by S. J. West
“She won’t do anything to me,” Margaret said defiantly. “She can’t cross the barrier.”
My father let out a harsh, pitying laugh. “There is no barrier you fool.”
Everyone went silent.
“Yes, there is,” Margaret said. “I see it every night.”
“What you see is an illusion.”
“Jon …don’t …” the President started to walk closer to us but was stopped by Margaret’s men.
“Explain,” Margaret said to my father.
“The barrier was never sustainable. It took too much energy to charge a field that long and wide. Why do you think we were trading with the Queen? We were buying time to figure out a way to bring the radiation field back up. Lucena could have come through at any time, but she made a bargain with us instead. As long as we rounded up the people she needed on this side of the barrier and brought them to her, we could continue living peacefully down below. The people we traded would have ended up in her hands one way or another.”
Margaret lowered her pistol, but her men kept theirs trained on us.
“You’re lying,” she said.
“What do I have to gain by lying to you?”
“Put your guns down,” Margaret said to her men.
Her gaze was caught by the shattered laptop still on the ground at my father’s feet.
“Did you use that thing to communicate with her?”
“Yes. She would contact me when she needed a new shipment.”
“What will happen if she tries to contact you and she can’t reach you?”
“She’ll send her people through the barrier to find out what’s wrong. The only place we will be safe is the secondary facility.”
“Why will we be safe there?”
“There’s an identical laptop there. If we can get to it before she tries to contact me again, then we don’t have anything to worry about.”
“But she’ll expect you to still trade with her?”
“Yes,” my father said, looking up at Margaret. “Can you live with that?”
Margaret let out a deep sigh. The weight of so many lives was now on her shoulders too. She looked around at her people, half starved, standing around in threadbare clothes. I knew what it took to live out here and knew that more than anything they just wanted a warm, safe place to lay their heads. They needed to feel safe, even if it was just temporary.
“All right,” Margaret said, her voice sounding defeated. “We better get going before she figures out what’s happened.”
Margaret held her hand down to my father to help him to his feet, but I knew the gesture meant more than just helping somebody up. It meant she had made her peace with her decision and couldn’t hold a grudge against us anymore. She was just as guilty as the rest of us now.
CHAPTER SEVEN
My family was allowed to stay together in our original transport. I guess I didn’t realize it until then, but I did consider my friends to be my family. They were the people I was closest to, and I knew they would have my back in any situation. The surprising part was that even Ian made the cut. He couldn’t change the fact he was a Harvester, but he had proven himself to be more human than machine when he helped Jace and me find a way to escape Alliance.
Margaret and three of her men rode with us to the second Southern Kingdom, making the interior of the transporter a bit cramped. No one talked. Zoe held onto one of my hands while we rode in the strained silence, strangely finding strength in a person who felt anything but. Ash sat on the other side of me. He kept his eyes on the armed men sitting opposite us like he was waiting for one of them to do something stupid.
I started to feel a bit silly just sitting there staring at the men. If we were going to have any hope of merging the survivors of the first Southern Kingdom with the outsiders, we would have to find some common ground with one another. Otherwise, we would remain hostile toward each other and never have any hope of building a working community.
I stretched out my hand to the man sitting in the middle of the other two.
“Hi, my name is Skye.”
The man was in his late twenties, old enough to remember the war but not too old to be set in his ways. He had curly brown hair and light gray eyes in a round face. Small brown freckles dappled his pale skin.
From the way he looked at my outstretched hand, I wasn’t sure if he was going to shake it or shoot it off. Finally, his hand slid into mine as he gave it a firm shake.
“Collin,” he said. “This here is Jack and Flash.”
The two men sitting on either side of him gave a small nod as their names were called.
Jack was in his forties with gray speckled black hair. When he smiled, you could tell a few of his teeth were rotted. Flash was about my age with red hair and an easy grin. He winked at me when he caught me looking at him. It wasn’t a flirtatious wink, just one of greeting.
“So,” Collin said, “you really the Queen’s daughter?”
“Biological daughter. She wasn’t my mother.”
Collin’s eyebrows furrowed. “What’s the difference?”
I explained the difference.
“Wow, that’s kinda messed up,” Flash said afterwards. “So, she’s your mom and your aunt at the same time.”
“Sounds a bit inbred, doesn’t it?”
Collin shrugged. “What do you expect from a woman like her? She’s a nut and a half.”
“So, what are your stories? Did any of your families survive the war?”
“We’re our own family,” Jack answered. “Collin and Flash are like brothers to me.”
I squeezed Zoe’s hand and looked over at her. She smiled at me because we understood how the men across from us felt.
“My family is sitting in this transporter,” I said, looking at all my friends. No one seemed surprised by my statement except for Ian. His expression was guarded, giving him a withdrawn look, instantly separating himself from those he thought I considered part of my family.
“Even you Ian,” I said to him, causing his eyes to narrow on me like he wasn’t sure he believed me.
