Beyond Reach, page 19
part #3 of True Calling Series
She gives me one of her looks, but then her expression softens. “Zane, are we really going to do this again?”
“Just answer me one thing, Ari. How come you’ve forgiven him so easily? Or have you forgotten his deceit?”
“No, I haven’t. But I don’t know the depth of his betrayal—if any—and I can’t ask him yet; he’s still way too vulnerable. Besides, he can’t remember a damned thing. But he’s here, he’s my baby’s father, he needs me, and I know he loves me.”
I’m exasperated; it’s like he can do no wrong, no matter how far he steps out of line. Whereas, I bend over backward for her and it’s never enough. My brain hurts for a multitude of reasons. “Ari, you don’t know that your baby is Cal’s. You have to at least consider the alternative possibility.”
“My ability has never let me down before. I just know this baby is his.”
“You know you’re totally blinkered when it comes to him, don’t you?”
“That’s unfair, Zane!”
“Well, since he’s been back, you’ve barely thought of anything, or anyone, else,” I say truthfully.
“Because I’ve spent weeks worrying about him! And I owe it to him to help him recover. He sacrificed himself so that we could escape. I won’t leave him on his own to deal with this. And I can’t believe you’ve said something so mean.”
“Well maybe being Mr. Nice Guy is over-rated.”
“What’s really going on with you?” she asks, tipping her head up.
“Do you really need to ask me that?”
“Oh, Zane, I’m so tired of all this. I don’t even know if it’s possible for us to be friends anymore, if this is what it’s going to be like every time he comes up in conversation.”
“Friends need to be honest with each other, and I’m just telling you how I see it. He isn’t as perfect as you think he is.”
Dropping down to the forest floor, she sits cross-legged leaning against the trunk of the nearest tree. I remain standing. “No one’s perfect, Zane, none of us are.” She tips her head back and closes her eyes.
Rehashing old ground is of no benefit to either of us, so I deliberately change the subject. “So, what are we telling Corr and Kloon?”
Dragging in a long breath, she opens her eyes and stares at me, her expression impressively blank. “I think we go with number three; give them a little—enough to give Cal a stay of execution, so to speak—but hold back the rest. We’ll tell them we’ll hand it over when they’ve delivered their side of the bargain, but obviously, we’re not ever going to do that. I also want Cal moved back to the hospital.”
“It’ll buy us some time to work on an escape plan. I think we should bring Mel, Ben, and Isla into the loop now.”
“Why Isla? What’s she got to do with any of this?” Ari asks, visibly aggravated.
“I won’t leave without her, and we may well need her help.”
Ari scowls but doesn’t challenge me further. “Zane?” she asks, a moment later, and I know by the tone of her voice that I’m not going to like this.
“Yeah?”
“I know you know about this ‘Super Soldier’ program that Cal was subjected to. Tell me.”
“I don’t know that much more than you,” I say, slinking to the ground. “You remember the day you and Cal were in your Novo hideout, in Region 8, and you saw those military men sink into the ground?” She nods. “Apparently, that’s the government’s secret laboratory where they focus on Vita advancement, harvesting embryos, creating their next-generation army, and God knows what else. There are only a few people on Novo who are aware of its existence, including one of our sympathizers. He doesn’t know how many are included in the initial CSS pilot program, but he was able to tell us that they’re using a combination of Vita control, gene modification, and cognitive brain manipulation to create the soldier of the future. The suit he was wearing enables them to exert a certain level of mind control. You recall what Dr. Hann said?” Her eyes pierce mine as she nods in understanding. “Well, the exoskeleton he was fitted with under the armor of his suit contained sensors and transmitters which we believe were emitting signals to his brain and electro pulse waves to his body, all to ensure he carried out his mission. You …”
“Hold up,” she says, palm raised in front of her. “That’s a lot to process. Back up there a minute. What do you mean by ‘gene modification?”
“It seems they’ve been experimenting with DNA, mixing modified DNA with a strain of virus to create a new strand of DNA, and then injecting it into the soldiers.”
