Jeremiah frowned when he saw it, gently turning her head to the side. Lightly touching the bump, he pursed his lips, then stood, and walked away without a word in the direction of the cashier’s closet.
Confused, Evalene stared at the fresh, bright red blood on her fingertips, scarlet evidence of Kevra’s betrayal. She couldn’t picture her escape now. She couldn’t even picture the next five minutes. She stared numbly at the boots of her rescuer as he walked back towards her. He walked so gracefully, without making a sound.
Jeremiah knelt in front of her again, holding a simple med kit. Evalene let him tend to her wound, wondering vaguely how he’d known where to find a med kit. Why was a high Number wandering the city late at night, and in this part of town especially? The fog in her head spread like a thick blanket over the unanswered questions.
He wiped up the blood on her forehead first, then an even softer touch on the back of her head gently cleaned the wound, although she still winced. A cool sensation came next. It stung at first, but then brought relief.
“What’s a nice girl like you doing out here?” He asked what any curious stranger would have, what she should’ve expected.
All Kevra’s ideas whispered in the back of her mind, but Evalene couldn’t quite grasp any of them and she swallowed hard as he waited. “I could ask you the same thing,” she said finally.
He chuckled and let it go. The sounds of the first aid kit closing made Evalene turn to study him. His lashes were so long. “Thank you,” she said.
“No problem,” he nodded back at her, acting as if this was normal, like they were at a party exchanging pleasantries instead of an abandoned store cleaning an unexplained head wound.
Evalene forced herself to stand, more carefully this time, with the help of the wall. Standing as well, Jeremiah was just a few inches taller than her. He offered his hand in support, but she didn’t take it. He leaned down to pick up the small med kit, shoving it into his pack and pulling the ties closed. “Are you going to be alright?”
“Yes, thank you.” Evalene moved towards the door, stepping backwards, keeping him in front of her just to be safe. She was free. She just needed to get somewhere alone by herself so she could think, and she would figure out what to do next. “I appreciate your help,” she faltered, not sure how to exit gracefully. “I’m sorry to have kept you.”
“That’s alright. I was just heading to my ship,” Jeremiah said calmly from where he stood, hoisting the bag over his shoulder.
Evalene paused at the word ship, her hand on the doorknob, “Your ship?” Had she heard him right? “Are you a captain?”
Jeremiah nodded and calmly replied, “I am. The HMS Victorious travels on trade routes. Our next port is a large island outside of Eden.”
Evalene stopped breathing for a moment. Outside of Eden. Was it possible she’d found a way? She let go of the doorknob. “Any chance you have room for one more passenger?” Her voice came out breathless. She cleared her throat, trying to imitate Ruby. “I’ve recently been robbed of my Identity Card. I had hoped to leave as soon as possible, and this delay –” she cut off, fearing her desperation showed as she rambled on.
Crossing his arms, Jeremiah put one hand to his chin in thought, studying her. He didn’t say no right away, but he didn’t say yes either.
Wringing her hands subconsciously, Evalene caught herself and clasped them together, trying to be still. Her hand brushed the lump in her pocket where Kevra had placed the coins, and she whipped the money out to show him. “I have enough for passage.” That wouldn’t make sense to him when he thought she’d just been robbed. She tried to think quickly. “They… didn’t search my pockets…” she added lamely.
Trailing off, she regretted showing him the money. But Jeremiah was gazing at the moon as if to judge the time, and didn’t notice her faltering. He spoke slowly, considering, “Well, since you’ve obviously been stripped of your ID against your will, and you are clearly a Number…” he waited.
“Six,” Evalene answered, giving him Ruby’s Number, clearing her throat nervously. She fidgeted with the coins for a moment. They clinked loudly in the quiet room. Trying to be discreet, she awkwardly placed them back in her jacket pocket.
