The Complex Leader

by Heather Hayes

  Chapter 28

  I pretend that my muffin tastes good as I shove it into my mouth. This morning the national news station has been broadcasting only stories about people who like the Complex Law and want to keep it. It leaves me feeling like we have no chance of repealing it tomorrow.

  Knock, knock. You have got to be kidding me. I paid Jack yesterday. He shouldn't come again until tomorrow. I am ready to give him a piece of my mind when I open the door to find Ernestine standing there.

  "Ernestine!" I wrap my arms around her and refuse to let go even when she tries to pry me off. "How are you doing, kid?"

  A sob escapes my lips. "I've never been alone like this. I hate it. Today the news is showing a lot of people who want the Complex Law to stay the same, and if it does, I am going to hate my life."

  "One news story doesn't mean nothing. Keep your chin up."

  My eyes scan her face for a reaction. "How is everyone?"

  She grins. "I have another note for you." She lets me take it immediately this time. I unfold it and read it as I lovingly hold and sniff the pages. "So, what does lover boy have to say?"

  The corners of my mouth creep up. "That he misses me and loves me. Avra is almost completely back to normal... Actually, you know all of this. You stay with them."

  "Actually, I don't. Rocky and I moved back in with Frank like you suggested."

  I lean forward excitedly. "Really? How is that going?"

  Ernestine looks surprisingly emotional. "I-I'm not going to lie. It was the best choice I've made in a long time. We are living like a family again, and-it's wonderful."

  I bite my lip as my heart sings. "I'm so happy to hear that! Are peace officers stopping by to check for escapees?"

  Ernestine nods and finishes my bottle of water that is sitting next to the couch. "They do about once a week. I have two hiding places ready to go in that house, so we've been fine."

  I carefully and lovingly fold my note back up. "So how did you get this note?"

  "I stopped by your dad's office to hear the latest news on their situation and he gave the note to me to give to you."

  My nose crinkles. "You've been visiting my dad at his office? Why didn't I think of that?"

  She shrugs at me. "I'm sure he would love to see you again."

  I shove the note into my pocket. "As soon as you leave, I'm going straight there."

  "I won't hold you up then. Just know that the house is still under constant surveillance and your parents are not allowed to go to Brock's banquet tomorrow unless they bring their personal peace officers."

  "No!"

  She sneers as she nods. "Yeah, they've decided not to go, so you'll be able to go without as many officers there watching your every move."

  I look at the picture of our family next to the couch. "They do so much for me."

  "They are amazing people. You should really go hug your dad, kid."

  •

  I decide to take a bucket bath and just leave my hair the way it is. I'm tired of wigs. My eye makeup, Sparkly Clean Car Wash hat, and sunglasses are all the disguise I use as I get ready to see my dad. Greggory's car is getting low on gasoline. I hope I have enough to get through today, because I don't have any money left.

  For some reason, my driving has improved a lot since Greggory was captured. I wonder if having no choice but to drive myself has anything to do with it. My eyes scan the streets carefully looking for the giant ice cream cone building. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see it. The sign on the corner says Medical Parkway. Perfect. I park Greggory's car as far away from the door to the building as possible.

  A woman supports her husband's arm as they leave the building ahead of me. I open the door for them. They smile at me and thank me as we pass. I bet they will vote to repeal the Complex Law tomorrow. His heart is giving him problems, I think. The waiting area is full of people. I knew it would be like this, but my heart starts pounding in apprehension anyway. I wander to the woman behind a tall desk.

  "Excuse me, I would like to see Doctor Hamble."

  "Do you have an appointment?"

  "No... But I need to see him as soon as I can."

  The woman doesn't even look at me as she says, "Walk-ins have to wait until everyone else with an appointment is seen first. Fill out this form and take a seat."

  I really don't have time for this. A small mirror on the wall reflects my car wash hat back at me. Ooh, I have an idea. "I am afraid that Dr. Hamble's car was damaged at our car wash and we would like to make it right with him."