“Oh God, that’s such a violation. I feel sick,” she says, horror etched on her face. Pausing, she’s silent for a few minutes. “How does it work exactly?”
“The aim is to genetically modify them so they can perform superhuman feats of strength. And our informer told us they were also training heavily in tandem.”
“That would explain his bulked up torso,” she says.
“You saw how Cal was that day he showed up here; a hardened soldier, no emotion, fueled by strength and aggression, solely focused on his mission, his target—you.”
“Is it reversible?” she asks, fidgeting with a loose thread on the hem of her dress.
“We don’t know, Ari. Dr. Hann is operating blind, but he’s doing what he can.”
“If that’s what Cal has been subjected to, then how come he seems relatively calm around me?”
“Dr. Hann is perplexed by that, though he feels part of Cal’s subconscious must recognize you on some level.”
“Or maybe he wasn’t in the program long enough?” she asks, expectation lighting up her face.
“It’s hard to tell. But, Ari, you have to remember that he’s still dangerous. I’ve seen flashes of severe aggression, and I don’t think it would take much for him to lose control. It’s like I said earlier.”
“He won’t hurt me. I know he won’t.”
Her potent desire to delude herself continues to annoy me. Shaking my head, I try to empty my brain. I don’t want to think, or talk, about him anymore.
“Come on, we better head back.”
Corr and Kloon aren’t happy with our ‘compromise,’ but after debating for several minutes, they know we won’t back down, and they’re forced to reluctantly agree. Unfortunately, they absolutely refuse to budge on moving Cal from the penitentiary and visitation rights are a definite no-no, but Ari knows that this deal secures Cal’s life for the moment, and she isn’t willing to jeopardize that. It’s hard to understand whether we’ve won the battle or lost the war, particularly as I notice the smug look that passes between them as we make our exit.
“Why do they look so pleased?” Ari’s clearly picking up on the same vibe.
“It’s like they were expecting this response. Are we playing into their hands?” She shrugs. “I’m going to head to the IT room and bring Ben up to speed. Catch you later at dinner?”
“Sure. I need to show my face in the Training Unit before they kick me out of the pilot training program.”
I’ve taken two steps forward when she calls out to me again. “Um, Zane?”
“Yes?”
“Can you find out where they’re keeping Cal?”
Hell no. I step back and face her. “Absolutely not. I know what you’re thinking and it’s dangerous. We’ve made a deal, one that keeps him safe for the time being. Don’t be a fool and risk that.”
Scowling at me, she is clearly unhappy but smart enough to realize that I’m right. Though she won’t give me the satisfaction of saying it as she wordlessly stomps off down the corridor. I wonder if it’s her pregnancy hormones or natural sullenness charging her mood this time. Or if it’s just that I don’t really understand her at all anymore, because at times, it’s like she’s a total stranger to me, as if I were the one with memory-erase issues.
Taking Ben aside as soon as I arrive in the IT room, I waste no time bringing him up to speed. As expected, he has no reservations about siding with us, and he willingly agrees to do whatever he can to help.
Knowing my heart can’t withstand any more emotional upheaval today, I gladly throw myself into my work and keep my errant thoughts at bay. I have a breakthrough mid-afternoon when I manage to infiltrate the Novo back office systems and retrieve some key information including the Magna Superiore codes. Ordinarily, I would hand these over to Agent Dale without a moments’ hesitation, but this time, I don’t falter in concealing it. Pleased that I was prudent enough to set up my own secret stash of equipment in my apartment, I transfer the information electronically to my secret user account. I carefully remove the audit trail and wipe the original file from the system, effectively covering my tracks.
Just then, I receive a message from Agent Dale, requesting me to attend an unscheduled War Council meeting. A keen sense of dread sweeps through me as I wonder what’s up now.
I’m the last to arrive, and that in itself raises suspicion. Everyone else is seated around the table, including an additional attendee: Ari. Fear laces my insides, and my stomach churns unpleasantly. Our eyes meet for an instant, and I see my concern reflected in her gaze.
