by Simone Pond
“You’ll never get to him. Whatever you’re planning, he already has a better plan.”
“I’m giving you a chance at redemption, but you’d rather die because you’re afraid of Morray? Why don’t you just give me the codes?” Joseph pressed the gun into the man’s cheek.
“I’m not afraid of Morray. I was programmed this way.” The Officer reached up and pulled the trigger on Joseph’s gun, shooting himself in the face. Blood and brain matter splattered everywhere. Joseph shoved the body to the ground.
“Now what, sir?” Peter handed him a cloth.
Joseph looked at the mangled Officer. Half of his face had been blown off. “Salvage his eye and remove his chip finger.”
The Most Important Day
Graduation Day, 5 a.m.
The team of Beautifiers dashed around the room. Ava sat in the lounger while they prepared her for the ceremony. One of the ladies twisted her auburn locks into majestic heights, while another slathered layers of enhancers onto her face. The head Beautifier made adjustments to five different dress designs displayed on separate holograms. Ava couldn’t believe how fast Graduation Day arrived. Just yesterday she was polishing her solo performance for Giselle, and now she was picking out her wardrobe. Time raced forward, blurring the days leading up to the most important day. And why was she at the Royal Palace? She figured it was part of the tradition. The team of Beautifiers focused their attention on her appearance, doing their best to ignore her questions.
“Where’s Helena? And James? Are they here too?”
“Yes, yes, they’re somewhere in the palace.” One of the assistants answered.
“The other Successor Candidates are here too?”
“Um-hmm.”
Something felt odd. It bothered her that she couldn’t remember Helena mentioning the palace. Her mind was fuzzy.
“Oh my, my. I’m having trouble, my dears. I cannot decide which says ‘Queen’ more than the others.” The head Beautifier stepped back, admiring the array of sparkling gowns.
“They’re all lovely,” one of the assistants said without looking up.
“I think any of them will do,” the other one said as she focused on painting Ava’s eyes.
“What do you think, Miss Rhodes?”
“Oh, they’re all beautiful. I trust your opinion. You know what the people want. I’m not good with decisions.” Ava thought the gowns were beautiful, but she didn’t care about her wardrobe. She wanted someone to explain why she was at the Royal Palace, and why she felt so dizzy. “When’s the last time I ate?”
“Oh, you don’t eat on a day like today!”
Ava closed her eyes and tried to remember something other than practicing for Giselle. She looked out the window. “That’s the ocean. The real thing,” she said. Her words sounded familiar.
“Well, of course, dear.”
“How long have I been here?”
The ladies ignored her and continued with their work. The doors to the chambers slid open and Chief Morray entered the room. Her heart dropped to her stomach. Should she stand up? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do for the Creator? She couldn’t remember. He looked much more powerful in person than in the holograms or news feeds—tall with broad shoulders and a chiseled jaw. He had on a black tuxedo and shiny shoes. He puffed out his chest and filled the entire room with his massive presence. Should she address him? Was he supposed to speak first? And why was he here?
“Miss Rhodes,” he said with a wide grin, approaching her lounger.
Ava stood up—the blood rushed to her head. “Yes, I am she.” She looked down to avoid his eyes, and focused on the assistant decorating her toes with jewels.
“I am Chief Morray.” He slipped on a pair of black-framed glasses and observed her up and down. Why did he care so much about her appearance?
“Yes, I figured that, sir. Pleasure to meet you on this most important day.” Ava bowed her head and curtsied.
“Please sit,” he said. “How are you feeling today?” He moved into her personal space and the assistants stepped back, giving him room. He kept looking at her eyes, making her feel exposed.
“I’m feeling fine, Chief Morray, sir.”
“How are your accommodations?”
“Everything is just lovely, sir. They’ve been doing all the work while I’m just sitting here.” Ava looked up at him. “Actually I’m wondering why I’m sitting here, sir, at the Royal Palace. Is this something all Successor Candidates do for Graduation Day?”
