by Finley Blake
“What do you know about my school?” I asked, hoping to redirect the conversation.
“I know it trains you girls to offer special services to your clients, services your headmistress excels at.” That insolent gaze returned to me. “I am morbidly curious to know if Nicolai availed himself of those services, but loathe to try them myself. While the idea of putting a traitor in her place is appealing, used goods don’t offer much sport.”
At that, I clenched my fists beneath the dishtowel. It took a moment to smooth out my features once again, but his smirk told me he knew he had gotten to me.
“We will search the house,” he said. “One upstairs and one downstairs.” Those words were all the command the other two men needed. One went upstairs and I heard him stomping around from room to room, while the other made a sweep of the living room, dining room, and kitchen. I heard cupboards opening and closing, doors banging, even furniture being moved around. As they searched, I stood rooted to the ground, listening the sounds they made and trying not to let myself give in to tears.
“Nothing,” they reported when they returned, “not even in the basement.”
“There’s a basement? Let me see it.” The man followed one of his soldiers into the kitchen, and so did I as dread swirled in my stomach. The door to the basement hung open and they walked down the stairs that I had never used myself. What I saw surprised me – it was a simple, square, wood-paneled room with a long table of plants on one end, test tubes full of liquid in the center, and books on the other end. No other furniture, no special machines… and no Adette.
“What is this?” the commander asked.
“It’s my food source,” I answered.
He smiled at me, but it wasn’t a friendly expression. He then swept his arm across the surface of the table, sending glass and plants flying against the wall and to the floor. The sound of the shattering glass and falling pots made me jump.
“Not anymore.”
Something inside me flickered to life, like a match striking against a hard surface, and I snarled, “Get out of here, you murderous bastards. The Regime is dying and I’m going to celebrate the moment it draws its last breath.”
The commander’s eyes widened, then narrowed as he said, “You can’t do that if you die first.” He pulled his revolver from the holster on his hip and pressed the muzzle of it to my forehead. For a second, I thought I was about to breathe my last, but his gaze lowered to the shattered tubes and he returned the gun to its holster. “Good luck replacing that, Miss Morningside. I will be amused to hear that you starved to death, waiting for your dear Doctor Ferros to return.”
The soldiers turned and stalked out of the basement, and it took all my self-control not to scream. I stood frozen in place, still and listening. When I heard the front door close and the snow transport roar to life, I turned to survey the basement. Memories of my father’s plans rose to the surface again, and even though Nicholas had never shown me the basement despite his promises, I now understood why it had turned out for the best. I walked to the wall beneath the stairs, hoping my memory was accurate, and ran my fingers along a barely noticeable seam in the wood. The panel slid open and I stepped through to find an amazing sight.
Before I could process it or speak a word, Adette raised a finger to her lips and then pointed to something in her hand. The small rectangle of metal with a triangle antenna atop it had three red lights, all of which were blinking like mad. Adette walked into the main basement and reached beneath the table. She held her hand out to show me what she had found.
With a growl, I took the disc of metal from her, tossed it to the floor, and ground it beneath the heel of my shoe. Adette held up two fingers and I nodded. By the time we located the bugs planted in the dining room and Nicholas’ bedroom by the soldiers, my rage had settled to fuming.
“Nicely done,” Adette said after I buried the crushed components in the snow out back. Now we were snug in the kitchen, doors locked tight, and steaming mugs of tea in our hands.
Adette had shed her white furs and, to me, she looked as beautiful as ever. Time on the run had done her good, because her skin and dark hair glowed with vitality. But something in her eyes was sad, even haunted. Still, despite her trek through goodness knows where to find me, she looked healthy. The tea warmed us and we stood there, looking at each other, until I finally said, “Tell me what happened.”
She heaved a sigh and looked down into her teacup. “Do you want the long version or the short version?”
“Look at where I live.” I raised my hands and shrugged. “I ain’t got nothing but time, Adette, so you might as well go for the long version.”
She chuckled and took another sip of the steaming liquid. “The headmistress happened. Though she assures me she had her reasons.”
“Why does she always say that?” I rolled my eyes. “How do you think I ended up here? Her ‘reasons’ are what got me in the middle of freakin’ Alaska.”
The knowing smile never slipped from Adette’s face. “Yeah, I heard she hooked you up with Doctor Ferros. Interesting match.”
“How did you…?”
“I’ve spent the past several months running from one rebel pocket to another. I hear everything. Sometimes I know the Regime is going to take a piss, even before they know it.” She chortled at the expression, then nodded toward the basement door. “Let’s walk and talk.”
“Sounds good.”
“The headmistress fixed me up with Icharus DeVille for two reasons. The first was because his father killed my mother. The second is because his father also happened to be one of the leading financiers of the Regime. She made it personal for me, of course, but getting my revenge on him was like shooting one leg out from under the Regime itself.”
“What were her reasons?” I asked as we walked down the stairs and into the cellar.
Adette shrugged. “I think it’s personal, but not just because my mother was her best friend. There have got to be more compelling reasons than that, though I don’t know them. What I’ve learned is she started the school to create her own personal spy network. At least, that’s the rumor.”
