by Rebecca Ann
“I don’t have to answer to you!” I released the mental hold, and Commander Scott slumped forward. With a quick glance over my shoulder at Mark, who stood frozen, mouth open, face pale, I closed my eyes, ready to teleport. Before I could raise my shield, something sharp poked my shoulder. The numbness overtook my body in seconds, sending me to the floor. Seconds later, someone grabbed me by the arms and lifted me into the air as though I were a baby.
“Linds!” Mark’s voice came from my right. “What the hell were you thinking? We just had this conversation about not using your Controller ability!”
I attempted an apology, but my tongue wouldn’t form the words. I willed my mind to make the Watcher release me, but the effort fell flat. Maybe they’d done something to me.
“I wouldn’t try to mind-control anyone.” Commander Scott’s voice, scratchy from when I’d forced him to hold his throat, came from behind me, still heavy with authority. “I thought having an Invie on the force would be beneficial, but it seems you were an illegal Controller this whole time. Take her to the holding cell. And I wouldn’t try to teleport. You’re being Monitored.”
I blinked. Monitored? That wasn’t possible. Controllers were illegal here, and they were the only ones that could Monitor. At least that’s what I’d heard. “No! You put people in boxes!” I cried as the Watcher started down the hall. I squinted into the bright lights as the Watcher’s footsteps sped up. “Mark? Do something!” I pushed the thought into his head, the Watcher not stopping as he continued down the hall.
“I can’t, Lindsey. I’m sorry.” His thoughts darkened with regret. “I’ll see what I can do to help the others. Try and cooperate, okay?”
I pressed my anger into his head as the Watcher carried me through another door and something soft rose up underneath me. A cot or a bed. I couldn’t tell. “Sometimes you have to do something you don’t want to do,” I said through clenched teeth as the Watcher’s footsteps faded and a door slammed shut. I blinked in the brightness of the room, cold air traveling up my bare arms.
“We had a plan, Lindsey, and you ruined it. Now I gotta go and figure out how to do this without you.” A pause and then, “You broke your promise!”
I shut my eyes as a tear escaped. Damn it. Mark was right. I’d ruined the plan. I’d put everyone in danger. I’d exposed myself as a Controller, and now I’d be sent to Ada. I tried to move, even one finger. Nothing. Tears ran down my cheeks. I should’ve made a plan. Now I was trapped here, at least until the drug wore off, and that could be hours. I had to warn Dad and the others.
“Dad? Can you hear me? Something’s happened. I’ve been arrested, and I’m being Monitored. Keep your thoughts blocked. I love you. I’m sorry.”
Chapter Eleven
VICTORIA
I grabbed my cane from where I’d laid it on my bed after coming back from Rick and Diane’s apartment an hour earlier and headed back out into the sitting room where Shannon sat on the couch with Sarah in her lap. “I’m headed to the resistance meeting. It was supposed to be an hour ago, but Rick changed the time. I’ll be back in an hour. You need anything?” I tossed my cane from side to side as I waited for her to answer. “Shannon?” I asked when she didn’t respond.
“Oh, sorry. I forget sometimes that you can’t see me nod. No, we’re fine. Let me know what happens in the meeting.”
“It’s okay, and I will.”
I walked toward the door and outside, picking up my pace as I went down the empty hallway. A shiver of unease skipped down my spine, and I strained to listen for footsteps. I wasn’t used to this sort of quiet. Even in my house, I could still hear the sounds of the city and the roar of a hover, but here, the silence was almost deafening. I heard my breaths in my ears as I continued down the hall.
As I walked down the rickety steps, thoughts of Lindsey invaded my mind. She was out there risking her life and freedom to save our people. She’d seen Lighters get their powers taken. She’d gone back up top in spite of the risk. The least I could do was organize this donating program.
I swiped my cane back and forth across the dirt as I continued down the street. A few people milled about, but their voices were too soft for me to tell who was around.
“Victoria?”
I stopped. Diane! Thank goodness! “I’m glad I ran into you. I don’t know where the meeting is being held.”
