Edge of Truth (9781310978142)

by Hanova, Natasha

  “Aw, Lil’ Mama, you are in for a treat. They got old-style food here, from way back. Course they have to use substitutes for the more expensive things, like bacon.”

  None of the menu items sounded familiar, but it didn’t stop her mouth from watering. She had enough money to order anything she wanted, and it all sounded good. Nevan’s menu sat closed on the table.

  “You already know what you’re getting?”

  He nodded.

  “You must come here a lot.”

  “Me and my friend used to hang out in here. Before they took him away.”

  Rena set the menu on the table. “What did he do?”

  “Nothing. Wrong place. Wrong time.”

  Now she understood why he had been quick to blame the Synbots for Blaze’s disappearance. Maybe even a little about his motivation to help get her back. She wanted to ask questions, but his thinned lips and the crease between his eyebrows made her change the subject instead.

  “What are you gonna order?” she asked.

  “Toliver Special, no doubt. I remember the last time me and…” His voice cracked and he stopped.

  “It’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it.”

  “I never told anyone what happened. It coulda been me.”

  A waitress started toward the table, but another woman in a flowing black dress stopped the waitress and sent her in the opposite direction. The woman approached their table with a confidence that, in combination of bossing the waitress around, made Rena think she had to be the owner.

  She gave Nevan a smile that was all his. “Hello again, Nevan.”

  “Hello, Ms. Barcelon.” He didn’t use the same low voice he’d used with the bouncer.

  “Chantel. How many times do I have to tell you?” She touched his shoulder. After a slight pause, she continued. “Been a while since I seen you in here. Where’s Cyrus?”

  “Couldn’t make it.” Nevan looked up at the woman. The smile on his face didn’t reach his eyes or show his dimple, but Chantel didn’t appear to be able to tell the difference.

  “And where have you been?”

  “Staying out of trouble,” he said as he pushed away the menus.

  Chantel studied Rena. “Not for long if you’re here with a pretty girl like her.”

  She wasn’t flattered by the fake compliment.

  “Ain’t that the truth.” He sat forward, locking eyes with Rena as he stretched his hands across the table to hold hers.

  Warmth ignited in Rena’s stomach.

  “Having the usual?” Chantel asked.

  “Make it two.” He answered without looking away from Rena. Something about his eyes brought a soft heat to her cheeks, but not enough for a true blush.

  As soon as Chantel left, Rena sat back, gently pulling her hands out from under his.

  “What did you mean by ‘ain’t that the truth’?”

  He stared down at his empty hands for a few seconds before answering. “Keeping up appearances. There are few reasons kids our age sneak in here, and none of them involve staying out of trouble.”

  “And what reasons are those?”

  He chuckled. “You don’t get out much, do you?”

  “I get out enough. Just never to this side of the cavern.”

  “I know how things work on this side.” He tapped the table with his index finger to emphasize each point he made. “I know what makes people stick out and get turned in. If they think we have money and we’re up to no good, they’ll turn their heads and open their hands for payment.”

  Rena pressed her lips together. If anyone had experience breaking laws, it was her. One look at the debt on her future wages proved that. But overall, she considered herself a good citizen. She usually reported to work on time and made an effort to remember most of the laws. She had better things to do with her time than sneak into the Underground. Like trying to avoid fines so she could save for Eden. Once she got in there, she wouldn’t have to worry about her hair smelling like exhaust or losing a limb in a factory accident.

  Rena hugged herself as she looked across the eatery. A couple sat in a booth against the wall. The girl wore a constant blush. The guy looked nervous. Their hands were entwined under the table, which had more food on it than they could possibly eat. A few of the booths had gray-haired people dining alone. At tables spaced randomly throughout the room, groups of people laughed and talked as they ate.

  Chantel showed up with the food after a few minutes. When she set the plates on the table, her gaze lingered on Nevan a little too long. Rena knew she had no claim on him, but seeing this woman flirt with him riled her. She drew a deep breath, held it, and imagined her muscles relaxing as she quietly exhaled.

