Regress (The Alliance Chronicles Book 1)

by SF Benson

  There were few stars in the dark sky over my head. A rare, beautiful night in New Detroit. Beauty, however, didn’t extend to the horrific, ever-present fish smell on New Belle Isle. The fish in the New Detroit River died off years ago, but the odor lingered. Rank, cool air, however, was better than the sanitized crap filtering inside my father’s house.

  “Better?” she asked with a hint of concern.

  “Yeah. Thanks.” I lowered myself onto the porch step.

  “No problem.” She sat beside me. “I was awake and heard you talking to the guard.”

  “My father gives you a lot of freedom.”

  She pushed her hair out of her face. “Well, he’s always been good to me.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “And what is he to you?”

  “I never encouraged him,” she said a little too quickly.

  Gabriela reached for her neck. My heart grew heavy. Tru said the woman lied whenever she toyed with the necklace. Right now, she reminded me of a predator playing with its meal.

  “The past doesn't matter.” She dropped her hand. “Your father gave me an ultimatum. I either show my appreciation and hand over Intrepid, or I choose to die.”

  “And?” Was I supposed to care? I was sure Gabriela and my father would do whatever served their purposes best.

  “You do whatever you need to do.” She bit her lip. “Don’t worry about my welfare.”“I’m not worried about you.” Then, it hit me. She wasn’t talking about herself. I leaned away from her. “You’re assuming I have the card.”

  Gabriela crossed her arms. “Stop playing stupid. You don’t do it very well.”

  I’d set up a lemonade stand in hell before I shared any information with her. “What did you want to talk about?”

  “What are your intentions with my daughter?”

  “I'm not leaving her, if that's what you want to know.”

  She lowered her voice. “Does she know what you are?”

  Now I knew the issue. Gabriela thought she knew my secret. “What are you talking about?”

  “I know the real reason you got involved with my daughter.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “And what would that be?”

  “Have you told your superiors you have Intrepid?”

  Damn, so she did know. How the hell did that happen? “What do you want, Gabriela?”

  She pointed her index finger at me. “Leave my daughter alone.”

  I held my chin high. “Not happening.”

  “You’re as stubborn as your father.” She threw her hands in the air. “Just make the right decision when it comes to her.”

  “I won’t hurt Tru.”

  Gabriela pressed her hand to her chest. “Your father said those same words to me years ago.”

  The despair in her voice squeezed my heart. What happened with them? More importantly, did my mother know? “Don’t compare me to him.”

  “What if you have to choose between her and your father?”

  “I'll always choose her.”

  “Be sure you do.” Gabriela stood. “FYI, there are guards stationed throughout the compound. You have permission to take your walk, but I wouldn't make any sudden moves. I understand the guards are trigger happy.”

  I decided to take that walk. Having a clear head was important when dealing with my father. Plus, I needed to figure out my confession.

  Usually a run helped me think, loosened my muscles. The walk did nothing but increase my frustration. My mind kept concocting various scenarios while the pain continued whipping my head. I gave up trying to sleep. Instead, I spent the night watching Tru sleep.

  She was perfection, my angel. My reason for living. I’d do anything for her. It took everything in me not to wake her up and show her how much I loved her. My body ached to hold her, and I knew she wanted me just as much.

  “Good morning.” Tru stretched and greeted me with a slow and sexy smile.

  “Morning.” I stepped away from the window. “Sleep well?”

  “It was okay. Could have been better if you joined me.” She gave me the once-over. I knew what she saw. “Did you sleep at all?”

  “Don’t worry about it.” My voice came out flat, distant. If I didn’t want her to be concerned, I needed to do a better job. I forced a lackluster smile on my face. “Let’s talk.”

  Force of habit led me to the bathroom. Tru followed me and closed the door. “Did you know the closet is full of clothes for us? Just how long are we staying here?”

  “Never mind that.”