“Good evening, everyone,” Micha opens the meeting. “I apologize for the last minute arrangement, but the situation regarding Ariana’s baby requires immediate discussion. Dr. Hann has performed the sonogram, and as expected, he’s unable to confirm that the baby has been naturally conceived. Fetal DNA extraction is the only way we can confirm the origin,” she says indifferently. Her lack of empathy is upsetting, and everyone—with the exception of Chancellor Corr and Agent Dale—looks decidedly uncomfortable.
“Why are we having this conversation? Surely it’s a matter for Ariana to decide,” Agent Leena asks, shifting uneasily in her chair.
“I beg to differ. This baby presents an opportunity to identify exactly what the authorities are engineering on Novo, and that’s bigger than one single girl.”
“Oh please, cut the crap. No one’s buying it,” Ari says. “This is my baby, my decision, and there’s no way I’m agreeing to any procedure that poses a risk to my child. Forget it!”
“Dr. Hann, put Ariana’s mind at ease, please,” Chancellor Corr demands.
“I’m afraid I can’t,” he replies. The Chancellor stares him down, but Dr. Hann consciously avoids his penetrating glare. “Conducting a DNA extraction on a fetus of this size is considerably risky, and the procedure could kill the baby. My advice is to wait until Ariana is at the twenty-week stage and then re-assess.”
“You will have this procedure!” Micha roars. She slams her fist on the table.
“No! I won’t! And it’s unnecessary, this baby is Cal’s,” Ari says rising in her chair.
“Oh please! You only had sex with him once!” At this stage, any illusion of professionalism seems to have gone out the window. I’m struggling to understand why this farce of a meeting was necessary in the first place, unless it was convened purely as another means to remind us of the power they ultimately hold and another way for Micha to undermine and embarrass Ari. Ari is puce in the face, but I can’t tell if it’s from humiliation or rage, or a bit of both.
“That’s irrelevant, Micha, especially considering the fertility treatment Ariana was undergoing at the time. I think her argument is very plausible,” Commander De Luca interjects.
Ari grips the side of her chair, the skin on her knuckles stretched thin as she stares numbly ahead. “How dare you talk about my private life! You have no right. If you want to bring it to that level, there’s plenty I can update the room on.” The tension is flagrant, and no one speaks for a few minutes, everyone awkwardly looking from one to the other.
“It would be morally wrong to force Ariana into something she doesn’t want. I don’t see why we can’t wait until the twenty-week stage and then re-visit our options. That still leaves adequate time,” Commander De Luca says, in a concerted attempt to restore order.
“I agree,” Agent Leena adds. Her response sets off an informal voting process, with everyone agreeing to wait, bar Agent Dale, Chancellor Corr, and Micha—naturally. Still, we have majority consensus, and it’s enough to park this discussion for now. I can tell that Corr and Kloon are absolutely fuming at being challenged so publicly, and I’m sure it only adds to the hatred they feel toward us.
“Are you okay?” I ask Ari as we walk out of the room together.
“Stay away from me!” she yells. She shoves me aside and runs away.
Struggling to understand what I’ve done to deserve her anger, I run after her. “What’s with you?”
“I trusted you, but you still told them!” And that’s when I cop on—how did they know she only slept with him that one time?
“Ari, I never told them that.”
“What?” Faltering, she stops on the spot. She knows me well enough by now to tell when I’m being genuine.
“Did you tell anyone else?” Shaking her head, her hands ball into fists at her side. I mull it over for a couple of minutes and then it comes to me. “We must have missed a monitoring device; that’s the only conclusion that makes sense. Come on, we need to check it out.”
“Got it,” Ari calls out, extracting a tiny camera from behind the TV screen. “I thought we checked there last time,” she muses out loud.
“We did. They must’ve come back.”
