The Phoenix Project: Book I: Flight

by Katherine Macdonald

I remember the picture of his mother, but I imagine her animated now, singing around the kitchen as she left a trial of chaos in her wake. Nick's dad would be sitting quietly in the corner, shaking his head and silently smiling. It feels like a nice way to grow up.

  “Tell me a story,” I ask Nick. “One of your father's.”

  Nick grins, as if he would like nothing more in the world, and starts to speak.

  Chapter 47

  Nick is bed-bound for almost a week, but improves rapidly under Mi's constant care and the daily transfusions. Within days, his rash is going down, the colour fading from purple to pink. Julia comes in a few days later to swab the scabs to test for infection. He can return to base as soon as he isn't a risk to anyone and looks normal enough not to arouse suspicion.

  The day after, Julia returns with the test results and no suit. “You're all clear,” she announces. “You can come home as soon as you're ready. I brought a car; I wasn't sure if you'd be up for the walk.”

  Nick grumbles something about being fighting fit, but he knows after so long in bed, it will take him a while to regain his strength. I elect to go back with them, just to check he gets in safely.

  “Is that the only reason?” he asks, while Julia and Abi set about packing up his things.

  “Maybe I'm just not ready to see the back of you yet.”

  “I don't know why. I've got quite the fine backside.”

  I poke him lightly in the ribs, and help him climb to his feet. He is very unsteady.

  “What did you tell the others?” he asks Julia, as we head for the stairs.

  “That you were injured in Luca and it was best not to move you.”

  “Do they know I've been here?”

  “Yes. Pilot is particularly distressed.”

  I sigh. “Is he still sore about that one time I knocked him unconscious? I could have killed him instead. He knows that right?”

  “He knows...”

  It would be way easier for me to carry Nick down to the bottom floor, but he's determined to do it with as little help as possible, holding onto the banister. Towards the end, he almost loses his footing, but he reaches out to grab me instead, and I support him all the way to the car. We slide into the back together and he holds my hand tightly.

  All too soon, we reach the base.

  A small party is waiting in the hangar. Rudy, Harris, Scarlet, Pilot, most of the rest of our team from the rescue mission, and a few more I don't recognise. Nick barely has time to climb out of the car before Scarlet shoots across the room and tackles him into a fierce hug.

  “Jeez, Lilywhite, you know how to scare us.”

  “I know. Sorry. I missed you too.”

  Pilot nods at him from behind her. “'Sup, asshole?”

  “'Sup.”

  He glares at me, although his glare is overshadowed by Rudy's. The leader crosses the room to shake Nick's hand and welcome him back, but then he turns his attention to me.

  “My study, if you please.”

  I nod curtly, and follow him out.

  I had been expecting something from Rudy about my little stunt in the city. If anything, I was surprised he hadn't ordered me back to base earlier. Once in his study, he clicks something on his computer, and a large screen starts playing my newsreel.

  “You've made the news again,” he says.

  “It really was an accident–”

  “Those do tend to happen a lot around you.”

  “Only twice...” that you know of.

  “I'm not sure you're cut out for stealth.”

  That's putting it lightly.

  “And honestly, I still have my doubts about whether or not you're cut out for this,” he gestures wildly, “but Nick trusts you. And you saved him, at great personal risk to yourself.”

  There is a tightness in my throat that wasn't there a few moments ago. “I couldn't let him die.”

  “I believe you. I also believe what you told those people: you want to help.”

  “Yes.”

  “More importantly,” he clicks something else, and other images flash up on screen. Protesters outside of city hall, clamouring for aid to be sent to the slums. Footage of shipments being sent over. Banners of my face. “So does everyone else.”

  “Oh,” is all I can say.

  “You've made quite the impression in Luca. Mostly among the people of the lower rings. The government is yet to be swayed. But it's a step forward. A good one.”

  “So... what would you like me to do next?”

  Rudy rubs his chin. “I'm working on an idea,” he says cryptically. “Something public. Something that will send a message. I will let you know.”

  “All right.”

  He dismisses me with a wave of his hand.

  I go to find Nick, but he's currently swamped by friends and it seems rude to interrupt when I've pretty much had him to myself for so long and there's plenty to be getting on with elsewhere. I walk home slowly, wondering what Rudy has in store.

  Chapter 48

  I return to the base the next day, telling anyone who asks it's to see if Rudy has come up with an idea yet, but knowing in my heart it is to see Nick again. Mi and Abi accompany me, although both peel off the moment we arrive.

  It doesn't take me long to locate Nick. He's in the mess hall, surrounded by friends, but he gets up as soon as he sees me and follows me into a corner.

  “You didn't say goodbye yesterday.”

  “You looked busy. I didn't want to interrupt.”

  “Could you just assume next time that I always want you to interrupt?”

  “Your friends not good company?”

  “My friends are excellent company,” he says. “I just prefer yours.”

  “I'm not much of a conversationalist.”

  “Who says I want your conversation?”

  My cheeks prickle, but I take a step forward until we're only a few inches away. Nick backs away, ever so slightly.

  “What do you want, then?”