“So we aren’t really matched up with the right patrons?” Something about Adette’s words hit me hard, but then she buoyed me when she spoke again.
“No, I think we are. It just takes a while to realize it.” A tear tracked down her cheek, but she wiped it away and gave me a half-smile.
I sipped at my tea, then said, “That’s hard to believe, considering the circumstances. When I arrived here, I thought it had to be a mistake. It took a while for Nicholas to warm up to me.”
“Trust me, I felt the same way about Icharus. His father was the one who had my mother killed, so you can imagine the conflict there. But after everything, I realized I… I missed him and I didn’t want to live without him.”
“But you are the one who assassinated Mr. DeVille?”
She reddened and bowed her head. “I don’t know how you heard about that, let alone that I was involved, but…” She gave a single nod. “I’d really rather not think about it. That wasn’t my finest moment, and everything since has been heart-wrenching. It’s not easy being on the run, being a sort of icon for the Constitutionals, and even with Icharus at my side, the going is tough. But the movement is growing in power and now we stand a very real chance of putting the president back in office. That has to be the first priority for me; for all of us.”
“How did you end up here, then?”
Adette reached into the hip pocket of the drab green cargo pants she was wearing and withdrew a gold chain with a watch dangling at the end. As she extended her hand toward mine, my own fingers trembled. The watch was familiar, despite the fact that I had not seen it in over ten years. The metal was warm in my hand as the chain draped over my palm and I shook my head. “He wanted you to know he’s alright,” Adette said, closing my fingers over it. “He’s sorry he never contacted the family, but it was for everyone’s safety – yours as much as his
own – to keep people in the dark.”
After I swallowed the lump in my throat, I nodded and whispered, “I understand. That explains how you knew where to find the secret room in the basement. My father told you about it himself, didn’t he?”
“Yes, and when this ends, you’ll see him. Your father has been waiting a long time to see all of you.”
“But will I see Nicholas again?” My gaze locked on Adette’s.
Tears shimmered at the corners of her eyes again and she didn’t wipe them away this time. “I can’t answer that. I wonder the same thing about Icharus every single day. He and I split up, so we could carry out separate missions. It was not an easy decision, but we’ve already started the fire, so now we have to let it burn. My act was the catalyst and we need to see it through.”
I took a deep breath in through my nose and held it for a moment. “What can I do?” I asked. “Nicholas is out there, goodness knows where, and I’m here in the dark.”
“Stay here and wait for him. That’s all anyone would ask of you.”
“No!” It took all my will not to smash the watch against the countertop. “All anyone expects of me, asks of me, is to sit and wait – to do what I’m told, and be content with what I get in life. Well, I’m not doing that. I came here on the headmistress’s orders. I did everything Nicholas told me to do. Now there’s no one to guide me, so it’s my turn. I want to be with Nicholas, or at least help with the war somehow. Even if all I do is bandage one wound, hold one soldier’s hand as they die, cook one meal for someone supporting the effort, I will feel like I’m part of something. Please, let me do this.”
At first, Adette’s expression was stony, but her features softened and she said, “We’re going to need to act fast. First, we need to raid that hidden lab of yours…”
By nightfall, we had familiarized ourselves with Nicholas’ secret laboratory in the basement. This, I saw as we explored it, was where he got everything – all the food we needed, not to mention fabric and other materials. It was the most sophisticated set-up I had ever seen for farming, replication, and more. We gathered what we could use and checked the settings on all the automated equipment. Most of the items were channeled via ducts that sent them directly where they needed to go, such as food directly to the cooling chest or freezer.
It was no wonder Nicholas always found ways to keep me ignorant of everything he had working in his favor. That meant I could never be tortured for information, never lie about his resources. Only someone truly connected to the Constitutionals would be able to get the necessary information to make use of the laboratory. This ensured the Regime remained ignorant of the technology we had at our disposal.
“We have only one way out,” Adette told me as we packed our bags. “There’s a transport meeting me a mile north of here. If you want to come with me, this is your only chance.”
“Where exactly is here? I never figured that out.”
“We’re in the Alaskan tundra, between Circle and Barrow. I realize that doesn’t tell you much and that’s a huge area, but being in the middle of nowhere works in our favor. The Regime had to be desperate to send anyone up here looking for me, especially the commander himself. Korroziya doesn’t exactly make house calls, you know.”
“Wait…” I had to swallow hard as bile rose up in my throat. “That was Commander Korroziya?”
“The one and only. Don’t you feel special?” Adette winked at me. “This isn’t exactly familiar ground for them, especially with the Canadians and Native nations on our side.” She tossed her dark braid over her shoulder and zipped the backpack she had designated for me. I had done very little of the packing because, as Adette said, white gloves and pretty hats would do me no good on the war’s front lines. “Well, my prim and proper southern friend, are you ready for this?”
“I chose it, so I think I am. I’d better be.”
We took our bags downstairs and sat down to one last dinner in the warmth and security of the house. My stomach twisted in knots, but I forced myself to eat. The calories, Adette told me, were essential to my well-being in the tundra. My body needed energy to trek through the snow and to keep me warm. This wasn’t exactly a concern I had ever encountered in Georgia or L.A., so I took her word for it.
