The Perfect Outcast

by Melissa O. Hansen

  “But no one stared at me in Pria, though I was obviously different,” Alina answered. “They avoided me—except for Eris and some of the kids at school.”

  “That’s because you were different in ways they didn’t want to see,” Jade explained. “Their eyes were accustomed to perfect things. You upset their world—the only world they knew. To deal with this, they ignored you and looked away, making you nonexistent in their minds. But here in Carthem, you are the most stunning person they’ve ever seen. Even those who came from Pria may have forgotten what it’s like to see someone so perfect.”

  “But I feel my beauty is becoming my identity—something no one can look past.”

  Jade leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Then you must give them a reason to look past it,” she said, smiling. “You are very bewitching, my dear. It will have to be something big.”

  The next morning, after Rex joined Alina and Jade in their room for breakfast, Baylor poked his head in and announced they must all complete a wilderness survival course before traveling to Jaden.

  “Lance’s orders,” he emphasized. “But Jade, you’re permitted to observe the exercise portion since you’re recovering from surgery.”

  “Do we have to do this?” Rex complained. Alina knew how much he wanted to get to Jaden and see Camden.

  Baylor glared at him. “You have no idea how dangerous it is out there.”

  An hour later they met in the basement of their building, in a large gym surrounded by mats, climbable walls, and shooting ranges. Baylor, dressed in electric blue sweats and white running shoes, was already running laps. He ordered them to follow.

  Alina sprinted off gracefully and enjoyed the exhilaration of being good at something. She’d hated to run in Pria, where kids made fun of her. Now she knew why. Rex looked angry as he ran with arms flailing, his face twisted into a grimace. When he passed Jade on the bench, she smothered her laughter with a towel.

  They spent the morning learning first-aid skills and shooting poisonous darts similar to the quills from the killing stones. Baylor explained how the darts killed creatures and humans instantly, and as there was no antidote, they must handle the guns with care. This did little to help Rex, who became too nervous to shoot straight. Jade fared slightly better. Alina hit every target dead in the center, and Rex kept calling her a show-off.

  They took a break for lunch, and as they sat on a mat eating, Baylor walked to a woman on the other side of the gym and kissed her on the lips. A young girl hugged him, and the three of them chatted lively, their voices echoing across the room. Baylor glanced in their direction, then made a discreet but accurate impression of Rex running. The woman and girl broke into laughter. Rex was so hungry he didn’t notice.

  “Do you think that’s Baylor’s wife?” Jade asked, which got Rex’s attention. He stopped chewing and looked at them.

  “And maybe the girl is his daughter,” Alina said. “She looks about my age.”

  Jade nodded. “Come, let’s go introduce ourselves.”

  They polished off their lunch, stood up and started across the gym. Baylor walked to meet them halfway.

  He introduced them to Janet, his wife, a handsome woman with smooth, dark skin. Her jet-black hair was pulled into a spiky bun, and her exercise clothes flattered her fit, muscular body. Their daughter, Trinee, was a year younger than Alina. She had clusters of blemishes on her cheeks and full lips above her bright teeth.

  Trinee smiled at Alina. “My father says you’re doing great—you’ve mastered the course and it’s only been a few hours.”

  “Well, it’s easy when you’re—like me.” Alina didn’t know if she should speak about her immortality. But Trinee already knew.

  She leaned in to whisper to her. “Don’t worry, I know about you, and I’m not jealous. My dad said being immortal isn’t as great as it seems. Is it true you can’t sleep, or enjoy food?”

  “Kind of,” Alina admitted. “Food tastes good, but I have no hunger to satisfy, so it’s not the same. And I don’t sleep at all. I miss that.”

  Trinee grinned. “Come with me for the afternoon. Dad says training is pointless for you. I’ll take you around town and introduce you to my friends.”

  Alina hesitated. She longed for friends, but the thought of being around people frightened her. “I don’t know—”

  “What’s wrong?”

  She didn’t want to admit her fears but felt she could be honest with Trinee. “I’m not very good at making friends. It’s not that I don’t want them, I just don’t know what to say around people.”