  Either Nevan didn’t notice Chantel’s extra attention or he didn’t care. He gave her a dismissive thanks then grabbed a couple of biscuits. As the woman stalked away, he offered one to Rena before chomping down on the other. They chewed in silence.

  “Is it that bad?” Nevan asked.

  “What? The biscuit?” She broke off a piece and nibbled on it. “No, it’s really good.”

  “I’m not talking about the biscuit.” He shook his head. “You’re embarrassed that she thinks you’ve been with me?”

  “I’ve been hanging out with you all day.” She took another bite.

  “Nah, I mean with me.”

  Rena’s eyes grew big as heat flared on her cheeks. Her voice came out louder than she intended. “I’m only sixteen. My dad would kill me. And you.”

  He leaned forward, speaking in a whisper. “Keep your voice down. I know exactly how old you are. Believe me, you’re not like most girls your age.”

  “What about you? Are you like other boys your age?”

  His jaw clenched and released. She refused to break eye contact until he answered, even if part of her didn’t really want to know the truth.

  “Most guys I went to school with are…well, let’s just say I don’t agree with how they act. My father taught me better than that. I’m my own man.” He thumped his hand against his chest. It sounded solid, firm.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. You’re so…” Rena smoothed her hand across her lap. “I assumed.”

  What could she possibly say to make this better? She didn’t want this kind of tension between them. Especially when they needed to conserve energy for the journey ahead, when they faced an impossible task.

  “You shouldn’t assume things.” He straightened his back and lifted his chin. “Just ‘cause a brother is fine don’t mean he’s a ho.”

  Rena covered her laugh. Like that, the tension evaporated.

  “Aw’right then. Now, let’s eat this food ‘fore it gets cold. Then, we need to figure out someplace else to go.”

  “Can’t we stay here?”

  Chantel walked by again, slow, suggestive. Not close enough to speak in private, but close enough to establish eye contact with Nevan. He pulled out a wad of cash and dropped it on the table. Anger flashed across the woman’s face. She started to say something then stopped. She gave Nevan a look Rena didn’t understand then stormed to the kitchen.

  “What was that?” Rena asked.

  “My friend enjoyed bartering for dinner.”

  Rena’s hand froze midway to her mouth. She quietly set her fork on the plate before her gaze sought the exit. “Have you? In the past?”

  “Nah. I do things my way.” He stood and snatched his hat from the table. “Let’s go before she comes back.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Rena and Nevan left Olive Tree side by side. Every now and then, their hands brushed as they strolled down the path that snaked around the core. The occasional alarm followed by boisterous cheers, punctuated the loud, constant clinking sound.

  Rena motioned toward the thousands of blinking lights with her chin. “Seems like a waste of electricity,” she said in a louder voice than usual so Nevan could hear over the din. “If the managers cut back usage by ninety percent, this place would still be consum
ing more power than necessary.”

  “The managers don’t have to worry about paying the bill.”

  “Then who does?”

  “Andrick,” Nevan whispered in her ear.

  “The Overlord?”

  “The same. He provides free electricity. The managers let people keep a portion of their winnings. In exchange, they’re all loyal, like the Syns, except without the programming.”

  Rena ducked her head and sidled closer to Nevan.

  He gave a soft chuckle. “Relax. They’re not enforcers. They’re disposables. He won’t hesitate to put their lives in danger to avoid damage to his Synbots, which are more expensive to replace.”

  “Damage Synbots? How’s that even possible?”

  Nevan rubbed the back of his neck as he peered down at her with something close to an apology in his eyes. “Factory jobs involving heavy machinery, from what I hear. Plus, a small percentage of workers who build inside Eden don’t return to their families alive.”

  “Glad I wasn’t assigned to that track,” she said, knowing if she didn’t secure her way into the biodomes, she might end up with one of those dangerous jobs.

