CODED (The Connection Saga Book 1), page 24
“Death.”
The word she can’t say, but it stains her face with enough disdain. She’s said enough and her ritual for remaining calm evaporates. Her head drops in her hands, revealing what she’s been hiding so desperately.
“I’m sorry,” is all I can say.
I know the pain she’s feeling all too well.
“It’s okay,” she says, trying to hold on to whatever composure she has left. “To answer your original question, I was with those agents on the train to make sure you were safe. I still have some connection and clearance where I can manipulate agents to tell me information. The information, however, is only regarding what they are assigned to. For example, those specific agents from the train were assigned to find and kill the person who infiltrated the estate. I joined them, knowing it would lead me to you.”
“How were they able to track me?”
“They found debris of some sort of technology outside of the building and tracked it.”
My drone. A dull ache hums beneath my skin, and I don’t think it will ever go away.
“Thank you,” I say. “I probably wouldn’t have made it off the train without you.”
She smiles and grips my palm.
“Any time.”
Iris buzzes with a notification of the extracted files.
“Ms. Young, it appears the files extracted need to be cross checked before you can begin to review them.”
“Okay, let me know as soon as it’s ready.”
“Will do. There is a lot of intel so it will take some time.”
“In the meantime, we need to get back to Black Web,” Eliza says. “Especially knowing there’s a mole inside. Everyone could be in danger.”
Claire. Raelyn. The only living family I have left. I think about them and what it could mean if the Enlightenment has someone among them, and they have no idea. It’s a threat to their mission and lives. Even though I‘ve known them for a brief time, the fact I have family alive begs for me to protect them. Something I couldn’t do for my parents.
“We have to find out who it is before anything can happen,” I say.
“It won’t be easy, but it can be done. We’ll have to watch intentionally without anyone knowing.”
The orbs vanish in her hand as she rises and walks to one of the windows. Through it, the late afternoon sun burns with deep orange. Out toward the ocean, the sun’s reflection pools over the waves. They glisten as they breach and break the surface, calming my nerves.
“Amity?” I say.
“Ms. Young?”
“When we get back to Black Web, I’m going to need help finding out who this person is. Body scanning, voice recognition, any and everything to help unmask them.”
“Will do, Ms. Young,” Amity says.
Eliza continues to marvel over the view of the ocean, her red hair shining, with golden brown hues peeking through.
“Liz,” I say.
She turns on her shoulder and softly smiles. “I can get used to that name.”
“I’ll be sure to use it more often then. But listen, I’ll meet you in the flar. I have to gather some gear and change.”
My new suit needs some repair from the glass cutting its threads, but my parents left me with many more to replace it.
“Okay, Nexia.” She winks. “See you soon.”
A warmth flows inside me from the softness in her voice, but it quickly fades. My chest grows tight at the thought of being in the same building as someone who is working with the Enlightenment. But I must do what I couldn’t do before.
Protect my family.
42
“Echo requesting authorization to dock,” Eliza says smoothly.
The pyramid housing Black Web appears, disengaging the cloaking device as we head toward the side edges. The black sand glistens in the sun as it separates from the jet stream of the flar.
“Authorization granted,” a voice says. “Welcome back.”
Eliza pilots us into a narrow passage that opens like a portal, leading to the open hangar. The shift from sunlight to white light makes my eyes blur as they adjust to the contrast. Identical flars line the sides in perfect order. Weapons outlined in holographic form paint the walls behind them as people replace or take them. When I was here on Zero Day, I didn’t notice this amount of equipment. There’s also more members, as if they’ve been recruiting.
The thought of finding our mystery fire creator scratches its way into my mind, and I’m convinced it may take longer than I originally expected. Our flar slows to a stop, the switch in speed distracting me enough to calm my self-doubt. Like a magnet, we hover without guidance to an empty slot. The flar locks into place and lowers itself to the ground.
“And we’re back,” Eliza says, disengaging the systems.
It powers down and the main door releases air pressure, allowing the fresh air from outside in, making each breath sharp. Eliza exits first and receives immediate attention from people on the platform. She’s used to it. It shows in the way she reacts to their hand waves, with nonchalance.
“Famous,” I say.
“Believe it or not,” she says, picking up her speed, “I actually hate it.”
She grabs my hand, and we enter the main facility through the large glass doors shaped like triangles. We arrive at the base level and find it’s empty like before. Quiet and deserted enough to hear electricity buzz. As we approach the center elevator, I find myself still in awe of the structural design of Black Web. My eyes trail toward the apex of the pyramid, the place where I met the web.
“The director will be expecting me,” she says, breaking through my memories of that day. “She probably doesn’t know you’re with me, but you can join, or you can wait at the apex.”
I think over the options as a slow smile stretches across her face.
“Orrr…” she says slowly.
“Or?”
