guy.

“What happened?” Robert finally asked once we passed another arrow.

We told him everything from the officers finding us to me hitting Cornelius in the head. Edgar and Robert laughed at that last part. Robert hoped the lamp had left a mark.

“How did they not find you guys?” Ashton asked.

“We finished pretty quickly,” Robert said. “We were leaving the refrigerated room when we heard whispering.”

“Knew it wasn’t you two,” Edgar said.

“So we hid and went out looking for you,” Robert said.

At that moment, I remembered what Edgar had said. “What about nobody being there?” I asked him angrily. “You were wrong, and it almost got us killed.”

“Hey,” Edgar snapped. “We all make mistakes. Now be glad you got away.”

“Well, I’m not doing anything like that again,” I said.

Edgar looked at me and grinned. “But you learned,” he said. “Learned the damn truth, didn’t you?”

I didn’t answer.

“I can’t believe it was the Grand Imperial,” Robert said.

“Would’ve never guessed he would be there,” Edgar said. “These vials must’ve been a priority.”

“Good thing we stole them,” Robert said. “And a good thing we destroyed the security footage. And any proof that Edgar used his fingerprint to get in.”

“Does it matter?” Ashton asked. “They know who Carsyn is. They know we exist.”

“Only a matter of time before they figured that one out, eh,” Edgar said. “Not a thing we can do.”

“Hopefully they don’t make the virus again,” I said, remembering all the experimental vials we saw in the basement. “Who knows what they’ve been trying to make down there.”

Edgar snickered.

“What?” Ashton asked.

“Lit the place on fire,” Edgar said.

Robert laughed with him. “Didn’t want them coming up with any other dangerous substances.”

Wow. They really thought of everything. That explained the fire trucks, too.

We soon reached the trap door, and we all climbed down the ladder, holding our briefcases more careful than ever. Half way down, only having one free hand, I nearly fell. Edgar nearly had a heart attack as he saw me start to topple over. Good thing I was able to balance myself and readjust.

Edgar shined the flashlight down the hall and we walked through the tunnels until we reached the room Belladonna sat in. As soon as we entered, she jumped up from beside the radio. She looked at us, wide-eyed.

“What happened?” she asked immediately. She turned down the radio. “It’s all over the news.”

“What are they saying?” Edgar asked.

“Just that someone broke in and tried to light the place on fire. Cornelius was there.”

“We know,” Edgar said. We each sat down the briefcases onto the table very cautiously. “We started the fire,” Edgar said, then pointed at Ashton and me. “These two met him.”

I didn’t think Belladonna’s eyes could grow any wider, but they did. “Tell me everything,” she said, sitting back down.

We each took a seat except for Robert. He stood next to the table. We spent the next thirty minutes telling her everything that happened starting at the Starbucks. She asked us what it was like meeting The Grand Imperial. We told her about what he looked like and how quickly he got angry.

“I’m sorry you had to find out that way,” Belladonna told me. Edgar went over to the kitchen, grabbed four glasses, filled them up with water, and handed one to Robert, Ashton, and me. Yeah, stealing from the president made me thirsty. I chugged mine while Ashton told Belladonna how I had saved the day by knocking out Cornelius. I wasn’t expecting such praise.

“It was quick thinking,” he said, for once grinning at me.

Belladonna carefully took one of the briefcases and slowly opened it. “Sub X,” she whispered, her eyes gazing at the dangerous vials. “We can’t let anybody know this exists,” she said. “I know just the place to hide it.”

“Agreed,” Edgar said.

“Where?” I asked, curious.

She took one of the vials and examined it. “The fewer that know, the better.”

Edgar agreed. “If Grandfather ever gets a hold of any of us, we truly won’t know where it’s at. Best few know.”

Made sense.

Belladonna, who was frantic when we walked in, was now back to her calm self. I supposed after listening to the radio, she suspected something bad had happened to us. But seeing everybody was fine and that we had succeeded in the mission, all was well.

“I’m guessing Cornelius didn’t tell you why he needs you, did he?” Belladonna asked. “Or else you would’ve told us.” She placed the vial back into the briefcase and locked it away.

“He didn’t,” I answered. “But he said I’d find out soon enough.”

“That was when he thought we weren’t getting away,” Ashton said.

I agreed. “You guys were right,” I said. “All of you. President Cornelius is their Grand Imperial. It seemed so impossible earlier. I mean, I had no idea who you people were and you told me that he needed me. I knew nobody. You have to see why it was so hard for me to believe.”

Edgar and Robert seemed satisfied.

Belladonna offered a genuine smile. “I knew you needed time,” she said. “You were right as well. It’s best to prove something with your own ears and eyes.”

Everyone stared at the table in silence. I replayed the meeting with Cornelius. It was all true, and I was still in disbelief. And now that I knew it was all true, I wanted to know more. Why did Cornelius need me? And what was their next plan? Those people underground . . . they weren’t just a bunch of lunatics. Yeah, maybe Edgar was odd and really annoying. But he wasn’t crazy. I didn’t think.

I didn’t know a lot about Grandfather, so my mind was still everywhere. What exactly was Grandfather doing? Was the tracking law actually their idea? Whatever they were all about, it couldn’t be good, and these people underground really believed they could expose him. Whether or not I liked it, I was now involved. No turning back. I had to learn more and find out how I played a role in it.

“I think we all need sleep,” Belladonna said slowly. She touched one of the briefcases. “I’ll lock these away in the morning.”

I yawned. Everything that had happened did make me tired. Before Ashton and I left, I turned to Belladonna. “Thanks for letting me go,” I told her. “That’s what I wanted; to find out on my own.”

She grinned at me. “I’m glad you’re with us. You’re going to come in handy one day.”

Ashton and I were quiet until we approached my room. I expected him to keep walking. He didn’t. He stopped at my door. “I’m sorry about earlier,” he said tiredly. “I get carried away.”

“It’s fine,” I said. “You were right anyways.”

“Yeah, but you were right, too. Belladonna is right. It’s best to discover something yourself . . . don’t believe random people you don’t know.”

Ashton placed a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s start over. There aren’t a whole lot of people our age down here. Maybe we can be friends.”

I agreed.

Just as I was about to walk in my room, I heard a girl yell out, “You’re back!” We both turned to find Marley standing in the distance. “And you’re safe.” She ran toward both of us and hugged us tightly. It was kind of awkward. We barely knew each other, yet she hugged me as if we had known each other our entire lives.

Marley wanted to know everything, and there was no way she was waiting until morning. I allowed them both into my room so Ashton and I could fill her in. I really hoped they wouldn’t see that as an invitation to be knocking on my door all of the time.

Marley was upset we got so close to Grandfather’s leader but glad we were safe and I now believed.

“And the way he took out Cornelius,” Ashton told her. “It was perfect. Man I really underestimated you. I wish I could’ve seen Cornelius’s face when he came to.”

I didn’t know how to respond, so I just laughed. People never bragged on me or complimented me on anything. It was weird.

They left me alone. I didn’t go to bed right away. My mind was racing, replaying everything. I couldn’t believe Cornelius knew me. How did he know me? As I had told Edgar before, I knew nobody, and nobody knew me. Or at least I thought nobody knew me. Cornelius knew who I was, and I promised myself I would get an answer soon. But until then, I was going to have to get some sleep.

Chapter Seven

The next day, once word got out, there was a lot of talk. People wouldn’t leave me alone, approaching me everywhere I went, asking me what it was like to be around Cornelius. I couldn’t get away, so I stayed in my room until Marley and Ashton came.

“Trying to hide?” Ashton asked. Apparently, people wouldn’t leave him alone either.

“Yeah,” I told him.

“I know where we can go to get away from all of this,” Marley said.

I knew what she meant right away.

We all went to the hill where we sat in mostly silence. Ashton mentioned how he would never see the city the same way. “Everything is so different inside,” he told Marley. “The people, too.”

I told Marley that aside meeting Cornelius and everything going wrong, I still thought the city was spectacular. Now that we had the time, we told Marley about the good things in the city. We mentioned the technology, the vehicles, and definitely the Starbucks. “Best drink I’ve ever had,” Ashton told her.

Marley wasn’t as thrilled. She pretended to be, but her excitement was obviously forced. Ashton must have also noticed this because he asked her if anything was wrong.

“No,” She said, forcing another smile. “I did, though, always want to see the city.”

I suddenly felt bad. Ashton and I had gotten carried away in our excitement that we never thought Marley would’ve been upset. I apologized.

“Well, don’t apologize,” She said. “I’m actually glad I wasn’t there because I would’ve freaked out after you guys were caught. But one day, I’ll see the city.”

“It wasn’t that great,” Ashton said, trying to make her feel better.

“Yeah,” I agreed.

Marley smiled, this one real, and then asked how it was to be away with Edgar and Robert. I told her how Edgar seemed like a changed man, and we all agreed it was because the city was for Edgar, seeing as to how that’s where he used to live.

“Probably brought back some memories,” Marley said.

I pictured Edgar walking on the sidewalk with everybody else, dressed in a fancy suit, on the phone, drinking some Starbucks. Then after a long day of work, going back home to his . . . did he have a family? I asked Marley if she knew.

“He used to have a wife,” Marley said. “I don’t know what happened to her.”

I wondered what happened.

“Just don’t ask him,” Ashton said, frowning. “People like to keep some things to themselves.”

I knew Ashton was referring to his scar. I changed the subject. “I can’t help but wonder if the rich people know what we outside of the wall have to go through. It’s not fair.”

Ashton and Marley were silent at first. Yeah, everything we had seen was amazing and different, but it just wasn’t fair that only the rich could enjoy it. Actually, the more I compared the inside to the places and people around the orphanage, it made me angry.

“I know,” Ashton said roughly. “I hate the wall so much. I just hope that after all of this is over with, it’ll come down.”

I pictured what it would be like coming down. It was so big. I couldn’t imagine. I don’t even know how people would react, and that was including those outside of it.

That evening we went to the dining hall to find Belladonna, Edgar, and Robert gathered around the radio up front. I assumed Cornelius was making another address. I wondered if he would mention what had happened the previous night. I was sure he would. By the time everyone had their sandwiches, Belladonna had found the right station. From it, a high-pitched woman spoke about her upcoming interview with Cornelius. She was very excited about it and mentioned how it was a last minute thing and how he had something important to say. That really built up some curiosity.

“We’ll be back with President Cornelius after these messages,” the woman said. Advertisements for vehicles, food, and even Starbucks played. While we waited, Mae talked about the previous night.

“I’m just glad you guys are okay,” she said. “It was dangerous, but you all did a great deed.” Her eyes moved from me to Ashton. Mae then started chuckling. “I still can’t believe you knocked him out. Now, we all know that had to hurt. I remember getting hit in the head by a vase when I was a kid. Boy did it hurt! Let’s hope Cornelius learned a lesson.”

“Hopefully,” I added.

Soon, the commercials were over and the woman’s high-pitched voice returned. “Please welcome our president,” she was saying. Loud applause came in through the radio. I wondered how many people were there to see him. It sounded like hundreds.

“Thank you Karen,” the calm but strong low-pitched voice said, sounding the same as before . . . as if nothing had happened.

“I want to start off by congratulating you on passing the Bill of Border Control. I do believe it goes into effect next Tuesday . . . five days.”

I had completely forgotten about the tracking law. With everything going on, I guess I just didn’t realize it officially passed. Of course the way everybody had talked, it was going to happen eventually. That’s probably why nobody around me seemed all that surprised.

“That’s right,” Cornelius said. “We’ve got a lot of improvement coming, and this bill is only the start.”

“It sure does sound exciting,” the woman – Karen – said. “Even with the controversy behind it.”

Cornelius chuckled. “You know, Karen. I’ve heard a lot of people call it the tracking law, thinking we’re doing it to just keep people organized in the four regions. It’s mostly those outside the wall who believe this.”

“That’s right,” Karen said. “But they also can’t help it.”

“Exactly,” Cornelius said. “They don’t get to see a lot of things we see, so they don’t understand.”

“Maybe if you didn’t separate all of us,” I heard Mae whisper.

“But they still feel pretty strongly about the bill,” Karen said.

“They do,” Cornelius answered. “But all I’m doing is taking a step to lower crime. You can’t fight against facts. Data tells us that most crime committed is indeed committed by those from other regions. It’s a sad truth in today’s society.”

“Very sad, indeed,” Karen said. “but many would say we already have the lowest crime rate in history.”

“That may be,” Cornelius snapped, though he didn’t exactly sound angry. “But we can make that number even lower. Always room for improvement. Never settle.”

“Oh, absolutely,” Karen said. “I think we can all agree that less crime would make this world a better place.”

“I sure do hope so,” Cornelius said. “And that’s exactly what we’re trying to achieve. People will adapt to it and in just a few years they’ll see it was the right choice to make.”

There was a pause while Karen cleared her throat. She continued, “I don’t mean to switch directions completely, but I want to move on to something even more recent. The biggest news we’ve all been hearing is about the incident from last night.”

“Ah yes,” Cornelius said, still sounding as if nothing happened. “It was an interesting night to say the least.”

Ashton and I exchanged looks. We were both wondering if he would mention us. Probably not. He would avoid the truth, especially about Sub X.

“What exactly happened?” Karen said. “The fire trucks showed up, but there was no fire, is that correct?

“Thankfully it’s true,” Cornelius said.

I snorted. Edgar said he definitely caught the basement on fire. But Cornelius couldn’t just come out and say that. He’d be afraid that word would get out about the virus.

He continued, still sounding as if it was no big deal. “A couple of kids thought it would be funny to break in and set off the fire alarm.”

“Oh my,” Karen said.

“I caught a glimpse of them. They definitely weren’t from within the walls.”

“Oh,” Karen said. “Outsiders rarely get in. That’s quite unusual.”

“It is,” Cornelius said.

“Well, I guess you never know what to expect from them.”

“Never know what to expect from anybody,” Cornelius said.

Karen cleared her throat again. “So you weren’t in any danger?” she asked.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “Just two kids playing pranks.”

“Reports say that when you first came out, your forehead was swollen quite badly.”

“Karen, I was in such a hurry to get out that I slipped and fell.” Cornelius laughed.

Karen laughed with him.

“And for all I knew, the place was actually on fire. I don’t think I’ve run so fast in my life.”

They laughed even harder.

I caught Ashton’s glance and grin. We knew the truth.

“Well, we’re all glad you’re okay.”

“That’s kids for you,” Cornelius said, still chuckling.

“And speaking of kids,” Karen said right away. “That brings us to the next big topic people are just dying to know about.”

“Yes,” he said. “I knew it would come up, and I don’t blame people questioning the situation.”

I listened intensively.

“Reports say you were seen outside the wall earlier today.”

“Unusual, isn’t it?” Cornelius said.

Cornelius outside the wall? Now that was something I couldn’t imagine.

“Sources tell us that you were recently at an orphanage.”

Whoa. I quickly glanced at Mae, Marley, and Ashton. They looked at me, just as shocked and turned their attention back to the radio. I noticed a few people in the room glancing my way. When they caught me looking them back, they quickly turned away. Edgar was one of them. I continued to listen, leaning toward the radio; just as I had seen other people do.

“I was,” Cornelius admitted.

“Mr. President,” Karen said. “This is surprising to us. If you don’t mind . . . we’d like to hear why. Were you just helping? And outside of the wall? It’s not very safe there.”

“Safety wasn’t an issue,” Cornelius said. “Yes, people outside are rowdy, but I had plenty of security to keep me safe.”

Karen exhaled deeply, as if she had been holding her breath. “I’m so glad to hear that,” she said. “But why did you even take the risk?”

“Let me tell you a story first,” Cornelius said. “A story I think everybody deserves to know.

“Well, do tell,” Karen said, the excitement in her voice returning. “I love a good story.”

“I had a friend . . . Benjamin Hawkins was his name. Like myself, he wanted to make a difference. He wanted to see people living a much safer life. Karen, he and I would stay up late, discussing different ways we could better this society and the people in it. I remember one time, he came up with the idea that the walls should be painted a different color.” Cornelius paused to chuckle.

I just couldn’t believe how normal he sounded. No wonder so many people were fooled. It could be easy.

Cornelius continued. “Benjamin wanted it to be a bright color . . . said it would make us happier to see a jolly color while we get our shopping done and take our families to eat.”

“It sounds like he really cared,” Karen said. “I personally would love to see a purple wall.”

“That would match your hair,” Cornelius said.

She giggled. “It would, wouldn’t it?”

They chuckled for a few seconds.

“Anyways,” Cornelius started again. “He was a good friend . . . told me everything. About twenty years ago . . .” He paused for a second . . . “Yes, it’s been about that long. I was working in the west region and he called me, telling me how he had met the most beautiful woman. Her name was Jaclyn.”

“Her name certainly does sound beautiful,” Karen added.

“She was amazing,” he said. “Absolutely gorgeous. And they fell in love, of course. They knew they were perfect for each other, so they quickly got married, and a few years later, she was pregnant. I can’t even tell you how exhilarated Benjamin was. He loved children.”

“A love story,” Karen said as Cornelius paused. “I love a romantic story.”

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a happy ending,” Cornelius said.

“Oh my,” Karen said. Then, she said in dread, “Please continue.”

Cornelius did so. “Unfortunately, Jaclyn didn’t make it through the birth, leaving Benjamin alone with the child.”

“Oh no,” Karen said. “Many folks today don’t understand what that’s like because our technology has improved greatly these last ten years, making this problem very rare. So sad, Mr. President,” Karen said.

“Sad, indeed,” Cornelius said, slowly. “She was a dear friend of mine. And she was the love of Benjamin’s life. She made him happy, and that’s all he wanted in life. That and to help people.”

Everyone focused on the radio more than usual, wanting to know what the point to Cornelius’s story was.

“And unfortunately, Benjamin felt as if he couldn’t take care of the child on his own,” Cornelius continued. “He had become depressed. And can you blame him?”

“Absolutely not,” Karen agreed. “I can’t even imagine what it would be like to lose the love of your life. And he had to care for the child all by himself!”

“I’ll say it again, Benjamin was a good guy. He didn’t mean harm. But he just couldn’t help it, and he did start drinking . . . until it got out of control.”

“Oh no,” Karen said, legitimately sounding sad.

But I had to agree, it was very sad.

“I tried talking to him, but he had completely lost it. I still don’t blame him. I don’t know how I would’ve reacted.”

There was another pause. I couldn’t help but think how I first thought these people were lunatics as they had their eyes glued to the radio. There I was, feeling just as dedicated as the others.

Cornelius said, “Anyways, Benjamin didn’t think his boy was safe with him. He didn’t think he could be a proper parent. He did what he thought was right and placed him in an orphanage . . . to keep him safe from his own misery.”

My heart dropped. I could feel everybody’s eyes staring a hole through me. I forced myself to keep my eyes on the radio. At that moment, I didn’t care about them.

“He wanted to do what he thought was best,” Karen said slowly.

“He did. I was sad to hear that Benjamin drunk himself to death a few weeks ago from today.”

“So sad!” Karen cried. “I’m sorry to hear that. I can tell you two were close.”

“We were,” Cornelius said. “You see, Karen, I got to speak to Benjamin one last time before he passed. Of course I didn’t know he was going to drink himself to death at the time. I would’ve tried to stop him, although he wouldn’t have allowed it. I even begged him to stay with me until he got his feet back on the ground. But he just wouldn’t do it. He said he didn’t deserve it. He went on telling how he was a terrible person for putting his kid in the orphanage. He had heard that it was hard on the kids.”

I could’ve laughed if I wasn’t so focused. Hard wasn’t the right word to describe life at the orphanage. Miserable, devastating, tormenting . . . yeah, those words fit better.

Cornelius kept talking. His tone was completely different from the calm one he’d had in the beginning. If I wasn’t mistaking, I would’ve said he seemed . . . sad. Very sad, actually.

“He said that he wanted so badly to change things and give his boy a good life. I remembered his words after his passing. I was at the orphanage looking for the boy. I wanted to take care of Benjamin’s son. My good friend deserves to rest in peace, knowing that his son is okay.”

I took a deep breath. The dining hall was dead silent. I did take my eyes off of the radio for a second. Everybody seemed worried. I just knew they were thinking the same thing. Up ahead, Edgar, Belladonna, and Robert didn’t look at me. But I know they were thinking it too.

Finally, Karen asked the magical question. “What was his name?”

“I held my breath, knowing the answer already. He confirmed it.

“Carsyn,” Cornelius said. “His name is Carsyn, and he’s been taken away.”

Yeah, I was expecting it, but hearing it made it official. It was like a bomb exploded right on top of me. Edgar jumped up and immediately walked in my direction. Everybody’s eyes beamed at me as they whispered to one another. Cornelius saying my name echoed in my head. Mae placed a hand on my shoulder. Edgar reached the table, just as Cornelius started talking again. Edgar was about to say something, but decided to let Cornelius finish. I forced myself to focus.

“Somebody has taken him,” Cornelius said. “He’s been missing for the last couple of weeks. And I intend to find them.”

“Such a tragedy,” Karen said. “Oh my goodness, Mr. President.”

I heard Cornelius sniff. “I just want to make a better place for him, because it is what his parents would’ve wanted.”

“And you tried,” Karen said. I pictured Karen placing a hand on Cornelius’s shoulder to comfort him. I pictured Cornelius crying. Man, I had so many questions.

“You see, just before Benjamin died, he told me how he had something he wanted Carsyn to have one day. It meant a lot to him. He showed it to me. So after his passing, I went straight to his house and found it. I intended to find Carsyn, but it took so long to track him down. Benjamin never mentioned where he had dropped him off at. They got to him before I did.”

“They?” Karen asked. “Who do you think they is? And why do you think they took him?”

“As I said before, Karen, people just do not like the Bill of Border Control. I suppose they figured out I was looking for Carsyn, and they took him as a punishment for me passing a bill that will help protect all.”

“So you believe that these people found out you were looking for Carsyn, and they kidnapped him in order to get back at you?” Karen asked, absolutely perplexed.

“As for who they are? I don’t know exactly. But I know they’re listening right now.”

“Well, Mr. President. I think this is a tragedy and you deserve to send them a message while we’re on the air.”

Cornelius was silent for a few seconds before answering with an even deeper, rougher tone. “You think you can beat me,” he said.

“He’s talking to us,” Mae whispered.

Everybody in the dining hall fidgeted in their seats.

“You won’t win this,” he continued. “We will find you, and you will give Carsyn to me.”

There was another pause of silence. It was official … Cornelius knew we all existed, planning to take him down. Thankfully, that was all he knew. Edgar looked at me again, shaking his head. Mae still had her hand on my shoulder. I knew they were just trying to help, but it was annoying to have a bunch of people gathered all around me. It was drawing attention, and I needed less of that.

“I think I speak for the rest of the nation in saying we’re behind you,” Karen said.

He knew about us, and he would search for us, not stopping until we were found; not stopping until he got his hands on me.

“I hope so,” Cornelius said. “If only the Bill of Border Control had already been passed, we could’ve possibly prevented the kidnapping.”

“You believe they’re from another region?” Karen asked.

“I think there’s a good chance they might be,” he answered.

“Riveting story,” Karen told him. “Is there anything else you’d like to say before we sign off?” Karen asked.

“There is,” Cornelius said.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

“I know you’re probably listening too, Carsyn,” he started.

I listened more closely, swiping Mae’s hand off of my shoulder.

“If you can get away, please do so. You can find me in the capitol at the Presidential Tower. Get here if you can. I want to give you a better life. Find me. You won’t regret it.”

Karen signed off and more commercials came on. Belladonna turned down the radio. The room was completely silent at first. Eyes stared into me, of course. I kept my eyes on the radio, trying to avoid eye contact with anybody. Then, they all began whispering. I heard Grandfather and my name repeated.

Jaclyn.

Benjamin.

Carsyn Hawkins?

I never knew a thing about my parents. Neither did the orphanage. I was dropped off, no names given but my own. The orphanage told me they tried tracking my name to find a birth certificate or something, but they didn’t find anything. I was never sure if they actually tried tracking it down. I really doubt it.

Now I faced a similar problem as I did when I came with Edgar. I had the same question I had been having over the past couple of weeks. Was it true, or was it not? Did Cornelius actually know who my parents were? And if so, were they just as evil as Cornelius? If they were friends, then there was a good chance. Unless Cornelius wasn’t evil. But he had to be. Unless we were all mistaking. But the way he talked to us in the city. But . . . but.

That’s when the anger came. I was furious at all the confusion that had suddenly entered my life. Not knowing what was true was terrible, and it just made me all the angrier. Then I thought of how – if it was true – terrible it was that Benjamin – my dad – had thrown me into the orphanage. I hated him for it, making me go through all that.

Then curiosity mingled in with my anger. I wondered what it was Cornelius had to give me. He said it was from my dad. Then the anger would get worse because I didn’t know the truth. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. Why was it so hard to get the truth?

“Ya okay?” Edgar asked me quietly.

I didn’t reply, looking at the floor. No eyes staring into mine there.

“Carsyn,” Mae said, leaning her head down, trying to make eye contact as if I was a child.

I didn’t reply.

“Carsyn,” Edgar tried again.

I still said nothing. I waited for him to get angry as usual, but he didn’t. It was a good thing because I would’ve snapped.

“He’s smart,” Edgar said, turning his attention to Mae. “That damn stunt just got him sympathy from almost every person out there. Now people are going to think he’s some sensitive guy. Be a helluva lot harder for people to realize what he’s doing. His next move will be overlooked easily.”

“Carsyn,” Marley said immediately after Edgar was done speaking.

This time, I answered them. It was simple. “I’m going to my room.”

Nobody argued. They were silent. I left the table. Eyes continued to stare me down as I exited the dining room.

Parents. Grandfather. Cornelius. Parents. Not many kids mentioned their parents at the orphanage, but I knew they all thought it. We all wondered why fate had landed us in such a horrible place. What kid wouldn’t want to know about their parents? But it was impossible to find answers at the orphanage.

But was it possible that I finally had a way to get answers? It was possible, but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that only one person knew the answer, and he was the enemy. Unless we were wrong about him. Suddenly things had gotten a lot more complicated.

Chapter Eight

I was lucky to find the hilltop without Marley’s help. I sat there, legs dangling over the ledge, eyes glued to the city, wondering what Cornelius was doing. The tallest building kept drawing my attention. That had to be the Presidential Tower. He was probably surrounded by servants and luxurious items. I wondered if there was something he didn’t have, other than me.

The kids within the wall probably had it all. They probably had their parents who took care of them, throwing a bitcoin card at every problem. No matter how hard I tried to get it out of my mind, it came up. Was Cornelius telling the truth? Was Benjamin really my dad? Did Cornelius actually have something from my father to give to me?

Edgar and Belladonna eventually found me roaming the halls. I knew it was only a matter of time before they came looking for me.

“Whatcha thinking?” Edgar asked.

I looked at him as if he was stupid. “Seriously? What do you think?”

He looked taken aback but didn’t argue with me. I think he knew I was on the edge. Belladonna gave me a comforting smile. Not even that made me feel better.

“Your time here has been very difficult, I understand that,” she said. “I mean, first you have to deal with finding out if Grandfather exists or not. You find out they do, and Cornelius throws more questions at you. We orphans usually go our entire short life without knowing about our parents. So, I understand . . . this is a big deal.”

I looked into her eyes. “I just want answers,” I said. “I want to know if it’s all true. It’s killing me!”

Edgar walked closer to me. “Carsyn. You have to understand that Grandfather will do anything to get people to join their side. That damn story has people feeling sorry for Cornelius. That story showed people their president has a personal story like everybody else. After meeting you and you getting away, he’s probably trying to get to ya.”

“Edgar’s right,” Belladonna said. “I know you don’t want to hear that.”

Edgar actually looked a bit sad. But Belladonna was right. I definitely didn’t want to hear that.

“You think he made it up?” I asked.

“Most likely,” Edgar said. “If he did, it sure as hell is working.”

I thought about the possibility of Cornelius lying. It was definitely possible, but I had to find out for myself. I turned to Belladonna. “You think Cornelius made it up?”

She nodded as she played with her hair. “I really think so,” she told me.

“But it’s also possible that it’s true?” I asked.

Edgar shook his head furiously. “Not a chance,” he said.

“How can you say that?” I argued. “If it’s possible he’s lying, then it’s also possible he’s telling the truth. You don’t know for sure, just as I don’t. Quit being that way!”

Man, I was so angry and confused, I didn’t care about Edgar. I actually think I wanted him to argue, just so I could scream at him. He took a step back, his eyes wide. He didn’t say anything.

I took a breath and looked at Belladonna. “What do you think?”

She hesitated. Then, she said, “I’m not going to lie to you. It could be the truth.”

“Belladonna,” Edgar said. “You honestly think – ”

“We don’t know, Edgar,” Belladonna said. “We honestly don’t know. Now Robert will be going within the wall tomorrow, and hopefully he can learn more about it. I don’t think it’s true, but we don’t know.”

I nodded. That’s what I wanted to hear: the truth. Edgar didn’t seem satisfied but he didn’t say anything about it.

“I’ll go and see what people are saying outside of the wall,” Edgar said. “See if they’ve fallen for it too.”

Belladonna nodded with satisfaction. She looked at me. “Patience,” she said. “You have to be patient.”

I didn’t want to be patient. It was as if Edgar knew this. “Stay calm and don’t do anything stupid,” he told me before leaving.

I didn’t want to talk to anybody. Too much to think about, so I kept to myself over the next week, and everyone seemed to respect that. Nobody asked me any questions or told me anything. Like me, they didn’t know what to think. I tried putting it out of my mind, but something like that just doesn’t go away easily. I hoped Robert and Edgar would have learned something new, but they never. I just couldn’t be patient. The only way to resolve my problems was to find an answer myself. As I told Belladonna before, I wanted to see or hear the truth for myself. On the hill, I told Marley and Ashton my idea.

“You want to go back to the city?” Marley asked, loudly. “Are you crazy?”

“Maybe,” I said. “But I have to find out.”

Ashton placed a hand on his forehead, shaking his head. “You’d go in there, find Cornelius, maybe find the truth if he’d tell you, and then you’d probably be killed.”

“He won’t kill me,” I said.

“How do you know?” Marley asked. “Please, Carsyn. Tell me how you know.”

“So you think Cornelius has been looking for me this entire time just to kill me?”

They didn’t say anything.

“He needs me for something,” I continued. “He either wants me because the whole story about my parents is true, or he wants me for some other reason. He needs me for something so he won’t kill me.

They still said nothing, knowing I was right. I mean, it did make sense. It was highly unlikely that Cornelius had been searching for me just to have me killed. I would stay alive if I found him.

“This is stupid,” Marley said. “You can’t.”

“This is about my parents,” I argued. “This is something I have to figure out.”

“Okay,” Marley said. “Say you do find out the truth. You think the Grand Imperial will just let you walk out . . . just like that? He’ll probably keep you there.”

“I don’t know,” I said, honestly. It had crossed my mind, but for some reason, that was the least of my worries. I’d worry about that when the time came. “At least he won’t have me killed. I can find a way out.”

Marley shook her head in anger, her hands on her hips. “And what makes you think that?” Marley asked. She turned around and looked at the sky. “This is stupid.”

“Carsyn,” Ashton said slowly. “This is probably all a part of his plan. He’s probably trying to lure you in.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe,” I said. “But once again, I have to figure it out for myself. I’m gonna go crazy down here if I don’t figure it out. Do you know how much sleep I’ve gotten?”

Ashton looked more worried than angry. He looked at me as if he felt sorry for me. I didn’t like being looked at that way.

“Okay,” Marley said. “Think about this . . . how you going to get there?”

Marley had picked out one of the many flaws in my plan. It would be a long walk. I didn’t have access to Robert’s driver, I didn’t have bitcoin for a cab, and I certainly couldn’t ask Edgar for his card. Nobody could know what I was going to do.

“I’m working on that,” I said.

Marley laughed, nervously. “I won’t let you go,” she said. “I’ll tell Edgar and Belladonna, and they’ll stop you.”

“I chose to come down here,” I said, sharply. “I can choose to leave if I want.”

Yeah right. I knew that wasn’t going to happen, having nowhere to go and all. But Marley didn’t need to know that.

“You know what,” Ashton said. “Fine. If you want to go, that’s up to you. But all I ask is for you think about it for a little bit. Maybe something’ll come up.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“Well, the press is probably still checking everything out about your supposal parents. Just like Mae said, they’ll dig deep. It’s the biggest news.”

“That’s right,” Marley intervened.

“The press will check the story out,” Ashton finished sternly.

“They’ll dig, and with hope, they’ll find out it’s a lie. And –”

“A lie?” I snapped. “I kind of don’t want it to be. This is the first time in my life my parents have come up; the first time I may have some answers about myself.”

After a few seconds of silence, Marley said slowly, “I know you want answers. But not by him.”

She was probably right. Cornelius wasn’t somebody to trust. But as I said before, I had to find out for myself, even if that meant meeting him again. If there were somebody else out there, I would’ve gone to them. But the sad truth was that Cornelius was the only one with the truth. And what if that was the real reason he was looking for me? Maybe I wasn’t in danger. Again, I was confused.

“I’ll make you a deal,” Ashton said. “You wait to see what the press comes up with, then I’ll go with you if they say it’s true.”

“No,” Marley said in a stern voice. “He may not kill Carsyn, but you . . . he will.”

“I can at least make the journey with you,” Ashton said. “Then when it’s time to see Cornelius again, I’ll back away.”

I thought about it. Marley paced back and forth, shaking her head. Ashton watched me waiting for an answer.

“Too dangerous,”

He looked at the ground, shaking his head. “Then I’m afraid I’m with Marley on this one,” he said. “I’ll tell Edgar.”

I was cornered. I knew if Edgar and Belladonna found out what I was planning, they would freak out, overreact, and probably have my every move watched. I couldn’t risk that because for one, I wouldn’t be able to come to our secret spot and still keep it a secret, and two, I didn’t want to be lodged away in my room. Sure, at first it was nice locking myself in, staying away from people. But after a while, the bedroom seemed to shrink. I needed more space. I looked at Ashton, and then at Marley, who had stopped pacing and watched me, waiting for an answer.

“Oh!” he exclaimed, as if just remembering something. “I have a card Dr. Mac got me for helping him out.”

“Card?” I asked.

“Bitcoin card,” he said. “Only has about forty bitcoin on it, but that’s enough.”

“Quit helping him!” Marley said. “This is too dangerous. You can’t do this. You just can’t.”

Ashton was really making it difficult to say no. I shook my head, thinking for a few seconds. Finally, I came to a decision. “Okay,” I told him.

His facial expression turned to one of excitement. He was ready for another journey.

“I can’t believe it,” Marley said, throwing her hands up in defeat.

“It’s okay,” Ashton said. “Like I said before, I’ll stay away from Cornelius. I have bitcoin. I can get him there.”

Marley still didn’t like it, but as a friend, she finally promised to not say a word. I knew she hoped for nothing more than to find out that Cornelius was lying. I supposed a small part of me wished the same. But the rest of me needed it to be true.

I kept my promise and waited for more answers to come out. That didn’t take too long. Edgar returned dressed in the same clothes he wore when I met him. In his hands, he had a newspaper. He approached me and handed it to me.

I read the headline. PRESIDENT CORNELIUS WILL FIND BOY. I skimmed the article, only grasping one sentence. “Marriage certificates and birth certificates have been found, proving that Benjamin and Jacyln are, indeed, the orphan’s parents.” I read aloud. I lifted my head up. Edgar looked worried.

“I’ll never understand what it’s like to not know my parents,” Edgar said. “I grew up inside the wall, always having them there to take care of me. I had everything. I understand you’re curious.”

“It’s true then?” I asked. “Cornelius probably really does have something to give me . . . something that belonged to my dad?”

Overhearing our conversation, Belladonna joined Edgar’s side. “Grandfather has so many resources,” she said. “It would’ve been so easy for Cornelius to create the certificates.”

“He could even create a fake person,” Edgar added.

“Wait a minute,” I said. “So you guys think this is all fake?”

Edgar and Belladonna exchanged worried glances again. They should have known I wasn’t going to handle it well.

“It’s possible he’s targeting your state of mind,” Belladonna said.

“But you don’t know that,” I argued.

“We don’t,” Edgar said. “But don’t you think he would’ve said something when you were with him in the office?”

I had thought about that, actually. But then, he had planned to keep me, not knowing I would escape. He did say I’d find out very soon. Maybe that’s what he was going to tell me. “So you’re basically saying none of this ‘proof’ matters?” I asked.

“Right,” Belladonna agreed softly.

I was getting angry all over again. They tell me that they’ll find proof. When they do, they say it could be fake. I read over the article again, remembering my deal with Ashton. I promised that I wouldn’t act until we had more information. Well, here it was and it wasn’t good enough for me. Edgar and Belladonna thought Cornelius was just making it all up. I didn’t know. I had to find out for myself.

I needed to find out.

I waited in my room until it was nearly 8:00, when the sun would have already nearly gone down. I ran to the small closet where I kept the suit Edgar had given me. It was still clean. The cappuccino stain was practically invisible. Thank you, Edgar and Robert, for a black suit.

I put it on, giving myself a pat on the back for not untying the tie. That would’ve been a disaster, because I still didn’t know how to tie one.

My plan was simple. I would wait until dark before sneaking out to the ladder. It was a good thing I remembered how to get there. I wouldn’t say anything to Ashton and Marley about my plan. Sure, I told Ashton that he could go with me, but I didn’t know what I would’ve done if he were caught and something bad happened to him. It was best for him to not go. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a flashlight, so I’d be walking to the road in the dark. But I’d manage. And unfortunately, I would have to make the entire walk by foot. Okay, my plan was definitely not simple. It was stupid. There were so many things that could go wrong. For one, I wasn’t even sure if I could just walk straight through the wall entrance. But I didn’t care. I was desperate.

I made sure nobody was in the hall before I darted out of my room. I quickly rounded the corner and nearly ran until the light from the torches could no longer be seen. First small step was a success. Since it had gotten dark, I kept my arms extended out, allowing me to feel the wall when I got too close or if the tunnel turned. It helped.

Soon, I approached the meeting room where light escaped through the cracks. Somebody was in there. Probably Belladonna. I had to be extra careful. I kept to the opposite side of the hall, tiptoeing.

“The order will work perfectly,” I heard Belladonna say. “But we’re running out of time.”

“I’ll gather somebody right for the job,” Robert said.

I didn’t know what they were talking about. It didn’t matter.

I tiptoed until I could no longer see light shining from the room. Second step was a success. I had to be careful with the next step.

I approached the end of the hall. I found the ladder with my hands. Slowly and blindly, I held onto the sides, placed a foot on the first step, lifted myself up, and slowly made my way up. I soon reached the top. This was going to be tricky. I didn’t want to accidently fall. Holding onto the ladder tightly with my left hand, I used my right to push the door open. With all the force I had in me, I flung the trap door open. Stars in the night sky twinkled above. Moonlight seeped into the hall, allowing me to see once again. I crawled out of the hole and closed the hatch.

I was alone, looking at the forest. The air was starting to get cool. The leaves rustled with the breeze. It wasn’t feeling like summer at all.

I followed the arrows leading to the road. Once there, I stood still for a few seconds, thinking things through. It was time for the longest step: Walking. At least it felt good outside. Perhaps a driver would feel sorry for me and pick me up. I wasn’t sure if that would’ve been safe. I wouldn’t worry about it unless it actually happened.

Very few vehicles passed by, which made sense because of the late hour. The rich didn’t think it was safe outside the wall. They probably enjoyed the city at night. Nights ended early for the poor, probably because there was nothing for us to do. But in the city, there seemed to be so much to do. I laughed quietly to myself. After what had happened last time, I didn’t want to go to the city for a long time. Now, about a week later, I was headed back. Funny how things work.

I thought about what I was going to ask Cornelius when I saw him. I wondered if he expected me to find him. After all, he did tell me to go to him. I just wasn’t sure it was a good idea. I was going to be very angry if it turned out that Edgar and Belladonna were right. As I’ve said a hundred times, I had to find out. I was going crazy in that mountain.

I even thought about passing by the orphanage on my way, but there was no way I would’ve been able to find it from where I was. And besides, even if I could, I didn’t have that time, neither did I actually care. I don’t even know why that crossed my mind.

The walk got kind of boring. To pass time, I found myself humming and whistling random notes. Then, I heard humming come from behind me. I stopped immediately. The humming stopped. Was my humming echoing? I doubted it. I was going to keep walking when I heard footsteps. They stopped. I wasn’t alone.

I turned around. There, ten or so feet away, stood Ashton, wearing his black suit. “Did you really think this would work?” he said.

“I hoped it would,” I answered. Though I hadn’t wanted him to come, I felt relieved to see him.

“I’m coming,” he said. Maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad to have somebody go with me.

“Please don’t.”

“Listen,” he said. “I understand that we may not be the best of friends after the way I treated you before. I’m still trying to make up for that.” He then dug into his pocket and took out two plastic gray cards. “And besides, I got bitcoin.”

I smiled. The thought of not having to walk made all of the difference. And company was going to be fine, too. “Okay,” I said. “But you can’t see Cornelius with me.

“I’ll leave before then,” he said.

I nodded. He joined my side. Just as we were about to start walking, I heard somebody calling our names. We turned back around quickly to see a shadowed figure running in our direction. “Wait!”

Yeah … it was Marley. It wasn’t until she got closer that I could see she was wearing a red dress that came to her knees. She wore black stilettos. Her hair was in a tight bun. I wondered where she’d gotten everything or even found the time to get ready so quickly.

“What are you doing?” Ashton yelled. “No, no, no.”

“If you can go, I can,” Marley said. “And I’m going.”

I said nothing. Having both of them made it even more dangerous. That was just the thing I had been trying to avoid. So much for that.

“What if something happens?” Ashton asked her.

“It’ll be fine,” she said.

“But what if it’s not?”

She didn’t say anything for a few seconds. Then, she walked past us, in the direction of the city. We turned around. She stopped. “Doesn’t matter,” she said. “I’m going either way.”

“You knew I’d go?” I asked, still not liking the idea that both were going with me. Now I had something else to worry about.

“Well, obviously,” Marley said. “We may not know each other extremely well, but I know you’re really curious. And Ashton . . . well . . . I do know him well.”

I wasn’t very happy about it, but there was nothing I could do. Neither Ashton nor I would be able to get Marley to go back. Arguing would be a lost cause and waste of time.

. “Let me know if you see a cab,” Ashton said.

We all kept a lookout for the cab and started walking again. Moving downhill did wonders on my legs, and I felt like I could walk the entire way.

I sneaked several gazes at Marley. She was absolutely beautiful. She was going to blend in well. I asked her where she got everything.

“It’s just something Momma got me just before we found Edgar and Belladonna,” she said. “I’ve been waiting to wear it. Seemed like a good opportunity.”

“And the makeup?” Ashton asked. “Where did you get it at?”

“My mom had it,” she said. “We were saving all of this for the right time. Now seemed perfect.”

“Oh,” was Ashton’s simple answer.

“Well, you look nice,” I told her.

“Thank you, Carsyn.”

We walked alongside the road, having no luck with a cab. You could hear the sound of crickets singing to one another. The sound was soothing when combined with the rustling of the leaves and the whistling from the breeze.

We probably walked for nearly ten minutes, not saying a word. Marley broke the silence.

“Me and Momma used to take walks on nights like this,” she said, looking up at the sky, smiling. “I miss it.”

That’s when I realized I knew nothing about Marley and Mae before they found Edgar. I wasn’t surprised she didn’t tell me. I couldn’t complain. I didn’t really say much about my life, either. I figured having nothing else to do on the walk, I might as well ask.

“It was alright,” Marley said when I did so. Ashton looked straight ahead. I wondered if he was listening.

“Did you guys live here?” I asked. “Inside or outside the capitol wall?”

“We lived outside of the wall in Boston.”

I had never heard of the city, which wasn’t surprising. “Which region is that in?”

“Northeastern.”

“Was it as bad as it is here?” Ashton asked.

Marley nodded slightly, frowning “It’s the same everywhere,” she said. “Every city separates itself from those outside. My dad hated it.”

It was the first time I heard anything about her dad. From the look on Ashton’s face, he was just as surprised. Marley must have noticed.

“I know I’ve never mentioned him before,” she said. “It just never came up.”

“You don’t have to tell anybody if you don’t want to,” Ashton said.

We were quiet for the next few seconds. The sound of the crickets seemed to become louder. Headlights shined bright on us. I hoped it was a cab. It wasn’t. It flew by us, sending a huge gust of wind at us.

I guess Marley decided she wanted to talk about her dad. “He didn’t like the separation between the poor and rich,” she said.

“I don’t blame him,” Ashton said. “It’s not fair,”

“That’s kind of where I first heard about Grandfather,” she said. “My dad always thought Grandfather actually existed right after the 2nd Civil War in secret. Because the separation was still being enforced today, he believed that Grandfather secretly existed still. He liked to tell everybody about it.”

“Everybody?” Ashton asked.

I thought about the protestor back at the orphanage being arrested for claiming Cornelius was Grandfather’s leader.

“Yeah, he told everybody,” Marley said.

“He was caught, wasn’t he?” I asked her, immediately regretting it. It wasn’t because she got mad. I just felt like it wasn’t appropriate.

She nodded. A tear rolled down her right cheek.

“It was two years ago. They arrested him.” she said. “So Momma and I got out as quickly as possible. That’s when we ran into Edgar.”

I had never felt anything close to what Marley was feeling. The last time I cried, I was ten years old, getting picked on. Now, I had nothing to cry over. I didn’t see a point. I did see people crying on the streets all of the time, but there was nothing I could do.

I thought it might be awkward to hug Marley, so I just placed a hand on her shoulder. I wasn’t sure if that was a way to comfort somebody, but she looked at me, wiped her eyes, and smiled, showing me something I hadn’t noticed before. Her teeth. They were perfectly straight and white.

I got an inside feeling that I was just gazing at Marley for a little too long, so I quickly turned away before things got awkward.

“It’s not right,” I said, taking my hand off of her shoulder. “People within the wall are living in comfort with their food, nice clothes, and technology, while people outside the wall are starving.”

I think it was the first time I was legitimately angry at the separation. Yeah, I never liked what the wall stood for. But I suppose seeing what life was like inside and hearing Marley’s story changed things.

“And they act as if they don’t care,” Ashton said.

“That’s what my dad thought,” she said. “And you know what? I’m proud of him. I may not know if he’s dead or alive right now, but I’m proud of him.”

“You should be,” Ashton said. “Can’t say I’m proud of my dad.” He rubbed his fingers across his scar.

Marley and I glanced at each other. I didn’t know Ashton as long as Marley knew him, but I knew two things about him: He was more passionate than others about destroying Grandfather, and he didn’t like for people to mention his past. His scar must’ve had something to do with that.

