Strange Skies

by Kristi Helvig

  I stared at James, openmouthed. I had hoped he’d help with my dad, but I hadn’t realized how much power he held in this group or that he would use his influence to help me. James flashed me a quick smile when he sat. I wouldn’t forget that he’d shot me, but he’d just earned a little more of my trust.

  A few other people in the room stood and gave brief updates, also in English. I found these reports interesting. They included plants, nuts, and fruits that had been discovered since the prior meeting. Three people had vomited, and one almost died, after eating the same berry, so the Resistance was compiling a list of unsafe foods that would be posted on the Net. James told me that they’d been able to secure several Infinities from Consulate spies and kept one in the command center for common use.

  When the meeting ended, the red-haired tramp immediately marched back to us. I found the sharpness of her nails disturbing and the defiance in her face unmistakable. Her eyes bored into mine. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced.” She cast an accusing glare at James before settling her focus on me again. “I’m Sonya.” She extended her long nails toward me.

  I wanted nothing to do with her, but didn’t want to look weak. “I’m Tora,” I said as I took her hand.

  Her nails dug into my wrist. “I know exactly who you are.” She smiled sweetly, which contradicted the death grip she had on my hand. “You killed my brother.”

  Chapter EIGHT

  I WRENCHED MY HAND FROM HERS. “EXCUSE ME? I DON’T know what the hell you’re talking about.”

  “Sonya, you know that’s not how it happened,” James said. “It was a sun storm.”

  Sonya crossed her arms. “A sun storm wouldn’t have thrown my brother into a cactus in the first place if it wasn’t for her.”

  I remembered the guilty relief I’d felt when the soldier flew through the air and was impaled on a massive cactus spike. It had taken down one of the five people who had been shooting at me. “Not to nitpick, but your brother was trying to kill me at the time.”

  Sonya’s eyes were cold and calculating. She didn’t respond.

  James sprang in between us. “Sonya, let it go.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “So, this is how it is, James?” Her eyes were filled with hatred when they turned back my way.

  I had flashbacks of when Britta stuck me inside a transport container. At least I’d liked her in the end. I had a sneaking suspicion that Sonya would never grow on me.

  “Tora’s on our side,” James said. “And, like I’ve told you before, we’re together. Got it?”

  Her eyes flashed with anger, then softened. “Got it,” she mumbled.

  Edgar stepped up to us. “Everything okay here?”

  James nodded. “Yes. Tora, this is Edgar. Edgar, Tora.”

  Edgar’s intimidating build was offset by his kind eyes. “Nice to meet you,” I said, trying to ignore the steady gaze of Sonya who hadn’t moved.

  Edgar smiled. “You too. The little I’ve heard about you from James has been glowing.”

  Yeah, James would never be accused of being verbose but I was still surprised he had talked about me at all. Getting him to string more than a few sentences together constituted a miracle.

  “Hey there, remember me?”

  The pilot who’d rescued Alec and me from the beach joined us, standing near Edgar. “Sure, good to see you again, Max.” At least some faces were friendly.

  A girl with straight blond hair stepped forward timidly. “I’ve heard so much about you,” she said. “It’s great to meet you. I’m Reed.”

  Sonya snorted.

  “Hi, Reed.” When I shook her hand, she leaned in and whispered in my ear, “Don’t worry about Sonya.”

  I smiled and resisted the urge to tell her that Sonya was the one who should be worried. “So when do we meet again? Do we need to do anything?”

  James cleared his throat. “You just need to stay safe and keep your ears open. We’ll meet back here same time tomorrow.”

  Edgar nodded. “I think we’re almost ready, sir … with or without Kale, no disrespect. It sounds like a Consulate search is coming sooner rather than later.”

  I’d prefer never having to set eyes on Kale again, but I still had to find my father’s guns. I wasn’t sure exactly how to destroy them yet, but I’d think of something.

  James studied Edgar. “We’ll give Kale another few days; still you’re right that we need a backup plan. Let me think and we’ll discuss it at the next meeting.” He turned to me. “We should get going.”