  Trinee smiled warmly. “No problem. How about you and I hang out?”

  Alina beamed, close to tears. She hadn’t had a friend since Pierce. Unless she could count Zaiden. “That would be great.”

  Trinee told Baylor of their plans and Alina laughed as Rex moaned, with a twinkle in his eye, about the unfairness of her getting the afternoon off. The girls left the gym chatting and giggling as if they were longtime friends rather than new acquaintances.

  Alina was curious about everything in Stormport, while Trinee wanted to hear about Pria. They took turns sharing experiences, first Trinee explaining what the school, boys, and families were like, then Alina doing the same.

  “You don’t have families?” Trinee gasped when Alina told her.

  She shook her head.

  “But—who takes care of you? And when you need to talk, who do you go to?”

  “Most people go to their guardians. They’re called caretakers. Some have great relationships with them, others don’t. I couldn’t talk much to Jade. She was under surveillance, you see, although I didn’t know at the time.”

  Trinee shrugged. “I suppose it’s no different here. Not the surveillance part, but the mix of good relationships and bad. Not every family is as close as mine.”

  This surprised Alina. “Really?”

  “Yeah. They treat their pets better than their family members, sometimes.”

  “Now that sounds a lot like Pria.”

  “Yes. I’m lucky my parents are happy together. Mom worries about Dad, though. His job is demanding, and he has to travel to Jaden a lot, which is very dangerous. She frets the whole time he’s gone.”

  Alina’s eyes softened. “I’d love to have a marriage like that one day. And a family. Jade is my family, and I’ve never been happier since she’s opened up to me. My life in Pria was so lonely—there was no one I could talk to.”

  “No friends?” Trinee asked.

  “Well, maybe one.”

  “Who?”

  Alina blushed. “A boy was nice to me, but I hardly knew him. I can’t really call him a friend.”

  “But you can call him your true love, right?” Trinee teased, linking arms with her.

  Alina’s eyes sparkled. “Of course!” she exclaimed, and they burst into laughter.

  They spent the afternoon in town, where they ordered milkshakes at the soda shop and flirted with the cute waiter, then scoured the department store for fancy dresses to try on. Trinee showed her the historic district of Stormport, where they window shopped and kept a tally of the boys who stopped to stare at Alina.

  “You should talk to some of them,” Trinee prodded. “Let your hair down, like you did with the waiter in the soda shop.”

  “I only flirted with him because you did. I couldn’t talk to him on my own—I don’t have anything to say.”

  “That’s the lucky thing about being pretty. Boys are interested no matter what you say,” Trinee sighed.

  Alina studied Trinee for a moment. She had long eyelashes that almost touched her eyebrows. Her black hair was slightly frizzy, but the way she pulled it back made her look older and sophisticated. Alina noticed the graceful curve of her jaw and how confidently she held her shoulders and neck.

  “Trinee, you are beautiful,” Alina raved, her sincerity so convincing that Trinee looked hopeful for a moment, then grinned.

  “You don’t have to build me up. I wasn’t fishing fo
r a compliment.”

  “I know. But I really mean it.”

  “Well, thank you. And you are too—inside, as well as out. I can tell you’re worried about that.” Trinee smiled, her white teeth bright against her ebony skin. “And I am trying to build you up. But I’m being honest too.”

  Alina smiled and dropped her eyes so Trinee wouldn’t see her tears.

  I have a friend.

  She loved Carthem. This broken world gave her everything Pria never could.

  The days flew by after Alina found a friend. She spent most of her free time with Trinee, who occasionally invited other friends along. Alina soon felt at ease around them even as they peppered her with questions about Pria. At Baylor’s request she concealed her immortality, as did Trinee, but otherwise spoke freely and found it liberating. The girls were appalled that century-old men dated teen girls and babies were left alone to crawl around mansions while their caretakers went out. They seemed impressed by Alina’s ability to endure such a place.