“What happened?” Marley risked asking.

He jerked his hand off his scar and shook his head. “Maybe another day,” he said.

I was dying to know where Ashton got his scar. I knew Marley felt the same way. But we both respected his decision to keep his story to himself.

“I never thought about the separation much at the orphanage,” I said. “There, I kind of ignored everything. I guess because I didn’t think I had a chance.”

“That’s the thing,” Ashton said. “We have a chance now,” he said. “I don’t know when we’ll actually be able to take Grandfather down, but I have a feeling it’s soon.”

I was ready to know the truth to everything, and I just wanted everything to be over with. Only then could I focus on what I wanted to do. Only then could I let Belladonna and Edgar help me as they promised.

“Since we found you,” Marley said to me. “Something feels different.

“Different?” I asked, looking up ahead. All I saw was more forest. “How do I make things feel different?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know,” she said. “The tracking law, him wanting you, Sub X . . . I just feel like something’s about to happen.”

I also felt like something big would be happening soon, but I didn’t know why Marley felt it was because of me. If anything, I felt like it was because of Edgar and Belladonna. They were the ones organizing things.

“You think this is almost over,” I clarified. “What do you plan to do afterwards?”

Marley pondered for a few seconds before answering. “I don’t know,” she said. “I guess Momma and I will settle down somewhere and try to be a normal family again. Maybe find out what exactly happened to my dad.”

I looked over at Ashton. “How about you?” I asked him.

He stared at the ground. After a few seconds, he replied. “I want to help those outside the city walls. When this is over and Grandfather has been defeated, the walls will still be standing. Defeating Cornelius isn’t going to defeat the separation. I don’t know what I can do, but I want to help bring down the walls.”

I expected nothing less from Ashton. I didn’t know how he was going to be able to help either, but I knew he had the determination to get involved and make a difference.

Marley looked at me. “And you, Carsyn? What do you want to do?”

Belladonna had told me she would help me. Almost every day, I thought about what I wanted to do in the future, but I couldn’t figure it out. I knew I wanted to find out about my parents. But after things were over with? I had no idea.

“You’ll figure it out, man,” Ashton said. “Just know that we’ll all still be friends. Or at least I hope so.”

“Of course we will be,” Marley shouted, wrapping her arms around both of us. “If you guys quit talking to me, you’ll see just how violent I can get.”

Ashton and I started laughing.

“You’re tiny,” Ashton said. “You couldn’t hurt a fly.”

“You better hope you don’t have to find out what I’m all about,” Marley said, smiling. “You better hope.”

Marley told us a story about how she got in a fight when she was little. She apparently grabbed the girl’s hair and threw her in a mud puddle. I pictured Marley getting into a fight and couldn’t help but laugh. “That was the last time Angel called me stupid,” Marley said, which made me laugh even harder.

“You threw a girl in the mud for calling you stupid?” Ashton asked, still laughing.

“I told you I can get pretty violent,” Marley said.

We didn’t have to walk much longer before we saw a cab. I stopped Marley and Ashton and pointed at it. Not knowing what else to do, I waved my arms in the air, and the cab stopped beside us immediately. “This is exciting,” Marley said. I kept forgetting she hadn’t been in the city yet. Though I didn’t like the people in the city, it was still breathtaking to see. I couldn’t wait to see her reaction.

We all squeezed in the back seat, Marley choosing to sit in the middle. “What are you three doing out here?” The driver asked. He was dressed very nicely and seemed very bored.

Uh oh. I wasn’t expecting that question. Thankfully, Ashton was quick to answer. “Car broke down.”

“Broke down?” he asked. “That doesn’t happen very often. Where at? I didn’t see it.”

“Way back there,” Ashton answered casually.

The driver nodded. “Dark out. Probably just missed it. What’s your destination?”

Remembering what Cornelius had said on the radio, I said, “The Presidential Tower.” My words activated the 3D GPS. It came alive and shot across the map until it reached a very tall building. Marley’s eyes grew wide, looking back and forth to make sure we saw it too. I just loved her reaction, remembering how amazed I was when I first saw one. Heck, I was still amazed.

“Odd destination,” the driver said as he sped toward the city. “You’re not going to be able to meet him. He’s the president. Busy man.”

“We just want to see what it looks like,” Marley said.

The driver gave each of us an odd look through the mirror. He shook his head. “None of my business,” he said. “I’m just here making the bitcoin.”

We made the turn beside the field with cows in them. Up ahead, we could see the wall. Once again, I was amazed by its size. The wall grew closer, and soon, we were inside of the tunnel again. Just as we were about to exit, I turned to look at Marley to see her mouth open wide at the site.

It was just as I remembered. Skyscrapers towering above the millions of people. There may have been fewer people walking around as there was last time because it was late, but it was still a lot. I imagined from the air the pedestrians looked like a bunch of ants roaming around.

“This is amazing,” Marley said. She then pointed at the GPS as it revealed us approaching the high-rise buildings. “That’s so cool!”

“I know,” I told her.

I saw the driver’s eye watching us through the mirror. “You guys don’t get out much, do you?” he asked.

“Uh, first time in New Dawn,” I told him. He turned his attention back to the road.

We entered the center of the city. The lights were brighter and more colorful there. Videos and advertisements played on the walls of buildings. I saw an advertisement for a Starbucks. The crowd was denser in the city’s center, too. Just as before, the people were dressed nicely with happy expressions on their faces as they laughed and talked with their companions.

The traffic grew denser, and it seemed like we would never get through. Our driver joined others in honking his horn. I felt like the sound of a bunch of honking horns would get annoying after a while, but nobody seemed bothered by it.

Soon, the driver pulled off to the side and the vehicle came to a halt in front of two long rows of water fountains spraying high into the air. In between the rows was a sidewalk leading straight to the building’s entrance. “17 bitcoin,” the driver said. Ashton pulled out his card and waved it across the back of the front seat, just as Edgar had done. A small red light blinked, and the driver thanked us.

We stood in the middle of the sidewalk, looking up at the tall building. It was definitely the tallest one in the city. I couldn’t even see the top of it.

People walked around us. One man in particular was in too big of a hurry to notice we weren’t moving. He ran into Marley, nearly knocking her down. “Get out of the middle of the sidewalk!” the man screamed, not stopping to make sure she was okay.

“Sorry,” Marley said, but he was too far to hear.

“It’s okay,” I told her. “Let’s just get away from these people. Let’s go inside.”

We followed the pathway toward the doors, admiring the fountains on each side. We walked to the doors. Just as I was about to open one of them, it slid open. We all glanced at each other. “I guess we go in,” I said.

It was a very fancy building. We entered in a large room. The floor was made out of shiny, white marble. My reflection looked up at me. The ceiling was high up, and several shiny chandeliers hung from it. Soft orchestra music played from somewhere. There were big, comfortable chairs everywhere. They looked as if I’d sink inside them if I sat down. Straight ahead was a long marble desk. Two men with black combed-over hair and a woman with short pink hair sat behind the desk. They each wore the same black uniform, tapping different buttons on the transparent floating screen.

“This is it,” I told them. “You guys can’t go the rest of the way.”

They didn’t look too happy but knew that was the plan. They couldn’t complain.

“This is a terrible idea,” Marley said.

“Maybe,” I said. “But like I said before, I need to find out.”

Ashton nodded. “He’s right, Marley,” he said. “It may be a terrible idea, but if it was me, I’d want to find out, too.”

“Besides, he’s not going to kill me,” I reminded them. I think I was telling myself that more so than them. “He needs me for something.”

They talked about where they would go. “I feel like we came here for nothing,” Marley said.

“For nothing?” I asked. “At least I had some company on the way. And if it wasn’t for Ashton, I would’ve had to walk the entire way.”

Ashton dug into his pocket and pulled out the other gray bitcoin card and handed it to me.

“Well, we’re staying nearby, waiting for you,” Marley said.

“Yeah,” Ashton said. “Or if something happens, we’ll be here.”

“And I guess if you’re not out in . . . I guess two hours, we’ll go.” Marley didn’t sound happy about that. Her lips quivered. She hugged me tightly. “Just be careful,” she said.

“I will,” I said. “Just remember. He needs me. He may keep me, but he won’t hurt me.”

Ashton put out his hand toward me. I took it and shook it. “Just get out of there as soon as you can,” he said. “Hit him in the head again if you have to.”

I couldn’t help but snicker. “I will,” I said.

Then, his expression quickly changed. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

“We’ll stay as long as we have to,” Marley said.

“No,” I quickly said. “Keep with the plan. Two hours. Leave after that. I’ll figure something out.” I honestly wasn’t sounding so confident in myself. I think Ashton noticed. But there was no turning back. I was so close. I couldn’t turn around.

Ashton basically had to drag Marley out of the building. Once they were out of site, I turned around and walked to the front desk. I was ready. I think.

Chapter Nine

I walked up to the counter where the receptionists sat focused upon their transparent computer screens. None of them looked up. It appeared one of the ladies was playing some sort of war game.

I took a deep breath, hoping they would hear it.

Didn’t work.

There was only one thing I could do: Quit being shy. “I uh. . . need to see President Cornelius.”

Finally, the woman and the other looked at me with extremely bored facial expressions.

“What?” she asked, squinting her eyes. I guess I did look pretty suspicious, asking for the president so late.

“President Cornelius . . . I need to see him.” I told her.

She started laughing immediately. The man joined her.

“You can’t just ask to see the president,” the guy said. “Who do you think you are?”

“Like President Cornelius would see him,” the woman said, slapping her hand onto the desk. They continued laughing, ignoring me.

I remembered how everybody in the city was obsessed with the story Cornelius told about me. Everybody probably knew about it. I used that to my advantage. “I’m Carsyn,” I told them.

Let me tell you, I had never seen anything like it. Their expression became serious in less than a second. Their eyes stared at me in wonder. It was really awkward. I turned away a few times just so I didn’t have to look them in the eye.

Finally, the woman spoke. “Carsyn?”

“As in the orphan?” the other asked, trying to clarify.

“Yeah,” I told them.

“That’s impossible,” the man said. “He’s been kidnapped.”

“I got away,” I said. “He said to find him. Here I am. I need to see him.”

They exchanged nervous glances. They were definitely unsure.

“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” the woman asked.

“You don’t,” I told her. “But I am. Do you want to risk Cornelius getting angry with you because you didn’t let me in?”

Yeah, I took a chance. I figured getting me was a top priority for Cornelius.

They were silent at first, glancing between one another. “Hold on,” the woman said. She hit a button and another screen shined up into the air in front of her. I watched her fingers click a few numbers.

“Yes,” a female’s voice said, coming from the screen.

“I’m sending somebody claiming to be the orphan President Cornelius is looking for.”

“Are you sure it’s him?” the voice from the computer quickly asked.

“We don’t know. But we can’t risk it.”

She was silent at first before forcing out an “Okay.”

She didn’t like the idea, but I had no doubt that she knew how important I was to Cornelius. She wouldn’t dare risk it.

“Send him up, and I’ll contact the president.”

The voice went away, and the woman hit the same button. The screen disappeared. “Follow me,” she said, standing up slowly and walked toward a long row of elevators. Her shoes echoed with each step as they clicked against the marble.

Inside the elevator, we didn’t talk to each other. I avoided looking anywhere close in her direction. I watched as the numbers above the door increased pretty rapidly. I caught a glimpse of the back glass wall, giving me a view of pretty much nothing. It was just a boring gray wall. But just as I was about to turn to face the door again, the scenery changed, and I couldn’t help it. I turned completely around and stood so close to the glass my nose pressed against it.

Replacing the gray wall was a view of the entire city. And, of course, it looked absolutely remarkable.

As the elevator went up, the pedestrians and cars on the streets became smaller and smaller. The city lights became dimmer and dimmer. Soon, the elevator soared far above any other skyscrapers. Many were lit with purple and green and blue lights. The green infinity symbol shined brighter than anything else. From high up, the symbols were huge! Literally, I didn’t see one skyscraper without it.

In the distance, I could see the huge gray wall. It didn’t look as big as usual because I was high above it. The familiar forest lied beyond the wall. To my left and way past the wall was a large lake going as far as the eye could see. It was almost like an ocean. But I knew we didn’t live on the coast. They at least taught us that at the orphanage.

I could’ve stayed in the elevator for hours, just staring. But I couldn’t do that. The elevator reminded me of that as it slowed to a halt. I turned back around, this time catching the woman giving me an odd look. I guess amazement toward the city wasn’t seen very often. People there were used to it.

The doors opened with a ding. I almost expected to see Cornelius standing there, but he wasn’t. That was probably for the best. I didn’t feel prepared.

I found myself in a small room with the same shiny white marble. There were two halls, one on the left and the other on the right. Across the room was a small black desk. Behind it was another woman. This one wore a black skirt and a white button-down shirt. Two officers dressed in black stood on each side of the desk, each carrying a very large gun. My heart beat quickly at the site of them. I wondered if they were always there.

The woman looked at me. I was about to tell her who I was when she pointed to the hall to her right. “First door on the right. He’s waiting.” She examined my whole body. I assumed she, just like the others, was wondering if I really was Carsyn.

The elevator dinged again. I barely caught a glimpse of my escort as the doors shut. She was probably in a hurry to get back to her computer.

I walked to the hall, the officers watching me closely. One of them even gripped his gun tighter. I made sure to not make any sudden movements.

I entered the hall. Just a few yards ahead was the first door on the right. I slowed down. I don’t know why. I think I was just trying to put my little meeting off. Thoughts of everything that could go wrong flashed in my head. There was a lot. What if Cornelius did want me killed? How would I get away? What if he was lying? But then I thought of the good things that could happen. What if he was telling the truth?

I approached the door. Slowly, I grasped the cold door handle. After a deep breath, I opened it, not knowing what I’d find inside.

The room reminded me of the office where I first met Cornelius. This one was bigger though. The room had bright white carpet. I didn’t see one stain. On the walls, pictures hung. Most of them were of the city and of people I didn’t recognize. Shelves packed with books and pictures were against the wall. In one corner of the room, there were two black, leather sofas facing each other, a coffee table separating them. A screen was projected onto the wall next to the sofas, playing the news. The headline read: PRESIDENT CORNELIUS PROPOSES CURFEW LAW.

I hadn’t heard of the new law. I wondered if everybody under the mountain had.

In the middle of the room was a huge dark wooden desk. On it were small stacks of papers, a computer, a couple of plants, and a lamp. I wanted to grin when I saw the lamp, but didn’t. In front of the desk were two chairs, just as Cornelius’s last desk. Sitting in the dark red office chair behind the desk was the president himself.

The Grand Imperial.

He gave me that familiar crooked leer, his brown eyes staring deep into mine. I didn’t look away.

He wasn’t wearing a suit, which made sense because it was so late. Instead, he wore a long, thick purple robe. I imagined it would be soft to the touch, definitely unlike anything I had ever seen before.

“Had to get out of bed,” he said, turning down the volume on the television. “I was angry at first. After all, I don’t get much sleep. Being president is a lot of work.”

I said nothing.

“But when I heard you were here . . .well . . . I was wide awake.”

I still said nothing. I don’t know if it was because I didn’t know what to say or I was just scared.

“Please,” he said, pointing at a seat.

I walked toward his desk, keeping my eye on him. He watched me closely, smiling. I looked at his bald head, almost able to see my own reflection.

“Can I get you anything to drink?” he asked.

I shook my head as I sat down. It was so cushiony. At least I was going to be a little comfortable while talking to him. Just a little.

“Well,” he said. “I think I’ll have something.” He walked over to one of the tables against the wall. On it sat a few glasses next to a pitcher. He took the pitcher and poured a golden brown liquid into one of the glasses.

I finally gained the courage to speak. “Did you know I’d come?”

He returned to his seat before answering. “I thought you might. Of course I didn’t think it would be this soon.” He swished his drink around before taking a swig. “Are you sure you don’t want something?”

“I’m sure,” I said.

He sat his glass down. “I guess you want to get down to business, don’t you,” he said.

“”I want to know the truth,” I said.

“Doesn’t everybody?” he asked. “But did you know that it is sometimes best to not know the truth.”

“I don’t care,” I snapped. “I still want to know,” I argued.

Cornelius watched me. He took another sip of his drink. “I suppose you mean the truth about your parents,” he said.

He was probably enjoying himself.

“Yeah,” I replied.

“You see, Carsyn.” He stood up and walked over toward the screen against the wall. The reporters were still talking about some curfew law. Cornelius turned to face me again. “I figured a boy who grew up with no parents, knowing nothing about his parents, would easily succumb to curiosity.”

He was right. “What made you think I knew nothing about my parents?” I asked.

“I just knew,” was his simple answer. He looked away for a second, as if thinking back to something. “And I knew you just wouldn’t be able to resist coming here.”

That was definitely the thing I didn’t want to hear. I was really hoping I hadn’t made a mistake by going to him.

“I bet your mind has been swarming with the possibilities this past week.”

He was right. As I had mentioned earlier, I was going to go crazy under that mountain.

“Curiosity. Confusion. Probably some anger too.” He snickered.

Now, I was starting to get annoyed. “Is it true?” I finally came out and asked.

He didn’t say anything at first. He took another swig of whatever it was he was drinking.

“I know the truth, of course,” he said. “But like I said, sometimes it’s best to not know.”

“I’m here,” I said, my anger starting to grow. “This is what you wanted. The best you can do is tell me if it’s true. I want to know!”

Cornelius cocked his head sideways, watching me curiously. His smile completely faded, but only for a second before returning. “I know you do.” He took another swig of his drink. “This was all a part of my plan.”

“What plan?” I asked.

“You’re not a bright one, are you?” he asked.

“What plan?” I asked, raising my voice.

His stupid smirk returned. He walked back to his desk. This time, sitting on the edge.

“You’ve already been told that I need you for something,” he said. “That’s obviously why these rebellious people took you. What do they call themselves anyways?” he asked.

“Why do you need me?” I asked, ignoring his question.

“You don’t know?” he asked. “I’m guessing that means they don’t know.”

“I was told nothing,” I answered.

He left his desk and walked until he was standing directly beside me. He grabbed ahold of my chin, yanking my head, forcing me to look straight into his ugly eyes. “Your parents gave you such a beautiful pair of eyes.” Then, for the first time, Cornelius was gentle as he released me and took a step back.

The first thing I did was purposely look in the opposite direction.

“The eye is such an amazing organ, wouldn’t you agree?”

I didn’t answer.

“Did you know that your pupils dilate during strong emotions? Fear . . . anger . . . for some reason, it has an effect on the pupil.

Of course I didn’t know any of that. There was no way somebody would’ve been able to teach us that outside of the wall. Something like that would’ve been too advanced for us outsiders.

“Why are you talking about eyes? I asked. “Is that why you wanted me here?”

“Yes, actually.”

I couldn’t help it. I turned to face Cornelius.

“I’ve got a problem, Carsyn. And I need you.”

“Me help you?” I asked, smirking.

Cornelius ignored me. “I’ve inherited something. Something important.”

“Like what?” I asked with little interest.

“A safe… and I can’t even open it.”

“You know a lot of people. Can’t you blow it up or something?”

He chuckled. “That won’t work,” he said. “I don’t want to ruin what’s inside.”

Ok-ay. “What do I have to do with any of this . . . and my eyes?”

He pointed at my face. “Your eyes . . . they can solve my whole problem.

What was this guy talking about? I think he knew I was confused, so he kept talking.

“Your pupils can apparently open up this safe.”

I was stumped. Was that even possible? I supposed I didn’t know a lot about the technology that existed so anything was probably possible. What was in the safe? And more importantly, if it was true, how did somebody even get access to my eyes?

“How is that possible?” I asked.

Cornelius chuckled again.

I was starting to despise that sound.

“Sometimes I forget you’re from outside the wall. No technology there.”

“Which is your fault,” I remarked.

“Not my fault,” he said. “Don’t forget that the separation between the poor and the elite started long before I had any power. With that said, I do agree with it. It’s the greatest step this nation has ever taken.”

“That’s so stupid,” I said. “You know, people are eventually going to realize the walls are wrong.”

“Keep dreaming, boy,” Cornelius said.

There was no use in trying to argue about the wall with Cornelius. He was close-minded. He would never agree. “Never mind that,” I said. “What’s in the safe? How can I even open it for you? I don’t know you. ”

“No, you don’t know me. But let’s just say we’ve come across the same person in our pasts.”

I thought of anybody I had met. There was nobody other than the houseladies. I really doubt they could’ve known Cornelius long ago. They would have bragged about it if so, as if that made them more important.

Cornelius seemed to read my mind. “Y were too young to remember.”

I looked him straight in the eyes. “What are you going to do? Gouge my eyes out?”

“I wish,” he said. “I need your pupils to dilate. I need you alive. I’m gonna have the safe transported here to the capitol. Should take about a week.”

“Just blow it up,” I said.

Cornelius reclaimed his chair, shaking his head furiously. “I’ve tried everything, but the material is too tough to break through. Blowing it up could damage whatever is inside.”

“Let me go,” I demanded.

Another laugh.

“Surely you’re not that naïve,” he said. “Of course I’m not letting you go. I need you.”

We had suspected it. I knew it was very possible. But he just said he couldn’t kill me. He needed me alive for my eyes to open his stupid safe. That meant I had time to think. I was confident I’d find a way out before this safe Cornelius talked about reached New Dawn. I wasn’t sure how yet, but I’d find a way. After I found out about my parents. I couldn’t allow the trip to be completely wasted.

“Are you going to tell me about my dad?” I asked. “Benjamin, Jaclyn . . . your friends?”

“Ah yes,” Cornelius said, as if just remembering them. “You want to know the truth.”

“If you’re keeping me here, you have to at least tell me,” I demanded.

Cornelius was amused. “As I said earlier, I know the truth. But I want to talk about something else,”

I wanted to hit him with a lamp again. “No,” I said, raising my voice again. “Tell me the truth now.”

Again, Cornelius was amused. “You really think you can order me around.” He chuckled. “Carsyn, my boy, you got another thing coming. Now you will sit there and we will talk about this group you’ve been with.” He sat in his chair, clasping his hands together and throwing his feet onto his desk. He was wearing white slippers that looked just as soft and comfortable as his robe. “Who are they?”

“People who can take you down,” I told him. Of course I didn’t know if that was true. But he didn’t need to know that.

“Okay,” he said. “Maybe you are more naïve than what I thought. But I suppose you can’t help your ignorance. Where are they?”

“Don’t be so dumb,” I told him. “You know I won’t tell you that.”

He stayed silent, his nostrils flaring, his eye twitching. He definitely didn’t like being called dumb. Oh well, I didn’t really care.

“Listen, bastard,” he said, slamming his feet down on the ground and leaning forward, toward me. He pointed at me. “You think your little group can destroy me? You have another thing coming.”

“We have Sub X,” I told him. “You can’t use it anymore.”

“I don’t give a damn about X,” he barked. “I have you now. My inheritance will be more powerful than that substance, and once you open it, I won’t need you again.”

“So what is your inheritance?” I asked.

Cornelius didn’t say anything. He was actually taken aback. He didn’t even tell me it was none of my business.

I laughed, trying to play everything cool. But inside, my heart was about to pound out of my chest. “You don’t even know, do you?” I asked him.

“It was passed down secretly from the original Grand Imperial,” he said through closed teeth. “Whatever it is, it was said to be their biggest creation. Releasing Sub X will be nothing compared to what’s inside the safe.”

I thought about the original Grand Imperial. I wished I had learned more about him. What could possibly be in that safe? Whatever it was, it obviously made Sub X look like nothing. At least Cornelius didn’t know what it was either.

“What can Sub X do exactly?” I asked.

“You don’t know?” he asked. “You guys haven’t examined it? Or do your people not have the education to do so?”

“It’s been locked away,” I replied. “You’ll never find it. Now what can it do?”

He leaned back into his chair. “Make a lot of people sick,” he said. “All with a few drops in the water supply or perhaps releasing it into the air as a vapor. Hiding it in today’s medicines was the ideal plan.”

“Why would you want to do that?” I asked him, getting aggravated.

“It’s easier to control vulnerable people. Wouldn’t you say ill people are quite vulnerable?”

I glared at him. “You’re an evil man.”

“Ha! Is that supposed to bother me?”

Of course it wasn’t supposed to bother him. He was proud of himself. I couldn’t say anything that would hurt him. But I knew I could get on his nerves and make him a little angry again. Shoot, I might as well if he was going to be keeping me there.

“You don’t even know what’s in the safe and you’re assuming it’s going to be better than X? “ I asked, chuckling. “It’s going to be funny if it’s not. I can’t believe you don’t even know what’s in it. I must have hit you in the head harder than what I thought.”

Cornelius jumped out of his seat, his fists clenched. I was freaking out, but I had to appear calm. “Boy, you’re about to push it too far. I can easily have you killed right now.”

“But you won’t,” I said, risking it.

“I could,” he growled. “But do believe me when I say you don’t have long. Now tell me where your people are hiding and I might let you live.”

“I won’t say anything,” I said, my arms crossed against my chest.

Cornelius kicked his chair back. It rolled into the wall, knocking over a painting of two old men shaking hands.

“I don’t have time for this,” he said. “And you don’t either. I may not kill you, but I can torture you.”

“I’m not saying anything,” I repeated.

He stayed silent, his nostrils still flared. “Have it your way,” he said. He hit a button on his desk.

“Yes, Grand Imperial,” a woman said. I knew it was the same one just outside the office.

“Send them in,” he told her.

“Yes, Grand Imperial,” the woman replied. Seconds later, the door behind me opened slowly. I turned around, wondering what was being sent in.

“I’ll get it out of somebody,” he said. Two officers entered, each holding somebody by the arm. My heart stopped. Now, I was more nervous than ever. Things had turned sour quick.

Ashton and Marley.

Ashton had an angry look on his face as he glared at Cornelius. Marley’s hair was all knotted up. Her face was red from crying.

“You hurt them then I swear I’ll . . .”

“What!” Cornelius screamed. “What is somebody like you going to do to somebody like me?” He held his arms out.

I didn’t answer. He was right.

“That’s what I thought,” he said. He tapped his fingers on the desk. “It’s late, and I’m tired. Take all three of them to the cells.” Cornelius chugged the rest of his drink as a third officer came in and grabbed me by the arm.

“I’ll not tell you,” I said as the officer dragged me toward the door “And you’ll have to force me to open up your safe.”

“I’m not afraid to use force,” Cornelius called back to me.

The officer dragged all three of us out of the room. Cornelius slammed the door shut. The woman behind the desk looked at the computer screen floating in front of her, ignoring us as we were drug past her desk. The officers took us down the other hall, stopping at a door toward the end. They opened it and dragged us into the dark. A few seconds later, the lights came on, revealing four metal jail cells, all empty. One by one, we were thrown in separate cells. The officer was sure to throw me even harder. My back slammed onto the cold floor. My eyes watered as a jolt of pain shot up my spine.

“The Grand Imperial will be here to get the information from you later,” one of the officers told us before leaving. He shut off the light, leaving us in complete darkness.

“I knew this was a bad idea,” Marley said in tears.

“Are you guys okay?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Ashton breathed.

“Okay?” she asked, then shouted, “No, we’re not okay. What are we supposed to do? They’ll come asking us questions soon. They’ll torture us. They’ll kill me and Ashton.”

“No they won’t,” Ashton assured her, though he wasn’t sure. There was a good chance that if they didn’t give Cornelius answers, he would kill them. He didn’t need them as he did me.

“This is why I didn’t want you guys to come,” I said as I scooted on the floor until I reached a wall to lean on.

“None of us should have come!” Marley shouted.

“I had to,” I said, starting to raise my voice. “I was going to lose it if I didn’t.”

“And now look what happened,” Marley argued.

“Well, it wouldn’t have happened if you would’ve stayed behind!”

“Let’s just calm down,” Ashton yelled.

Marley and I went silent.

“There’s no point it arguing,” Ashton said. “What’s done is done. We just need a plan.”

“Really, Ashton,” Marley said. “I can’t see anything. We’re behind bars. There is no possible plan.”

He didn’t say anything, knowing she was right. Marley was actually right about another thing; I shouldn’t have come in the first place. This was my entire fault. Belladonna and Edgar had warned me not to do anything stupid, and that’s exactly what I did. I shouldn’t have let curiosity get the best of me. But I was so desperate about finding out about my parents that I hadn’t cared about the dangers. I still didn’t even know if it was the truth or not. Within a week, Cornelius would have me open whatever his inheritance was. I didn’t know what was inside, but I knew it was bad news. If it belonged to the original Grand Imperial, there was nothing good about it.

Ashton was right, we needed a plan. But Marley was right, too. There was no plan that could get us out from behind those bars.

“We’ll figure it out in the morning,” Ashton said. “Let’s get some rest to calm us down. We’ll figure it out later.”

Chapter Ten

The sound of somebody unlocking the door woke me up. Complete darkness and no windows made it difficult to tell what time of day it was. The door opened and the lights flicked on. I squinted my eyes. When they adjusted, I saw three officers, each with a gun strapped over a shoulder, carrying a tray with a glass of water and a sandwich on it.

One came to my cell while the other two went to Marley’s and Ashton’s. They sat the food down beside the metal bars. I didn’t move at first. “Probably be one of your last meals,” one of the officers said. “Better eat it.”

He was probably right.

They left, leaving us in darkness again. I crawled on the floor until I reached the bars. I stuck my arms out between the gaps and felt for my sandwich. I could hear Ashton and Marley do the same. We ate in silence.

“He thinks this food is a punishment,” I said after the sandwich and water was gone. “Little does he know that this is what we’re used to eating.”

Joke was on him, right? Ha, yeah right. We were still prisoners.

“Yeah,” Ashton said. “I’m still hungry, though,”

I didn’t count on Cornelius having more food brought to us. I thought about going back to sleep, but I knew there would be no way I could fall asleep again. So, I wondered when Cornelius would come and ask me more questions. It had to be soon. Unless he wanted to make me wait, build up my anxiety.

It was working.

I thought of Ashton and Marley. I really hoped he wouldn’t touch them. He would demand Belladonna’s and Edgar’s location soon. Would I give them away to protect Ashton and Marley? I honestly didn’t know the answer to that. If I didn’t tell Cornelius, he probably wouldn’t hesitate to harm them. If I did tell him, he would probably kill everybody under the mountain and all hope in exposing Grandfather would be gone. Sure, I could give him a false location, but he would find out eventually that it was a lie. He would come back and probably have Ashton and Marley killed. There was no win in this situation.

“He’s going to ask you guys where we’ve been hiding,” I said.

“I’d let them kill me before I told them,” Ashton said with confidence. “Because that’s our only hope to take Grandfather down.”

“Yeah,” Marley agreed. “I’m not going to let them hurt Momma or any of them.”

Marley, however, didn’t seem too confident. That just made me even more scared.

“He may be listening right now,” I told Ashton and Marley. “Like he did with me and Ashton. Don’t let anything slip.”

They agreed.

The fact that Cornelius was probably spying on us made it difficult to come up with a plan aloud. But we tried anyways. It was no use. We thought about doing something that would force the officers to let at least one of us out, but we had nothing to defend ourselves with. They had guns. It wasn’t worth the risk. We soon gave up on it and just lied there. I drifted off to sleep a couple of times but had no way to tell how long I was out. None of us had a clue what time of day it was.

My stomach started growling, echoing in the tiny cell. Sometimes, I could hear Ashton’s and Marley’s doing the same. Good never came. At least not for a while. We had completely lost track of time, so I don’t know when it was. But just as I was beginning to feel sick, three different officers brought us another sandwich with water. We ate it quickly.

“They would have found out we’re gone by now,” Marley said. “Momma’s probably angry.”

I hadn’t even thought about that. I tried imagining what Edgar and Belladonna were doing. It was easy to picture Edgar angry. Belladonna would be more upset than anything. She’d be scared. Would they come looking for us? They would know where I went as soon as I showed up missing. And Ashton and Marley? Well, they would know they went with me. But they probably weren’t looking for us. Yeah, they would want to. But it would be impossible for them to break in and rescue us. They’d be caught in no time. Cornelius would have them killed. There would be nobody to lead the people underground. Everybody would just have to be patient. It wouldn’t be so easy for them.

I thought of Mae. That part hurt to think about. Marley was her family, and she was in trouble because of me.

“I just want to get out of here,” Marley said.

“We will,” Ashton promised. “Patience.”

Patience was something that kept coming up. I didn’t have that virtue. That combined with my curiosity seemed to get me in trouble. I think my situation behind those bars was proof.

We actually didn’t have to wait much longer before something new happened. The door opened, the lights came on, and a man in a perfect black suit walked in.

Yeah, it was Cornelius.

Already, his nostrils flared and his eye twitched. I hadn’t even said anything to him yet.

An officer followed Cornelius inside.

“Let him out,” Cornelius demanded. The officer quickly opened my cell.

“I’m not going,” I told him, staying against the wall.

Cornelius was not having it. “Grab him!” he ordered, clenching his fist. “But don’t put any marks on him. I need him to look unharmed.”

The guard went to grab my arm. I didn’t resist, even though I wanted to. Ashton and Marley stood against the bars with worried looks.

“Where you taking him?” Ashton demanded to know.

Cornelius ignored him as he walked toward the door.

“Don’t tell them anything,” Ashton said before I left the room. The officer turned the lights off and locked the door.

It was time. Cornelius was ready to ask me questions, and I wasn’t prepared. Would I keep our hiding spot a secret even if it meant putting Marley’s and Ashton’s safety in jeopardy?

I just didn’t think I could do it.

I said nothing while Cornelius led me to the front desk where the same lady sat. Another woman stood nearby, waiting. “This is him?” she asked Cornelius when she saw us.

Who was this woman? She wore tons of makeup. And I mean way too much. Her face was way too pink and blue. She wore a light blue dress. All her jewelry was the same color as the dress and sparkled in the light.

“Yeah,” Cornelius growled.

Man, he was not happy.

“Let me talk to him first.”

She nodded.

He led me back into his office. Everything was the same. Except the TV wasn’t on. “Sit,” he demanded, pointing at a chair.

I did so, glancing out the window. It was twilight. We had been in the cell for nearly a day. I think. Maybe it was two days. I don’t know.

He walked next to his chair and kicked it over. What was it with him and kicking things? “It seems as if plans have changed,” he said. “Word got out that you came to me, and now everybody wants to see the poor kidnapped boy. Had to be the receptionists downstairs.” He shook his head fiercely before slamming a hand against his desk. “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted them!”

I didn’t say anything.

“People are dying to see and hear from you. I’ve had no choice.” He looked at the ceiling before his eyes met mine. “You’ll be interviewed on live television.”

“Um, what?” I asked, wondering if I had heard right.

I could hear Cornelius grinding his teeth. “I couldn’t say no. You’re going to be interviewed.”

“To say what!” I yelled.

“To say exactly what I tell you to say,” Cornelius snapped. “I’ll have all the guidelines written up and delivered to you . . . and you will follow them!”

Cornelius had no intention on getting our secret location out of me. Plans had definitely changed. And I didn’t think I could do it. Live TV? In front of the entire nation?

Then, a thought hit me. The entire nation would be watching. People would be listening. I knew Edgar and Belladonna would have everybody gather in the dining hall to listen to it.

Cornelius walked up behind me. His hands squeezed my shoulders so hard that pain shot down both my arms. “I know what you’re thinking,” said. “And if you reveal anything about me and Grandfather, your friends will be tortured and killed. So don’t get any ideas. The only opportunity this is for you is to keep alive a bit longer.”

Great. There goes that prospect. I was trapped . . . again.

“I won’t,” I said.

He let go of my shoulders. “Good,” he said. “The interview is tomorrow.”

What!? Did he expect me to prepare in a day?

He walked to the door and opened it. “Take him to one of the suites,”

The woman with too much makeup appeared in the doorway, smiling. She gestured for me to follow.

“Where am I going?” I asked, standing up slowly.

Cornelius grabbed my shoulder and shoved me toward the door. “Enjoy being one of us while you can,” he told me. “You won’t get to live in this kind of luxury for very long.”

“I’ll never be one of you,” I said as Cornelius let go of my shoulder.

He ignored me and slammed the door shut. I heard a loud bang come from inside the office.

“Let’s go,” the woman demanded, ignoring whatever it was Cornelius was doing inside. Probably throwing everything.

She led me to the elevator where she hit the down button. “The Grand Imperial wants me to make sure you’re cleaned up and ready for tomorrow. He’ll be by later to go over more details.” The elevator door opened. We stepped in.

I admired the city again through the elevator glass wall. The sunset in the distance reflected off the other skyscrapers. The elevator stopped just one floor below.

I guess people didn’t really use stairs.

We stepped out. Not saying a word, the woman led me down a hall until we reached two double doors at the end.

“Like the Grand Imperial said,” she said. “Enjoy it while you can.” She opened the doors, allowing me to go in first. “You won’t be here for very long.”

She took the door handles and swung both doors open.

I don’t know who is reading my story, but I realize I seem like I’m amazed by everything. And you’re right. I was seeing things I thought I’d never see in a million years. This time was no different.

I found myself in a large living area. I mean it was huge. The floor was made out of a dark and shiny hardwood. There were tables and shelves against the wall. Tons of pictures covered the maroon colored walls. Again, most of them depicted people I had never seen before.

Directly in the middle of the room, sitting on a fluffy white rug was a large black leather couch that sat in an ‘n’ shape. Or maybe it was a ‘u’ and I was looking at it backwards. A glass coffee table sat in the space the sofa created. On the table was a small black box. It was just a few inches on each side.

On one end of the room, there was a long white dining table, abled to seat up to eight. It held a few plants and unlit candles. The light coming from the chandeliers reflected off the surface. I wondered if somebody cleaned the room every day, even if somebody wasn’t staying in it. It sure did look like it.

Two doors were on the other end of the room. The woman told me that one was the bathroom and the other was the bedroom.

What caught my attention the most was the entire back wall. It was pure glass, revealing half the city, the tall wall, and the lake resting beyond it. Two glass sliding doors led to a large balcony outside. On the balcony was a small tub filled with water. I had never seen one before, but I knew it was too small to be a pool. Chairs and tables with umbrellas covering them sat directly in the middle.

“The Grand Imperial has requested you be comfortable until tomorrow,” the woman said. “My name is Helly.”

Everything in front of me was truly amazing. I didn’t care that Cornelius wanted to keep me comfortable to do his stupid interview. I was worried about something else. “What will he do with Ashton and Marley?” I asked.

Helly didn’t say anything.

“I want them here,” I demanded.

“Can’t do that,” Helly said.

“You’re supposed to keep me comfortable,” I said. “I won’t be comfortable without them.”

“Nice try,” Helly said, looking closely at her blue nails. “They’re staying in their cells. Dinner will be brought to you later.” Her smile was killing me. She was so clueless as to what was going on.

“How can you be with Grandfather?” I asked her. “What’s in it for you?”

Helly turned around and headed back to the double doors. “Everything’s in it for me,” she said, leaving me alone.

Examining everything again, the room overwhelmed me. Everything there probably cost more than the whole orphanage. A lot more. People were living large within the wall. We outsiders couldn’t even dream of a room like this. Yet, there I stood, not dreaming.

I walked toward the sofas. My eyes caught the black box on the table. On top of it was a tiny hole with a green button beside it.

Curiosity.

I pressed it.

Immediately, a bluish light sprung out of the small hole, revealing a large transparent TV screen floating in the air above the entire coffee table. It reminded me of a ghost. I backed away, my legs hitting the couch. I couldn’t stop myself from falling. It was as if the couch was sucking me in. It was so comfortable. Definitely the most comfortable thing I had ever sat on.

The screen displayed a young woman in pink clothing speaking, but I couldn’t hear what she was saying. I searched the area for a way to turn the volume up. I didn’t see anything at first, but after a few minutes, I discovered a thin piece of glass sitting on the couch. It looked a lot like the cell phones I had seen. Maybe that’s what it was.

It practically weighed nothing and felt nothing like glass. It was smooth. The edges were rounded. As I had seen Cornelius’s phone do, the piece of glass lit up, revealing a keypad along with other buttons. I knew it had to control the TV. I hit the up button labeled ‘VOL’. The woman’s voice became louder. I looked at her more closely to see she had pink eyes to match her clothing. Was that natural?

“Exciting indeed,” she was saying. “And the big question we all want to know is how he’s adapting to life here.”

“That’s right,” a man who didn’t appear on the screen said. “People are also dying to know what he looks like.”

The headline HUNT FOR BOY ENDS appeared on the screen.

“Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out,” the man’s voice said.

A picture of the Presidential Tower was displayed beside the reporters head. “Can you believe tickets have already been sold out?” the woman asked.

“Tickets were gone after only five minutes,” the man told her. “Nothing has sold out as quickly as this event. People are drawn to this boy. It’s absolutely miraculous.”

“They sure are,” the woman said. “I know I’ll be watching the interview tomorrow.”

“Oh definitely,” the man said. “This will be bigger than the last Olympics.”

They were definitely talking about me. The reporter said a few more things before the screen changed to an advertisement for the latest phone. It looked much like the controller for the TV. It was a transparent piece of glass that lit up when touched. I grabbed the TV controller and hit the button to change the channel. Another news station came on.

“We imagine he’s being treated very well as we speak,” an older man was saying. The headline read: CARSYN TO SIT WITH MEEKO AND CLEO. I changed the channel again, only to come across another news station guessing what I was doing and what I looked like. They showed a large crowd standing outside of the Presidential Tower taking pictures and trying to get in. A line of officers monitored the area. These people were obsessed with me. Out of all things to talk about, it was me. There were plenty of others things going on, such as the starving outside of the wall. But no, it was all about me.

What was going on?

In anger, I flipped through the channels rapidly until I came across some sort of program unrelated to me. I ended up spending the next hour watching a story about a boy who grew up to be an officer at the wall, making sure outsiders didn’t try to walk in. Toward the end, he ended up shooting a poor woman wanting to get in. “We must protect ourselves,” the main character said. I had to change the channel at that point. Ridiculous.

Next, I came across a channel talking about the weather. A gray-headed man who didn’t look old in the face pointed at a map of what I guessed to be New Dawn. “It’s getting rather dry again, so tomorrow, the National Weather Institution will create moisturized clouds around the area to bring us some precipitation.”

“But it’s a different story in the southern region,” a woman took over. The screen switched to her. “A mistake made by the NWI led to a series of tornados this morning – first tornadoes in two decades.”

“That’s right, Dyna,” the man said. “We’ll have more after this break and what the NWI has to say about their unintentional mistake. I imagine somebody’ll be losing their job after that little incident.”

Outside the glass wall, it had grown completely dark. I could barely see the wall in the distance.

I thought about Ashton and Marley. They were still stuck in the cold cells, probably starving. There I was, sitting in a huge luxurious room watching the TV. It wasn’t fair. Perhaps I could try to get them. I thought about going to find them, but that wouldn’t work. I didn’t have a key to get in and I knew I didn’t have a chance at picking the lock. And besides, there was a good chance Cornelius was having me watched. In fact, there were probably cameras and recorders in the room.

A knock came at my door. Another transparent screen appeared next to the door, revealing a man outside of my door.

Surreal.

It was Cornelius. The words ‘Deny’ and ‘Allow’ appeared beside his face. I looked at the TV controller in my hand. The numbers were now gone, also revealing an image of Cornelius’s standing outside of the door. Before I could hit the deny button, the option faded away. The knob wiggled and the door opened. The screen revealing his face faded away. The buttons on the remote returned.

His anger was gone, but I knew it was still there somewhere. And nobody knew when it would jump out. He took a seat on the other end of the couch, across from me. He crossed his legs. Glancing at the TV screen in front of me, he spoke, “Bet you never saw anything like this outside of the wall.”

“Maybe there would be stuff like this if you guys didn’t separate yourselves from everybody else.”

Cornelius didn’t get angry. He rubbed his hand across the leather. “It’s for the best,” he said. “Limiting the number of people who can have these nice things makes this a lot better.”

“It’s not right,” I said.

“I don’t care,” he said. “I have it, and that’s all that matters.”

“You know,” I started, feeling my face turn red. “If the people outside every city wall in the entire nation got together, they could easily take you down.”

“But it’ll never happen,” Cornelius said.

“And why is that?” I asked.

“It just won’t,” he said.

I said nothing. The thing was, he was right. It would be way too difficult to get everybody together.

“They don’t care anymore,” he said. “They’ve adapted.”

He was wrong. They did care. People just didn’t think they had a chance. I didn’t blame them. That’s exactly how I felt before Edgar found me.

“Maybe people inside a city wall will realize what’s going on,” I said.

Cornelius laughed. “My boy, that would never happen. Look around you.” He motioned around the room. “They don’t want to lose everything. This life isn’t so easy to leave behind.”

“I won’t have a problem doing so,” I told him. I had to admit that everything was nice and comfortable. But the longer I stayed in the room, the closer it made me to everybody else in the city, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to be one of them.

“Let’s get to the point,” Cornelius said. “You have to be prepared for the interview tomorrow evening.”

“Yay,” I said sarcastically.

Cornelius ignored me. “You will act like you are happy to be here. You will say that you are treated well here. You will not say anything about Grandfather. You will appear so thankful that you’re with me and will act as if everything is just so perfect.”

“And what if I don’t?”

“As I’ve said before,” Cornelius began. “I have two prisoners just taking up space.”

I didn’t have to think long. “I’m only doing it to keep Ashton and Marley safe.”

“I don’t care why you’re doing it,” Cornelius said coldly. “Just do it.

“And what will you have me say about being kidnapped?”

“You’ll tell them that you were kidnapped outside of the orphanage at midnight.”

“Why midnight?” I asked.

“I need some support for the new curfew law I’m working on,” he answered. “You’ll give that to me.”

I didn’t want to do that. But there was nothing I could do. Perhaps the reason Cornelius wasn’t so angry was because he found a way to turn the situation in his favor.

“You will tell the people that they were from a different region…that way everybody will be more thrilled about the Bill of Border Control that just went into effect. If they ask why they did it, you will tell them they hated me for the bill and learned that I was searching for you. They got to you before I could.”

“Anything else?” I asked.

“You’ll tell them that I’ve been waiting for you to settle down before talking about your parents . . . my friends.

That made me angry, mainly because I still didn’t know if he was lying about my parents or not. He said he knew the truth. I just didn’t know if that was it.

Cornelius took out a piece of paper and handed it to me. I skimmed through it. It was basically everything he had just told me. “Memorize it,” he said. “Your mistakes will be on Ashton and Marley.” He stood up and walked to the door just as another knock sounded. We both watched the screen pull up, revealing a man in a white suit pushing a cart.

“Dinner,” Cornelius said, opening the door and greeting the man. The server pushed the cart to the dining table. “Enjoy your stay,” Cornelius said. “Be ready for the interview tomorrow.”