  The group dispersed and James turned to Sonya. “Are you on board, or what?”

  She twirled her hair. “Of course, you’re the leader. I’m just one of your minions. That’s all I’ll ever be, right?” Pain flashed through her eyes before the defiance returned and she stormed out the door.

  “She’s pleasant,” I said. “Might want to vet your minions a little more carefully in the future.”

  James touched my arm and a shiver ran through me. “Don’t worry about her. She and her brother were really close. She’s just looking for someone to blame.”

  We headed out the door, and I was still awestruck by the beauty of the vibrant flowers and trees. I hoped we could take care of the Consulate and Kale once and for all, because I never wanted to leave this place.

  “Are we headed back to Markus and Alec?” I asked.

  James shook his head. “Not yet. I need to talk to a few of the men stationed at the bar first. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

  What I wanted to say was that he needed to talk to me and explain some things. Instead, I said, “Sure, no problem.”

  He told me that some soldiers were always on guard outside to watch for Consulate ships. So far, none had been spotted on this side of the planet, but if Alec was right, that would change very soon. We reached the bar and he squeezed my arm. “Be right back.”

  He walked over to two men standing near the side of the bar. They bent their heads in conversation with James, and I studied the sinking light in the sky. I’d spent so many years underground in the bunker that I’d barely known the difference between light and dark then anyway, aside from the screeching of the night storms.

  “Tora! Come here.” Reed was leaning out of a small makeshift window.

  James was still in deep conversation with the men, so I ducked into the bar’s entrance. Reed was sitting with some of the people I’d seen at the meeting. She patted the bench next to her. The others nodded at me and smiled as I sat down.

  I smiled back. “I only have a few minutes.”

  Reed pushed a mug my way. “Here, have some water. Isn’t that cool to say? ‘Have some water.’ I can’t even believe I’m living on a planet where there’s water to drink everywhere. We’ve been here a few months now, but it still feels like heaven.”

  I took a long sip from the mug. She was right. Chronic thirst had been a staple in my life. A place where I could drink water anytime I wanted sounded like heaven to me too. “Thanks.”

  It appeared that most of the meeting attendees had stopped in here afterward. Luckily, Sonya wasn’t anywhere in sight. It seemed like the majority of the people weren’t drinking water … I hoped Markus stayed away from this place in the future. He’d be useless if he fell back into his obliterated ways.

  “Look,” Reed said, “we just wanted you to know that we’re really glad you’re here. James told us all about you.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure I want to hear what he said.”

  A boy farther down the table laughed. “It was all good, I promise. Mostly about how kick-ass you are. I mean, taking down a Consulate ship on your own is awesome.”

  “Yeah, tell us about taking down that ship,” another girl said.

  I squirmed in my seat. James might think I was tough, but I felt anything but when he was around. “That’s nice of him,” I said, “but I really only shot the wing and the ship crashed. Not a big deal.”

  Reed shook her head. “That’s to
tally a big deal. I want to be more like you—tougher, I mean.”

  I studied her. “So how did you end up with the Resistance?”

  Reed shrugged. “Same as most people here, I guess. Dead family, little hope, and then I got lucky when I ran into fellow survivors who shared their water and air. They turned out to be Resistance members, and I was all for joining a group that would destroy the Consulate.” She looked around like she was worried someone might overhear. “But I prefer to be more of a helper, errand runner. I can’t stand violence and hope I never have to use my gun.”

  I smiled. “We’re not that different. I’ve just had to use mine, is all.” If Reed really was an errand girl, maybe she’d have some good info. “What do you know about Sonya? Aside from the fact that she hates me?”

  Reed scooted closer. “Personally, I don’t think her issues are totally about her brother. I mean, they were close and all, but being a soldier means you could die. They both knew that.” She lowered her voice even more. I had to strain to hear her. “I think it’s more because of James.”

  My stomach lurched, and not from the meat. I’d been right. The way Sonya had smiled at him and touched his arm earlier had said it all.

