by Linda McNabb
“Working! What for? Didn’t you know that you don’t have to work now?” Suan sounded astonished and a little shocked as if Kala were breaking an unspoken rule.
“I want to work,” Kala stated firmly and made a point of looking at her watch.
“What do you do?”
“I’m tutoring a young boy,” Kala looked at her watch again, which seemed to irritate Suan.
“Surely you can let them know you won’t be in today,” Suan looked annoyed that her surprise shopping trip had been ruined. “It's no fun shopping on my own.”
“No,” Kala’s answer was final.
“Well, let’s make a date for tomorrow to hit the shops. I’ll take you to the most popular place to have luncheon and then we’ll....” Suan didn't give up easily and Kala cut her off.
“I work every day,” Kala’s reply wasn’t unfriendly but it certainly was direct and she rose from her chair.
“Well, I’ll call round in a couple of days,” Suan rose too, looking put out and a little offended but Kala didn't really care.
Where had Suan been when she was in Level Ten? Kala kept the pleasant but uninterested look firmly in place until she had closed the door on Suan. It wasn’t that she hated Suan, more that she just didn’t consider her a friend any more.
Maybe she shouldn’t have been so stiff and unfriendly though. She didn’t exactly have a lot of friends, if in fact she had any at all. Yes she had one, Johan. He believed everything she had told him yesterday and he had said she was welcome to visit whenever she wanted to.
There must be some way that she could continue to help those she had left behind in Clover Downs. But of course there was! Now that she had a very sizeable amount of credit she could take them things that they needed. It made her smile to think of how the State’s money would finally be going to the very people who needed it and she packed her handbag ready to leave with a new spring in her step.
She arrived at the Fortnes house well before the time she was due there and was let in by a surly looking Jarin.
“Master Reco is in the kitchen,” he said in a very unfriendly tone and stalked off with his nose in the air.
Kala ignored him and headed for the kitchen already wondering when she could leave. She didn’t like being here and she wanted to put into action her idea to spend her credit on things for Clover Downs. If she could get away by three o’clock she would still have time to buy some things and take them through to Level Ten via the secret door that Johan had shown her yesterday.
As she passed the front parlour room she noticed it was all laid out with a vast array of food. Obviously this was where the luncheon was being held and Kala wondered how much food would go to waste and simply be thrown away.
“Get out of there you little pest.”
Yes, Reco was certainly in the kitchen and as she came in Kala saw the cook chasing him with a rolling pin.
“Ah Kala,” cook looked delighted and relieved to see her at the door. “Take this young mischief maker away or I’ll never finish the food for the luncheon and the Mistress will be cross.”
More food, wasn’t there enough there already?
“How many guests are expected?” Kala wondered out loud.
“Just two,” cook replied as she caught Reco by the collar and dragged him towards Kala.
Kala didn’t trust herself to comment and she took Reco and propelled him out into the hallway.
“I think we’ll take our work outside today,” Kala didn’t fancy her chances of keeping him quiet in the house.
“Outside?” Reco stood still and looked suddenly interested for the first time in the two days she had been going there. “Nobody lets me go outside.”
“Never?” Kala frowned as she wondered why he was kept indoors.
“Not since I was three and I took the Hoverpod for a ride and smashed it into the house,” Reco’s serious look convinced her he wasn’t making it up. “Mother said I was never allowed outside again.”
“As long as we keep away from the Hoverpod I think it will be okay.” Kala assured him and led him out into the back garden. She paused a moment at the unfamiliar scenery. Trees, not many people had their own trees. The Fortnes family must have at least twenty. There had been one tree down at the park where she had played as a child. Sitting up in its branches had been her favourite place.
“First,” Kala had been about to say they would practice maths by counting all the trees but she could see he wasn’t listening. “I think that you should go for a run.”
Reco looked at her for a split second to make sure he had heard correctly and then took off at a sprint. Maybe this was all he needed. Six year old boys didn’t want to be kept cooped up all day in the house, they wanted to race around and climb trees. Kala wondered if he ever had any other boys over to play with. Somehow she doubted it.
After half an hour Reco finally slowed down and Kala began the lesson. They had counted the trees, caught some insects and counted their legs and written down the names of all the things they had seen when Kala decided it was time for a break. He was certainly not slow or in need of a private tutor. In fact he was probably ahead for his age.
Kala sneaked into the kitchen and found a plastic plate which she took into the back garden.
“Have you ever played frizbee?” Kala knew he would say no even as she asked him and she showed him how to throw it.
They had a very lively game until it disappeared around the corner of the house.
“Good throw, Reco, but we had better go and fetch it,” Kala was having fun and they raced off to see who could get it first.
They couldn’t find it for ages and then Kala spotted it up in a tree.
“We’ll never get it now,” Reco said sounding disappointed.
“Why? It’s not up that high. I’ll race you up there.” Kala had already hoisted herself up onto the first branch and looked back down at Reco. “Come on, it’s not that hard.”
Reco only hesitated for a second and then with a big grin on his face he followed her up the tree. They retrieved the plate and started back down but on the last branch Reco slipped and fell to the ground.