Ian finally gave me one of his lopsided grins and shook his head. “Only you would include the black sheep of the group.”
I shrugged. “Every family needs one.”
The men across from me looked puzzled but didn’t comment. I didn’t give them a chance to anyway. All I needed was for them to find out Ian was a Harvester. Who knew how they would react?
It took us almost the whole day to get to the second Southern Kingdom. My father said we were traveling south of our original location, which made me realize I was being taken that much farther away from Jace.
No matter how hard I tried to block him out, Jace always found a way to the surface of my thoughts. If I could only know for sure he was still alive, I might be able to gain some sort of comfort. Since it was obvious now my father had a way to communicate with Lucena, I decided to ask him if he thought Lucena would allow me to speak with Jace. The emptiness I felt without him near, completing the circle of people I considered family, left a gaping hole in my heart.
But every time I thought about Jace, I also had to wonder why he had asked me not to leave the Southern Kingdom once I reached it. Why had he been so adamant about it when he knew Lucena would blackmail him into staying in the Eastern Kingdom, causing us to be separated? What terrible thing had he seen take place in my future that would make him willingly push away someone he said he loved?
The stupid girly part of me began to doubt he truly loved me like he said. You don’t give up the person you love so easily. But then the logical part of my brain reasoned he did what he had to do to get me and everyone else to the Southern Kingdom safely. He sacrificed himself for me, which made me feel guilty about doubting his love. Basically, I was trapped in an endless circle of guilt and doubt.
“So, the two of you boyfriend and girlfriend?”
Collin’s question brought me back to the present situation.
“Who?”
I asked.
“You and him,” Collin said, nodding to Ash at my side.
An awkward silence ensued. I had no idea what to say for a space of ten seconds. I could feel Ash’s eyes on me, waiting for my answer just as much as Collin was. I answered the only way I knew how.
“Why do you ask?”
Collin shrugged. “Most of the girls in our group are hooked up with someone. I just wanted to know if you were free.”
“Yeah,” Ash said, putting a possessive hand on my thigh. “She’s taken.”
I looked down at Ash’s hand wondering why it felt so odd for him to touch me that way. Then I looked up at his face and saw him staring at Collin like he was challenging the other man to call him a liar. When I looked over at Collin, he didn’t look convinced about Ash’s claim of possession over me.
“Well, if you ever change your mind, Skye, I won’t be too far away.” Collin winked.
Ash was about to get up to do who knows what to Collin, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.
“He’s just teasing, Ash.”
But my words didn’t seem to deflate my best friend’s anger.
“You,” Ash said, pointing a finger at Collin, “stay away from her.”
Collin laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back in his seat. “And if I don’t?”
The conversation was taking a bad turn. The whole point of my starting an oral exchange with the outsiders was to make friends with them, not cause more problems.
“If you don’t leave her alone, dude, you’ll have to deal with me too,” Kale said.
“And me,” Kirk proclaimed.
“And you don’t even want to know what I’ll do to you.” Ian leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs, staring straight at Collin. If looks could actually kill, Ian would be a master assassin.
“Hey, hey.” Flash lifted his hands in surrender. “No need to start a ruckus. It’s just been a long time since we were around such pretty girls. And like Collin said, most of the girls in our group are spoken for.” Flash turned his attention to Zoe. “How about you? You hooked up with anybody?”
Zoe’s eyes widened. “I … I don’t have a boyfriend if that’s what you’re asking.”
Flash cleared his throat. “Think I could take you out sometime then? You know if you’re not busy or anything.”
Zoe looked over at me like she wanted me to tell her what to do.
“It’s your decision, Zoe,” I told her.
Zoe looked back at Flash and rewarded him with a shy smile. “I guess that would be ok.”
Flash smiled back. “Cool.”
The men of our group didn’t seem to like the idea of Zoe having anything to do with an outsider from the expressions on their faces, but they didn’t say anything.
“All right, children,” Doc Riley called from the front of the transporter. “We seem to be here. The President’s transporter has stopped.”
When we stepped out of our vehicle, a mountain with three carved figures loomed before us. The three men were on horseback and dressed in old uniforms like soldiers from the War Between the States. I couldn’t remember their names but knew where we were because I had seen the carving in a travel magazine once.
“Stone Mountain, Georgia,” I said aloud.
“Yeah,” Ash agreed. “I remember you showing me the picture of the mountain.”
It took a while for everyone to get out of their transporters. There were close to a hundred transporters in all. Nearly a thousand people crowded around the base of the mountain, waiting to see what would happen next. Word quickly spread through the crowd that the President wanted to personally escort the outsiders into the second Southern Kingdom first. I could only assume it was a political move designed to smooth over any ruffled feathers. I hoped the President succeeded in bringing peace through diplomacy, because I had failed miserably in my small attempt.
“See you inside,” Flash said to Zoe, giving her a quick smile.
Zoe nodded and smiled back.
“Zoe and Flash sitting in a tree, K-I S-S-I-N-G,” Kale said in a singsong voice.