  She touched my arm, and the sensation flooded me with warmth. “Hey, what’s going on?”

  My body ached for Tru. I pulled her to me. “Nothing. I’m just tired. How’s your shoulder?”

  “It’s okay.”

  “I spoke to your mother last night.”

  She stepped away from me. “What did she say?”

  “She told me about the ultimatum.”

  Tru played with a loose thread on her T-shirt. “What is she going to do?”

  “She hasn’t decided.” I raked my hand through my hair. “But she wants us to do whatever we need to do.”

  “She knows we have the card?”

  “Yeah.” I sat on the side of the tub. “You were right about my father having a lot of power. I'm able to go anywhere on the island as long as I don't do anything to make the guards want to shoot me.”

  “Good to know.” Tru’s brow wrinkled. “What are you not telling me?”

  Now wasn’t the time to come clean. Later. Much later. “Nothing. Just your mom warned me not to do anything to hurt you.”

  “And what did you tell her?”

  I smiled. “What do you think?”

  Tru sat next to me and took my hand in hers. “Can you do something for me?”

  “Name it.” I couldn’t deny her anything.

  “Can you see if Ko can come here?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Just tell your father I need female companionship. We'd spend less time alone if my friend was here.”

  Our fingers intertwined, and I traced a circle on the palm of her hand. “So you don’t want to be alone with me?”

  Tru tilted her head and smiled. “I never said that.”

  When she gave me one of those megawatt smiles, I’d move mountains for her. “I’ll talk to my father.”

  A knock on the door interrupted us. I motioned for Tru to stay put. I walked out to find my father standing in the room.

  He sported a wide grin. “Good morning, son. Did you finally get to sleep?”

  Okay, who reported to him? The guard? Gabriela? I needed to be more mindful when I ventured outside. “No. I had too much on my mind.”

  “Well, a hard day's work should help with that.” He clapped my shoulder, and I flinched. I pressed my hands against my legs, willing them to stay in place.

  “You found me something?”

  “In the lab. I could use help extrapolating data.” My father surveyed the room. “Where's the girl?”

  “She's not feeling well. She mumbled something about female issues.”

  “That should make life easier for you.” He smirked. “Ready to go?”

  “Uh, Dad?” I shoved my hands in my pockets.

  “Yes?” He tilted his head to one side.

  “A quick request. It's, uh, for Tru.”

  “What is it?” He scowled.

  “She could use a friend around here. Someone to keep her company other than me. If you want me—”

  My father held up his hand. “She wants to see her friend from the Academy?”

  I nodded.

  “I'll arrange it.” He gestured at the door. “Let's go. We have work to do.”

  “If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life, respected while I live and remembered as a valuable citizen thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the vision of my esteemed leaders, and may I long experience the joy of dispensing science to society.”

  —Hippocratic Oath, 2020

  Imagine
my surprise when Zared’s father approved Ko’s visit. Everything I’d heard about this man screamed monster, but he’d been kind to me. I realized the manufactured video wasn’t a ‘get to know your neighbor’ moment, but outside of that faux pas, he acted like a decent human… so far.

  My life had changed in so many ways since the day I helped Ko pack for RMA. Had her life changed as well? Would we still be able to share everything, or had Riza brainwashed her?

  The guards left me sitting in an all-white living room. The ornate chandelier, heavy cream silk drapes, and marble fireplace screamed squandered money. All over New Detroit families starved. They didn’t live with over-stuffed linen furniture. While Katsuo Aoki enjoyed the fruits of indulgence, families lived on the spoils of neglect.

  I bounced my knee and prayed my best friend, not another government puppet, would arrive soon.

  A shadow crossed my field of vision. The first thing I noticed were the knee-high shiny black boots. I took in the black slim pants, the navy hip-length jacket, and the gun holster. The guards left me alone with this stranger. Alone with Ko.

  “Tru?” Uncertainty colored her voice.

