The Chase

by Bradley Caffee

  She rushed forward. Stone-zee could hardly get up from his chair before she embraced him, her sobs emanating without shame.

  “I thought you’d be gone.” Her muffled voice came from his shoulder.

  “It’s okay, Sis. I’m not going anywhere,” Zeke stroked her hair as he whispered in her ear.

  The two sat in chairs next to each other as if the width of the table would have been too much separation.

  “Don’t think you’re off the hook,” Creed whispered. The volume of his voice in the silence couldn’t disguise his words.

  Stone nodded, gazing at the floor. On her other side, Zeke’s hand balled into a fist. Anger appeared ready to burst from him like a valve reaching its maximum pressure, but he said nothing.

  Creed had better watch out. Willis held his breath until Creed pushed away from the table and stormed from the room.

  Willis walked out the mess hall door. With everyone else eating, the barracks and hallways were as quiet as he’d ever seen them. The hollow drone that was ever present in the background on the station echoed until another noise caught his attention. He paused and waited for it to return.

  It came again. A quiet, sniffing noise faintly caught his ear. Glancing around, he couldn’t see the source until he neared his quarters. In the shadows next to the doorway to his quarters, sat Perryn. Her face was tear streaked. Her hair, still braided from sleep, was frizzing and coming apart. Trembling hands clutched her knees pulled up in front of her. Her inner fire was gone again. She sat by his doorway broken, moving when a shudder caused her to inhale quickly, making the noise he’d heard.

  He hadn’t seen her like this since the day Diego had died, and a heaviness descended on his chest.

  “I can’t do this,” she sobbed looking up at him. He squatted down next to her. “I didn’t know who else who to turn to. No one else talks to me outside of my team.”

  Willis glanced around to see if there was anyone watching. He nodded toward his door and helped her up. Entering his quarters, they sat on the edge of his bed.

  “Everyone says that you guys aren’t practicing well.” He waited a long moment for her to answer.

  “We’re not practicing at all.”

  “Not at all?”

  “We tried the first couple of days, but it was horrible. Dex is falling all over himself. His confidence is gone. And Amber, she keeps talking about our next recoding.”

  “At least it would be the last recoding of the year. Elimination runs next month. No more races until after the Chase.”

  “But it won’t be our last recoding, will it?” She pounded a fist on the bed frame not waiting for an answer. Willis sat silently. “We’ll lose our elimination race without Jaden, be recoded, and be stuck here another year.”

  “Yeah, probably.”

  “He had us believing, Willis.” Her voice grew louder. “He changed our whole team in a way not even Diego was able to.”

  “Hey, you’re the leader.”

  “Not really. I may wear this armband”—she tore it off her arm and balled it into her fist—“but I can’t inspire this team. Dex and Amber ran for Jaden. He picked them up when they fell. He built them up when they succeeded. I-I stay out of his way.”

  “So what’s the worst that could happen? You stay here another year? You’ll have Jaden back and kick some butt. So what if you get recoded a few times? You’ll be out in a couple years, even if you don’t make the Chase.”

  Perryn hid her face in her hands and silently cried again. He put his arm around her, feeling awkward as he did so. He contemplated removing it, but he didn’t want to upset her more. He breathed a little easier when she relaxed into his embrace.

  “Do you think I’ll last a couple more years?” she whispered after a quiet moment passed.

  “What do you mean?”

  She pulled away from his shoulder and turned her head toward the far wall. With one finger, she pulled her ear forward.

  He caught his breath. Staring him in the face was the number 96.

  She turned toward him and looked him in the eyes. “I get recoded more than three more times, and I’ll no longer need to worry about the Chase. Blacc has it out for Jaden. He won’t let us win next year, and I’m as good as dead. So, I hope you don’t think me a wimp if I shed a few tears before we’ve even lost.”

  “I’m sorry.” It was all he could think to say as he reached to his own ear, the familiar bump filling him with guilt. “I’m so sorry.”