  “She met James back when he and her brother, Saul, were recruited to the Resistance by Kale. She was always going on about how smart James was. Cute too.”

  I swallowed. I knew exactly how smart and cute he was. And deadly.

  “Anyway,” Reed said. “I think she had hoped that something would happen between them when he returned. After James escaped from the containment center, he showed up out of the blue one day. I’ve never seen Sonya light up the way she did when he walked into the command center that first time.”

  Reed took a sip of her water. “James doesn’t say much, but everything he did say in those first days was about you. I could tell that it pissed her off royally. But when you didn’t show and you didn’t show, I think she thought you might never get out. She started flirting with him again. Told him to wait a little longer when he started talking about going back for you.”

  “Thanks for telling me,” I said. “It explains a lot.” You’d think I would be used to people wanting me dead by now.

  We drank our water and reminisced about our lives on Earth.

  “I never thought I’d live to see a place like this,” said a husky boy named Web. He looked like he could lift the entire table up with one finger if he wanted to. “Seemed like the last view I’d have was of that giant blazing ball of hell. When Trent and Ian hit me up through the com and told me about Caelia, I’ll admit that I cried like a baby.”

  Reed patted Web on the shoulder. “I think we all did.”

  When the table fell silent, I took a chance with the group. “What do you know about Kale and this Resistance leader he’s looking for?”

  Web scoffed. “Between you and me, I think Kale’s an asshole. James never said why Kale wanted to kill you, but I can’t say that I’m surprised.”

  “Yeah,” another guy added. “Honestly, I think the whole search thing is a cover-up.” He leaned into the table. “Think about it. This supposed Resistance leader is the perfect scapegoat. Whenever Kale tells us something we don’t want to here, he just says it’s ‘orders’ from his leader. Kale supposedly didn’t even know where this person was when he went off to find him. Weird, no?”

  He had a point. I raised my eyebrow. “Then where do you think Kale is if he’s not searching for the leader?”

  The boy shrugged and Web answered. “Beats me. Maybe it has something to do with all those guns of yours he took. That sucks by the way. James told us all about it.”

  My stomach sank. No one seemed to know Kale’s whereabouts. “But Kale was also rounding up other recruits. He must have some people loyal to him here in his camp.”

  Reed nodded. “Some agree with Kale that all possible force should be used against the Consulate. Others agree with us that the weapons will only end up bringing more destruction. We all agree that we need to do something. We just can’t agree on what.”

  I’d all but forgotten that I was supposed to be waiting for James when he came bursting through the door of the bar.

  I stood up. “I’m right here. Sorry, I was just talking—”

  “Hide,” he said. “Kale’s here.”

  Chapter NINE

  I BROKE OUT IN A COLD SWEAT. MY MEMORIES OF KALE involved him trying to hurt me. That, and taking away my Infinity, which still ticked me off. I crouched down and Reed motioned for me to crawl behind the bar that was near our table. The guy tending bar waved me to the corner by his feet while he kept pouring moonshine.

  I’d barely tucked myself underneath when the door crashed open again and I heard Kale’s booming voice. “Long time no see, my young soldiers. How the hell is everyone?”

  A few men cheered boisterously. Aside from that, only a smattering of applause filled the room. Heavy steps approached the bar. I held my breath and pulled my legs up to my chin.

  “How’s it going, sir? Get you a drink?” the bartender asked.

  “Abso-fuckin-lutely,” Kale responded. He sounded like when he was on the pain meds back on Earth.

  Kale guzzled the liquor. Seconds later, the glass slammed back down on the counter. “Damn, that’s good. I’ll take another. Been forever since I’ve had a good drink.”

  Other footsteps came over. “Sir, what’s the news?” James asked.

  The glass clinked on the counter again. “Give a guy a minute to relax,” Kale said. “One more,” he added as more moonshine splashed into his glass.

  After the glass clinked down on the counter for the third time, he addressed everyone in a loud voice. “Let me fill you in. One, I’ve got people in other colonies willing to help us. Some of them set up shop on the planet Dais, and let me tell you, that’s one hellhole of a place. We need to fight for Caelia by taking down the Consulate once and for all.”