  “They’re well-compensated. Probably better than anyone in Hollowcrest.”

  She nodded, staying close to him. She studied the blank expressions of the people sitting on stools in front of flashing square machines. Their arms moved like automatons as they put small round things in the front of the machines then pulled the arm device on the side. They weren’t wearing the standard Syn jackets, but for all she knew the Overlord was testing out a new model.

  “Are they Syns?”

  Nevan shoved his hands in his pockets. “Nah, only people throwing their money away.”

  “That’s foolish.” She covered her heart. “Don’t their families need it?”

  “People put money in those machines hoping they’ll win a bunch back.”

  Her eyes grew wide. Could this be an alternative method of getting out of Hollowcrest? “Do people win a lot?”

  “Sometimes they do. Most of the time they don’t.”

  “Wasteful.” She shook her head. Blaze would have a fit at the sight of people squandering money like that. The compulsion to continue the search for her friend hit Rena so hard, it made her chest ache. She wondered how much time they had before she could walk outside without scorching her skin. The Market had clocks everywhere. The Underground, however, seemed designed to make people forget about time. “We need to find out what time it is so we know how long we have before the Burning is over.”

  “About an hour.”

  She hitched a brow at his bare wrists. “How do you know?”

  He bent toward her as he pointed at the ceiling. “See the slope of sunlight? When it reaches that part that looks like a bear claw, it’ll be two o’clock.”

  She would’ve never figured that out and was starting to feel in over her head.

  “I hate the idea of Blaze out there. Without food. Without water. Without shelter.” Rena’s lunch suddenly felt like rocks tumbling in her stomach. “We’re wasting time here.”

  “Not wasting time. Staying alive long enough to save your friend.” He took her hand and silently led her back to the ramp where they entered.

  Muted light filled the once dark tunnel and grew brighter as it tapered toward the entrance. Nevan shifted his hand to her elbow and edged her one step from the sunlight. She squinted at the brightness outside, yet the intensity pummeled her retinas and made her brain hurt. When she shifted, her toes sloshed in her sweat-dampened sandals. Warmth rose from the stone and crept through the hem of her pants. She inched back.

  “The Burning is at its height right now. Notice the distance of those shade trees? There’s no way we could make it to them without third degree burns.”

  She held her hand in front of her as she peered through her lashes. The trees looked small which meant they were far away.

  “Surely, there’s something we could buy to protect ourselves.”

  “You think the Overlord would allow us that kind of freedom.” The warmth of his hand on her shoulder couldn’t compete with the outside temperature pushing against her. He tugged her deeper into the cave “I can’t let you risk baking yourself.”

  She hated that he was right.

  He guided her inside, this time going a different direction around the core to a bench-lined corridor. Behind a clear floor-to-ceiling pane, a staircase stretched up to a second level. As they ascended, Rena gazed out at the spectacular view of flashing casino lights.

  Nevan took the stairs two at a time, and Rena struggled to keep pace. “Where are you taking me?”

  “Some place quiet. I can’t take this noise much longer. It’s giving me a headache.” He reached the flat at the top.

  “They have tables or chairs in there?” she asked.

  “Something like that.”

  When Rena reached the flat, she noticed a small white box adhered to the wall. It displayed an Overlord Andrick logo on the bottom right-hand side. “What’s that thing?”

  He pulled a white plastic card out of his pocket and waved it in front of the box. “You’re full of questions.”

  The door slid open, revealing a lavish room. Rena’s jaw dropped. The scent of sandalwood surrounded her. Black and white abstract art adorned crimson painted walls. An abundance of plants sprouted from in-ground flowerbeds and planters, while others hung from the ceiling with luscious green vines spilling down to the black carpet. The area had been transformed from the cave it was to something resembling an old-world rainforest, the kind the Overlord used in propaganda to promote the Conservation Laws.