  In all the time I’d known Ko, we’d never had an awkward moment. Ever. And now, we stood staring at each other, waiting for someone to make the first move. I bit my lip. She tried to hide her sweaty palms. My heart shrunk. Had bureaucracy torn apart our friendship?

  Ko’s mouth curved into a smile, breaking the ice between us. We closed the distance and hugged. My best friend was with me. Again.

  “Just smile.” She whispered in my ear. “We can't talk in here.”

  Another guard arrived and took his place at the door. Ko ushered me from the house. “We have an hour to talk. Just keep smiling.” We walked away in silence. I was dying to speak, but Ko’s mouth snapped shut.

  It was my first time outside since our capture. I squinted against the too bright sun. The cool air cut through me, and the toxic smell of rotting fish assailed my senses. I wouldn’t complain. Being outside felt good.

  I walked alongside Ko, taking in my surroundings. The front yard boasted a sign proclaiming Katsuo’s house as The White House, appropriate for a man with lofty goals. The area surrounding his house was pristine.

  Things changed at the edge of the property. We crossed a crumbling parking lot overgrown with weeds between the cracks. I followed Ko up an empty street with broken asphalt ironically named Loiter Way—loitering was a punishable offense. Finally, we walked across a short decaying bridge before stopping at some faded tennis courts. She gestured for me to sit on the ground.

  “You’re looking good.” I pulled at the dried out grass. “Are you an officer now?”

  “I’m still in training.” She checked over her shoulder. “We don’t have long, and I’ve got to fill you in on things. You were right to be suspicious about Riza.”

  I wrinkled my brow, not more bad news. “What’s going on, Ko?”

  “There’s not much I can tell you. Cadets are disappearing.”

  The butterflies came back. “Where are they going?”

  “I don’t know.” Ko’s hands shook. “My CO, commanding officer, said they weren’t a good fit for Riza. I’ve seen their test scores, and they scored exceptionally well. Even their drill maneuvers were ranked in the top ten.”

  I continued to weave my fingers through the weeds. “So why wouldn’t they be a good fit?”

  “That’s what I wondered, too. Now, we have panic running rampant through the ranks. Cadets are failing tests, drills, what have you. They figure there’s a correlation. Do well. Disappear. Do poorly. Stay around.”

  I thought about what we discovered the night of our capture. “Do you know anyone named Cardoza or Nakamoura?”

  “Second-year cadets. They’re missing. Why?”

  I tilted my body closer to her. “Do they have siblings?”

  “Yes. What are you thinking?”

  “Would their siblings be Cogent or Creatives?”

  “Creatives.”

  I desperately wanted to believe the data and test tubes we found had no connection to Operation Restore. “Are there more cadets missing?”

  “Yes. Last count was about twenty.”

  “Did any of them have siblings who are Creatives?”

  “All of them.”

  Not good. We stumbled onto something big. In order for Ko to stay safe she needed to know everything we did. So, I told her about RMA’s lab and all we happened upon.

  “Ko, you’ve got to be careful.”

  She waved me off. “Being an officer cadet gives me some protection.”

  “But—”

  “There’s something you need to know. Our meeting was planned before you ever asked to see me.”

  “What?”

  Ko removed her cap and ran her fingers over the black patent leather visor. “Two days ago, I was brought into the Head Office. My CO asked questions about our friendship.”

  “Such as?” A tremor started in my legs. I pressed my elbows onto my knees attempting to stop it.

  “Real basic facts. How long had we been friends? Had I visited your apartment? Inconsequential information like your traitor classification, your parents—”

  “I’m classified as a traitor?” The tremor morphed into a magnitude 5.0 earthquake. The AR executed traitors.

  “Yes. Don’t worry. I didn’t tell them anything.”

  I hugged myself. “What questions did they ask about my parents?”

  “She wanted information about your mother.”

  “Like?”

  “What she did for a living? When she married your father?” Ko shook her head. “I didn’t tell her anything. It was weird.”