I stayed seated while the man laid out my dinner on the long table. I thanked him before leaving. I don’t know why I did that, especially if he was a part of Grandfather. Maybe he wasn’t. I don’t know.

I walked to the table to see what was there. I lost my breath. One empty plate sat in front of the chair at the end of the table. Surrounding the empty plate were three different types of meats, a basket of bread, a bowl of salad, some sort of rolls stuffed with some kind of meat and vegetables, four different sides that I had never seen before, and a large plate with every fruit you could think of.

It was so unfair. There was more than enough food for me. I didn’t eat this much food two weeks in the orphanage. I thought of what Marley and Ashton would be eating. It would be another average sandwich and a glass of water. I couldn’t eat all of that good food knowing they were hardly getting anything. I reclaimed my seat on the couch, ignoring the dinner until I couldn’t anymore. My stomach growled and I felt lightheaded. I was going to have to eat something. I slowly sat down in front of the empty plate and shoved a fork into a piece of meat. It seemed to melt in my mouth. I closed my eyes. “Wow,” I whispered to myself. I couldn’t control myself. I filled my plate up with a little bit of everything. I could’ve refilled my plate, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It just wasn’t right. I leaned back in my chair, glaring at the food, feeling guilty instantly. I didn’t deserve to eat like that. And something told me Cornelius was indulging me with nice things on purpose. He wanted me to feel like one of them. He succeeded, and I didn’t like it. I lied down on the couch, thinking of Ashton and Marley, thinking of everybody under the mountain, thinking of my interview. Anything I said wrong would come back on Marley and Ashton. My safety was secured for the time being. Surely there was something I could do to assure Marley and Ashton’s safety.

The next morning, the leftover food from dinner was taken away and replaced with vast amounts of breakfast foods. This time, I forced myself to eat as little as possible. I didn’t want to go the entire day feeling guilty. But even after eating small amounts, I hated myself. I think I hated myself more for liking the food rather than eating it.

Afterwards, Helly stopped by and demanded that I take a bath.

In the bathroom, the dark green tile floors were warm to my feet. I wondered what made them so. The bathtub was so large that a dozen people could’ve squeezed in. I turned the handle, and hot water filled the tub. It changed colors as it poured out of the faucet.

For the rest of the day, I tried keeping myself from overusing anything that would make me just like somebody from the city, but I didn’t have many options. I ended up staying on the couch watching the TV. The news continued talking about me, the tracking law, and the new curfew law.

The weather channel was right, too. The National Weather Institution created rain clouds, allowing it to rain. But it was said they’d quit before the interview so that people could travel in good weather. I guess people seeing me on TV was such a big deal that even the weather had to be perfect.

As evening approached, Helly brought me another black suit much nicer and slimmer than the one Edgar got me. “Hurry up,” she said. “We need to go.”

I went to the bathroom and put it on quickly. When I came back, there were two other ladies with Helly. “Sit down,” Helly demanded, snapping a finger toward a chair next to a table. I did so, but I was sure to take my time, just to make her mad. I could hear her huffing and puffing. Good.

The women dug into two black bags and brought out a bunch of makeup, which they proceeded to put on me.

“What are you doing?” I asked, trying to resist.

“Don’t worry,” Helly said. “We’re just touching you up for the camera.”

I turned my head as she tried brushing something on my cheek. It was very uncomfortable.

“Quit,” Helly said, squeezing my forehead, forcing my head to stay still. “You won’t be able to see or feel it,” she said. “It’s just for the camera. Hiding every wrinkle, scar, or blemish you have is important.”

I didn’t like the idea. They were changing my appearance. But I forced myself to relax and let them do it. Once they had finished, one of the ladies pulled out a black tube, squeezed a clear paste into her hands, and put it in my hair. Again, I didn’t resist. There was no point.

“We have ten minutes,” Helly told the ladies. “We must hurry.”

The two women finished up. Helly rushed me to the door. I opened it to find Cornelius waiting for me. “Ah,” he said with a sneer. “Now you really look like one of us.”

“I’m not one of you,” I snapped.

“Come. Our ride is waiting outside.”

I followed him down the elevator and through the front doors. Helly was sure to stay by my side, urging me to be quicker. Outside of the Presidential Tower, there was a huge crowd leading up to a long, white vehicle waiting for us. Security surrounded us, rushing us to the vehicle. A man opened the back door, allowing me, Cornelius, and Helly to jump in.

The vehicle was much nicer than the cab we had taken. It was also a lot roomier. There was even a bar against one entire side of the vehicle. Helly took a champagne bottle and poured Cornelius a glass. He took it with satisfaction and took a sip.

Two white vehicles led us through traffic while two others followed us. I watched the people on the sidewalk. Many ignored us while others stopped to look. I wondered if they knew I was in there. After all, I was the big news.

“Remember what we discussed,” Cornelius said. “And remember . . . what you say can come back on your friends.”

I nodded, feeling of my hair. It was soft and smooth, sticking up in a specific way.

“Don’t mess with it,” Helly yelled, slapping my arm.

Cornelius continued going over the rules, which, I had memorized in order to keep Ashton and Marley safe. I basically had to pretend everything was perfect and act like I was kidnapped by people from another region after midnight.

“And don’t forget to smile,” Helly said.

“Yes,” Cornelius said. “Show everybody that you’re the happiest little boy here.”

Oh yeah, I forgot about that little rule. That was going to have to be the hardest for me.

“Let’s see it,” Cornelius said.

I looked at him, not smiling at first. Then, I forced one.

Cornelius shook his head in disappointed. “If you want to keep your friends safe, you’ll have to do a lot better than that.”

Helly didn’t look too happy with it either. I took a deep breath and stretched my lips as much as I could, giving Cornelius the best smile possible.

He nodded with satisfaction. “There it is,” he said.

Soon, the vehicle slowed down. The crowd outside grew denser. This time, they all stood still, watching us as we approached them. The vehicle came to a stop in front of a red pathway surrounded by hundreds of people shouting and cheering. A black rope separated the people from the red pathway. The red carpet led to a set of double doors of another skyscraper.

The driver jumped out and walked around the vehicle until he reached our door. Several men and women standing just a few feet away pointed cameras at us, waiting for the door to open. The driver opened the door. Helly stepped out first. Next was Cornelius. As he exited the car, the crowd erupted with excitement. The reporters rushed to him with cameras in his face, asking him tons of questions. He ignored them and looked back at me, smiling.

He gestured for me to get out of the vehicle. I wanted to stay in there forever. But I knew that just wasn’t possible. I took a deep breath and gave the best smile possible, hoping it was good enough. This was it. I had to be careful. I had to keep Ashton and Marley safe.

I stepped out of the car.

Chapter Eleven

The crowd went absolutely wild. The reporters forgot about Cornelius to swarm me. The flashing lights kind of hurt my eyes. I blinked a few times, hoping they would leave me alone, but they didn’t.

“How’s it feel to get away?” a woman with a camera asked.

“Carsyn, what will you do now that you’re out of the orphanage?” a man, also holding a camera, asked.

“Do you like it inside the wall?”

There were probably about twenty questions thrown at me all at the same time. It was overwhelming.

“Leave the boy alone,” Helly yelled, reaching for my arm. The reporters made it impossible for her to pull me away.

A couple of officers had to rescue me. They shoved the reporters away. Cornelius, still smiling, motioned for me to join him. My lips quivered as I forced them to stay in smiling position. The muscles in my cheeks started to burn.

Cornelius placed a hand on my shoulder, making me feel very uncomfortable. I wanted to smack it off but knew that wouldn’t go over so well.

The people continued cheering. “I love you Cornelius!” I heard a woman scream.

We slowly walked down the long red carpet. Cornelius waved at the people. I hoped he didn’t want me to do the same. Smiling was already too much. We finally reached the double doors to the building, which were held open by two men in red uniforms. Cornelius turned around and waved at the people one last time before we entered the building. Pictures were taken. He looked down at me. “Smile,” he whispered.

I did so quickly.

“Now wave,” he said. Great, just the thing I was hoping not to do. I threw a hand in the air to wave with Cornelius, and the crowd loved it.

We turned around, entered the building where we were instantly greeted by a very attractive blond-headed woman. “He’s just going to ask Carsyn a couple of questions first,” the woman told us. The sound of the crowd behind us faded as the doors were shut. The woman continued. “After that, Cleo and Meeko are going to bring you in, Mr. President.”

I barely caught a word. This was way too fast-paced for me. Cornelius was completely calm, just as if he was sitting alone watching TV. He probably went through this a lot.

“Thank you,” Cornelius told her, still smiling.

The woman led Cornelius, Helly, and me down the hall. She left us in a small room with a dresser, mirror, and chair. I released my smile. Helly looked at us both. “You guys look fine,” she said. She grabbed my chin and moved my head to the right. “Just don’t rub your face.”

After examining us one last time, Helly left the room, leaving me and Cornelius alone. Cornelius took out his phone. The transparent screen came to life. He dialed a number. “Keep the two kids nearby, just in case,” he told them, then hung up.

I glared at him. He was trying to scare me, which was working. I mean, I don’t think I had ever been so nervous in my life. It was worse than the time I thought Edgar was going to kill me in the alley. Now that’s saying something.

“No need to give me that look,” Cornelius said.

“You will pay for this,” I told him.

He chuckled. “I’m sure I will,” he said sarcastically. “I’m sure I will.”

A few more minutes went by in silence. Cornelius stayed on his phone, doing whatever it was he was doing. Probably Grandfather stuff. I couldn’t quit thinking about the interview. How many people were going to be watching? The lady on TV had said all the tickets were sold out. How many people would be right there in front of me watching? That made all the more nervous.

A knock interrupted my thinking. Cornelius put his phone away and opened the door, revealing a younger man with some sort of headset on. “They’re ready,” he told us.

Cornelius stood up immediately. “Let’s go,” he said.

We followed the man through a door where I was immediately hit by a wall of cheering and loud music. My heart was racing. This was it. I wondered if everybody was listening in the dining hall. I hoped they would realize that I was being forced to do this. Surely they would.

Cornelius and I were led behind a wall beside a stage. A man and a woman, both dressed in all green, stood on the stage waving at the large audience. When I say all green, I mean all green. Their clothes, their shoes, their necklace, their eyes, even their hair! It was very unusual.

The man jumped up and down as he waved at the crowd. The woman spun around a few times. Really odd. These people were too happy and a little crazy. But the audience seemed to love it. If I had to guess, I’d say they were in their mid-twenties. But the makeup made it a little difficult to tell.

Two red comfy chairs sat on each side of a clear round table. The two hosts took a seat on one side of the table. I assumed the two empty ones were for Cornelius and I. Great. I had to sit beside him.

The hosts held out their hand and the crowd grew silent immediately. I’m talking about a brick wall of silence just hit. What’s the saying? You could hear a pin drop. Yeah, you probably could’ve.

“What an audience today,” the man said with excitement. “I don’t think we’ve had an audience this excited before, would you agree, Cleo?”

I finally knew who was who. To me, Meeko seemed like a girl’s name, but I didn’t know anything about names within the wall. Maybe they were different.

“Oh, it’s brilliant,” Cleo said, crossing her legs. “And we can’t blame them, because today, we have some very special guests. This has to be the most important interview we’ve done.”

“Very special guests indeed,” Meeko said. “I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”

“I think everybody has been very eager,” Cleo said. “It’s the juicy news.”

I noticed that they both talked with their hands a lot. I mean a lot. I was just waiting for them to accidently slap each other’s arms.

“Juicy, juicy, juicy,” Meeko said. “Folks, welcome to The Meeko and Cleo show. We got a great special segment for you today. It’s what’s everybody’s talking about. Today is the day we finally get those answers we’ve been dying for.”

“Let’s say we give our audience a recap first?” Cleo asks.

“Excellent idea, Cleo,” Meeko said, throwing both hands into the air.

I really hoped I didn’t laugh while I was out there.

“Nearly one week ago,” Cleo started, facing Meeko, “President Cornelius announced that a good friend from his earlier life—”

“Benjamin,” Meeko quickly added.

Cleo nodded her head, not seeming angry that she was interrupted.

“Yes, and Benjamin had a son who he placed in an orphanage after feeling his depression affected the boy.”

Meeko took over. “Everybody has heard the story, and it’s just an absolute tragedy.”

“This tragedy led President Cornelius to search for Carsyn,” Cleo said.

“He discovered that he’d been kidnapped, probably to get back at the president for the new Bill of Border Control.”

“But a few days ago, Carsyn found his way to the President. And he’s here to speak with us today.”

The crowd erupted in excitement. The two hosts laughed, waiting for the audience to quiet down.

The two hosts were perfect for each other. I hated to say it. Yeah, they seemed pretty annoying, and they both looked ridiculous. They were both that way. Maybe that’s why they seemed like a perfect combination.

The audience finally went silent before Cleo said the thing I wasn’t ready to hear. “I say we talk to him now, how ‘about it?”

My heart was still beating like crazy. The dress shirt and tie were a little tight around my neck, so that was getting annoying. I wasn’t ready.

“Absolutely,” Meeko agreed. “Join us in welcoming Carsyn,”

The crowd went wild again.

My body was shaking. I could tell there were a lot of people in the audience. This was it.

“Smile and do it right,” Cornelius said shoving me toward the stage. The two hosts stood up and looked in my direction, smiling and clapping. I put on a smile and forced myself to step out from behind the wall, entering the stage. The crowd went wild, as if I was some hero. I was prepared to see tons of people, but I was still surprised. There had to be nearly a thousand people. That wasn’t counting the rest of the nation watching their TVs and listening to their radios. I couldn’t help but think how easy it would be to expose Cornelius. If only Ashton and Marley had stayed behind.

My image appeared on three screens in the back of the room. What I saw made me absolutely sick. I hated it. It was me. I looked like one of them, dressed in nice clothing, hair fixed perfectly, face unnaturally smooth.

I approached the two hosts who took turns shaking my hands. I couldn’t keep my eyes off their odd green hair and green clothing. I had never seen teeth so white.

As the noise of the crowd became silent, Cleo waved me over to take a seat. I did so, sinking into the chair. It was so comfortable, just like every seat I’d sat in within the wall. Cornelius stood at the side of the stage, looking nervous. He was probably afraid that I’d accidently say something wrong. I guess I understood since that was my fear too.

My face was burning up. I could feel heat hitting me. When I looked up, I was blinded by what seemed to be hundreds of lights. I took a deep breath.

“Wow,” Meeko said. “Just wow. How extraordinary!”

“How do you feel right now?” Cleo asked.

I turned my attention away from Cornelius and to the crowd who was now silent. A camera hovered in the air. The three big screens displayed a close-up shot of my face. Seeing myself was weird, especially since I appeared extremely lost with a huge frown on my face. I quickly turned it upside down and looked at the hosts. “Good,” I said. “I feel good.”

They laughed, and the crowd joined them. “Well, of course you do,” Meeko said. “You’re within the wall now.”

“And with President Cornelius,” Cleo said. “Now what a pleasure that must be.”

“How would you describe him?” Meeko asked.

I glanced at the crowd again, then to the side of the stage where I saw Cornelius urging me to talk.

“He’s great,” I said, facing Meeko and Cleo again.

“Great?” Meeko asked once I said no more.

“Good gracious, Carsyn,” Cleo said. “There has to be more! I mean, you’re living with the president!”

“Now, now, Cleo,” Meeko said. “Looks like he’s a bit nervous.”

They and the crowd chuckled.

“Go on,” Cleo said. “Tell us more.”

“Yeah,” I said, searching for the right things to say. “He’s taken care of me really well. I’ve . . . I’ve never been more comfortable. ”

“Ah,” Cleo said. “Let’s give President Cornelius a round of applause for taking care of such a handsome boy.”

The crowd erupted in applause once again.

Meeko waited until the crowd was silent again. “Tell me,” he said. “How many girls have you had chasing you?”

Everyone laughed.

I forced myself to chuckle. “None,” I said, slowly.

“None?” Meeko asked. “Surely there was somebody.”

“No,” I said. “I was only around other boys at the orphanage.”

“I see,” Cleo said, her tone growing serious. “Well, I bet if you were surrounded by girls, a handsome boy such as yourself would have a difficult time choosing.”

Meeko laughed along with everybody else.

Was everybody in the nation laughing with them? That was an odd thought. I did nothing but recheck my smile.

“Now,” Meeko said. “Can we talk about when you were kidnapped? Is that okay?”

I looked toward Cornelius again. He motioned for me to turn around and face the hosts.

“Don’t be nervous,” Cleo said. “We’ll bring your savior out in a few minutes.”

I wanted to tell them all that Cornelius was not my savior. Instead, I did as I was told. “It was frightening,” I lied. Don’t mess it up, I kept telling myself. For Ashton and Marley.

“I bet it was,” Meeko said. “Where did they keep you?”

I thought for an answer quickly. I said the first thing that came to my mind. “A cell with bars,” I told them.

“Terrible,” Cleo said, placing a hand over her mouth. “You poor thing.”

“Do you know who kidnapped you, or why they kidnapped you?” Meeko asked.

“I don’t know,” I said. I remembered what Cornelius told me to tell them about the kidnapping. I had to make sure he was satisfied. “I was outside of the orphanage around midnight,” I told them. “They kidnapped me then. They were from a different region and they didn’t like the tr—or the Bill of Border Control.”

Whoa. Calling it the tracking law would’ve ruined the whole thing.

They seemed to not catch it. “Ah,” Cleo said. “It’s not surprising they’re from a different region.”

They were playing perfectly into Cornelius’s plan.

“Not surprising at all,” Meeko said. “Now, we all know about the Bill of Border Control.” He turned his attention to the audience, as if reminding them directly. “I assume you do as well?” He faced me again.

I nodded, taking another look at myself on the screen. I couldn’t get over how similar to them I looked. I hated it. I made a mental note to ignore it. It was all for show.

“Now tell us, if this bill had been passed a year ago, do you think you would’ve been kidnapped?” Meeko asked.

I didn’t want to answer. I thought of Belladonna, Edgar, Mae, and Robert. Everybody under the mountain was probably listening to me. I just really hoped they realized I was lying. “I don’t think so,” I answered.

“I think you’re absolutely right,” Cleo added. “I mean, this bill exists to prevent things exactly like this. Do you agree that the bill will be helpful to us all?”

“Yeah,” I answered quickly, wanting to get it out of the way.

“You also said it happened around midnight, correct?” Meeko asked.

“Yeah,” I answered.

“Do you think the newly proposed law declaring a curfew time would’ve been helpful as well?”

“Yeah,” I answered.

“Could you tell us why you think that?” Cleo asked. “I’m sure we’ve got some individuals in the audience who would disagree with you. It’s quite a controversial topic.”

“Well,” I started. I was silent for a second, gathering my thoughts together. They had totally caught me off guard. I hadn’t thought I’d have to give a complex answer. I liked the one-word answers. “With a curfew, it would be more difficult to commit any crime. And I think most crimes happen late at night.”

I looked at Cornelius who nodded with satisfaction.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Meeko exclaimed. “Perfect. I mean, most crimes do happen during the late hours because there are fewer witnesses. I think you’re absolutely right, Carsyn. And I believe that with the Bill of Border Control and the curfew law, you would’ve never been kidnapped.”

The audience applauded. The hosts quickly waved at the audience. When the audience went silent, they unloaded more questions on me.

“So, while you were imprisoned, were you harmed in any way?” Cleo asked. “If it’s too hard to talk about, you just let me know.”

I thought back to the cells Cornelius had me, Ashton, and Marley in: the cells they were still in.

“I was starved,” I told them.

“That’s terrible!” Cleo yelled.

I thought she was going to start crying right then and there.

“But never hit?” Meeko asked.

I shook my head.

“Well, I know the great President Cornelius will never allow you to starve,” Meeko said.

I wanted to laugh.

“Not a chance,” Cleo said, grasping her hands together. “I must ask; how many kidnapers were there? And I’m assuming you were the only one imprisoned?”

An idea came to me as soon as she asked. I didn’t have a lot of time to think about it. It was my chance. I wanted to secure Ashton and Marley’s safety. Cornelius wasn’t going to like it, but I didn’t care. For once, I had control.

“There were five kidnappers,” I lied. “And there were two other prisoners with me.” I forced myself to not look in Cornelius’s direction. “Ashton and Marley are their names.” I imagined his eyes glaring at me, his nostrils flared, his eye twitching. For once, I truly smiled.

“Oh really?” Cleo asked in surprise.

“And where are they now?” Meeko asked. “Did they get away as well?”

“They came with me,” I told them. “President Cornelius has been very kind to all three of us. After all, Ashton and Marley have become good friends of mine.”

“I’d say so!” Cleo said. “I mean, you three went through the same thing together. And President Cornelius has been taking care of them as well?”

“He has,” I said, accidently chuckling. There was nothing Cornelius could do.

“That President Cornelius,” Meeko said. “I mean, seriously, how great is he?”

“Oh, he’s great,” I said, hoping I hid the sarcasm. They didn’t pay any attention to it, so I assumed it wasn’t obvious.

“Well, I certainly hope we’ll be meeting your friends soon,” Cleo said.

“And I believe we will be seeing them soon,” Meeko said. “Such a marvelous story of survival.”

“Indeed,” Cleo said. “Now, let’s just hope that the kidnappers are caught.”

“Of course,” Meeko said. “Now, before we bring out President Cornelius, I’d like to ask you a couple of questions about the orphanage. Are you glad to be out?”

“I am,” I said, truthfully.

“I bet it’s much different here,” he said.

They had no idea. “I’ve never seen such amazing sites and technology,” I said, once again, telling the truth. They both laughed with the crowd.

“It is remarkable,” Meeko said.

“I wish people outside of the wall could see how wonderful it is here,” I said.

Everybody was silent. Meeko and Cleo were also silent, looking nervously at one another. Meeko was the one to change the subject. “You mentioned that you were around a bunch of boys, obviously. Tell us, did you get along with them?”

I shook my head. “I didn’t,” I said, honestly.

“No friends?” Cleo asked. “Not even one?”

“No,” I said. Then, I remembered Jim. “There was a boy named Jim who defended me from the bullies when I was younger.”

“Oh, a hero,” Meeko said, glancing at the woman, smiling. “And where is he today?”

I was silent at first. Meeko and Cleo waited patiently, smiling at me. “dead,” I finally replied.

Meeko and Cleo gasped. “May we ask how he died?” Cleo asked.

I thought back to the day I heard how one of the older guys saw Jim dead. I think that was when I first realized I’d probably meet the same fate. “When you’re seventeen, they kick you out on the streets. Most orphans die on the streets. At least that’s how it is outside of the wall. That’s how Jim went. It’s unfair what happens out there.”

I immediately realized that I had said the wrong thing. Meeko’s and Cleo’s eyes grew wide, their green eyebrows raised. I glanced at the audience. The people I could see had similar expressions. I refused to look at Cornelius. He probably looked as if he could strangle and rip me apart. If it wasn’t for me telling Meeko and Cleo about Marley and Ashton, they would’ve been dead within minutes. I just knew that Cornelius wouldn’t have them killed now that everybody in the nation knew about them.

“Let’s move on,” Meeko said, as if nothing had happened.

“You’ve heard a lot about him,” Cleo took over, her voice slowly returning back to normal. Her arms were everywhere again. “You’ve just heard the story of how he’s saved not one but three kids.”

“Folks, let’s welcome President Cornelius,” Meeko exclaimed, standing up with Cleo to applaud Cornelius.

I heard whistling and people yelling stuff like “I love you President Cornelius” over the sound of applause. I assumed I was supposed to stand up with Meeko and Cleo so I did. I turned to finally face Cornelius. He smiled, waving at the audience as if I had said nothing. Of course he couldn’t look angry. That wouldn’t have made for good television. I wondered what he was truly thinking. He approached us. He shook the hosts’ hands, looked at me, and patted me on the back as if I was his own child.

“He’s been amazing to have,” Cornelius said once the crowd grew silent and we were all sitting back down.

“I bet,” Meeko said. “He seems to appreciate very much what you’ve done.”

“I do hope so,” Cornelius said. “We worked hard to find him. Little did we know that he would escape and come to us.”

“Yes,” Cleo said. “Speaking of that, how did you get away, Carsyn?”

I hadn’t thought about being asked that. I tried remembering what was on the note card Cornelius had given me but couldn’t. Thankfully, Cornelius noticed and answered for me.

“He doesn’t like to speak of it much,” Cornelius said. “But he and his two friends were able to pick the lock with just a nail.”

“Impressive!” Cleo shouted. “How extraordinary!”

“It really is,” Cornelius said. “Maybe they’ll show me sometime.”

The audience and the hosts chuckled. “Perhaps they will,” Meeko added.

“So,” Cleo started, moving the conversation.

I wondered if there was a time limit.

“You have now given not just one, but three kids, a home.”

“I have,” Cornelius said. “Unfortunately they couldn’t make it today.”

“Well, I sure do hope we see them soon,” Meeko said.

Cornelius said nothing.

“Do they have homes, or are they also orphans?

“They don’t have homes,” I answered before Cornelius could. He could’ve easily told everybody that Ashton and Marley had a home they would go back to. That would give a reason to take them out of the city. He would, of course, kill them as a punishment for what I had said about Jim earlier. I had to keep their security.

“Amazing,” Cleo said.

Cornelius nodded. “Yes,” he said slowly. “It truly is.”

“Mr. President,” Meeko said, annunciating every syllable.

“Meeko,” Cornelius mocked in the same tone.

The hosts chuckled. “Can you tell us a little more about Carsyn’s parents? You didn’t know anything about them did you, Carsyn?”

“No,” I answered slowly, frowning.

“I can tell this is a serious topic for you, isn’t it?” Cleo asked me.

I felt Cornelius’s eyes beaming at me. I forced a smile, this one obvious. “Yeah,” I said. I looked over at Cornelius and could feel his eyes piercing through me, as if he was trying to make me explode. “The President said he was going to tell me all about them.”

“Ah yes,” he said, moving his eyes back to Meeko and Cleo.

“Can you please tell us more,” Cleo asked, leaning forward in her seat.

“Well,” he started. “Benjamin was a good man. He was just led the wrong way.”

“The alcohol?” Meeko confirmed.

Cornelius confirmed with a nod. “Losing the person you love has to be difficult. It was just too much for him to bear.”

“Which, as you said, is why he placed Carsyn in an orphanage?” Meeko added. “Benjamin felt as if his alcoholism was a danger to Carsyn.”

“Oh yes,” Cornelius said. “And though unfortunate, maybe he was a danger. We’ll never know.”

The hosts nodded.

I listened, wondering if anything Cornelius was saying was true. It probably wasn’t, but I wanted to know so badly that I held on to that chance that Cornelius actually knew . . . even if he was the bad guy.

“Before, you said you had something to give Carsyn,” Cleo asked.

“Ah yes,” Meeko kindly interrupted. “Something from his father. Have you given it to him yet?”

I had forgotten that Cornelius had said that during the broadcast. He dug into his blazer pocket. Slowly, he pulled out a small black box and handed it to me. I took it with suspicion. Everybody was silent, and when I didn’t open it, Cleo grew impatient, urging me in her jolly tone to see what was inside.

I opened it, finding a shiny golden necklace with a red pendant of a heart. I looked at Cornelius, searching for the truth. All he did was put on his innocent grin. He hid it well. Or perhaps he didn’t hide it.

The gold was cool to the touch as I raised it into the air, letting the pendant dangle below.

The audience was awed, whispering to one another, fawning over the necklace.

“That’s wonderful,” Cleo said, wiping tears from the corner of her eyes. “Spectacular.”

“Indeed it is,” Meeko said slowly, looking as if he was about to start crying as well. “I’d bet anything that belonged to your mother.”

“Jaclyn planned to give it to him as soon as he was born,” Cornelius said slowly, no longer smiling. Was he actually sad? “They were so happy.”

I said nothing, staring at the necklace in wonder.

Could it be true? Edgar would hate me for thinking so. Belladonna . . . well, she’d probably understand. She always understood me. But she wouldn’t agree.

“I think the boy is in shock,” Cleo said, snickering and still wiping her eyes. “You’re with an incredible person,” she told me, then asked the audience, “Wouldn’t you all agree?”

They clapped and cheered.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Cornelius said. “And I’m glad he could bring his friends along.”

Cleo clapped her hands, smiling, tears still flowing down her cheek.

“You certainly have Cleo all worked up,” Meeko said, smiling.

Everybody laughed.

“Miraculous,” was all she said.

“It really is,” Cornelius said.

Meeko stared at me. “Tell us, Carsyn, what do you see in the future? I mean, the possibilities have to be endless for you. What do you want to do . . . achieve? Oh, man! The possibilities!”

It was one of the biggest questions I had. It was the very thing that Belladonna had promised to help me with. I thought for a few seconds.

“Surely there’s something,” Cleo said when I didn’t say anything for a second.

I just nodded my head. “Yeah,” I said. This time, I was actually honest. “I don’t know what I want to do. Before, a possibility to even do anything with my life never existed. Now . . . well, I have people who can help me.”

They thought I was talking about Cornelius. But of course I was talking about Belladonna and Edgar.

“You can now do anything,” Cleo told me.

I nodded. “I know that when I figure out what I want to do . . . when I finally get a goal . . . I will reach it. I will succeed.” I actually meant that. I had thought about it since the day I ended up under the mountain. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but knowing that I actually had an opportunity to do something other than being homeless, I was going to take advantage of that. And I would succeed.

Apparently what I said had a huge effect. The crowd went wild. They cheered louder than ever. I looked up at the screen to see that little by little, people were standing up, applauding me. Meeko and Cleo, too, were standing up, staring at me in amazement, smiling. Cornelius joined them.

“Such potential,” Meeko said over the cheering. “You’re going to do great things, Carsyn. I feel it!”

They had to do everything to quiet everybody down. They waved their hands at them and couldn’t help but laugh when it didn’t work. The audience quieted down on their own time, which took around two minutes.

“Wow,” Cleo said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“Marvelous,” Meeko said. “Absolutely amazing. You know, it’s moments like this that makes life worth living.”

Suddenly, a flashing light above each of the large screens in the back caught my attention. Meeko noticed this too.

“Not to interrupt this jaw dropping moment,” Meeko said. “But before we go, I must ask you, President.”

“Anything,” Cornelius said.

I looked at the necklace again. So many questions.

“There have been a few reports that some outside the wall have just recently started believing that the infamous group we all know as Grandfather has returned.”

Cornelius began laughing. I looked at him, and he ignored me. “People believe a lot of things,” Cornelius said. “I’ve even heard rumors that I’m their leader.” He laughed again. The hosts followed and the audience joined.

“People are ridiculous,” Cleo said.

“Indeed they are,” Cornelius said.

“And tell me, Carsyn, did you ever hear such things outside . . . around the orphanage?” I could hear Cornelius hold his breath. He was afraid . . . afraid I’d say something else.

“I heard a couple of people,” I said carefully.

“Well,” Meeko said. “People are naïve.”

I wanted to shout at him in anger. They were the naïve ones.

“You never know what to expect outside the wall,” Cleo said. “People are crazy.”

They were just making it worse for me. They didn’t know what it was like outside of the wall. They were talking like everybody outside the wall were ‘nobodies’. Yeah, they didn’t have a future, but that wasn’t their fault. I could feel my face growing red. That’s when I remembered Cornelius couldn’t hurt me or Ashton and Marley anymore. At least not for a while, until I opened up the safe for him.

“Well, folks,” Meeko started, ready to sign off.

I didn’t let him finish. “They think Grandfather is back because of the wall,” I blurted out.

I heard Cornelius’s chair scoot against the floor as he nearly jumped up.

“This is The Meeko and Cleo show,” Cleo said nervously. “We hope to see you tomorrow.”

The crowd applauded as music filled the entire room. “Thank you,” Cornelius told the hosts as they stood. I did so too, putting the necklace back in its box and into my jacket pocket. Meeko didn’t smile. Sweat gave his forehead a shine. His eyes flickered from Cornelius to me. I had made him nervous. Good.

“Let’s go,” Cornelius told me kindly, still pretending. He waved at the people as we left the stage.

We were immediately escorted back from the way we had come. We soon approached the exit. Helly met us there

“We’re going to ride alone,” Cornelius told her.

She was confused but didn’t dare argue. She backed away as we passed her.

Cornelius looked at me. “Smile,” he snarled. “We’re not done yet.”

We exited the building to find another – or perhaps it was the same – crowd waiting for us. Flashes from cameras burned my eyes again. People clapped and shouted their love for Cornelius. He looked at me and gestured for me to join him in waving at the people. I awkwardly threw my hand into the air and waved. People went crazy. I even heard a chant. It took me a while to make it out, but everybody eventually joined in. Car-syn, Car-syn, Car-syn.

I was stunned. I didn’t know what to do. Cornelius looked down at me, confused at first. He then grabbed my hand and pulled it up into the air. The spectators quit chanting my name and cheered loudly.

I was famous. It was amazing, and awkward, and uncomfortable, and scary. I felt more like them than ever.

We walked down the pathway until we reached the same long white vehicle. The driver opened a door for us, and closed it once we were inside.

Cornelius didn’t wait for us to get comfortable. “You fool!” he bellowed as he raised a hand and slapped me.

I felt his ring dig into my cheek. Water blurred my vision as my right cheek throbbed in pain. I held it with my hand. I wanted to hit him back, but it wasn’t worth it. That would have gotten us nowhere. I hoped somebody saw everything. Of course not. The windows were very tinted . . . very dark.

“You think you’re clever, don’t you?”

I said nothing.

“Just give it a few days,” he said.

I’ll find a way out before then, I wanted to say. “Take them out of their cells,” I said.

Before he could answer, his phone rang. Cornelius dug into his jacket pocket and pulled out his phone. He touched the screen and held it to his ear.

“Mr. Harrison,” he said surprised, his eyes growing wide.

I didn’t know who this Mr. Harrison was, but he must’ve been important, even for Cornelius.

“How are you . . . thank you . . . thank you . . . I’m looking forward to it . . . should be the best fundraiser we have . . . Carsyn?” He frowned heavily. “Of course all three will be there . . . of course . . . I look forward to it too.” He took the phone away from his ear and glared at me again. “You have screwed everything up,” he barked. “I’m attending a fundraiser Mr. Harrison is holding two nights from now. He expects to see you and your little friends there.” He slammed a fist against the window.

I would’ve laughed if the window shattered.

It didn’t.

“It’s the only way I can get his support for anything I want to do.” He sounded like he was talking more to himself than me.

I grinned. He noticed, raised a hand, and went to slap me again. I ducked this time. His hand swished over me. I rose back up to see him taking a deep breath.

“I just have to be patient.” He took his phone back out, brought the transparent screen to life, and dialed another number. “Take them out of their damn cells,” he said and then hung up.

“That’s all I wanted,” I said with satisfaction.

“You’ve got me in a mess. Meeko should have known not to ask you any more questions about the outside.”

I raised my chin in the air. “You didn’t say I wasn’t allowed to mention what happens outside of the wall.”

“I shouldn’t have had to,” he said, looking as if he would throw another swing at me at any moment. “People outside any city wall were probably listening. I can’t have them getting all hopeful. I’ll have to take their damn radios away from them next.”

I laughed.

“You think it’s funny, now,” he said. “Look at yourself.” He pointed at my clothing. I looked down to see what I was wearing. “You’re one of us now. “

“No, I’m not one of you rich people,” I argued.

“But you are,” he said. “I just hope those outside see it too. Maybe they’ll hate you for it.”

“I hope they riot,” I said. “I hope they protest.”

“They’ll be arrested. I’ll leave it to your imagination for what happens to them after that.”

I said nothing, again, thinking of Marley’s dad. I stuck my hand in my pocket, clutching the necklace. He noticed this and jerked my hand out. I gripped the necklace in my fist. He overpowered me, forcing my hand open. He took the necklace and placed it back into his jacket pocket.

“You’ll get it before the fundraiser,” he said. “And you’ll wear it.”

“Is it true?” I asked.

He didn’t respond.

“Is. It. True?”

He shook his head. “I know the truth. Even if I planned on telling you before, that little show you put on messed that up.”

I couldn’t do anything. I watched us pass by the thousands of people and hundreds of different shops. Ashton and Marley would be out of their cells. We could be together again. At least I had something to look forward to.

We’d have to plan an escape. I knew Cornelius probably had people listening to us or recording devices hidden around the room. It would be difficult. Very difficult. We had to find a way. It was only a matter of time before Cornelius figured out a way to get rid of us.

Chapter Twelve

Once we reached the Presidential Tower, I followed Cornelius inside the building and to the elevator. In the elevator, I watched again as I towered above the people, and eventually the buildings. The elevator stopped. I knew where I was. We rounded the corner to where my suite was. There, waiting at the door, were two officers. It wasn’t they who caught my attention. It was the two standing behind them.

Ashton and Marley.

Marley ran, throwing her arms around me. “You’re okay!”

Ashton joined us. “We were worried,” he said, patting my shoulder, giving Cornelius a dirty look.

“You’re going to look at me like that?” Cornelius said. “After I let you out of your cells, gave you each a nice room to stay in.” He motioned to the two doors next to mine.

“What’s going on?” Ashton asked. “What did you do with Carsyn? Where did you take him?”

“Get inside,” Cornelius said, motioning us inside my room. “Now.”

“It’s okay,” I assured them. “I’ve been safe.”

We gathered around the sofa in my room. Cornelius slammed the door shut. “You can thank Carsyn for getting you out,” he said. “Foolish.”

“What happened?” Marley asked me.

“I’ll tell you later.”

“You still think it’s funny,” Cornelius said. “Wait after a week. I’ll get what’s in that safe, get the location of these people you’re with, and then you’ll be dead. All three of you.”

I said nothing. With luck, we’d find a way to escape. Ugh, I hated relying on luck.

“You three will be attending the fundraiser, unfortunately. Any smart moves there will lead to a painful death, only after a series of painful torture schemes.”

Ashton and Marley glanced at each other, probably wondering why they were going to a fundraiser.

“While you’re here, don’t mention Grandfather,” Cornelius said, walking closer to us. “You dare tell somebody here about me, your limbs will be torn off one by one.”

Whoa, Cornelius was losing it. This guy wasn’t playing around.

Did that also mean that not everybody in the building knew about Grandfather? Were all of his councilmen and councilwomen aware?

“Are. We. Clear?”

We nodded quickly. Cornelius was serious. We’d have to be careful.

“Enjoy it while you can,” he told Ashton and Marley. “As I told Carsyn, you’re one of us for now. But you won’t have this for much longer.”

“I’ll never be one of you,” Ashton shouted. “Never.”

Cornelius grinned. “Unfortunately, if you want to survive, you’re going to have to be one of us these next few days. You will act like one of us at the fundraiser.”

Ashton’s face was covered with anger as Cornelius left the room. Once the door was completely shut, he kicked the sofa as hard as he could. It scooted a few inches. “Why doesn’t he just kill us now?” he shouted. “We might as well tell everybody about him. I mean, we’re going to die either way.”

I explained to him how we’d have to find some way to escape.

“But they’re probably spying on us now,” he said.

I nodded. “I’m sure of it,” I whispered. “We’ll figure it out later.”

Marley placed a hand on my cheek. Her skin was cold to the touch. “It’s red,” she said, indicating the spot where Cornelius had slapped me. “What happened?”

We sat down on the sofa, and I told them everything that’d happened once I was taken away. They were surprised that I was on TV and also wondered if everybody in the dining hall listened.

They agreed that everybody would have known I was faking everything. As I talked about all of the nice things I had been around, they looked at the room with amazement.

“I can’t believe you mentioned the separation,” Ashton said with a grin. “Brilliant.”

“You think they’ll do anything?” Marley asked, also excited.

“Don’t know,” I told them. “I was only thinking of making Cornelius angry.”

“And you just know they broadcasted it nationwide,” Ashton added. “This is great.”

I told them more about the interview and how everybody treated me like I was a hero. I also showed them around the place, showing them how to use the TV and the remote. Just as I was, they were amazed by the technology. Never had they seen anything like it outside the wall. I turned the channel to another news station. They were discussing the interview and replaying mine and Cornelius’s entrance.

“Wow,” Marley said in awe. “You’re famous.”

After looking at everything suspiciously, Ashton said, “I don’t like this.”

“What do you mean?” Marley asked. “This is incredible!”

“It may be, but it’s not right.”

I understood him immediately. “The only problem is that it makes me feel like I’m one of them. Especially when I’m all over the TV and people are cheering for me. Look at me.” I pointed at the suit and my perfect hair.

“It’s ridiculous,” Ashton said. “I don’t even want to be close to one of them. He walked to the glass wall overlooking the city. Marley and I followed him.

The tall wall in the distance grabbed my attention again. I imagined what the city would be like if it didn’t exist. I imagined what it would be like if every wall in the nation never existed. Those outside a city wall would have a chance. They would be able to get the knowledge, education, and technology the rich have.

I never really thought about it until I saw what was inside.

Marley walked to the TV and turned the volume up just in time. We all turned our attention to the TV. They were replaying the segment when I was asked what I wanted to do in the future. I watched again as everybody stood up, applauding me.

“Wow,” Marley whispered.

The screen switched to a reporter who was interviewing a man outside of the Presidential Tower. His gray, slicked back hair matched his suit. He didn’t look old in the face at all.

“He seems to be a great boy,” the man was saying to the reporter. “He’s got dreams; he’s got the power to do anything he wants. I feel like he will be able to do great things with the president’s help. And he’s from the other side! It makes me wonder if there are others like him who could really do something with our help, and –”

The screen went blank before the man could continue. We all glanced at each other.

“What happened?” Marley asked.

The screen immediately came back alive, only this time it displayed the weather.

We all glanced at each other. “They’re afraid,” I said. “Cornelius is scared.”

“Wow,” Ashton said with a huge smile. “If we can get people from within the wall to believe the separation isn’t right, we can really destroy Grandfather. Think about it! We could do a lot more than destroy Grandfather.”

“We can tear down city walls,” Marley finished for Ashton, her eyes glistening. “I wish Momma could’ve heard that.”

The man hadn’t said much. But we hoped it was enough to put the idea into people’s head. That would be enough.

They liked me. I mean, the people within the wall actually liked me! I wasn’t even thinking about that during the interview. I was focused on keeping Marley and Ashton safe. And Cornelius from getting angry, of course.

Was it possible that I, without knowing, was changing things?

Now all we had to do was get people to believe Cornelius was the Grand Imperial. Then things could really turn around.

Having nothing else to do, we sat on the couch and watched the TV. We didn’t care too much for it because we couldn’t get it out of our mind that we were doing the same thing the rich people did.

Finally, Ashton was the one to say something, making sure he whispered. “What are we going to do . . . about getting out?”

We didn’t say anything at first. Then, Marley answered. “They can probably still hear us,”

She was probably right. A whisper wasn’t enough to keep them from hearing us. If only we were able to read each other’s’ minds. But that was obviously impossible. No kind of technology could accomplish mind-reading.

We agreed to keep thinking of any plan as they left to go to their own rooms. Then, when one of us had an idea, we would find a way to tell the other two. I knew we couldn’t just walk out of the Presidential Tower. I mean, Cornelius wasn’t that stupid. He would have guards standing nearby, expecting us to do that if able. Needless to say, I had nothing. And I assumed neither Ashton nor Marley had anything because they said nothing for the rest of the next day.

We all ate our meals together. They, too, were surprised by how much food was served to us. And as I was, they were angry that people inside of the wall were eating like kings when many people outside the wall were starving.

I told them that Cornelius was doing it on purpose, to make us feel like one of them. They agreed that it was working.

The NWI prepared a bright and sunny day. I sat on the balcony for a few hours just to enjoy it. Or at least I tried enjoying it. I couldn’t relax, knowing we needed to find a way out if we wanted to survive.

I often wondered what Edgar and Belladonna were doing. How mad were they? And were they doing anything to try and save us? A part of me hoped so, but I knew it would be dumb for them to do so. They wouldn’t make it inside the building. Cornelius would catch them and torture them until they revealed our hiding spot. And then Cornelius would kill them. That would leave us hopeless with no way to fight against Grandfather.

The day passed by quickly and, unfortunately, I had to say I was getting a bit hooked on a television show about detectives fighting crime. Marley and Ashton liked it too, but we would force ourselves to quit after a few episodes. We were just so paranoid that we were going to become one of the rich.

The day of the fundraiser came. After lunch was brought to us, Helly brought me a full white suit with a white dress shirt and a turquoise bow tie. Great. I was going to stand out with such bright colors. I wondered if Ashton and Marley got the same colors.

They didn’t.

By the time 5:00 rolled around, Helly had us completely dressed and our hair fixed perfectly. We met outside the doors. Ashton wore a dark blue suit with a yellow bow tie. His hair was fixed similar to mine.

Marley wore a short red dress with an oversized black belt around her waist. Her brunette hair was put up in a bun with a black bow in it. She was absolutely beautiful. As she caught my gaze, I turned away quickly. While Helly made sure our bow ties were straight and Marley’s hair was perfect, Cornelius joined us. I wanted to throw up.

He was wearing a suit exactly like mine. Even the tie was exactly the same.

“Matching suits,” Helly said, clapping her hands together. “So cute.”

The last person I wanted to match with was Cornelius. He was trying to draw attention to the both of us in order to make him look like a better man. He was known as my hero to everybody. The people loved him for it.

“Did you watch the news?” Ashton asked him, smiling.

Cornelius didn’t answer.

“Looks like some people are thinking those outside of the wall aren’t animals.”

Cornelius flung his hand back, ready to slap Ashton.

Helly squealed, covering her mouth.

Ashton didn’t turn away or even throw his hands up. He was going to let it happen. But just as Cornelius was about to actually slap Ashton, he forced his hand down, taking a deep breath and letting it out.

“You guys keep a smile on your face,” he said as if nothing had happened. “You make it seem as if this is the best thing to have happened to you. Remember the note cards I gave you.” He pointed at Ashton and Marley. They seemed to understand. Cornelius turned to face me. “You already know the rules.”

“We could expose you so easy,” Ashton said while Helly reached over and moved my hair around. I didn’t resist.

“You could,” Cornelius agreed. “You do that. Their blood will be on your hands.” He pointed at me and Marley. “If you say anything, then you’ll see Carsyn and Marley tortured.” Cornelius then pointed at me. “If Carsyn says anything, he’ll see you and Marley tortured. The same goes for Marley. Understood?”

I glanced at Marley who was just terrified. I think we all were, so I didn’t blame her. Ashton just looked angry. We weren’t in the position to let anything about Cornelius and Grandfather slip. We all nodded slowly.

“Good,” Cornelius said. “You guys will be watched. So don’t get any ideas. Now let’s go.” He turned around and started walking toward the elevator. Helly signaled for us to follow, and we did so until we were in the familiar long white vehicle. Helly didn’t ride with us. I don’t even think she was invited to the fundraiser.