He leaned down just inches away from her face; his breath warmed her cheek. “Hmm.” He opened her eyelids wide and examined her pupils.
“Sir?”
“Yes, Miss Rhodes. This is a new tradition I started this year.” He stood behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders. “Miss Rhodes, tell me something. What’s the last thing you remember?”
Ava looked toward the window. She caught a glimmer of light sparkling on the ocean’s surface. The scene looked familiar, but how could that be possible? “I remember rehearsing my ballet solo for Giselle. I must have overexerted myself because that’s the last thing I remember.”
“Are you sure that’s it?” he asked, slipping his glasses into his jacket.
“I’m usually not this absent-minded, sir. I’m sorry, Chief Morray.”
“You can call me Morray, my dear.” He stroked her cheek and smiled.
“Morray,” she repeated.
He bent down so only she could hear him. “I have a surprise for you, Miss Rhodes. No one else knows about it yet, so you must keep it to yourself. I will announce it during the opening ceremonies.”
“What is it, sir?”
“I have decided to withdraw you from the competition.”
“Sir?”
“I want you to serve by my side. A position much higher than Queen.”
She forced a smile and bowed her head to conceal her disappointment. Higher than Queen? That’s the last thing she wanted. When had Morray made this decision? He didn’t know anything about her, other than her scores. “I’m honored, sir,” she lied.
“Well, I’ll leave you with your team.” He walked toward the door and turned around. “Any final requests, Miss Rhodes?”
The hairs on Ava’s neck prickled. She swore she had heard him say those exact words before. There was no mistake. This wasn’t their first encounter. There could be only one explanation why she was only remembering fragments: Morray had erased the last week from her memory. That’s why nothing made sense and why she couldn’t remember anything beyond her rehearsal. But why would he do that? To keep her from remembering something. Something so classified he had to remove it. She played along. “No, thank you, Chief Morray,” she said. “I mean, Morray.” He stared off for a few seconds and exited the chambers.
“This one!” the head Beautifier sang out, pointing to the red and purple gown decorated with thousands of diamonds. Something about the dress looked familiar.
“Oh, it’s perfect,” said one of the assistants.
“Magnificent! You’ve outdone yourself!” said the other.
“Have you designed something like this in the past?” Ava asked.
“I would never repeat the same gown! I may have used a previous design as inspiration, but only because it was too lovely to go to waste. Just look at how beautifully the panels flow.”
“What do you mean by go to waste?” Ava asked.
“Oh, dear. Look at the time. We must make haste. Please let my assistants get back to prepping you. The hardest part is solved. We have a gown.” The head Beautifier waited for the gown to imprint, avoiding eye contact with Ava. The assistants gathered by their station, whispering to each other. She knew something wasn’t right—they were hiding something. Beautifiers weren’t known for their cognitive skills. Ava could get the secret out of them if she played it right.
“So, tell me about the buzz. What are the reports saying about me?” Ava asked.
The head Beautifier smiled and nodded, n
ot saying a word. One of the assistants came over to work on Ava’s hands—she focused on painting intricate designs along her fingers and hands. The room was too quiet for a team of Beautifiers.
“Don’t tell me. I’m no longer the favorite?” Ava asked.
“Oh, no, that’s not it at all, Miss Rhodes,” the assistant said.
“Well, what is it? Please tell me. I’d hate to make a fool of myself in public.”
“Miss Rhodes! You would never be made a fool. Everyone is most pleased that you’re still with us.” The head Beautifier spoke up.
“What do you mean still?” Ava forced herself to remain calm. Her heart pounded faster and faster.
“Oh, dear. I’ve said too much. I really must follow orders more carefully. Listen to me, I simply cannot keep my tongue still.”
“What orders? What are you talking about? If you don’t tell me, I’ll send for Morray and tell him that I’m not pleased with your work. I’ll have you removed from my team and you’ll never design anything for the City Center or the Royal Palace ever again.”
“Miss Rhodes, please don’t put me into that position. Here, have a relaxa-mist, you really must remain calm on this most important day.”
