The Amplified
by Lauren M. Flauding
© 2016 by Lauren M. Flauding
Blurtery Publishing
All characters and events in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 1
My brother would make fun of me.
I picture his playful yet condescending expression and manage a smile despite my labored breathing. I run in time to the music coming from my ancient device, pushed along by the rhythm that is so seldom found in our current songs. I try to decide which offense he would attack first.
"Mari, why do you use that relic to listen to music? The Adhesives are so much easier and you don't have to carry anything..."
True, the Adhesives are easier. One small patch placed on my temple allows me to listen to an hour of music or watch a movie without the hindrance of wires, attachments, or receivers. But I don't care much for the Adhesives. Once, my friend Alia made me adhere some awful movie about cat-people in love, and I couldn't make it stop. I just had to let it play through my auditory and optical systems until it ended and the patch dissolved into my skin. I much prefer seeing movies on our old holograph machine.
I pass the school, noting with some satisfaction that I'm just now starting to feel the burn in my legs. Some of the students are having their outside hour. Even from far away I can tell that it's the older ones, probably 11 or 12-year-olds, lounging on the play equipment and chatting with each other. Younger students would be running around, playing games, and generally expending the energy not yet stifled by years of absorbing information.
I run a little faster to get the school out of my view. I'm glad that I finished all my curriculum last year, trading in the endless barrage of images, educational films and holographic lectures from the Governor for a few months of labor before going away for training. A lot of 15-year-olds complain about the labor. The tasks in the factories and on the farms are a lot more physically demanding than the lethargy of school, but I welcome the change. Plus, it's nice spending time with my mother when we harvest.
I've left the paved streets of our compound, and now my feet thump on the welcome expanse of soft dirt. I take in the landscape, so dry and vast, stretching out for miles with the occasional jagged hill jutting out defiantly to break up the flatness. I suppose it's a good reminder that even though we're all trying to be the same, there are still some of us that stick out. Sometimes it really is incredible to think that we've managed to survive in this environment for so long; a feat that likely would not have been possible without the Amplifiers.
I try to hold my breath as I run through a cloud of dust, but some particles find their way into my nose and I choke anyway. I dig into the pocket of my shorts to find my Hydration capsule and swallow it between coughing fits. Immediately the dryness in my throat subsides and I feel the simulated liquid spreading throughout my body. I'm glad, I need the energy I lost from hacking the dirt out of my lungs.
Peering ahead, I see the culprit of the dust cloud; that huge, stupid, Mall-cruiser. I never take it to the city if I can help it. I guess the arenas, capsule bars and sleeping pods would seem like an attractive way to travel for some people, but to me it just seems dull; lumbering along at a snail's pace, watching everyone try to entertain themselves. It's for people who like to waste time. And I rarely have time to waste.
I'm running parallel to the Mall-cruiser in no time, and I hear some children shouting insults out the open windows.
"Where are you running to, chicken legs?"
"Hope you're racing off to find a shower, you dirty clam !"
I put on my most menacing face and sprint right up to the windows. The children scream and cower beneath the glass, their insolence now completely extinguished in their fear. I beat on the panes a few times for good measure, and hear some strangled yelps as I pull away. I would laugh if it didn't throw off my breathing pattern, so instead I settle for a feeling of smug satisfaction.
I can just see the outline of the city, the towering center of what some call our spider Community. From the air barges, you would be able to see the Mall-cruiser tracks stretching out like skinny legs from the metropolis to the surrounding eight compounds, all labeled by one letter of the word "equality." I remember seeing all the images of the compounds in school. They all looked pretty much the same, but when the image of our compound, Compound Q, would come up, somehow we recognized it, and we would all cheer. It seems an odd thing to have done, especially now that I'm feeling less and less attached to my compound.
Reaching the city limits, I glance up at the massive clock looming over the old hospital. 11:37. Right on time. The soldiers should be arriving in a few minutes. I run past the control tower and blow a kiss to the guards stationed there. They don't react, as always. Stoic expressions and rigid posture are characteristic of this post. Once, when we were younger, my brother and I put hats and sunglasses on the tower guards. They didn't move. But it was a particularly hot day so I think they might have been grateful. Luckily, nobody has to stay in that position for too long at a time. The motionless guards there today might be foremen at the factories or entertainers at the clubs next week, depending or their work rotation. Everyone alternates their labor positions. Except the Restrainers, of course.
With the landing park in sight, I sprint the last hundred yards or so and collapse on a bench near the waiting zone. I breathe heavily and people stare at me, but I'm used to it. I already stand out among the workers in my T-shirt and shorts, but it's also unusual to see anyone in the city exert themselves. Or sweat. I stretch out my legs and slump back on the bench, closing my eyes and turning my face to the sun. It's a beautiful day, my brother is returning from Service, and in a couple weeks I'll be Amplified.
Life is good.