“Enough has been said about outside the wall,” Cornelius said, glaring at me once the vehicle was moving. “Don’t mention it like you did last time.”

“No promises,” I said. Of course I was joking because I knew Marley and Ashton would be in danger if I did. I just wanted to tease Cornelius, who didn’t take it so well. He grabbed my arm and squeezed tightly. I felt my arm grow numb as the blood flow was cut off. “I mean it,” he hissed. “I’ll not have you out here causing riots in my country.”

“Carsyn won’t say anything,” Marley told Cornelius, her eyes staring deep into mine. Cornelius let go of my arm.

“Good,” he said.

“It’s okay,” Ashton said, “I don’t think we need to say anything. Something’s going to happen soon. And you guys are just going to collapse.”

Cornelius chuckled. “We’re too powerful for that to happen,” he said.

“All power comes to an end,” Ashton argued back.

“Not this time,” Cornelius said. “Not this time, my boy.”

“I’m not your boy.”

“A shame,” he said. “I’d love to have a boy with such energy as you.”

“Nobody deserves to have an evil man like you as a father.”

Cornelius smirked at him and looked out of the window. “Where are your parents, Ashton?” he asked. “Hiding with the others?”

“What’s it matter to you?” Marley asked when Ashton didn’t answer right away.

Cornelius said nothing but chuckled again. He kept his gaze out of the window.

I hated his chuckle. Just the sound of it ran shivers down my spine and sparked my hatred for him.

“You don’t know where they are, do you?” he asked. He looked at Ashton, who had his fists clenched up, ready to dive at Cornelius. Cornelius was loving it. “That’s what I thought,” he said. “You say that nobody deserves to have me as a father. Well, Ashton, it seems as if your parents didn’t think you deserved them.”

Ashton jumped out of his seat but moved too quickly. His head thumped against the ceiling. Marley grabbed his arm and pulled him back down. Ashton held his throbbing head.

Cornelius couldn’t help but laugh loudly. “You know, Ashton, you’re making it harder on yourself believing something that can never happen.”

“You’ll meet the same fate as the last Grand Imperial,” Ashton said, crossing his arms. “And I’ll be here to see it.”

Cornelius shook his head. “I’m much more advanced than Grand Imperial Doyle. We’ve had a lot more time than him. Cornelius played with the black ring on his finger.

That was the first time I heard the original Grand Imperial’s name, and it was a really ugly one. But I was actually curious. “What do you mean?”

Cornelius had this expression, as if contemplating whether or not to tell me. I guess he didn’t think it would hurt. “The government believed that every single Grandfather supporter was tracked down and put on trial. But that wasn’t the case. You see, the only way to absolutely destroy a huge movement is to absolutely destroy its leader.”

“He killed himself,” Ashton smeared.

“Exactly,” Cornelius said. “But you don’t know the entire story.”

All we were told was that the leader had killed himself. I didn’t even know there was more to the story. A quick glance at Ashton and Marley told me they didn’t know either.

Cornelius continued.

“After months of searching, the military and police had Grand Imperial Doyle trapped. The only thing keeping him alive was the fact that he took several hostages.”

“Hostages,” I said, shaking my head “He sounds like a true role model.”

“He was,” Cornelius snapped. “He showed his remaining followers that he believed in the cause so much that he would rather commit suicide than be tortured for information; tortured for what was in the safe.”

“And what cause was that?” Ashton asked, chuckling. “Ruining people’s lives?”

“You would believe such a thing,” Cornelius said.

Marley said, “Well, it’s true. They tried controlling peoples’ lives.”

“To make those lives better,” Cornelius argued. “His idea was that society could develop and prosper at a faster rate. Just imagine if peoples’ ambitions were the same: Their ideas . . . their goals. It’s easier when most of the people are working toward the same goal. People wanting different goals leads to opposition, which leads to arguing. Ultimately, if things do get done, it happens at a slower rate. It’s true, wouldn’t you say?”

“No,” was my simple answer.

Ashton raised his voice. “You can’t just –”

“The Grand Imperial believed there was too much arguing and hatred about differing opinions,” Cornelius interrupted as if Ashton wasn’t even there. “You probably don’t know, but way back when, we used to have different political parties. These elections were nothing but arguing and name-calling. Nobody could agree. Real life problems were ignored as people worried about who was going to get elected.”

I had no idea what Cornelius meant by different political parties. I doubted Ashton and Marley did either.

“Everybody wants something different. They have their own opinions, which would be okay if they weren’t so closed-minded toward other opinions. Conflict does nothing but pause progression. Sometimes conflict can even cause us to regress.”

Cornelius quit playing with his ring and looked out the window, his eyes sparkling. He was enjoying the story.

“So he wanted to speed up progression?” Marley asked. “By forcing people to have the same opinion and same goal?”

“Grand Imperial Doyle wanted everybody to realize how their petty arguments and closed-minded thinking would get them nowhere.”

“So he wanted to force people to share his goals and opinions?” Ashton asked, perplexed. “Who’s to say his opinions were right?”

“Everybody wants progression and succession,” Cornelius said. “He was just going to help people understand the best way to do that.”

“And the best way to do that was to rise to power and control everybody?” I asked.

“It’s unfortunate,” Cornelius said. “But it’s the only way. If it wasn’t for the wars and arguing over things that don’t truly matter, who knows what this society could be today. I can’t even imagine the possibilities. If one person was in control, moving everybody in a society in the same direction, things would be so much easier.”

I just shook my head. I couldn’t believe how anybody could see controlling everybody was for the best. “Why are you telling us this? Are you stealing Doyle’s cause?”

Cornelius chuckled, spreading his arms out. “This is the same Grandfather.”

Man, always being surprised and confused was getting to be exhausting.

“Remember how I said that the only way to kill an idea or movement is to kill the leader.”

“And he was killed,” I said. “But here you are, copying him.”

Cornelius just laughed again, placing his hands on his lap. “You’re not getting it. Open your eyes. He killed himself! Don’t get me wrong, it’s very sad. But when the remaining followers saw that he killed himself because he believed in the cause so strongly, they believed even more. They wanted to continue his legacy. And all they needed was a new leader.”

I thought for a second. I was beginning to understand everything. “You?” I said slowly.

“People think we died, but we never did. Twenty years ago, the leader killed himself. Twenty years ago, the remaining members started rebuilding, secretly recruiting, secretly planning, secretly working our way to the top, secretly making our move so that we can truly guide our society in the right direction with no set-backs. No pauses.”

The protestor by the orphanage preached that Grandfather had returned. He felt strongly about it, but he was wrong. From what Cornelius was saying, they weren’t returning . . . because they never left. They never died.

“So why were you chosen as the next leader?” Ashton asked.

“Cornelius looked at his ring again and twisted it around. “I’m Grand Imperial Doyle’s grandson.”

Wait, what?

“Wait a minute,” Marley said, surprised. “You’re related to him?”

Cornelius nodded. “My parents were killed during the search. So were my uncles and aunts. I was the only living one who shared his blood. It only seemed fitting that his followers should follow me . . . the blood of the founding father.”

We were so shocked that nobody said a word. Cornelius kept his eyes out the window, his mind elsewhere, as if replaying some memory.

I now knew why Cornelius was doing what he was doing. He was trying to follow in his grandfather’s place. It explained where his evil was coming from.

“It’s not going to work,” Ashton said. “People will see what you’re doing, and that’ll be the end of you.”

Cornelius turned his attention back to us.

I glanced out the window to see we had left the city center. How far was this place?

“There will always be people like you,” Cornelius said. “We’re too powerful. We’ve been growing; our idea of society is growing stronger by the day. It’s already too late for somebody to interfere. And those who attempt will find themselves begging for mercy.”

“All it takes is another powerful force,” I said. “And you’ll be gone.”

Cornelius chuckled.

It seemed like we were always amusing him.

“There’s somebody out there who can destroy your plan,” Marley said.

I knew who she was talking about. But honestly, I was starting to think Cornelius was right. Nobody under that mountain seemed like fighters. And it was starting to seem pretty impossible to get proof that could expose them.

“If you’re thinking of your people, save your breath,” Cornelius said. Then, he frowned. “The only person who ever had a chance to stop me is long gone.”

“And who was that?” Ashton asked.

“An old colleague. We had the same idea. At least at first. As soon as he headed down a different path, I was forced to eliminate the opposition.

I didn’t know what else to say. I was truly losing hope. If Grandfather had been growing for such a long time – before I was even born—maybe they were too powerful.

When I glanced out the window, I saw that we were approaching a huge and gorgeous house. No. it was a mansion. The white, four-story house stood firm, surrounded by gardens full of flowers in many colors and different sizes. Among the flowers and decorative bushes were small fountains and large fountains, each spewing out its own colored water. I saw green, yellow, blue, purple, orange, and even white.

It was absolutely breathtaking. And it was away from the skyscrapers, probably about a half mile away from the wall. It wasn’t as crowded and fast-paced as the city center. I could see why whoever lived their chose the location.

“Here,” Cornelius said, throwing me the familiar necklace. “Put it on and act like it’s the best thing you’ve ever received in your lousy life.”

I quickly did so, not saying another word, still wondering if it actually belonged to my mother. I was starting to believe it didn’t, but Cornelius knew the truth. If he was the only one, was it worth sticking around? Was it worth me getting involved just to learn of my parents?

The vehicle pulled up until it stopped at a familiar sight. Yeah, it was a different location, but there was a similar crowd waiting for us, surrounding a red pathway that ran through the gardens and fountains and ended at the front doors of the mansion. The muffled noise of their cheering barely made it inside the vehicle.

The crowd was larger this time. It was probably because of my interview. Or maybe it was because they had discovered that there were two more: Ashton and Marley.

“Remember the rules,” Cornelius said, fidgeting in his seat.

We agreed just as a man in a black uniform who had been standing on the red carpet rushed to open the door. Cornelius stepped out and the crowd applauded and cheered. I noticed cameras nearby. Unlike last time, they didn’t swarm him. They were probably warned. I stepped out next, putting my fake smile on beforehand. I was immediately swarmed by cameras and flashing lights and bombarded with questions. The cheering grew louder, and I even heard a few screams.

“Do you like it better inside the wall than outside?” one woman shouted. Before I could answer and before any more questions were thrown at me, Cornelius stepped in.

“Let’s give him some space, folks,” he said.

I turned back to see Marley and Ashton about to step out. They were a nervous wreck. I pointed at my lips. They noticed and forced a happy look. Ashton was the worse at faking it. I was sure people would see right through him. They stepped out of the vehicle and the cameras moved from me to them.

“Has the kidnapping brought you three together?” somebody asked.

“Uh . . . yeah,” Marley answered, not knowing what else to do.

I expected Cornelius to get them away before they gave anything up. Instead, he motioned for a few officers to intervene. They walked over to Marley and Ashton and pushed the cameras away from them.

They stayed with us as we walked slowly down the path. Ashton, Marley, and I forced ourselves to keep smiling. Cornelius threw his hand up, waving at the people. They seemed to love it. I knew he was loving it.

It was difficult to hear because everybody was screaming out something different. But there was one person who could be heard perfectly.

“Tell us about the other side!” A man’s voice to my right shouted “Are there others like you?” I glanced into the crowd, unable to find who was speaking. Cornelius looked back at the officers. For once, he broke his own rule, his face drowning in concern.

I wasn’t the only one who had heard it. Uh oh.

“To our right,” one of the officers said through a small white device.

Another voice to my left joined. This time, it was a woman. “What do you think of the wall?”

“And the left,” the officer added. “Be sure it’s unnoticed.”

My eyes met Cornelius’s. What was he doing? I glanced around for the woman just as a man in a black jacket with short black hair, wearing black sunglasses, approached her and whispered into her ear.

“What!” she shouted.

“Let’s go,” Cornelius said, picking up his speed. We stayed with him, turning in every direction, looking for the officers. We approached the door. I looked back toward the woman once more, just in time to see her being escorted away. The people around didn’t pay any attention to her. It was how Cornelius wanted it.

“Did you hear that?” Ashton whispered in my ear.

I nodded. Yeah, it was a good thing, but it was kind of scary. I mean, what was Cornelius going to have done to those people. Would they be thrown in jail for bringing up the separation? Or worse, would they be killed?

I tried not thinking about it, which was going to be difficult. I had to play Cornelius’s game.

As we entered the mansion, a fat man with a gray beard greeted us. This guy looked different. Every time I saw somebody with gray or white hair, they never looked old in the face. Whoever this guy was, he looked his age, maybe in his mid-fifties. He shook his hand. “So glad you could attend,” he said. His gaze shifted to me. “Here he is,” he marveled.

“Here he is,” Cornelius agreed with a jolly tone. His nostrils flared up as he looked back through the door toward the crowd. The man and woman who brought up the wall and the outside scared him. Good.

“Pleasure to meet you,” the man said. “I’m Richie Harrison the third, or Mr. Harrison as most call me.”

I nodded. His eyes met my necklace. He picked up the pendant with his fingers. “Extraordinary,” he whispered. “Such an amazing gift for you. Such a tragedy.”

He released the pendant.

“You’ve been the big talk. Such a remarkable story you have.” He looked at Cornelius. “You’re a good man, President Cornelius. If not for you, who knows where these three would be?”

“Thank you, Richie,” Cornelius said. “We’re glad we could make it,”

Before Cornelius could say anything else to Mr. Harrison, a woman standing a few feet away called for him. Cornelius walked over and greeted her with a peck on each cheek.

Mr. Harrison kept his attention on us, his eyes flickering from Ashton to Marley. “And these are the two that were captured with you.”

I nodded.

“Now I know everything is moving fast right now, but you’ll get used to it. Everybody’s trying to get to you all at the same time. Sometimes you just got to ignore them.”

Neither one of us said anything, not knowing what to say. But we were sure to keep smiling.

Mr. Harrison shook his head, as if disappointed. “Now surely you can do better than that,” he said. He bent over to us and whispered. “I know a fake smile when I see one. Gonna have to do a helluva lot better than that if you don’t want to get into trouble.”

We all glanced at each other in surprise.

Mr. Harrison snickered and, playing with his beard, walked away before we could say anything else to him.

“Think he knows?” Ashton whispered to me.

“Don’t know,” I said.

“Has to,” Marley said. “He knows we’re faking.”

I observed the room, hoping to see Mr. Harrison. I wanted to find out more, but he was out of sight. Instead, I caught Cornelius’s eyes wandering deep into mine as if hoping to hear what we were whispering about. I nudged Ashton and Marley who were still whispering about Mr. Harrison and whether or not he knew that we were faking everything. They looked up and stayed silent when they saw Cornelius watching us.

Before we had a chance to speak or even move an inch, a woman dressed in a long pink gown approached us with a tender smile upon bright pink lips. She took out her phone that looked like a piece of glass as Cornelius’s did. “You must be the three from the outside,” she said, pointing the phone at us and snapping a quick picture. “Oh, everybody has just been gossiping about you three. I just can’t wait to brag to my friends that I actually met you!” She put her phone away. “You’re one of us now. It’s time to enjoy the beautiful life we have here in the city.”

Not what I wanted to hear. But I kept telling myself that it was only for show. It was fake.

She walked away, rushing deeper into the house.

Cornelius motioned for us to follow him. We did so, being led into a large ballroom filled with more people dressed in extravagant gowns and tuxedos. Many were dancing in the center of the floor while others stood or sat at round tables surrounding the dance floor. They all looked so happy, laughing loudly over a glass of what I assumed was wine or champagne. In one corner of the room, a string quartet played a slow composition. In another corner, several tables were set up, bearing all types of foods. I had never seen so much food all in one place. What caught my attention the most was the large fountain at the end of the food table. Water didn’t flow out of this. It appeared to be chocolate.

“Good to see you, Mr. President,” a younger woman said as she passed us.

“Mr. President,” an older man said with a nod. He looked at me, Ashton, and Marley from head to toe. “Extraordinary story. Glad you can be here.”

“Some fruit?” somebody behind us asked.

We turned around at the same time to see a man dressed in bright blue carrying a tray loaded with fruit surrounding some sort of dip.

“N-no thank you,” Marley said.

The man walked away, saying nothing.

We turned back around, just in time to see a woman, also dressed in blue and carrying a tray approaching us. “Champagne,” she offered, holding the tray at our eye level. Once again, we rejected the offer. She offered Cornelius some. He accepted.

“There’s so much going on,” Marley whispered. “Everybody is moving so fast.”

Ashton and I agreed. One person right after another wanted to speak to us or offer us some sort of snack or drink. My nerves were going crazy.

“Mr. President,” a woman in a long black gown, wearing tons of jewelry, greeted. She extended a delicate hand. I noticed her fingers. She was wearing sparkling gold and silver rings on almost all of them.

Cornelius gently took and kissed it.

“How do you do, Mrs. Harrison?” he asked.

“Well,” she said, taking a glass of champagne from a tray as a woman passed by her. “I just can’t express how thrilled my husband and I are to have you this fine evening.”

“Ah yes,” Cornelius said. “It’s a very beautiful mansion.”

“We had people working for hours and hours to make it presentable for you and your new friends.” Her attention turned to us. “My dears, just make yourselves at home.”

I nodded.

“Such a beautiful dress,” she exclaimed, walking closer to Marley. “My, my, my.”

“Thank you,” Marley said. “I have President Cornelius to thank.”

Mrs. Harrison seemed to ignore Marley’s last comment. She turned her attention back to Cornelius. “The boy has become quite the popular one, hasn’t he?”

“He has.”

I just knew Cornelius hated every moment of it.

“The people here just love a miraculous story,” she continued. “And you certainly have one, don’t you?” She took a drink of her champagne. Cornelius did the same. “And from what I’ve heard, other cities are just devouring him too.”

“So it seems,” Cornelius said, wiping his mouth.

“And, I don’t know if Olivia Fabray talked to you yet, but she wants to write a biography about Carsyn’s life in the orphanage. Such a wonderful idea. I can’t express how much I’d love to learn more about Carsyn. And I think I speak for everybody.”

Cornelius’s eyes narrowed. “Ah, well,” he said slowly, then glancing at me. “Miss Fabray may have to wait. I don’t think he’s up for that just yet.”

I nodded my head slowly when Mrs. Harrison glanced at me, wanting to hear from me.

“But many people are curious about your story,” she said. “Surely you want to share it with everybody here.”

“Carsyn, here, just doesn’t want to share,” Cornelius said plainly. “At least not yet.”

I nodded my head again. “I don’t want to,” I said.

Mrs. Harrison’s eyes, filled with curiosity, examined my face.

I tried not staring at her.

“Very well,” she said. “I suppose it does make a bit of sense.” She turned her attention back to Cornelius. “Now, I must find that husband of mine. I do believe he owes me a dance.”

Cornelius bowed his head. “Mrs. Harrison,” he said. “Thank you again.”

She left, glancing all around the room in search of Mr. Harrison.

Cornelius looked at me. “My guess is that Miss Fabray will find you later.” He walked closer to me, leaned his head next to mine, and whispered in my ear for nobody else to hear. “You’ll say no and that it’s too difficult to talk about. If she presses on, tell her maybe in the future.”

“Okay,” I said.

“The same goes for you two,” he added. “Get some food and blend in.”

I felt relieved when Cornelius actually left us. I thought he would’ve been glued to us, listening to every conversation we had. “Might as well eat,” I told Ashton and Marley. They agreed.

We filled up a small plate with fancy rolled up hors d’ oeuvre, a roll, and some fruit and found a vacant table. The food was pretty good, but not something I would’ve considered a full meal. But it was better than the orphanage food and better than the food served under the mountain.

As we ate, people stopped by to meet us. It was kind of annoying, especially when they asked me questions as I had food in my mouth. They all wanted to know basically the same things: how I was enjoying the city, how I loved being with Cornelius, and how bad it was to be kidnapped. I lied and made everything sound great. Marley and Ashton did the same thing. Ashton wasn’t too good at lying though. It was probably eating him inside that he couldn’t yell out the truth to everybody.

I found it fascinating to watch how the rich interacted. They all laughed loudly together, telling stories and jokes about I-don’t-know-what. Nobody looked as if they were having a terrible time. Nobody seemed to have any worries. More importantly, nobody had to fake having a good time.

Cornelius was stopped by so many people to talk. Every once in a while, he would glance around the room, as if looking for somebody. Eventually, he found me, and his facial expression became all the more satisfied.

Mrs. Harrison had finally found her husband, and they danced in the middle of the floor, smiling and laughing together. A man walked around, taking pictures of people. Nobody resisted. In fact, everybody seemed to love getting their picture taken; I even saw a few people urging the cameramen to take one. At one point, he came to us, asking if he could take ours.

I glanced at Marley and Ashton, not knowing what to say.

“It’ll be quick,” he added. “It’s going to be on our blog.”

I shrugged my shoulders, seeing no reason to reject. After all, we were supposed to blend in, and everybody else was doing it. I agreed.

“Just stand here next to each other,” he said, pointing to the floor beside the table. We lined up and smiled big. The camera clicked. “Thanks,” he said. “Would you mind if I also got a line from you.” He looked directly at me. “Just tell me what you think of the fundraiser.”

“Oh,” I said. “Sure. It’s . . . it’s really nice and the people are treating us well.”

“That’ll do,” he quickly said. He looked off into the distance. I turned around to see an older man with neatly combed over white hair and a gray suit join the party. “I must get a picture of our vice president,” the cameraman said, rushing toward him. I noticed Cornelius also making his way to meet the man.

We sat down and finished our food as quickly as possible: before anybody else could interrupt us. As nobody was near, Ashton leaned in and whispered, “You think we can sneak out of here?”

I looked at the door where people just flowed in. There was no way we’d be able to escape. Even if we got outside, there were tons of people and officers who would’ve probably catch us.

“I really doubt it,” Marley said.

Ashton wanted to say more, but was unable to as a younger woman approached us. She was probably in her mid-twenties. Her black hair was put up in a bun as Marley’s. Just like every other woman in the room, she had all sorts of jewelry on that matched her short pink dress perfectly. I took a second to admire her beauty.

“The survivors,” she said, staring at us with a look of amazement. “I’m Olivia Fabray. “I’m a writer here in New Dawn.”

We each shook her hand. Ashton stared at her, probably admiring her beauty as well. I remembered what Mrs. Harrison had said and the rules Cornelius had given us.

“Nice to meet you,” Marley said. “You look very beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Miss Fabray said in a jolly tone. “As do you, Marley.”

At first I was surprised she knew Marley’s name. But then, I felt stupid because we were all over the news. Of course she knew who we were by name. Everybody did.

“I was thrilled when Mrs. Harrison asked me to come. She’s a huge fan of my work. Thankfully, she and I have become good friends.”

“Yeah,” Ashton said slowly, “She told us about you.”

“Good things I hope,” Miss Fabray said. “I must ask the very question you’ve probably had to answer many times today. How do you like your new life?”

“It’s . . . it’s good,” Ashton said.

Miss Fabray seemed pleased. “It must be so odd for you guys to be the big juicy news. I imagine you’ve never gotten this much attention before, have you?”

“We haven’t,” Marley answered. “It’s all so overwhelming.”

“Kind of hectic?” Miss Fabray asked.

“Very hectic,” I said.

She nodded, as if understanding. “We can be a bunch of overwhelming people here. When you have a large group of similar people all in one place . . . well, interesting things can happen. Or maybe not so interesting.” She chuckled.

I wondered if she saw herself as similar to everybody else or different. She seemed a little bit different. But what did I know? Everybody within the wall was a completely different breed of people. I was still learning their ways, even if I didn’t choose to.

“You know, everybody is fascinated with your story. And I don’t mean the story of you being kidnapped, though we’re all interested in that as well. I mean your story living in the orphanage.” She paused and then whispered, “Your life outside of the wall.”

Cornelius was preoccupied with the vice president, getting his picture taken with him. They laughed with each other and those around them. I wondered if he was also a part of Grandfather.

“One thing us writers love to do is write something different from anything out there. Originality is hard to come by these days, wouldn’t you agree?”

I turned my attention back to Miss Fabray. “It is,” I agreed, having no idea if it was or not.

“Well, you see, nobody around here ever talks about those outside city walls.

That was actually one thing I could agree on. But I was shocked she was actually bringing it up. It seemed as if everybody just wanted to ignore life outside the walls. Except for the few who were curious after my interview.

“Now, there is somebody who has made it from outside to the inside. Very rare. What a spectacular story that would be. The idea certainly has some originality to it.”

Of course I would’ve loved to have told her everything. There was a really good chance that everybody reading my story would help our cause. But I knew it wasn’t possible. Even if I could agree, I wouldn’t, because she didn’t realize how much trouble she could get into. Cornelius would no doubt have her killed if a riot or rebellion was to start because of her work.

“I’d just love to turn your transformation into a story everybody would read and learn from. How ‘bout it?”

I didn’t want to say no to her, but I had to. “I don’t know,” I said. “I-it’s been hard.”

“Which is an even better reason to turn it into a story,” she added. Then, she looked as if she had just realized something. “Has somebody already told you of my interest?”

“Mrs. Harrison has,” Ashton answered.

“He’s just not ready yet,” Marley answered quickly.

Miss Fabray eyed each of us. “One thing I’ve learned while living here is that people are afraid of the truth.”

We said nothing.

“I’ve become rich off of my writing, just like my parents. Bitcoin is one thing everybody here has in common.” She glanced around nervously before leaning toward us and whispering, “But unlike most of these people, I realize the separation is holding our society back. We’re supposed to live together.”

We were all caught off guard by her comment. Ashton grinned, this one real. “I agree,” he said.

Nobody was near us. Cornelius was still busy talking with the vice president.

“I want to be known for writing about the controversial topics. That is something that will make me different from all the other writers out there. And the separation is one.” Miss Fabray stared deep into my eyes. “Now since you’ve gotten here, others have realized that maybe there’s something more to people outside these walls. Do you understand this?”

I nodded my head. “I saw it on TV,” I said.

“Now, I’m not pointing fingers, but there are people out there who don’t want to hear this. If I can write your story, I’ll complete my dream of going over the limits of society, and I’ll help others realize that this separation might not be such a good thing after all. Be honest with me, Carsyn, what do you think of the separation?”

I glanced around quickly, not knowing what to say.

“Don’t worry about others here,” she said, putting her hand on my shoulder. “You are one of the few who has lived on both sides of the wall. What do you think?”

“I . . . it’s different,” I said carefully.

“You don’t like it. I know you don’t. Help me show others.”

Man, she was trying really hard. I bet people weren’t able to tell her no very often. Ashton looked as if he hoped I’d say yes, even though he knew I couldn’t.

“Miss Fabray,” I said.

“Call me Olivia,” she insisted.

“Olivia,” I started again. “Why do you have to write about my story? Why not come up with your own about the outside?”

“Two reasons, Carsyn,” she said. “For one, if I write your story, it’s true. It’s a testimony, and so it’s more believable. You’re famous around here, so people will read it and many will believe it.” She paused.

“The second?” I asked.

“Writing about you might save my job and even keep me alive,” she said.

That threw me off.

“If I make up my own story, I have no doubt that something would happen to me quickly. I’d probably be killed. But if I write about you, everybody will read it, as I said before. And do you know what that means?”

We all shook our heads.

“That means that if something happens to me, more people will think it’s too big of a coincident. It’s too risky for somebody to have me killed. It’ll be obvious that people are trying to hide the truth. Remember how I said people are afraid of the truth.”

She wanted to use me to secure her safety. But from what it sounded like, she didn’t know much about Grandfather. Actually, I don’t think she knew anything about it. I was sure she’d be killed, even if she wrote my story. I remembered what Cornelius said to do if she continued to press on. I turned around. This time, he and the vice president were watching us. I faced Olivia Fabray.

“I need time to get things worked out in my head,” I told her. “I mean, I just got here. I want to settle down.”

She frowned. But after a few seconds, she turned back to her happy self and nodded. “I understand,” she said. “I can’t say I’m not disappointed. But I suppose we all have to live with rejection at some point in our lives.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Maybe in the future I can help you.”

She still didn’t seem too satisfied. “Well, when you feel like the time is right, let me know. Use the internet, and you’ll be able to find me.” She shook each of our hands. “It was very nice to meet you,” she said. “And once again, Marley, you look absolutely beautiful.”

Olivia had an upbeat walk as she strolled to the chocolate fountain. There, she placed a hand on another woman’s shoulder who just exulted over Olivia’s arrival.

“Could you imagine,” Marley said.

“Imagine how much of a difference that could’ve made,” Ashton interrupted.

“But it would’ve been too risky,” I said. “Trust me, I wanted to. But you guys know I couldn’t.”

They understood. Deciding that we didn’t want to sit in the same spot, especially with Cornelius constantly watching us, we moved around the room. Of course we would have still been watched, but it would have made it more difficult for Cornelius to find us in a different place each time he scanned the room for us.

I took the time to listen in on some of the conversations. I heard a lot of compliments on how people were dressed, and many went on to tell where they had bought their clothes. Some even bragged about how much they spent. Some talked about how beautiful the house was, how nice the string quartet was and, of course, how delicious the food was. I heard my name a couple of times, and I even heard a woman talking about people outside city walls. “They need to stay as far away as possible,” she was saying. “Just think what would happen to our precious city if they were allowed to enter.”

My blood boiled. Ashton looked just as angry. Marley nudged my shoulder, trying to get me to leave.

“I don’t understand why people would even wonder about the lowlifes outside,” the woman was saying.

I wanted to say something, but that obviously would’ve had a bad outcome. Marley basically had to drag me and Ashton out of there. We didn’t stop until we were close to the quartet, unable to hear the lady speaking. “You have to remember where we are,” Marley told each of us. “We’re going to hear some pretty harsh things.”

She was right. I did expect it. But that still didn’t prepare me.

“I’d love for somebody to throw her over the wall,” Ashton said.

I agreed, glancing at the quartet players. They were all dressed in a red suit, white button down shirt, and a red bowtie. They played the music, not paying attention to anybody in the room. It was as if nobody existed to them. I supposed that was their job.

“The best thing we can do right now is ignore what everybody says,” Marley said.

“And be happy,” somebody said from behind.

I jumped, nearly falling over. I turned around to find Cornelius and the vice president looking down at us. “Remember the rules.”

“I don’t care anymore,” Ashton shouted.

Cornelius looked around, making sure nobody heard him. The quartet helped with that. Cornelius turned back to us and whispered, “Then I don’t care what happens to Marley here. Now pretend to be happy, or I’ll just hurt her when we get back.”

Ashton rolled his eyes and obeyed.

“Very good,” Cornelius said.

“You got your hands full,” the vice president said, laughing.

“But not for much longer,” Cornelius said. “The safe should be here in three days.”

The vice president looked at each of us. “I’m Vice President Luther McCall. I’m helping our Grand Imperial out.” He whispered the last part.

“Great,” Ashton said.

“I bet you’re really proud, aren’t you?” I told Luther, obviously being sarcastic.

“Oh, I am,” Luther said. “I’ve been given a great privilege.”

Privilege? Yeah right. I let out a quick laugh. Luther seemed annoyed, but he let it pass.

“Your presence here in the city has caused a lot of trouble,” he said. “Apparently, there are some people who are starting to wonder about those outside: which, in context, questions the wall.”

“Maybe that’s for the best,” I replied.

Luther glared at me. “Perhaps for you, but you do not matter.”

“Some would say the opposite,” I said.

A woman walked by with a tray. “Lobster tail,” she said.

We all rejected it.

“Mr. President,” a younger man said, approaching us. “Mr. Bachner is looking for you.”

Cornelius held up a finger at him “Let’s forget about this,” he told us. “And let’s not lose character.” The string quartet grew louder as Cornelius and Luther left to meet whoever Mr. Bachner was. We walked to the opposite side of the room to get away from the loud quartet.

More and more people entered. And more people introduced themselves to us, going on about what a privilege it was to meet us. It was starting to get annoying, so we tried dodging the people. We passed up Olivia walking with Mrs. Harrison. They waved at us.

We reached a corner free of people, which didn’t last long. Mr. Harrison was nearby, chewing on some food. As soon as his eyes met mine, he squeezed in between chairs and tables until he reached us. “Still pretending to be happy,” he said. “Got to do better than that.”

“We are happy,” Marley said, hoping to still fool him.

“Ah,” he said. “I’m good at detecting lies as well.” He patted his belly and looked around, as if to make sure nobody was eavesdropping.

“How do you know?” I asked.

“My boy, I’ve been around a long time. I’m a businessman. I’ve faked smiles and lied many times in order to make a business deal.”

“So you know what’s going on?” Ashton asked.

“Not entirely,” Mr. Harrison said. “But I know something is going on. I’ve detected many lies, and not from just you three.” He tilted his head toward the crowd. I turned just in time to see Cornelius squeezing out from the crowd to talk with an older couple motioning for him.

“Cornelius,” I said.

Mr. Harrison nodded.

“Most people think they’re sneaky when, in fact, they’re obvious as night and day.”

He may have known that we were faking everything, but I was still worried. I didn’t trust anybody within the wall. Not even Mr. Harrison.

“Care to take a tour of the place?” He didn’t give us time to answer. He turned around and made his way through a pair of double doors.

We exchanged uncertain looks, but then felt we had nothing to lose. And besides, I was curious to see what Mr. Harrison had to say. We followed Mr. Harrison into a nearby door that led to a large hall with elegant red carpet and maroon walls. He shut the door behind us, and everything became silent. You could barely hear the people laughing and talking, and you could barely here the band playing.

“Yes, President Cornelius,” Mr. Harrison said. “As I said before, I can detect a lie, and he’s told many.”

He began to walk slowly down the hall. We all walked beside him. “You don’t like him,” I confirmed. “Why did you invite him to this fundraiser?”

“I’ve got to stay on his good side,” he answered. “Being on his good side will prove helpful if things get bad. And I suspect they will soon.”

“What do you mean bad?” Ashton asked.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “Something that I don’t know about is going on. Heck, even the theories they have outside of the wall are getting to me. Grandfather.”

We were silent at first. Then, Ashton responded, “It’s true.”

“Perhaps,” Mr. Harrison said. “But you’re the real question,” he said, looking at me. “Something seems off. Cornelius has you here, but I don’t’ think it’s because of the reason everybody else thinks.”

He didn’t realize how right he was. I considered telling Mr. Harrison about why Cornelius needed me. But while Mr. Harrison seemed like a nice guy and was talking against Cornelius, I still wasn’t sure if I trusted him. I lied. “I don’t know what he wants.”

Mr. Harrison chuckled. “I know when somebody lies to me,” he said again. “But it’s okay. You don’t have to tell me the truth. You don’t know me.”

We reached the end of the hall where two flights of stairs on each side led down to a large room with several sofas and tables. He stopped and leaned on the railing, looking down at the room.

“Something is definitely coming,” he said. “And it’s not going to be good.”

Ashton agreed. “It’s Grandfather. These new laws are giving them more control over us.”

Mr. Harrison grinned. “It’s very possible,” he said. “I’m the kind of man who likes to see what’s going on with his own eyes. I don’t just take anybody’s word.”

Both Ashton and Marley glanced at me. Yeah, yeah, he was starting to sound like me. But still, I wasn’t trusting him.

“We understand,” Marley said. “Just be careful.”

He chuckled, playing with his beard. “Being careful is what I’m good at,” he said. “Trust me, I have my safety secured. Now, you guys probably need to get out, am I right? You need to get away from all of this, right?”

“We do,” I said. “Really, really bad.”

Our eyes followed the direction of Mr. Harrison’s finger, extending down the stairs and toward a door. The windows next to the door told me it led directly outside. There was nobody nearby.

Wait, what? Could it be that easy?

“You’re letting us go?” Marley asked, headed for the stairs with no hesitation.

“I am,” he said.

“What about you?” I asked.

“I’m on Cornelius’s good side. Nobody saw us leave together.”

“What about when things get bad?” Ashton asked. “You won’t be safe then.”

“I’m working on an operation,” he said. “I’ll have a plan, and I’ll be safe. Remember, I have my safety secured. Now go on. I already have a ride waiting for you.”

Marley ran to him and hugged him quickly. She didn’t have a clue who he was, but it didn’t matter. He was saving us. He looked surprised, but then hugged back, smiling.

“Thank you so much,” she said.

We rushed down the stairs. All we had to do was get through the door. It could’ve been a trap. Cornelius could’ve been waiting for us outside. We reached the door and opened it, exiting from the side of the house. Nobody was outside. Just flower gardens and water fountains. Ahead was a fenced door leading to the street. I looked back upstairs, ready to thank Mr. Harrison once more before shutting the door and making a run for it.

He was gone.

“Let’s go,” I said, running out into the dusky night, my heart beating rapidly, my blood pumping.

Chapter Thirteen

We ran to the gate quickly, keeping an eye out for onlookers. It was completely quiet out. Thankfully, there was nobody around . . . except for a driver standing outside of a long black car. When he saw us, the door opened.

I’m sure Marley and Ashton had thought about whether or not to trust the guy, but there was no time to discuss that. We risked it, jumping inside, not saying a word to the man. He slammed the door and sprinted around to the driver seat. Before his door slammed shut, he floored it, pushing my body against the back seat.

Before we had a chance to try and get comfortable, a voice came out of the ceiling. My first thought was it was Cornelius and the entire escape was a prank planned by him and Mr. Harrison. But seconds later, I knew it was the driver.

“Are you guys okay?” he asked.

“Uh . . . yeah,” I said, my heart still racing.

“Which way do I go?” he asked.

We glanced at each other, not sure if we should answer.

“Hurry,” he said. “Before they realize you’re missing.”

“He can get us close,” Marley whispered. Then, she looked ahead. “Toward Columbia. We’ll tell you when to stop.”

The man took a sharp turn, shoving me into Marley. She yelped as my elbow jammed into her side. I went to apologize, but Ashton was already speaking to the driver.

“Stop by the nearest news station first.”

Marley and I looked at him as if he was speaking an entirely different language. The driver didn’t answer straight away, so he must’ve been just as stumped.

“I need to hurry and get you far away from here,” the driver said.

“Take me to the nearest one,” Ashton demanded. “It’s important and will only take a few seconds.”

The driver sighed. “Which one?”

“The biggest one,” Ashton answered immediately.

Another sharp turn sent Marley slamming into me, and this time, her elbow shoved into my side. Man, it hurt, but I didn’t say anything. I was too confused by Ashton’s actions.

“What are you doing?” I whispered.

“We need to get away,” Marley said in the most serious tone I had heard from her.

Ashton shook his head. “I’ll tell you later.” He nodded his head toward the driver.

Right, we didn’t know if we could trust the driver yet, even though he seemed pretty trustworthy. This entire escape didn’t seem like a prank, but we couldn’t take chances. Whatever Ashton was up to, he thought it best nobody else knew.

I kept glancing back, afraid to see Cornelius’s white vehicle chasing us down. Once we reached the center, surrounded by vehicles, honking horns, and pedestrians, I forced myself to quit looking back.

Soon, the vehicle pulled to the side, coming to a stop in front of a skyscraper. Just above the door was a sign reading News 10.

Ashton didn’t move. He kept a hand in his pocket, searching the surroundings.

“What are we doing?” I asked.

“I can’t get out,” he said. “Cameras or something may see me.”

That was true, but I wasn’t worried about that part. He took out a tiny black box and a neatly folded piece of paper, which I was worried about. It was killing me, being left in the dark, and Marley cringing in her seat told me she was just as eager.

“I need to get you out of here,” the driver said again.

Ashton ignored him, ready to jump out of the door. He pulled the handle, but the door didn’t budge.

“I can’t let you out,” the driver said.

Ashton’s face was getting red.

“I need to get something inside of there,” he said through gritted teeth.

The driver began complaining again but stopped when Ashton gasped. Just outside the door was a woman dressed in all orange, including her hair. She had a headpiece around her head, waving somebody in the distance to her. Seconds later, a man carrying a camera ran to her.

That’s when I remembered that I actually knew who the woman was.

Well, I didn’t know her know her. But I saw her several times on TV, reporting the news.

Ashton crumbled up the piece of paper, and not giving us any warning, put the window down slightly.

He took the black device and tossed it, hitting the news reporter in the chest. As she yelped, Ashton tossed the small wad of paper just as our driver floored it again. Ashton put the window up immediately, glancing at us with a sparkling smile on his face.

I was ready to kill him, and Marley had already begun, punching him several times in the shoulder.

“Ow!” he yelled, holding his hands out to protect himself.

“They could’ve seen us!” she yelled.

“It was worth it,” Ashton said. “Trust me.”

I expected the driver to complain or at least ask questions, but he didn’t say a word. He did, however, drive faster.

We left the city, soon going through the wall. Just as we were about to pass the road that led to the orphanage, I yelled at the driver to stop. At first he didn’t, but when I said it was our destination, he slammed on the breaks, sending the vehicle in fish tails. I thought for sure he was going to lose control of the vehicle, but thankfully, it came to a stop in the middle of the road.

“This is it?” the driver asked.

“Yeah,” I said, opening the door.

He had already unlocked them, and we piled out quickly. We stood on the side of the road as the driver turned the vehicle around. Just before heading back to the city, he rowed his window down. “Are you sure you want to be dropped off here?”

We assured him we were fine and waited until he was out of site before making the long journey back to the forest. I was actually excited to get back. I didn’t feel the same about having to listen to Edgar yell at me, but you know what, I would be safe again, and that’s all I wanted at that moment.

“What was that about?” Marley shouted, slapping Ashton on the shoulder. “Don’t keep secrets!”

Ashton couldn’t help but laugh. “I found it on the first night we got our fancy rooms. I didn’t know if Cornelius was listening so I kept it a secret.”

“Kept what a secret?” I asked.

“Grandfather is going down,” he said. “You have no idea.”

“What did you do?” Marley shouted impatiently.

Ashton flinched, expecting her to hit him again.

“I snuck out and found my way to Cornelius’s office late the first night. And I found proof.”

I had no idea what Ashton was talking about. I was even more puzzled how he even made it to Cornelius’s office. “What kind?” I asked.

“Well,” he started. “A recording talking about setting off an explosion in the city.”

“What!?” Marley and I shouted together. “Cornelius’s voice?”

“No,” he said. “The men talking don’t give Cornelius’s name, but they do mention Grandfather.”

“Which gives people proof they’re back!” Marley shouted even louder, throwing her hands up in the air. “This is great!”

Yeah, it was great. But it was also bad. “So there’s going to be an explosion?” I asked. “That’s not good. That just means people will die.”

Our excitement left quickly.

“Did they say when?” she asked.

Ashton shook his head. “No. But hopefully they can be stopped before it comes to that.”

I nodded. “And what about the piece of paper you had?”

Ashton looked as if he had forgotten about that. “It mentions Vice President McCall as a member of Grandfather,” he said. “Just a note to the Grand Imperial from him, saying that the plans for the explosion are almost complete, and that Grandfather will have complete control soon.”

Things had taken a turn. I just wasn’t sure if they were for the best or worse. Yeah, it was great that we had proof of Grandfather and could expose them. But there was a planned explosion. What kind of explosion? Where at? I thought about what the press would do when they listened to the recording. They had probably already listened to it and read the note. If they made a big deal out of me, they would surely make a huge deal over this. People would begin to distrust the government. Finally, I grinned. “You did it,” I told Ashton. “Mr. Harrison is right. Something big is about to happen.”

“And it’ll be starting any minute now,” Ashton added in a tone of excitement. “They’re going down!”

We reached the edge of the forest and continued walking. I was afraid that somebody in one of the passing vehicles would’ve recognized me and stopped. But they didn’t, thankfully. We passed the time talking about what we thought would happen when the press revealed the recording. We all agreed that if a few people were starting to reconsider the wall because of what I said, people would really start to reconsider Grandfather’s return. I wondered how Cornelius would get his way out. That was the only problem. I had no doubt that Cornelius would do everything in his power to get out of the situation. If he succeeded, a lot of people would continue to follow him. I guess that didn’t matter because all we needed was a large number to distrust and go against him. It would be hard for Grandfather to succeed with the rich fighting the rich. A civil war within the wall? Now that could change things. I just couldn’t wait to tell Belladonna, Edgar, Robert, and Mae. I couldn’t wait for everybody to figure out what Ashton did. Perhaps that would be enough to cancel out their anger with us.

I hoped.

I was actually surprised when we reached the tree with the arrow engraved on it. The walk had gone by so quickly. “This is it,” I told them. It was now completely dark I didn’t see any headlights in either direction, so we entered the forest and walked slowly.

“I hate it that I lost the dress Momma got me,” Marley said. “I don’t like this one. Cornelius had me wear it.”

I didn’t blame her. Everything that we had experienced the last couple of days was nothing but stylish. But unfortunately, it was given to us by Cornelius. That took everything good about it away.

Soon, we approached the trap door and climbed down the ladder. Dark and muggy, just as I remembered. And just our luck, we didn’t have a flashlight. We stayed side-by-side, walking slowly down the passageway. Ashton and I stayed to the left and the right of Marley, feeling for the walls . . . knowing they would guide us to the meeting room.

It was rather difficult and took more time to reach the door where Belladonna normally was. Light shined from the cracks of the door. Marley lifted a fist up and hesitated before knocking twice.

No answer.

Ashton knocked twice, and when there was still no answer I wiggled the door knob.

Locked.

I placed my ear against the door to hear nothing.

“Maybe they’re in the dining hall,” Marley said.

We lined up as before and walked further down the hall until we reached the familiar hall lit up by torches on the wall. I saw nobody. I glanced at the door to my room. It felt like it had been months since I had seen the place. I was actually glad to see it. I’d be able to sleep comfortably, unafraid of what would happen to me, Ashton, and Marley the next day.

I could hear a faint noise as we approached the dining hall. The three of us listened but were unable to make out anything. Once we reached the doors, I could tell that it was the radio.

“Here we go,” Ashton said, taking a deep breath.

“Momma is gonna be mad,” Marley said, being the first one to walk in.

Everybody was sitting at the tables, whispering amongst themselves. Belladonna, Edgar, and Mae were gathered around the radio, discussing something. I looked around for Robert. He wasn’t there. I definitely wasn’t going to be the one to interrupt. Ashton and Marley didn’t say anything, so I’m guessing they felt the same, so we listened to the man on the radio speaking.

“It’s proof,” he was saying. “And now we’re all left here, not knowing who to trust and who is involved.”

Ashton was the happiest I had ever seen him. And Marley was back to herself, showing off the dimples. The press had listened to the recording and was already reporting Grandfather’s return. Everybody had gathered in the dining hall to hear it.

We stayed put at the doorway, listening to the radio. The beautiful Belladonna was locked onto it. Mae grinned at the news, but it was weak. I could see the bags under her eyes. I knew she had probably spent most of her time worrying about Marley.

Edgar glanced away from the radio, and he examined the crowd, smiling at their excitement.

“It does appear as if Grandfather has returned,” a woman was saying over the radio. She didn’t sound happy at all.

