Burned and Scarred (Burn this City Book 2)

by Brenda Poppy

  Hale, who always seemed to lead the meetings despite them having no official “leader,” got up and made his way to the center of the gathering. It was a slow process, and he had to climb over several seated figures as he went, but he managed it, and he stood for a moment considering the group. The group considered him in return. His large stature, paired with his gift of strength, made him an imposing figure, and the room promptly quieted for his address.

  “Thank you for joining us once again,” came his deep voice, commanding their attention. “We’ve made some incredible progress over the past few days, and I know that some of you have ideas that will take us even further. Later on, we’ll open up the floor so you can share your suggestions with the group. But now I’d like to invite Raqa to the floor to discuss his PeaceBot project.”

  Raqa stood up from his spot on the kitchen floor, looking around tentatively in search of a path toward the room’s center. Apparently deeming the journey impossible, he quickly gave up and remained where he was, standing awkwardly against the kitchen table. Seeing this, Hale sighed and settled himself down.

  Raqa was one of their newer members, a twitchy man who always seemed to be glancing over his shoulder. His gift was similar to Scar’s in that he had a certain aptitude for robotics, although his powers did not include a mastery of all machines like hers did. Nonetheless, they’d been paired together on this particular project – much to Scar’s chagrin. She preferred to work alone and tended to view anyone else’s “help” as interference.

  “Scarlett and I have been working on a way to override the PeaceBots’ essential programming,” he said, practically tripping over his words. “Our aim was to hack into their systems and reprogram them to work for us. Scarlett’s previous work with PeaceBots was a critical component to our mission. With the key she provided, I was able to find a backdoor into their system and rework their code.”

  He stopped there, as if he had adequately explained their operation. Yet everyone else continued staring at him, waiting for more.

  After a few awkward beats of silence, Hale spoke up. “Raqa, what will your changes mean for us and our mission? What will the PeaceBots do now that you’ve changed their code?” He spoke gently, as if addressing a toddler.

  “Ah, yes,” Raqa said, pushing up his glasses on his nose. “We now have two PeaceBots that will relay intel to us instead of to the Peace Force. They’ll still appear to be online and active in the Peace Force systems and will still accept commands, but they won’t act on them. That means we can see what the Peace Force is searching for – and if they find it. We’ll also be able to observe the bots’ cam data and obtain information on all the people they’re currently seeking.” With that, Raqa promptly sat down, thereby ending his report.

  Scar sighed and shook her head. Even without words, Burn could tell that her sister was annoyed with Raqa and his presentation. No doubt she thought she could have done better.

  “Uh, thank you, Raqa,” said Hale haltingly, as if he wasn’t entirely certain what he was thanking the man for. “I’m sure that will come in handy. Now, is there anyone who would like to propose a new idea or course of action? If so, I invite you to come forward now.”

  A few seconds of silence followed, with no one wanting to be the first to speak. Hale looked to Burn, hoping she’d have an idea to present, but she merely shrugged, not sure what the next step forward would entail.

  Then a timid voice came from a corner of the living room, and all heads swung around to locate the source. A small woman stood up and addressed the crowd, clutching her hands in front of her and visibly shaking.

  “Uh, hi. My name is Cali. I’m new.” She gave a small smile as she introduced herself, bowing her head to the crowd. Burn remembered the woman, having been part of the group that had vetted her prior to her admission, and she smiled at Cali’s sense of initiative. It was always heartening when new recruits did more than merely stand by and watch.

  “I work in the ventilation and airflow field,” Cali continued. “We handle all of the piping and air circulation throughout the city.” She said it almost like a question, as if she were uncertain of her own occupation. She paused, looking around the room, and made eye contact with Burn, who nodded in encouragement.

  “Well, I sort of had an idea. You see, I know the locations of all the air intake points along the top levels. That’s where the pollution that’s generated on the top of the city gets collected and piped down to the lowest tiers. It’s one of the main reasons that the topmost sectors have such clean air. Well, that and the lack of factories.” She paused, taking a second to organize her thoughts.

  “If we were to sabotage the air intake valves in some way, then they would no longer be able to siphon the toxic air down to the lowest tiers. Meaning the bottom of the city would get a reprieve from pollution while the rich would finally feel what it’s like to live like the rest of us do.”

  The room silenced for a moment as the other members took in her suggestion. It was a risky idea, to be sure, but Burn trusted that Cali knew what she was doing. She’d learned a lot about the woman during her initiation, and Cali had quickly proven herself to be exceptionally clever. This plan was no different.

  Hale apparently agreed. “Hmm,” he rumbled from his seat on the floor. “That’s definitely an intriguing idea. If the decision-makers of the city, the rich and powerful, were forced to experience the realities of the city’s pollution, they might finally take action and address it. But the air systems would need to be effectively taken offline, something they can’t just fix in a day.”

  “I have access to all the locations,” Cali said, her confidence growing from Hale’s words of approval. “I could take them offline, then change the access codes.”

  Hale thought for a moment, his brows furrowing. “No,” he said slowly, “they’ll automatically assume someone on the airflow team is responsible. I don’t want you to be their primary suspect for this. You should be in plain sight during the entire process. If you give us the locations and access codes, we can send someone in to dismantle them.”