He was quickly rewarded with a slap on the back of the head from Teegan.
“Hey, I was just picking …” Kale defended, rubbing his head.
Teegan pointed a finger at him and wagged it.
“Yeah, yeah, I get the message loud and clear,” Kale said.
“You’re such a juvenile.” Kirk rolled his eyes at Kale.
Kale shrugged. “I know. Can’t help it. It’s just who I am, man. Love me or leave me.”
Teegan wrapped an arm around one of Kale’s. She had obviously made her choice.
Being near the front of the crowd, we were able to watch as the President walked to a point at the base of the mountain and placed his hand flat against it. When he pulled his hand away, a small square-lighted touchpad appeared in the stone. The President quickly entered a code. The sound of grinding stone filled the air as a large portion of the rock next to the touchpad was pulled inward and slid to the right. The entrance seemed to be a little bit bigger than the size of one of the transporters. From somewhere in the depths of the mountain, a light shined brightly, beckoning the newcomers to enter. Once all of the outsiders were inside, those of us at the front of the awaiting crowd began to move forward, intent on following them in.
“Wait!” my father called out. Everyone stopped and looked to him.
Gunshots from within the mountain were heard but soon cut off by the closing of the large rock wall door. Panic quickly spread through those of us left behind.
“Did they kill the President?” someone yelled.
“Are they just going to leave us out here?” someone else cried.
My father just stood staring at the spot on the mountain where the entrance had been.
“Dad, what’s going on?” I asked, pulling on the sleeve of his coat to regain his attention.
He looked down at me. Tears welled in his eyes as he shook his head. “I’m so sorry, Skye. I wish I could protect you from the bad things of this world, but I can’t. I’ve tried, but I can’t.”
“What are you talking about? What’s happening?”
“Their fates were sealed when they took us hostage,” my father continued, his eyes becoming vacant. “There wasn’t any other way.”
“Dad, what are you talking about? What’s happening?”
My father turned to the crowd. The look on his face was completely void of emotion, like he was hiding behind a mask of indifference.
“Everyone, please get back into your transporters. As soon as the President returns, we will be heading to the secondary facility.”
People began to yell at my father, asking him where we were and what was happening inside the mountain.
“Jon,” Doc Riley said, “I thought this was the secondary habitation module. If it’s not, what is it?”
The crowd went silent awaiting my father’s answer.
“It’s a Harvester installation.”
It was like my father had set a bomb off in the middle of the crowd. People ran for their transporters not needing to know more. But I needed an explanation. I needed him to face me and tell me the truth.
“Was this your plan all along?” I asked my father. “Is that what the council was arguing about: whether or not to bring the outsiders here?”
When my father looked at me, I didn’t know who he was. His face was a soulless mask.
“We have to do what’s best for everyone,” he answered, like he was reciting a piece of preplanned propaganda.
“But you didn’t,” I countered. “You handed the outsiders over without even giving them a chance to fight for their lives. You led them to slaughter like they were a bunch of cattle. What’s wrong with you?” I knew I was shouting but couldn’t help it.
“How do you know they wouldn’t have killed us all once we took them to the second Southern Kingdom?” my father asked. “It was either trust them or get rid of them. After what they di
d to the original site, the council decided they couldn’t be trusted. There wasn’t any other choice to be made, Skye.”
“So, you would rather trust a bunch of Harvesters than other human beings? Is that what it’s come down to? We trust the machines more than we do living, breathing humans? People who just wanted a chance to live a better life? What the hell happened to you, Dad? I don’t even know who you are anymore. And I’m not sure I want to.”
My words broke through my father’s manufactured composure. I saw the hurt enter his eyes and twist his face in anguish.
“Skye, you don’t understand …” He reached a hand out to me, but I pulled away and turned to walk back to our transporter.
No explanation could make me understand the man he had become.
My friends joined me in the transporter. None of them tried to console me or pretend they understood what I was feeling. I sat staring at the seats Collin, Flash, and Jack had occupied only minutes before. I was sure if I touched their seats, they would still be warm. For some reason, I felt guilty over their fates, even though I had nothing to do with the decision to bring them to the Harvesters. But I was part of the reason they had been traded to the real-life monsters of our world.
I wondered if Margaret regretted her moment of inhumanity when she agreed to go along with the terms of Lucena’s truce. Now she was the one being traded for others’ safety. Perhaps it was just a perversion of fate. Now she found herself in a Harvester breeding camp. My mother always said what you give to the world is what you receive back. I guess she was right.
I’m not sure how much time passed as we waited for the caravan of transporters to start their procession to the second Southern Kingdom. It was probably close to an hour. I had pretty much zoned out by then, becoming lost in my own little world, remembering happier times with my family, trying to recapture the father I once knew, unable to reconcile my memories with the father I had now.
My father’s angry voice could be heard outside the transporter just before the door was pulled off its hinges, causing us all to jump in our seats. Only one thing could display such an incredible act of strength: a Harvester.
