The City Center (The New Agenda Series Book 1)

by Simone Pond

  “We need to get going. The longer we’re out here, the higher the risk.”

  “Thank you for sharing this with me. If I don’t live to see another day, this moment was worth it.”

  Joseph drove back toward the main road and slowed down. He grabbed Ava’s arm. She looked up—a silver capsule vehicle blocked the entrance to the road. Patrols. Or Morray’s men coming to get her.

  “Tuck your hair into your hat and keep your sunglasses on, and your face lowered. Don’t say a word. Even if they address you, let me speak.” Ava followed his instructions.

  Joseph pulled up next two men in black uniforms—they looked like Officers from the City Center. Ava’s stomach twisted into a tight knot. She didn’t want to go back. She couldn’t leave Joseph. Not now. He reached under the seat and pulled out a small black handgun, and slipped it into his pocket. “Stay calm,” he whispered. Stay calm? She felt like her heart was going to explode. She lowered her head and pictured the soothing ocean waves. Joseph could handle the Officers. They’d be fine. On their way to the village in a few minutes.

  “Can I help you?” Joseph stepped out and addressed the men.

  “Routine inspections. Paperwork and vehicle pass.” The Officer towered over Joseph. Ava wondered if all of Morray’s Officers were designed with a height advantage.

  “This is public space. I don’t need papers,” Joseph said.

  A gust of wind blew Ava’s hat off and onto the sand. She pulled back her hair and twisted it into a bun, hoping the Officers weren’t paying attention, but another breeze came up from behind and blew her auburn hair like flames in the wind. The other Officer stepped around to the passenger side. Ava lowered her face, avoiding eye contact.

  “Do you have papers?” he addressed Ava.

  “Her papers are back in her village,” Joseph said. He kept his hand in his pocket.

  “I was talking to the female.” The Officer opened Ava’s door motioning for her to step down. Stepping onto the sand would be excruciating, but she didn’t have a choice. She stepped down. Her black socks sank into the hot sand. Pain seared the soles of her feet. She held her breath to force away the pain. She sized up the Officer’s movements—but her body wasn’t in any fighting condition. The Officer brushed the sand off her hat and handed it to her. “You look a bit pale for an Outsider.”

  “She’s been sick. That’s why I brought her down to the ocean.” Joseph looked over to Ava. She held onto the side of the Jeep for balance.

  “Sick?” The Officer looked at Ava.

  “Mm-hmm,” Ava mumbled and faked a cough.

  “You know what I’m thinking?” He nudged her chin upward.

  “Be careful. She’s not well,” Joseph yelled.

  “You’re a dead ringer for the missing Successor Candidate on Morray’s alert list.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ava looked into his eyes and shoved his hand away.

  “You’re coming with us.” The Officer reached toward his weapon.

  Adrenaline rushed through Ava. They were taking her back to the City Center. She couldn’t go back. She’d have to fight—regardless of her condition. Inching backwards, she dropped and rolled across the sand, ducking low behind the Jeep. Shots rang out and a sonic boom from the Officer’s weapon echoed in the air. Ava rolled underneath the Jeep. Multiple pairs of black boots shuffled around, kicking up sand. She maneuvered to the opposite side and pressed against the tire. A few more shots rang out—Joseph must have been shot. How could she manage the two Officers without him? She didn’t have a weapon, or the energy, to ward off the men. She curled into a ball next to the wheel. Footsteps crunched through the sand, heading toward her. There was no way she could make a run for it. It was over. She was going back to the City Center. She waited for the Officer to snatch her up.

  “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” Joseph reached down and helped her up. He carried her to the passenger seat. The two Officers were sprawled out on the sand. “I didn’t have a choice. They were going to kill me, and take you back.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” Ava shuddered, staring at the men. She had never seen a dead person. She felt sick. Even though they were going to take her back, she didn’t want them to be killed for it. They were following orders. She wanted to run into the ocean and wash herself clean.