  The two of them sat in silence for several minutes, the dampness on his shoulders where she’d wet it with her tears reminding him of the moment they’d shared. He already missed her warmth as she leaned on him. For the first time in a long time, life on the station didn’t feel cold and metallic. His insides melted with compassion, a compassion what was easily slipping into fondness. He missed her smile. He wanted her fire to return. He longed to honor the trust she’d shown him.

  He broke the silence. “Well, that leaves one thing you can do then.”

  “What is that?” She straightened and wiped her eyes.

  “You’ll have to not lose your elimination run next month.”

  “Shut up.”

  “I’m serious! I don’t know how, but I know who would be able to figure that out. When are you next allowed to go and see Jaden?”

  “Later today. Why?”

  “Let’s go see him—together.”

  They agreed to approach Jaden separately. Willis had made a joke about Jez seeing them going there together and flipping out, and he’d received a brief laugh from Perryn as a reward. He loved how she lowered her head and looked up at him when she laughed like she wasn’t sure if her laughter was appropriate.

  After lunch, Willis left the mess hall early again, bringing protests from Jez, which he chose to ignore. Making his way to the blue barracks, he placed his thumb on the panel outside Jaden’s door to confirm that he was a team leader and entered. He was surprised to find that Perryn hadn’t arrived.

  “Hey, man, come in!” Jaden smiled. Jaden appeared a little weak. A half-eaten soggy lump of meat lay next to stringy, overcooked vegetables on Jaden’s meal tray. “Yeah, you don’t get the same food when you’re confined to quarters. As hungry as I am, it’s hard to eat.”

  “Maybe I should wait for Perryn?” Willis hovered awkwardly by the doorway. “She and I were supposed to meet here at the same time.”

  “Not at all. Sit down.” Jaden waved him into the room. “What is going on?”

  He bit his lip, wondering where to start. “She can tell you most of it, but your team isn’t doing well.”

  Jaden sighed heavily. “I wondered. They have so much ability. They don’t see it.”

  “Perryn is terrified they won’t win their first elimination run without you.”

  “I feel horrible about that.” He studied Willis with misted eyes. “I promised Perryn I would do everything I could to get her out of here and look at me.”

  “She can’t stay here next year.”

  “She showed you her number?” Jaden dropped his gaze.

  “Yeah. This morning. And Blacc has frozen the rosters, so there’s nothing I can do about it.” Willis paused. “She’ll die if she has to stay.”

  Jaden stared at his hands. “Willis, can I ask you a question?”

  “Sure.”

  “What are you going to do after the Chase?” He looked up.

  Willis cocked his head to the side. “Go home, I guess. Why?”

  “No, I mean what law will you pass?”

  The question caught Willis. He sat in silence, Jaden’s hopeful eyes eagerly waiting him out, and realized that he had no idea. He’d never stopped to think about after the Chase. All his efforts to date had been to get to the race. It unsettled him that he was no more prepared to answer that question than the young girl had at the last Chase.

  “Not sure. I have to win first. I guess I haven’t given it much thought yet.”

  “But then you plan on going hom
e? To your parents?”

  “Yeah. I barely know them, but that’s the plan. I’ve been thinking of them a lot lately. I have a ton of questions.” He paused. “What’s with all the questions? How do I know it won’t be you on that stage passing a law?”

  Jaden suddenly became quite serious. His head dropped. “I hope so. I have to get there someday.”

  “Have to? You go home either way you know. Once you go to the Chase you’re out of racing.”

  “I know. And no. I won’t go home. Not if I win. Not if I pass a law.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I won’t be able to go home.”

  Willis contemplated asking more, but the door opened revealing Perryn. Jaden’s face lit up, and Willis saw he wasn’t going to talk about himself any longer. Perryn looked at Willis and Jaden as if unsure how to handle the two of them together.

  “Perr, how are you?” Jaden stood, waving her in.

