by Julian North
“They are listening.”
I nodded. “Please, Mr. Titan-Wind. If you can hear me, please respond.”
“We were not followed. Our companions in the razorFish outside can be trusted.” Alexander hesitated. “I vouch for those who accompany me.” He said it to the air, careful not to look anywhere near me.
A light flashed at the back of the house. Alexander and I walked toward it, passing through the living room, down a hallway of white plaster walls, and into the vast gray marble kitchen, the expensive cooking contraptions gleaming like jewels. Another light turned on at the end of a side passage. We followed its glow into a small study adorned by terminals, wall screens, and a great oil painting depicting two armies: a Roman legion versus elephant-mounted foreigners. The enemies’ skin resembled my own.
“Now what?” I asked just as a hidden door dropped from the ceiling behind us, sealing us inside. The new barrier emitted a heavy thud as the durasteel impacted the ground. The collision was still echoing when the wall in front of us slid open. A man stood in the dark passage, framed by the light behind him. It was Jeffery Titan-Wind, dressed in a dark, pressed suit, as if he had just come from his office.
“Alexander, welcome to Rhea’s Rest, as we call this place.” He turned to me. “And Ms. Daniela. We meet again.” He executed an elegant nod. “Please follow me inside.”
We followed Jeffery into a hallway lit by dim fluorescent light that ended at an intimidating durasteel portal. Jeffery placed his finger on a scan pad, which caused a crimson beam to scan his retina. The massive door hissed as it unsealed. We stepped through, then down a spiraling staircase. The air became cooler and drier, despite our proximity to the ocean. We exited into an elegantly cozy living room dominated by a crescent couch the color of a full moon. The walls had simulated windows, giving the illusion that we were overlooking the beach above us. There was even a faux fire pit, currently unlit, on one side of the great room. The open kitchen and who knew what else lay beyond. The rich hid out in luxury.
Anise was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, her mother and brother standing just behind her.
“Alexander, we’re so happy to see you well.” There was no mistaking the warmth in Anise’s voice. “We’ve heard there were round-ups in Manhattan.” She glanced at me. “I’m glad you’re both safe.”
“Please have a seat,” Priscilla Titan-Wind said, motioning toward the great cushioned couch. Her hair was precisely cropped, with ends as red as the ruby necklace she wore around her neck. One would’ve thought she was preparing for a dinner party rather than waiting out a coup. “Would you like a drink? Some other refreshment? We’re fully stocked.”
My stomach was still stretched from Rudolph’s massive breakfast, so I declined. Alexander asked for water. To my surprise, a liveried servant appeared out of nowhere to deliver the drink in a glittering crystal glass as we all took seats in the Titan-Winds’ plush underground living room. Toned muscles and tanned skin bulged from beneath the attendant’s black-and-white uniform. Perhaps a bodyguard as well as a servant. I supposed that in tough times, one had to make do with multipurpose staff.
When we were all comfortable and the proper pleasantries had been exchanged, Jeffery Titan-Wind turned to business. “How did you come to get here? In a razorFish no less.” He had a glass of cognac in his left hand. His prismPulse viser gleamed.
Alexander kept his face blank. Whatever his faults, his ability to conceal emotion was not among them. “Given the possibility of lingering ill will concerning my fight to control Rose-Hart, I felt it prudent to leave Manhattan. We were fortunate enough to recognize what was happening in the early moments of the coup.”
“The coup?” Jeffery asked, blinking in surprise. “Who is calling it a coup?”
Alexander didn’t even twitch. “We have had little communication since the public net went down. Perhaps you can enlighten us.”
“Well, of course. My private satellite network is still functioning—providing worldwide information beamed here, on a private feed.” He cleared his throat, perhaps giving us time to be duly impressed. I hoped my face was as emotionless as Alexander’s. “Vander Hoven has fled New York. He is trying to set up a temporary base in Charlotte, North Carolina. Governor Jabil-Richards of Georgia has declared his allegiance to Hoven in the last thirty minutes, and several other southern governors are set to follow, despite Hoven’s crimes.”