Edgar eventually saw us. His eyes grew wide and started chuckling. He stood up, gently pushing on Mae’s shoulder. She looked at Edgar, who pointed a finger in our direction. Mae’s face lit up when she saw us. Her weak smile immediately turned strong.

“Marley!” she screamed, running in our direction. Belladonna quickly turned around, spotting us. Immediately, her happy facial expression turned dark and cold. She was not happy. Marley ran to meet Mae half way, and they embraced each other.

Whispers turned into shouts.

“He’s back!” a man screamed.

“What are they wearing?” I heard a woman whisper. Yeah, we looked just like one of the rich people.

Belladonna and Edgar rushed in our direction. We met them next to Marley and Mae.

“What were you thinking?” Belladonna asked in a harsh tone far from her normal soft voice. “We’ve been worrying. You put yourself in so much danger.”

“I’m sorry,” was all I could say.

“Yeah, we’re sorry,” Ashton added.

“We’re fine,” Marley said, Mae’s arms still wrapped around her. “We’re back now.”

“Should have known,” Edgar said, shaking his head. “Should have known you’d do something stupid. Actually think I did know. Just didn’t believe it.”

“Stupid?” Ashton said. “It may have been stupid, but look what we started.” He pointed at the radio. Belladonna and Edgar looked at it and back at us.

“It was you?” Edgar asked.

“Ashton did it,” Marley said. “It was amazing!”

“But you could’ve gotten yourselves killed!” Belladonna yelled, her eyes hardened, her lips tight, her body trembling.

Wow, I was actually surprised. She looked like a completely different person. I had been expecting Edgar to be the angry one But no, he was more happy that we were alive than anything. Out of all people, Belladonna. Wow.

“Belladonna,” Edgar said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “They were safe.”

“Only because Cornelius had to keep them safe,” Belladonna said. “Imagine if Cornelius got the safe opened. I can’t even imagine. The entire plan would be ruined.”

“But it didn’t happen,” Edgar snapped. “Hell yeah it was stupid. They’re back now. Safe is still locked. Time to put it behind us. We don’t even have a plan yet.”

Belladonna still didn’t seem too happy, but she didn’t say much more.

“You guys know about the interview I had to do?” I asked, assuming they did since they knew that Cornelius had no choice but to keep us safe.

“Yeah,” Edgar said. “We’ve been listening to everything.”

“You guys are celebrities now from the sounds of it,” Mae said.

Belladonna seemed to let some of her anger go after taking a few deep breaths. “What you did was dangerous,” she said. “It was absolutely ridiculous of you.”

“And it had better not happen again,” Mae said. “I’ve been up every night worrying.”

“Yes,” Belladonna said. “But with that said, I do have to agree that things are changing for the best because of your visit to the city. And now, Grandfather has been officially exposed.”

“People are questioning the walls,” I told them. “I saw it on the TV.”

They looked a bit confused, so I figured they hadn’t heard anything about that, which made sense since they didn’t have a TV. I told them about the man on TV wondering about the outside and the man and the woman being arrested at the fundraiser for asking me questions about the wall and the outside.

I was sure to speak loud enough for everybody in the dining hall to hear. Everybody’s mood lifted, including Belladonna’s. A sly grin appeared on her face.

“Perfect,” she said. “The rich turning against one another.”

“Like a civil war,” Edgar whispered.

“And a civil war would make it harder for Grandfather to rise up,” Belladonna said.

It was exactly what I had been thinking.

She looked at Edgar, her facial expression becoming very serious. “This is our time,” she said. “It’s time to act while they’re weak.”

Edgar nodded. “Got a hell of a lot of planning to do.” They sure were right. Something needed to happen soon, before Cornelius had a chance to switch things up in his favor. We all took a seat so that we could catch our breath. Belladonna and Edgar stayed standing, discussing what an advantage they had.

Glancing around the hall, I still didn’t see Robert. “Is Robert not here?” I asked them.

Edgar shook his head. “No,” he said. “We’ll talk about it later. Got to get going.” With that said, Belladonna and Edgar left to discuss their plans while we stayed to listen to the radio.

The press was saying exactly what we wanted them to say. The news team talked about how an unknown source “handed” them the recording and letter. I laughed when they didn’t mention it being chucked at the woman.

All that matters was that people were questioning Cornelius’s trust and the previous president’s death. But nobody was sure if Cornelius was involved. One woman stated that she believed Cornelius was involved since the vice president was. “How could Cornelius not know what his own vice president was up to,” was her argument.

“The kids are missing now, too,” a man added, turning the focus to the fundraiser. “President Cornelius has been notified as to what’s going on. He’s refusing to talk to anybody until tomorrow evening while he ‘figures out what’s going on,’ as he put it.”

“And he has no idea where the kids are?” a woman asked. “Kidnapped again?”

“They could be with Grandfather for all we know!” another woman screamed.

“Which could mean they’re with Cornelius.”

“It’s working,” Marley whispered into my ear.

I patted Ashton on the shoulder. I knew he wanted to take Grandfather down more than anybody. He may have just started the revolution. We listened to several other stations. The different broadcasts were all saying the same thing. None of them knew what to do other than wait until Cornelius spoke to everyone.

We also heard the bad side of everything. The explosion was mentioned, and everybody was scared. “People are already rushing to their homes, afraid to leave,” the reporter said. “We’re hoping we can shed more light on things, and perhaps whatever this explosion is can be stopped.”

But eventually, the excitement caught up with me. I was exhausted. I hadn’t been able to sleep in peace for days. I departed the dining hall for my bedroom door. Edgar rounded the corner just as I was about to enter my room. He stopped me. “Busy few days you just had,” he said.

I agreed, hoping he wouldn’t keep me much longer.

“I had a feeling you might go,” Edgar said. “After the announcement of your parents.”

The excitement of getting away from the city and the news over the radio had distracted me from the whole reason I went into the city: to find out about my parents. “I still don’t know,” I told him.

He looked disappointed. “Carsyn,” he started slowly, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I hate this for ya. I really do.”

“I was just hoping he actually knew something about them. I knew it would be dangerous, but I thought it would be worth it.”

Edgar was silent for a few seconds. I reached at the necklace around my neck. I had nearly forgotten about it. I took it off and showed it to Edgar. He had, of course, heard about it through the radio. He took and examined it.

“We’re gonna find out sometime,” Edgar said, smiling. “I’ll help you do it, too.”

Edgar continued to surprise me with his sincerity. I only expected that out of Belladonna. I looked at the space where his tooth used to be. He still looked a bit creepy, but I was starting to see him as normal. That was a huge step for me.

“Thanks,” I told him, actually meaning it. If I was going to figure out about my parents, I was going to need all of the help I could get.

Edgar left me alone to go in search of Belladonna. My room was old and plain, just as I remembered. It was just so different than the room I had been staying in. Here, there was no television, no marvelous view, no nothing. Well, the room did have something.

Safety.

I got out of my suit, wondering how angry Cornelius was. I imagined his nostrils flaring and his eye twitching worse than ever. That thought satisfied me.

I held the necklace in front of my face, watching the light sparkle off it. Would I ever get my questions answered?

Chapter Fourteen

Everybody was asking us questions about Cornelius and the city the next day. It was just as annoying as everybody wanting to take pictures of us at Mr. Harrison’s fundraiser. We couldn’t get away from them.

Well, there was one place we could go, and that’s exactly where we went.

“I’ll never see it the same way again,” Marley said as we gazed out at the city from the ledge.

The Presidential Tower looked so different from the hill. It was hard to believe that just a day ago, we were at the very top. It was weird looking at the tower knowing that Cornelius was probably somewhere inside. He had probably already kicked every piece of furniture possible. Man, I was loving it.

“What do you think he’s planning?” Ashton asked.

That was a great question. He was a smart man, so we knew he was planning some sort of excuse. At least I assumed he would try to find a way out of blame. Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps Cornelius would embrace the fact that he was the Grand Imperial. I mean, what could people do? I guessed they could’ve rise up against him, but that would take some time. It didn’t matter, because something told me Cornelius wasn’t going to embrace any of it. He had been trying very hard to keep anybody from knowing that he’s the leader. He wouldn’t give up that easy.

“I don’t know what he’s planning,” I said. “But it’ll be something good.”

“You think he’ll get out of this?” Marley asked in surprise. “Are you serious? There’s no way he’ll get out of this one.”

“Maybe,” I said. “But I think he’s smart enough to do so.”

Ashton agreed. “But I still think that now the idea has been planted there will always be a lot of people who don’t trust him. That’s good enough for me. I mean, it’s not going to be easy for Cornelius anymore.”

“But it’ll be easier for us if others don’t trust Cornelius,” I said.

Ashton and Marley agreed. As Belladonna had said, it was like a civil war within the wall. The rich people were going to be split. And that was going to put more stress on Cornelius. Sure, it would be great if Cornelius couldn’t find an escape route. But if he did, at least things weren’t going to be as before.

I saw that Edgar was waiting beside my door when we returned. He looked at us with an eyebrow raised, his face covered with curiosity. “Where did you guys come from?” he asked.

“Oh,” I said. “Um . . .”

“We just been walking around,” Ashton answered.

“Yeah,” Marley said, a little too quickly.

I guess we weren’t prepared to be asked that question. But Edgar didn’t seem to care. He shrugged it off. “Been waiting for a while,” he said. “We want to talk to you three.”

We didn’t know what they wanted out of us, but we went with Edgar to the meeting room where Belladonna was already waiting for us. She seemed impatient and relieved when we finally walked in. Beside her was Mae. She no longer had bags under her eyes, which made sense now that she knew her daughter was safe.

“That took a while,” Belladonna said slowly, no longer looking angry. Perhaps she’d slept it off.

We all took a seat at the sofas. “I hope you slept well,” Belladonna told us.

“I did,” I told her, meaning it. Ashton and Marley assured her they did too.

“Good,” Mae said. “Much safer here than there.”

“Hell of a lot safer,” Edgar added, grunting loudly.

“Anyways,” Belladonna started. “Last night was so hectic that we didn’t get much time to talk about everything that happened.”

We should have known that’s what they wanted. So much was going on the previous night.

“What we really want to know,” Edgar started, taking a seat on the couch across from me, “is if Cornelius said anything that might help us out.”

Belladonna agreed apprehensively. “With all that is going on, everything is about to come crumbling down. We’ll be making our move very soon.” It seemed as if they were always talking about how we’d be making a move soon. I really hoped it was true this time. I didn’t see why not. Grandfather would be vulnerable.

“Sent Robert out to gather others,” Edgar said. “While you were gone, he overheard that there was a group of rebels who don’t like these new laws of Grandfather. Gonna try to get them here.”

“We’re going to need numbers,” Mae added. “An army.”

“And from what Robert has learned,” Belladonna said, “They have a good number of supporters…and weapons apparently.

Edgar was about to go on, but Ashton interrupted him first. “What do you mean more people?” he asked. “How do we know we can trust them?”

“We need help,” Edgar said.

“I agree that we need help,” Ashton argued. “But we still have to protect ourselves.”

I agreed with Ashton. Was it worth trusting people we didn’t know just so that we could have an army? I guess it was worth it if they actually were on our side.

“They don’t like Cornelius and what he’s doing,” Edgar said. “Robert has heard from a reliable source that they know Cornelius is the Grand Imperial too.”

“That means we can trust them,” Belladonna confirmed. “I trust Robert. He’s positive. He’s not been wrong yet.”

I guess it made sense that we could trust them if they didn’t like Cornelius. And besides, we were going to need more people if we wanted to make our move soon. I didn’t know what Edgar and Belladonna had in mind, but I knew that whatever we did, it was going to probably require a large number of people. Basically, we had to take the risk. Ashton must have understood this too because he didn’t argue again.

“Did Cornelius say anything while you were with him?” Edgar asked. “Anything other than a bombing soon?”

“Anything other than a bombing?” I asked, getting a little angry. Edgar made it sound as if the news of a future bombing wasn’t big news. “What more do you want?”

Nobody said anything.

“They plan on bombing something soon, and you want more?” I asked.

“Didn’t mean it like that,” Edgar said. “We’re just trying to learn all we can about them.”

“Well, they’re about to kill a lot of people,” I snapped. “Could be today, could be next week.”

“No, not today,” Belladonna said. “Not even tomorrow or the next day.”

“But how do you know?” Marley asked.

“They wouldn’t do that with everything going on,” Belladonna answered.

“They’re probably trying to figure out how they’re going to get out of all this,” Mae said.

That made a little sense.

“Well,” Ashton said. “Whether it’s today or in a month, we need to do something.”

“And we will,” Belladonna said, sliding a ring up and down her index finger. “That’s why Robert is gone.”

“How about you guys tell us everything that happened when you went inside the wall,” Mae said. “Maybe there’s something you missed.

I was sure we would’ve caught everything, but in order to make them all happy, Marley, Ashton, and I spent nearly an hour taking turns telling them everything from me meeting Cornelius to us escaping. We told them about what we thought of the city and the people at the Fundraiser, especially Mr. Harrison and Olivia. Belladonna seemed especially interested in Mr. Harrison.

As I was telling them about the interview, Edgar intervened, telling me that they listened to the whole thing on the radio. “Some good stuff,” he told me, referring to how I mentioned the separation. “Dangerous, but good. That’s probably where it all started.”

They were very interested in the safe Cornelius mentioned. None of us had any idea what was in it or how my eyes were able to open it. Edgar was angry that there was something out there worse than Sub X. But Belladonna and Mae assured him that it would be okay since Cornelius would need me, and he obviously couldn’t get to me. At first, they were surprised he didn’t cut my eyes out, which was a really painful thought. I explained to them that I didn’t know anything about the technology he was talking about, but my pupils had to dilate to open the thing.

Mae asked me if Cornelius ever told me the truth about my parents. I had been hoping none of them asked me that, but I guess that was stupid. Of course they were going to ask me. I hated telling her no since that was the whole reason why we went into the city. That curiosity got us into the trouble.

Stupid curiosity.

Belladonna apologized that I wasn’t able to find out more about my parents, but assured me that there would be a better way to find out in the future. “You have to be patient,” she told me.

Man, I really hated being told that. But unfortunately, it was true.

Because Belladonna was mostly interested in Mr. Harrison, she returned to him, asking more about him.

“He knew Cornelius was lying,” I said, remembering how Mr. Harrison said several times that he could always detect a lie.

“We think he’s got something planned,” Ashton said.

“Yeah,” Marley chimed in. “He said that he knew something was about to happen and that he had some operations going on that would help prepare him.”

Belladonna played with her fingers, thinking.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t really have time to ask more questions,” I said.

“I’d say not,” Mae said. “You were ready to get out of there.”

“Yeah,” Marley said. “But I wish we knew. He’s very rich, you know. And everybody seems to love him.”

Edgar nodded. “Could be useful,” he said.

“That’s what I was thinking,” Marley said.

Everybody was silent. Belladonna looked at the ceiling in deep thought. Finally, she snapped out of her trance and stood up. “He could be some help. Do you remember where he lives?”

Of course I didn’t. I didn’t pay attention to where we were going. And I definitely wasn’t paying attention when we were escaping. Even if I had, I wouldn’t have been able to remember. The city was too large. But I remembered how popular and rich Mr. Harrison was. Marley must’ve been thinking similar to me.

“It wouldn’t be hard to find,” Marley said. “Everybody knows him.”

Everyone was silent again at first. Edgar watched Belladonna who, again, was staring blankly at the ceiling, contemplating on something.

“You know what we really need?” She eventually asked.

We waited for her to continue.

“We really need a way to identify every member of Grandfather. And perhaps this Mr. Harrison knows a bit more about them.”

“He didn’t say he for sure believed in Grandfather,” Marley said. “He just said he knew something was going on.”

“That may be, but things have changed since then,” Belladonna said. “With the recent proof, perhaps he knows more. He seems to be pretending to be friends with Cornelius. Perhaps he has a way to find out more.”

“Wait a minute,” Edgar said, confused. “Now, I agree we’d have an advantage if we knew everybody affiliated Grandfather. But what do you plan on doing, Belladonna?”

We waited for Belladonna to reply. She walked toward the table, making a ticking noise with her mouth. “Knowing every single one of their supporters would be helpful when the end of them comes,” she said. “But it’s difficult not knowing which of these councilmen and councilwomen are involved or not. For all we know, the whole government could be Grandfather by now.”

“You and I both know that’s not true,” Edgar said. “If so, things would be a lot worse. They’d have a lot more power.”

Belladonna agreed. “Which is why we need to find a way.”

Everyone was silent, I kept my eyes closed, thinking about these past few days. I remembered Cornelius’s bald head, his nostrils flaring when angry. He was good at faking his position. Nobody would have believed Cornelius was the Grand Imperial by the way he talked and treated me at the interview. Especially when he gave me the necklace.

“We need something that would identify them,” Belladonna said, thinking out loud.

What Belladonna wanted seemed pretty impossible. It would be way too difficult for her to get a list of every Grandfather member. Yeah, it would be helpful, but pretty impossible.

“Too bad we don’t know another Grandfather member,” I said, which hit Ashton like a brick wall.

“Why would you want to?” Ashton asked, appalled that I’d even want something like that.

“I mean somebody who is pretending to be a part of Grandfather,” I amended.

Belladonna’s sparkling eyes were on me.

“I can’t believe it,” she whispered, more to herself.

All eyes went to her as she gazed back at the ceiling.

“What?” Edgar asked. ”

“I guess with everything going on, I overlooked it.”

“What?” Edgar asked again, growing impatient

Belladonna started pacing the floor behind the sofa.

“You think it’s possible?” Mae asked, confused.

“Seriously,” Marley said without much faith.

“Before Robert left, he mentioned that a boy was forced to join Grandfather by his dad. Do you remember?”

I could tell that Edgar was trying hard to remember. Then, it must have clicked because he nodded his head. “Yeah,” he said. “I remember.” It sounded like he was just saying that.

“And now he’s with the rebels that Robert is out to get,” Belladonna said, her smile growing even larger. “It won’t take them long to get back.”

“How do you know they will agree to come?” Mae said. “Perhaps we shouldn’t get our hopes up.”

“Oh, they will come,” Belladonna excitedly assured, clapping her hands loudly. “They’ll definitely come, I’m sure of it.”

I was actually surprised that I said something helpful. It was kind of funny how things worked out. Apparently it’s sometimes the seemingly impossible ideas that are actually possible. At least to Belladonna it was.

“He can give us a list of names,” Edgar said, joining Belladonna in her excitement. “Brilliant.”

“When will Robert be back?” Marley asked.

“I’d say any day now,” Edgar said. “Hard to say for sure.”

“Later today,” Belladonna said rather confident.

“Hope so,” Edgar said.

“He will,” she answered quickly, still smiling. “Trust me.”

“Okay,” Edgar said “So in the meantime, we wait.”

“In the meantime, we go and see this Mr. Harrison,” Belladonna said. “Let’s not forget about him.”

Now that caught me off guard. I knew Belladonna was interested in him, but for them to actually go into the city to see him? Maybe I was a little bit bias after my experience in the city. I guess it would be easier for them to go.

Edgar seemed to like the idea too. “I think it could be worth it.”

Everyone agreed.

“Why exactly do you need him?” I asked. “You mentioned that he could get us a list of every member. But we already have somebody now.”

“You said he has some operations set up,” Belladonna said. “He’s prepared.”

“Maybe his operation would be beneficial to us,” Mae added simply.

Yeah, that made sense. “You guys should go then.”

Both Belladonna and Edgar looked at me, confused. “You’ll be coming with us, of course,” Belladonna said.

I almost stood up, walked out, and locked myself in my room forever. That was the last thing I wanted to hear. I had just gotten back, not to mention how we were lucky to get away from Cornelius. I had no intention on going back, and they were being absolutely ridiculous in thinking that I’d go back. Seriously?

“No,” I said. “No, no, no, no, no.”

“You have to,” Edgar said.

“No I don’t,” I argued back, standing up. “I’m staying here.” I walked toward the door, ready to leave.

Belladonna threw herself in front of me.

The desperate look on her face stopped me.

“Carsyn,” she said. “I know that after what happened, going back is the furthest thing from your mind.”

“I never want to go back,” I said.

“But Mr. Harrison knows you,” she said. “He’s not going to trust us.”

“She’s right,” Edgar said. “With just us, Mr. Harrison won’t trust us. But if you’re there . . . well . . . we have a better chance.”

I said nothing. My head had started to pound. It seemed as if my life had turned into a complete headache lately. Things were more hectic than they were at the orphanage. Since when did I get so involved with these people and Grandfather? Funny how quickly one’s life can change.

“I really don’t want to,” I said again. “And besides, people will recognize me and turn me in. I’m missing . . . remember?”

“You’ll be alright,” Belladonna said. “Only be around the Harrisons and our driver.”

They were set on me going. Ashton and Marley didn’t seem too happy about the idea either. Of course they weren’t. They had just gone through the same thing.

“When?” I asked.

“Today,” Belladonna said.

“Today!” I yelled. “But I just got back!”

“It doesn’t have to be today, does it?” Edgar asked, also surprised.

“You can wait a couple of days,” Mae said. “They just got back!”

“Before you guys came in, it was announced that Cornelius will be speaking at the arena later,” Belladonna said. “He’s going to confront the letter and recording. I plan on attending.”

“What if he has something planned?” Marley asks.

“He does have something planned,” Belladonna said. “His plan isn’t to harm anybody. At least not yet.”

“He’s more concerned about people trusting him again,” Edgar said.

“Exactly,” Belladonna said. “I’m interested in listening. We could see Mr. Harrison and then go to the arena.”

I didn’t think things could get much worse. They wanted me to go back into the city when I just got back. What was worse was that they wanted me to be in the same area with Cornelius. What if he somehow recognized me in the arena? I informed Belladonna, but she assured that there would be too many people to tell. I didn’t know since I had never been to or seen pictures of an arena. I just knew that they were supposed to be big.

“I really don’t want to go,” I said, knowing that it really didn’t matter what I said. I guess I could’ve refused. They couldn’t really force me to do anything. What would they do? Ground me? No. And besides, if it would help our cause, then it was kind of my duty to help. I definitely wouldn’t have said that a few weeks earlier.

“This is a wonderful opportunity,” Belladonna said. “We really need you.”

Belladonna, who was recently angry at me for going into the city, was now asking me to go back. I guess it was a little different since we weren’t going to meet with Cornelius. I didn’t like it. She and Edgar looked desperate. I took a deep breath and forced a nod.

“I’m going too,” Ashton said immediately.

“You two will be staying,” Edgar said. “The less that goes, the better.”

“Then I’m not going,” I said.

“Sonuvabitch,” Edgar muttered, turning around as he threw a hand up in the air. “Always complicated.”

“Carsyn,” Belladonna said. “It just needs to be us three.”

Marley didn’t look too happy either. I bet anything she wanted to go too, just so that we were all together. But she wouldn’t do that to her mom again. I didn’t blame her.

“I want to go,” Ashton said. “I want to see what Cornelius is going to tell the people too.”

“You’ll hear it on the radio for crying out loud,” Edgar snapped.

“I want to see it in person,” Ashton argued. “I’m going.”

“If I’m going, Ashton is coming with me,” I told them, folding my arms together. They were quiet at first.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her soothing tone returning. “I’ve forgotten what you guys have gone through together. You are good friends now.”

We both nodded.

“You’ve been through a lot these past few days,” Belladonna said. “You aren’t ordinary kids.”

I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or what.

She placed a hand on my shoulder then looked at Edgar. “We can’t force Carsyn to go. We’ll be safe.

“Yes!” Ashton yelled in joy while Edgar stomped around the room, grumbling.

“Guys, just be careful,” Marley said.

My only problem was that somebody might recognize me at the arena. Honestly, Belladonna was crazy for coming up with such a ridiculous idea. But I trusted her. If she thought everything would be fine, then I believed her. I could keep my head down the entire time or something. And besides, everybody would be too focused on Cornelius, not looking for me.

Belladonna and Edgar didn’t give us a lot of time. Because I had lost my black suit at the Presidential Tower, Edgar had to find me another one. I definitely couldn’t wear the white one I wore to the fundraiser. That would have drawn way too much attention. And thankfully, Dr. Mac had an extra. This one was gray and didn’t look nearly as nice as my previous ones. But we had to use what we had.

I had such an uncomfortable feeling about the trip, but I just couldn’t say no. Belladonna and Edgar were desperate, I didn’t blame them if Mr. Harrison was going to be able to help us.

But I was still thinking about the arena, so again, I told Belladonna my concerns, and again, she seemed to understand. I was kind of hoping we could all just leave the city once we talked to Mr. Harrison. I don’t know why, but she really had her mind set on listening to Cornelius. “It’s just that this is a huge game changer,” she told me. “What he says at that arena will determine how and when we make our move.

I was still worried.

“We know Mr. Harrison is a friend,” Belladonna said. “To you, at least.” She pointed at me.

I nodded. “I guess. I don’t really know him, but he let us go. He has to be.”

“Exactly,” Belladonna said. “Here’s the plan. We talk to Mr. Harrison. When it’s time for Cornelius’s address, Edgar and I will leave for the arena. You and Ashton can stay with Mr. Harrison and we’ll come get you after it’s all over with.”

Edgar also seemed to think she was going out of her way to listen to Cornelius. “I understand that we’ve waited a helluva long time for this to happen,” he told her. “I get it. You want to see for yourself. This is a huge turning point. But I don’t think we’ll be able to make it to the arena.”

I could tell by the stern look on Belladonna’s face that she didn’t agree with Edgar. But she didn’t argue. “Let’s just get to Mr. Harrison,” she said. “We’ll figure it out there.”

It was good enough for Edgar. It kind of had to be because we were running out of time. Belladonna said that Cornelius was to give his speech at 7:00. It was noon. It would probably be about 1:30 or 2 before we actually reached Mr. Harrison’s place. Who knew how long we’d be talking to him.

We all ate our lunch very quickly. Marley and Mae were there to see us off. “Sorry you have to go back,” Marley told me and Ashton, who was in the black suit Cornelius had given him. I knew he absolutely hated it.

“It’s cool,” I said. “I’ll get to see Mr. Harrison again. And I won’t go to the arena.”

Marley seemed satisfied. Mae had to give us all a hug. She treated it as if we were about to embark on some huge journey. I almost expected her to cry. “Now you guys hurry up,” she said. “And Edgar, you keep everybody safe.”

“Ah, Mae,” he said, holding her shoulder. “I don’t think these three need my protection.”

I think Edgar was right about Ashton and Belladonna at least. Especially Belladonna. I bet anything that she could just break bad if needed. But me . . . well, I wasn’t so confident in myself. I was with Mae. He probably needed to keep me safe.

We left through the same entrance as before. “Should have gone the other way,” Belladonna said as she began to climb the ladder. I assumed she hated ladders. I was kind of with her. I mean, why didn’t we go the other way? It was apparently easier. I didn’t ask any questions, because I remembered how much Edgar hated them.

The walk to the road was all too familiar. Like before, the white vehicle was already waiting for us. Belladonna took the front seat, and Ashton was stuck between Edgar and I.

“Robert told you where to go, correct?” Belladonna asked.

The man, dressed in the same green suit, nodded and drove us to the city.

Once in the city, I noticed a huge change. For one thing, there weren’t as many people as usual walking on the streets. And those who were out didn’t look as happy as before. They had gloomy eyes and frowns. Occasionally, we would pass up several people gathered together, watching a TV screen on the side of a building.

The news of Grandfather had everybody scared, and I couldn’t help but grin. Things were working out perfectly.

I do have to say that as I laid my eyes on some of the frightened faces, I kind of felt sorry for them. I know that’s weird, especially since they were the rich people who didn’t care about anyone but themselves. They were the very people who supported the walls around our cities. But they just looked so pitiful. It was as if they had lost everything. I don’t know. I guess I felt that way because I believed they had the potential to change their ways. Maybe I was just being ridiculous.

We arrived at Mr. Harrison’s mansion. I had a flashback as I saw the familiar entrance full of flower gardens, large bushes, and fountains. Just as before, the water spewing out of them were different colors. It was hard to believe that it had just been a day since me, Marley, and Ashton were there, surrounded by people. At least this time there weren’t reporters and cameras everywhere.

The vehicle came to a gentle stop, and we jumped out, Belladonna telling the driver we wouldn’t be gone long.

We walked up to the gate. “How we going to get in?” I asked. It was much easier the day before when all we had to do was follow Cornelius in.

Edgar walked to the side where there was a brick wall. He pushed a button I hadn’t noticed. A minute later, there was a man’s voice, but it wasn’t Mr. Harrison’s.

“Mr. Harrison is out right now,” he said. “You’ll have to come back later.”

Edgar and Belladonna looked disappointed.

Great. Just my luck.

“And when will that be?” Belladonna asked.

“I don’t know,” the man said in boredom. “Come back later,”

Then, I heard a woman’s familiar voice in the background. “Is somebody here?” she asked, sounding very surprised, as if they didn’t get many visitors. “Who is that?” There was a pause. “Well, I do believe I know the young man,” she said. “Both of them, actually.”

She could actually see us? That meant there was probably a camera nearby. I looked for it, but didn’t see anything. It was probably well hidden.

“Ma’am, it may not be safe,” the man said. “I was told to not let anybody in after everything that’s happen.”

“Now, if you think you’re going to tell me who I can and cannot let into my own house, you got another thing coming, John. You let them in this instance,” the woman demanded.

I heard a click, and their voices went away. A few seconds of silence passed. I began to think they had changed their mind when the gate opened smoothly, not making a single sound.

We followed the curving driveway until we reached the front door. Edgar beckoned for me to ring the doorbell, probably because I had been there before. I went to do so, but before I could even touch the button, the door swung open, revealing a woman dressed in an beautiful purple dress, looking as if she was about to attend yet another party. It was Mrs. Harrison, of course.

“My dears,” she said, approaching Ashton and I and kissing us on the cheek. “There’s a story to be told, a story to be told.” She waved her hand for us to go inside. Ashton and I went in first, followed by Edgar and Belladonna, who hesitated.

I didn’t blame them because it just hit me . . . was Mrs. Harrison on Mr. Harrison’s side? She kind of acted like everybody else.

We had to hope.

I recognized the room. It was, of course, where the fundraiser was held. The tables and empty chairs were still there.

“With all this ruckus going on, we’ve not had time to have our men clean up the place,” Mrs. Harrison said. “We’ll go into the other room.” She led us through a door to our right, leading to a large living room with several sofas and graceful furniture, almost as nice as that from the Presidential Tower. The TV was on a news station, talking about Grandfather and whether or not Cornelius was involved. “We’ll have to hear what he has to say this evening,” the lady reporter was saying.

“Quite a scene out there,” Mrs. Harrison said. “I just don’t know what I’d do if I had to be out there. People are going crazy and arguing and . . . ugh, it’s such a disaster.”

She took a seat on one of the sofas and picked up a glass half full of wine that had been sitting on the end table. Mrs. Harrison motioned for us all to take a seat. Belladonna did so beside her. Mrs. Harrison seemed to not mind, even though she had no idea who Belladonna was. Edgar chose a comfy-looking chair across from them, and Ashton and I sat on the couch next to him.

“This is just such a surprise. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Of course, my husband thought you’d be making an appearance in the future. Now, what are you doing back out?” Mrs. Harrison asked. “Aren’t you worried you’ll be seen?”

“We wanted to risk it,” I answered.

“Well, now, you have to tell me what for.” Mrs. Harrison sat her glass down.

“I was hoping to see Mr. Harrison,” I told her.

“My husband,” she said. “Now that’s a wish I can’t grant you, dear.”

We said nothing. That was unfortunate. Mrs. Harrison gave Belladonna and Edgar suspicious looks. She looked back at me. “Who have you brought with you?” she asked.

“Mrs. Harrison,” I said. “You know that your husband saved me?”

Mrs. Harrison laughed. “Do I know? Oh dear, of course I know! I helped plan it beforehand, and it was rather risky if I must say so myself. But it was well worth it. I trust that you agree.”

I nodded.

“We thank you for that,” Belladonna said. “We were worried something had happened to him.”

“And the other two?” Mrs. Harrison asked. “Weren’t you worried about them as well?”

“Of course we were worried about them,” Belladonna added quickly.

Mrs. Harrison looked at me and then at Ashton. “Where is the girl?” she asked. “She was so beautiful. In fact, she reminded me of myself in my younger days. What was her name?”

“Marley,” Ashton answered.

“That’s right,” Mrs. Harrison said, taking another sip of wine.

“She stayed behind with her mother,” Belladonna replied.

“So sweet,” Mrs. Harrison said. She examined Belladonna from head to toe. “You know, green looks so good on you. I have a dress that would probably suit you perfectly.”

“Oh,” Belladonna said, taken aback. “Oh, no thank you. I have dresses of my own.”

Mrs. Harrison didn’t pursue any further. She faced me again. “Now, what is it you want with my husband? He’s quite a busy man. Busy, busy, busy! And you never told me who you’re with.”

“I’m Belladonna.”

“And I’m Edgar.”

Mrs. Harrison nodded. “So,” she said simply. “Names are important, yes, but they don’t tell us who a person really is.”

Belladonna frowned, looking a bit annoyed. She took a deep breath.

“They’ve been keeping me safe from Cornelius,” I told her, trying to make things easier. “We can trust them. If it wasn’t for them, I’d be with Cornelius right now.”

“The rebellion group?” Mrs. Harrison asked. “My husband did mention it.”

“We’re that group, Mrs. Harrison,” Belladonna said.

“Tryin’ to do everything we can do expose Grandfather,” Edgar added.

Mrs. Harrison chuckled. “Well, I do believe that has already happened, wouldn’t you say?”

“It has,” Belladonna answered. “Thanks to Ashton, here.”

“And why is that?” Mrs. Harrison asked.

Ashton explained to her how he had snuck to Cornelius’s office and found the letter and recording.

“We gave it to the press,” I told her.

“Well, then,” she said. “I suppose you guys have succeeded in letting those know Grandfather is out there somewhere. I do applaud you.” Mrs. Harrison slid her bracelet off of her right wrist and put it back on. She repeated this several times.

“Do you believe?” Ashton asked. “Believe that Cornelius is their leader? The Grand Imperial?”

Mrs. Harrison pondered as she continued playing with the bracelet. Finally, she said, “My husband and I do not trust Cornelius,” she said. “I do not know if he is actually a part of Grandfather or not. But, alas, I do consider every possibility. My husband, you see, says that Cornelius is involved.”

“He’s right,” Belladonna said.

“Richie predicted something big was about to happen,” Mrs. Harrison said.

I remembered Mr. Harrison telling us the same thing.

“I suppose he was right.”

“Damn straight he was,” Edgar blurted out, accidently letting out a burp at the end of his sentence. Mrs. Harrison gave him a look of disgust.

“My other question,” Mrs. Harrison said. “As I said before, my husband is quite the busy man. If he wasn’t, we’d probably never have the privilege of having all of this. What is it you want from him? Do you want him to join you?” She glanced at each of us, clasping her hands together.

“Yesterday, Mr. Harrison told me that he had an operation going on that would keep him safe or prepare him for what was about to happen,” I told her. “We were hoping to talk to him about it and –”

“Perhaps we could combine our resources,” Belladonna interrupted.

“Now what resources might you have to offer him?” Mrs. Harrison asked.

Belladonna looked at Edgar. He grunted. “Mrs. Harrison,” he said. “I’m a wealthy man. I used to live within this wall before.”

“I don’t think my husband needs more bitcoin,” Mrs. Harrison said.

“But we have information we can offer him,” Belladonna said. “We have information on Grandfather: Proof that they knew about the president’s assassination beforehand.”

“And we have people ready to take any action to destroy their power,” Edgar added.

“We have people coming soon, too,” Ashton said, referring to the men Robert were out to get.

“More importantly,” Belladonna said. “We will have a way to identify every member of Grandfather.”

Mrs. Harrison actually looked impressed. But she didn’t say anything.

Belladonna continued. “I don’t know what kind of operation your husband has, but if it can help us, and we can help him . . . we should combine those resources.”

“Perhaps,” she said. “But it is up to my husband, and he’s not here at the moment. I’ll definitely be telling him that you stopped by. He’ll be just as surprised as I.”

We were all kind of disappointed. When were we going to have the chance to talk to Mr. Harrison again? I sure hoped that Belladonna didn’t plan on taking me to the city every day until we actually caught him.

“When will he be back?” Belladonna asked quickly.

“Hard to say, dear,” she answered. “He was gone all night. I may not see him until tomorrow.”

On TV, some young man was interviewing a random older woman on the streets. “I don’t think Cornelius could ever be a part of Grandfather,” she told the reporter. “He’s such a lovely man.”

Another middle-aged man appeared on the screen, talking to a different reporter. “I just don’t know who to trust anymore,” he was saying. “I can’t even trust our president right now.”

“It seems as if we’re all fighting each other,” Mrs. Harrison said sadly. She had also been watching the TV. “I hope everything is worked out quickly. I don’t want to spend my older age living in chaos.”

“Remember,” Edgar said. “for something to get better, it’s gonna get pretty damn ugly first.”

“Ah, yes . . . what did you say your name was?”

“Edgar.”

“Well, Edgar. Unfortunately, you’re probably right. Oh well. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. No need in trying to prevent it.”

Belladonna stood up slowly and thanked Mrs. Harrison. “We appreciate your time.”

Me, Ashton, and Edgar stood up and thanked Mrs. Harrison as well. “Don’t you worry, darlings,” Mrs. Harrison said. “I’ll tell my husband that you stopped by. Perhaps there’s a way you can be reached?”

“Yup,” Edgar said. Mrs. Harrison handed him her phone. He used it as if it was his own. “Have him call me.”

Okay, that was new. I had no idea that Edgar had a phone. I hadn’t even seen it lying around. Did he just never use it? Ashton, too, appeared shocked. I assumed Belladonna knew because she didn’t seemed phased in any way. Heck, maybe she even had one. Edgar handed Mrs. Harrison her phone, and we walked to the door.

“Now, you be sure to stay hidden,” Mrs. Harrison told me.

“Hopefully,” I told her.

Mrs. Harrison waved at us as she shut the door behind her. We walked back toward the gate. “I didn’t know you had a phone,” I told Edgar.

“A lot you don’t know about me.”

“Maybe I would if you would tell me,” I argued back.

“True,” he said. “But I ain’t too much on doing that.”

Oh well. All that mattered to me was that Mr. Harrison had a way of contacting Edgar. That meant I wouldn’t be dragged into the city every day.

Chapter Fifteen

We hopped in the car, claiming the same seats, but the driver didn’t move. We were all silent, and just as I was about to bring it up, Edgar reached forward to place a hand on Belladonna’s shoulder. “The arena is too risky.”

She didn’t answer him. Edgar leaned back once Belladonna agreed. “Back to the mountain.”

The driver spun the car around, speeding off.

The traffic was the worst I had seen it, and I knew it had to be because of Cornelius’s public address at the arena. By the time we reached the city center, it was bumper-to-bumper, barely moving. Edgar cursed the other drivers, though it probably wasn’t their fault.

Just as before, most pedestrians looked depressed and frightened, just wanting to know the truth about Grandfather. And again, I felt sorry for them. When we passed the Presidential Tower, people surrounded the entrance, shouting what I assumed to be demands for answers. Soldiers stood in front of the doorway, dressed in green uniforms, pointing guns at the crowd, preventing anybody from entering the building.

“Chaos,” Belladonna said. “Just what I want.”

“You’re right,” Edgar said. “We need this.”

We left the city center, and thankfully, the traffic picked up.

I just wanted to know how Cornelius was going to get out of this problem. What plan would he come up with? I really hoped there would always be people who didn’t trust him. That was our prediction. But it was very possible that if Cornelius could find a way out, everybody would go back to normal. Then everything we did wouldn’t matter.

Would they still question the wall? I had no doubt Cornelius would continue arresting those who spoke against it.

We made a turn down a road. The buildings became smaller and smaller the further away we got from the city center. The sidewalks were less busy, too.

I think we had been in the car for about fifteen minutes. It was such a boring ride. Belladonna eventually turned the radio on, turning up some cool electronic song I got into. It was relaxing.

That didn’t last long.

As I was really getting into some techno song, the car jolted, causing my head to crash into the ceiling. I yelped, bending over and holding my head in pain.

The others, including the driver, were rubbing their heads. I guess I wasn’t the only one who hit the ceiling.

“What was that?” Edgar asked.

“Pothole maybe,” Belladonna said, not sounding very confident in his answer.

The car jolted again. This time, I heard a loud boom from somewhere off in the distance. At least I was pretty sure I heard something. Maybe it was just me. The other drivers around us were just as confused. People who had been walking on the streets stopped, spinning in every direction, looking for the source.

The car jolted again. This time, the driver nearly lost control of the car. Other drivers nearly did too. Unfortunately, a truck wasn’t so lucky. Pedestrians jumped out of the way as the nice blue vehicle skid up onto the sidewalk and slammed into a shop’s windows, sending shards of glass flying in every direction.

Our driver along with others nearby came to a stop, just in time for another large jolt. I ducked, making sure I didn’t hit the ceiling again.

That’s when I heard the screaming.

“What the hell is goin’ on?” Edgar said, glancing all around.

“I don’t think it was a pothole,” the driver said quietly, speaking for the first time.

Another jolt. This one was more severe than the others. Several alarms went off. I had never heard anything like it so, naturally, I was about to start freaking out.

“What’s that?” Ashton asked, sounding as if he was about to lose it too.

“Car alarms,” Edgar said.

Another jolt.

“That’s what I’m worried about,” he said.

I think we all saw it at the same time. We all knew something like it was coming. We had proof that it was coming. But none of us even thought Cornelius would go through with it so soon, especially with everything going on.

In the distance, I witnessed a massive explosion that sent vehicles and pieces of asphalt into the air. We saw another explosion, this one closer to us.

“Out now!” Belladonna demanded after another jolt.

We all jumped out of the car and joined the other panicked pedestrians and people abandoning their vehicles.

There was another explosion, this one even closer. Cars, pedestrians, parts of nearby buildings, and concrete from the street shot into the air. I really hoped nobody was in those buildings, but that was stupid. Of course there were.

“This whole damn road is gonna explode!” Edgar screamed. “The alley way!” He pointed at a nearby alley leading us away from the road. It seemed as if everybody had the same idea. We joined the frantic crowd in getting away from the street as quickly as possible. The driver stayed near Belladonna, grabbing her arm and pulling her up when she nearly tumbled to the ground.

All I could think about was Grandfather. This had to be the explosion we had heard about. It was the only explanation. Cornelius had planted explosives under the street.

I heard an explosion. Then another. And another. Then there was one straight behind us where our abandoned vehicle sat. I wasn’t so sure how far we had gotten, but I sure didn’t plan on glancing back.

The explosion was loud . . . very loud. I mean, as soon as it went off, I couldn’t hear anything but an annoying ringing noise. Everything seemed so . . . so muffled.

We didn’t explode into pieces, obviously. I wouldn’t be writing this if so. But I swear, I thought it was the end. As soon as that explosion went off and I lost my hearing, I was lifted off the ground and flung what felt like ten yards away. It was hard to tell. All I saw was smoke, people shooting up into the air, and the brick walls of the building.

My back slammed into one of the buildings, completely knocking the air out of me. My eyes watered as the pain coursed down my spine. I wheezed for air, just knowing I was going to die.

My ears were still ringing. I couldn’t focus my eyes on anything. I closed them, not knowing if I couldn’t move because of shock or because I had broken something.

I curled up, taking deep breaths until air filled my lungs again. Slowly, my hearing started returning.

I wished it hadn’t.

All I heard were terrifying screams and people begging for help. Everything seemed so jumbled. I tried focusing my eyes on anything, but I couldn’t. People were running, others were on the ground, trying to gain their focus again. The sound of crying and screeching pierced my ears. Suddenly, a man screamed for everybody to cover their face. I looked up to see debris falling our way. Quickly, I got into fetal position and covered my head as pieces of asphalt, building, and I-don’t-know-what rained down, clinging and banging on everything it hit. All I could do was hope something really large didn’t crush me, or anybody for that matter.

There was just so much screaming. Another blast sounded in the distance. This one sounded a little further away. I was guessing the explosions were continuing down the road.

I stayed in fetal position until there was no longer debris falling. Slowly, I opened my eyes. I was alive. I sat up and wiped the debris off of me. I took a few deep breaths and rubbed my eyes to get them focused. Then, I got my first clear look at what Grandfather had done.

Buildings nearby the explosion were in flames. Smoke smothered the air to where I couldn’t even see the sky. Back toward the street, where the explosions started, I saw the worst. All I could do was think about how lucky we were to have gotten as far as we had. A hundred yards toward the street, which was now a large hole in the ground, were lifeless bodies . . . people injured. One man screamed in agony while holding his shoulder where an arm used to be. I had to turn away. I really felt like throwing up.

A woman held her head, crying as blood ran down her cheeks, mixing with the tears. Another woman cried over a man’s body that didn’t move. I closed my eyes and opened them again, hoping it wasn’t real.

“Help me!” a man scream. But everybody was too busy helping themselves and looking for their companions.

“Please! Somebody help!” some woman screamed.

I managed to stand up, my legs wobbling. I heard another explosion, this one even fainter.

“Wake up mommy,” a little girl screamed at a motionless body.

That’s when I almost lost it. I fell back down, placing my head between my knees.

I threw up everywhere

Anger and hatred toward Cornelius built up inside me like never before. I clenched my fists and teeth. My blood was boiling, ready to erupt like a volcano. People continued shouting others’ names. Some people who were alone stood up and ran away, not caring that others needed help. They wanted to get away. Thankfully, there were some that helped those who were trapped under pieces of debris.

Then I remembered.

Belladonna. Edgar. Ashton.

I didn’t see them.

My heart stopped.

I heard another faint explosion. When would it end?

“Ashton!” I screamed. “Edgar! Belladonna!” My eyes darted from person to person. I didn’t see them. I was starting to flip out. I screamed for them again, feeling like I was about to cry.

Then, Edgar came into sight. He was helping somebody up. “Edgar!” I screamed, running toward him. He turned to face me. His nose was bleeding pretty badly. When I reached him, I realized it was Belladonna he was helping. She had a large cut from her elbow to her hand.

“You’re okay,” Edgar said with relief. “But where’s Ashton?”

We scanned the area. There were just so many people doing the same thing. It was so difficult to see anything.

The worse scenario came to mind. What if we found him, and he wasn’t . . . I couldn’t even finish the thought.

Just as I was about to lose hope, I heard somebody scream my name, followed by Edgar’s and Belladonna’s. They heard it too.

I looked around, still not seeing him.

“There,” Edgar finally said.