  “I take it Willis filled you in?” Perryn gestured to Willis as she stepped inside. Her eyes glanced anywhere but at Jaden.

  “He was letting me know how badly you want to win.” Jaden caught her eyes and smiled, producing one from her in return. “Come in. Sit down.”

  “It’s more than that, Jaden. I can’t do this.” The tears returned to her eyes.

  “Do you remember what I called you that day I first arrived, right before the race?”

  “You said, ‘So you’re our fearless leader, our rock.’” Perryn made a big show out of imitating Jaden, deepening her voice and standing in a confident pose. Willis couldn’t help but chuckle, which produced laughter from the other two.

  “Yeah, something like that,” he said, blushing. He leaned forward in his seat, giving her a slight shove like a brother teasing his kid sister. “I meant what I said.”

  “Which part?”

  “All of it. You’re the rock of this team.”

  She shook her head. “No, I’m not. You are.”

  “Hardly. I can get the team jazzed up, but you’re the one who’s been with them through all of this.” Jaden leaned forward, placing a hand on Perryn’s shoulder. “You’re the one who stuck it out, even through the losing and recodings. It’s easy to lead when you’re winning, but they turn to you when they’re hopeless, not me.”

  “I may have been around, but I’m not fearless like you.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “I’m terrified.”

  “Fearless doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid sometimes. I’m afraid every time I step on the track. I was telling Willis, here, about something that scares me.”

  Perryn looked curiously at Willis. Willis found himself trying to put the pieces of what Jaden had started to say together in his head.

  “Fearless means that fear doesn’t control you. It doesn’t get to cripple you. Fearless means you look at fear and push forward anyway.”

  “But—” she protested.

  “—but you’ve never stopped pushing forward, have you?” he interrupted. “Perr, you were born for this. Yeah, I can’t run with you until after next month’s race, but you can do this.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “That’s okay. I do. And so does Willis. Don’t you, friend?”

  Willis smiled and nodded. Her eyes were showing the glimmer of hope again. He realized, then, what Jaden had done for his team. He hadn’t made them better runners. He made them become the runners they were already destined to be.

  “He’s right,” Willis reached over and grabbed Perryn’s hand. “You’re stronger than you realize.” She let him take it. Jaden smiled approvingly.

  “That does it. If you can win over this guy,” he pointed, smiling at Willis, “you’re far more talented than I even realized. Come on. Let’s get a plan together.” He nodded toward a sketch he’d made of the track on the table.

  Perryn would not let go of Willis’s hand as they approached the table, and something in his chest leapt.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Stone, to the right. Walker, go left. Stone-zee, stay right here.” Creed’s commanding voice barked orders to his team. “Hold on. We’re going for another ride.”

  Willis stood in the observation booth watching the races between the other teams. Final standings had been released that morning, and Willis’s Red Team had done what was expected of them. They were first in points for the year allowing them to wait to see which team would get to challenge them for a chance at the Chase. The other four teams had been seeded according to their standings. Blue Team had shocked everyone by pulling out fourth overall in the standings, so they were paired with the third place Gold Team next. Currently, Creed was busy making short work of Nico’s Green Team. Green Team had the unfortunate distinction of coming in last in the standings.

  Willis marveled at the administrators’ creation for this race. None of the teams had been allowed to see the rotation of the track until the actual race. Since he wouldn’t have to race this track, Blacc had invited him as team leader to observe with the administrators. The quiet tapping on screens as they manipulated the track and followed the progress of the players served as a backdrop to the movement going on outside.

  The track was a massive sideways cylinder, which slowly rolled in place as the teams raced from one end to the other of the interior. Obstacles of all sizes made of what appeared like large blocks littered the inside. Some of these blocks were constructed to resemble pyramids or diamond shapes. Others were simply irregular shapes. This made the gaps between the blocks unpredictable, some requiring runners to squeeze through or even lay down to pass by them. Rather than smooth edges, the blocks were rimmed with handles, which the runners could hang from as the rotation gently turned their section of the track upside-down.