Ava stood up. The assistants hurried across the room to their station. The head Beautifier held her head up high, pushing her pristine nose in the air. Ava walked over and got within an inch of her face. “I don’t care about this most important day. I need to know what you meant by ‘going to waste.’”
“Are you sure you don’t need a relaxa-mist?”
“Quite sure. Now tell me.”
“Oh, dear. What to do? I’ll be torn apart either way. Won’t I?”
“Not if you help me. I promise to return the favor.”
“Well, as much as it pains me to say, I did already design a similar garment,” she lowered her head.
“I don’t care about the gown. What was it for?”
“I made it for you, for the Outsider’s trial, but you never made it because you were taken from the City Center.”
“Taken from the City Center?”
“Yes, yes, the Outsider took you as a hostage so he could escape.”
“The Outsider?”
“Yes, yes, a week prior to Graduation Day, he broke into the City Center to ruin everything. The savages just can’t leave us be! Anyway, he blew up things and killed people, but he was caught. For some reason you were assigned to escort the filthy savage to his execution. So you see, I designed the most exquisite garment for the trial, but you never made it because the Outsider took you away.”
“I’ve been gone a week?”
“Yes. I was given orders, in fact, all City Center residents were given orders to never mention this to you, or there would be severe penalties. Any reminders of your situation could cause a post-traumatic collapse and psychological disorders. So, you see, we had to keep silent.”
Ava sat down. “So, where have I been since last week?”
“We don’t know. Chief Morray says it’s best if everyone moves on and continues with Graduation Day as planned. And I think he’s right. Assistants, please get back over here. We don’t have much time. Yes, yes, we must finish our process now, Miss Rhodes.”
Ava closed her eyes, trying to force back the memories Morray had erased. She had been to the ocean—that was certain. She remembered the smell of salt and the cool breeze touching her skin. She remembered the sound of waves crashing. And holding a man’s hand.
“I was on the Outside,” she mumbled.
“What did you say, dear?”
“Oh, the view, it’s beautiful.”
“Just think, my dear, as the Queen you’ll get to see this for the next eighteen years!”
While the Beautifiers continued with their painting and polishing, Ava forced herself to retrace her thoughts to the last thing she remembered: ballet rehearsal. But what happened after rehearsal? Normally she had lunch with Delilah at the café. So what did they do after lunch? Did they go to the greenhouse? Probably, since they were so close. Did something happen in the greenhouse? Think harder. She remembered alarms screeching and people rushing to transporter stations. Fragments of memories inched back into view. Empty walkways. No one in sight. Only a deluge of streaming news feeds. Why were you alone? She flashed back to a man with shaggy dark hair and a beard standing next to Morray’s statue. That must have been the Outsider because nobody in the City Center looked so disheveled. What did he want? He gave her a book. She remembered the musty scent and handwritten pages. He had a secret and she wanted to know more. She recalled the dark tunnel and her blistered feet. She wasn’t taken hostage—she chose to leave the City Center. She had wanted to go to the Outside. To find out the truth.
“Miss Rhodes, it is time to put on your gown.” The assistant said, interrupting her thoughts. The last thing Ava wanted to do was put on the dress.
“I’m not feeling well. I need some privacy,” she told the assistants.
“We’ve been instructed to stay with you up until the guards pick you up for opening ceremonies.” The head Beautifier and the assistants carried over the gown. It looked like it weighed twenty pounds.
“Fine. Let’s get this over with.” She stood still while the team fluttered around her, adjusting the layers and layers of fabric.
“Oh, Miss Rhodes! We’ve really outdone ourselves!”
“Yes, you have.” Ava stared at her reflection. She had seen this gown before. She used it to disguise the Outsider.
The entrance to her chambers opened and two guards entered. “Miss Rhodes,” one of the men announced.
“We’re not quite ready,” the head Beautifier stepped forward, blocking them.