Hoven’s crimes. Not President Hoven.
“Crimes?” I asked.
“You really have been out of touch, haven’t you?” Jeffery looked at the blank expressions on our faces. “Hoven conspired to murder President Ryan-Hayes. The Senate was about to impeach him in a secret session when he moved to have the senators who opposed him arrested—but ten escaped. Those ten declared a special session and voted to impeach him. Their next act was to request the intervention of the armed forces when Hoven refused to surrender.”
I arched a brow but kept my mouth shut. The voice inside me—the memories and thoughts that belonged to another—knew that Jeffery Titan-Wind was like a political weather vane. If he was talking this way, he must think Virginia would win.
“Has the military gone over to support Virginia Timber-Night, then?”
Jeffery’s face tensed slightly. “It appears that a decisive portion of the armed forces has recognized Virginia Timber-Night as president.”
“President?” Alexander asked. “Without an election?”
Jeffery shrugged. “She was retroactively appointed as vice president, then became the president when Hoven was removed from office. She has already been sworn in, is my understanding. Somewhat dubious, some might say. But the country needs order.”
It always came down to order. That was always their excuse.
“What about the state national guard units?” I asked.
Jeffery’s face became more troubled. “It’s true that many of the southern state national guard forces appear set to join the fugitive administration in North Carolina.”
“That’s why we are here,” I told him.
“Oh?”
I glanced at Alexander, as if we were speaking with one voice. He made no move to stop my dragging him into this. “We’ve spoken with supporters of President Hoven. He has most of the South behind him—the national guard and elements of the military.” I thought I sounded rather convincing. Jeffery’s eyes widened ever so slightly. “But no one wants civil war.”
“Of course not,” he agreed too quickly.
“We need an honest broker. Someone without clear loyalties to either faction. Someone who can mediate. Someone like you.”
Jeffery tried not to smile, but didn’t quite succeed. “Well, I’m flattered that people think of me in that manner in such troubled times. And, of course, we Titan-Winds have always tried to hold ourselves above politics—to see all sides of any argument. I do have a direct line to President Timber-Night. If I were to accept such a responsibility, with whom shall I be speaking … from the other purported president’s regime?”
“Rudolph Banks has President Hoven’s confidence.” Jeffery frowned, so I went for it. “But I believe that he would arrange direct discussion with President Hoven for you.”
“Ah, yes…” Jeffery made a show of rubbing his chin in thought, but his chest was puffed. “In these dangerous times, I think those of us who love this country must do what we can for the cause of peace.”
I nodded as gravely as I could. “We need to make some additional arrangements through our channels. But I’m glad we were able to reach you, Mr. Titan-Wind.”
Anise’s eyes searched my face, and Alexander’s. He kept stoic, but I could sense his discomfort. I wondered if Anise could as well.
“Anise, I’m so glad to see you again,” I said. “Do you have news about our classmates?”
Anise smiled, the shiny and pleasant version I’d seen many times before. “From what I’ve heard, Tuck was spared any mayhem so far. Let me give you a little tour of the house, an
d we can speak more about school and things my parents aren’t interested in.”
She led us deeper into the home. Apart from the lack of natural light, it could’ve been any of the luxurious Upper East Side apartments I’d visited since coming to Tuck: real wood floors, matching pristine furniture, lots of things that sparkled.
“Where are the store rooms?” I asked.
Anise’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m curious about what Manhattanites consider essential supplies. Besides, I’m sure it will be quiet down there.”
She got my meaning. Anise led us to a back stairwell. It wasn’t elegant—hard slab rock with cold metal rails and functional sodium lights to keep the darkness at bay. At the bottom was a vast chamber. It was too dark to see into its deepest reaches by the faint light. What I could see was row after row of food pallets, drums of water bigger than me, nutrition pellets, and dozens of other unmarked containers. There was a large metallic case attached to the wall nearest the stairwell, which was the right size to hold force rifles.
“There’s no internal monitoring down here. The bedrooms are clear too, but you seem a bit paranoid, Daniela, so perhaps you’d rather speak here,” Anise said.