  A few drunken cheers erupted from the other side of the bar.

  My thighs burned and I didn’t know how long I could hold myself up. I tried to shift my legs and knocked my knee into the side of the bar. The bartender dropped a cup on the counter, and I knew he was trying to cover for me. “Here, have another drink,” he said to Kale.

  “Don’t mind if I do.” I heard the sound of the liquid as he gulped it. “You know, I used to think we just needed to stop the Consulate and we’d be fine. I realize now that we need to be the ones in power—create our own government—to stop burners like that from ever being in charge of anything again.”

  Good thing he wasn’t on a power trip or anything.

  “So what’s the plan?” James asked.

  Kale smacked his lips. “Good news and bad news, James. The good is that I found the leader of the Resistance.”

  Shocked gasps and whispers filled the room. Apparently more than a few people had bought into the theory that Kale had made this leader up.

  “So, what’s the bad news?” James asked.

  “He needs a medic. I need you to come with me. And you won’t believe who it is.”

  “Okay,” James said quickly. “Show me the way.”

  Kale stormed back across the bar and yelled to no one in particular on the way out the door: “The time has come, soldiers. As soon as our leader is back in shape, we’re taking down those Consulate bastards!”

  With that, the door slammed shut. James leaned over the bar, whispering to me, “Get back to the huts and stay out of sight. I’ll come find you as soon as I can.”

  Just like that, he was gone. I exhaled slowly and extended my legs. They’d started to cramp. The bartender helped me to my feet.

  Reed was standing, looking out the window. She turned to me. “It’s all clear. They went the other way. Go before it’s full dark.”

  She didn’t need to tell me twice. I stepped out of the bar into the twilight. The only people in sight were the guards James had been speaking with earlier. They motioned me toward the woods, which was where I
was planning to go anyway. Before I’d even run ten feet, huge drops of water splashed on my head. I froze in place and stared up. What the hell was this? Despite the darkening sky, I could easily make out huge swirling clouds. They looked like the white ones we’d flown through earlier, except black and angry. Wind whipped my hair around my face.

  “What’s going on?” I whispered to the men.

  “A big-ass storm from the looks of it,” one said. “The rain will only get worse.”

  Rain. I remembered the word from the Net but had never been able to imagine water just falling out of the sky like that. This was crazy.

  “Better run faster,” the man said.

  Run faster. Ha. They didn’t know they were already witnessing my max speed. I took off again and made it into the trees just as a huge flash of light filled the sky. It was followed by a deafening clap and I covered my ears. The rain pelted down and bit into my skin. I shivered as the cold water drenched my clothes, and my shirt began to stiffen. They were going to have to figure out some new clothing now that we didn’t need thermoplastic anymore because being wet in plastic sucked. The trees overhead did little to protect me, since it seemed as though the rain was coming at me sideways. The tops of the trees bent in the ferocious wind. I fought my way forward with every step. At least the night storms on Earth hadn’t involved ice-cold rain.

  On top of everything else, if it wasn’t full dark yet, it was pretty damn close. I shielded my eyes from the onslaught of rain and tried to locate the creek. Between the wind, blackness, and torrential downpour, I couldn’t see more than a foot in front of me. I started to panic and ran in what I thought was the direction of the huts. My feet slipped and caught on a tree root. I crashed to the ground, my ankle twisting as I fell.

  I pushed myself up and took a tentative step. Sharp pains shot through my ankle, and I hoped it was a sprain and not broken. I limped along for several minutes but got turned around again, so I stopped to try and get my bearings. For all I knew, I was going in the wrong direction.

  The lashing of the wind and rain had intensified and I couldn’t see anything aside from the occasional jagged flash of light. I shivered, beyond freezing in my clothes. I had no idea how long this would last but it already seemed longer than the sun storms on Earth. I felt my way to the nearest tree and crouched down, huddling against the base, trying in vain to shelter myself from the elements. My ankle throbbed.