“Come on. We’ll walk together. You need an arm?”
“No. I’m okay. Thanks though.”
I followed her to the building across the street from my apartment. I took my time on the steps, almost falling in an attempt to go up without a railing.
“Here.”
I took Diane’s elbow. “Thanks.” We walked the rest of the way up the steps together, and once on the landing, I let go of her arm. “Where’s the meeting being held?”
“Right through here.”
Diane pulled open the door, and I headed inside, overcome by the smell of food. My stomach rumbled, but I followed her through the lobby, past the door to the dining hall, and through another door that opened to a short hallway. A few more steps and we stood in a large room with a long black table. Chairs of the same color wrapped around it, and I slid into one on the far end, trying not to make a face at the smell of old coffee.
“Okay, everyone!” Dave called as more people piled into the room. “We need to get started. We have a lot to cover.”
I folded up my cane, placing it on my lap. My heart picked up as people sat down next to and across from me, talking to one another in hushed tones. None of their voices were familiar, and I sank into the chair. Oh boy. I’d have to talk about the donation program in front of strangers. Research I could do. Teaching I could do. Public speaking? Not my strong suit.
“Okay, everyone,” Dave said a few agonizing minutes later. “First things first. We have a non-resistance issue we need to take care of.”
“This better be good, Dave,” a man across from me grumbled. “It’s ten at night.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. This can’t wait. As of tonight at midnight, the lights will be turned off. The warehouse district will be shut down, and that means the electricity too. I have an idea to keep the lights on, but it’s never been done before and could prove very risky.”
I wanted to sink into the floor. I’d decided an hour ago I wanted to help with the program, and the lights were being shut off in two hours. That didn’t leave much time to get things sorted out.
“I propose that we use Lighters to help keep the lights on,” Dave said, and murmurs of confusion floated through the room. “It would be on a volunteer basis only and someone would help keep it all organized.”
I shut my eyes. “I will,” I said, raising my hand slowly. I got to my feet, my cane falling off my lap and to the floor with a soft thud. “But I’ll need help.” My voice shook, and my fingers gripped the edge of the table in a firm grip, resulting in an ache traveling up both arms. This was ridiculous. I shouldn’t be standing here with my palms sweating like some little kid giving a report. They’d never take me seriously.
“Thank you, Victoria,” Dave said, and I took that as a cue to sit down. “Now...”
Once the meeting ended, I bolted out of the room, through the short hallway, out into the lobby, and finally outside. I almost ran back to the apartment. Arriving slightly out of breath, I punched in the code and hurried inside to find Shannon still sitting on the couch with Sarah.
“You look about how I feel,” she said as I shut the door and locked it. “How was the meeting?”
“The meeting was fine. I’m the one who can’t talk to a group of resistance members without shaking and stammering,” I muttered as I went over to the couch and sat down. “And the lights are getting turned off in two hours.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t that bad, and if I could, I’d donate, but after what happened today, I never want to feel that kind of pain again. I’m still burning. I can’t even describe to you the pain, Vi. It was the most awful thing I’ve
ever experienced. I just thank the heavens above that Sarah wasn’t with me.”
I laid a hand on Shannon’s shoulder. In the two years we’d known each other, I’d never heard her this scared and sad. “If you don’t want to talk about it, I understand.” I tried to keep my voice low, not wanting to bother Sarah, who hadn’t moved in the few minutes we’d been sitting here.
Shannon sniffed, shifting on the couch with Sarah in her arms. “No. I need to talk about it in case it happens to you or any of the other Lighters. They put me in this box-type thing with a glass top and had me put my hands in these plastic tube things on either side of me. They said I was doing a good thing. A good service. But it wasn’t good. It hurt like nothing has ever hurt before.” Her voice grew thick with tears as she spoke the last sentence. “I was only in there for about four minutes before Lindsey rescued me, but it felt like four hours, and who knows how long it would’ve gone on for.”