I followed Edgar’s finger. Sitting against a dumpster with a piece of metal lying on his legs was Ashton. We rushed to him. Me and Edgar worked together to push the piece of metal up. It was heavy, but we did it, flipping it over. Ashton hissed in pain, trying to reach for his right ankle but was unable to. Edgar bent down to examine it.

“Where’s our driver?” I asked, remembering he was with us.

Edgar just shook his head. “Didn’t make it. I’m sorry, Belladonna.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said.

There was another explosion. Like the others, this one was somewhere up the road. But unlike the others, it sounded a lot bigger. The screaming near us grew even louder. Something had changed, and I was afraid to see what it was. My heartbeat grew faster and faster as I forced myself to look around. Edgar and Belladonna did the same. The ground was shaking like an earthquake. I followed a man’s finger pointing toward a tall building, probably a couple of blocks away. It was nearly thirty stories high, and like all the others, it was shiny and had the green infinity sign on it.

There was only one problem. It looked as if it was moving. I squinted to get a better look. Oh yeah, it was definitely moving. And it seemed to be moving in our direction. It looked as if somebody had simply tipped it over. Like a domino.

“The building’s falling!” a man screamed, confirming my fears. He picked up a woman beside him, trying to run without any success. He tripped and she tumbled to the ground, crying in pain. People hurried to their feet, running further down the alley.

Edgar picked Ashton up. “The top’s gonna hit us!” he screamed.

Edgar was very agile, which was shocking. He was a pretty big guy, not to mention he was carrying Ashton. I guess adrenaline and fear can get anybody moving.

I wasn’t complaining. Belladonna and I kept up with him, seconds feeling like minutes. Finally, I couldn’t help myself. I glanced over my shoulder. The tip of the building was getting closer and closer. We were too close.

We had run out of time.

“Take cover!” somebody screamed.

Edgar knew what that meant. Immediately, he stopped by another dumpster and practically threw Ashton, who yelped in pain, onto the ground.

I threw myself on the ground and covered my face as I heard a sound like thunder fill the air. My body vibrated and my teeth chattered as the earth shook. I heard the tall buildings slam into the smaller ones nearby, demolishing them like they were nothing. I peeked to see dust and smoke rolling in all directions. Just before the dust and smoke reached us, I closed my eyes again and buried my head in the corner between the building and the dumpster, hoping to trap oxygen there so I’d still be able to breathe.

I could just smell the smoke and dust smothering me. I was too afraid to open my eyes again. The crashing noise seemed as if it would last forever. Thankfully it didn’t. The ground stopped shaking and the thundering was replaced with screaming and crying. I opened my eyes, and all I saw was thick, gray smoke. It was as if I was in the middle of a cloud. I covered myself back up and breathed, feeling the lack of oxygen. I stayed bundled up for a few more minutes, breathing as best as I could and listening to people nearby gasping for clean air.

I just knew that we were all going to suffocate right then and there. I hoped Edgar, Belladonna, and Ashton were fine. I knew they wouldn’t be if we didn’t find somewhere else to go.

That’s when I felt somebody grab my elbow. “Come on,” it said, coughing.

It was Edgar. I opened my eyes and turned to barely see his shadow picking another up. Another shadow joined me, asking if I was okay.

It was Belladonna.

I didn’t say anything. I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t dead, but I definitely wasn’t okay. I didn’t know what I was.

I took a breath, my lungs burning. I held my chest in pain. It was worse than slamming into the brick wall. Belladonna grabbed my shoulders and pulled me in the direction Edgar was running. The smoke burned my eyes, but I forced them to stay open so that I didn’t lose Edgar. I still refused to take a breath. That worked for a while. But, inevitably, my lungs ached for air. I tried to make it, but I just couldn’t. I gasped for air, barely getting any oxygen. I soon joined everybody else in coughing uncontrollably.

I could barely make out others running to what I hoped to be safety. But who knew how long this cloud went for.

We weren’t going to make it. The smoke would never end and we would suffocate. Becoming light-headed made things worse, too. My head ached, and I was sure that I was going to pass out.

I was about to just give up and let my legs give, but we got lucky. Edgar led us to some glass door. I didn’t know what it led too, and I didn’t care. Edgar opened it and we ran inside quickly in order to let as little smoke and dust in as possible. Finally, the door was shut, which helped block off some of the painful noises coming from outside.

We gasped for air with others who had found the shop too.

I managed to look around, noticing candy everywhere. It was a candy shop. Everybody’s nice clothes and perfectly made hair were covered in dust. They had never experienced anything like this. Even us outside of the wall hadn’t. I grew dizzier. Edgar was messing around with Ashton’s ankle. Belladonna stared out of the window, watching the thick white smoke in disbelief. It was painful to see the beautiful Belladonna who was always so happy and understanding look so lost and petrified. I tried calling her name, but she didn’t notice. I called out for Edgar. He didn’t budge. I wasn’t even sure if I was actually saying anything. The room kept spinning, so I was sure I was about to pass out.

No, I couldn’t do that. Edgar already had Ashton to take care of. I held my head down between my knees, my eyes closed, taking slow deep breaths.

This went on for another few minutes before I finally lifted my head. The room didn’t spin. But I still had an inebriated feeling. The twenty people in the shop had now caught their breath. They all glanced at each other, but nobody said anything. I guess there wasn’t much to say. We were all in shock.

Several jars of candy had fallen onto the floor, leaving pieces of glass scattered. There were two girls in red uniforms standing behind the counter, crying.

Outside, the smoke and dust was just as thick as before. Belladonna stayed in the same place, still not looking away from the smoke. I wondered what she was thinking. Ashton was still on the floor in pain. Edgar looked around the room. “You okay?” he asked when he saw me.

I nodded my head slowly. My mind replayed everything that had just happened. So much screaming. So much . . . so much blood . . . scattered body parts everywhere. The girl who was trying to get her mom to wake up. Oh no. I hoped somebody got her out of the way before the building fell.

“This is Grandfather,” a man whispered behind me. I turned to see him holding a woman tightly. She didn’t appear injured, but was very startled as the rest of us.

I had no doubt that Cornelius was probably watching the scene take place, smiling. It had never crossed my mind that the explosion would come this quickly. How was it helping him? I certainly didn’t think the explosions would be so big. I didn’t even want to imagine the number of people killed. I thought of the people inside the falling building and what it must’ve been like. The thought ran shivers down my spine. I tried thinking of something else, but couldn’t. I guess that’s impossible when you’re surrounded by disaster.

“Is everybody okay?” a woman to my right asked. She was carrying a medicine bag that matched her white uniform. “I’m a nurse. Is everybody okay? Does anybody need my help?”

Everybody in the room had minor cuts, but that was it. Nothing too serious. The nurse took out a damp cloth of some sort and began wiping my face. I didn’t resist. I saw blood on it as she threw it away. When did I get cut? I guess I didn’t feel it because of the shock.

“Boy’s done something to his ankle,” Edgar told the nurse. The nurse ran to Ashton and gently touched his ankle. He hissed in pain.

“Broken?” Edgar asked.

The nurse shook her head. “No,” she said. “Just twisted pretty badly.”

Edgar let out a breath of relief. “How long’s it gonna take to heal?”

“Three to seven days,” the nurse said. She opened up her briefcase and took out a thin, square piece of . . . I don’t know what it was. It looked like a really thick piece of blue plastic. “Put this in your mouth and let it dissolve.”

Ashton did so. “What is it?” he asked after it had completely dissolved.

“Speeds up the healing process,” she said. “The tab can heal a cut over night. If you ask me, it’s the best invention in the past fifteen years.”

Ashton had a weird sour look. “The after taste is terrible.”

The nurse chuckled. “Didn’t say it taste the best.” She stood up and glanced at the others. “Anybody else?” she asked. One of the older ladies had the nurse look at a cut on her arm. It wasn’t bad, but the nurse put a small bandage on it. Edgar walked over to Belladonna and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Grandfather,” he said, watching the smoke with her. It had thinned out a little but not enough for me to see anything that was going on outside. All we had to go by were the noises, which were gone. No screaming, no crying for help. Nothing

“If we don’t act quick,” Belladonna whispered, “we may not get another chance.”

Edgar agreed. “Let’s hope Robert gets back soon with reinforcement.”

“He will,” Belladonna said with confidence. “He’ll be back.”

Edgar was quiet for a second.

“When can we leave?” a young man asked.

“Well, obviously not right now,” the nurse replied. “We’re going to wait for the smoke to clear, and then we’ll look for survivors.” She gave the older woman she had been nursing one of the tabs Ashton had taken.

“The news was right,” the same man said. “Grandfather was planning an explosion.”

“This is terrible,” another woman joined, sobbing quietly. “Everything was fine two days ago.”

I ignored her. Nothing was fine two days ago. She was just ignorant then. The explosion had been planned for a while.

We all sat around, quiet for the most part. Every once in a while, somebody would mention how many people they thought were outside and what Cornelius would say at the arena.

“We need to get to the arena,” Belladonna told Edgar.

He, of course, wasn’t too happy by that. But he didn’t argue. “We need to help her look for survivors, like she said.”

Belladonna didn’t look too happy about that. She probably wanted to get as far away as possible from the mess. So, I kind of understood. But there would be people who’d need our help.

The smoke continued to thin out. Soon, it revealed yet another horrific site. People in the shop gasped. Some of them moved closer to get a better look. I didn’t want a better look.

I squinted, vaguely being able to make out everything. Then, I saw the alleyway covered in inches of dust. It was like snow. On the ground were bodies of men and women of all different ages, all covered in dust. There was no sign of movement. None. I started to count the bodies but realized there were just too many to count. I knew I was, unfortunately, seeing a small fraction of Cornelius’s work. Somehow, he was going to use the explosion toward his advantage. I just wasn’t sure as to how yet.

The nurse had us wait another fifteen minutes before the dust was thin enough to walk through without causing us to suffocate. Belladonna didn’t move from where she was sitting. Edgar told her to stay with Ashton. “Me and Carsyn will go out and help.”

Edgar stood beside me. The nurse walked out first, slowly followed by others. I took a deep breath as I exited the shop. The air wasn’t pleasant to breath, but it was definitely better than earlier. The air smelled of fire, which I knew came from the buildings close to the road. I heard sirens in the distance.

We all stopped and glanced around. Bodies were scattered everywhere. And at the end of the alley was a huge mound of rubble. That had to be where the top of the falling skyscraper landed. Man, we barely got out of its way.

In the opposite direction, other survivors walked toward the rubble. When they reached us, a man asked if we would help look for survivors.

I walked amongst the bodies, hoping to find somebody moving. But none of them did. They had all suffocated. I looked at the faces of all types of different people. There was an older man with an older lady wrapped in his arms. Her eyes were frozen open. I looked deep into the lifeless pupils. Another dead man had his phone gripped in his hand. I wondered who he was calling.

Then, I saw a familiar face. I walked to her, knelt down, and lost my breath.

It was the girl who had been looking for her mom. Nobody had helped her. My chest and head ached. I stood up, turned away quickly, and started to run, wanting to get as far away as possible.

I didn’t get far. I ran straight into Edgar. I saw his gloomy eyes and started crying. Now, I must mention that I never cried. I’m sure I did when I was little, but I don’t remember crying at the orphanage more than once. I mean, there was no point in crying over things there. It wasn’t going to solve anything. But this . . . this was too much for me to handle. Surprisingly, Edgar was comforting and hugged me tightly. I actually let him. Here I was, knowing the man for only a few weeks, and letting him hug me. And it was actually helping. He never said anything. He just stood there, in silence, letting me get it all out.

“Cornelius,” I said, moving away from him and wiping my eyes. “He has to pay for this.”

Edgar nodded and said through his teeth, “He best be ready.”

“I want to know what he says,” I said. “I want to go to the arena. Please, Edgar. People won’t recognize me.”

I don’t think he could’ve said no to me if he tried. In my mind, everybody would be too focused on the explosions and wouldn’t be paying attention to others, so I was pretty sure I’d be safe at the arena. At least that was what I was telling myself. I just really wanted to go.

Soon, rescue teams in the hundreds came flooding into the area, demanding us to get out of the way. Edgar offered to help, but a man said it was best if we left them alone to follow protocol. It kind of didn’t make sense to me. I mean, wouldn’t they want as many people as possible to help?

“What if we have somebody injured?” Edgar asked one of them. A man on the rescue squad pointed behind us. We turned around to see several doctors running into the area with stretchers and suitcases similar to the nurse’s. Edgar rushed to one of them. “Got a boy who’s twisted an ankle,” he told them.

“Take me to him,” one of the female doctors said, unable to take her eyes off of the scattered bodies. “Hurry,” she then said. ”Others with more serious injuries will need my help in a few minutes.”

Edgar was quick in taking her to the candy shop. I followed them. We walked in to find Belladonna and Ashton in the same place we had left them. Belladonna’s facial expression hadn’t changed. I was glad she didn’t have to see what I saw. The doctor walked to Ashton and felt his ankle.

She immediately opened her briefcase and took out a roll of white fabric of some sort. She unrolled a large piece and squirted some sort of gel all the way down it. She then proceeded to wrap up the ankle. Edgar told the doctor about the tab the nurse had given him.

“Good,” she said. “This gel will speed up the healing process, too. It’ll take away the pain too.” The doctor placed everything back in her medicine bag and stood up. She looked at Ashton. “You’re lucky. Fifteen years ago, you would’ve had to wait weeks to heal. You still won’t be able to walk.” She turned to look at Edgar. “When you get out of here, go to the nearest hospital and get some crutches.”

“Okay,” Edgar said.

“But I’m warning you,” the doctor said, rushing toward the door as several people outside were yelling out for some doctors. She looked outside at the doctors running by. Glancing at Edgar one last time, she said, “The hospitals are going to be rather crowded.”

Edgar nodded and the doctor rushed outside to join the others.

“Let’s go,” Edgar said, helping Ashton up.

“It hurt?” I asked as he wrapped his arm around Edgar’s shoulders.

“Nah,” he said. “That gel and tab works well.”

“Yeah,” Edgar said. “They won’t last forever though. Pain will come back.”

Ashton didn’t look happy to hear that.

“I know you don’t want to hear this, Belladonna,” Edgar started. “But I don’t think we can make it to the arena.”

“No,” Ashton said immediately, not allowing time for Belladonna to argue back. “After this, I want to see what Cornelius has to say about this explosion,”

“Ya can’t make it,” Edgar argued. “Look at ya.”

“Don’t tell me that,” Ashton snapped back. “I can make it. We’re going.”

Belladonna smiled at him. “He’s a tough one,” she said.

“Hell, how we gonna get there? It’ll be a damn task to get a cab right now.”

“We have to try, Edgar,” Belladonna said. She looked down at her dress and wiped some of the dust off. Once realizing that was an impossible task, she said, “Let’s go.”

There was nothing else Edgar could say. He wasn’t going to be able to change anybody’s mind. I just wanted to get there, hope nobody recognized me, and get out of the city. Every time I went into the city, something bad happened. It had to be a sign to stay out.

“Let’s go,” Edgar said. “Help me, Carsyn.” I walked beside Ashton who placed his other arm around my shoulder. He limped in between us as we left the shop. Belladonna followed.

“Good thing I can’t feel a thing,” Ashton said.

“Yeah,” Edgar said. “I’m worried that you’re gonna twist the damn thing even more. Don’t move it too much.”

“Okay,” Ashton said.

The bandage the doctor had wrapped around his ankle was pretty thick. I’m sure it cut off a lot of mobility in his foot, which was good because it would prevent him from twisting the ankle even more. I felt really bad for him. But hey, it could’ve been a lot worse. The bodies in the alley proved that.

We walked away from the disaster site, trying our best to ignore the bodies lying everywhere. Soon, we exited the alley, entering another street. Crowds of people had abandoned their vehicles, looking up at the smoke in the air in awe. Many of them were on their phones, recounting everything they had seen to whomever they were talking to. Some were probably making sure their family and friends weren’t in the explosion. Most of the people were quiet, not knowing what to say. Then, there were some who ran to those covered in dust, making sure they were okay. One man in particular ran to us. “Need help?” he asked.

“We just need a cab,” Belladonna said.

The man looked around. “It’s going to be hard,” he said. He looked back at us and at Ashton’s ankle. “Stay here.” He ran down the road and turned onto another, leaving our sight.

Edgar and I sat Ashton down onto the ground. For ten minutes, I listened to the people nearby talking about the explosions. Grandfather’s name came up, of course, and a lot of them talked about how they planned on going to the arena.

“I heard everybody is headed over there now,” a younger lady told a random man. I knew she was probably right. Everybody was probably just learning what had just happened to their city, and they’d all want to attend Cornelius’s announcement to see what he had to say.

Finally, the young man returned to us, out of breath. “I found you a cab,” he said. “Luck.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Belladonna said as Edgar and I got Ashton back up. We followed the man to where the cab was. He was patient with us and was sure to walk slowly so that we could keep up. We finally reached the cab where we put Ashton in the front seat so that he had more legroom. I took the middle seat in the back. The man in the driver’s seat looked at us with dull eyes.

“Thanks a lot, bud,” Edgar told the man who had gotten us the cab.

“No problem,” he said.

Wow, he was actually sincere. I didn’t think that the rich people knew anything about sincerity. But I guess when disaster strikes, people tend to come together.

Chapter Sixteen

Traffic was the worse I’d ever seen it. Everybody was going in the same direction, trying to get to the arena.

The driver kept looking at us through his mirror. “How bad is it back there?”

None of us said anything at first. Then, Edgar answered. “Hope you never have to see something as harsh as that.”

The driver didn’t ask any more questions. I was glad because I didn’t want to talk about the things I saw. It was enough that I couldn’t get the images out of my head. Something told me I would never get them out of my head. I’d probably think about it every day for the rest of my life. I’d have nightmares of the girl I saw. I should’ve saved her.

The driver didn’t even seem to recognize me. When I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I knew why. I was completely covered in dust.

It was thirty minutes later before we could even see the arena. Ten minutes after that, we reached the entrance. I have to say that I had never seen so many people in one place. There had to be thousands of people gathered around the arena. I noticed others also covered in dust. Large screens outside of the arena displayed a blank white screen. I assumed Cornelius planned for there to be so many people that everybody wouldn’t fit inside.

“You won’t be getting inside,” the driver told us. “Sorry.”

Edgar opened the door. “That’s fine,” he said. He dug into his pocket.

“No,” the man said. “You guys deserve a free ride today.” Edgar nodded but still swiped his bitcoin card across the back of the seat.

“Take an extra twenty for yourself,” Edgar said.

The man gave him a nod of appreciation.

Edgar and I helped Ashton out. The cab left and we turned to face the arena. We weren’t getting far. We walked to the back of the crowd, hundreds and hundreds of yards away from the arena. It looked as if the whole city was attending. I couldn’t count the number of times I heard the words Grandfather, explosion, and Cornelius mentioned around me.

The crowd was growing larger by the second. Soon, people were smothering us, so Edgar led us to a tree that was out of the way but still close enough to where we could see Cornelius on the big screen. I was kind of glad that we only had to see Cornelius on screen and not inside the arena. He could have seen me in the arena. I knew it was very unlikely because there were probably thousands of people inside.

Edgar had Ashton sit against the tree. He and Belladonna were whispering about Robert and weapons arriving soon. Did they plan to just bombard Cornelius and shoot him down? Would that work? Before, I couldn’t imagine myself killing anybody. But at that moment, I honestly thought I could’ve taken Cornelius down. I think he would’ve been the only exception because getting rid of him would mean saving others. But killing is something you don’t know about until it actually happens.

I watched the crowd, hoping Cornelius would start soon. A particular woman caught my attention. She snaked her way through the crowd, headed in my direction. As she got closer, I could tell that she was staring at me. My first reaction was to turn around in order to hide my face, but she had obviously seen me. I squinted to get a better look. Yeah, I was safe. I knew exactly who it was. What were the chances?

“Oh dear,” she said.

Belladonna and Edgar looked scared. They were probably afraid she was going to announce my existence. But I knew she wouldn’t.

“Miss Fabray,” Ashton said, trying to get up but was unable to on his own.

“Olivia,” she corrected him softly as she examined the dust covering our bodies, shaking her head. She eyed Ashton’s ankle. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. Such a terrible thing. You guys have seen things I couldn’t dream of . . . things that I don’t want to dream about seeing.” She grabbed my shoulders, pulled me toward her, and hugged me. It was really weird because I had only spoken to her for a few minutes back at Mr. Harrison’s place.

“And who are you?” Belladonna asked.

I introduced Olivia to Belladonna and Edgar.

“Your story just keeps writing itself,” Olivia said. “I only hope that one day you’ll allow me to write it.”

“Yeah,” I said. “I wanted to say yeah back there, but –”

“But Cornelius was watching you,” she said. “Yes, Mrs. Harrison filled me in after Grandfather hit the news.”

“Yeah,” Ashton said. “He still will, if you want.”

Ashton was right. I would do it in a heartbeat. But I was still pretty sure that Mrs. Fabray wouldn’t have been safe.

“When a better time comes, yes,” she said. “You know, sometimes writing stuff down can keep you sane. Especially when things get rough and confusing. Trust me, Carsyn. I’m a writer. I do it every day, and I’m doing fabulous.”

“I believe you,” I said. I had never thought about that, actually.

“Good. Perhaps you’ll take that advice and write down everything you’ve been through. Then, perhaps, it’ll be easier when we’re both ready to get your story out there. Agreed?”

I agreed with a nod, not sure if I would actually ever want my life story told to others. It was kind of nobody’s business.

“What are you doing here?” Ashton asked. He immediately realized how dumb the question was.

“I think the question is what are you doing here?” Olivia asked. “It’s not exactly safe for you out here. And the girl . . . where’s Marley.”

“With her mom,” Ashton told her.

“She’s safe,” I answered.

“Good,” Olivia said. “She seemed lovely. As to your question, I’m here for the same reason everybody else is. The truth.”

“The truth about Grandfather?” I asked.

“The truth about Cornelius,” Olivia said. “I think after the recording and letter, it’s quite obvious Grandfather exists. And the explosion . . . my, my.”

“The truth is that Cornelius is the mastermind of Grandfather,” Ashton said.

Olivia nodded. She looked at Edgar and Belladonna, and then back at Ashton. “I think you might be right. You know, I always felt like there was something wrong with our President, especially after speaking to you at the fundraiser. You guys were obviously faking everything. You, Carsyn, have the worse fake smile I’ve ever seen.”

I figured. “It’s kind of hard to pretend when you’re being held captive,” I told her.

“True,” she said. “I can’t begin to tell you how much I’d love to hear your escape story. Do tell.”

Edgar grunted, and I knew why. He didn’t trust Olivia yet, but I did. Still, I had to make Edgar feel more at ease.

“We just snuck out,” I told her.

“Alone?” she said, snickering. “Trust is hard to come by during these times, and I understand. Perhaps one day you can trust me enough to tell me everything. You would, of course, receive a percentage when your story becomes popular. Realize that I didn’t say if.”

“Perhaps,” I said.

“And you trust us?” Ashton asked.

“Maybe,” Olivia said. “I’m good at reading people, just like I can read my characters. And the one thing that I could tell about you two and Marley was that you’re not afraid of the truth as everybody else.”

“And what makes you say that?” I asked.

She took her time before answering. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Ashton asked.

“You see, Ashton,” she started. “Being able to read people is a gift. I can’t explain it. I just . . . know. Now you tell me if I’m wrong.”

Nobody answered.

“Exactly,” she said. “You guys aren’t afraid to go against Grandfather, are you?”

“Of course not,” Ashton said.

“You have help here, I see.” Olivia tilted her head toward Edgar and Belladonna.

“We’re not afraid of the truth,” Edgar said. “We know the truth.”

“Then good . . . what were your names again?”

Belladonna and Edgar hesitated before giving their names. I assured them that she meant us no harm.

“Beautiful name,” Olivia told Belladonna. “Perhaps I could use the name for a character I’m working on.”

Belladonna didn’t say anything.

“As I was saying, everybody else here is afraid of the truth. And for once, they can’t just choose not to see it. I told you two at the fundraiser that the separation between us and those outside the wall is holding us back. Well . . . it seems as if perhaps the time has come for everybody else to learn that too.”

“Hopefully,” I said.

“Now . . . being who I am and knowing the people I know, I have special credentials that will allow me inside this arena. I could easily get you guys in as well.”

Ashton was excited and said yes at once. I knew Belladonna wanted to get closer, but she didn’t fully trust Olivia, which was understandable.

“Would be nice,” Edgar said, slowly.

“You said before that trust is hard to come by these days,” Belladonna said. “How can we trust you? How do we know that you wouldn’t just take us to Cornelius now?”

“I suppose there is no way you can know,” Olivia said. “You just have to take that chance. I know people don’t say it very often these days, but sometimes you just have to have faith.”

Belladonna didn’t look happy with this answer, so I assured her that Olivia was trustworthy. She was still weary, but Edgar was the one to convince her we’d be okay. “If Carsyn and Ashton trust her, then I do too.”

When Belladonna agreed, Olivia took out her phone and tapped a few buttons. “Thirty minutes,” she said. I could kind of tell it was getting close to time because the sun was starting to go down.

Ashton held out both of his arms and Edgar and I helped him up. As before, he wrapped an arm around each of us.

“Let’s go,” Olivia said, leading us into the dense crowd of people. “Excuse me,” she told the people, holding up some sort of badge. “We need to get through.” People cursed us as we squeezed by. It was more difficult to snake through with me and Edgar having to practically carry Ashton, and I was starting to think that it would’ve been a lot easier to stay by the tree and watch Cornelius on the screen. But when we reached a guarded door, I nearly dropped Ashton. I hadn’t thought about that. What if they recognized me? My heart raced.

Olivia flashed them her badge. One of the soldiers examined it closely. He handed it back to her and looked behind her toward us. His eyes met mine. I held my breath. Please don’t recognize me. Please, please, please.

“Who are they?” he asked.

“Friends of Mr. Harrison’s,” Olivia said. “As you can see, they’ve just been through a lot. Nearly died in the explosion.”

“Mr. Harrison,” the soldier said in a questioning tone. “I’ve not seen him here. Where is he?”

“Well, I certainly don’t know,” Olivia said. “I write books and articles for a living. I don’t keep up with Mr. Harrison’s whereabouts.”

The soldier seemed offended but eventually moved out of the way, allowing us to pass through. Wow, Olivia really had guts to talk back to the soldiers, especially if they were with Grandfather. We followed Olivia. The soldier watched me closely as I passed by. Once inside, the door slammed behind us. I let out a breath of relief. We had made it.

“Come,” Olivia said, motioning us to follow up a flight of stairs. We did so, and the further we got up them, the more I could hear the large crowd waiting for Cornelius. “I have the perfect spot,” Olivia said.

“You mentioned Mr. Harrison,” Ashton grunted as we struggled to basically drag him up. “Will he be here?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia said. “But using his name has gotten me through a predicament or two.”

We went up a few more flights of stairs until we reached another hall with doors spread out across the wall to our right. Olivia led us to the third one. She touched a square pad above the doorknob. It lit up, revealing a keypad. She tapped a series of numbers too quickly for any of us to remember. The screen lit up green and the door slid open. We followed her into a small room with a couple of sofas, chairs, and coffee tables. The wall straight across from us was glass, revealing the large arena filled with thousands of people.

“Whoa,” I said as the door closed behind us.

There was an empty stage in the center of the arena floor. I assumed that was where Cornelius was to give his address. A chain of soldiers encircled the stage. Many also kept watch from within the audience. I assumed they were there to make sure nobody in the audience tried to run onto the stage. I don’t know why they would, but the people inside the wall could be unpredictable.

“This is Mr. and Mrs. Harrison’s private box. Mrs. Harrison gave me the code a while back. And the glass is tinted. You can see out, but they can’t see in.”

“So we’re safe,” I said.

“Exactly,” Olivia said.

Me and Edgar took Ashton to one of the chairs closest to the glass wall. After Ashton was comfortable, we each claimed a seat.

“Yes,” Olivia said. “Let’s make ourselves comfortable. This address should be rather interesting.”

“Yes,” Belladonna agreed. “It will be interesting to hear what he has to say.”

While we waited, I couldn’t help but think about everything that had just happened. I still couldn’t get it out of my head. And the same question kept coming up. How many lives were lost? It would probably be a while before that number was discovered. And even then, it would be impossible to get an exact one. I picked at some of the dust on my arm and dug behind my nails.

Olivia noticed this. “What was it like?” she asked quietly. “Being near the explosion. If you don’t mind me asking.”

I shook my head. “Terrifying,” I said, the images flashing through my mind.

“It’ll make you want to kill Cornelius,” Ashton said.

Olivia had a look of grief. I saw a tear slowly roll down her cheek. “I’ve been trying to not think about it, but I can’t anymore. So many people have died today.”

“It was rough for all of us,” Edgar told her. “Lucky to be alive.”

She nodded. “So . . . Cornelius is definitely a part of Grandfather? Or is that just what you guys think?”

“He’s their Grand Imperial,” Ashton said.

“The leader,” Belladonna added.

I agreed.

“Then is any of it true?” Olivia asked me. “About your parents . . . about you being kidnapped?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know about my parents,” I told her. “I’m still trying to figure that out. But I wasn’t kidnapped. That part isn’t true.” Great, now Olivia had me thinking about my parents again. I still didn’t know why I was doing that to myself. It would’ve been so much easier if I could just believe that Cornelius was lying.

“Where have you been then?” she asked. “You weren’t at the orphanage when he went looking for you.”

“I was safe,” was all I told her. She didn’t really need to know much more. The fewer people that knew about our secret hideout, the better.

Olivia looked at Belladonna and Edgar. “You were with them,” she said. “The big question is what did President Cornelius really want with you. Why did he go to the orphanage for you? Would make an excellent book, now wouldn’t it?”

We said nothing.

“If Cornelius is the leader of Grandfather, then I hope that – whoever you people are – you have a solid plan to fix things.”

“Well . . . that’s the plan,” Ashton said

It was people like Olivia Fabray and the Harrisons that gave me hope; hope that not everybody within the wall was the same. There were probably others who felt the same way but didn’t mention it because they would’ve been judged. For years, people were taught not to say anything about the separation. I guess it just kind of became a habit.

We sat in silence for the next ten minutes. Olivia had taken out some sort of device and was typing something on it. Knowing her, it was probably something about another book. But she quit when the lights in the arena grew dim. A man approached the stage. Little by little, people in the audience quit talking until soon, the whole arena was silent.

“Today . . . we have lost many,” the man said, his voice booming throughout the entire private box. It was as if he was sitting right there with us, which was a little bit creepy. I looked up to see speakers in the corners. I diverted my attention back to the man on stage. “We will never forget today. As I speak, people suffer. Heroes search for survivors and doctors are doing everything in their power to save as many as they can. Yes, we were warned that Grandfather has existed. The only question that remains is who is the leader? Who is a part of Grandfather. Well, we’ve all waited impatiently to see what President Cornelius has to say. And I’m happy to say that we have all the answers for you citizens. As one of President Cornelius’s councilmen, I want to welcome him to the stage.”

Very few people applauded. I wondered if it was because they didn’t trust him or if they felt times were too depressing to clap. Cornelius, who was dressed in a white suit similar to the one he had worn to the fundraiser, walked onto the stage. He didn’t smile or wave as usual. I guess he had to pretend to be sad and heartbroken like everybody else. He shook the councilman’s hand and whispered into his ear. The man nodded and left Cornelius alone on the stage.

The arena was silent. I imagined it was just as silent outside. It was probably silent throughout the entire city and even the entire nation as the poor listened to the announcement on their radios and the rich watched it on their televisions. I watched as a camera hovered in the air above Cornelius, capturing the large audience.

“These past twenty-four hours have been rough on all of us,” Cornelius began in his deep voice. “We’ve been told that Grandfather exists once again. There has been proof that our very own vice president is a part of it. For the first time since the war, many of us have felt unsafe. We all have found ourselves unable to trust anybody. We’ve found ourselves afraid that something terrible could happen at any minute.” Cornelius paused.

Olivia was taking notes on her device. The rest of us focused on Cornelius.

“Many people have lost their lives today,” Cornelius continued. “Our nation’s capital has been attacked. We have all possible officers, fire fighters, and doctors out there looking for survivors. As I look at you all, I see people covered in dust. I’ll never be able to imagine what you have just gone through. The images you have seen will never leave you, unfortunately.”

Wow, Cornelius actually said something that I agreed with. That would probably never happen again.

“Let us have a moment of silence for those lives lost today and for those struggling to keep their lives.”

There was a long pause of silence. Some people bowed their heads and closed their eyes. Edgar and Olivia did this. Belladonna focused on Cornelius, who turned to examine the entire audience encircling him. After thirty seconds had passed, he continued. “These next few days will be the roughest we have ever seen. I understand that Grandfather’s attack – which was predicted in the letter reported – will make it difficult for any of us to trust again. But . . . I want to remind the entire nation that things will get better, even if it doesn’t seem like it. Now, I understand that a lot of people doubt me right now. People think that perhaps I’m involved. And you know what, why wouldn’t you think that? I understand. I’d think the exact same thing. But today, I want everyone to put their distrust away. I’ve been able to use these past twenty-four hours to track down the masterminds of Grandfather. I’ve been able to get a hold of the members most responsible. I tried to stop these explosions, but I failed. And that, I’m not proud of.”

It was starting to sound as if I was right. Cornelius had a plan.

Cornelius turned around and waved somebody to him.

Fifteen people walked to the stage in a line, each wearing blindfolds, each led by two soldiers. They didn’t resist. Edgar, Belladonna, Ashton, and I leaned forward to get a better look. They were led onto the stage and lined up behind Cornelius. Cornelius nodded, and one by one, the blindfolds were taken off. Ten of them were men and the other five were women, all in their old age. I recognized one of them as Vice President McCall. Cornelius stopped in front of him and stared into his face. I couldn’t see Luther’s face, but I was sure he wasn’t too happy. What was Cornelius up to?

“Our government has been infiltrated. It’s true, Grandfather is back. And half of my councilmen, which you see here, are members of this infamous group. I thought I could trust them. But when they harm citizens in this nation, I cannot.”

“You think they’re actually members of Grandfather?” Ashton asked.

“No,” Edgar said with confidence.

“Only the vice president,” Belladonna said. “His name was mentioned. Cornelius has no choice but to eliminate him.”

“I don’t know how large the vile group is,” Cornelius continued. “But I can guarantee each and every one of you that these fifteen councilmen and councilwomen are the leading members. These fifteen are responsible for planning the explosion that has killed so many loved ones today. And something like that cannot go unnoticed. Something like that cannot go unpunished.” Cornelius paused for a second. “These fifteen members that I thought I could trust have committed treason. I think they shall receive an appropriate punishment.”

Each of the soldiers took out what seemed to be a syringe, which they held up close to the man or woman closest to them.

“What are they doing?” Olivia asked in shock.

“He’s getting rid of his councilmen and councilwomen that don’t follow him,” Ashton answered.

“So that he can replace them with his followers?” I asked.

“Right,” Edgar said nervously. “This is his next step. Grandfather’s power is growing.”

That’s exactly what I didn’t want to hear.

“I’m not a part of Grandfather!” one of the councilmen screamed. A soldier drew his fist back and swung it at the man, knocking him face down onto the ground. Each of the other members were forced onto their knees. The man who was punched rose up until he was on his knees.

“We didn’t do anything!” a councilwoman screamed. “Cornelius is –.\”

The soldier punched her too. She fell onto the ground and didn’t budge.

“They’re taught to do everything in their power to protect Grandfather,” Cornelius announced. “They’re taught to do everything in their power to keep Grandfather’s plan intact. They want you to believe that they aren’t members . . . forcing you to question me. Confusion is what they like, having citizens unsure of who to trust. Why? When a society is unable to trust its own leader or its people, it becomes weak. And a weak society is vulnerable to attacks from Grandfather. We cannot let that happen.” Cornelius turned to the soldiers and nodded. “I won’t let that happen.”

Each of the soldiers brought a needle to the neck of a councilman or councilwoman. As they injected whatever was in the tube, the bodies began twitching. The audience was silent as they listened to those on the stage gasping for air. Soon, whispering rippled around the arena as each of the councilmen and councilwomen fell over, motionless. Luther held off the longest before giving up his life.

“The death penalty was necessary,” Cornelius told us all. “Death for them was inevitable. And if anybody else wants to harm people of this great nation, they will receive the same punishment. Because that’s what they deserve. And they . . .”

The whispering grew louder, forcing Cornelius to stop talking. He held up his hands, trying to silence the audience. It took a while, but eventually, everybody was silent. Cornelius put his hands back down and continued. “I tell you now that while we have omitted the largest masterminds of Grandfather, they still exist. And I shall do everything to catch them and punish them. I’ll appoint new councilmen and councilwomen to take these traitors’ place. I’ll choose people I trust and people who can help me find these Grandfather members.” Cornelius paused again, giving everyone time to take everything in. Then, somebody in the audience shouted my name. I froze, at first thinking I had been spotted. But I knew the tinted glass made that impossible. All of us in the private box leaned forward in our seats, as if getting closer to the tinted window allowed us to hear better.

“I have learned that Carsyn, Ashton, and Marley were somehow captured by Grandfather at the fundraiser.” Cornelius pointed at the corpses lying on the stage. “They’re trying to brainwash Carsyn and his friends, and I’ll find them. I repeat, I will find them. Carsyn’s father requested this of me, and I will take care of Carsyn and his friends.”

About half of the audience clapped for Cornelius while others stayed silent.

“With all of this said, there will be new rules across our entire nation,” Cornelius said once everybody was silent again. “Grandfather wants all of you to be talking about them. They want attention, and they want disorder in our society. And so, I must abolish any headlines, articles, and protests speaking or even mentioning the existence of Grandfather. Nobody will discuss it in public. I’m afraid that if the media or citizens disobey this order, that person or persons will be arrested and punished in court for making our society more vulnerable.”

Everyone began whispering again.

Olivia gasped. “Can he do that?”

None of us answered. It didn’t really matter if he could or not, because he just did.

Cornelius continued overtop the crowd’s murmuring. “Second,” Cornelius said. “I said before that I will do everything in my power to find the other Grandfather members and to find Carsyn. This means that we all have to sacrifice some of our rights. Every home and every business will be searched thoroughly for any sign of Grandfather or the whereabouts of Carsyn. If anything is found, the owner will be arrested and questioned.”

The murmuring became even louder. “Thirdly, everyone will be required to be inside of their homes at 10:00 every night. While questioning our previous vice president, I learned that their meetings occurred during the late hours. Therefore, this curfew helps us keep order and makes it more difficult for Grandfather to communicate. Yes, these things are unfortunate, but they must happen. And in order to uphold these new rules, soldiers will be placed throughout the city. I must warn you. I repeat . . . if anybody protests, mentioning Grandfather, these soldiers will arrest you. You have to remember that this is what Grandfather wants. They love seeing their name on all news headlines. They want people protesting. They want you to believe that I’m involved Why? As I said before, they want disorder in our society, and those things create disorder. We must not give the terrorists what they want.”

Cornelius held out his hand to quiet down the audience, but half of them seemed to not care. They kept talking. I noticed several people trying to help him out, but it was no use. Cornelius gave up. “I promise that these new laws will help us find the rest of the Grandfather members, Carsyn, Ashton, and Marley. I promise that once everything is worked out, everyone will receive these freedoms again. We must do this in order to keep Grandfather from planning another attack on our nation. We must do this to protect our loved ones. And we will uphold them to accomplish these things. Thank you, nation. And let us use these next few days to mourn over the loved ones that have been lost during today’s attack. We won’t forget.”

Cornelius left the stage, not waving at the people. I heard many people in the audience applauding him while the rest of them shouted out things that I couldn’t make out. Belladonna and Edgar stood up.

“Takin’ even more rights,” Edgar muttered.

“There goes my writing,” Olivia said. “Can’t even express my opinion in my writing.”

“More control for Cornelius,” Edgar said. “He’s smart. Acting like he’s not a part of Grandfather.”

“Soldiers throughout the whole city, watching us,” Olivia said, frowning “Now I’m not too happy about that. And searching my place?”

“Best get out of this damn city quickly,” Edgar said. “The quicker we leave, the easier it’ll be to get away.”

“Right,” Belladonna agreed, a smile on her face for some reason.

We all took a moment to look at the audience again. Things were getting pretty crazy out there. Most of the people were rushing out of the arena. There were several others arguing with one another. Some fights even broke out, causing soldiers to have to intervene.

“I’ll lead you all out,” Olivia said, opening the door. Edgar and I stood Ashton up and we all followed Olivia down the stairs and outside where the large crowd was trying to get as far away from the arena as possible. Several square aircrafts hovered above us, probably filming everything. In the distance, I noticed more aircrafts hovering over where the explosions had happened.

“Oh dear,” Olivia said, looking at Ashton’s leg. “You’ll never fight this crowd. You don’t stand a chance.”

We all knew she was right. Edgar cursed. “Could wait, I guess.”

Belladonna shook her head. “We have to go now.” She pointed toward the nearest street. The soldiers had already begun to take their stance on the corners. They obviously worked for Cornelius, following his orders, but were they actually a part of Grandfather? If so, there was a better chance they’d recognize me.

“I’ll just give you a lift,” Olivia taking out her phone. She dialed a number. “Bring my car,” she said, giving our location. She hung up. “It won’t be long. Give him about fifteen minutes."

Belladonna appeared very concerned. “I don’t know,” she slowly replied.

“I’m not going to give your location away,” Olivia said. “Do you honestly think I can be on Cornelius’s side after his new rules? No. I know you guys plan on doing something soon, and I’m not giving away our only hope.”

The crowd became more and more dense. People just kept filing out of the arena. They were still arguing with one another. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I had a pretty good idea that it was whether or not they agreed with Cornelius’s new rules.

About fifteen minutes later, Olivia’s phone rang. She answered it. “Coming now,” she said, hanging up and then looking at us. “Come.”

We followed Olivia around the arena and to a road that seemed to be a lot less traveled, which made sense because it was only one lane. Soldiers hadn’t taken a stance there yet, either, which was comforting.

I noticed a really nice red car parked on the side of the road directly in front of a black van. A man got out of the car and greeted Olivia. He handed her the keys. “Thank you,” she told him. He got into the passenger seat of the van and they drove off.

“Hop in,” Olivia told us. Once again, we allowed Ashton to sit in the front to give him more legroom. I took the middle back seat again. “Where am I going?” Olivia asked.

“Outside the wall,” Edgar said.

“Outside?” she asked in exasperation.

“If that’s a problem, we can find another way,” Ashton said.

“Not a problem at all,” she said. “I just assumed you guys were hiding inside the city.”

“Yeah,” Belladonna said. “I think that’s Cornelius’s point in searching every home and business.”

Edgar agreed.

Olivia put the car into gear and sped off, heading for the wall.

The closer we got, the more soldiers I saw standing on different corners, keeping an eye on everybody. They were armed with large guns, looking as if they would shoot anybody at any given moment. The rich people kept their distance from them. For once, they were scared. And once again, I actually felt sorry for them, even though I didn’t like them.

We soon exited the city, but this time it was through a different entrance. Edgar seemed to know exactly where we were so I didn’t worry. He directed Olivia down several streets and past many run-down buildings until we reached the road running in between the forest.

Olivia was very confused when Edgar had her stop in the middle of nowhere. She looked around the area, but didn’t ask us any questions. “Your secret is safe with me,” she said, handing me some sort of pink card. “Here. That’s my address if you’re ever in the city and in trouble again.”

“Thank you,” I told her, getting out quickly so that I could help Edgar get Ashton.

“Thanks,” Edgar told Olivia. “We appreciate it.”

“It’s not a problem,” she said.

“Be safe,” Ashton told her. “Things are going to be rough in the city.”

“Olivia nodded. “I’m prepared for them. You better believe that I’ll be writing all about this. As I said, it’ll keep me sane. Perhaps you’ll do the same, Carsyn.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Writing seemed to be the only thing Olivia could think of. I really hoped she would be safe in the city because I actually liked her.

“I don’t know what you guys are planning, but I wish you luck.” With that said, Olivia turned her car around and drove off.

We entered the forest. Because Ashton was injured, we couldn’t go down the ladder. Finally, I was going to get my first look at this other entrance.

We passed the entrance I knew and continued walking until we came across a small cave on a hillside. At least it looked like a cave. It was just a manmade entrance made to look like a cave. Nobody knew who built the underground place, but they sure were smart.

The entrance led us into a small closet, which had a door that led us into the dining area. When we entered the dining room, we found ourselves in front of a large group of people, all listening to the radio which talked about Cornelius’s announcement. Mae, Marley, and Dr. Mac stood around the radio.

What first caught my attention was the number of people. There were a lot more than normal. There weren’t even enough seats for everybody. And on most of the tables were guns of all different shapes and sizes. Robert stood in the doorway at the other end of the hall. The room fell completely silent when they noticed us disheveled, exhausted, and still covered in dust. Marley gasped at the site of Ashton’s injury. She ran and embraced him, afterward hugging me as well. Mae joined us and hugged Edgar. After all I’d been through and witnessed that day, I was very happy to be back.

“You made it,” Belladonna said as she rushed to give Robert a hug.

“What happened?” Mae asked, patting some of the dust off Edgar.

We sat down at a table and told them everything. Of course, everybody in the room wanted to hear, so Edgar spoke loudly enough for everyone. Mae and Marley cried as we told them about the explosion. Marley couldn’t stop hugging me and Ashton. Mae kept patting us on the back, trying to comfort us. A hug or back rub sure wasn’t going to make us feel better about what we saw, but hey, at least they tried. Mae wiped her eyes and told us how Robert had arrived just before the announcement with nearly a hundred people and even more weapons, which they had stored in an empty room.

“We’ve waited too long,” Mae said. “It’s going to be more difficult to attack Grandfather with these new rules.”

Edgar agreed. “More difficult. But I say we do it this week.”

Ashton looked disappointed. “Not this week,” he said. “I won’t be able to help.”

Edgar looked around. “Dr. Mac,” he called out. The doctor walked up to Edgar. He noticed Ashton’s ankle. “You got medicine for him?”

Ashton told Dr. Mac about the gel on the bandage and the tablet the nurse had given him. Dr. Mac seemed to know exactly what he was talking about. “I got some crutches too,” he said. “They’re old, but they’ll work.”

He and Edgar helped Ashton up and led him away. Marley hugged me once again. “If it wasn’t for Miss Fabray, it would’ve taken you guys forever to get here.”

I agreed with her. We were definitely lucky that we ran into Olivia. I wondered if they had gone through her home yet. They probably hadn’t started yet.

“Go clean up,” Mae told me, patting me on the shoulder again. “Get that dirt off. I’ll do my best to get the suit looking good again.”