  “I agree.” Why would her CO be concerned about my mother? I smelled a cover up. “Anything else I need to know?”

  “They expect you'll tell me where the card is located," she offered.

  Heat flushed through my body. I was sick to death of hearing about that damned card. First, my parents, and then Zared. Now, they used my best friend. If I had the thing, I’d crush it under my heel. Ko said our meeting had been planned. Something told me Katsuo Aoki was behind the push for the card.

  “Well, I’ll tell you the same thing I told Eden. I can’t give you what I don’t have. If that’s all you wanted—” I started to stand.

  Ko grabbed my wrist. “Don’t be ridiculous, Tru. I’m not here for them. I’m here for you.” She lowered her voice. “They’re going to kill you and your mother.”

  I sighed. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

  “How long have you been seeing Zared?”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

  “It was part of my intel. My CO made sure I saw the video.”

  “Are you serious?” Forget what I said about Katsuo Aoki being a decent human. The man was pond scum. “The video was doctored. Why show it to you?”

  “To turn us against each other.”

  “Why would some fake-ass video turn you against me?”

  “It makes cadets more pliable if you break their emotional ties,” she muttered.

  My little voice raised its ugly head and screamed something was wrong. Very wrong. Ko had always been honest with me. I got the feeling she was hiding something.

  I grabbed Ko’s wrist. “Why would seeing a video of us turn you against me?”

  She yanked out of my grasp. “Because I know him. We were in Riza Corps together.”

  Not a news flash. Zared didn’t have a lot to say on the subject. “Is there something you should tell me?”

  “No.” Ko scrunched up her face and shuddered. “No way. We’re friends. I swear that’s all.”

  “Don’t give credence to the video. Nothing’s happened between us either.”

  “Hey, I'm not judging you. I'm here to help you.”

  “How?”

  “There’s a group of us, a faction, at the Academy working out the details for your escape.”

  I narrowed my eyes. �
��I thought you were loyal to Riza.”

  Ko let out a harsh breath. “It was all a ruse. My mission was to become Riza, infiltrate the ranks, and learn as much as possible.”

  “Why?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? The New Order must fall.”

  I’d heard the same words from Zared. He said…oh, shit! They were both involved in the same mission. Once again I fumbled around in the dark. Everyone in my life—my brother, my mother, my best friend, and now my boyfriend—were keeping secrets. Whom should I trust?

  “Ko, if I asked you to be straight with me, would you?”

  “I’ve never lied to you.” No. She just withheld information like everyone else in my life.

  “Why did Zared leave Riza Corps?”

  “He told me he didn’t like all the rules. Why?”

  He told me the same story. But things still didn’t add up. Zared told me about superiors, and Ko spoke of faction. “Did your faction exist when you were with the Corps?”

  “Yes.”

  “Was Zared part of it?”

  Ko flinched. “Does it matter?”

  I hated to admit it, but yes, it all mattered. Trust. If a person refused to share things, they couldn’t be trusted. Zared didn’t lie to me. He just didn’t trust me enough to share everything. If he couldn’t trust me, what kind of future did we have?

  The thought left a sinking feeling in my stomach. What if a future with him wasn’t possible? Life on this island might be all that was left for me. No. I couldn’t…wouldn’t believe that for a minute. I struggled to breathe past the tightness in my chest. It would do no good to explain any of this to Ko. She always thought I was obsessed with honesty.

  I bit my thumbnail. “Did you know Cris and my dad were killed?”

  “I heard.” Ko squeezed my hand. “I'm so sorry. Cris…he was a great guy. I used to have a serious crush on him.”

  Yeah, she had it bad for him. She used to follow him around the apartment asking him a million questions. “Cris knew.”

  She turned red as a stoplight. “No way!”

  “He let it slip one day he knew you liked him. He thought you were very sweet.”

  Ko half-smiled. “He’ll be missed.”