After we washed the dishes and put everything away, we checked the settings on all the electronics one last time. It was pitch-black outside and I couldn’t imagine how we would find our way. “Compass,” Adette told me. “It’s the most basic tool, but also the most important one. Failing that, we follow the stars, but it’s only one mile.”
“One mile in high snow,” I pointed out.
“Hence the snow shoes. They’ll keep us on top of the snow, and since there’s a storm forecast, that will cover our tracks. In fact…” She glanced out the window and a smile curved the corners of her mouth. “It’s already flurrying out there. We’ve got thirty minutes to make our ride, or we’re stuck here, so let’s go.”
“Thirty minutes to walk one mile?” I asked.
“Trust me, it’s not that far to walk.”
I nodded and started donning the layers Adette had chosen for me. By the time I was dressed and the backpack hung from my shoulders, I felt a bit lost inside the furs.
The trek through the snow, especially in the gathering storm, was a new experience for me. As was the lift we hitched on a military helicopter of some sort. Adette yelled over the noise of the chopper, “Our drop point is just over the border in the Northwestern Territory of Washington. After that, we’re on our own.”
“Where are we going?” I shouted.
“Back to where it all began.” She closed her eyes and rested her head against the curved interior of the helicopter, leaving me to wonder what would happen next.
Chapter 9
Dark alleyway? Check.
Same scene as a long-ago murder? Check.
Two Constitutional rebels skulking around incognito? Check.
I adjusted my cap, quieted the sarcastic voice in my mind, and shook my head. “This will never work. I don’t have the right attitude to make it convincing. You know I can’t do this.”
“You can and you will.” Adette peeked through the dark-framed window of the building I was standing against. Once upon a time, Smokey’s Dance Hall had been a meeting place for suffragists and Constitutionals. Now it was where the Regime soldiers stationed in L.A. went for a good time. It was here in this alley that Adette’s mother had died after a night of wining, dining and dancing, her death ordered by the very man she had served as a courtesan. I’m not sure what tugged at my heart more – the fact that Adette’s mother had been murdered, or the fact that it was on the orders of a man to whom she had sent love letters. It all seemed far too tragic to be true, yet it was the unfortunate reality of our corrupt world. I was not ready for this and I closed my eyes. It couldn’t shut out the noise of the music vibrating dully through the wall, but it could let me pretend I was somewhere else.
“Why can’t we just go back to the school?” I asked.
“And lead the Regime there?” Adette shook her head. “I’m sure they’ve already figured out the headmistress is playing both sides, and using us to do it. We can’t risk giving them evidence to back up any such suspicions. You wanted to help, so do what you do best – please those men. Make them feel special, get them to talk to you. Find the right one and let him think he can spill his secrets. You’re just sweet enough to do it without raising suspicion. We need to ascertain where we stand and I know you can do that.”
“Right. I do want to help.” Anything to see Nicholas again, and as soon as possible. “Wish me luck.” I let my shoulders drop, but tension still kept my body taut. Then I sauntered around the corner. With my purple hat and small mesh veil, and rather clingy purple dress with frills all along the front of the open skirt, I looked like I belonged in a dance hall. Adette had chosen the outfit to accentuate my eyes and draw attention to my black-stockinged legs, which were exposed up to the knee in front.
It was an audacious costume – one no well-bred lady would wear, but no well-bred lady would be here.
As I stood just inside the front door, the laughter, music, and perfume emanating from the interior all reminded me of home, and it eased some of the tension from my body. There was long wooden bar inside the front door along the right side of the dance hall, round tables and chairs arranged across the black carpeting, booths along the opposite wall, and a large wooden dance floor before a stage. On the stage, a big band played a rousing tune and patrons moved to the beat.
For a moment, rage heated me. How could they dance when their true leader was out there putting his life on the line for them? How could they act like there was nothing wrong with our world when everything had turned upside down and never righted itself?
Then I let go of my breath and turned to the bar. This wasn’t about indignation or even revenge for me. This was about information. The more I could learn, the better I could help the Constitutionals.
I stepped up to the bar and smiled before asking, “How ‘bout a Sangria, sugarplum?” in my most exaggerated drawl. While the bartender prepared my order, I slid onto the barstool, crossed my legs – a little too aware of how bare they were in public – and tapped my hand against the bar in time to the music.
Once I had my drink, I sipped it while I scanned the room. The lively music provided a strange counterpoint to the thrumming of my heart and only ratcheted up my anxiety several more levels. How was I going to choose the right person to get information out of? How would I ditch someone if they didn’t have what I needed? How would I do all of this without causing suspicion? Granted, the school had trained me to be the perfect companion, but this was not exactly the kind of situation I’d anticipated encountering. Still, I possessed both the talent and training to conquer it. I just needed the mindset.
“I’m buying the lady’s drink, and another when she’s done.” Paper wafted down to the bar just within my peripheral vision and I felt someone sidle up to my right shoulder. Great, now there was someone between me and the door. Then again, it was also an opportunity if I let myself see it as such. So I took a long, deep breath, turned my head to get a look at the person, and felt my jaw drop.