  She and Trinee spent many afternoons downtown, revisiting the same landmarks and stores, including the soda shop where the cute waiter worked. He greeted them the moment they walked through the door, poised behind the counter with a grin on his face. After a few visits, Alina heard more about him than she cared to know. His name was Pierre, he was the star of every sports team in his high school, of which he graduated early through excellent marks. Scores of girls came in regularly to see him, as he made the best Sweet-n-Nutty malt shake in town. But they were silly girls, and he was looking for a serious relationship—someone he could spend the rest of his life with. He leaned against the counter as he bragged, twitching his biceps beneath his rainbow-striped shirt. When Trinee mentioned the customers waiting in line, he didn’t seem to hear but continued to pester Alina for her name. The customers came to her rescue when they started yelling at him. Pierre jumped up to take their orders and the girls made their escape, bursting into laughter as they exited the shop.

  Alina loved having friends to laugh with, and felt reluctant when Baylor finalized their travel plans to Jaden. He oversaw their preparations by filling their packs with food, water, sleeping gear, clothes, weapons, and first-aid supplies. Early summer in Carthem meant traveling in the heat, and to alleviate this, Baylor secured the best vehicle in Stormport—one with large tires, four-wheel drive, and air conditioning.

  Two days before their planned departure, Baylor informed them that Lance had rearranged his schedule to meet with them at last.

  They had expected Lance to call for them earlier—Alina was famous, after all. But whenever Rex pointed this out to Baylor, he shook his head and mentioned Lance’s busy schedule. This time, however, he revealed a little more.

  “You may find Lance a bit—” He paused, thinking of the right word. “Eccentric.”

  “Why is that?” asked Jade.

  “He’s brilliant,” Baylor assured them, “but as Sampson’s top target, he’s paranoid about being assassinated. He doesn’t meet with anyone fresh from Pria for weeks, sometimes months—when he’s sure they’re loyal to Carthem. He’s made an exception for Alina.”

  “Took him long enough,” Rex said dryly.

  “You can’t blame him for being careful,” Baylor replied. “He’s convinced if he dies, the fight against Sampson will fail. And he’s probably right.”

  The next morning, Baylor drove them across town to the tallest building in Stormport. The guard at the front door frowned as he scanned them with the same device they’d seen when they first arrived. It emitted a long beep as it went over Alina.

  “Serum runs through her veins,” Baylor explained. “It’s going to beep every time for her.”

  The guard looked surprised but nodded to permit their entrance. Their footsteps echoed as they walked into the tall foyer. On a railing above, a worker passed in a white laboratory outfit with a plastic shield over the eyes. Now she understood why the building was so large—it housed Carthem’s laboratories.

  Baylor led them into an elevator and tapped a button. The elevator clanged shut and lurched them up seven stories, where they exited into a quiet, empty hallway. They walked to the end of the hall to a shiny metal door with a monitor in the center.

  Baylor placed his hand on the screen. It hummed and scanned, then gave a soft click.

  “Come in,” said a deep voice from inside.

  They entered a large room full of bookshelves, a few empty chairs, and a meticulously organized desk. A short heavyset man stood up when they entered. Large glasses magnified his green eyes as he reached out his hand.

  “Welcome!” Lance said, his round belly jiggling as he shook Rex’s hand. “You must be Rex, and Jade, and Alina. I’m glad to meet you at last. I’m sorry I didn’t call for you sooner. Stormport and Jaden’s safety is a huge responsibility, but perhaps someday all the security will not be needed.”

  They nodded their hellos, and Lance smiled at Alina. “We’ve waited a long time for you. Your birth encouraged me to leave Pria. You bring purpose to the resistance.”

  Alina forced an uncomfortable smile as they sat in the chairs around his desk.

  Lance ran a hand over his bald head, then stroked his beard with his fingers. “I understand you had an interesting journey from the portal to here.”

  “Yes,” Rex said. “The wilderness didn’t get dangerous until we were close to Stormport. Maybe Sampson was concerned for Alina’s safety.”

  “Perhaps he was at first, but the black mist is sent directly from him, so he must have known about Alina’s immortality by then and was trying to kill the two of you.” He pointed to Rex and Jade.

  “How does anyone survive out there?” Rex asked.