“Sorry, Anise. And I’m sorry that I couldn’t tell the entire truth to your parents.”
Anise smirked. “I figured you wanted something else. It was a bit unusual for you to be delivering a mediation request. Alexander is more likely to be someone trusted by Vander Hoven or his agents.”
“I guess you don’t know Rudolph Banks.”
Anise’s mouth turned downward. “Only by reputation.”
“He’s as nope as they come. In any case, you’re right that we want—we need—something else. We didn’t come here to offer help. We came here to beg for it. From you.”
Anise’s face was still, but something in her eyes made me think part of her was pleased with this news. Of course, she hadn’t heard the request yet. “What can I do?”
“Virginia has a chipping facility about two hundred miles off the coast of New York. We think she is producing standard slave chips to be used on people in Bronx City while also procuring a new chip developed in Korea. We aren’t entirely sure of its capabilities, but we know it can be used to raise compassionless scientists and produce dedicated assassins.” I told her what we’d found in Bronx City and about the Korean men who tried to kill Alexander and Jalen.
“That’s horrid. I understand why you are here now, Daniela.” Anise paused, thinking. “It’s somewhat hard to believe that Virginia Timber-Night would do all this, though. I don’t doubt your words, Daniela, or that people tried to kill Alexander. But are you sure it’s her? She is the attorney general. This is all very illegal.”
“Who else?” I challenged, struggling not to roll my eyes. “All those murders—they paved the way for a weak nope president whom she could defeat in the next election and a pliant Congress that would pass her allies’ chipping legislation. Killing Kristolan and trying to kill Alexander would give her son, Arik, control of Rose-Hart. Chipped suicide assassins are the perfect untraceable tool. But Alexander survived and found a way to block her ambitions, just as Jalen helped rally allies to Hoven to blunt her political ambition. She feared defeat could be contagious, so she took the next step: a coup.”
Anise considered my words, her eyes calm, calculating. That was the way she raced as well. Anise never panicked. Finally, she said, “Even if all that is correct, what can we do about it?”
I glanced over at Alexander. It was best if this part came from him. I sensed the turmoil inside of him—he didn’t like this. Yet he dutifully did his part, trusting me. “Your father’s new geological surveyor—the Gaia. We need it. It’s the only way to get close to that platform without being blown out of the water.”
Anise stared at him, struggling to maintain her cool demeanor. “You don’t mean… you aren’t thinking of going there and doing something crazy? You aren’t a soldier, Alexander. Neither are you, Daniela. You’ll both end up dead. I think the plan you gave my father is a lot better than this one.”
“We’re better at this than you think,” I assured her. “And we’ve got professional assistance. You don’t need to worry about us. We just need your help to get the submarine. I assume your father will have the location and access codes.”
Anise looked up the stairs, then back at us, her eyes flickering with suspicion. “I heard there was a break-in a few months ago at Rose-Hart. Something very valuable was stolen from the Ziggurat’s most secure area. That should have been impossible—unless it was an inside job. I didn’t believe that you would ever do such a thing, Alexander. But it’s true, isn’t it?” Anise stepped toward me. “And you were involved as well, somehow. Some connection with Bronx City master-criminals. Something.”
My silence was better than any answer I could’ve given.
“If you want me to trust you, you have to trust me as well.”
If that was her price, I was happy to pay it. Not with the whole truth, of course. But letting her hear what she wanted to hear would do just as well. “Yes. The controlColonies were indeed stolen. And I was involved, as was Alexander. That’s how he had a chance to win control of Rose-Hart over Arik, at least in part. So now you know. Like I said, we are better at this than you think.”
“Let’s say I help you, and the Gaia is able to get you to this top-secret platform. What then? If my dad is right, if Virginia has the army on her side, what does it matter?”
Alexander answered. Whatever his doubts about this plan, he kept them well hidden. He was better with secrets than I gave him credit for. “Virginia Timber-Night currently has a great many allies. But no one joins her out of affection. She is not that type of leader. Her allies are opportunistic people who believe they will benefit from her triumph or else fear being on the wrong side if she wins. We need to change that calculation.”