  The woman looks at me this time. "Oh, oh dear. That poor man has had the worst luck lately. I will bring him out to you as soon as I can. Have a seat."

  I sit next to two motherly-looking women in the waiting room and can't help but overhear their conversation. "Yes, you'll absolutely love Dr. Hamble. I was so lucky that the problem with my aorta wasn't detected until I was age nine. I could've spent the last 30 years in the complex, but Dr. Hamble has taken amazing care of me and he doesn't let anyone else, especially the government, know about it."

  "I think I've had my murmur for a long time, too. I can't believe they didn't send me to the complex. I am just sick of my other doctor though. He has the bedside manner of an ape. I'm voting to repeal the Complex Law tomorrow. Are you?"

  "Yes. Absolutely."

  The creak of a door opening makes my head jerk in that direction. My dad walks towards me in a white lab coat. His eyes light up, but he keeps the rest of his face neutral. "So I hear there has been an accident with my car. Should we go outside and look at it?"

  "Yes. I'm so sorry, sir."

  "It's okay, we'll figure it out."

  As soon as we get to my dad's car, he motions for me to get in. As soon as the door clicks, I gush, "Dad, I miss you so much. I want to come home."

  His big warm hands envelop mine. "I know, honey. It must be really hard since they took Greggory away. Mom and I are struggling with that, too."

  "Yes! It's terrible! It was all my fault too. I wanted to see Garth so bad."

  Dad's tired face sighs. "I hate having a child taken away again, even if it's just for a while. Luckily, he's toughened up a lot this past year."

  My eyes focus on him. "We've been living in a dirty hole, and he's been fine. His random skill set has been surprisingly helpful for us."

  My father seems astonished. "Huh, that's good to know. I'm hoping that tomorrow will change everything. No more living apart; no more living in fear."

  I bite my lip with worry. "What if people vote to keep the Complex Law?"

  "I'll make sure you're taken care of, honey." He opens his wallet and pulls out all of the cash he has and gives it to me. It looks like it's around $80. "You won't have to stay in the car wash anymore. Just come here and make the same kind of excuse as you did today to see me."

  I let out a long breath. "I just hope it works out tomorrow."

  "Me too."

  •

  Damon is all smiles as he picks me up to go out to dinner. "This is our last dinner together before the law changes, so I want it to be extra special."

  I frown. "I don't have any fancy clothes."

  "You look fine just how you are."

  Damon's car is silver with stacks of boxes, books, buttons, and pamphlets in the back seat. I raise my eyebrows. "You let your job take over your life, you know."

  He shrugs. "I love my job, and I would give up my back seat for a less worthy cause than the one we're fighting for right now." He reaches over and squeezes my hand. "You're going to be a free woman soon, Elira."

  I have a vision of the Complex Law not being repealed, and Garth having to stay in my parents' secret bunker forever. I might have to give up on Garth and give in to Damon, handing out pamphlets door to door for the rest of my life. I sniff as I imagine
how probable that future is.

  We arrive at an Italian restaurant and Damon takes my arm as we walk in. The host is not particularly friendly. "How many for you tonight?"

  "Two, please."

  "Right this way."

  Damon smiles at me. "You will love their breadsticks."

  "Is this table all right?"

  Damon nods. "Yes. It's perfect, thank you."

  I try to hide my dislike of being placed in the middle of the dining room. Garth knows that I would much rather be in the corner, away from everyone's eyes.

  Damon looks at the menu only briefly. "I love pasta. I think I'll have the shrimp scampi. What are you in the mood for?"

  I only look at the first part of the menu. "I don't really care. I guess I'll try the lasagna."

  A big, burly man in an expensive suit approaches our table. "Are you Damon Bellvue?"

  My friend seems excited to be recognized. "Yes, I am."

  I don't like the sneer on the man's face. "You work for Brock Hamble, don't you?"

  "Yes, I do."