Chapter 2
I'm alarmed by the sudden darkness until I open my eyes and realize the air barge is flying overhead. The barge is about as big as the city and completely shuts out the sun. It takes a while for my eyes to adjust, but soon I can see them. Soldiers jump off the edge of the barge and plummet toward the ground. The sirens come on to clear the landing park, but there's really no need. Anytime an air barge flies over, the slick, grated floor of the park is immediately vacated.
I crane my neck and watch in awe as the soldiers fall, some performing intricate acrobatics as they fly through the air. As they near the landing park, the turbines start to whir, forcing massive gusts of air through the grates and sending errant pieces of trash left in the park shooting into the sky. If I watch closely, I can see the point where the turbines take effect. There's a slight jerk as the soldiers hit the turbine's threshold, which begins the slowing of their descent.
I've watched people land in the park dozens
of times, but it still fascinates me. The smallest movement of a hand or a foot sends them sailing or spiraling in a different direction. Soon, they're all hovering about 40 yards up in the air where the force of the turbines hold them safely. Finally, the great machines power down and the soldiers, almost in unison, float toward the ground.
The siren ceases and all of us in the waiting zone quickly step forward into the park. There aren't many people greeting the returned soldiers. I suspect most of their family and friends are still traveling here on the Mall-cruiser. I search for my brother among all the unfamiliar faces. Somehow, all the soldiers look the same; immaculately fit young women and men, dressed in the same gray uniforms, carrying themselves with the confidence characteristic of the Amplified. It's hard to believe they're all only nineteen years old.
How am I going to recognize him? I think. It's been almost four years. The last time I saw my brother was in the week-long break between his Training and the beginning of his Service. He spent almost the entire time running up the walls, jumping off the roof, and generally scaring my poor mother to death. It was incredible. From that time on, I became obsessed with Amplification.
I turn around and accidentally run into a tall female soldier.
"Watch where you're going, little girl!" She yells condescendingly. I feel my cheeks get hot, but I manage to mumble an apology before turning away. Little girl? I'm fifteen years old! But as I look at the hundreds of impressive soldiers around me, I realize how small I feel.
I'm starting to get frustrated, wondering now if I should have just stayed at home and waited for my brother to get there. At this point, he may have already started heading out of the city. I catch a glimpse of a face that could belong to my brother. I start heading in that direction when I hear someone behind me.
"Mari?"
"Adrian! Wait... Adrian?"
I turn and see the biggest version of my brother I could have ever imagined. He has my brother's dark hair and mischievous smile, but in the place of his once-lanky physique are bulging muscles. His young, 19-year old face looks out of place above his thick neck. But before I can fully process his transformation, he's enveloped me with his massive arms and pulled me off the ground. I suppose this is what people mean by a "bear hug."
"Hey little sis!" He bellows in my ear, his voice markedly deeper. "You haven't changed a bit!"
"Sure I have! Maybe not as much as you... what did you do, swallow a lion?"
Adrian chuckles as he sets me back down on the ground. He glances down at his body, clearly pleased with himself, but still attempts to be modest.
"Something like that. Just a lot of Protein and compulsory weight training."
I don't know what he means by "Protein," it must have something to do with the different capsules they ingest during Service.
"Well, it's good to see you again ... all of you," I say as I stand back and look at my brother one more time. "Come on, let's get home. Mom and Daniel are so excited that you're back!"
"I'm excited to see them," Adrian admits. We've started walking out of the landing park. "What's Daniel like now? I guess he's grown up a lot, huh?"
"Yeah, he's a fireball. Quite the independent 8-year old," I respond. "Oh, you won't believe this! Last week he took all of the blankets and camped out-"
"When does the next Mall-cruiser get here?" Adrian interrupts.
"Mall-cruiser? I don't know, I thought we'd just run home."
"Run? Are you kidding? How far is that?"
"About twelve miles. It's not a big deal, I ran here."
"Sounds like torture."
"Well, sometimes it is, but then I just feel that much better when I'm done." Adrian gives me an exasperated look, an expression that I remember from countless arguments similar to this one. "Mari, why do you try so hard?"
"Because I'm not content to sit around and do nothing until I get Amplified."
Adrian smiles and shakes his head.
"I guess you really haven't changed much, have you?"
"Guess not."
_________
After a lot of coercion, Adrian finally persuades me to take the Mall-cruiser with him. It's full of returned soldiers and their families, as well as a bunch of loiterers who are probably in the free week of their work rotation. Several girls eye my brother as we pass. I glance at him and see that he's smiling. Maybe this is why he wanted to ride the Mall-cruiser, more opportunities to show off his rippling muscles. Or maybe it's the arenas; the huge, dome-like rooms where the Amplified challenge each other. My brother looks wistfully at the closed doors, but he wouldn't leave me alone. It's not a written rule that only the Amplified are allowed in the arenas, because that would be in violation of the Equality Movement, but everyone knows that's how it is anyway. There are no windows, but from the cheering, thumping, and occasional bloodcurdling scream, I can imagine what's going on in there.