  Lance sighed. “It’s a constant fight. When we find a way to overcome one thing, he unleashes something new. And this time Stan is that new threat. What can you tell me about him, Rex?”

  Rex’s eyes flashed with anger. “He’s a traitor, and, unfortunately, knows a lot about the resistance because he was part of it. He played both sides well—I had no idea.”

  Lance put his elbows on his desk and interlocked his fingers. “This is bad news. Sampson may have found a way to penetrate our security. The stunning mechanism should have knocked Stan out cold.” He closed his eyes for a moment, then slammed his clenched fists on the desk and cursed. Jade and Alina jumped in their seats.

  “Just when we get you” —Lance nodded at Alina— “he forces our energy back into protecting ourselves so we can’t proceed with our plans.”

  Jade spoke calmly. “We can still proceed. We’ll go with Alina to Jaden while you take care of the security concerns here.”

  He stroked his chin again. “It will be difficult to spare Baylor.”

  “Then keep him here. We’ll be fine.”

  “No,” Lance said. “You need him more than I do. I only hope Jaden is secure when you get there. Not to mention Millflower and the other towns—” He rested his head in his hands and rubbed his temples.

  “Are there towns along the way?” Jade asked.

  “There’s one between here and Jaden,” Baylor explained. “Millflower—a farming community and the hub of our food production. It has some security features, but not like Stormport and Jaden.”

  “Yes, hopefully it holds,” Lance said, and sighed. “The time is here—we knew when Alina showed up. Time to unite and get everyone in Carthem involved in the Cause. They’ll be scared—no one is prepared for something like this.” He gave a small smile. “But it’s exciting, too.”

  He met Alina’s eyes. “You need to be aware—Sampson will do whatever he can to bring you back to Pria and under his control. There’s a portal in the Blue Forest, so it can be done.”

  “Do you know why Alina became immortal when she left Pria? Does the dagger reverse one’s condition?” Rex asked.

  Lance leaned back in his chair. “I’ve been thinking about that since I heard. I don’t know why she changed, but I believe J’koby may have some ideas. He�
��s the expert on immortality and the serum dagger.”

  “Can I ask a question?” Alina spoke up.

  “Of course.”

  “Rex told me the resistance doesn’t want me dead, even though my death would cause Sampson’s downfall. Why is that?”

  Lance and Rex exchanged glances. Lance nodded. “How J’koby explained it to me,” Rex said, “is if you die, everyone who originated from the serum would also die.”

  “So, people like Camden, J’koby, Trinee, and Baylor would be fine,” Lance said. “They were conceived by a mortal mother and father. But me, Jade, Rex—we’d die. Not to mention everyone in Pria, including the entire resistance. A tragic death toll. We hope to avoid that.”

  “And Sampson would live?” Alina asked.

  “Yes, Sampson would live. Pria would cease to exist, and he’d be mortal and vulnerable, but he could still slip through our fingers.”

  “Is there any other way to weaken him?”

  “Yes,” Lance said. “Camden and J’koby have developed a plan, and you are at the heart of it. If the plan fails, then there may be no other option than to let you and all those others die to save Carthem. But I want to live to see the end of Sampson’s rule if I can. How about all of you?” He forced a chuckle, and Rex and Jade laughed nervously.

  “I will do whatever I need to. I want to help Carthem also,” Alina said. “Does this plan free those in Pria as well?”

  Lance nodded. “Those who wish to be. Many of them fear mortality and will not want to leave. We won’t force them. The important thing is they have the choice.” He leaned towards her. “Your immortality is a blessing to us and to Sampson. Camden and J’koby were concerned about keeping you safe once you got here, and it’s a relief not to worry about that. Sampson’s world is getting shaky, and now our biggest concern is keeping our people safe as he tightens his hold.” He rubbed his forehead. “I’ll be honest, this worries me. Carthem has always been a necessary thorn in his side. He’d wipe this world clean and start over if he could.”

  They went quiet as Lance tapped his fingers on his desk. “Well, you must leave tomorrow as planned. I’m happy to put you in Baylor’s hands. There’s no better guide.”