“Oww,” Reco yelled as he landed and Kala jumped down quickly by the side of him. As she did so she noticed a man watching them through a set of French doors.
“Are you okay Reco?” Kala didn’t think that Mrs Fortnes would like it if he had broken his arm or leg.
“That was fun,” Reco exclaimed and Kala felt relieved.
“What is going on out here?” Mrs Fortnes’ voice made them both turn around guiltily. She was standing at the now open French doors and she spoke quietly.
“I.. umm.. Well..” Kala didn’t have a clue where to start but she was saved by the arrival of the man she had seen a few seconds ago.
“Whatever it was, it looked like fun. I don’t get to see enough of my little nephew,” he said holding a drink in one hand and leaning on one side of the doorframe.
“Uncle Damon,” Reco exclaimed as he jumped up and threw himself at his uncle, nearly knocking his glass from his hand.
“Damon?” Kala looked again and saw it was indeed the same Damon that Suan was chasing after. He was blond and tall with a face that looked like it had never frowned or looked sad. At a guess Kala would say that he was no more than thirty.
“It looks like you've been having fun, Kala,” he looked directly at Kala and she blushed as she knew he had seen them in the tree.
“You two know each other?,” Mrs Fortnes looked surprised.
“Yes, we've met through a mutual friend. Why don't you join us... we seem to have plenty.”
Kala could have sworn there was a hint of sarcasm in his comment about the amount of food there was, but she wasn’t sure.
“Of course they will,” Mrs Fortnes agreed after a slight hesitation that made Kala wonder if she was interrupting something important.
Damon, with the overexcited Reco clinging to his arm, waited for her to precede him into the room. She
quickly brushed down her clothes and cringed silently as she saw a grass stain down one side of her dress.
“May I present Miss Moira Corvant,” Mrs Fortnes said as Kala’s eyes began to adjust to the dimness of the room.
A young lady a little older than herself rose elegantly from where she had been sitting on an overstuffed sofa and extended a limp hand in greeting. She was slimmer than most of the other Level Two ladies that Kala had ever seen but her dress definitely marked her as such.
Mrs Fortnes turned away to retrieve her laden plate from the small round table next to the sofa and Moira shot a look of impatience and annoyance at Kala. What could she have done to upset someone that she had only met a few seconds ago?
Kala was about to sit in the single seat in the corner when Damon suddenly appeared beside her. Reco had left his uncle’s arm and headed for the table laden with food.
“Please, sit over here by me,” Damon gently guided her by her elbow and Kala received another glare from Moira that was hidden from everyone else’s sight by the cup Moira was holding. She sat, next to Damon, on the sofa that was only just big enough for two.
“Moira is new around here so we’re having a practice run at entertaining,” Mrs Fortnes said from her chair next to Kala and then she dropped her voice to a whisper that only Kala would hear. “I’m hoping Damon will like Moira, he needs a wife to take care of him.”
So that was it, she had barged in on a matchmaking. Well she had no intentions of being a gooseberry so she would have to make her excuses as soon as possible and leave. Suan would not be pleased to know there was someone else after Damon.
“We were just discussing the High Society Ball,” Moira said a fraction too quickly, “and how it’s so important who one’s partner is.”
Moira was staring directly at Damon as she spoke and Kala couldn’t believe how unsubtle she was being. Damon however, didn’t seem to share the adoration that she obviously had for him as he squirmed in his seat and avoided looking back at her.
“Kala, are you going?” he asked catching her off guard.
“Going?” she echoed a little simply.
“To the High Society Ball.”
“No, I don’t think so. I don’t know many people around here.” Kala was thinking fast about how she could leave without it seeming obvious.
“Would you care to accompany me?”
Kala felt sure that he must have been speaking to Moira but a sideways glance told her that he was staring straight at her. He was looking at her with an unspoken plea for help. He obviously wanted an excuse for not taking Moira.
“I.. umm..” Kala felt totally lost for words as she felt Moira’s glare boring into the side of her head.
“Think about it. You can give me your answer at lunch tomorrow,” Damon pressed on, the pleading look in his eyes was hidden from everyone else in the room.
“Lunch?” Kala queried as she wished that she hadn’t taken Reco outside today. Then she wouldn’t be in this mess.
“Surely you’re coming to Fona’s luncheon party tomorrow,” Damon seemed surprised and looked up at his sister but before Fona could comment Kala replied.
“I’m sorry I have other plans,” Kala said, not even caring that it was an outright lie, let him sort out his own problems.
“Well the next afternoon then, we could go somewhere.” Damon was obviously intent on making it seem as if he wanted to see her again.
“I.. Well there’s Reco’s lesson,” Kala said hoping that her status as a tutor might put him off.
“Lesson?” Damon looked questioningly at Fona.
“Kala used to teach and she kindly offered to take Reco under her wing. I’m sure that one missed day won’t make any difference,” Fona beamed at Kala not seeming in the least bothered that her brother had apparently fallen for the wrong person.
“That’s settled then. Where shall I pick you up from?” Damon looked relieved and Moira was still glaring at her.