  The man's voice lowers considerably. "Well, I'd like you to take a look at the crowd of people in the corner there." We turn around to see thirty well-dressed people glaring back at us. "We are having a meeting about how to stop what you and Hamble are trying to do."

  Damon won't be bullied. "You should feel lucky that you are the part of the population who have the right to meet together and try to change things."

  The man pokes Damon in the chest. "We have rights, because we have the superior brain function for keeping this country strong and successful. You look like a strapping young man. Do you really want to risk mixing your fine genes with flawed ones?"

  I don't like how long Damon pauses before answering the man. His eyes never leave mine. "I will let my heart, not my genetic superiority, decide who I mix genes with."

  The man leans closer to us. "You have made a lot of people with excellent resources very angry. I would watch my back if I were you." He turns around and sits with his scowling friends again.

  Those people give me the creeps. I lean forward. "Damon, what do we do now?"

  His mouth doesn't smile as he watches his food get placed before him. "I don't care what they do to me. We continue our cause and let the people vote for what they want tomorrow."

  I'm sure the lasagna is better tasting than my brain is telling me it is, but I've lost my appetite. The people in the corner keep raising their voices about how upset they are about people trying to ruin the country. I'm thankful when they finally leave the restaurant. Our waiter has not filled our glasses in quite a while. Damon says he is not going to get a good tip. When our waiter finally shows up, he brings our bill, but no drinks. He scowls at us as he says, "If you want to fill our tables with people who can't take care of themselves, then maybe you should eat somewhere else next time." He turns on his heel and walks to the next table.

  What a jerk. Damon slaps some money on the table and stands up. He leans toward the waiter's back as he says loudly, "No problem. I will be glad to take my business somewhere else. Come on, good-looking, let's go." Did he just call me good-looking?

  I just want to get in the car and get out of here. Unfortunately, Damon's car won't be going anywhere. When we find his car in the parking lot, the windshield and the back windows have been bashed in and all four tires have been slashed. All of the Brock Hamble pamphlets, buttons, and flyers from the back seat are burning in a pile next to the car.

  Damon just stands there staring at the fire and his car. I finally tug on his arm, uncomfortable with all of the eyes peeking at us from their own vehicles and the windows of the restaurant. "I'm so sorry, Damon, but we need to get out of here. How are we going to get home?"

  My friend sighs. "I just hope the jerk inside will let us use the phone to call a cab."

  Chapter 29

  Despite the scary mob of people that destroyed Damon's car last night, I am so glad that we weren't hurt and today has finally come. Whether the people of the country vote to repeal the Complex Law or not, I will quit living in limbo. I may end up washing dishes at Toto's Pizzeria and bouncing from one friend's house to another until I can find a tiny place of my own, but it will be a relief to know where my future is headed. My optimism even allows me to force a smile when Jack stops by to collect his 'rent' again.

  Brock calls me as I get dressed. "I want to take you to the complex tomorrow, to free your friends little sister."

  I sigh in exasperation. "That will only happen if enough people vote for it. Do you know what happened to Damon and me last night? Don't count your ducks before they're hatched."

  "You mean chickens."

  "Oh, right. Sorry."

  Brock laughs. "You are so funny. We should hang out more; I need someone who can make me laugh these days. In all seriousness though, I did hear about you and Damon. I've had the same thing happen to me a couple of times. I've had to hire an extra bodyguard to guard my vehicle everywhere I go."

  I practically growl, "That is ridiculous. I hope today is the last day of anger and frustration about the law for the country."

  My brother's voice perks up. "That's the spirit. Your job is to think positive. I will be in Adanlay for the vote, so Damon will look out for you at the Herrington Convention Center."

  "I assumed it would be the two of us. Thanks, and good luck, Brock. Thanks for everything."