“Soldier Boyd!” she says, and that makes sense. Scouring the rest of the apartment, we turn everything upside down until we’re confident that we’ve located all the monitoring devices. We’ve discovered five in total. “I wonder what else they heard?” she asks. Her brow furrows in concern.
“I don’t think they heard much,” I say, remembering how most of our serious conversations were conducted either silently, or out in the woods.
“It’s so hard to stay one step ahead of them. They’re so skilled at this stuff, whereas, it’s like child’s play to us.”
“We’re holding our own,” I say, pushing a stray strand of hair back from her face.
“For now,” she replies ominously.
We find Deacon and Mel in the kitchen. We grab some dinner, and join the others at the table. Everyone is chatting away, and there’s no obvious tension to deal with for a change. I, for one, am glad of a half hour without any thoughts of controlling governments, would-be-controlling-alternate-governments, forced medical procedures, or unrequited love. But I should’ve known that this reprieve wouldn’t last long.
The screen powers on automatically in the room, and every head mechanically turns to watch, all conversations instantly muted. The government seal flashes before our eyes. My foot taps nervously off the ground as I glance sideways at Ari. She’s readying herself in anticipation.
Then the government drops their latest bombshell.
CHAPTER 16
A deathly hush has settled over the room. No one knows where to look as they trade uneasy expressions. I intercept some hostile glances directed Ari’s way and savagely glare at those who dare to add even more pressure on her slim shoulders. Sitting rigidly in her seat, Ari is wide-eyed and numb with disbelief.
Gradually, people resume whispered conversations, but the light-hearted atmosphere at our table is gone, replaced by an uncomfortable silence. Ruby is the first to break it. “Please tell me you’re not considering it?” Several sets of eyes lock on Ari as she lifts her head.
“I don’t know,” she whispers, a glazed look in her eyes.
“You can’t leave me,” Deacon says quietly, his voice so low that my ears have to strain to hear him. Ari looks traumatized. This ‘choice’ isn’t a choice. If she hands herself in, there’s no guarantee of Lily or Anneka’s safety. After her last attempt, she knows that as much as I do. But if anything happens to them because she fails to turn herself over to the authorities, then she will never forgive herself, and she’ll have to live with the outcome of that decision for the rest of her life. Plus, they’ve put it out there now that she’s stolen information vital to the future of mankind and is sheltering under Clementia’s roof. They’ve publicly vowed to track her down and flush out the rebels. The way they’ve spun it? It’s like she’s the second coming of the Antichrist. She’s damned no matter what choice she makes.
Now she’s like a ticking time bomb, a magnet for all those who feel she puts Clementia’s future in jeopardy. One part of me dismisses it as an idle threat, and the other balks at the possibility that they’re just biding their time. Hugging Deacon in close to her side, she pointedly doesn’t respond.
“So, what’s this information that has the government all ass about face?” Riga asks, leaning in conspiratorially. Xander shakes his head, punching his twin in the arm. “Dude, that actually hurt,” he says, rubbing his upper arm.
“Let’s go out into the woods,” Ari says, “it’s not safe to talk here.” I figure this is as good a time as any to bring some of the others into the loop. Mel takes Deacon back to the apartment while the rest of our table follows Ari’s lead.
We’ve just given everyone a lightning-quick summary of the current situation, and we’re currently fending off a bombardment of rapid-fire questions. “Whoa, one at a time!” I beseech.
“If the information is the key to removing the government’s level of control over the population, then you’ve got to hand it over to Clementia,” Xander says.
“Bro, she can’t do that—the government will kill her mom and sister,” Riga replies.
“I don’t mean this to sound callous, Ari, but your chances of getting your remaining family out safely are slim anyway. Protecting everyone else has got to take priority,” Xander says.
“Gosh, I’m so glad we brought you into our confidence. Your contribution is making everything so much easier—not,” Ari says, pacing back and forth in front of the little group assembled on the forest floor.
“It’s not as simple as that, Xander. Clementia can’t be trusted with that information either,” I admit.
“You’re really caught between a rock and a hard place,” Ruby adds.