“I... I’ll meet you here,” Kala answered quickly. By the day after tomorrow when she was supposed to meet him she was sure to have thought up an excuse not to go. “Please excuse me, I really must be leaving.”
“I’ll be waiting at two.” Damon rose as she did.
Kala grabbed Reco and dragged him from the room.
“Are you going to be my Auntie?” Reco asked through a mouthful of food as she propelled him along the corridor towards the kitchen.
“Lessons are over for the day,” Kala said, ignoring his question. “Maybe we’ll go outside again tomorrow.”
“Great! Can we play football?” Reco had been successfully diverted from the subject and Kala left him in the cook’s care and fled the house as quickly as she could.
Half an hour later Kala stepped from the shuttle on her way to the Community Issue Stores. She glanced at the stone wall at the end of the station. It was here that she had first met Johan and she smiled to herself at the thought of seeing him again when she took the school supplies in for the children.
She checked her watch and then quickened her pace across the station platform. If she hurried there would be time to take them over to Clover Downs this afternoon. She quickly located the Issue Store that stocked the items she needed and began happily collecting a large basket full of recycled paper, pens, art supplies and colourful books.
“It will take Reco years to get through that lot,” a slow drawling voice from directly behind her made her jump and she spun around to see Damon leaning casually against one of the shelves.
“It’s not for Reco,” Kala retorted feeling angry that he had followed her.
“Then who’s it for?” Damon leaned a little closer to her and raised one of his eyebrows.
“My sister likes to draw... a lot,” Kala wished she hadn’t aroused his suspicion as he clearly didn’t believe her explanation.
She picked up several more items and then took her basket to the assistant at the counter. He too looked a little surprised at the quantity of goods she was buying but he said nothing as he packed it into two bags. Nobody questioned someone of a higher level than themselves.
“Would you like these delivered Mam? They are quite heavy,” the shop assistant offered.
“No thanks. I can manage,” Kala pressed her thumb to the scanner then slid the two large bags from the counter. She wasn’t surprised when Damon followed her from the Issue Store and fell into step with her.
“Let me carry them home for you. I like art and I’d like to meet this sister of yours that draws... a lot,” Damon imitated her hesitation perfectly and he had a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Besides it's the least I can do since you got me out of a sticky situation over at Fona's.”
“No thanks,” she said abruptly and stepped onto the moving walkway. Damon seemed to take the hint and stood several paces behind her. When she reached the station he remained several steps behind her and whistled softly as he walked. Kala began to get nervous as she knew that she couldn’t let him see her going to Clover Downs and there was no way she wanted him to follow her home. She had no choice, she was going to have to lose him somewhere.
She boarded the shuttle that was about to pull out of the station and wasn’t surprised to see that Damon climbed on as well. He took a seat at the far end of the carriage but didn’t take his eyes off her.
An idea came to Kala. She looked at each station the shuttle stopped at and when she found one that suited her needs she jumped off as soon as the doors slid open.
The station was absolutely packed solid with people, which was exactly what she wanted. She ducked down and weaved backwards and forwards around the crowd knowing Damon was bound to have followed her off the shuttle. Just as the shuttle was about to leave Kala made a bee-line for the carriage and jumped back on. The doors slid shut and Kala watched as a surprised Damon looked up from the crowd to see her on the shuttle as it was pulling away.
Kala slumped back into the soft seat and wondered if having someone curious about her was a good thi
ng. She would have to take the supplies straight to Clover Downs now, while she was sure she wasn’t being followed.
Kala stayed on the shuttle until it arrived at the nearest station to the secret door in the dividing wall and made a wide circle towards the food market. When she was sure Damon hadn’t tracked her down again, she skirted the back of the markets towards the door.
As she neared the back section of the market she almost bumped into a group of four guards and she turned to examine some fruit while they passed.
“I haven’t been on an ambush before,” one of them said and Kala instantly tuned into their conversation, working her way along the fruit stalls so she could hear it.
“Well it’s not too hard. We always outnumber them and these ones from Clover Downs won’t be expecting it, so that will make it even easier.”
“Our sources tell us they’re going to try to come and take a whole lot of stuff from one of the warehouses. We’ll be waiting for them just before dawn and lock the lot of them up for a few days, maybe even ship a few off to Belgara. You’ve got to keep these people in their place...”
The conversation faded as they turned down a side street but Kala had heard enough. She had to warn Johan about the ambush and that there was a spy in Clover Downs. Quickly, she slipped down the alleyways and through the secret door. She got lost several times in the dim alleys of Level Nine but eventually she arrived at Clover Downs.
**
Johan stared at the chalk board in the middle of the square as he made his way through the last few rows of people and onto the platform. It had seemed a good idea at the time to open up the leadership of the Level and stop them depending on him so totally.
He supposed it had been arrogant to assume it would have left him with some role of importance within the Level. If it had been Gil who had been voted in, then that may have been the case, but it wasn’t Gil.
Only one name remained on the blackboard, the others had been rubbed out after the vote had been counted and the winner was waiting for him on the platform. The vote wasn't supposed to be counted until the next monthly meeting but everyone had demanded it be counted sooner. He stepped up and extended his hand to Charat in a gesture of good will.