I looked away as tears filled my eyes. Those jerks! No wonder Lindsey had been against going to Ada. She was terrified of this same thing happening there. “I’m so sorry, Shannon! I really wish we could just impeach the president already.”
“Yeah,” Shannon whispered. “I just can’t believe it. We left Ada because of the experiments. My father was wanted for inventing the drug because it was made to keep us safe from them. Now it’s looking like Earth isn’t safe for us either.”
I looked toward the ceiling. “I wish Ada was safe for us. It’s our home. It’s where we come from. We could live freely there. My mom says its safe now, but I don’t trust her.” I paused as an idea started to form. “Maybe if I go there and see for myself in a few weeks.” I sat back against the couch.
“You can’t be serious.” Shannon’s voice was barely above a whisper, but I didn’t miss the disbelief in it. “You could end up like me. Trapped in a box.”
I looked at her. “Yeah. It sounded good in my head though. You’re right. It’s too risky. I don’t even have the courage to speak in front of ten members of the resistance or go off the pill, much less go on a dangerous mission to Ada. That’s Lindsey’s department. I just want to do—something!”
“You are! You’re helping keep the lights on down here!”
“I’m organizing a way for other people to do it. I’m not actually donating.” As the words left my mouth, heat flushed my face again. I dropped my head into my palms. “Ugh. That makes me sound like such a coward.”
“No, it doesn’t. You have to give yourself time, Victoria. You can’t go from one to one hundred in a few hours.”
I rested my hands in my lap. Yeah. Shannon was right. I did need to slow down and think this through.
“Mommy?” Sarah sat up. “Are the bad people gonna come get us?”
“No, baby! No! We’re safe down here!” She let out a sigh filled with regret and a little frustration. “I understand wanting to help, but I also understand being scared. I have been thinking about trying to wean myself off the pill,” Shannon said, voice lowered to a whisper. “But every time I try, I chicken out.”
“I know what you mean. I tried several times too.” I got to my feet. “Now I’m gonna go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning!”
“Night! I’ll be in there soon!”
I walked to my room and, tossing my cane on the bed, went over to the wardrobe. Opening the doors, I ran my hand along the shelf until I found the duffle bag. I reached inside, and, fumbling around until my fingers touched plastic, I pulled out the bag of memory cards. The bag crinkled as my fingers closed over it. Net-screen in hand, I went over to my bunk.
I fired up the net-screen and ran my fingers along the side of it until I located the memory card slot. I grabbed the bag and fished out one of the cards, sliding it into the net-screen. The whirring sound filled the room, but it wasn’t long before Elizabeth’s voice came through the tiny speaker.
“Hi, honey! I’m here with one of my Lighter friends. She’s agreed to show you how we train and work on controlling our powers!”
I held the screen close to my face as Elizabeth went away from the camera and stood in the center of a large room. The other woman stood behind her, and I put the net-screen to my ear.
“Think about what drove you to start the rebellion,” the woman said. “Release that pent-up anger. Let the light flow from your fingers. As strong as you can get it.”
I moved the net-screen from my ear and put it close to my face again. My mouth dropped open as a flood of light left Elizabeth’s fingers. One after the other in rapid succession. This went on for several minutes until she dropped to her knees, panting.
“Wow!” Shannon said. “She’s amazing! When was this taken?”
I jumped, glancing up. I hadn’t even heard her enter the room. “I don’t know!” I put the net-screen down. “I hope I can do that one day! She’s incredible!”
“Maybe we can!” Shannon said. “You did say you wanted to get off the pill. I need to too, but I can’t bring myself to actually do it. Watching this, though, has inspired me.”
I smiled in Shannon’s direction. Yes. She’d inspired me too. Not only to go off the pill but to finally conquer my fear about donating. I put the net-screen under my pillow and, after changing into shorts and a t-shirt, crawled into bed. I stared at the ceiling for the longest time. If I was going to head up this program, I needed to lead by example. Elizabeth had led a rebellion. Lindsey was risking her life to save us. It was my turn to be brave.