We end up in one of the many capsule bars. This one has some kind of tacky jungle theme. We weave through fake vines and sit down at a small table. A bored-looking waiter dutifully approaches us and holds out his Transcriber. We each place our hands on the screen, and the waiter reads out our information.
"Quillen, Marianna." I flinch at the sound of my full name. "Age 15. Not Amplified. Approved for all non-intoxicating capsules." I bristle even more. I don't need some stupid electronic menu reminding me of my Amplification status. The waiter turns to my brother.
"Quillen, Adrian. Age 19. Amplified. Approved for all capsules."
"Great," Adrian replies. "I'll have a Twisted Shark Bait."
I roll my eyes. Leave it to my brother to order one of the fancy capsules. The waiter eyes me expectantly.
"I'll just have a Hydration."
"Which flavor?"
Which flavor? It really has been a long time since I've been on this stupid cruiser.
"Uh, just regular."
The waiter sighs. Apparently I've just made his job as mundane as possible.
"Please note that these will be taken out of your weekly rations."
The waiter leaves and I turn back to Adrian. I have thousands of questions.
"So tell me about the last 4 years! How was your Service?"
Adrian's eyes light up as he leans forward.
"Oh man, Mari, Amplification really is as amazing as everyone says. I mean, you can do anything! The Service itself was actually pretty lame, mostly guarding the prisons and tagging animals. The only exciting part was when we battled the Dissenters."
Normally, mention of a battle would make me nervous. But I remember the images of the Dissenters from school; dull, idiotic-looking people with missing teeth, brandishing their primitive weapons. The battles are hardly fair, with the Dissenters being so thoroughly outmatched, but they keep persisting. I still wonder why anyone would want to get rid of the Amplifiers. Seems like the best thing in the world to me.
"Last year, there was a group of Dissenters trying to infiltrate the Activation Base," Adrian continues, "and we had them surrounded before they even crossed the perimeter. But then one of them-"
Adrian's story is interrupted by a burst of yelling and a loud cracking sound from across the bar. A large soldier has just thrown an older man, probably about 65 years old, onto a table, splitting it in two. The soldier rushes at the man again, his victim trying to scramble away from the wreckage of the table, but he's too slow. The soldier gives himself an unintelligible command and grabs the older man by the ankles, swinging him around while screaming:
"You wanna bet against Amplification again, old man?"
The soldier finally swings the older man up above his head with astonishing strength, then slams him to the ground. The old man moans as the soldier steps over him and walks out of the bar.
Horrified, I rush over to the man crumpled on the floor. He has a few scrapes, and his leg is curled at an irregular angle.
"Adrian, help him!" I plead.
"Ah, he probably deserved it."
I stare at him in disbelie
f, trying to figure out if he's joking. He stands with his arms folded across his chest, looking unconcerned.
"Adrian!" I hiss, willing my brother to snap out of his indifference.
"Fine," he concedes reluctantly and kneels down beside the man. "Adrian, asses the victim's injuries," he commands himself. I can see my brother's body relax as the Amplifier takes over. He moves his hands expertly over the man's body, pausing at a few areas. Adrian addresses the old man.
"Sir, your hip has been dislocated. Would you like me to fix it?"
"Yes!" The man wheezes pitifully. "Please."
Adrian grimaces and again accesses his Amplifier.
"Adrian, reset the joint."
He slowly pulls the man's knee up and rocks it back and forth, then quickly jerks the entire upper leg away from the floor, causing a satisfying popping sound. The old man exhales, clearly relieved of the worst of his pain. He looks over at Adrian.
"Thank you for helping me, thank you so much." He murmurs over and over. Adrian doesn't respond, doesn't even look at the man. He just stands and walks away.
_________
"What was that all about?" I mutter to Adrian once I catch up with him outside the bar.
"What?" He answers innocently.
"Oh, so I guess I'm supposed to believe you're always a selfish, unwilling jerk?" Adrian's face hardens and he pulls me into the nearest vacant sleeping pod.
"It's just that... the guy wasn't Amplified."
"Neither is mom, are you gonna leave her for dead when someone attacks her too?"
"No! It's different with mom, I just..." He trails off, realizing he has no solid argument. After a long pause he looks up at me, but doesn't meet my eyes. "Four years in the Service will make you think differently about certain people, ok?"
No, I think, It's not ok. I sit down on the small bed and think about the years of taunts and bullying I endured because I was the child of a clam, a stupid nickname for people who aren't Amplified. Those early years of trying to fight off several kids at one time, often kids that were a lot bigger than me. With no adults at the school, it was easy for them to get away with stuff like that. The closest thing to authority were the cameras mounted everywhere, but we didn't know if anyone was watching on the other end, or if they even cared.
The Amplified Page 1