I could care less about the suit. Why? Because the only reason I’d need it was if I had to go back into the city. And I’ll tell you what, I was never going back after what happened. At least I wasn’t going back unless it would be the last time Cornelius had power. I did care about getting clean. It would be nice to get all that dirt off of me.

Chapter Seventeen

I woke up around noon the next day. Everybody but Belladonna and Robert was at our lunch table. Ashton had a pair of crutches which he propped up against the table to his left. His ankle was freshly bandaged and it seemed he was going to be okay.

“Dr. Mac says that the gel he used will have me healed in just a few days,” Ashton told me.

“Lucky, too,” Edgar said. “In my day, it took a lot longer.”

By the time we finished eating, Belladonna and Robert arrived, leading some young guy to our table. He had to of been just a few years older than me. He was much taller and had bright blond hair. What stood out the most was a bright silver ring on his finger. They approached the table.

“Edgar,” Robert said. “We want you to meet Cain.”

Edgar stood up and shook his hand.

“This is the one we were talking about,” Belladonna whispered. “He figured out a way to identify everybody in Grandfather.”

“You were in Grandfather?” Ashton asked, his voice dark and harsh. He still wasn’t going to trust the guy. I didn’t blame him.

Marley lightly slapped his arm.

Cain looked at Belladonna nervously.

“Yes,” she said. “He actually still is.”

I was pretty sure there was nothing worse Belladonna could’ve said. I thought Ashton was going to punch the guy. But that would have required him standing up, which he obviously couldn’t do. But I wasn’t about to put it past him trying. Edgar wasn’t either. He placed a hand on Ashton’s shoulder and whispered, “This is not the place.” People around us didn’t notice the tension.

“You killed a lot of people yesterday,” Ashton said. “Thousands died because of Grandfather.”

“Ashton,” Mae said in her soft voice.

I would’ve been on Ashton’s side, but I trusted Belladonna. She seemed to trust this Cain guy. Therefore, I did. She had mentioned earlier that there was somebody with Robert who used to be with Grandfather.

“He came with Robert,” she said. “He’s technically still a part of Grandfather, but he disagrees with what they do.”

“Exactly,” Robert said. “He can help us.”

“How can you trust him?” Ashton asked.

“I’ve been with him and talked to him these past few days,” Robert said. “Trust me, I know.” Belladonna glanced at Robert. She seemed nervous. Was she having a hard time trusting Cain? I sure hoped not.

“There’s only one way to find out if he can be trusted,” Edgar said. “Give us every member of Grandfather.”

Cain grinned. He took off his silver ring. “I can do better than that,” he said, dropping it onto the table. It rolled around a few inches before falling flat next to Mae. She took it and moved it around with her fingers. “It’s very nice,” she said, setting it back onto the table.

I gave it a closer look. As I mentioned, it was silver, but there was one other thing I noticed. It would’ve been impossible to see unless you were close. A small letter ‘G’ was engraved on it. Beside it was what seemed to be a tiny black hole.

“Just before they arrived, Cain spoke with Cornelius,” Belladonna said slowly, as if making sure you got every word right. “Yes, Edgar, he could give us the name of every single Grandfather supporter. But this . . .” she pointed at the ring. “This is better.”

“How?” I asked

“It’s just some overpriced ring,” Ashton smeared. “How is a ring going to help us?”

“Explain it to them,” Belladonna said. Robert took out a phone and handed it to Cain. Robert apparently had a phone too. Why did nobody tell me anything?

“I had this ring made a while back from a rich friend of mine,” Cain started slowly. He looked at Belladonna who urged him to continue.

“I’ve been against Cornelius for a while. I brought up the idea to him that he give every single one of his followers a ring just like this one. And it . . .” Cain paused for a second, thinking. He looked at Belladonna.

“He thought it was a great idea for one reason,” Belladonna said. “Cain proposed to him that each of the rings have a tracking device installed so that Cornelius can keep track of his followers.”

I looked at the ring on the table. If they all contained a GPS, that meant Cornelius could track down all of the rings, including this one. I jumped out of my seat and got right up in Cain’s face.

I snapped. “You’re luring him here,” I said pretty loudly. People nearby went silent and looked up at us. Ashton also realized the problem and was trying to stand up, but failed because of his ankle.

“Sit down,” Robert demanded. “We have nothing to worry about.”

“He’s luring Cornelius here,” I growled. “This ring has a GPS in it. Cornelius can track this one down.”

“No,” Belladonna said.

I didn’t say anything. Surely Belladonna knew what she was talking about. I stepped back from Cain, who looked very frightened. I thought that was kind of funny because he was a lot bigger than me. “What do you mean?” I asked. “You just said they all have one in them so that Cornelius can track everybody.”

“All except this one,” Cain said. “I’m not stupid.”

“I don’t know about that,” Ashton said. “You did join Grandfather.”

“Dammit, Ashton,” Edgar said. “Listen to the boy.”

Ashton rolled his eyes. Edgar, of course, noticed this. I could tell he wanted to argue with him, but Ashton would have kept on going. He urged Cain to continue.

“This one doesn’t have a GPS in it,” Cain confirmed.

“And how do we know you’re not lying?” I asked.

“See for yourself,” he said, touching Robert’s phone screen, bringing it to life. He swiped his hand a few times and clicked a few buttons without touching the screen. Then, a map of New Dawn appeared. There were a few hundred red dots scattered throughout the city.

“Cornelius gave them the rings it appears,” Belladonna said.

The red dots moved around slowly. Cain moved his hand to the bottom of the screen, and, without touching it, he scrolled outside of the city to the mountains.

“This is where we are now,” Robert said.

“No red dots,” Cain said, glaring at me. “Trust me now?”

I said nothing. He was right, but I wasn’t so sure if I fully trusted him yet. Edgar seemed to, probably because Belladonna did. But people sometimes misjudged.

“You see,” Belladonna said. “Cornelius now has access to view the location of them all.”

“But what he doesn’t know is that we have that access, too,” Robert said.

Edgar smiled. “Nice,” he said.

“Yeah,” Belladonna said. “This means that it’ll be easier for us to attack.”

“Which I believe we can do this week,” Cain said.

Why on earth was Cain telling us when we should attack? He had just gotten there. He had no authority.

“What makes you say that?” Edgar curiously asked.

“Well,” Cain started. “They’re having a special meeting. Seven of the most loyal Grandfather members will be there. They’re considered Cornelius’s council. The leaders.”

“And we can find out where they’re meeting with one of these,” Edgar said, looking at the ring on the table. He picked it up and examined it.

“Exactly,” Belladonna enthusiastically replied. “I think we should attack. Knowing their location gives us the advantage of surprise. They don’t know we know their location. And because of that, Cornelius won’t have an army waiting for us. Which means that . . .”

“We can attack the leaders of Grandfather without a huge fight,” Edgar said in awe.

“Exactly,” she said. “There will be seven of them. We surprise them with fourteen of us. Take them out.”

“Take out the leadership, and there’s nobody for the followers to follow,” Robert added.

It did make some sense. I mean, taking out leaders meant that there would be nobody to lead, obviously. Edgar seemed to disagree with this.

“That’s not true,” Edgar said. “As long as members of Grandfather exist, there is hope that they can rise again. That’s what happened before.”

We were all silent for a few seconds before Belladonna spoke. “You’re right,” she said. “But don’t forget, we’ll have access to each of their locations.” She pointed at the ring in Edgar’s hand. “We’ll find them.”

“Once the system is back to normal, we could have them tried in court,” Edgar said.

Well, I had another question. They were talking about just bombarding Grandfather and killing them. “Why not take the seven leaders to court,” I asked. “Why kill them?” I didn’t care what happened to them as long as they were stopped. I was just curious as to why we would kill seven and arrest the others.

“We’re not going to be able to arrest the leaders,” Edgar said. “They’re going to fight back.”

That made sense. Cornelius definitely wasn’t one to just give up.

“You see,” Edgar said. “We’ll defend ourselves and win. When they’re gone, we’ll present the proof to the courts that Cornelius was the Grand Imperial and that each of these red dots represent the members left.”

I understood. Once the leaders were dead and proof was given to the courts, it would be easier to arrest the others.

Cain zoomed out of the map, revealing the entire country. There were red dots in all four regions but not as many as in the capitol. “Good,” Edgar said when he noticed it. “Grandfather hasn’t spread much outside of New Dawn.”

“When do they meet?” Marley asked Cain. “The seven leaders?”

“Friday,” he said.

That was in two days. Wow, I hadn’t been expecting it to happen so quickly. Cornelius had no idea that the end was coming. But they just planned on killing him. Honestly, after everything that had happened in the city, I didn’t care if he was killed or not. I still don’t know if that makes me a bad person. But what I did know was that I kind of wanted him to stay alive if he was the only one to know the truth about my parents. Yeah, I still hadn’t given up on that. But hey, you can’t blame me.

“It’s finally come,” Belladonna said, still excited. “Their time is finally coming to an end.”

“Then another president will have to be elected,” I said.

“Yes, of course,” Belladonna said quickly. “Which could be difficult.”

Why?” Marley asked.

“Because people are going to have trust issues,” Mae answered.

“Right,” Edgar said. “I listened to the radio this morning. City’s hectic. People don’t like their homes being searched and people don’t like the damn curfew.”

“I’d say it’s about half and half,” Robert said. “Half don’t trust Cornelius while the other half stand by him, thinking there’s no way he’s involved.”

Man, peoples’ trust issues were just going to keep on getting worse when the truth was revealed about Cornelius. But Edgar seemed pretty optimistic, which didn’t really match his personality.

“We’ll get through that,” Edgar said. “What time’s the meeting?”

“Midnight,” Belladonna answered.

Nobody said anything. I was sure they were thinking about the same thing as I was: the curfew. There was no way we could just waltz into the city past curfew, unless we went earlier that day and found a place to hide. But I had no idea where we could all hide. And even then, leaving the hiding place to reach Cornelius would be difficult. There would just be too many soldiers out there.

Edgar was the one to bring it up. “How we going to do that past curfew?”

Nobody said anything at first. Then, Robert spoke. “Didn’t say it would be easy.”

“I knew it wasn’t gonna to be easy,” Edgar said a bit annoyed. “I want it to be possible. Just want to know how the hell we’re gonna get past the damn soldiers scattered across the entire city.”

“That, Edgar,” Belladonna started, “That’s something we have to figure out soon.”

Belladonna and Robert didn’t stay much longer. They led Cain away, which was good. Ashton still didn’t like him, even though what he had given us was really helpful. Edgar, still annoyed, followed them. I assumed they were going to plan. They were going to need to.

Ashton complained about how he didn’t like having somebody who was a member of Grandfather nearby. I just wanted to know if this Cain guy actually helped plan the explosions. If so, that was just something I couldn’t overlook or simply forgive.

“I don’t know,” I said. “But I still think we should take them to court.”

Ashton laughed. “Of course you do,” he said.

I bet he could kill Cornelius easily. Heck, I probably could have too. But like I said before, killing was something you didn’t know about until the actual time came.

“Sweetie, this is war,” Mae said. “And unfortunately, death comes with war.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah. She was right. “I guess that means I’ll never learn the truth.”

Marley shook her head, knowing I was thinking about my parents. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I believe there will be other ways to find out.”

Maybe she was right, but I didn’t want to wait to find out another way. It took nearly seventeen years to find one person who knew the truth. I didn’t want to wait another seventeen years. I guessed I had to wait. Or maybe I didn’t. Perhaps there was a way.

“What do you think will happen after this is over?” I asked, changing the subject. I didn’t fool Marley. She observed me, frowning. I tried not looking suspicious, but I knew it was pretty obvious. She knew something else was going on, but she didn’t question me. I didn’t doubt she would later.

Ashton and Mae thought about the question. I could tell that they hadn’t thought about that question. Now, they were forced to, because Grandfather would be destroyed in just days.

“Belladonna says there will be a rough transition after all this is over with,” Mae said. “I think she’s right, but I still want to try and create a home for Marley and I. I don’t know where we’ll go, but I want us to live normal lives.”

I wished I could’ve said I wanted to live a normal life. I didn’t even know what a normal life was. In fact, I was pretty sure that nobody in the country was living a normal life. Everything was just so turned around.

“Me?” Ashton said. “I have no idea.”

Belladonna had told me that she and Edgar could help me reach my potential by using their resources. She also told me that it would take time to figure out what it was I wanted to do. I still didn’t know. Honestly, I hadn’t been thinking about it much. There was always some sort of distraction, like being held hostage by Cornelius.

“You know,” Ashton said. “It doesn’t end when Grandfather is gone. If they fall down, that doesn’t mean city walls will fall too.”

The separation. We had talked about it before. Yeah, the rich people had begun to question the walls. I guess I could thank myself for that, because for some reason, it was me who got several people questioning the separation to begin with. For some reason, people liked me. I still didn’t know why. I did know that if all walls around every city were going to fall, it was going to need more than just Grandfather being destroyed. More people were going to have to realize how unbalanced, unequal, and unfair the walls made things.

“You’re right,” I said.

“Yeah,” Ashton said. “I don’t think we’re done until every wall is torn down.”

I agreed. At least that would give me more time to figure out what I wanted to do. I wondered what Belladonna and Edgar planned on doing after the meeting in two days. Hopefully they planned on destroying the separation. Then they could help me do whatever I chose to do. I made a mental note to come up with a plan. I suppose you could have called it a life plan.

Some of the medicine that Dr. Mac had given Ashton was making him drowsy, so he went back to his room to get some sleep. Mae went to meet Edgar to see how he was doing. Marley and I decided we were going to go to our secret spot. I was sure not to mention it around Ashton because he wouldn’t have been able to get up the ladder. And I knew he would have wanted to go.

As we walked through the tunnels, I told Marley more about what happened when we all went into the city. I told her some of the things we had left out, such as Edgar having a phone and Edgar telling Mr. Harrison to give him a call.

“You think he will?” Marley asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I hope so,” I said. “But then again, do we really need him anymore?” Now that we had a plan in place, it seemed as if we didn’t need Mr. Harrison’s help. Of course, he could always help us with getting people to believe the walls were holding us back. Mr. Harrison was a reputable man. People would probably listen to him.

“I do like Momma’s plan,” Marley said. “I do want to settle down and have a home like normal people.” She paused.

“But,” I said slowly. “You . . .”

“I don’t want to now,” Marley said. “I want to help bring the walls down. I want to help Belladonna and Edgar and you and Ashton.”

I explained to her how she should talk to her mom about it, and I told her that Mae would probably understand. Mae seemed to be that kind of person. Marley didn’t want to, but she knew I was right.

We soon reached the small room with the ladder. I climbed out of the ground first and made sure Marley made it up safely. Then, I looked at the city.

This time, I didn’t just see buildings as before. Several square aircrafts hovered over one particular area.

“I’m guessing that’s where it happened?” Marley asked quietly.

I nodded, picturing what the explosions and falling building would’ve looked like from the ledge. My eyes stayed fixed on the Presidential Tower, standing proud and tall. I pictured Cornelius smirking as he watched the explosions from the very top of the tower. I bet anything that’s where he was.

Marley and I sat down at the edge of the cliff. I was careful not to fall off. I didn’t want to be on crutches too.

“Belladonna said only fourteen or so people would need to go,” Marley said.

I nodded. “Yeah. One of them will be me.”

“I . . . I don’t think they’ll let you,” Marley said. “Why would you even want to?”

“I don’t care if they let me or not,” I snapped. “After everything I’ve seen, I’ll see Cornelius’s end. And . . .”

“Your parents,” she whispered, looking down off of the cliff.

I didn’t say anything. She was absolutely right. Yeah, I wanted to be there just because I wanted to see Cornelius get what he deserved. But at the same time, I was hopeful that there was a chance I could learn the truth just before his death. More importantly, I was sure Edgar and Belladonna would find out about this safe. I wanted to be there to see what was inside, especially since I was the only one capable of opening it.

“They can tell me no all they want,” I said. “I’m going. If I have to sneak out, then I will.”

I knew Marley didn’t agree, even if she didn’t say anything to me. We just watched the city in silence. More aircrafts joined the others. Sometimes, one of them would get close to the ground. Something would drop down from the bottom, pick something up, take it back up and then glide away. I wondered what they were picking up. Probably people they were finding. Ugh, the thought gave me chills. It still does.

We stayed up there for another hour before going back. Close to my room, I found Edgar carrying several guns. He even had a gun strapped around his shoulder. He seemed to get more and more excited as he inspected the weapons. When he saw us, he gestured for me and Marley to go to him. We did so.

“Ever shoot a gun?” he asked, handing me a small black handgun.

“Seriously?” I asked. “You know I haven’t.”

“Oh yeah,” he said. “You been at the orphanage.” He turned to Marley and handed her a silver handgun. She took it slowly. “What about you, missy?”

Marley shook her head. “Momma wouldn’t like me shooting one.”

Edgar looked around with this sneaky look on his face. Nobody was around. “Follow me,” he said. I was a bit uncomfortable holding a gun, and I know Marley was too. But we still followed him through the dining room and out of the cave we used to get Ashton in. We exited the cave, entering the woods.

“Where are we going?” I asked Edgar.

He snickered. “Don’t start on those damn questions again.”

I should have known. We followed him for another ten minutes before he stopped with a satisfied look on his face. “Good spot,” he said, setting his other guns down and taking the gun off his shoulder. He cocked it and pointed it at a tree. He gave me and Marley no time to prepare. He shot it. I dropped my handgun to cover my ears from the loud boom. Birds flew out of the trees all around us, rushing to get as far away as possible. The bullet hit the tree, sending bark flying in every direction. Edgar turned to us and started laughing. Marley also had her ears covered.

We uncovered them.

“Somebody could have heard that,” I shouted.

He laughed more. “We’re far away from Grandfather.” He pointed at the guns on the ground. “Stress reliever. Pick it up. Come here.”

I did so. He made Marley do the same thing. “Now,” Edgar started. “Stand here.” He pointed at the spot to his left. He had Marley stand on his right. “You first, Carsyn.”

He showed me how to load the gun and prepare it to fire. Before he would let me pull the trigger, he had me load the gun several times. Finally, he pointed at the tree. “Aim,” he said.

I took a stance and held the gun straight toward the same tree Edgar shot earlier. I closed one eye, aiming with the other one.

“Take a deep breath,” Edgar said.

I did so.

“Slowly let it out, focus, and then shoot.”

I did this a few times without shooting. I aimed as best as I could. Then, on the third try, I pulled the trigger. A vibration ran up both my arms to my neck. Smoke left the gun. Edgar was laughing hysterically.

“Not bad,” he said. “You hit the wrong tree, but not bad.”

A large spot of bark on a nearby tree had exploded. Maybe I didn’t hit my target, but Edgar was right. It was a lot of fun, and it definitely relieved stress.

“Your turn, missy,” Edgar said turning to Marley.

“I don’t know,” Marley said. “Momma might get mad.”

“Maebelle won’t find out,” Edgar said. “And if she does, blame it on me. I can handle her.”

Marley thought for a few seconds. Then, she grinned. “It does look fun.”

“There ya go,” Edgar shouted. He had her load the gun several times and told her the same things he told me before letting her shoot.

She shot the gun, and the bullet hit the tree she was actually aiming for. It had to be beginner’s luck. That didn’t stop Marley from gloating. “Beat that,” she said. “I bet I can do that every time. Can you?”

I couldn’t help but laugh and take that as a challenge. I took out my gun and got it ready as Edgar had taught me. I aimed for the tree again and shot. Yeah, I missed again, which gave Marley a good laugh. But I got my share of laughing in, because when she shot again, she completely missed. It took me one more try before I actually hit the target. Edgar congratulated me and took the guns away.

“Gettin’ a little too trigger happy,” he said. “That’s enough for today.”

Something told me that Edgar was a gun person. I bet anything that he had a lot of guns when he used to live in the city. Sure, guns were outlawed for ordinary citizens, but something told me that never stopped him.

“I might’ve had one or two lying around,” he said with a guilty grin.

He led us back to the cave entrance. When we reached the dining room, I heard a ring. That threw me off guard. Marley was just as surprised. Edgar stopped and looked down. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

“First call I’ve gotten in months,” he said, answering it. He took a seat at one of the tables.

Marley and I were curious so we joined him.

“Mr. Harrison,” Edgar said.

That caught my attention. I scooted even closer, hoping to be able to hear Mr. Harrison talk. All I could hear was a voice too faint to make out words.

“Yeah,” Edgar said. “Two days . . . no . . . hell, we hope so . . .underground? . . . where?”

It was killing me. I squirmed around in my seat, wanting to know what they were talking about so badly. It must’ve been some good news because Edgar was smiling. He jumped up and ran off. I mean he actually ran. And he was pretty quick too. Marley and I jumped up and chased him. He led us to the meeting room. We burst inside. Belladonna and Robert jumped off of the same sofa, caught off guard.

“We’ll get it,” Edgar was saying. “Seven of them and fourteen of us . . . okay . . . damn soldiers can’t stop us now . . . I’ll tell him.” Edgar hung up the phone and turned to me.

“What was it?” I asked. “What did he say? Is it good news?”

“Damn questions,” he said. But this time, he wasn’t angry with me. “Mr. Harrison says he’s glad you got away,” He looked at Belladonna and Robert. “There’s a way into the city without having to get past Cornelius’s soldiers.”

Belladonna’s ears perked. “How?” she asked impatiently.

“I’m meeting up with Mr. Harrison later today,” Edgar said. “I told him I’d give a call to get a location.”

“What did he say?” Robert asked, also impatient.

“There’s an old subway tunnel that isn’t used anymore,” Edgar told them. “Mr. Harrison said there’s a way to get inside the damn thing outside the wall.”

“And where will it come out at?” Belladonna asked. “We still have to watch out for soldiers when we get back to the streets.”

“Yeah,” Edgar said. “Don’t have all the answers yet. But I suppose I will after I meet up with him.”

We were all silent for a second. Belladonna looked at the ceiling in deep thought. Then, she grinned. “This is a good start,” she said. “It’s better than nothing, and it will work.”

“Right,” Robert agreed. “We’ve also decided who all is going with us.”

Edgar asked for the list of names.

“You, Robert, and I will go,” Belladonna answered. Then she named eleven other names I didn’t recognize except for Cain’s.

I could feel Marley’s eyes running straight through me. She hoped I wouldn’t say anything. But I just couldn’t do that. “And me,” I said.

“No,” Belladonna and Robert answered immediately.

“Um, yes,” I declared.

“This is the one thing that you can absolutely have nothing to do with,” Belladonna said. “I’m serious. We can’t have you getting killed.”

I could tell that she was serious by her facial expression. I could actually see fear. I supposed it made sense because it was going to be dangerous. But I still wanted to go. I expressed this to her.

“I’m afraid I’m with Belladonna on this,” Edgar said. “You’ve only shot a gun a few times. This could get messy.”

“Messy?” I asked. “There’s going to be fourteen of you and seven of them. I can go and not be in danger.”

“Son, you never know what will happen,” Edgar snapped.

“I’m going,” I declared again.

“I’ll lock you up if I have too,” Edgar shouted. “Don’t think I won’t. Now, after this is done, you can help catch the others all you want.”

“I want to help now,” I said.

“Carsyn,” Belladonna said in her soft, soothing voice. The fear completely left her face. “Carsyn . . . the one thing you lack is patience. But please . . . trust me when I say that this is the one mission you do not need to go on. When we return, you can do whatever you want. And as I had promised when you first arrived, I’ll help you in doing whatever it is you want to do.”

I said nothing. Man, I really wanted to go. Marley had a sympathetic look. I felt her hand graze my arm, which actually seemed to calm me down.

“If I can’t go on this, then you have to help me get these walls torn down afterwards.”

Belladonna smiled. “So you’ve found something you want to do?”

I nodded. “I realized that destroying Grandfather won’t destroy the walls.”

“Well,” Belladonna said slowly, walking toward me. She placed a hand on my shoulder. “As I promised before, I’ll help you . . . if that’s what you want.” She took her hand off and walked back to Robert’s side. “And I’ll continue helping you until you’re right where you need to be.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“Edgar patted me on the back. “Sorry son,” he said. “But like you said, destroying Grandfather won’t destroy the walls. There’s a lot more work to be done, and you can help do that all you want.”

Marley agreed. “And the people love you. You’re the perfect person to do it.”

Would people still be obsessed with my story once they found out that I was faking everything? I didn’t know, but I sure did hope so. Not because I liked the fame. It would just make things easier if they would listen to me. Maybe I’d meet up with Olivia and have her write my story. I knew she would love that.

“Can you promise me one other thing?” I asked.

“What?” Belladonna and Edgar asked at the same time.

“You think you can find out whether or not Cornelius was lying about my parents? And what’s in the safe? Does it have anything to do with me?”

I asked again when nobody answered me.

“Is that what this is about?” Edgar asked. “That’s why you want to go?”

I expressed my concerns with killing the only one person who claimed to know the truth about my parents. Belladonna said exactly what Marley had said about finding another way.

Edgar could tell that I wasn’t too satisfied. “I can try,” he said. “I’ll do everything I can to help you find the truth.”

I wanted to accept that, but I couldn’t. I didn’t tell Edgar that. I just nodded, making him think that I was okay with his answer. Did they honestly think they could keep me away? As I had told Marley, I’d sneak out and follow them. They didn’t have to know that. I wasn’t going to remind Marley that I would sneak out if they didn’t let me go. With any luck, she wouldn’t remember. I didn’t want her trying to prevent me from going. More importantly, I didn’t want her trying to go with me. That sounded like something she would do.

Later, Edgar gave Mr. Harrison a call and they agreed to meet a few minutes outside of the wall. Marley and I went to see Ashton. He wasn’t too happy that his ankle would prevent him from going to Cornelius’s meeting. “I’d sneak out if I could,” he told us. I didn’t say anything. I could feel Marley watching me, but she never said anything.

“It’ll be healed in a few days,” I assured him.

He knew I was right. He even claimed that he could already move it even more. “It’s not as painful as before either.”

Edgar got back from meeting Mr. Harrison right after dinner. We all gathered around the table in the meeting room while he laid a map across it, pointing at an area just outside of the wall. “Long ago, there used to be buildings here,” Edgar said, completely business. “Gone now, but the subway that ran underground is still there.”

“Does it run into any of the new subway tunnels?” Belladonna said.

“We don’t want to be inside a working subway and get run over,” Robert said.

Edgar understood their concerns. “The empty subway tunnel runs in a straight line across the entire city,” Edgar said. “It does connect with a working one. But we’ll only be in it for a couple of minutes before we reach an exit.”

Mae didn’t seem too happy with the plan. “That’s dangerous for you guys,” she said, placing a hand on Edgar’s shoulder. “What if you’re in there when a subway train goes by? Why not just use the empty subway tunnel the entire time?”

“Because all of the exits for the empty one were destroyed,” Edgar answered. His finger followed the long red line that I assumed was the empty tunnel. He stopped at a point where a black line intersected the red line. “This is the working one we have to use,” he said. “We’ll enter here. And besides, it won’t be that dangerous. Remember the curfew? Subway trains probably won’t be running.” His finger moved an inch down the black line.”

“Where will we exit?” Belladonna asked. “We have to remember the soldiers They’re more dangerous than those officers.”

“That’s where we’re in luck,” Edgar said. “Damn exit leads us just yards away from Cornelius’s tower. Cain said that’s where the meeting is, right?”

“That’s right,” Belladonna said.

“We have stun guns,” Edgar said. “We’ll have to use them either way for any of the soldiers we do meet.”

“Good,” Belladonna said, growing excited. “That won’t draw attention to us.”

“Exactly,” Edgar said, smiling at each of us. “I think we got it.”

Belladonna squeezed her hands together, agreeing with him in excitement. “I’ve waited for so long,” she said. “Finally. This. Is. It! Everything will change!”

I had never seen Belladonna so excited before. She couldn’t even stay still in her seat. Robert rubbed her back, which was kind of awkward. But he was excited too, just like the rest of us. And when they would leave, I’d be right behind them. I couldn’t believe I was going back so soon.

I would have to steal a stun gun first, just in case I ran into any soldiers. But in my mind, if I was following their path, they would get any soldiers before I even got to that point. Pretty solid plan if you had asked me. There was one more question, but I was pretty sure it had the same answer. “What about those inside the tower?” I asked.

“Same thing,” Edgar said. “Stun gun.”

“Oh,” I said. Yeah, I figured.

Belladonna’s excitement kept growing until she decided to leave in order to get rest. Robert stayed for a bit longer before taking Edgar’s map to aid in explaining the plan to Cain and the others that would be going.

During lunch the next day, Edgar explained the plan to everybody. “We’ll be free to leave this damn mountain,” Edgar told them, and they all applauded and cried out in joy. I imagined that a lot of them were happy that Grandfather would be destroyed without a war. At the same time, there were probably some like Ashton who had been looking forward to taking out a few Grandfather members. I mean, that was why they had chosen to live under a freaking mountain. But I guess what mattered the most was that everybody would be able to leave to start their lives again in comfort hopefully, eating better meals and living in safety.

The next days were exciting. Everybody was telling each other their plans after leaving the mountain. Some planned on staying in touch with friends they had made there, and some even planned on going to the same place to start their new lives together. There was even a couple in their late twenties who planned on getting married and starting a family once they left. I thought that was pretty neat. I only hoped that they didn’t have to deal with the inequality between the poor and rich. I supposed that would be up to me and some others. I wondered if I could just blow up the walls the same way Cornelius blew up those people in the city. Now that was an idea, but it was obviously not possible for every city in the nation. At least it wasn’t possible to do alone. I didn’t know what I was going to do yet, but Ashton told me that he would be there to help. Marley wanted to as well. She just had to run it by Mae. Mae would probably be sad that they wouldn’t be settling down, but she would be happy and would help us out too.

The day of the meeting was the most exciting. Everybody was celebrating. And I mean everybody. There was so much singing and laughter going on. Some people were even packing the little belongings they had. Edgar, Belladonna, and Robert along with Cain and the other ten spent the entire day practicing their shooting and going over the plan.

When nobody was looking, I snuck a handgun similar to the one Edgar had let me shoot. Along with that, I stole a stun gun, just in case. I didn’t want to make a lot of noise shooting behind the others. They would find me, and Edgar and Belladonna would’ve been pretty angry. So angry that they would lead me back to the mountain, I’m sure.

Dinner was the most exciting. It was just hours before leaving to meet up with Cornelius. Edgar went up to the front of the dining room. Belladonna and Robert stood beside him. Unlike the others, Robert wore a suit. Belladonna was also dressed nicely for the occasion. Her hair was pinned into a bun, only a long red pin holding it up. She was very beautiful. I figured she would’ve been worried about getting her nice clothes dirty if things turned ugly. But I guessed that since Cornelius would be outnumbered by many, she probably wouldn’t have to do much. The other soldiers, including Cain, stood in a line behind them, armed. I sat with Marley, Ashton, and Mae.

“Folks,” Edgar started. “For two damn years, we’ve stayed hidden under this mountain. For two damn years, we’ve spent a lot of time gathering information on Grandfather, trying to learn their plans. And for two damn years, we’ve waited for the right time to take down these bastards.”

Edgar examined the entire the crowd. They watched him, smiling. Edgar continued. “We’ve been a step behind Grandfather these past two years. Well, tonight, that’s changed. Grandfather doesn’t know what’s coming. They’re no longer a step ahead of us. This will be their last night. Tonight, we are steps ahead.” Edgar motioned at somebody toward the back door.

We all turned around to see several men walk in, carrying crates of bottles filled with something. Man, there was so much. Where in the world did all of that come from? Everybody began cheering and some threw their hats into the air. I thought it was kind of funny when quite a few jumped up, yelling out “wine”.

“We celebrate the end of these bastards!” Edgar yelled out. He walked up and took an entire bottle of wine from one of the men. He popped the cork and drank straight from the bottle. I couldn’t help but laugh at him.

The bottles were sat down on a table and even more were brought in. Everybody grabbed a glass and filled it up. Even Mae grabbed one for her and allowed Marley to sip on one.

Edgar returned to the table, carrying two additional glasses. “Celebrate,” he said, shoving one at me and the other at Ashton. We took it.

I had never tasted wine before. I had never had any kind of alcohol before. I saw it plenty of time because the houseladies at the orphanage would sneak some inside and drink all the time. That was probably why they didn’t seem to care for anything going on there. I did have to say that the wine was a pretty red color. I took a small swig. The dry liquid with a hint of apple slid down my tongue and down my throat. My chest warmed up.

“Now Edgar,” Mae said as Edgar started on another glass. “Don’t be drinking too much of that.”

“Ah, Mae,” he said laughing. He stood behind her and patted her on the shoulder.

“You wouldn’t want to be impaired on such an important journey.”

Edgar laughed again, but then sat his glass down. “As usual, you’re right, Maebelle.”

Mae laughed. “Oh, of course I am.”

The dining hall was filled with laughter and eventually singing. I even caught Dr. Mac doing some sort of dance. I was pretty sure it wasn’t an actual dance because it looked like he was just jumping in every direction. It was pretty funny, and a couple of people didn’t let him do it alone. I had never seen so many happy people before. They were even happier than the rich people – at least the rich people before they learned of Grandfather.

I finished my glass of wine and even had another small one. I felt more relaxed and knew that was when I should quit, especially since I would be sneaking out. Marley stuck with her one glass while Ashton grabbed a few more.

Belladonna, Edgar, Robert, and the others were to leave at 9:30 since the whole trip would be made on foot. By the time 8:30 came, they began getting ready, growing more serious. Other people in the dining hall took breaks from their good times in order to wish luck to those going on the mission.

By 9:00, the wine forced Ashton to go to bed. It was funny to see him stumble around while on crutches. Mae was so scared that he was going to fall over, but he made it. Right before 9:30, Edgar came up to me and put a hand on my shoulder. “Carsyn,” he said, letting out a quiet burp.

“Manners!” Mae said, though not sounding upset at all as she sipped on her drink.

“Yeah, yeah,” Edgar said, smiling at her. He turned his attention back at me and grew serious. “Son, you’ve come a long way in such a short period of time.”

I said nothing, returning the eye contact.

“Before, ya didn’t want to have anything to do with Grandfather. Said it had nothing to do with ya.” Edgar chuckled. “Learned how wrong you were, didn’t you?”

I nodded.

“You were annoying too.” He laughed. “Boy, you asked so many damn questions, I thought I was gonna lock you up in a room ‘till this was all over.”

I had to laugh with him, remembering all of the questions I asked and how angry Edgar would get. Sometimes, I think I did it on purpose, just to see him Cringe.

“Grown on me, you have,” Edgar said. “Glad you’re here . . . and I think you got a lot of potential. Anxious to see what’s in store for ya.”

Then, he hugged me. It was the second time he had ever hugged me. It was still hard for me to believe that a man like Edgar could be a tiny bit sentimental. Perhaps it was the wine. Either way, I hugged back. Just as I annoyed him before, he annoyed me. Just as I had grown on him, he had grown on me.

Edgar let go and turned around. “Let’s take them down!” he screamed, spit flying out of his mouth. Edgar, Belladonna, Robert, and the other soldiers marched to the door leading to the cave exit. For a second, everybody quit their singing, laughing, and dancing, and they applauded, bursting out in cheers.

“Take them down!” I heard a man scream.

“End it!” a woman screamed.

They went through the door and were gone. The laughter and singing continued. I turned to look at Marley and Mae who were just as happy. I wanted to stay, but I couldn’t. It was time to seem a little buzzed from the wine.

“I think Ashton’s got the right idea,” I said, standing up. “Goin’ to bed. Will you wake me up in a couple of hours?”

“Bed so soon?” Mae asked. “With all this excitement?”

“Unfortunately yeah,” I told her. “Gonna . . . gonna sleep good.” My cheeks were burning. I was such a bad liar.

Marley looked at me suspiciously. Mae agreed that she or Marley would stop by to wake me up before everybody returned. With nothing else to say, I left the dining room, looking behind me to make sure I wasn’t being followed. I wasn’t. I rushed into my room and grabbed the handgun and stun gun. I thought about changing into a suit, but the one I had was still covered in dust. Mae hadn’t gotten to cleaning it. Honestly, there wasn’t a reason to wear one. I wasn’t going to be seen by others. And I didn’t really care if I was seen or not. It didn’t really matter at that point. The stun gun was small enough to fit into my pocket. I placed the handgun under my waistband. I wanted to give Edgar and them time to get ahead of me, so I waited impatiently for ten minutes before going to the door to peak out. I looked down the hall. Nobody was there. I snuck out and ran around the corner. Thankfully, I had remembered to grab a flashlight I saw in the meeting room. I turned it on and ran toward the ladder.

I was also thankful that I had actually taken the time to memorize the map Edgar used for the plan. That a way, I knew exactly where I would be going. Edgar and them would be ahead of me, but I knew the exact route they were taking. That would keep me from having to get too close to them.

I reached the ladder and climbed up. After I was up, I walked toward the road. As they had marked, I didn’t walk directly alongside of the road. We didn’t want anybody driving by to see us. I stayed hidden, in the dark, within the tree lines. I was sure to turn off the flashlight so that Edgar and them didn’t catch a glimpse of the light. And I was definitely sure to stay quiet, just in case I got too close to them without knowing it. I didn’t want them to hear me. But I doubted that would happen since I couldn’t hear any of them. They were further ahead. I definitely wouldn’t be able to see them because they weren’t using any flashlights either to keep from being spotted.

I continued walking for about another hour before I heard leaves rattling. I was moving quicker than them. Of course I was . . . there were fourteen of them and one of me. It’s always more difficult to travel in groups. I slowed down, looking to where they were. It just looked like a bunch of walking shadows. I followed them cautiously.

This went on a while before my clumsiness got to me. I tripped over a rigid slab of concrete, nearly falling to the ground. I froze and held my breath, listening, hoping nobody heard me.

They were a few hundred yards away from me, and I could hear mumbling. Oh no, they heard me. At least that’s what I kept thinking. I listened more closely until I finally was able to make out Edgar’s voice. “Down here,” I barely heard him say. “Hurry the hell up.” Yup, that was definitely Edgar.

Then, I heard the very thing I didn’t want to. “They didn’t hear you,” somebody whispered behind me. I swear, I nearly fell over again. I’m pretty sure I almost yelled out too, which wouldn’t have been good. I reached for my gun as I turned around. Should have known. It was Marley. Why did this keep happening? She and Ashton were always figuring out my plan. And I was always coming up with stupid plans.

“No,” I whispered. No, no, no. Go back.”

“No, Carsyn,” she said. “I’m worried about you.”

“Go back to Mae,” I said, still whispering. “Celebrate with her.”

“She’s fine,” Marley said. “She’s talking with Dr. Mac and some others. And besides, she started dancing, which was kind of embarrassing. She’s not very good.”

“Marley,” I snapped, forcing myself to not accidently raise my voice. “This is too dangerous. Go. Back. Now.”

“You want me to go back?” Marley asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “I’d be furious with myself if something happened to you.”

“Aww,” Marley said. “You really have changed since I first met you. You actually care for people now.”

“Be quiet,” I griped. “There’s no time for this.”

“You’re right,” she said. “Let’s go. Before they –”

“Go back,” I declared again. I listened for the others. I heard nothing. They must have entered the subway tunnel.

“If I’m going back, you’re going with me,” Marley said.

“Um, no,” I said.

“Well, um, you don’t have a choice,” Marley snapped with some sassy attitude. “All I have to do is start screaming for Belladonna and Edgar.”

I said nothing. She had played me again, and it made me so angry. I honestly didn’t know what I’d do if something bad happened to her. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to face Mae. But I wasn’t going to let her stop me from going.

“How did you know I left?” I asked.

“Really?” she asked. “Do you think I’m that dumb? First of all, you said you were going to go. And second, you didn’t have that much wine. I knew you weren’t going to bed.”

I should have known Marley would have figured it out. I had no choice. I shook my head at her in annoyance. “Fine,” I whispered. I took out the stun gun and gave it to her. She refused to take it. She reached into her pocket and took out her own stun gun.

“I’m prepared,” she said.

I wanted to be annoyed, but it was too hard. I just grinned and shook my head.

“Let’s go,” I told her. We walked toward the entrance. I didn’t know what it looked like, but I figured it would be pretty easy to recognize. I was right. We reached a set of steps covered in grass that had grown through the cracks. Only a few bushes and weeds covered the place up. How had nobody discovered this? I guess not many people were nearby. The wall stood tall in the distance. We were going to spend the next hour and a half walking across it from underneath. I took a deep breath, dreading the journey. This was it. And now I had Marley to worry about.

Chapter Eighteen

We walked down the steps slowly. It grew darker the further down. By the time we reached the landing, I couldn’t see anything But I knew it was the platform right before the tracks. Edgar had talked about it. I slowly walked to where the platform ended, leading to the tracks of the abandoned subway. Marley and I knelt down and jumped. I immediately tripped on the metal track, catching myself with my hands. I froze, hoping they didn’t hear that. Down the tunnel, I could see a faint light. There was no way they heard me, unless there was an echo. But I doubted it. Marley helped me up and we started walking, staying close enough to use the light ahead as a guide but far enough to keep from being heard. She walked beside the track, being extra cautious to keep from falling.

This went on for what I think was about an hour. We could hear the faint voices of them talking, but I couldn’t tell what they were actually saying. But I could tell that they were no longer moving. I stopped Marley.

“What are they doing?” she asked when they still didn’t move.

“I bet they’re taking a break,” I said. “Makes sense. We must be close.”

I was glad they stopped because it allowed Marley and me to rest too. I didn’t know what would be happening over the next hour, but I knew I didn’t want to be restless.

I don’t know what they were talking about, but it must’ve been funny because several times, they burst out in laughter. They were probably still in celebratory mode. I didn’t blame them.

It was about fifteen minutes later before they started moving again. Marley and I followed. I was still afraid that I was going to trip over the track again, so I was extra careful.

I did lose track of time, so I had no idea how long we had been in the tunnel. But eventually, the light ahead went away, just like that. Great. We no longer had a guide. Marley and I moved quicker while still being careful. I did end up tripping again but caught myself before actually falling.

Why did they turn their lights off? Did they know we were behind them?

That’s when I remembered the map. They didn’t turn off their lights. They just turned down the other subway tunnel.

“Let’s keep going,” I told Marley, feeling her stop. I reached my hands out until I could feel her arm. “We’re almost there.”

Sure enough, we came to the turn leading to another subway track. We were close. We had about thirty minutes before the meeting started, I felt.

I rounded the corner and entered the next subway tunnel. I saw light up ahead. We followed it for about ten minutes before it turned off to what I guessed to be the exit. I was right. We reached a platform much like the one from the entrance earlier. We climbed onto it and made our way to the stairs, slowly climbing them. With any luck, Edgar and them would’ve shot down any soldiers nearby with stun guns, keeping me and Marley from having to shoot anybody. That’s what I kept telling myself.

I slowed down as I saw the buildings towering overhead. I peeked over the exit as my head inched out of the ground. The sidewalks were empty. Most of the lights to the buildings were turned off. It was unusual since we were in the city center. Any other time, the place would have pedestrians and vehicles scattered. The city was just so . . .

“It’s dead.”

Yup, Marley was right. There was no life anywhere.

Edgar had said we were lucky, and I saw why. Just a block away was the familiar building. The Presidential Tower. The lights on the top floor were on, obviously. Up there was where the meeting was being held.

We climbed the remainder of the stairs. I pictured the map in my head before looking in the direction Edgar and them would’ve gone. I actually didn’t even need the map to know where I was going, because two soldiers lied on the nearest corner. I knew the soldiers weren’t dead. Killing them would’ve been too loud. That was the whole point in the stun guns.

“Let’s hurry up,” Marley whispered. “In case there are more nearby.”

That wouldn’t have been good. They would alert Cornelius when the unconscious soldiers were found. It didn’t matter though, because we were too close. Cornelius wouldn’t have time to prepare for us. I walked onto the sidewalk and was about to cross the street when a movement to my right caught my attention. I turned to see the very thing I didn’t want to see. They hadn’t gotten all of the soldiers, because one of them was just standing there, staring at me. He held a phone, ready to dial. I quickly pointed my stun gun and shot it at him. His body began shaking tremendously, as if he was having a seizure. He dropped his phone and fell to his knees. I walked to him and kicked him as hard as I could in the head, just to speed up the process. The kick knocked him out.

I turned to Marley who was just staring at the soldier’s body in shock. “I bet that hurt,” she said.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her around the corner. There were a few more unconscious soldiers on the sidewalk. I didn’t see any others. Good. Maybe I wouldn’t have to use the stun gun again. We took off running down the sidewalk, growing nearer to the tower.

That’s when we heard it, and my heart stopped. I felt like a kid who was just caught sneaking around. I guess that’s exactly what I was doing.

“Stop!” somebody screamed from behind.

Of course my first thought was that a soldier had found us. As soon as Marley and I obeyed, I knew it was no soldier. It was a woman.

I turned around slowly as Marley did. The woman looked absolutely terrified. Or maybe she was angry. Probably both.

“Momma?” Marley asked. “What are –”

“We’re going back now,” Mae demanded, charging after us.

I backed away. “Go with your mom,” I told Marley.

“You’re coming with me, too,” Mae snapped.

Man, her lips were trembling. I couldn’t have imagined her angry but yet, there she was.

“I’m sorry,” I said, about to turn and make a run for it. I didn’t get the chance. Mae didn’t get a chance to argue more either.

“Freeze!”

We all spun around to see four soldiers pointing guns at us from across the road.

“Hands up!”

There was nothing we could do. I flung them in the air. I turned to see Mae and Marley did the same.

With their guns still pointed at us, they crossed the street until they reached us, and frowned while looking us up and down.

“How did you get inside?” one of them asked.

I didn’t know what he was talking about at first. Then I remembered we weren’t dressed all fancy. It was obvious we were outsiders.

“I need to see Cornelius,” I said. Hey, I had no idea what else to say. I hoped that would buy us a little time to . . . to do something.

They all laughed except for the one nearest Mae. Slowly, he came toward me. Then, he lowered his gun down. The other soldiers quit laughing.

“What is it?” one asked.

“The boy,” he answered without taking his eyes off me. It was really creepy. Then, his eyes went to Marley.

“What boy?”

“The orphan,” he replied “This is Carsyn. And I think this is that girl . . . what’s her name.”

“It’s Marley,” she answered.

Mae shushed her.

The soldiers moved closer to us, their eyes wide with amazement.

“Take me to Cornelius,” I said.

They didn’t even have to think about it. They looked toward the Presidential Tower and nodded for me to start walking. I did so, followed by Marley and Mae. The soldiers stayed behind us, keeping a close eye on us. At least they had their guns lowered.

I kept walking until we reached the familiar pathway between the rows of fountains in front of the Presidential Tower. I remembered walking through the doors to meet up with Cornelius. We ran past the fountain and to the self-revolving doors. I didn’t know what to expect when I got inside.

