New Gallathia City. Solar month December New Age 2129.
Cristan.
Sweat has started to trickle down my back. Shudders rip violently through my body. I feel no pain, though I know on one level I should do.
But pain is insignificant now. I can feel the anger growing. Building. Heat is filling my veins. Fuelling my muscles to act. Adrenaline is surging through my body, heart beating fast, breathing accelerated.
I’m ready when Frankenstein leans over me with electrodes. I smash my forehead into his nose.
He yowls and leaps back. But I’m not done. With a roar, I wrench upright, bringing the chair with me as I swing around so the chair smashes into him.
My body jerks from the impact, but I don’t stop. Faces blur into one as the nurses and the guard grab at me and try to hold me down.
The chair is starting to drag, so I stagger backwards with the three of them attached to me and crash into the wall behind.
The chair splinters into fragments. The restraints are still locked around my wrists, but without the chair, they dangle uselessly.
I smash my fist into the nurse trying to hold on to me. I buckle and buck like a wild animal, spewing anger until all I see is red and all I hear is the sounds of breaking bones and agonising pain.
It’s me. It’s them. I hurt. They’re hurting. I don’t care.
With an explosive kick to the closest nurse, I run at the figure huddled in the corner. “No! Stunning won’t work!” someone yells.
Sharp pain travels through my body. Currents jolt through my system. I spin on my heel and wrench the stunner from the guard’s hands. I don’t even think as I turn it on him.
I throw a punch and watch him go down before I finish off the final nurse standing in my way.
Hands grab at me again, pulling me back with force as I stagger. Someone hits the back of my neck, but I’m so wild it doesn’t slow my attack down.
I jerk out of the hands gripping me and grab the nurse by the scruff of the neck. I spin him around and shove him against the wall then head butt him.
He sags in my grip and sinks to the floor. I whirl around, panting like an animal, sweat, and blood dripping into my eyes.
I take a step towards my father. His face is pale, and his eyes wide with fright. I twist my fingers into his shirt and snarl at him.
His eyes flick to the left, so I shake him hard to make him pay attention. “Look at me, you bastard,” I growl.
Fear is etched on his face. I take a great deal of pleasure in sliding my bloodied and torn fingers around his throat.
He starts to choke. Hands desperately trying to wrench mine away. I press my face close to his so he can look into my eyes when I kill him.
A crackle comes from behind. Static I don’t process until I hear Drew’s distorted voice in the room with me. “I’m universal, so he’s good. Keep a lookout Mallory and keep the light steady so Kit can see the veins. We’ll do this, then you and Kit will need to leave me here.”
I freeze and turn, hands still attached to his throat as I search for the source. Derek is standing at the door. The short-wave radio I left hidden in the old city is in his hand.
He depresses the button and a cold chill runs down my body. “The one time I’m actually grateful the G keep you well stocked,” a scratchy female voice says.
Derek steps closer. “Let him go or I give the order to kill them all.”
I suck in a gulp of air and release my hold on my father’s throat. He lets out a wheeze but I don’t let go of him.
My brother takes a step closer. Cool and collected. “Would you like to see?”
He backs away so he’s at the table with a tablet on top. My pulse races even higher as he picks the tablet up and taps away.
His eyes narrow as he spins the tablet around and I see a grainy picture of the old city. He zooms in on a vehicle and my breath catches in my throat.
Drew’s 4-wheel drive is parked up in the dark a hundred metres away from my old Unit.
I ease my hands away from my father’s throat and shove him as I stalk towards Derek.
He’s quicker than I am. He raises his hand so he’s speaking to his time slide. “Stand by. If I don’t check in every five minutes, you have a go.”
My feet stop instantly as his time slide blips. “Roger that Captain Trainor.”
My anger pops inside me. I want to crush him. To pound on him until he screams. But I can’t. Not if he really does have his men ready. It might be a trick. Another part of the mind games they like to play with me.
I curse. But it’s unlikely. And there’s only one reason Drew is outside with Kit and Mallory. Only one reason they’d risk themselves.
And it sounds like someone is hurt.
