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“THERE’S SOMETHING SERIOUSLY wrong with this coffee.” Jane wrinkled her nose in disgust. “You’d think the high and mighty Citizens would know how to make a decent cup. Oh well, at least it’s hot.”
Connor paused as he sipped his latte, fighting the instinctive urge to retaliate.
Don’t let the savage bait you. By this time tomorrow, she’ll be just another weapon in Darcy’s arsenal.
Tony lurched forward in his seat.
“We grind our coffee from the best imported beans.” He glowered at her as if spoiling for a fight.
Jane paused, cup in mid-air, a perplexed look on her face. She glanced across the table at Sheila and Garr, mouthing a single word. Beans?
Sheila patted her on the arm, trying to hide her smile. “I guess the Citizens of the Enclave haven’t discovered chicory root yet.”
Connor glared at them, irritated and making no effort to hide it. “In case you forgot, video surveillance is everywhere. I chose a table on the outer rim of this café because it’s the farthest from the cameras. That doesn’t mean we haven’t been catalogued already.”
Don tugged at the sleeves of his new apparel, annoyed by the unfamiliar fabric. “And yet, it was your idea to sit out here, on full display for all of Hoarderville to see. We’re lucky nobody else wants to get rained on, or we’d be surrounded by Hoarders.”
“Hidden in plain sight, Don,” Garr said amiably. He leaned back in his chair, glancing over the railing behind him at the mad dash of traffic on the level below. “And it’s not raining just yet. We couldn’t afford to stay in the parking garage indefinitely, waiting for Darcy to contact us. That would look more suspicious than having coffee.”
“Darcy will contact us when it’s safe.” Connor shielded the lower half of his face behind his latte. “After the Givers took out the Council Chamber, we’re walking on a thin line. We have to act like normal Citizens—shocked and horrified by the ‘tragic events,’ as the Infomedia calls it—and watch our step more than ever.”
Tony glowered at him, speaking as if the Runners were invisible. “You talk too much, Connor. They don’t need to know all this.”
“We’ve been over this before, Tony,” Connor replied with equal heat. “Darcy wants us to share information freely with our new allies. What kind of allies would we be if we didn’t trust each other?”
Wow, listen to me. Almost as smooth as Darcy. And with a straight face, no less.
His feeling of triumph was short-lived. The leader of the savages, the so-called “Colonel,” was watching him. He’s clever, that one. Just sits back and observes. Very cagey.
“I was just relieved we made it through security without getting caught.” Sheila pulled her jacket closer, warding off the chill breeze. She was speaking too quickly—clearly an attempt to distract. “Once we were inside, there weren’t many places to run if things went sideways.”
“We’re not amateurs.” Tony bristled at her remark, taking offense where none was intended. “It’s going to get harder, once the Initiative’s complete. The guards would nail you on the spot, if you don’t have a node.”
No node, no Citizenship. Connor had begun to detest the Infomedia slogans, mindlessly parroted by the gullible masses.
“The Initiative hasn’t been implemented yet?” Garr raised his eyebrows in surprise. Connor couldn’t tell if he was feigning his reaction or not. “I was under the impression the Council considered it a top priority.”
Connor licked his dry lips, feeling the blood drain from his face. He was sure the savages noticed, but he forced himself to answer candidly. A “dangerous amount of the truth,” Darcy had said. Well, here goes.
“We’ve got a day, maybe two, before we’ll be required to get our nodes.” A hollow sensation settled into his gut as he faced that reality. He took a hasty gulp of his latte, hoping to disguise the sudden tremor in his hand, scalding his tongue in the process. “Darcy’s on the Council. How would it look, if he wasn’t leading by example?”
Connor knew his bitterness was showing, but he didn’t care. “The collaborators will be watching for any hesitation on the part of their fellow Council members. If the bombing didn’t motivate every remaining Councilor to get their node, it would raise questions.”
He closed his eyes, cradling his latte against his cheek, still careful to mask his face behind it. “Family members included. They’ll be watching all of us.”
Sheila rested an elbow on the table, cradling her chin in one hand. “Can you tell us more about these ‘collaborators’? That’s the second time you’ve mentioned them.”
Tony jumped into the conversation before Connor could respond, eager to assert his own importance. “They’re Council members who’ve been cozying up to the Givers for years. They’re always looking for ways to ingratiate themselves, in hopes of gaining more power.”
You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you, Tony? Connor kept his expression neutral as he eyed at the chauffeur with a new level of contempt. You’d jump off the top of the Enclave wall if Darcy told you to.
“The Givers use them to control the Enclave.” Connor addressed Garr, ignoring Tony. “Not the whole Council, but a significant number of them. I’d be willing to bet they were behind the bombing.”
“Weeding out anyone who wouldn’t play their game?” Don sounded suspicious, his low growl barely audible. “Or have they figured out what you and Darcy are up to?”
“Darcy should lead the Council,” Tony interrupted, his face darkening. “The Enclave would be better off if he was in charge.”
Jane smirked, rolling her eyes. “King Darcy. Wouldn’t that be peachy?”
Connor glared at the obnoxious savage, but a beep from his wrist com pre-empted his hot retort. Tony bolted forward, rigid and pale.
There was a five second pause, and then a second beep. Connor glanced down, eyeing the miniature screen with bated breath, and then nodded at the chauffeur.
“Darcy’s made contact?” Garr asked. The Runners had visibly tensed, watching Connor for his reaction.
Connor nodded, getting to his feet with a nonchalant air. He drained the rest of his latte, ignoring the hot liquid’s effect on his scalded tongue. “Darcy won’t risk saying anything over a wrist com. Our villa’s secure. We’ll go back there. Just act like everything’s normal.”
“For the next day or two, anyway.” Jane smirked up at him. “Until it’s family node-time.”
Connor set his cup down with more self-control than he realized he possessed. He locked eyes with the obnoxious Jane, feeling far older than his seventeen years.
“In the next day or two,” he said as mildly as possible, “we could all be dead.”