  “I need you to wait here while I get rid of the bodies. The water will glitch out the nano-trackers on the uniforms. I’ll disengage the one on the vehicle. We’re taking that back to the village. We can use the parts.”

  Ava sat in the passenger seat while Joseph dealt with the Officers. He removed their weapons and communication devices and put them in the backseat, then dragged the bodies to the shore. Ava pictured the waves pulling them out into the ocean, never to be seen again.

  Joseph got behind the wheel and pulled away from the beach. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” he said.

  They drove north along the mountain roads with the Officers’ vehicle attached to the back of the Jeep. Whenever they hit any large bumps, it scraped the ground, reminding Ava of the dead men. She tried to erase the thoughts from her mind, but she couldn’t.

  “You really killed them,” she said.

  Joseph drove in silence. Ava tried to focus on the golden light coming through the trees and the birds flittering from branch to branch, but she felt hollow inside. She knew Joseph didn’t have a choice, they were going to kill him and take her back, but seeing what he was capable of terrified her. How could he be so nonchalant?

  They reached the top of a hill and Joseph pulled over. “I want you to look through that clearing.” He pointed. Ava looked off in the distance toward an enormous hexagonal structure—sunlight glinted off the black solar panels.

  “The City Center,” she said.

  Joseph held her hand. “Those Officers were a part of that thing. That’s what I killed.”

  “Well, I’m a part of that too.” She turned away, trying to hide her tears.

  “No, you’re not. Not any more.” He pulled the Jeep back onto the road.

  As they descended the mountain, Ava drifted in and out of consciousness. Joseph turned down a narrow road that cut through the forest and slowed as they approached a clearing. His village was nestled against the foothills, with clusters of wood cabins scattered throughout. Children played in the grass while women and men moved about carrying baskets of miscellaneous items Ava couldn’t identify. Some stopped to watch out of curiosity.

  “We need to get you fixed up.” Joseph lifted Ava and carried her toward the medical hall. She rested her head on his shoulder. The children ran behind Joseph, cheering his return. Ava hadn’t seen a child since she and her generation were children. One of the girls waved. Ava mustered up a grin; she couldn’t wait for someone to remove her pain.

  A woman with long brown hair met them at the entrance of the cabin. “Welcome home, sir. Glad you’re safe.”

  “Thank you, Rebecca. This is Ava. We’ve had a long haul and she needs some medical attention.”

  “Of course. Let’s get her to a bed.”

  Joseph carried Ava inside and set her down on a bed.

  Rebecca peeled off Ava’s blood-soaked socks. “I’m shocked you’ve been able to walk at all. I’m sure you’re not used to severe levels of pain. Not with your technology. Why don’t you lay back and relax. Joseph, you can come back later. Don’t worry, she’s in good hands.”

  “No, please don’t leave me,” Ava said.

  “I’m in the village. If you need me, Rebecca will send someone.”

  “I don’t want to be alone.”

  “You aren’t alone. You’ll never be alone again.”

  *

  James burst through the doorway and ran to Ava’s bed. He stood over her, his black eyes cut into her. He released a high-pitched cackle. No, no, I don’t want to go back, she tried to yell, but no words came out. Her arms and legs were cemented to the bed, paralyzed. James squeezed her neck, cutting off the air.
He laughed and laughed. She tried to scream for Joseph, but she couldn’t breathe. He lifted her by her neck and dragged her outside. There he held her up in front of a crowd of City Center residents who were cheering and chanting. He yelled to the crowd, silencing them. He let go of Ava. She thumped to the ground and began to sink into the dirt. Lower and lower she went until she was buried. She swirled downward into a black hole…

  “Wake up, Ava.” Someone shook her shoulders.

  “Whaaaaat?” Ava jerked upward. Her shirt was soaking wet. The man from the first checkpoint, the one in charge, stood over her. “That was horrible.” Sweat beaded across her forehead.

  He held out a cloth. “Pretty bad nightmare?”

  “A night what?” Ava took the cloth and wiped her face.