“Yes, of course, a Number Six.” Jeremiah nodded. “I think, in this instance, we could make an exception.” With one final nod, he dropped his arms, relaxing. “Most captains are fairly strict about this, mind you,” he said, eyebrows raised for emphasis, then smiled to take the edge off his words, “but I don’t see any reason to stand on ceremony when we have this particular history. Of course, you’ll have to be willing to board before dawn, due to the tides. Will that be a problem?”
“No, not at all!” Evalene agreed immediately, hoping she didn’t seem too eager. She didn’t have any other option.
Jeremiah smiled, and Evalene found herself smiling back. He stepped towards the door, turning the knob, and held it open for her to go first. “We’d better get going. It’s a long walk to the docks.”
Evalene stepped outside onto the pavement. “Thank you.” Though it was still the middle of the night, the full moon felt like daylight compared to the darkness of the store. He followed her out, and the heavy door locked shut behind him with a solid thud.
He led her along the dark city streets in the direction of the docks. Though Evalene tried to walk quickly, she could tell he slowed his pace for her. Each step hitting the pavement felt like a fist hitting her head. The brisk spring night air was cold, but in spite of that, Evalene was sweating.
As they walked, he glanced over and in his direct way, he said, “You haven’t told me your name yet.”
“Oh, it’s Evie,” she responded as abruptly as he’d asked, then winced.
“Nice to meet you, Evie,” he replied.
At least she’d only given him her nickname instead of her full name or the name that was supposed to match a high Number ID. Maybe it didn’t matter now. Once she made it onto his ship and got out of Eden, she’d never need an Identity Card again, high or low. She peeked over at him out of the corner of her eye. He was facing the road, staring straight ahead.
Evalene followed his lead, ducking down dark alleyways wherever he guided her. She ignored the tightness in her chest.
Soon she would be on a ship. Ahead of Kevra, no less! Soon she would be free. Tensing, she wondered if Kevra would be on this ship, or if multiple ships left at dawn? But this ship was on a trade route to some island, not the FreeLands. Deep in thought, she put all her energy into walking smoothly in a way that didn’t jar her head so much, not paying much attention to where they were headed.
A fishy smell wafted towards them, signaling the nearness of the ocean before it came into sight. Rounding the corner, they reached the docks. With the sun not yet risen, their only light was the full moon, but now Evalene saw a building lit up ahead. The small Regulator station office on the corner was open. Jeremiah passed by it, continuing down the pier, which was a little odd, but Evalene had no desire to see a Regulator and reasoned that he must have checked in with them earlier.
The sound of the waves lapping against the docks filled the air. They walked along the shore, passing ship after ship, looming above them in all different sizes. Evalene checked the side of each vessel for the name he had told her, “HMS Victorious.” The name was a good omen.
But they didn’t stop until they reached the far end of the marina, turning onto an empty dock, no ship in sight.
Evalene’s steps slowed.
As Jeremiah stepped onto the long wooden pier, Evalene saw a small group of men standing next to a short, small building built onto the far end of the dock.
She tensed.
“Who are they?” She stopped at the foot of the dock, refusing to go any further.
Jeremiah paused, glancing at the men at the end, then back over his shoulder at Evalene. “Who? You mean the other passengers?”
Other passengers. Slowly Evalene stepped onto the wooden dock, but her instincts still
screamed at her to run. “Then where is your ship?”
Waiting for her to catch up to him, Jeremiah said, “The HMS Victorious is a submarine. She’s mostly underneath the surface, but if you look closely at the end of the dock, you’ll see the top of her a few dozen feet above the water. That’s the conning tower.”
He gestured towards the little structure she’d taken to be a building. It still looked like an odd-shaped hut built onto the end of the dock. Thin and tall, it was only as wide as two or three people. But as she watched, six men stepped up to this “conning tower” as he’d called it, and all but one of them disappeared inside. There really was an underwater ship then. They’d gone into the belly of the beast. Her hands started to sweat at the idea.
Frowning at Jeremiah’s back as he continued down the dock, Evalene couldn’t tell from his laidback attitude if this was normal. She’d never spent time at the pier and knew next to nothing about the marina. A ripple of concern went through her. But she didn’t know what else to do, so she shuffled after Jeremiah, feeling like a cow on the way to the slaughterhouse.