  “Come on, guys, we have to catch up!” Panic filled Nico’s voice. Willis shook his head as the greenies struggled with every rotation. They didn’t have the strength of the Black Team and would simply hang as they helplessly watched Creed and his squad monkey-bar their way forward.

  “No miracle run for the greenies, huh?” Blacc said somberly behind Willis.

  “Doesn’t seem like it,” Willis replied, trying not to convey his disappointment. Perryn’s team had a chance against the Gold Team, but he didn’t know how they would ever match Creed, Walker, Stone, and Stone-zee the following week. “Looks like Nico is going to have to come up with a new plan for his team next year.”

  “It won’t be his team next year.”

  “What do you mean, Chief Administrator?” Willis turned to Blacc, stunned at the comment. Blacc remained stone-faced at the window.

  “Things are going to change, Red Leader. The Alliance is about order, and your bluey friend has fooled with that order. It has cost our elite runners too many recodings.”

  “So you mean—”

  “I mean,” he interrupted, “that your friend will be made Green Leader to get them winning again. That should give us three strong teams to truly compete these next few years. Nico, well, he’ll become a bluey.”

  “But why wouldn’t you—” Willis hesitated, knowing he was on dangerous ground to challenge Blacc.

  “Leave things the way they are?” Blacc raised an eyebrow. “Because it’s becoming too hard to predict the outcome of the training runs. Your newbie friend is to thank for that. We need three teams consistently improving while maintaining some threat of recoding to motivate them. His removal will see to it that Blue Team serves its proper role again. Things can go back to the way they were—to order.”

  Willis shuddered at what that meant for Perryn. Without Jaden, she wouldn’t make it more than a couple months the following year.

  “Chief Administrator, why do I get to know about this?”

  “Because, Red Leader, I want one thing to be clear.” He turned to Willis and lowered his eyebrows. “I want you to be clear that you serve the Alliance. We all do. Our personal feelings do not matter in the face of our duty.

  “As soon as both teams are eliminated from this year’s C
hase team, the announcement will be made. And—I don’t want your soft spot for the blueys to cloud your judgment. The wisdom of the Alliance is that Blue Team is there to push the other teams to become better, not to compete for the Chase. The Alliance leads us, and we must accept their guidance.”

  Willis couldn’t take a full breath. The image of Perryn’s recoding number crystalized in his mind.

  “Chief Administrator, they can’t.” He stepped toward Blacc. He could feel his heart beating wildly, and he wanted to shove Blacc through the window or race from the room. Maybe both.

  “Already did.” Blacc remained stone-faced as he spoke. “And you’re not to speak another word about it. Have I made myself clear?”

  Willis retreated. “Yes, Chief Administrator.”

  Willis turned to the window to see Creed standing over an exhausted Nico, laughing. The entire Black Team had finished before Nico ever crossed the line. The race had not even been close. Nico hid his face to conceal his tears as the doctors took the green uniformed runners away.

  Minutes later, Blacc exited the observation booth to give his usual pre-race speech to the next set of runners. Willis rested his head on the glass trying to process what he’d been told.

  What am I going to do? The words raced through his mind. His entire life to this point had been about serving the Alliance. Everything was about this year. This was his year to win the Chase and benefit everyone in the Alliance. Winning the Chase wouldn’t save Perryn. Winning isn’t going to change that I serve an Alliance that uses slaves. Winning doesn’t change anything. Not really.

  Down below, Perryn walked through the doorway. She had a renewed energy about her. Even from the booth, he could see her determination. She had her hands on the shoulders of Dex and Amber, drawing them into a small huddle to offer last minute instructions. Short a team member, he guessed she was reminding them that exactly one had to cross the finish for the whole team to move on. She was leading. She had hope again. She planned to win.