“We’ve been instructed by Chief Morray to bring her to his quarters. He needs to discuss some logistics. We’ll have her back in ten minutes.”
“Fine, fine. Just don’t mess up her gown. Do not sit down, Miss Rhodes. And please refrain from touching your face and hair. No touching, period! Unless Chief Morray wants to touch you. For him we’ll make an exception.”
“Miss Rhodes, come with us.” One of the guards nudged the assistants off to the side. The other man took Ava’s arm and escorted her toward the door. When he touched her, a surge of heat shot through her body. She looked at his face. It was the Outsider. She froze, unable to move forward. He looked at her. She knew those eyes. They said a thousand things all at once. He gave her a gentle squeeze and guided her forward.
“I know you,” she whispered as they entered the corridor.
“We don’t have much time. You have to trust me, Ava.” He guided her into a small alcove. The other man stood nearby, keeping watch.
“What is going on? I’m very confused. Morray has attempted to erase my memories, but I keep getting flashbacks of being with you. Why was I with you?”
“I need you to stay calm and listen. I can’t get all of your memory back. But at least I can get everything up until checkpoint one,” he said.
“Please tell me what this is about!” Ava felt shaky from the weight of the dress and the overwhelming fluttering in her stomach. She leaned against the wall.
“Peter, get going. Make sure the men are holding their positions. You move forward with the orders—no matter what happens to me.”
“Good luck, sir.” He disappeared through a window at the end of the hallway.
“I don’t understand what you want with me,” Ava said.
“This might be tough, but I know you’ll get it.”
“Get what?”
“Morray did a pretty good job wiping your mind, but I know your heart is trying to remember. I’m Joseph. You helped me once before and I’m here to help you.” His voice sounded so familiar, in a comforting way. And since he was the only one willing to give her any answers, she decided to hear him out. She needed to know the truth.
“How do I know this isn’t a trick to sabotage Graduation Day?”
“Oh, we’re going to sabotage Graduation Day and
you’re going to help us.”
“You’ll never get away with it. Morray is watching. He’s always watching.”
“We have momentary control of the mainframe. I need you to set aside everything you think you know about the Outsiders and me. Just for one minute, long enough for me to put your chip back in so we can download some of your memory. I promise all of this will make sense.”
Why did he have her old microchip? Was he lying to her? Or was Morray? She went back to her original logic: if Morray were telling the truth, why’d he erase her memories in the first place? Joseph held her shoulders and looked into her eyes. She felt lightheaded. I know you. Somehow she trusted him, but she didn’t know if she could let a stranger cut open her finger and replace her microchip. He could have uploaded it with anything.
“How do you have my chip?” she asked.
“I removed it at checkpoint one in Malibu.”
“Malibu.” She remembered walking in the field—the sun warming her body. “I was there. I remember some parts of it.”
“You were on the Outside for almost a week. You don’t remember all of it because Morray doesn’t want you to remember. He doesn’t want you to know the truth, otherwise you wouldn’t go through with Graduation Day.”
“He’s absolutely correct, Miss Rhodes.” Morray’s voice enveloped her from behind. He stood with Planner Dickson. Before anyone said another word, Joseph pulled Ava toward him and kissed her. She remembered that kiss and with it came a flood of emotions. Morray ripped Ava out of his arms and handed her over to Dickson. He aimed his weapon at Joseph’s head. “And it looks like today I finally get to execute you.”
“You can kill me, Morray, but eventually the truth will rise. Someone will find a way to free these people from your prison.”
“I’ve been running the show for over two hundred years. Nobody will ever take me down. I am eternal,” he laughed. “Dickson, I want you to escort Miss Rhodes back to her chambers. Remain with her until we’re ready for the Arena. Before you leave, sedate this filthy thing and have the guards transport him to the Arena.”
Dickson injected Joseph’s neck. He dropped to the ground and Morray began kicking him over and over. Ava feared Morray would kill him—she ran over and grabbed his shoulder. “Please, stop. Let’s not waste time on this matter.” She kissed his cheek.