By sheer will, I push down the molten rage so I can think of what to do to help. My thoughts are cut short when my father whispers in a ragged voice. “Which one is it?”
I turn, puzzled by the question when Derek answers in his bland voice. “I’m not sure. It could be the girl or the man who took him in.”
I spin to look at him, dread running like ice through my cooling veins. My father nods, grimly as he pulls himself to standing.
He gives me a wide berth as he steps over the bodies of the men I near destroyed. I’d be more disgusted if I weren’t so bewildered by the casual expression on my brother’s face.
Like he’s perfectly in control of the situation.
Like he planned it all.
Right down to everyone I hate the most being here.
My father’s face fills with disgust as he looks at me. “I need to know for sure which one controls him best. The Irrelevant man is obviously unable to do the job we set him. Perhaps the girl will be more effective?”
Set him? Drew? Are they talking about Drew? They set him what job? To keep an eye on me?
A sick feeling starts to grow in my gut. Was it all lies? Did the G pay Drew, Jackie, to what? Report back? Make sure I kept taking my meds?
Pain rips through my chest that has nothing to do with any injuries I have.
Derek slowly nods. “Yes, Prime Minister. I concur. The girl has only a minor history of non-conformance. She may even willingly come back to the city to be part of the experiment.”
I stagger back so I’m leaning against the wall. They continue talking about Mallory, about Jed, and Drew, weighing up the options of who to extract and bring back into the city like they aren’t even human.
My father straightens his clothing, still avoiding looking at me. “Despite past compliance, this cannot go unpunished.”
Derek flicks a look in my direction. “I can arrange a painless death. They won’t suffer.”
I choke a half sob half growl at him. “That doesn’t make it right! These are people. Drew’s not even Irrelevant! He chose to leave because he wanted to give his son a chance!”
My father eyes me for a spilt second then his attention is back on his favoured son. “Yes. This is acceptable. Bring the girl. See if he calms down. Then we’ll be ready for the second round of testing. This was a most impressive display. I see we were right to follow your advice.”
Derek’s posture stiffens, pride washes over his face for the briefest of moments before he nods, and swipes at his time slide. “Secure the Prime Minister.”
The door opens and dozens of guards, all armed and not with stunners, pile through the door.
My father steps past them without another word to me or to Derek. Some of the guards start to carry out the nurses, and the guard who is propped up in the corner, holding his broken arm.
I don’t bother to waste my energy fighting as two of his men grab me. It’s Derek that has the final say as a needle is inserted into my neck, he keeps his voice low. “You should be grateful, Cristan.”
I bark a laugh. “Grateful? What the hell for?”
His returning smile causes my skin to rise. “You should be grateful that the Prime Minister understands that a man with nothing left to lose can’t be controlled.”
He lifts his wrist. “Bring the Irrelevant girl here alive and unharmed. Kill the others in the vehicle and anyone who gets in the way.”
I try to wrench forwards, trying to grab him, but another needle pricks into the flesh of my neck.
“Leave her out of—”
My last curse is lost as black starts to press in. My neck muscles all relax, my body turns to jelly.
The last thing I see before I slip under is lifeless green eyes staring up at me, his neck at an odd angle as though he’s a doll I broke.
Bitterness stirs as I think of Mallory returning here. At least I accomplished one thing I set out to.
With Frankenstein dead, he can’t ever hurt her or me again.
Mallory
Old city. Solar month December New Age 2129.
The shadows creep closer dislodging broken pieces of bricks and mortar as they approach.
Kit whispers a curse. “Mallory, you need to get out of here. Get out the driver’s side. Go hide.”
Hide. Like I’ve done all my life.
I glance back at Drew, but it’s too dark to see if he agrees. My body floods with heat as I ease the light stick out from under my thigh.
The faint rustle comes closer as I fumble to switch the light off. I duck down lower in my seat and ease across to the driver’s seat.
My heart is thumping so hard it hurts my chest. More shadows start to emerge. They creep slowly, cautiously, weapons in their hands, masks over their faces, just like the one who drove me here wore.