There were people inside. But thankfully, they were unconscious. Edgar and Robert had already gotten to them.

The soldiers gasped when they saw them. “What’s going on?” One asked, holding his gun in firing position, spinning in every direction to make sure harm wasn’t near.

I threw my hands up. “I need to see Cornelius,” I said.

This time, the soldiers were more cautious. They kept their guns pointed at us while leading us to the elevator.

“This is dangerous,” Mae whispered. “You shouldn’t have come.”

“Too late for that, Momma,” Marley whispered. “We’ll be fine.”

“Oh, Marley, I can’t believe you’d do such a thing again.”

Marley didn’t say anything. She probably didn’t know what to say. Or maybe she was disappointed in herself. I bet anything that was the first time Mae was ever mad at her daughter.

When we reached the elevators, I tapped the ‘up’ button. The number above the door didn’t move for a several seconds. There was an awkward silence.

I was getting impatient and anxious. The elevators were never going to move! They eventually did, and when they reached us, we jumped inside. Marley hit the button to the top floor. We made eye contact, both of us breathing heavily as gun barrels stood inches from our faces.

It seemed as if we were in the elevator forever. As I gazed at the city through the glass, the word dead came to mind again. It was a bit sad.

The elevator came to a stop, dinged, and the door slid opened. We walked out slowly. I recognized the front desk. There was nobody there. I glanced to the hall to the right. That was where Cornelius’s office was. Marley looked at it too, remembering. We walked closer to the desk and looked down the hall. We looked down the other way where we were kept in cells. Shivers ran down my spine just being there again. Why did I always end up in places I didn’t want to be?

“Follow,” one of the soldiers demanded, taking us down the left hall. He knew exactly where he was going, and I knew he was right because I first heard the voices. I couldn’t make out words. We got closer and closer until we reached two opened double doors. That’s where the voices were coming from.

I stopped before the soldier entered. I couldn’t breathe. I glanced at Marley and Mae. Mae was absolutely terrified. So was Marley. I had to admit, I was afraid, but there was no turning back.

“Let’s go,” the soldier demanded, bursting into the room. “We found three people sneaking around,” the soldier said before I could see anybody.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. No, there was nothing that could make me calm at that moment. But it was worth a shot.

I entered . . .

And found myself in a perfectly round room. In the middle was a round table that could have seated twenty or so people. On it was a large map of the city. There were several different colored markings, but I wasn’t sure what they meant.

Sitting on one side of the table was the shocked Cornelius. He couldn’t take his eyes off me. I felt as if he kept going from anger to happy to annoyed to surprised. Beside him were four men and two women. They had to be the leaders.

The thing I hadn’t expected to see was what was behind them. Seven soldiers, each armed with a handgun, standing perfectly at attention. They had no facial expression. None of us had expected there to be others. We no longer outnumbered Cornelius. It was a fair battle.

Standing on the other end of the room across from Cornelius was Belladonna, Edgar, Robert, Cain and the others. They were just as shocked as Cornelius, unable to keep their eyes off us as the soldiers led us inside. Edgar’s face was completely red.

“They were sneaking around,” the soldier leading us in told Cornelius, who had just started to laugh so hard his eyes were watering.

“Idiots!” Edgar screamed. “You never listen!”

“Can’t keep away,” Cornelius said, still laughing.

“What are you doing here?” Belladonna angrily asked. “How dare you disobey my orders and –”

Cornelius’s laughter grew louder, forcing Belladonna to go silent. “Carsyn . . . Marley . . . You’ve been sorely missed.”

Marley, Mae, and I stood side-by-side as the soldiers stayed close to us. What did they think we would do?

I glared at Cornelius. He waved a hand, and the soldiers who captured us left immediately.

“You got me in a lot of trouble,” he said “I do have to ask . . . how did you come by the recording and letter?”

“Your office,” I blurted.

“And I do wonder how you three got away,” Cornelius said. “Somebody assisted you, didn’t they?”

I snickered. “I guess you weren’t that good at keeping an eye on us,” I told him.

“Doesn’t matter,” Belladonna said. “Grandfather’s era will come to an end tonight.”

“You think you can destroy us,” he said, amused, turning his attention back at her. “What will happen to the people? No president, no authority . . . who will run the country?”

“I’ve got a few ideas,” Belladonna said.

“They’ll sure as hell be better than yours,” Edgar exclaimed, the anger not leaving his face. Or perhaps he was just worried. I just couldn’t tell the difference.

“One would ask why you came, Carsyn,” Cornelius said, ignoring Edgar. “Me? I know why.”

I said nothing.

Cornelius snickered. “It’s your parents again, isn’t it? That curiosity keeps getting you into trouble, doesn’t it? It’s been in the back of your mind all along.”

You know it was true.

“Yes, I lied about your parents. No, Benjamin isn’t your father. And the necklace has nothing to do with them.”

There it was. The truth. It’s what I wanted. Should have known. And he was right . . . my curiosity did keep getting me in trouble. One day, I wasn’t going to be so lucky.

Cornelius continued,” But with that said, who’s to say I don’t know the truth about you?”

Great. Answers were always replaced with more questions.

“This is nonsense,” Belladonna barked.

Cornelius ignored her.

I moved further into the room. Marley was behind me, followed by Mae.

“Let me tell you something, Carsyn. What if I told you your heritage explains why you can open the safe for me?”

“You’re lying,” I spat.

“Am I?” Cornelius asked, raising a brow.

“Don’t listen to him,” Edgar snapped.

“Edgar’s right,” Marley whispered, looking absolutely terrified. “He’s trying to get to you. He knows he’s finished. It doesn’t matter right now.”

“Oh, Marley,” Cornelius said. “I believe it does matter to Carsyn.” He didn’t take his eyes off me.

I wanted to wipe the smirk off his face.

“You see, Carsyn . . . I do know the truth. I had to lie about your parents before because the truth would’ve revealed Grandfather to the people. I can tell you the truth. Why don’t you come join me?” Casually, he waved me over.

“Carsyn,” Edgar whispered.

Of course it was tempting to believe him. I was desperate. But one thing I had learned was that Cornelius was a great liar. I just couldn’t believe a liar. And even if he wasn’t, I certainly wasn’t even going to consider joining him. He could only hope. What he was thinking was that having me on his side would stop Belladonna and Edgar from attacking. Well, it probably would have stopped them, but I wasn’t joining him.

“He doesn’t need you,” Belladonna told Cornelius. Her next sentence ran chills down my spine. My heart seemed to stop. Maybe it did, I don’t know. I played the words over and over after Belladonna said, “Because I know the truth about his parents.”

“What?” Edgar whispered, just as shocked.

I was surrounded by secrets.

I watched Belladonna, hoping she was just lying to Cornelius. But it didn’t look like it at all. She watched him closely with a smirk on her face. Perhaps she was just a great liar like Cornelius.

“No you don’t,” Cornelius said. “You thi –”

“You’re so ignorant,” Belladonna snapped at him. “Not knowing what’s been going on right underneath you. You don’t even know what’s going on in this room right now.”

Cornelius’s nostrils flared up. His eye began twitching. He looked at his council members. They had frightening looks on their face. I saw the seven soldiers standing behind him. They didn’t look scared at all. They stared straight ahead, looks of determination on their face. They were ready to defend Cornelius at any moment.

“Don’t call me ignorant,” Cornelius demanded, slapping a hand against the table. “You’ll learn in a minute.” Cornelius turned to his soldiers. “Take out your weapons,” he told them.

They each instantly pulled out a handgun. Edgar took out his weapon and pointed at them. The others didn’t budge, including Belladonna and Robert. I kept a hand on the handgun at my waist, just in case.

“Weapons,” Edgar whispered to Belladonna.

She ignored him.

Mae grabbed Marley’s hand.

Marley didn’t resist. Her eyes flashed repeatedly from Cornelius to Edgar to Belladonna.

“You don’t even know,” Belladonna said slowly. “You thought it was over when Olyver LaFon died.”

I had no idea what she was talking about, but it seemed to shock Cornelius. He was silent, his eyes beaming at her. Finally, after taking a deep breath, he whispered, “I eliminated Olyver. He got in the way.”

“Because you guys went down different paths,” Belladonna confirmed.

I was still clueless as to what they were talking about and stunned having learned that Cornelius was lying about my parents.

“You murdered him because you were scared,” Belladonna said in an unfamiliar tone. I mean, it was actually horrifying. Her normal soothing tone was completely gone. Her beautiful peaceful eyes had darkened.

“Olyver was getting in the way,” Cornelius said, raising his voice, trying to maintain control of the conversation. “We had the same starting points. His grandfather worked with mine. But Olyver had different outcomes than Grandfather. He would have prevented wonderful progression. I knew he was the only one who would stand in the way, so I had no choice.”

“You made the mistake in believing he was the only one who could stop you,” Belladonna said.

Cornelius burst out laughing once again. “You people?” He glanced at his council whose faces were frozen, their bodies stiff.

That’s when I remembered something. I shot a look at Marley. She’d been watching me, waiting for me to figure it out. Cornelius had told us about an old colleague being the only one who could stop Grandfather. Was it this Olyver guy? I was certain Edgar knew nothing about it. You could see it all over his face.

“Me,” Belladonna simply said. “I’m avenging my husband’s death by turning his vision to life.”

Things just kept escalating. Just as I thought I couldn’t be more shocked, somebody proved me wrong.

Edgar looked just as speechless.

I even heard Marley gasp.

Cornelius’s eyes were huge. He didn’t give his usual chuckle or crooked sneer, and he didn’t say anything. Speechless. I would’ve loved the moment if I weren’t so confused.

“My husband and I were very close. I believed what he believed. He believed what I believed. Our relationship was perfect. As soon as you strangled him, I knew why. He had warned me. Now . . .” Belladonna spread out her arms. “Here I am.”

It took a few seconds before Cornelius finally spoke. He couldn’t take his eyes off Belladonna. “I . . . I must applaud you for truly surprising me. That isn’t too easy. You and your husband had me over for dinner. You remember?” He paused, waiting for Belladonna to speak.

She didn’t.

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter,” he continued. “Grandfather has been rebuilding these past twenty years. We’re already too strong. You say I don’t even know what’s going on in this room. The problem is that you think you know everything going on.

He glanced at the soldiers protecting him and raised a hand, pointing in Edgar’s and Belladonna’s direction.

I took my handgun out immediately, ready to fire once the guns were fired. It didn’t come.

Cornelius turned around to look at the soldiers. “Now,” he said again, turning back around to give us a smile of victory.

The soldiers didn’t fire.

Belladonna laughed. “Like I said. You’ve been ignorant this whole time. But don’t worry. You couldn’t help it.”

I don’t think there was a person in that room who could take their eyes off Belladonna if they wanted to.

“Take out your weapons,” Edgar told her desperately. “We can’t just let them shoot us here.”

Belladonna ignored him again. Normally, this would’ve made Edgar angry. But not this time. He was scared. And I mean absolutely terrified.

“Hurry,” he pleaded.

Belladonna spread out her arms like wings, her smile never falling, her eyes glued to Cornelius.

“I’ll carry out Olyver’s dream.”

Cornelius just looked at his soldiers. “I said shoot! Now!”

Again, nobody fired.

Belladonna spat out one word.

“Now.”

And everything turned into chaos.

The seven soldiers behind Cornelius walked up behind each of the council members. The soldiers pointed their guns at the back of their heads, except for the soldier who stood behind Cornelius. He had dropped his gun and held a knife against Cornelius’s throat.

Sweat rolled down Cornelius’s bare head forehead, his eyes so wide they looked as if they were ready to pop out.

“What are you doing?” he asked the soldier, his voice quivering.

He didn’t get an answer.

The guns went off.

Blood and brain matter from the other Grandfather leaders exploded like a grenade, splattering onto the round table and map. Each of their eyes went blank as their bodies fumbled out of their chairs to the ground. One woman’s body stayed seated as her head banged loudly against the table. Blood seeped out of her head and streamed onto the city map.

Cornelius closed his eyes, his body trembling.

Nobody said a word, still trying to figure out why Cornelius’s men had turned against him.

Belladonna kept smiling at him.

“Please,” Cornelius pleaded.

“Did you give my husband mercy?” Belladonna asked.

“I wanted –”

“You tainted the Grandfather name,” Belladonna interrupted. “It was Olyver’s grandfather who came up with the name!”

“He didn’t –.”

“And you killed him, polluting the name!”

“What’s this all a –”

He didn’t get the chance to finish his thought.

The soldier behind him held the knife firmly and sliced it across Cornelius’s throat. Blood gushed down Cornelius’s neck and body, streaming to the floor, creating a puddle. Cornelius gripped his neck tightly, gasping for air, desperately. The sound of him choking on his own body fluid echoed off the walls as he fell out of his chair to his knees. His gloomy eyes watched Belladonna whose grin never faded. The sound of gurgling blood grew quieter and quieter until the life left Cornelius’s eyes completely. His body fell to the floor, motionless.

I kept my eyes on the Grandfather leaders, laying there dead. I never expected to see somebody die like that. Yeah, I had seen all the dead bodies during the disaster in the city, but I only saw the aftermath. That was the first time somebody died right there in front of me. Even though I hated Cornelius and he definitely deserved it, the site was so gruesome and disturbing that I . . . I don’t know.

“What the hell,” Edgar said in confusion, ready for answers. “They –”

Belladonna’s hands moved swiftly above her head, pulling the red pin that was holding her hair in place. Her hair fell to her back as she revealed a dagger. Giving Edgar no time to react, she swung it, slashing Edgar’s throat. He held his throat as Cornelius had and fell to the ground, gasping for air. Blood seeped down onto the floor as his body twitched.

I couldn’t breathe. I literally couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even think straight. I felt absolutely brain dead, ready to pass out.

Robert, Cain, and the others did nothing but watch this happen. How could they? Then there were the soldiers guarding Cornelius. Except they were the ones to kill him.

Mae seemed to be the only one to register what was going on. And she wasn’t happy. She let go of Marley, letting out a terrifying high-pitched scream. “You bitch!” she cried, charging after Belladonna, fists in the air as if one punch would end it all.

I remembered the gun in my hand and pointed it at Belladonna, not fearing to take her down. I had said before that I would never know if I could actually kill a person until the moment came. Well, it seemed as if I could. I wasn’t thinking straight, but Belladonna had just taken a dagger to Edgar’s throat. I knew I couldn’t have imagined that. I don’t know why she did it, but she did. And Mae was probably in trouble too.

I pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened.

I did it again.

Still nothing.

No ammo. I’d never felt so useless in my life.

Marley and I watched in horror as Mae reached Belladonna. She was no match for Belladonna. She was just furious.

With no emotion, holding the dagger with both hands, Belladonna thrust it into Mae’s chest.

Mae’s horrific screams echoed off the walls, piercing my eardrum.

“Momma!” Marley screamed, jumping up to run after Belladonna.

I was not going to let the same thing happen to her. I threw the gun onto the floor, grabbed Marley’s arm before she could get far, and jerked her back so hard that she fell onto the floor beside me.

“No!” I screamed.

She kept struggling to get away. She didn’t care.

I held tighter.

“Momma!” Marley screamed again. “No, Momma!”

Mae turned to look at her daughter. She cried while clutching the wound on her chest with red, wet hands. Her white shirt slowly turned red.

“Momma,” Marley said again in tears, looking into Mae’s eyes. “Don’t go.”

Mae tried speaking to Marley, but she only mumbled, gurgling up blood with every syllable.

Belladonna lifted a foot into the air and kicked Mae, sending her crashing to the floor next to Edgar.

Edgar, still gasping for air, reached a hand out toward Mae’s. She looked him deep in the eyes. Slowly, using the last bit of strength, she extended her arm until her hand grasped his.

“How could you!” Marley screamed at Belladonna in tears. “You betrayed us!”

I watched as Edgar’s body slowly stopped trembling until soon, he didn’t budge at all. His blank eyes stayed open, darting at Mae. After a few seconds, her body completely relaxed. That was the third time I remember crying.

Belladonna didn’t even pay any attention to them. She didn’t even seem fazed by all the killing. She turned to Robert who walked to her and bowed. Cain and the other soldiers did the same.

I forced myself to get my act together. I wiped my eyes and slowly let go of Marley. Immediately, she ran to Mae’s body, moving her face around, hoping she was still alive.

I did the first thing that came to mind. I lunged at Belladonna.

Robert was quicker.

He pushed me away with just one hand, sending me straight to the floor. I stood up and took my stun gun out. Just before I could shoot it, somebody from behind me smacked it out of my hands. I turned around to see the soldier that had killed Cornelius. I was going to throw a punch at him, but he grabbed my arms and spun me around, forcing me to face Belladonna and Robert. I tried getting away but he was too strong. I’m not even sure what I would’ve done if I did escape.

Another soldier pulled Marley up and held her. She too was kicking and pushing but was no match for the soldier. She eventually gave up, her crying echoing off the walls. She reached for her mother, but the soldier wouldn’t let her get near Mae.

Belladonna walked up to me with her gorgeous facial expression.

I wanted to smack her.

No. I wanted to kill her. I wanted to take her dagger and stab her. That’s one feeling I never want to have again.

“How could you,” I said through my teeth. “They were your friends! They were –”

“They were nothing to me!” Belladonna yelled, slapping me in the face. “So foolish and ignorant, just like Grandfather.”

“Who are you?” I asked. “Who the hell are you?”

“Too long have we waited for this,” she said, glancing at each of the soldiers who didn’t try to help us. “I’ve had to stay with a bunch of rebels and deal with Edgar’s hideous face for far too long.”

“I can’t believe you,” I cried.

“Cry all you want,” Belladonna said. “There was nothing you could ever do. I’ve been planning this ever since Cornelius killed my husband.”

“You’re no better than them,” I growled.

“I’m better,” Belladonna said, pointing toward Cornelius’s body. “I’m stronger and smarter than them. I have more followers than Cornelius could have ever dreamt of. Being smarter than Cornelius, I had my men secretly join Grandfather for this very day.”

The soldiers that had killed Cornelius and the other leaders . . . I now knew why they did it.

“You see,” Belladonna continued. “Cornelius thought he had a lot of followers. Half of them weren’t even following his orders. They were following mine.” Belladonna looked around, satisfied with her work.

“All for revenge?” I asked.

Belladonna looked at the ground. “I do have to say that it was nice to watch my husband’s murderer squirm before dying. But no, this isn’t all for revenge. It’s to carry out Olyver’s dream. My dream. The dream we both shared.”

She motioned for Cain.

He held a small box with both hands. He rushed it to her and opened it, revealing a red button.

“I had to be patient,” Belladonna said. “Get the rings.”

A soldier ran to Cornelius and the dead leaders, moving as quick as possible. Seconds later, he returned, carrying seven rings.

“Why didn’t you do this a long time ago?” I asked. “Why didn’t you just kill all of us!”

“Now, don’t forget about the safe,” Belladonna teased. “Only Cornelius knew the location of the safe. I had to wait until he brought it here.”

“There’s been a delay, but it will be here in a few days,” Robert said cheerfully.

“You knew all along?” I asked. “The safe.”

“Of course I did,” Belladonna said. “No, Cornelius didn’t know what was inside, but he knew it was something powerful.”

“What is it?” I asked. “Bitcoin? Is that what you want?”

“Child,” Belladonna said, chuckling. “Bitcoin is nothing to me. But the location to all the nuclear bombs Doyle planted . . . oh yes, that’s a lot more valuable.”

I said nothing. My heart sank. I don’t know how she knew what was inside, but it didn’t matter. The soldier had finally let go of Marley, and she cried over Mae’s body. Mae’s red, wet hands still clutched Edgar’s.

“You’re going to kill half the world?” I asked.

Belladonna shook her hand as she took out the similar phone Cain showed us days before. It was the very phone that was linked to the Grandfather rings. “I’m not killing the whole world,” she simply said “Population is getting out of control. Resources are running low. It’ll be a rough transition, but I’m here to eliminate the problems.”

I just knew I was going to throw up. I even bent down to try. All I did was dry heave.

“There’s only one way to destroy an idea,” she said, looking at each of the red dots on the phone. There were so many . . . so many Grandfather followers. She clicked on the seven near our location. She tapped a few buttons until the red dots faded. “You must destroy anything related to that idea. Doing that leaves no hope. Well, in order to completely destroy the idea of Grandfather, I must destroy anything related to them. My husband got in Grandfather’s way. Well, now they’re in my way. Olyver’s way.”

Robert took the box from Cain and held it by Belladonna’s hands. He laughed quietly at the button.

“And as long as any member of Grandfather lives, their idea lives.”

She pushed the button, and one by one, the red dots began fading away. “Listen,” Belladonna said. “Silence . . . everybody.”

Everyone obeyed.

I listened carefully, not hearing anything at first. I watched as another red dot faded away. This red dot was probably only a block away. I heard what sounded like an explosion.

“What did you do?” I asked, already knowing.

“Once again, I was a step ahead of Cornelius,” Belladonna said. “These rings had more than a GPS in them.”

“No,” I said.

“Yes,” Belladonna said.

“We put bombs in the rings,” Robert said, chuckling.

“Funny how today’s technology allows such a thing,” Belladonna gloated.

I thought about Cornelius’s ring. It didn’t explode. I remembered Belladonna removing the red dots off of the screen. She must have deactivated them.

“You’ll kill people around them,” I screamed.

“Yes, innocent people near them will be caught up in the explosion. It’s all a part of the rough transition. Unfortunate, but after everything is put right, I’ll be a hero. For the greater good.”

I said nothing. All I did was keep crying as I thought of more innocent people dying. More bodies lying everywhere. I looked at the phone as the last of the red dots on the map faded. Hundreds of explosions just rippled throughout the city. We had lost.

“You betrayed us all,” I said. “We all looked up to you under the mountain.”

“They don’t matter to me,” Belladonna growled. “Actually, as we speak, everybody under the mountain should be dead. Your life was to be spared.”

Oh no. I thought of how happy everybody was earlier. Dr. Mac dancing. And Ashton. Everybody.

Dead?

“You’re just like Grandfather!” Marley screamed.

Belladonna just chuckled. “My husband and I agreed with Grandfather’s idea to a certain point. So you would be right . . . I am similar to Grandfather. I’m only better.”

“They were innocent,” Marley screamed back. “They were innocent!”

“Innocent?” Belladonna said. “As long as those rebels continued to live under the mountain, they could intervene in my new order. Again, it’s part of the unfortunate transition.”

“Without them,” Robert said. “There’s nobody to rebel against us.”

Belladonna and I made eye contact. For the first time, I could see the evil swarming in those beautiful green eyes. Everything about her was beautiful. Everything about her was worse than Cornelius, and it gave me chills. The woman I knew was gone.

“Who are you!” I screamed, kicking and squirming to get out of the soldier’s grasps.

“Who am I?” Belladonna asked. Another soldier walked up behind Belladonna, holding a golden crown, much like something a king or queen would wear. ”The only difference between my ideas and Grandfather’s is that we had different endings. We had the same steps to reach our goal, but I couldn’t just call myself Grandfather. They spoiled that beautiful name. Olyver loved his grandfather, and it was he who invented the prestigious name. Cornelius paid for destroying that.” Belladonna motioned toward Cornelius’s corpse.

“Who are you?” I asked again slowly.

Belladonna approached me until she was just a foot away.

“I’m a revived version of the original plan. My order and I will take this world off the path of destruction. I’m the world’s new savior. I’m Grandmother, and the Grandmother Society will reign.”

As I stared into her green eyes, there was only one thing I could do. It wasn’t a lot, but I had to do something. I was angry. I took a deep breath . . .

. . . and spit all over her face.

I don’t remember much after that because Robert jumped in between Belladonna and I, punching me out of conscious.

Chapter Nineteen

I don’t know how long I was out. I wasn’t even sure I was waking up at first. My eyes felt open, but all I saw was pitch black. If I were alone, I would’ve thought everything was a dream. Marley’s heavy crying told me it was real.

I sat up and followed the crying until I found her. After remembering everything, I wanted to cry too. But somebody had to keep it together.

I held her, and she let me.

“I can’t do this, Carsyn.” She said, crying even louder. “We’ve lost. Momma’s dead, Edgar’s dead, Ashton’s dead. Everybody.” Her crying turned into screams.

I held her tighter. “I’ll help you,” I said. “We’re going to get out of here, and I’ll help you get through this.”

I didn’t know how we were going to get out because I didn’t even know where we were.

“I want to die,” she said. “Just kill me!” she screamed to nobody. “Come back and kill me!”

I said nothing. There was nothing to say. There was nothing I could do. Honestly, for a moment there, I wanted to die too. What was there to live for?

I soon figured out where we were, and I wasn’t too happy about it. We were locked in the same cells Cornelius had thrown us in. There was going to be no way to escape.

I don’t know how long we were in there. I didn’t sleep much, at least I don’t think I did. I know that I would grow incredibly hungry before two soldiers would bring us a sandwich to share. I tried letting Marley have my half, but she just wouldn’t allow it.

We never saw Belladonna. We never even heard of what was going on in the city, which wasn’t surprising since we were literally left in the dark, not having a TV or anything. All I could do was replay everything. Marley had said that she didn’t know if she would be able to make it. I said I’d help her get through this, but I wasn’t even sure if I could get through myself. I had grown to like Edgar. And who couldn’t like Mae. Ashton and I got along great. And now . . . now they were gone.

And the one I trusted the most . . . the one who understood me . . . betrayed me.

I kept expecting Belladonna to come in to tell me the safe had arrived. That was when she would need my eyes. I wouldn’t even be able to fight back.

And why hadn’t she killed Marley? I didn’t know, but I was glad. Marley was the only thing getting me through things.

It was over. She and I couldn’t build up a rebellion against Belladonna, especially if she was more powerful than Grandfather. No hope.

Finally, something interesting happened. At first, I thought the arrival meant I was needed to open the safe.

The lights came on, burning our eyes. I covered them until they were able to adjust. We stayed against the wall, listening to the keys rattle.

“Let’s go,” an unfamiliar man’s voice said once the doors were open. He didn’t sound violent, but we still didn’t move. “Hurry up,” he begged. “Or else we’re going to get caught.”

Marley squeeze my shoulder. Was it possible? I wasn’t going to wait around to see. We hurried out of the cell, and a hand push me toward the door. Marley and I left the room.

As soon as we exited, our eyes completely adjusted to the light, allowing us our first look at whoever had let us out.

It was a man who appeared to be in his late thirties. He was dressed just like any other soldier, which made me unsure if I could trust him or not. Yeah, he had saved us, but my mind wasn’t working right at that moment.

“Hurry up,” he said, leading us down the hall toward the elevator. I didn’t know what else to do, so I figured it was worth a shot. In the elevator, I looked out the glass. It was late at night. The city was dark. No lights shined through the building windows. Nobody roamed the streets below. The city was just as dead as before.

The elevator door opened on the first floor. Wow, there was nobody at the desk. There was nobody anywhere, not even security. What was going on? Luck?

We left the building through the front revolving doors, ran past the fountains, not asking this random guy any questions. On the street, a long black vehicle waited for us. The door swung opened by somebody inside before we even reached the vehicle. We jumped in and the driver sped away immediately.

I glanced back, expecting to see soldiers running after us.

There was none.

“You guys okay?” a man asked straight away. It was familiar. I focused on him and was thankful to see him.

Mr. Harrison had saved us again.

He wasn’t his usual self. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in days. His sobering eyes told me he was having a rough time.

“Seemed like the perfect time to rescue you two,” Mr. Harrison said. “Belladonna is meeting with all the soldiers. That and the curfew left the streets completely empty.”

That explained a lot.

I was about to ask questions when something outside the vehicle caught my attention. It was a huge hole in one of the buildings. A large pile of debris sat just feet away.

“There were multiple explosions for no reason the other night,” Mr. Harrison.

We knew exactly the reason for them.

“Hundreds have died,” he continued. “This Belladonna has taken control of everything. She controls the food supply. If you don’t follow her rules, you don’t get food. She . . . ” Mr. Harrison couldn’t even finish.

“It’s a mess out there,” the man who had saved us said. “I’m Ethan by the way.”

We thanked him for saving us.

“He’s one of my men,” Mr. Harrison said. “When we found out that the soldiers would be meeting with her in the arena, I knew it was our best chance getting you guys out.”

We thanked Mr. Harrison too. Then, he asked about Ashton, wondering why he wasn’t with us. It hurt too much to talk about it. I gave him one word.

“Dead.”

Mr. Harrison was silent.

“This is terrible,” Ethan said.

“And if anybody speaks against her, as many have, she has them arrested,” Mr. Harrison told us. “She controls the media so they have to pretend like nothing is happening.”

“It’s like this in every city in the nation,” Ethan added. “They’re much bigger than that Grandfather.”

“She’s worried about the lack of resources, especially the international food shortage. She keeps telling people that she will fix it, but the transition will be rough.” Mr. Harrison played with his beard as he kept his eyes on the ceiling. They started to water. When he looked at me, I turned away, not wanting to see him cry. I would’ve probably lost it.

As we left the city center, Mr. Harrison asked us more about what had happened, which I really didn’t want to answer. It was too painful, but I managed to do so.

“She was my momma,” Marley said quietly once we had told him the entire story.

I could tell that it was much worse than what Mr. Harrison was expecting to hear. “I’m sorry,” he told us, knowing that wasn’t going to help anything. But he tried. “These people will pay.”

“She calls herself Grandmother,” Ethan told us. “Ironic.”

I agreed. I knew why. They had the same ideas. But as she had said, they had different outcomes and goals.

Mr. Harrison’s driver drove us to a street bordering the wall. The buildings seemed pretty old and unused. That was odd because I didn’t think old buildings existed within the wall. Mr. Harrison explained that he owned them and used to ship furniture out of them when he was younger. The vehicle pulled into a huge parking garage and came to a stop.

Mr. Harrison told us that he, Mrs. Harrison, and even Olivia had been hiding out in the old building with everything going on. They were pretty confident that Belladonna or anybody would go searching his mansion.

Mrs. Harrison was very happy to see us. “Dears,” she said, hugging both of us. “We have an extra room, but you two will have to share.”

“That’s fine,” Marley said quietly.

Attached to the parking garage was basically a decent sized apartment. At least Mr. Harrison had turned the old warehouse into a nice apartment. It consisted of a rather large living room with very nice furniture. Of course they would still have nice things. They could afford it. There was a dining room, a full kitchen, and a hall with four doors. Mrs. Harrison explained that three of them were rooms and one was a bathroom. “My husband and I are in that one,” she said, pointing at the door at the very end. “That one is Olivia’s.”

Mrs. Harrison led us to the one vacant room.

“You see, my husband knew that something was going to happen soon.”

I remembered him telling us that.

“Well, this is a part of his operation. We call it the safe house.” Mrs. Harrison was about to open the door to our room when the door next to us screeched open.

Olivia walked out in a robe, her hair wrapped in a towel. Her face brightened at the site of us. “There they are,” she said. “Once again, your story keeps writing itself.”

We didn’t really feel like replying. She was just too happy for us at that moment. But it wasn’t her fault. She didn’t know what we had just gone through. I think she could tell that something was wrong because her expression quickly changed.

“Stay here,” she said slowly, rushing back into her room. We only waited for a few seconds before she returned, carrying two notebooks and two pens. She handed us one of each. “Before, I said that writing things down can keep us sane. Most people use computers, but I find it more peaceful to do it the old-fashioned way. Perhaps you’ll give it a try.” She patted us on the shoulder.

“Thanks,” I told her.

“Not a problem. I’ll let you guys be alone now.” Olivia returned to her room. Before shutting the door, she looked at us. “I’m so sorry,” she said.

In our room, there was one huge bed, one brown leather sofa, a desk, and a nice recliner matching the sofa. The carpet was a royal red color, reminding me a lot of their mansion. I pointed at the bed. “You take the bed,” I told Marley. She looked as if she was about to argue, but decided not to. Without saying anything to me or Mrs. Harrison, she threw her notebook onto the desk and climbed into bed, facing away from us. I put my notebook down too.

“Are you guys hungry?” Mrs. Harrison asked.

I was hungry, but I don’t think I could have stomached anything. Mrs. Harrison didn’t argue when we refused.

I lied down on the couch, knowing that I wasn’t going to be able to sleep. I had too much on my mind. But I tried anyways. Two hours went by, and I still wasn’t asleep. I looked back at the bed. Marley’s eyes were closed. I stood up.

“Marley,” I whispered, seeing if she was actually sleeping. She didn’t budge. On the other end of the room, I noticed a familiar box with a small hole on the top of it. It was a TV, but I wasn’t about to turn that on even though I wanted to see what the news was saying. That would wake Marley up. My eyes landed on the notebook. Thinking of what Olivia had told us, I sat down at the desk and opened up the notebook to the first page. Things definitely didn’t feel too sane, so maybe I’d do what Olivia suggested.

I started writing.

And that’s what I’ve been doing for the past few days now. That and bugging Mr. Harrison about going to the mountain to see if anybody had managed to survive. I know that it’s unlikely anybody is alive, but I still have to see for myself.

He understands.

Mr. Harrison is working on something. He won’t tell me what it is yet. He says that we need to rest and mourn before jumping into something new. I’m kind of glad he’s doing that because I’ve definitely needed the time. And I know Marley does. She’s spent most of her time in bed. Occasionally she’ll come out and talk to us, but she doesn’t say much. I’m really worried about her. I’ve been trying to get her to laugh or something. I’ve not been successful.

I was eventually able to watch the news. Mr. Harrison was right, there was nothing bad about Belladonna on TV because reporters know they’ll be arrested. They keep talking about the shortages, especially the food shortage, reporting that Belladonna has a solution.

Nobody knows what’s going on.

Mr. Harrison did say that he plans on meeting up with somebody in secret so that he can learn more. Apparently, he has a contact that knows more about this stuff.

Another thing, Olivia is really happy that I’ve been writing in this journal. And you know what, she’s right. This notebook seems to be keeping me focused. But more importantly, I think that one day, I will let her write my story. Writing this makes sure I don’t forget all the details. I’m pretty sure I’ll never forget.

I still have a hard time falling asleep at night. I can’t quit thinking about Edgar and Mae . . . Belladonna and Robert betraying us. I can’t quit thinking about Ashton and all of the people that lost their life down there. I just don’t see how we can win, even though Mr. Harrison says there’s hope. He tells me that it’ll be easier to find people to go against Belladonna because nobody likes her. She’s not trying to hide what she does like Cornelius did. The only problem is how we’re going to get people. Everyone is afraid of her, so they do exactly what she demands. Even if we do find people, we don’t have a hidden place under a mountain like we did before. I guess that’s just something that Mr. Harrison will have to figure out.

Mr. Harrison talks to me a lot, afraid that I’m gonna lose it. He tells me that there have been several people like Belladonna, called dictators. Mr. Harrison told me that he heard that there was a man named Hilter or something like that. Mr. Harrison said that he controlled all of Germany, and that one day, he lost, like all dictators eventually do. I don’t know if this is true since all history books were burnt in the regions. Nobody knows the truth about our history. But it still gives me hope that Belladonna will lose just as this Hilter guy lost. And I’m determined to make it happen. I don’t know what somebody like me can do, but I will make sure it happens. Belladonna and Robert will pay for betraying us. Belladonna will pay for killing those I learned to care about. I will make sure that her power is destroyed as Grandfather’s was destroyed. I plan on writing it all down, because it really does help. Hopefully I live through whatever I’m about to go through. So whoever you are reading this, if anybody at all, wish us luck.

We’re going to need it.

. . . To Be Continued

Carsyn’s journey is just getting started. Flip to the next page for a sneak peak of…

The Grandmother Society

∞

Book two of the Infinity Trilogy

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Chapter One

Soldiers stood on every corner, wearing face masks, machine guns in hand. They didn’t say a word. They didn’t smile. They did nothing but stare straight ahead.

People were afraid of them, and they had a right to be. These soldiers weren’t afraid to kill. They weren’t afraid to arrest somebody just for talking against their new leader. It was their job, and they were proud.

During the day, the people tried going their own ways, pretending like everything was fine and normal. To some, it was. They still had their job. They still had their money. They still had their fancy clothes, their technology, and their nice homes. Then there were others who just weren’t sure.

They didn’t like being forced to go home before curfew. They didn’t like not being able to go to their local grocery store, buying whatever they pleased. There were limitations on how much a household could buy each week. Larger families got more, of course.

“Moderation,” their new leader told them. “It’s time we bring the shortages to attention, especially food. It’s time we change and quit wasting resources.”

Most people didn’t like Belladonna. After President Cornelius was killed, she had assumed the role as commander in chief. It didn’t matter what others thought. And if somebody argued against it, they were taken away or refused food.

People wanted answers as to what was going on. Nobody knew for sure how President Cornelius died. All they knew was that he was a part of Grandfather. He was the Grand Imperial, and many didn’t believe until Belladonna released footage of a Grandfather meeting. Cornelius, of course, was there. People were furious that they had trusted him. Others were too worried about Belladonna, believing she was a lot worse. The fact that Belladonna’s divine Grandmother name was too close to Grandfather made matters worse.

About a week after Grandfather’s fall, everybody gathered around their televisions. Those working stopped to open up a live stream on their computer. Those roaming the city piled into nearby shops and restaurants that had televisions. Those unable to get in due to the dense crowds sat on benches and leaned against the wall, watching their phones.

***

Belladonna was ready. She had prepared for this moment for a week, writing speeches over and over, finding the best way to address the situation. Things were about to change, and it brought a smile to her face.

As her dresser finished her makeup, Belladonna kept thinking of her husband. Her dead husband.

Olyver.

She wished he could see the progress being made. She had been working for years, bringing their dream and idea to a reality. The hardest part was planting her followers in just the right places, controlling everything and anyone with power. It had been difficult, and things were going to get even rockier. But Belladonna knew that was inevitable. She kept her focus on the future outcome.

“Grandmother,” a soft voice said behind her.

Belladonna looked in the mirror to see Robert standing in the doorway. He was dressed in a black suit. His hair was perfectly combed over. He looked the same, except for one change.

On his wrist was a black metal bracelet. In the middle, facing upward, was a green symbol . . . the infinity symbol.

Belladonna waved her dresser away and stood up. She walked to the nearest body mirror. She looked beautiful, her dark red hair put up in a bun. The dress was designed specifically for her. She always thought green was her best color. Her dress showed it. It was dark green, hugging her body tightly. The dress may have seemed plain, but it was breathtaking. The material was very elegant, made with finest fabrics. Her necklace and earrings were shiny diamonds. The pendants were green, matching her dress . . . matching her eyes.

“It’s time,” Robert told her once she finished gazing at herself.

She nodded. “This is it,” she said, actually sounding a bit nervous.

Robert approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder, as if his touch would calm her.

“I’ve dreamt of this very moment for fifteen years,” she said slowly. “I guess it’s just overwhelming that it’s finally come.” Belladonna forced a small smile.

Robert took his hand off her shoulder and walked to the door. “After you, Grandmother,” he said.

She suddenly grew serious, no longer looking nervous, but content. She raised her head up high and walked quickly through the door. Robert followed her as she was met by several soldiers, who led her down the hall.

They reached the main sitting area. It was the very place she had first met Mrs. Harrison. Once the Harrison’s went missing, Belladonna took control of their mansion. She preferred it over the presidential tower.

Belladonna was led to the large foyer and to the main entrance. She paused, taking a deep breath. Once she nodded, the soldiers opened the doors.

Belladonna walked out with confidence, immediately meeting a large crowd. There were hundreds of people. Many of them were reporters, broadcasting the event. None of them cheered. They barely knew the woman. They stayed silent, waiting.

Belladonna didn’t bother waving at them. She didn’t even smile. It wasn’t like that would make things better. She was just there to give them what they wanted to hear. She was there to tell them the things they needed to hear in order for her plan to progress. She walked to the podium that had been set up earlier that day.

A soldier rushed to her and placed a small microphone on the end of her dress. She allowed him. Once he was gone, she took one last glance at the crowd before speaking.

“I know a lot of you have questions,” she said with authority. “I understand this. I am here to explain everything. I am here to explain what must be done.”

She paused, giving the audience time to prepare.

“The world is in a dire position. Many of you wouldn’t know because we’ve all been taught to ignore the problem. It’s not your fault. It’s those who have had power these past fifty years.”

The crowd stayed silent, not taking their eyes off Belladonna.

“Our population has surged. This planet is crammed with 13 billion people. The fact of the matter is that our resources won’t last much longer with such a large population. Food production just isn’t keeping up with our population growth. Natural resources . . . they’re running scarcer than ever.”

“We’ve never had a problem getting food!” a man from the crowd shouted out.

Belladonna didn’t seem angry. “You’re right,” she said with a gentle tone. “Everybody within the wall has always gotten whatever they want, as much as they want. The problem hasn’t yet reached our cities. The problem has started in third world nations. What I’m talking about is the future. We can keep on living, ignoring the population and shortages, and in twenty years, people within the walls will be starving. They won’t be able to get any natural resources.”

Again, Belladonna paused, allowing them to take it all in.

“Many people are angry that I have assumed control. I understand, and recent events are unfortunate. But this is a part of the transition.”

“Transition to what?” a woman asked politely.

“To prevent the extinction of mankind.”

Mumbling whispered throughout the crowd. Belladonna raised a hand to silence them. They did so quickly.

“The population will continue to grow, and we’ll continue using all our resources. Food is going to grow scarce as the supply struggles to keep up with our growth. It’s inevitable that we’ll run out, and people will start to starve to death. People will start dying on the streets. Businesses will close. We’ll enter an era of a forever-collapsed economy.”

People listened inventively.

“My plan will be difficult, but if we work together, we can make it happen. First, we can now be aware and address the problem of shortages. This will allow us to invent alternatives rather than invent new models for our phones and televisions and vehicles.”

“You’re aware of the monitoring of weekly food purchases. You now understand why this has to be. Again, it’s unfortunate. The transition won’t be easy. At times, there will be force. People must obey me. I am assuming control and forcing regulations on everybody because it has to be done if we want to see our society live on.”

Again, whispering rippled throughout the crowd. A couple of people even shouted in anger.

“It’s a part of the transition,” Belladonna repeated silently.

“Dictator!” some old man screamed out.

A soldier started to go after him, but Belladonna stopped him.

“Yes,” she said. “I am taking complete control. I will control everything until things start to get better. There is nothing anybody can do, and it’s terrible. You guys are losing most of your freedom, and many of you aren’t going to like me or my followers. But it’s for the greater good. Just understand that I’m trying to help the world, hoping to extend mankind’s life. The transition will be rough, but the outcome will be very rewarding.”

A couple of more people shouted in anger, cursing Belladonna. This time, she allowed the soldiers to go after a few of them.

The soldiers weren’t gentle. They took what seemed to be a simple black metal bar and hit each of those talking out against Belladonna. Each person hit began twitching, their eyes rolling to the back of their heads. They eventually fell to the ground, motionless. Several people gasped, but nobody cursed Belladonna any further.

“The transition will be rough,” Belladonna repeated once again, trying to fuse the idea into their heads. “I hope you understand that. Because if you don’t, I can’t allow you to get in the way. You will be disposed.”

More whispering. This time, nobody screamed out at Belladonna. Several people were crying. Others were already leaving the mansion, refusing to hear more.

“I’m sorry,” Belladonna said. “It’s for the greater good. Curfew will remain the same. Media must not report harsh things about our plan to progress. If so, they’ll be disposed. Those who follow us will be rewarded. Those who follow us will never have to worry about hunger or danger for they’re joining me to protect this world. With that said, those who wish to follow us must be useful, having something to contribute to our society. Because of these shortages, we can no longer afford to give to those who can’t contribute to society, helping it progress.”

Belladonna turned to Robert and motioned for him to approach the podium He did so. Once beside Belladonna, she grabbed his arm and raised it into the air, revealing the black bracelet around his left wrist. The green infinity symbol had a glow.

“We’re entering the era of The Grandmother Society. If you wish to follow us, helping us to prevent inevitable catastrophe, you will be allowed to join our society as a Grandmother Citizen.”

People continued whispering, keeping their eyes on Robert’s wrist.

Stations will be set up for those who wish to apply. Everybody can’t be a citizen. But if you prove yourself as useful for society and our idea, you will be allowed, never having to worry about anything. And to identify Grandmother Citizens, each follower will be given a permanent bracelet. All of your information will be stored into the bracelets. If you’re ever in trouble, we will find you through our GPS system, allowing us to immediately track you.”

Belladonna put Robert’s arm down. He stayed standing next to her.

“Soldiers will stay on every corner, keeping order. If any Grandmother Citizen is in trouble, these soldiers will help them first. If non-members even try to harm a citizen, they will be disposed. No exceptions.”

Belladonna took a moment to look around. There was one more problem to address. She thought of the safe. It would have solved the last problem, but Carsyn escaped. She just knew the Harrison’s were somehow involved. The thing was, most people knew nothing of the safe and the nuke locations. Maybe she couldn’t access that until she got Carsyn, but others didn’t need to know that. Their ignorance would keep her alive.

“There is one more thing,” Belladonna started slowly, as if still thinking things slowly. She turned to look at Robert, who urged her to continue.

“As I said, this is something that must be forced. It’s for the greater good. I don’t want anybody getting in the way. Other nations are listening right now. I hope you those leaders understand the predicament we are in, and I hope you will join my society, allowing us to add more Grandmother citizens. Those who don’t agree will not be a threat. An attack on the United Regions won’t be tolerated. And to keep my citizens safe . . . to keep our idea alive in order to save the world’s future, I have massive nuclear weapons aimed at specific locations all around the globe. I have power to destroy every country, and if it comes to that, I won’t hesitate. I can’t hesitate.”

Several people gasped, crying louder.

“Other nations won’t be harmed unless they attempt to harm us. Countries who join the Grandmother Society will be protected.”

Shouting grew louder. A few soldiers were forced to take out a few more civilians with their rods. Like before, their eyes rolled back as their body twitched. Their bodies would fall to the ground and left there.

Belladonna raised her voice to overcome the shouting. “Things must change. Things will get better. It’s time for my society to rule . . . the Grandmother Society, and we will give this world the chance to have an infinite life. You’re either with us, or you’re against us.”

Ignoring the shouting, Belladonna left the podium. The soldiers swung the doors opened, allowing the new leader into her palace.

The Author

Anthony Wade is a novelist, ghostwriter and freelancer for several platforms. He graduated from the University of Kentucky where he studied literature and creative writing. In 2012, he visited Edinburgh, Scotland to further his education in writing. Today, when he’s not working on The Infinity Trilogy, he’s enjoying life with friends and family, dreaming of travel, and a warm bonfire.

Wade currently resides in Houston, Texas.

For more information on the Infinity Trilogy and future public appearances, you can follow him on Twitter (Anthony_Wade_).

www.anthonywadej.com

OJW Conversion -

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter One