What Tomorrow May Bring

by Tony Bertauski

“I hope so, but I don’t know. I’ve never asked her directly. I know she cares for me. She surely loves you. That, she has told me many times.” He shoves his hands into his pockets and rocks back on his heels.

  “So, where does this leave us? Two brothers after the same girl. We’ve both fathered her children. Doesn’t look like it’ll end well.” I cross my arms.

  “I will abide by whatever she decides,” Ethan says. “The choice is hers. I refuse to interfere with her free will.”

  “That’s the thing though. It doesn’t sound like she does get to decide. She made some deal with your—our—mother to let the Ten decide who she Cleaves. How could she do that?”

  “She did it to save your life. That alone should tell you how much she loves you.” He looks jealous, as if she wouldn’t do the same for him. I think he underestimates how much Kira cares for him.

  “Well, I don’t stand a chance given what I’ve done to the SCI, and the fact ‘our’ mother will clearly favor you over me. Being my egg donor doesn’t really create a strong mother-son bond.” I pace the room.

  “From what I understand, Kira offered to Cleave you on multiple occasions, and you chose your cause over her.” He’s right, but I glare at him anyway. He continues, “Besides, our mother will do what’s best for Thera, not for either of her sons. She’s not super maternal, if you know what I mean. She still has major issues with my ‘faulty genes.’” No wonder I have trouble with relationships. Between my mother and my father, I’m lucky to not be an emotion-free robot.

  I stop my pacing and stare at him. “You have to promise me to treat her right if you Cleave her.”

  “Likewise to you,” Ethan says to me, though it floors me that he hasn’t gone running to our mommy to make sure he wins her hand. Why would he give in so easily? Ethan interrupts my thoughts with an unexpected question. “Do you love her? Like in the ‘she’s the only one for me’ sense?”

  My brother is such a sap. I tell him, “I don’t buy into the whole ‘there’s only one for me’ thing, nor do I believe in ‘love conquering all or being all’. I’ve done the love thing before and gotten burned. But, as much as I’m capable…yeah, I guess I do love her. I just have to keep it all in context. I can’t let the entire world go to hell because of it.” I surprise myself by admitting this to Ethan. I expect him to tell me that it’s not enough, and that she deserves better. He’d be right. I do love Kira. But, I also love the cause and the people who cared for me in my youth and who are suffering as we speak.

  He puts a hand on my shoulder. “I may not have asked for it or wanted it, but you are my brother and that means something. Don’t ever forget that.” I don’t know what to say, since I didn’t ask for this, so I just nod. We hear a knock, and within seconds, the door is open, and Kira enters. She looks surprised to see Ethan here, and it creates an uncomfortable moment where no one knows what to do.

  “I’ll see you both later,” Ethan says. He looks Kira right in the eye, and I can see she is guilt-ridden by our triangle.

  Once the door is closed, she gives me a hug and a lingering kiss on my cheek. “Hey. How are you doing?”

  “Not too bad for a prisoner,” I respond.

  “What were you thinking? Why didn’t you just leave the city?”

  “It’s such a nice place, and I’ve gotten rather attached,” I joke. “Plus, I wasn’t able to find a good bed and breakfast to book outside the Eco barrier.” She smiles at that. I have missed her smile—everything about her.

  “I’m guessing you have some questions for me.” She stares down at her feet.

  “I think I’m all caught up on the multitude of omissions on your part—the deal you struck, the babies and the like,” I state. “But I did find out one new tidbit tonight. That ‘perfect’ guy you met at the Goodington party was Ethan, wasn’t it? And the ‘perfect girl’ he’d told me about was you.”

  “I guess. I’m sorry,” she replies. “I met a handsome, charming stranger at the party. I didn’t act on my feelings because I was tied to Tristan, and then Ethan disappeared. I figured him for dead. The more I remembered him, the more perfect he became. That doesn’t mean he is perfect. That bubble burst long ago.”

  “Do you love him?” I ask.

  “I love you—if I even believe in the institution of love anymore.” She looks up into my eyes. “That said, I know that being in love doesn’t automatically lead to a lifetime of happiness.” Everything that has happened has broken her, or she just doesn’t want to admit to her feelings for Ethan.

  “Trust me. Love exists. I love you. Ethan says he loves you.” She bites her lip at the mention of Ethan and starts to sway side to side a bit. “And I think you love him.”

  “Perhaps, but it’s not relevant. Is it? Tonight, the Ten will determine which one of you I Cleave and when and how I live my life,” she says. “They don’t care who I’d rather be with.”

  “You agreed to that.” I regret the words as they leave my mouth. She did it to save me.

  “Yes. And I’d do it again under the same circumstances.” She has a dead serious expression on her face.

  “Well, screw the deal. If they Exile me, come with me. We can make our own future.” She pauses and sinks her head.

  “You know that won’t be an option, Blake. As much as I’d love to run away from everything and be with you, I can’t leave the people I care about, knowing they won’t be safe.”

  “Even if that means we can’t be together?” I bite down hard on my lip.

  “Even so,” she responds. “But you can choose to stay, and then there’s always a chance.” She runs the back of her hand down my cheek which sends shivers of desire down my spine.

  “You want me to stay here and watch while you Cleave Ethan?”

  “You don’t know that’s what is going to happen.”

  “Perhaps that’s what you want anyway,” I mumble. “You can have pretty little babies together who can grow up to be the ‘future of Thera’ and who can continue the SCI’s grip on the Second Chancers.”

  “Stop it.” She fumes. “I had a choice and chose to protect the people I care about. You have a choice. The Ten will have their choice. I don’t know if all those things will match or not, but I do know that I’m not giving up on anything, so neither should you. Come here.”

  She drags me to the corner of the room behind the treadmill—perhaps the only spot in the room shielded from view through the mirror—and she straddles my lap, facing me. To my surprise, she removes her shirt to reveal her shimmery party tube top. The last girl that revealed herself to me in party attire was Bailey, and I remember where that led. I still feel a little guilty that I never told Kira what happened.

  At first I think that Kira’s attempting, yet again, to get me to Cleave her. That is not the case. In fact, despite her position atop me, she’s being a little robotic. She’d never go back on her deal and risk my life. And we both know they won’t let us stay “hidden” for long. She points to her stomach where she has drawn an elaborate diagram and instructions in what appears to be…makeup? The picture looks like a bicycle wheel, but when I see what she has written, I understand the message she’s trying to communicate. Ms. Kira Donovan has discovered the SCI’s Achilles heel. When the SCI banned paper and pencils, they forgot that other methods could be used to communicate if necessary.

  “Commit it to memory,” she whispers as she pretends to nibble on my ear. I gladly oblige, my mind whirring with the implications of what she discovered.

  A couple minutes later, the door opens, and the security guard informs us we’re out of time. She slips back on her shirt and gives me a chaste kiss goodbye.

  “I do love you, Blake. I know it’s not enough, but don’t ever forget that.” A tear escapes one of her eyes and runs down her cheek.

  I try to stave off my tears until she leaves because I fear the security guard is right. The Ten will make sure that our time is up—permanently.

  When a security guard comes to fetch me at 0200 h
ours and leads me on a convoluted route to a massive field of solar panels, I’m positive I have a date with a firing squad. At least, I’ll be dying with Kira’s taste on my lips. Instead of finding men with guns, however, I’m surprised to be greeted by my mother and Ted Rosenberg.

  “Walk with me,” my mother requests. Ted leaves with the security guard, and my mother and I stroll through the solar panels. “We’ve come to a decision about you, Blake.”

  “Firing squad? Hanging?”

  She chuckles. “No. Actually, we’re giving you a choice.”

  “I can’t wait to hear this,” I mumble.

  “You can choose to stay in Garden City and assist me in my work at Headquarters…assuming you agree to pledge strict obedience to all the Theran Canon. Or, if you feel you can’t put aside your feelings for the Theran government and abide by the Canon, you can choose to leave Garden City…self-exile, if you will, and the Ten will agree to not pursue you and to let you live in peace.” She stops to study my reaction.

  I’m floored. Seriously? In return for my pledge of loyalty, she is offering me a job at the SCI? As her “assistant”? I have trouble believing the Ten will trust me to leave without staging another rebellion. Or, what if I leave Thera and out the SCI on Earth? I’m not buying it.

  “What is the catch? And what about Kira? Who does she Cleave?” I ask.

  “The catch of you staying is that there are still many on the Council and Ten who feel you are guilty of treason and who may not be your biggest fans here. Your life could be at risk,” she says. “The catch of you leaving is that those same people will be constantly leery of what you may do in the future. And could construe any actions you might take…as an act of war against us. You’d have to be very careful to live out your life without any thought of us.”

  I pause to take it in. What would life be like working with Vienna? Would I be making her coffee? Taking dictation? Having Mommy and Son Sunnight brunch together? I shudder at the thought. Being at the Ten’s beck and call doesn’t exactly sound like a picnic. Would there be benefits? A passkey to the city models, perhaps? Free rein throughout Headquarters? The possibilities are there. But, would the Ten trust me enough to give me any leeway and not shadow me all night, every night? I have to weigh the potential pros with the most certain cons—and the personal assistant option against life in Exile with Doc Daryn and the Survivalists—what a choice.

  “And Kira?” I ask.

  “If you decide to stay, the Ten will decide between you and Ethan by dawn,” she explains. Her expression is blank. Does that mean she has made up her mind? Will the negative sentiments about me put me out of the running, or will Ethan’s faulty DNA kill his chances? They do seem to be all about DNA here, the SCI being busy building a master race of Original-blooded Daynighters, many of whom will be my children.

  “Who would you vote for…for her Cleaving?” I want to see if I can get a reaction one way or the other. Her expression doesn’t change.

  “You are both equally qualified. You both love her. I’m torn, as any mother would be, between two sons. With Ethan, her long-term future would be with him on Earth. With you, she’d stay on Thera and raise my grandchildren here. I haven’t decided either way.”

  “What do you mean with Ethan she’d be on Earth?” I ask.

  “Ethan’s attending law school, and his path is to follow in my brother’s footsteps in the government there. Naturally, his Cleave would be at his side.” Yet another thing Kira didn’t mention. That means, if I stay there’s a good chance I have to see Kira Cleave Ethan. Then, I’d get to watch as they both leave to live happily ever after on Earth while I’m stuck with my mom and her minions. To me, that sounds worse than living off bugs in Exile. Sheer hell. What if I’m wrong, though, and I do have a chance with Kira? Can she be the one for me forever? Unbidden, I feel Bailey’s ice-cold blue eyes glare at me in my subconscious, reminding me that I already failed once.

  We’ve gone in a giant circle, and I can see Ted and the security guard up ahead. As we approach them, I ask, “Why’s Ted Rosenberg here?”

  “Because Ted Rosenberg is a true traitor to Thera. He played both sides, trying to set himself up with the eventual victor. He’s the one who should have a date with the firing squad,” she says, loud enough for him to hear.

  Apparently, Ted’s not ready to say goodbye. He makes a run for it, darting between two solar panels. I can hear his hefty breathing as he hikes his heart rate beyond acceptable levels. The security guard dashes after him.

  Vienna chuckles at Ted’s flight. “Isn’t Ted a little touchy tonight. I wasn’t serious about the firing squad. He’s headed for Exile.”

  “That should go well.” I smirk. “I’m sure he’s far more hated there than here. I’ll go help round him up.” I head down a parallel row to try to corner him from the opposite side. I’m sure I can run double his speed without even trying.

  I keep light on my feet and listen for his shuffle. He appears to be zigzagging between panels in an effort to hit the outer edge where he’d hope to disappear into the canyon. I make some calculated turns to reach the edge before he does and then slow my pace, so I can determine exactly which row to intercept him. His shuffles have slowed. If he’s smart, he has stopped to gauge where the guard and I are. Perhaps, he’ll even climb up into one of the panels to wait us out. There must be ten thousand or more of them in this field, so it’d take forever to check them all without bringing in every troop in the city.

  I slowly crouch down and look through the rows for his feet, betting he’s not so smart after all. I’m right. I see him ten feet in, five rows up, trying to blend into the base of a panel. He’s probably just catching his breath before making a run for the canyon. Kira would get a kick out of watching Mr. Potatohead try to escape. I can understand why he’d try, but the odds are not with him. Of course, Ted Rosenberg’s as arrogant as they come, so he has likely convinced himself it is possible.

  In less than twenty-seconds, I’m in the row next to him. I slowly and weightlessly inch to the panel in front of him.

  “Give it up, Ted,” I advise. I hear the click of the guard’s gun, indicating the guard has him covered on the other side. Rolling towards Ted, I clip his feet and send him barreling backwards.

  Between belabored breaths, Ted says, “Vienna’s lying. I never betrayed the SCI. It was your father and the Exilers I deceived. That was my job. Brad Darcton assigned it to me.” As Ted nervously twitches, I see his chin fat jiggle. I remember how Kira used to joke about doing liposuction on Spud’s fat chin, and I wish I was back with her and not here.

  “You should be ashamed of yourself on all accounts. I hope you had a good meal tonight, Ted. How do you feel about slop?” He’s up on his knees now and begging the security guard. He still thinks he’s going to be executed. The SCI, however, will be kinder than my father would have been—my father would have put the bullet through his brain. Ted lured my father and the Militants into the city knowing they’d be ambushed, knowing they couldn’t win.

  “Please, please, please spare my life. I’ll tell you everything I know about the Exilers. Everything you need to take them out.” He whimpers and sweat pours from his face. “I’ll do anything you need. Anything.”

  Vienna walks up behind him with a second security guard and says, “Shut up, Ted. I said that you should face a firing squad, not that you were going to.” Ted sucks in a chest full of air and then bows down at her feet. She steps back. “Instead, I have a bright orange jumpsuit and nightpack with a night’s worth of food. Nathaniel’s going to take you outside the city. Good luck, Ted. I hope the Exilers are as forgiving for your trespasses as we’ve been.” I watch as Nathaniel, the security guard, cuffs, and blindfolds him. Ted screams as he’s dragged off. Before they get to the edge of the canyon, Nathaniel tires of the wailing and uses a piece of duct tape to quiet Ted for the rest of their journey.

  Ted probably does deserve Exile. He flagrantly broke dozens of Canon rules with his attempt a
t being the double-agent. My problem is that there’s no due process to the SCI’s law. Ted had no trial, no jury of his peers, and no due process. As crappy as the American government can be, democracy still has merit. The SCI assumes that the few know better than the masses. They test their methods on unknowing and unsuspecting Second Chancers. As with any dictatorship, they need to be stopped. I just have to figure out the best way to make that happen with the information Kira gave me.

  My mother approaches me. “I need your decision, Blake.” I know what I need to do, but it’s still hard to do it. As it is any time you have to pick in a lose-lose scenario. As much as my choice sucks, the alternative’s unbearable.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Ethan

  “You never had a heart defect.” Dr. Christo has never been one to mince words, but he has never managed to utter a doozy like this one. He’s dressed head to toe in such a dazzling white that it blinds me. I struggle to suck life-giving air into my lungs.

  “That’s impossible,” I finally manage to say.

  “Thera is at a critical juncture. The Ten and Council have been decimated, leaving the most extreme in place. It’s time you know the truth.”

  “And you’re telling me the truth is that I had a dozen surgeries for a non-existent heart condition?” I ask incredulously.

  “It was necessary to make it appear that you both had a defect and needed constant medical care—for your protection. And to give me complete, unquestioned access to you.”

  “You’re the one who had me locked up for ten years?” I accuse.

  He begins to pace back and forth in my living room. Like, Jax, he too has the capability of blocking surveillance, so our conversation is secure.

  “The Grand Council and the Ten had lost focus. They were perverting the purposes of the grand design behind Thera and the Second Chancers. I had to take action. At the time, I ran the Assisted Pregnancy lab. Your mother and father had ‘won’ the lottery and were due. I used your mother’s egg, but…fertilized the egg with…I’m your biological father, Ethan. You have both ARB and pure Dark DNT in you. But your parents couldn’t know. And the ARB and DNT don’t always co-exist well, so I needed to treat you. Hybrids are…rare and exceptional. You have…undeveloped talents.”