I AWOKE SOMETIME LATER to footsteps and whispers next to my bed. I rolled over, opening my eyes to total darkness. I yawned. “Shannon?” I called, my voice ragged with sleep. I fumbled under my pillow for my net-screen, and when the automated voice read me the time, I groaned. “Why are you up at six in the morning?”
“We lost electricity,” Shannon explained. “I was gonna wake you up in a few minutes. Rick and Dave want to see everyone in the cafeteria in twenty. I think he’s going to talk about the donation program.”
As if the word donating had punched me in the stomach, I bolted upright, almost hitting my head on the bottom of the top bunk. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, and when my bare feet met the rug, I stood, arms out. I shuffled toward the wardrobe, and once my hand brushed it, I opened the doors, using my right hand to grab a shirt and the left to grab a pair of pants. Thank goodness for organization. I could still see color, but with the lights off and no windows, we were in total blackness. As I dressed, a beam of light bounced around the room.
“You ready?” Shannon asked as I went back over to the bed and crouched down, feeling around for my shoes.
“Yep!” I put them on and stood. “Can I use you as a sighted guide? I can’t remember where I put my cane.”
“Sure! And, uh, your shirt is on inside out,” she said as we walked through the sitting room and out the front door.
“That’s the least of my worries right now,” I said as footsteps sounded from both in front and behind us, doors slamming echoing down the hall. They all congregated at the steps, but I took my time, ignoring the grumbling from the man behind me.
“We know the power’s out,” a woman mumbled. Her footsteps crunched the gravel on my right, but I didn’t turn toward her. “We don’t need a meeting about it, especially at six in the morning.”
“Rick has a plan to get the lights back on,” I said. I sure hoped I didn’t have to listen to this woman complain the whole time.
It took forever to get up the steps and into the cafeteria. My stomach rumbled, and I blinked in the glow of the candles that had been placed on every table and throughout the room. Whispered voices floated around me, but in my half-asleep state, I didn’t try to pay attention. I sat there with my eyes glued to the flames, forcing myself to stay awake. How anyone went about a normal day with no daylight was something I still couldn’t grasp.
“Everyone!” Rick called from somewhere nearby. “Thank you all for assembling so quickly. I know you’re wondering what happened to the power. The short answ
er: the city shut down the warehouse district, and that means the power too.”
A shocked silence settled over the group. I sat still, gaze straight ahead as I waited for someone to speak.
“What do we do?” Shannon called out. “We can’t sit in the dark down here. What about food and—”
“We’re not going to sit down here in the dark,” Rick replied in a forceful yet determined manner. Now I knew where Lindsey got her fierceness from. “We can make our own electricity. If Lighters agree. I’ve talked to Mr. Babcock, and he’s agreed to get the Lighters from here to donate as well. He’s already got someone set up to help facilitate that.”
I sucked in a breath. Yeah. Me. I’d help facilitate that. And I had no idea how to even begin. As a low murmur started around me, I shifted on the bench.
“What if we don’t want to or can’t donate?” a woman called out. Her voice trembled with the fear that pulsed through the room.
“This is volunteer only,” Dave spoke up. “There will be a sign-up sheet in the back.”
When no one else said anything, Rick said, “I’ll be sending the location and a donation schedule out shortly. Go enjoy your day!”
“I need to talk to Rick,” I said as the room came alive with people either leaving or getting breakfast. “Do you see him?” I gripped Shannon’s arm.
“Uh, yeah. Come on!”
We only had to walk a few steps through the crowd before Shannon stopped, but I still couldn’t tell where Rick was with so many people moving about at once.
“Victoria?” Rick’s voice boomed in front of me. “Are you okay? I know the power going out isn’t exactly—”
I held up a hand. “I’m fine. I just wanted to know what I need to do in terms of donating. Do you need me to handle the sign-ups?”
“We’ve got that part covered. I’ll send you the sign-ups, and you need to go around and schedule people. You’ll have to go to their apartments. Only certain people here have net-screens.”