“You can wait in your room.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks and I’m forced to look away, remembering the last time we were together in her room. As much as I want to, I know I shouldn’t. I know I should focus on how to find this person, and I need to focus my attention on the material I managed to extract, even though I have to wait until Amity cleanses it. I’m hoping this material will show the AOE what the Enlightenment really is. I want to know more about what they’ve been hiding. First, it was why the node was created. Then cloning. What else could they be concealing?
“I’ll be at the apex,” I say.
“Okay.” She lets out an exaggerated sigh.
I laugh as the elevator arrives.
“See you soon,” she says through her own laughter.
She winks before vanishing beneath the surface. The ground disperses into a hollow frame, reminding me of the complex structure it hides.
I make my way to one of the corners and take an elevator up.
“How are you feeling, Ms. Young?” Amity asks, just as a breath of fresh air enters my lungs, subsequently escaping in a loud exhale.
“I haven’t had time to decide,” I admit.
“A lot has happened in the last few days.”
“That I didn’t have time to process, let alone feel.”
I land on the long middle seat as my gaze finds the compartment across the room holding drinks. The space is clean, the complete opposite of when I was first here. Day breaks through the glass triangular encasing, letting in pure warmth, an appreciated departure from the outside cold. Winter may arrive a lot earlier this year. Water hisses as a shower head moves along the edges of the platform, feeding the plant life, something I hadn’t noticed before. My head rolls to the opposite side, toward Techdon. As always, it’s a beacon of light, illuminated with color. Zero Day replays in my head. Our celebration of it. The happiness and excitement from everyone on the rooftop.
I should be celebrating now, or at the least, happy my extraction was a small success, but I can’t. Without Eliza, I’d most likely be dead or worse, in a cell, tortured for the rest of my life. The effects of losing my drone haunt me as the waves of my inner turmoil rock my subconscious. Pushing and pulling the nightmares to the surface. They stop short when the chime of an elevator echoes.
Raelyn strolls silently across the emptiness, distracted by a hologram displaying what appears to be a warzone. She wears black tights with a forest green top, cut above her navel, revealing a milky complexion. Her cloak drapes her shoulders, covering her arms and falling to her knees. Black boots rise to her shins as they click along the ground.
Her hands move and my head tilts, trying to discern if it’s her hands that wield the power to produce an explosion like the one at the estate. The hologram fades like my thoughts and returns to her wrist as her gaze lands on me.
“Oh,” she says. “I didn’t think anyone would be here.”
“Sorry,” I say.
“No, no. Don’t be. I was beginning to wonder if we’d ever get a proper conversation.”
She takes a seat next to me and crosses her legs with smooth, graceful movements. Her hands flip the two blonde braids over her shoulders as she gets comfortable.
“What do you mean?” I say, straightening my back and meeting her at eye level.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the fact we’re related and have yet to properly meet.”
“Oh, yeah,” I say.
“That’s it?” She nudges my arm. “You find out you have a family member you’ve never met and that’s it? That’s all I get?”
“I honestly don’t know what to say.”
“Hmmm.”
“What?”
“Is it me?” she says, crossing her arms and slanting her brows.
“No,” I say. “I’m just really bad at meeting new people.”
“Me too.”
We share a laugh, and it feels warm. Like something I was missing, but has now found its way back to me.
“You’re intriguing,” she says with a smile. “I can see why Eliza has taken a liking to you.”
“I didn’t think it was that obvious.”
My face starts to warm, and I hate that it shows.
“No need to be shy. I’m happy to see Eliza be more herself.”
“More herself?”
The question of who Eliza used to be creeps into my head. How much has changed about her?
“A lot has happened since she found out about her parents.” She stops herself abruptly, taking a long pause to gather her thoughts. “I’ll let her tell her story.”
“She told me most of it I think.”
“Oh yeah, she has definitely changed for the better. She never really opened up to people when I first met her and now she’s the life of the party.”
“So, what’s your story?” I ask.
She chuckles as the sun casts shade through the area, causing the brightness of her hair to dull.
“Where do I start?”
“How’d you get involved with Black Web?”
“I assume you mean other than being related to the director?” Her feet tuck beneath her as she adjusts positions and faces directly toward me. The laughter evaporates and her face becomes hard. “Well, for starters, I didn’t have a father, so the director raised me to essentially be like her. By following that, I ended up learning about the Enlightenment and I hated how they affected my mom. She was never really happy because she always feared them taking me away or killing me. There was a constant state of panic around me leaving Techdon or Black Web, for that matter, and I wanted it to end. Not just for my sake, but hers.”
My mind catches that this is the first time she’s referred to Claire as her mom. A change in her posture shows some insecurity, but like Claire, she shakes it off, returning to fierce boldness.
“I learned how to hack systems from a different perspective than most. As I got older, to better assist my mom, I learned how to perfect encryptions. There were times she tried to hide information from them, but it was hard, so I went about hacking my own way. When we need it, I’m able to use dead zones or off the grid systems to perform what I need to. With that ability, I’m able to help with operations that require encrypted detail.” She inhales softly and smiles. “So I found myself getting involved to protect my mom.”