Faceless. Nameless. Just like they think we are.
I swallow and look out the door cavity in the opposite direction.
The empty street does little to soothe the spreading ache.
My eyes settle on the dashboard and steering wheel. My sweaty palms shift so they rest on the wheel.
I caress the fabric, feeling the material, soft and pliable.
A spark ignites deep inside me. If I leave. If I hide. What will happen to Kit? To Jackson?
What will happen to me if I leave and hide? I have nowhere to go. And no way to survive out here alone.
I can’t go back to the Unit. Not now and maybe not ever. I think of the trees back at the zoo, the water and the feeling of happiness the garden brings me.
I think of the coloured lights, the freedom to choose I never had. So many colours, so many opportunities, I’ve only dreamed of flitter past my gritty eyes.
My fingers creep downwards to where the ignition button sits. My finger hovers over it, one hand on the wheel.
“Move, girl. Now’s your chance!” Drew whispers.
Something clicks into place. I’m done with hiding. With being afraid.
I need to move. Fast. Far away from the men who approach, the same men who are shooting Irrelevant rebels.
Like I am now. Like Cristan is because of me.
I close my eyes and exhale slowly, pulling to mind everything I saw Cristan do to make the machine work.
With my eyes still closed, I slide one hand onto the gear stick. I push my left foot down on the pedal and wait for the one that releases the gear level.
When the gear level wiggles in my hand, I know I have the right pedal. I think of Cristan’s forearms, his hands on the wheel, which leg he used, and how he simultaneously pressed his foot down as he changed the gears higher and lower.
I open my eyes just as a figure raises his gun towards me. I push the button, and the engine roars to life beneath me.
The man shouts and more figures crawl towards me. “What are you doing? You can’t drive!” Kit yells at me.
I ignore both her and my own doubt. I press down hard on the left pedal and the right and the vehicle jumps forwards slamming into the man, throwing him off balance.
“Clutch is left, push it down, then find first gear, shove it hard upwards, then plant your foot on the right,” Drew yells at me.
I do as he says as men run towards us, yelling for me to stop. The wheels spin under us, the engine making a horrific whine and for a heart stopping moment I think I’ve got it all wrong, then I ease my foot off the clutch and press harder on the accelerator.
We shoot forwards, bumping over the uneven road. I grip the wheel tighter, engine roaring as though it’s angry with me.
“Second gear! Clutch then shift down,” Drew yells from the backseat.
I push on the clutch and jerk the gear stick down. The horrible whine ceases, but we aren’t going fast enough.
“That’s it. You scared the crap out of them. Third now. Up a bit, then right, it’ll slot in. Little clutch, little accelerator. Nice and easy.”
I follow his instructions and we start to make progress again. “Listen to the engine. When it starts to rev too hard, change up again. You’ve got five gears, use them,” Drew yells.
I nod though I doubt he can see me. I’m driving almost blind on the straight road that leads to the wall when a drone’s blue light illuminates the road in front of us.
Both Kit and Drew curse from behind me. “You need to turn around. You’re heading exactly where they want you to go,” Kit shouts at me.
I risk a glimpse in the mirror and find her grasping on to Jackson as she tries to steady him as they bump about.
I’m terrified of making a mistake with the gears and I’m not sure how to change lower, so I keep my foot planted and turn the wheel the way I remember Cristan doing.
The vehicle slides, wheels squealing as we turn. I don’t know how to stop, so I press the right pedal harder.
The wind starts to blow through the open cavity, throwing my hair around my face. Cold sweeps through my body as I blaze through the debris, and head in the direction we came from.
Muffled curses come from behind me but I don’t dare look in case I hit something.
I keep going, hands gripping the steering wheel, foot pressed to the floor. I don’t even slow down as I see the barrier separating the old city from the graveyard.
I squeeze my eyes shut as we smash through it. I turn the wheel so we don’t run into any of the graves and try to remember which direction Kit and Trey’s huts were located in.
The name bounces around in my exhausted brain, pointing fingers of judgement with every bump we go over. Trey. Trey. Trey.
“We have to go back,” I hear myself saying.