“People like my father, you mean?” Anise said. I couldn’t tell if she was annoyed or sad.
Alexander acted as if she hadn’t spoken. “When the highborn who make up her core supporters learn that she has been using illegally chipped assassins, and that she is secretly producing more of these juche chips to create scientists, soldiers, and who knows what else, they will rethink their support. Our understanding is that these chips must be implanted into children to make them work. Everyone knows how ruthless Virginia is. President Ryan-Hayes used her to keep his enemies at bay. No one is going to trust her with that kind of power. Her support will crumble.”
He said it with more certainty than I felt. But even if he was wrong, I needed that place destroyed. Chipping was evil, and it would be used on my people. I needed to get Mateo and Matias out of Fishkill.
“Some people just hate nopes. They can’t abide Hoven,” Anise pointed out.
Alexander had the answer to that. “That may be the case. But if there are those among the highborn who cannot support Hoven, that doesn’t mean they are going to fight for Virginia. Once this becomes public, once people know what this battle is truly about, they will realize it’s impossible to be neutral. Either you are all-in for Virginia or she must fall.”
Anise’s irises gave off a dark gleam as she considered all she had heard. She betrayed only slightly more outward thought or emotion than Alexander. Her mind was a cold wall. But there was no mistaking that she was staring hard at Alexander.
“All right, I’ll do it. But there’s a condition: I’m coming along.”
“Anise—”
“Don’t try to explain why not, Alexander.” Her eyes blazed.
“Think of your family, Anise. We are putting your hard-fought reputation for neutrality at risk. But if you’re not there—not directly involved—then at least there is some deniability in the very possible event that our mission is a failure.”
It was a powerful argument. It should’ve given her pause, but Anise was having none of it. “You aren’t leaving me behind again. The price is the price. And there is no way you’
ll be able to access the Gaia without me, even if you knew where to find her. You want the submarine or not?”
She held the cold gaze Alexander leveled at her without flinching. I didn’t quite understand why she was so insistent on being a part of this—it was a risk, with no benefit to her that I could see. That wasn’t Anise. Perhaps I had underestimated her.
“It’s her choice, Alexander,” I said.
“Can you operate the submersible?” Alexander asked her.
“That’s not even necessary. It has an autopilot, similar to an aircraft, but better—it doesn’t need a satellite connection. It has a map of the ocean’s surface inside its computer core and can travel to any set of coordinates using undersea landmarks as beacons. But in case of an emergency, I’ve been inside several times before, and I’ve seen it operated manually. I think I could do it.”
“Then you stay aboard. I insist on that.”
Anise’s mouth tightened ever so slightly. But whatever she intended to say, she swallowed the words and sized up the offer in front of her. “Deal.”
“Where is the Gaia?”
“Close,” Anise assured us. “We have a shipyard and research complex on the far side of Nummy Island, just across the inlet from here. There are landing facilities.”
“Guarded?” I asked.
“Of course,” Anise answered. “But with what’s been going on, there will be little or no staff. Which means we’ll be dealing with the automated security and defense systems. I can handle those.”
“How?” I asked.
She gave me a high-chinned stare. “I can access my father’s passcode. I’ll send a signal tonight to put your razorFish on the permitted visitor's list. And I’ll get the access codes to get us inside the complex and on board the Gaia.”
“You’re going to do all that to your father?” Alexander asked. I wanted to kick him.
“I’ll cover my tracks. He won’t know it was me. Either we’ll have succeeded, and Gaia and I will be back, or we won’t. In which case, we may need my father’s help.”
I suppressed a shudder. I had never completely trusted Anise, but I had thought her loyal to her family, almost to a fault. I knew she had a strong connection to Alexander, yet I had never realized how strong. She was potentially trading her future to help him, and us. Part of me wanted to understand more of what compelled her, but I held the words in check. She wasn’t going to tell me, and pushing her might put the mission in jeopardy. The ugly truth was that I needed her. And she wasn’t going to cost me Alexander. Whatever compulsion drove her, I was confident it was one-way.
