Rebel Rising: A Dystopian Romance (Cage of Lies Book 1)

by Susanne Valenti

  I glanced over my shoulder nervously as if I might find someone sneaking up on us. Nothing looked any different to the way it had a moment ago and I made an effort not to check again.

  Coal led us across the road, through the crowd, towards a huge white building with a big sign naming it 'The Heart Of Hope'. In the centre of it was a large, rotating door. I paused to look for a retinal scanner before remembering there wouldn't be one.

  “How do they keep track of everyone without scanners?" I asked.

  Coal raised his eyebrows. "They have scanners on every door in the city?"

  “And a computer network that shows where everyone is at any time," Laurie added.

  “What if you don't want them to know where you are?" Alicia asked.

  “Outsiders," I muttered to Laurie in an aside and we laughed.

  "Seriously, are you saying you can't move about inside the city without being tracked?" Alicia demanded.

  "Well you could a bit, you could leave your apartment and take the Walkways or elevators to other floors and buildings." I considered it.

  "They would know you weren't at home but not exactly where you were so long as you didn't buy something or enter another residence or a restricted building I guess," Laurie said. "So long as you didn't pass through any restricted doors."

  “So they can generally find anyone they want at any time?" Coal asked.

  "Yes. It's for the safety of the population," Laurie said, switching on her Warden voice.

  "The way you talk about 'the population' is creepy. It's like some kind of being that you all have to please," Alicia said, shuddering.

  “The people out here don't keep track of you at all then?" I asked her, choosing to ignore the jibe.

  “No, and I wouldn't want them to." She flicked her hair.

  “But what if you got lost or stuck somewhere?" Laurie asked. "In the city if you haven't been scanned for forty eight hours, the Wardens are alerted and we send out a search. We can check the CCTV to help fill in the blanks left by the scanner tracking system. It saves lives."

  "I'll take my chances thanks," Coal said, shaking his head as he stepped through the revolving door. I hurried to keep up, shrugging at Laurie again as we went.

  Alicia skipped ahead and pushed the button to call the elevator. We stepped inside the smallest elevator car I’d ever seen and headed to the seventh floor which, unbelievably, was also the top floor. After the shortest elevator ride of my life, we stepped out. I pushed the sunglasses up onto my head so that I could see better.

  The walls and floors were all shiny white tiles. Doors lined the walls, some of which were open and revealed beds with monitors attached to their occupants. People dressed in pale green scrubs came and went, checking on patients and administering medications.

  We passed an area filled with men and women undergoing some sort of therapy session. My interest earned me a few surly looks so I hurried on past.

  "Is this an infirmary?" I whispered.

  "Yeah, it's a hospital. Baba works from here most days," Coal replied.

  At the end of the hall was a set of big, wooden double doors with a large brass knocker. Alicia knocked twice and we waited for a reply.

  "Come in," an aged female voice called and we did as instructed. Baba sat behind a big, wooden desk which made her small frame seem even smaller. She wore overlarge round glasses and her grey hair was flying free of a bun in various directions.

  "Ah, Coal and Alicia Carson, my favourite twins. And you brought me guests." She gestured to several chairs scattered around the room and we moved them to the desk to sit before her.

  The room was lined with bookshelves that parted twice for two big floor to ceiling windows and once for the door we’d entered through. The shelves were lined with books, but also held all manor of medical equipment from the modern to the thoroughly outdated.

  “This is Maya and Laurie from Harbour City," Alicia introduced us as she reclined lazily in her chair.

  Baba regarded us for a moment with a raised eyebrow.

  "And how is the city?" she asked eventually.

  "Much the same as I left it I imagine, nothing ever changes much there." I smiled at her.

  "Or at least that's how they want it to seem." She gave me a knowing look.

  "I'm afraid I've begun to think I wasn't paying enough attention while I was there, and now it's too late," I admitted.

  "It's never too late. You noticed, you just didn't know that you did." She winked at me. "As nice as introductions are, I presume you want something from me?"

  "They brought someone else with them from the city, a boy, but he was skimmed by a bullet and hasn't woken up for several days now. We were hoping you could help," Coal explained. I didn't like the way he said boy, he could only be a year or two older than Taylor and I.

  Baba surveyed us all through narrowed eyes. "He's going to need an MRI to check he's still in there, then a drip and life monitors, presuming he is, until he deigns to bless us with his presence. You realise the equipment they have in your city could have fixed him in a jiffy?"

  "I've never really had to use the medical centre in the-" I began.

  "Don't worry, I'm aware it's irrelevant. Just another new technology they deny us out here." She tapped a pen on the desk again and again whilst considering it. I held my breath.

  Baba looked at me over the rim of her glasses as though she were weighing me, I hoped she didn't find me wanting.

  “Okay. Bring him to me," she said finally. I sighed with relief and sagged in my chair. "But his care won't come without a price," she continued.

  A momentary panic filled me, I had no idea what they used for currency here.

  Coal's grip tightened on the arm of his chair.

  "What's the price?" he asked evenly.

  “It doesn't matter, I'll pay it," I threw in.