  •

  Damon calls me and offers to pick me up in his rental car, but I'm feeling a little bit wary after last night, and I want to drive myself. My gut tells me that I need to prepare myself to live alone from now on. I hope that no one will recognize me. Everyone in the city knows that Elira Hamble has been sneaking around in disguises helping her brother, Brock Hamble. I feel like no disguise I choose will be good enough for the prying eyes and heated tempers of the people of Herrington. I guess the black wig Ernestine left here will do. I gather everything I want to keep from this place and stick it in a box. The pictures of our family and Greggory's blanket are the most valuable things in here. I throw my brother's plain clothes that we bought together and my own in as well, though. This box is going with me tonight.

  Thankfully, my dad gave me enough cash yesterday to fill up Greggory's car. Damon is waiting for me at the door of the convention center when I arrive. This is the place we were at last week. He rushes out to me and takes my arm as we walk in. He whispers in my ear, "It's time to know how the world feels about basic human rights, Elira. The people standing in line with me at the voting booth today seemed-divided." Of course they were.

  I get through security at the door without being recognized. I just plan to keep my face to the wall as much as possible. "Damon, I'm starving. Can we eat first?"

  "Sure, let's get a plate." It feels like deja vu when Douglas Shriner welcomes us from the stage. He goes on and on about the virtues of voting for whatever Brock wants because he is such an amazing senator. I wonder if he even knows what we're voting on. This is about changing history-150 years of bigotry, to be exact. I look around the enormous room and sigh. This is exactly the same setting I was in a week ago. It's exactly the same food, exactly the same sponsors, exactly the same process of watching the big screen as the votes come in. The only thing that isn't the same is that the people I love aren't here... A tear leaks out of my eye as I think of Greggory in isolation, Brock leaving his empty house in Adanlay with only two bodyguards for support, my parents being held prisoner in their own house, Scott, Avra, and Garth peeing in a bucket in a hidden room with no windows. Has the cost of this moment been too great?

  Douglas Shriner smiles at us and directs our attention to the big screen. "The first two cities have posted their voting results. It looks like the Complex Repeal has 40% of the vote so far. The other 60% wants to leave the Complex Law alone. Oh, and here is another city. The Complex
Repeal is at 42%. The wonderful thing about tonight is that there is only one thing to count on the ballots. The results should come in much quicker than last week. Oh, here is another city. The Complex Repeal is at-uh, 41%."

  Damon bumps me with his shoulder. "Hey, don't give up hope. If it doesn't pass, we'll try again next year."

  I imagine dragging the last few days of my life out over a year. My head sinks to the table. I'm pretty sure my wig is askew, but I don't care. I can't keep living like this. Maybe I'll drive to the mountains and find one of the waterfalls my dad was talking about. I think living behind a waterfall will be ten times better than this. Applause erupts around me. I sit up and look at the screen. The Complex Repeal is at 44%. Woohoo. It's not going to pass. I suddenly feel sick. "Damon, where is the bathroom? I don't feel well."

  Concern fills his eyes. "Out the door and to the left. Do you need help?"

  "No! I mean, no thank you. I'll be fine." I wobble out into the hall. The ladies room isn't too far away. I am struggling to keep my dinner on the inside as I burst through the door. A woman is about to walk into a stall but I push her out of the way and barely get my barf to the porcelain bowl in time. I apologize with my eyes as I lock the stall and flush. I sit on the toilet fully clothed and bawl my eyes out.

  When I finally leave my stall, I'm surprised to see the woman I pushed still standing there. She gently places a hand on my arm. "Have you been drinking, honey?"

  I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. "No. I just have a lot to lose if the Complex Law isn't repealed."

  "You too, huh. You're in good company tonight. I was really hoping to see my daughter after 15 years tomorrow. It doesn't look like it's going to happen though, does it?"

  "No," I say as tears start falling again. The kind woman wraps me in her arms and lets me bawl on her shoulder. When I finally pull away, she looks at me curiously and points to my left eye. I look in the mirror and see that my tears have washed away my cheap makeup out from under my eye. A purple streak is plain for all to see. I left my makeup in the car. How will I get to it without anyone recognizing me?