  I can see him fighting the urge to swallow. He opens and closes his mouth several times, before finding any words at all. “You,” he says. “I just want you.”

  A group of kids rush out of a room two doors down, pushing through the corridor towards the mess hall. I pull away from Nick to give them enough space to get by. Another moment is lost to us.

  “All right...” I sigh, pushing back my hair behind my ear. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better. Julia's sorted me out an exercise regime to get me back to fighting fit. I thought I might head there now, actually. Would you come with me?”

  I nod. I quite relish the chance of a workout myself, and it probably won't be busy so soon after breakfast. We move briskly, our hands almost touching. I'm just about to push open the door when I register two people in there already, conversing in low voices.

  “What is it?” asks Nick.

  “There's someone in there.”

  He checks the board beside the door. “It's not booked out–”

  “It's Mi and Scarlet.”

  Nick grins. “Oh, I see. We probably shouldn't disturb them then.”

  “Probably not.”

  “Want to spy on them?”

  Spying on Mi is pretty difficult, as he always seems to register your presence. No doubt he already heard us pushing open the door and scuttling away again. If his focus is solely on Scarlet, though...

  I nod, and Nick leads me up a narrow set of stairs to a platform above the gym. It's far enough away from the two of them that I can be reasonably assured that Mi won't overhear, as long as we're quiet.

  Scarlet hands Mi a long wooden staff. It's not as simple and blockish as some of the practice ones at the side. This is a real weapon, something someone has taken hours to construct. A quarterstaff, like the one he jokingly requested during our last mission.

  “I had our carpenter knock it up,” she says. “Is it OK?”

  Mi runs his hands over the engravings, his face rapturous. “These markings...”
<
br />   “Feathers, for phoenixes, but also...”

  “Wings,” Mi finds them. “For the angel Michael.”

  “Two wings,” Scarlet adds, and I realise, in that moment, he has told her about Gabe. She knows about his brother, and has honoured him in this gift.

  “Thank you,” whispers Mi, his words far weightier than they should be. He looks like he wants to hug her, but before he plucks up the courage, his thumb falls across a red band at the top of the staff. “Red paint?” he frowns.

  Scarlet blushes. “Er, yes, I, um... wait... how do you know it's red?”

  “It's called synaesthesia. I feel in colour. It's not necessarily a blind person, or a super-freak person thing.”

  “I don't think you're a super-freak,” Scarlet whispers. “I actually think you're pretty cool. I mean, all of you are amazing, but you...” She bites her lip. “How much... how much can you see?” She arches her neck forward inquisitively, staring into Mi's eyes as if they offer her the answers she seeks.

  Mi sighs. “Nothing. I can't see anything– it's all dark.”

  “I mean, what can you... sense, I guess? I close my eyes and I'm lost. I wouldn't know how to get out of this room. But you... you never seem to bump into anything, not even in the middle of a fight. What do you... experience, instead?”

  Mi chews his lip for a minute. “It's a bit hard to describe,” he says. “I can't see where anything is; but I can feel it. Like... how you always seem to know where the end of the bed is.”

  “And what... what can you tell about... me?”

  Mi smiles. “I can tell you're really close to me. I know that you're looking at me right now. I know that you're tall, though not as tall as I am, that you're slim, light on your feet. I think you've got short hair, because I never hear it swish when you move.”

  Slowly, Scarlet reaches out and takes Mi's hand, and drops it at the back of her hair.

  “Short,” she confirms.

  “Soft, fair, almost white.” He strokes it between his fingers. “Scarlet?”

  “Yes?”

  “Can I... touch your face?”

  “Yes. Yes of course.”

  Mi's fingers reach out to touch every one of her features; her eyes, her nose, lips, cheeks, brows. Every curve and line of her. His mouth twitches into a smile. Hers does too.

  “Nice to see you, Scarlet.”

  Scarlet looks like she wants to say something else, but at that moment, she looks up and spots the two of us on the platform. I'd been so concerned with staying quiet, I hadn't thought to hide my visibility. She looks mildly amused to see the two of us.

  “Shall we try it out?” she suggests, turning back to Mi.

  “What?”

  “The staff– want to fight with it?”

  “Oh, yes. Sure.”

  She grabs one of the practice weapons and heads back to join him, both of them getting a lot closer than you need to to fight with quarterstaffs. Nick turns to me, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Well, that was adorable. Hope she doesn't kick my butt later for spying on her.”

  “You're probably safe due to the whole nearly-dying thing.”

  “You're right. Wonder what else I can get away with...”

  We watch the two of them fighting together. They're a good match.

  “I want to spar with you.” Nick says.

  “You serious?”

  “Very.”

  “You are aware that there exists no scenario in which you would beat me, right?”

  “I don't know. I'm sure you have an Achilles heel somewhere. I'll find your Kryptonite.”

  I blink at him.

  “You've never read a comic book, have you?”

  “I know what superheroes are,” I reply, “But no.”

  There’s not much of a market for comic books –or any kind of literature– in the slums, although I have fenced a few volumes before. They’re a luxury, one most people can’t afford.

  “I have got to show you some.”

  “So... this is what you do, in your spare time? Read comic books?”