  “There are patrols in that area,” Cali said, a hint of warning coloring her voice. “Both armed Peace Officers and PeaceBots. You’ll need at least two people – someone to work on the systems and someone to keep watch.”

  Hale’s eyes immediately fell on Burn. With her gift to detect any hint of movement, she was a natural lookout. It wasn’t something she was happy about. No matter how promising the plan, she didn’t relish the idea of enacting it. She furrowed her own brows in response, giving Hale a look that clearly said, “Don’t make me do this.” He raised one eyebrow in return, as if to respond, “You’re our only option.”

  Damn it, Burn thought, resigning herself to the inevitable.

  “I can act as lookout for Hale,” she said, roping him into the operation whether he liked it or not. Although based on the look of triumph on his face, he did, in fact, seem to like it.

  “Good. Then it’s settled,” Hale responded, once again playing the leader. “We’ll get the details from you before you leave tonight, then schedule the operation for later this week. If all goes according to plan, this should make quite the impact.”

  Quite the impact indeed – assuming they didn’t get caught in the process, Burn thought, mulling over the plan. It was entirely possible they could disrupt Kasis’ entire ecosystem in a single strike. Or they could just as easily doom themselves and the whole of the Lunaria.

  Chapter 2

  Two days later, Burn received the message she'd been waiting for – and simultaneously dreading.

  “Everything’s set. Meet me at noon in the Saffron Quarter.”

  A pang of nervous energy shot through her as she read Hale’s words. She knew that if anything went wrong, their heads would be on the chopping block. Or, more likely, falling down the Pit.

  Scar wasn’t keen on the idea, either. The plan itself was fine; the issue was Burn being paired up with Hale. Scar was even less of a fan
of the lumbering man than Burn was, and she automatically assumed he would do something to jeopardize the mission. He had, after all, nearly cost Burn her life several months ago when he had spread the rumor that she was a turncoat who had joined up with the Peace Force. That one act had led directly to her getting captured by Cross and nearly used as a lab rat in a fatal experiment. Scar did not forgive that kind of thing easily.

  Yet, despite her reserves, Scar did equip her with some killer gadgets – literally. Exploding coins, her trusty stun gun pen, and a wickedly sharp knife disguised as a belt buckled. All of which were perfectly inconspicuous and imperceptible by the PeaceBots’ scanners, and all things Burn prayed she would never have to use.

  “If Hale gets himself into trouble, just leave him behind,” Scar said as Burn donned her gear for the mission. Scar was not one for tact.

  “I’m serious,” she continued as Burn laughed quietly. “He’s going to do something stupid. And when he does, run. I’d rather have you here than have the mission be a success.”

  It was an oddly emotional statement for Scar. Without thinking, Burn walked over and hugged her sister. Scar’s body stayed rigid as she endured the embrace, and Burn soon let go to continue her preparations.

  “Everything’s going to be fine,” Burn reassured her. “I’ll be back for dinner. Cook us something nice, will you?”

  Both of the women chuckled lightly at that, easing the tension in the room. Neither of them was the domestic type, and they relied more on canned goods and food vendors than any actual cooking. The idea of Scar in the kitchen was ridiculous, and it was enough to make Scar forget her worries – at least for the moment.

  Burn seized the opportunity and made her way outside, pulling on her goggles and mask. Before she could shut the door, though, Scar’s voice came floating out.

  “Be careful,” she said softly, inaudible to anyone but Burn.

  Looking back, Burn gave a small nod before closing the door behind her. She took a deep breath to steady herself and stepped out into the street, losing herself in the faceless crowd.

  Clothed in a neutral tunic and dark pants, paired with a rust-colored cloak, Burn looked just like every other citizen milling about. In a city like Kasis, where it was dangerous to stand out, people had a habit of blending in – which was convenient for Burn, who knew that her success hinged on her ability to pass by unnoticed.

  She took her time making her way to the Saffron Quarter, keeping her head down as she walked. Although it was nowhere near curfew, the patrols and PeaceBots still made their presence felt, studying the crowd as it ebbed and flowed, searching for an unknown threat. Searching for people like Burn.

  Traveling down a tier, she watched as the world around her gradually changed from residential to mercantile, with food stalls and cut-price retailers coming to dominate the buildings. The scent of roasted meat and fresh-baked bread wafted from carts and shop windows, tempting people into the streets and alleys. Once there, the merchants could pounce, enticing customers with offers of cheap electronics, secondhand robotics, and gadgets of dubious provenance and legality.

  Those offerings, in particular, made Burn a frequent visitor to the Saffron Quarter. Between there and the scrap heaps, she was able to source just about all the parts Scar needed for her harebrained builds. Burn almost felt at home there. If it weren’t for the pickpockets and small-time con artists, it might actually be considered nice.

  Burn weaved her way nimbly through the streets, swerving around carts and skirting salespeople. She knew instinctively where Hale would be: tucked into an alley on the far side of the quarter, lingering in the darkness. He liked to lurk, stowing himself away in shadowed corners waiting for his chance to pounce. It was an unsettling characteristic, but one that worked well when your goal was to take people by surprise.