  “That’s what we call bad dreams. I don’t know why.”

  “Whatever it was, I’m glad it’s over.”

  “I wanted to check on you.” He walked to the end of the bed.

  “I’m sorry, but I forgot your name.”

  He pulled back the sheet to examine her feet. “David.”

  Ava wondered why someone at his high rank would waste time checking on her. She figured he wanted information about the City Center, but she didn’t have much to offer. For whatever reason he was there, she didn’t like being alone with him. She put up her guard. “Thanks for checking in, David. Rebecca’s been wonderful. I’ve been sleeping since morning. And the pain has subsided.”

  “I heard about your run-in on the beach.”

  “That was my fault. I asked Joseph to take me to the ocean. I had to see it up close.”

  “While I don’t approve, at least we know Morray has you on an alert list and has Officers searching for you. He wants you returned in one piece. That means he won’t attack without warning. Gives us a little time to plan before he attacks.”

  “Maybe he won’t attack.” Ava knew Morray would do whatever it took to retrieve his property. If he let this breach go unpunished, he’d look weak. David opened a jar and spread some gooey substance onto Ava’s feet. The balm penetrated her skin—a cool tingling moved through her body. “What is that?”

  “Aloe and some other natural ingredients to help with the cuts and muscle trauma.” He spread the salve onto her shins and moved up her legs, kneading gently into her muscles. His touch made her uneasy, but she welcomed the relief.

  “You don’t have to do that, sir. Rebecca is a most excellent body technician.”

  “A what? Oh right, that’s what you call nurses. Rebecca’s out. Besides I’m educated in healing the wounded.”

  “But don’t you have more important things to do than deal with me?”

  David ignored the question and continued massaging Ava’s legs, keeping his blue eyes focused on her. He reminded Ava of an Info-tainer with his strong jaw and straight features. He had a domineering presence that commanded attention. He was handsome, but almost too perfect. She looked away, bothered by his relentless ogling.

  “He’ll come for you.” He kneaded deeper into her muscles.

  “Joseph?”

  “No. Morray. And when he comes for you, he’ll take us down. That’s why I’m here. I need your help.”

  “With what?”

  “Intel for battle.”

  “I don’t think I’ll be very useful. I could explain some of our technology, not how it works, but what it does. But I’m a bit tired. Can we talk later?”

  “Are you having any withdrawals?”

  “From what?”

  “The chemicals in your water supply.” He handed her a glass of water.

  “I’m not sure. Maybe.” She sipped the water.

  “You need to re-hydrate and detoxify.” David watched until she finished. “Take care, Miss Rhodes. I’ll see you soon.”

  The sky grew dim and twilight settled over the village. Lanterns illuminated the room. Rebecca returned to apply more salve to her feet. Ava wanted to ask about David, but decided to wait until she had a better understanding of how things worked in the village. She drifted to sleep to the chirping of what Rebecca called crickets.

  The Village

  Morning sunlight streamed through the window. Real sunlight. Ava stretched—renewed and revived. Her feet no longer throbbed and the knots in her muscles were gone. She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and eased her way over to the window. Only a hint of pain remained. Outside a few children ran through the field laughing and playing some sort of game. A tiny bird appeared in the window, zipping up and down, in and out, momentarily dipping into the hanging plant. Ava studied the agile creature.

  “Hummingbird,” Rebecca’s voice came from behind.

  “It’s so lovely.”

  “You look much better.”

  “I feel much better.”

  “I want to take you to the cantina. You need to eat. And people want to meet you.”

  “Me? Why?”

  “Joseph is a pretty big deal around here, and you saved his life.”

  “I think it’s the other way around. He saved me.”

  “I laid out a dress on the bed. I’ll meet you out front.”

  Ava put on the simple white cotton dress and slipped her bandaged feet into a pair of sandals. Instead of pulling her hair up into a bun like always, she let her auburn locks cascade over her shoulders and down her back. She met Rebecca outside and they walked through the middle of the village toward a covered area with rows of tables where people gathered to eat. A few girls followed at their heels, whispering.