Family first.
A pattern presents itself: Both Raelyn and Claire have the same mindset about family as I do. Protect and help thrive. I appreciate and value that fact; it helps me believe I can learn to trust and work alongside them.
Raelyn’s skills in encryption remind me of my mother’s. She was a true master of the art, always protecting data and finding creative ways to use it for combat as well as defense. In many ways, the reflection of Claire in Raelyn, reminds me of my mother. Poise and confidence drive everything they do. It’s a sight to see and I’m appreciative I have the chance to do so.
“I have a lot of respect for what you did in Encryption toward Thaddeus, one of the most profound encryptors I know.”
“Thanks,” I say, “but he had it coming.”
“I agree. His arrogance can get the best of him. However, I think I could have done better.” She winks.
We laugh again, and I relish the feeling of being with a like-minded person, and most of all, of being with family. The sensations it brings me makes thoughts of peace feel possible, something I’ve longed for, but could never grasp. Maybe, one day, I can.
Maybe.
The sun shifts the shade again as it descends. Lights trigger along the sides of the pyramid, breaking the darkness. Raelyn kicks her feet up on the table and buries herself in the seat.
“Where’s your other half?” I ask.
“Still on his operation most likely. I was watching a situation that occurred in Millennia days ago, and I thought it could be him. Then I remembered he was assigned to Arcadia.”
Millennia. I gather she’s talking about the events at the estate.
“Speaking of operations,” she continues. “I knew you were gone, but where did the director assign you?”
“Millennia.”
“What was your mission?”
“Originally, to find Ezra. But that quickly transformed into me finding his exact location and going after him.”
“Uhhh, okay, that’s a lot.” She snickers.
“There’s something I need to ask you, but it has to stay between us.”
“Oooo, secrets. I like secrets.”
“Seriously,” I say.
“You have my word.”
“Is there someone here who can somehow manipulate fire?”
She jerks back with wide eyes.
“What?”
“I know it sounds crazy, but I need to know if there’s someone here who can do that.”
“Not that I know of. Why?
“That footage you were watching in Millennia? Well, I was part of that,” I admit.
Her eyes grow wider, flashing green in the reflection of the dying sun.
“When I was there, I witnessed someone literally shoot fire from their hands, causing explosions and fire to erupt the estate.”
“The estate?”
“It’s where Ezra Coleman spends most of his time, where he practically lives.”
“Holy shit.”
She leans forward in her seat, her long legs retracting. Her hands tuck beneath her chin as she thinks about the information I’ve revealed. I probably shouldn’t have shared so much with her and ask her to keep it a secret. I know it’s a lot to ask, especially because she’s close to a lot of people here.
“I don’t think anyone here has that kind of technology,” she says. “From what I know, at least. What makes you think they’re from here?”
“They had a Black Web mask.”
“Well, at least they’re on our side.”
“No.” I shake my head.
Like Eliza, her face tenses, showing she has the rest figured out.
“We have a plant,” she says under her breath.
I nod.
“I have to tell the director,” she says quickly, standing to go.
“Okay.” I stand too. “But, don’t let anyone else see or hear you. The plant could be anyone in this facility.”
“I’ll kill that asshole when I find out who it is.”
“Not before I do. I’m going to my room to figure out a few things. If you hear anything or suspect anything, let me or Eliza know.”
“Understood,” she says, walking beside me to an elevator. “Not quite the conversation I expected, but I’m glad we got to talk.”
“Me too.”
We enter, and I feel relieved to have her help. It’ll make things easier and hopefully a lot quicker. Either way, I know we’ll find them and when we do, there will be hell to pay.
43
Being back in this room makes me miss the space of my own home again, and the simple fact of knowing I’m safe. I sit on the bed, the material morphing around me as I think about how long this person could have been working for the Enlightenment. A place like this, housing some of the most skilled people I’ve seen, has no idea they have an enemy among them. It begs the question: Is this where I want to be?
“Ms. Young,” Amity says, “the extracted material is ready to be viewed.”
I unlatch Iris from my wrist. The burn marks trigger my memories, but I stop them short and place Iris in the center of the bed. The start of my investigation. Time to figure out the best way to attack the Enlightenment. My heart won’t allow me to kill someone who isn’t trying to kill me. I need a way to end their lives without physically doing so. A definite challenge, but one I must overcome. I owe it to myself, the nation, and most of all, my parents.
Iris illuminates with the familiar blue glow, shining the contents above it in an array of holograms. The files I gathered appear. A banking file is the first to catch my attention because it’s the heaviest in terms of data. I flip through it with a swipe of my finger and uncover hundreds of transfers through wired banks.
It’s a start.
If the Area found out he was extorting and stealing money for his own gain, I’m sure it would open eyes.
“How far back do the money transfers date?” I ask.