  Which is exactly what he did. Even though Burn had been expecting it, when Hale stepped out of the alley in front of her, it made her flinch. His huge form towered over her, and she automatically put her hands in front of herself in a defensive pose, her body poised for a fight.

  “Why must you always do that?” she asked, the agitation clear in her voice.

  A growl that Burn assumed was laughter emerged from Hale’s throat. “Because I like to watch you jump. Did you know that you squeak when you’re surprised? It’s extremely amusing.”

  Burn released a growl of her own, although this one held no mirth to speak of. She gritted her teeth, biting back a tart reply. This was no time to quarrel, she reminded herself. They had a mission to complete, and the sooner they got to it, the sooner she could leave Hale behind.

  “So what’s the plan?” she asked, getting down to business.

  “We have to get up near the top of the city without raising attention,” he said, automatically changing into “plan” mode. “We don’t blend in with the citizens up there. Even if we changed our clothes and our appearances, we would still stand out.”

  Well, you would stand out, Burn thought, eyeing his large stature. She had a feeling that Hale tended to get noticed wherever he went.

  “So we take the other approach,” he continued. “We go in as service personnel.”

  He reached around and grabbed the pack he’d been carrying. After rifling through it for a moment, he came out with two technicians’ belts. He handed one to Burn, along with an ID card that labeled her as a member of the airflow division.

  “Courtesy of Cali,” he said, indicating the IDs and equipment. “If anyone questions you, flash the card and say that you’re on official business. But I doubt that’ll happen. As ‘the help,’ we should be invisible up there.”

  Burn took off her existing belt, making sure to switch the lethal buckle over from her old one before handing it to Hale to stow in his pouch. She fastened the tools around her waist, the unfamiliar weight surprisingly heaving on her small hips. She moved around, twisting and turning to ensure the belt was secure before looking back at Hale.

  “What then? What happens when we’re up there?”

  “Cali gave us the locations and access codes to all the air intake points. There are five total, spread out across the level. I’ll disable them one by one while you keep a lookout – or whatever you call it. If everything goes as planned, we’ll be out within an hour. An hour and a half max.”

  “But how are you going to disable them?” Burn asked quizzically. She knew Hale wasn’t a hugely technical man – and the process had to be more difficult than simply pressing a button or flipping a switch. There was something else to this, something he wasn’t telling her.

  His face hardened, as if he hadn’t intended to tell her that bit, which only made her more curious. She stared back, unblinking, demanding an answer. After a beat, he sighed and dove into his bag, coming out with a small package.

  “I plan to use these,” he said, holding out the box for Burn to see.

  She peered inside and automatically regretted it. No, she regretted this whole thing – agreeing to the plan, partnering with Hale, standing here at this very moment. Scar had been right: He was going to do something stupid.

  “You can’t bomb the ventilation system!” Burn whispered loudly, panic coloring her words as she looked down at the explosives.

  “It’s our only option. Even if we take them all offline and change the codes, the airflow team will be able to get them running again within a week. This is the only way we can ensure lasting damage.”

  Burn wanted to fight back, wanted to protest and tell him where he could shove his explosives, but she stopped herself. She forced herself to breathe and consider her options.

  On the one hand, she could leave and put this whole situation behind her. Except Hale would no doubt go on without her, likely getting himself caught in the process. Or she could go with him and ensure that it all went down safely, with no one getting hurt – and no one getting caught. As much as she hated the idea, she knew that the second option would be the safest for everyone involved. Or at least she hoped
it would be.

  “Fine,” she grumbled, shaking her head at the whole situation. Scar’s words popped into her mind, and she added, “But if you do anything to jeopardize this mission, I’m leaving you behind to fend for yourself.” With that, she exited the alley, leaving Hale scrambling behind her.

  They traveled up in silence, neither one caring enough to attempt passive conversation. They weren’t friends, after all, merely reluctant coworkers forced into the same boat. Their silent journey was a long one, taking them across tiers and up, and they kept their heads down, doing their best to blend in with their fellow downtrodden citizens.

  As they rose, the air and the crowds both thinned, the former losing its viscosity and the latter petering out until they were surrounded only by the rich and their hired help.

  It was a different world in the “heavens,” as it was often called. The houses were larger and farther apart, and the few shops offered luxury goods designed to help the rich show off the wealth they had schemed and lied to get.

  Burn was relieved to see that she and Hale were, indeed, invisible. Up here, tradespeople were seen as a necessary evil – although, in reality, they weren’t seen at all. They were reluctantly granted access then promptly ignored. They were servants, downstairs staff who needed to be kept out of sight in order to be kept out of mind.

  Honestly, Burn couldn’t wait until these privileged few were forced to face the realities of life outside their bubble. When their perfect air began to cloud and they could no longer ignore the pollution they were causing, they’d be compelled to take a hard look at the city and the problems they’d triggered within it. It was, ultimately, their factories and their extravagant homes that were spewing the vast majority of the smut that the rest of them were forced to breathe. It was about time that they learned what that was like.