  Baba smiled a cunning smile.

  "I thought as much," she said.

  Coal shot me a reprimanding look and I chewed my lip as I realised I’d put my foot in it.

  "Name your price," Alicia sighed, throwing me a filthy look over her shoulder too.

  "We've had reports of an old military bunker to the north which holds a super computer capable of hacking us back into the Harbour City networks."

  "When you say 'to the north', how far north are we talking?" Alicia asked suspiciously.

  “As far as you're thinking and a bit further. Did I mention how much power we will have to use to run an MRI?" Baba regarded us calmly.

  I looked pleadingly at Alicia who huffed and settled back into her seat.

  “We need the information on those networks. We've been stalled for five years since we were discovered snooping about in those systems. We had contacts in that city and we need to know how many of them were captured, and if any of them survived. We have to get access to the population data. Once we know what they know then we can finally continue in our struggle against them. When you reach the super computer you simply have to attach a transmitter and we can do the rest remotely. I have Jayden and Livi on standby as soon as we have that connection," Baba said.

  I had no idea what she was talking about but I didn't really care. All that mattered was getting Taylor the help he needed.

  “So that's the price?" Coal asked.

  "It really isn't that difficult. As far as the computer goes it will be straight forward. I need people I can trust for this, Coal. And it's not easy to find people with your particular...talents," Baba smiled.

  “Yeah. It's just getting there that's tricky," Alicia said in an exasperated tone. "We aren't considering this are we?" She reached out to touch Coal's arm and tried to catch his gaze.

  “You don't have to come," he replied without looking at her.

  Baba's eyes gleamed with triumph.

  “No. Coal, no. Promise me you won't," Alicia pleaded.

  "Alicia, drop it." His voice held such firm command that she did so instantly.

  “Fine, we'll do it but I want a v
ehicle," Alicia snapped at Baba, folding her arms over her chest.

  "Of course," Baba smiled at us wickedly. "Why don't you go and collect the patient and I can get you all the information you'll need."

  “You realise this is blackmail?" Alicia said indignantly.

  “Ah, but what's a little blackmail between friends?" Baba chuckled.

  Taylor's MRI didn't show anything out of place and the diagnosis was that he needed to rest until his body decided it was ready to wake up. Baba set him up in a hospital bed and attached him to a drip and a heart monitor. I insisted on getting him a room with a view of the forest so that he could see it when the time came for him to wake.

  I sat on the edge of his bed wondering if he had any clue about what was happening and chewing on my bottom lip as I considered what I needed to do.

  “I'm going to have to leave you here for a bit," I told him. "Coal said that I don't have to go with them, but I feel like I should help. Laurie is going to come with us too so don't hurry and wake up. I want you well but I don't want you waking up alone here in Fairview." I couldn't believe I was actually going to leave him. I reached out and brushed his hair aside, my fingers were shaking. A tear ran down my cheek but I quickly wiped it away. He would be okay, I had to believe it. "Baba says the information we'll get is going to help a lot of people so it's worth it. Not that I care what the price is really, you know I'd do anything to keep you safe."

  Taylor didn't respond.

  I stood up and walked over to open his curtains as wide as they would go so that the green view was clear. At night, huge metal shutters would cover the windows to keep any predators out, but hopefully he would wake up to that view. I placed a letter explaining everything under his pillow and bent close to kiss his cheek.

  “Love you," I told him finally as I pulled the covers up around his chin.

  I turned away with a heavy heart and found Coal standing in the doorway, frowning.

  “What's up?" I asked him.

  "Nothing." He smoothed his expression. "Just thinking about the trip. Are you sure you're up for it?" he asked.

  I rolled my eyes at him.

  "You know I am, besides this is kind of on me anyway. I should be asking if you're sure you want to come."

  "I'm hardly going to miss an adventure now, am I?" He smiled and led the way out of the room and I followed, looking back at Taylor one last time.

  Alicia had returned my Lawless Trials clothes after getting them cleaned and I was enjoying the feeling of wearing something that actually fit. She’d also leant me a few things as spares and I carried a little pack containing them, together with some food and water.

  We hiked to the far side of town where the road expanded and shot out into the unknown. The trees were thick on either side and some vines even connected above but they weren't actually affecting the concrete in any way. It was eerie.

  In the shade of the trees we found a large, dark vehicle with Alicia lounging against it.

  “Like it?" she asked with a grin.

  The truck had bars on the front grill and lamps on the roof. It was painted in a camouflage effect and blended in with the trees behind it. It sat at least four feet off of the ground on huge wheels. There were five big seats inside a cab on the front end and a truck bed on the back. The bed was piled high with weapons, food and water. Laurie was already sitting in the front seat looking around a little apprehensively but she smiled as we approached.

  "You two are in the back, you turn up late that's what you get." Alicia jangled a bunch of metal objects at us and ran around to hop into the other front seat behind a wheel.

  Coal grumbled something about her driving as he stepped forward and opened the door for me. I smiled gratefully and clambered in. I wasn't very graceful as it was so high up but I did manage to make it inside without falling over. As he followed, with a lot less difficulty, Alicia jammed one of the metal objects into a hole by the wheel and twisted it.