  “She’s so pale.”

  “Did you see her eyes? They’re so sparkly.”

  “Her hair is so pretty and shiny.”

  “She looks like an angel.”

  “She looks like a butterfly!”

  Ava thought the children were beautiful and innocent; she wondered how different things would be inside the City Center with them in it. She remembered her lonely childhood—she’d been training for Graduation Day since her first steps. Morray had stolen so much from her people, even their childhood.

  Rebecca walked to an empty table in the cantina. Many of the villagers looked over and smiled. Ava thought of the café in the South Sector where the mid-ranking residents would wave or ask for a hologram capture. She smiled at the irony of escaping her famous life on the Inside, only to have a similar situation somewhere she had never been. Some of the villagers approached the table and shook her hand, extending warm welcomes and gratitude. Others placed small bouquets of wild flowers on the table. They were pure and understated—no makeup or decorations in their hair. No face glitter or sparkling jewels. Their faces had lines and imperfections, and they were beautiful.

  Joseph walked over with a plate piled with warm eggs and potatoes and doughy pastries. “Hungry?”

  “Starving.” Ava stared at the food. Where to start? Her meals usually consisted of protein shakes or salads, unless—of course—she was cheating on her diet with Delilah.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

  “Rebecca is a miracle healer.”

  “I was happy to help.”

  “Thank you again, Rebecca.”

  Rebecca held Ava’s hand and stood up. “I have to get back to the facilities. See you later today.”

  Joseph motioned for Ava to start eating. He took a warm biscuit from her plate and spread some butter into the middle; it dripped into the nooks. Ava followed his lead, then took a huge bite—the sweet buttery bread melted on her tongue.

  “So many flavors…” she mumbled with her mouth full.

  “All natural. No genetic modifications. No synthetic materials or chemicals. Try the eggs. They came from our own chickens.”

  “Chickens?”

  “I’ll take you to the farm after breakfast. It’ll be easier to show you things.”

  “How is this possible?” she asked, scooping up some fluffy eggs. “I’m staying here forever,” she said between bites.

  “Good morning, Joseph. Miss Rhodes.” David approached th
e table. Ava sat up in attention and put her fork down.

  “Sir,” Joseph started to stand up, but David shook his head.

  “Good to see you out and about, Miss Rhodes.” He touched her shoulder.

  She pulled back, but smiled, to feign some semblance of politeness. “I’m feeling much better.”

  “Good to hear.” David pointed to Ava’s chin and handed her a cloth. “Joseph, I’ve dispatched some men from Lompoc. They’ll be here at 0900. You’ll get them prepped as soon as they arrive.”

  “When?” Ava wiped her face.

  Joseph checked his watch and took one last bite of his biscuit. “I’m sorry, Ava, but I gotta leave. We anticipate Morray taking action in the next day or two.”

  “I was starting to think everything was okay. That Morray would eventually forget about me.” Ava pushed away the plate, no longer interested in eating. The only thing on her mind was Joseph going into battle.

  “Morray will be coming for you, Miss Rhodes. He’ll spare nothing. Be certain everything is not okay.” The gravity of David’s words punched Ava’s stomach. The reality of the situation became clear—it was her fault the village was in danger. If she stayed, Morray would attack and kill all those innocent people. If she left…

  “I should go. Is there some place far away from here you can hide me and tell Morray I’m gone? If I remain in the village, everyone is in danger.”

  “That’s not going to stop him. He has to retaliate for Joseph’s violation, which is why I didn’t support the mission in the first place.” David took his cloth back from Ava and began folding it. “Either way, if you’re here or somewhere else, Morray is going to attack.” He tucked the folded cloth into his pocket

  “I don’t regret what I did,” Joseph said. “With Ava, we have a chance to change things.”

  David laughed and shook his head. “You’re a dreamer. Get to the barracks. I’ll stay with Miss Rhodes to gather as much intel as possible.”