  “Mostly. Don't sound so judgemental. You might like them.”

  “I know I'm going to like beating you.”

  “I might enjoy that too.”

  “You want me to beat you up?”

  “I want to learn how to fight with you,” he explains. “Partly because it'll make me better, but also because I want to learn how to help you. I want to be your ally in a fight, and not have to have you worry about covering me. I want to be an asset.”

  “You are an asset.”

  “Are you sure? Because you end up coming to my aid, a lot.”

  “You pulled me out of the warehouse,” I insist, “and you stayed for me at the hotel. So I'd say we're about even.”

  “Does that mean you won't spar with me?”

  I chew my lip for a moment. It's not that I don't want to spar with him. It's not that.

  “I... I don't fight very well with others,” I tell him. “I mean, I taught Ben, and I fought a lot with Abi and Mi growing up, and we're not a bad team, but... but...”

  “It's all right.”

  “Gabe and I were the perfect team. Partly because, you know, we could kind of read each other's minds. I don't want... I don't want to learn how to fight with you, and be always comparing it to that. I don't want you to feel inferior because you're not a mind-reading chimera.”

  Nick smiles. He reaches out and touches my arm. “Ashe, I'm not a mind-reading chimera. And fighting with you isn't going to be like fighting with Gabe. It won't be. It'll be different. I still think we should do it, though. I think we should try.”

  I swallow. “If you're sure–”

  “If you're comfortable, then yes. My manly pride will not be damaged by how soul-crushingly awesome you are. I've kind of come to terms with that.”

  An echo of a blush rises to my cheeks.

  “All right,” I say. “Shall we go down and join them?”

  Chapter 49

  Nick is not yet in the best of shape to be sparring with me, but he sets to work on Julia's assignments while I tackle the climbing wall and then spot for Mi. I even have a bit of a spar with Scarlet. She's a good partner. What she lacks in strength, she makes up for in speed and agility. She's no where near our level, but she's impressive. I wouldn't mind having her watch my back in a fight even if it were just the two of us.

  I spend most of the day at the base. We have lunch in the mess hall, welcomed by the other members. Nick departs for Rudy’s office and I converse with Jack, Thor and Odine. I learn a little about their backgrounds. They're all orphans, like so many here, but the twins initially joined with their Dad until he was killed on a mission two years ago. Jack doesn't remember his parents. The base is the only home he knows. His first memory is of one of the older members finding him on the streets and bringing him in for a hot meal. He never left.

  A part of me is concerned with the ethics of this –taking in young kids and basically indoctrinating them to the cause– but Jack doesn't seem to mind. “A just cause is a just cause. Not starving to death is an added bonus.”

  I'm just about to head home –I don't like Ben being alone for too long– when Harris appears at my elbow.

  “Rudy wants to see you,” he announces.

  I nod and follow him into the study. Nick is there, smiling awkwardly. Rudy looks down at me.

  “You figured out what you want me to do yet?” I ask.

  Rudy nods. “We want you to be the face of Phoenix.”

  I stand in stunned silence for a moment, sure that I heard him wrong. “What?”

  “We want you to do another video, proclaiming who you are –who we are– and release it into the city. Luca is close to rioting. We need those fans flamed.”

  “And you... want me to fan them?”

  “The people already know your face. Let them know your story.”

  “Whatever you're comfortable with,” Nick adds.

  “It... it is
n't safe.” I manage. It was dangerous enough saving those people from the fire. This would be like setting a beacon above my roof. Come and find me, do your worst.

  “It is risky,” Harris admits. “Abi has run the numbers. The Institute will realise you're in the slums, if they haven't already. They're likely to try and take you back.”

  “You can move in here, if you're concerned for your safety,” offers Rudy, “but know that you will have our protection anyway.”

  “There is also a chance, Abi assures me,” Harris continues, “that they will decide not to retaliate. That attacking you will just make you a martyr.”

  “What kind of chance?”

  “Sizeable but slim.”

  “I see.”

  “You don't have to do anything,” Nick assures me. “I know you know that, I just...”

  “It's all right. Can I... can I have some time to think? To talk it over with the others?”

  Rudy nods solemnly. “I would advise thinking quickly, however. There's no point fanning where there is no flame.”

  There is not much more I can say to that, so I go to find the others and walk home in contemplative silence. I wait until after dinner to tell them Rudy's idea.

  “It's more risky than anything I've done so far,” I tell them. “It could have massive implications for all of us.”

  “Yet... you want to do it?” Mi guesses.

  “I... I think I'm tired of living in fear, waiting for them to come and grab us. I want to take a stand. And... and what if this works? What if this is the spark that starts the explosion that brings down Luca's walls? What if no one starves this winter because there's enough food for everyone, and access to medicine? What if this could bring the Institute to its knees?”

  “So do it,” says Abi.

  “Are you sure? The chances are–”

  “The chances are that something will change. I think anything's worth that, don't you?”

  I lean across the table and tug one of her curls. “I know you were born smarter than me, but would it kill you to pretend you're not, every now and again?”

  She smiles, shrugging.

  Ben taps my shoulder. “What if they come for us?”

  “Then we fight them.”