  The well-padded rug muffled Nevan’s footsteps as he navigated around clusters of empty, overstuffed chairs and couches, all strategically placed around the room. The tall man standing behind the counter made Rena’s breath catch. He was rare-quality, if she’d ever seen it. He wore a pristine white shirt with the top three buttons undone. It glowed against his flawless skin, which was nearly as dark as his black suit. High cheekbones topped his strong jaw line. He acknowledged Nevan before looking at her. His gaze, dark and intense, made her check over her shoulder to see who he was looking at. No one else was in the room.

  Nevan rested his hand on the counter. “Can I get a number four?”

  The man placed two packets on the counter. With one large hand holding the jade colored packs in place, a confident grin spread across his face. His eyes raked over Rena again. It reminded her of the way the bouncer had looked at her, like she was a new toy. With a deep breath, she angled away from him and concentrated on not bringing the cave down.

  After a long pause, the man spoke in a low rumble too quiet for her to understand what he said, yet it crawled under her skin. Whatever it was caused Nevan to draw up to his full height.

  “It’s not like that, man,” Nevan said as he shoved one of the packets to the floor. He snatched the other one off the counter and cut a hot path across the carpet.

  Rena had to jog as she blindly followed him. They stopped by a vibrant red, yellow, and green plant on the opposite wall. Confused, she could only stare at Nevan’s reddened face as he tore open the packet with his teeth. He shoved his hands inside and yanked out a gold bracelet. The instant he snapped it on his wrist, the wall slid open long enough for them to step through.

  Her eyes immediately went to the green-lit countertop at the bar. Green lights also created swirling patterns on the walls. Partitions, with abstract designs, separated the wide-open space like an intricate maze. Couches and chairs arranged in clusters gave the space an at-home feel. Rena understood why Nevan preferred this relaxing atmosphere to the chaos of the core.

  The steady pulse of music vibrated through the less-padded carpet. Nevan’s footfalls pounded against the floor in an agitated clip. Rena rushed to keep up with him.

  “This is the Free Speak Club,” he explained in a tight voice. At the sitting area near the back, he plopped down on a rounded couch. With his fee
t propped up on the coffee table, he tossed the envelope to the side. She could tell by the thump it made that the jade packet held more things.

  “What happened out there? What’d the guy say to you?” she asked as she joined him on the couch.

  He wouldn’t make eye contact. “Nothing.”

  “What else is in the packet?”

  “Things to make our stay a little more pleasant.” He dumped the contents on the table. “Paper and pencils and stuff, ‘case you get inspired to write or draw or whatever.”

  Trace would love to get his hands on those materials. “Why don’t they use GreenPads?”

  “Most people in here like things less technologically advanced. Helps them get back to their roots.” He pulled his dreads out from between the couch and his back, letting them fall over the front of his shoulders.

  “And that other one the man tried to give you?”

  Nevan concentrated a little too hard on rolling his hat. “It was for a different club.”

  “The one with music?”

  “No.” He tilted his head. “I thought you said you’ve never been here.”

  “I haven’t.”

  “Then how do you know about the dance club?”

  Not ready to reveal any secrets, she tucked her feet under the chair. “A hunch. How many clubs are there?”

  “Six different ones all together.” He opened his hat again and picked at non-existing lint.

  He avoided the question, but her curiosity got the better of her. She had to know what upset him enough to make his face turn red. “Which club was that other packet for?”

  He sat back hard. “The Gentleman’s Club, a strip joint. Disrespectful to me, more disrespectful to you. I didn’t like him thinking that about you.”

  Rena gasped as she scooted back. “I don’t either.”

  He put his feet on the floor before rearranging the package contents on the table. “To get to Westrock, do we need to go back through town?”

  “Part of the way. We’ll save time if we cut through the orchard domes.” She picked up the short pencil to draw a map from the Underground to the Jordan Mountains. Her hand tingled at the slight resistance of the lead as it glided across the uneven surface of the recycled paper.