  The floor beneath my feet trembled to life and the vehicle emitted a guttural growl which subsided to a deep purr. We lurched forwards and started to move along the road and I gasped as I clutched the edges of my seat. The sweeping sensation was strange and a little unpleasant. It was a bit like the train but the ride wasn't as smooth as we traversed the lumpy tarmac.

  A low howl sounded behind us and I looked over my shoulder as Kaloo tumbled out of the forest and barrelled along after us. She raised her snout into the air and howled again, her legs a tangled blur beneath her. Instead of slowing down, the truck sped up as Alicia accelerated.

  “Aren't we letting her come?" I asked, watching as the big dog slowly fell behind.

  “Do you really think she'd let us leave her behind?" Coal smiled.

  "Is she not allowed in the truck then?" I wasn't sure how far the journey would be but maybe the powerful dog would just run the whole way.

  “Watch." He pointed back at her.

  We continued to pick up speed but Kaloo wasn't falling behind anymore. She was powering along, her back legs looking almost like they would overtake the front and her ears were flat against her skull.

  Alicia shoved a large stick which was protruding between her and Laurie's seats and the car heaved on with even more power. We continued to accelerate but Kaloo wasn't going to be left behind and at the last moment, she sprang into the air and flew into the truck bed landing with a thump that made the whole vehicle bounce.

  Alicia whooped and soon we were all cheering and laughing and Kaloo was hanging her head to the side, tongue lolling out and enjoying the wind in her face.

  The truck bounced along the highway for hours. It had been exhilarating at first but that wore off with the passage of time. The view from my window didn't vary much, the trees whipped by, sometimes interrupted by small towns which looked similar to the one we’d just left behind. Beautiful birds would occasionally appear high above us to cross the channel made by the road.

  The road itself was an endless stretch of grey. I had no way of knowing how far it carried on, just that it was a hell of a long way. At the sides of the highway there were rusted old cars that had been pushed aside, presumably after being abandoned at the end of the old world. They often had pieces missing from them where people had scavenged what they needed over time.

  Eventually I turned my gaze from the view and looked around to find Coal watching me.

  "What?" I asked.

  "Sorry, it's just fascinating to watch you experience everything for the first time."

  "I'll have to take you to the city some time then, see what it's like for myself."

  "Perhaps," he smirked. "Are you sure you're up for this? It's not going to be easy."

  "You haven't really explained why that is," I sighed. I got the feeling that I was generally regarded as next to useless when it came to fighting or anything dangerous and they were only letting me come because I’d insisted. The sad thing was that I knew they were right too.

  “Well, I don't know the plan yet either," he shrugged.

  “But you know something surely?" I huffed.

  “Not definitely enough to bother explaining it. We'll get our orders in Franklin," Coal said infuriatingly. I was obviously going to be left in the dark for a while longer.

  "What's Franklin like?" I asked, deciding I might as well change the subject.

  "It's a city, though not of the kind that you're used to."

  “Describe it to me," I said, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning back against the headrest.

  Coal rolled his eyes. I got the feeling that I infuriated him at least as much as I intrigued him. "You can't just wait until we get there?"

  “Nope." I grinned.

  "It's not unlike the town we just left. There are roads and all the buildings have their own space. There's just more of them and a good few of them are taller, like the hospital. There are a lot more people there too," he said. "Is that a good enough description?"

  “I guess. It's probably easier to just see it for my
self though."

  "Great." He crossed his arms and turned to look out of his window.

  “Are there others coming with us?" I smirked, pleased with my efforts at being annoying.

  “I expect so, though maybe not all the way. I doubt they’d find any other people stupid enough to volunteer for that." He glanced at me from the corners of his eyes, without fully turning from the window.

  "And then we'll go and find that list of names and give Baba access to the Harbour computer networks?"

  "Yeah. There is a kind of rebellion going on inside the walled cities like Harbour, or there was before it was discovered. The people outside The Walls just wanted the population within them to have a choice, to know they could come outside and enjoy the world again. And we'd like access to some of their technology too. But the people in power within the cities don't want anyone to know they can leave. They like their lifestyle and it can only be maintained by standing on the shoulders of everyone beneath them." He turned back to me.

  “But the people in the city aren't unhappy. The Guardians look after us and everyone is healthy and has enough food. Maybe they don't know about the contamination or they just want to keep everyone safe inside the city," I said. I still wasn't entirely convinced that the president and the rest of the Guardians in power could be so corrupt.

  “Do you really believe that? You said yourself that they don't allow most people into the top levels at all."

  “Well, I know that some living areas are undesirable and the higher you live the nicer they get, but if you contribute enough you can advance."

  “Only within the parameters they allow."

  I frowned. It was true there were special elevators for the top levels that the rest of us weren't given access to. That certain residential buildings had very restricted access even to walk the corridors and the people who lived there weren't exactly sociable either, but then I hadn't ever had much interest in the way the city ran. I couldn't be sure whether they were controlling information or giving preferential treatment to the privileged few.