17
The Submarine
T HEIR FOOTSTEPS ECHOED LOUDLY on the wooden dock in the early pre-dawn, silence reigning on the shore while the city slept. The waves crashing against the coastline seemed louder, more aggressive.
Reaching the far end of the dock, Evalene could make out the top of the submarine more clearly now, though the black metal merged seamlessly into the deep, black shadows of the water. It had appeared small from shore, but the way it rounded on both sides before disappearing into the water hinted at a huge mass under the surface.
Jeremiah had stopped to talk to the only man left on the dock. This stranger had dark skin and wore dark blue clothing as well, made of such deep hues, that between them and his ebony skin, he almost completely blended into the darkness of the night.
Turning toward Evalene, Jeremiah beckoned her forward to join them, nodding his head towards the other gentleman. “Evie, this is my first mate, Luc.” He made the introductions quickly.
This second high-Numbered fellow flashed her an easy going smile with perfect white teeth, ignoring Jeremiah’s hurry and reaching in front of him to hold out a hand towards Evalene. “Welcome aboard.”
Evalene hesitantly took the hand he held out and let him shake hers for a brief second before she pulled it back. She lowered her eyes to a button in the middle of his blue coat and mumbled, “Hello.”
“Come with me,” Luc said with a smile, waving his hand toward the tower. He stepped onto the gangplank. Evalene reminded herself this was her best shot to get out of Eden. Possibly her only shot. She followed him.
Luc crossed the couple feet to the small dome that Jeremiah had called a conning tower. “Let me get the hatch for you.” As he spoke, he spun a wheel connected to the door, and it opened smoothly.
He held it wide so Evalene could enter first. She moved towards the door, glancing back at Jeremiah. She caught him doing a quick scan of the harbor before he stepped up behind her.
The tower immediately forced her to descend a circular metal staircase with a cold, metal railing. Dim orange lights glowed all along the staircase, illuminating the steps, which were metal grates filled with holes. The lapping of the waves faded in her ears as she went lower and Luc entered last, letting the door slam shut behind them.
What had she been thinking, trusting a man she’d just met hours ago? What kind of captain piloted a submarine instead of a regular ship? And needed to leave before dawn? The kind that has something to hide, she thought, feeling her heart beat faster and faster, blood rushing to her head.
Halfway down the stairs, she turned sharply without thinking, to go back up. But she immediately ran into Jeremiah’s torso, unable to step even one stair higher, with Luc just two steps behind him and the hatch tightly closed at the top, all blocking her escape.
Jeremiah caught her by the shoulders to steady her, forehead creasing, and peered into her face. “You alright?”
Evalene gave a jerky nod, whipping back around in the tight space, tripping slightly. She felt her face growing red.
“Are you sure?” he asked again.
Evalene waved a hand at him. “I’m fine, really.” She began to descend again, more carefully this time, gripping the slender railings on both sides. She was not fine. Her head spun and she was terrified she’d made the wrong decision, but she couldn’t tell him that.
It was dizzying to circle so many times in such a small space, and by the time she reached the bottom, she felt disoriented. The other men from the docks a few minutes prior all stood here in the small compartment.
Her eyes registered the size of the room first, barely larger than her attic room back home, before her attention came back to the men. She took in their brown clothing in confusion. The other passengers were low Numbers? But low Numbers weren’t allowed to travel. What kind of trade ship was this?
Jeremiah and Luc stepped down after her, and Evalene backed up until she was against the metal wall, not wanting anyone behind her. The back of her head throbbed at the thought. When Luc and Jeremiah faced the group in the dim orange light of the ship, Evalene was able to get a good look at them for the first time.
Both men wore blue clothes made of fine silk and cut to fit them, meaning they were well made and expensive. Jeremiah’s golden tan seemed paler now next to Luc’s dark brown skin, and her rescuer’s solemn expression and hint of a beard was a stark contrast to Luc’s wide smile and clean-shaven face.
Jeremiah leaned in to speak quietly so only she and Luc could hear. “Luc will take care of your fare and give you a tour with the others.” Stepping back, he raised his voice to speak to the whole group as he moved away. “We’ll hold a meeting in the mess deck in fifteen minutes.”
Evalene started to follow Jeremiah without thinking, but stopped when he didn’t wait for her. The hatch door swung shut behind him with a clang of metal hitting metal. She wished the ache in her head would go away.
She thought back to what he’d said. Mess deck? Tour? There was more to the ship? Luc was staring at her expectantly. Fare. Yes, that’s right. She needed to pay. Digging into her jacket pocket, she tried to be discreet in front of the group of men as she counted out the number of coins a voyage cost that Kevra had told her what felt like weeks ago now instead of mere hours.
Handing the chunk of change to Luc, she was surprised he didn’t bother to count it. The men were staring her down. One in particular eyed her blue clothing and sneered at it, turning away to his friend. Though her passage was bought and paid for, Evalene’s worries only increased.
Luc moved towards the door on the opposite side of the little room, pulling off his blue jacket to reveal a gray shirt underneath. That, along with the black and gray bandana tied around his neck to hide his tattoo, left Evalene confused as to whether he was actually a high Number or not.
“This way, everyone.” Luc opened the hatch with another friendly smile, revealing a second compartment. “That was our captain, Jeremiah. We’ll let him do his job while we take a little jaunt around the ship and get all of you settled.”
The men followed Luc, stepping through the hatch over the threshold, which was nearly a foot tall. They also looked a little uncertain, although Evalene might’ve just imagined it. She tagged along at the back of the group, the last one through.
This compartment was still tube shaped and confining like the last, but it was twice as wide and better lit. The air was musty. Bright bulbs all along the ceiling cast a white fluorescent light that filled the room. The black metal walls of the submarine had been painted white, which also helped lift a bit of the gloom.
The room was extremely full. Cluttered even. Jam-packed with at least a dozen tables with checkered tablecloths and chairs all around them, as well as various items all bolted down along the walls, including a radio, a couple refrigerators, and even a television hanging on the far wall, although it was so old fashioned Evalene wondered if it
even worked. About two dozen people sat throughout the room at the tables, which were also bolted down. Mostly men, but also a few women, which made Evalene relax a little. There were even a couple teenagers. Every single person wore brown.
Luc waved a hand expressively at the room and spoke to the whole group. “This is where we will meet in a short while, like the captain said,” he began the tour, moving through the room slowly towards the other side, gesturing to those already seated. “And you’ll have time to get to know your fellow passengers.” He waved at them as he said this, adding, “As you can see, it’s not just for meals. There’s not a ton of common areas on a sub so we tend to hang out here in the mess deck or downstairs, but I’ll get to that.”
On the far side of the room was another door, and Luc strode towards it, Evalene and the others in the group following automatically. The same man who’d stared at her before cut in front of her rudely. He was easily six feet tall. Evalene stared at the back of his balding head. Had she done something to upset him or was he just ill-mannered?
As Luc pulled the round hatch open to the next section of the ship, he smiled and spoke in the cadence of a tour guide as he explained, “Everything is separated into compartments on a sub, in case of a leak. That way the captain can seal them off if need be and avoid flooding the whole ship. But don’t worry,” he swung back around to soothe their fears before they even had time to form, “Big V has been fully operational since 1993, and she’s never had a problem yet.”
Evalene’s eyes grew huge at the date. It was nearly two centuries old? Questions rose up in her, but she was too shy to speak. The bald man entered the next compartment first, and Evalene gave him as much distance as possible, waiting until everyone had gone before she crossed into the next room. Luc nodded to each of them as they passed. “Remind me to show you the ship’s manifest and captain’s log from when she first became active. Her first voyage was years before World War III was even a threat.”
Evalene's Number: The Number Series Page 11
