Numbers Raging (Numbers Game Saga Book 3)

by Rebecca Rode

  Officials lined the halls, nodding respectfully as I passed, although many of them looked surprised at my age. We followed the sound of music, which grew louder with every second. Glorious, incredible music.

  In a moment, my mind swept away to an underground bunker full of excited chatter. The settlers’ clothing had been old-fashioned but clean, the music sparse yet beautiful in its simplicity.

  Our music here tonight was much more rich and full, and these people wore designer clothing and moved more gracefully. But that excited chatter was noticeably absent. In fact, many of the world’s leaders looked positively bored.

  Finley accompanied us as far as the ballroom entrance. The guards there, dressed more ornately than usual, said my guard was already in place and refused to allow her entrance. I turned to her to apologize, but she muttered something about waiting in the foyer and disappeared into the hallway crowd.

  “May as well go in and look for Vance,” Jasper said. “Shall we?”

  Hundreds of men and women covered the dance floor, all swaying in time with the music. I lifted my head to discover a group of musicians dressed in black holding various types of instruments at the front of the room. A man with a long suit waved his hands as they played. I found myself holding my breath.

  “Do you intend to dance?” Jasper asked at my side.

  “Hmm?” I tore my gaze away from the music players. “Oh no. Definitely not.” I had more important things to do than make a fool of myself. I scanned the crowd, trying to decide who to approach first. The African president? Or should I head straight for the prime minister of England? Luckily Chiu didn’t seem to be here.

  Just then I caught a glimpse of Vance. He stood near the entrance, alert, his eyes on me. The tuxedo he’d found somewhere fit his shoulders perfectly, although his hair had that messy look he knew I loved. His eyebrows raised in appreciation as he took in my dress and fancy curls. A shiver of delight swept through my body before I remembered his anger last night.

  “I think they call it an orchestra,” Jasper explained, missing the exchange. “NORA used to have these as well, decades ago. That was before Emperor Forsythe nixed our musical talent scores. How incredible to see this in person, like going back in time.”

  I swallowed and nodded, letting the music fill my mind again. “I love the violins.” I’d nearly forgotten how beautiful it all was. Someday I would find Mandie again, my young violin-playing friend from the settlement, and ask her to teach me.

  “The Liverpool Royal Philharmonic,” I heard Prince Augustus say as he approached. “One of the best and most-established musical institutions in the world. They’ve existed since 1853.”

  I turned to find Augustus smiling down at me. His black hair looked shiny tonight, gleaming in the colorful overhead lighting. He’d even trimmed his thick black eyebrows. And his tuxedo—a deep black that shimmered, making it look almost metallic.

  “Galaxy fabric,” he said. “The tailors say it’s all the rage in the African provinces.”

  The orchestra’s notes blended, then synced into a single, long note. Then the song ended.

  Couples separated on the dance floor, and then there was a smattering of applause.

  “I would be honored if you would dance with me, Ambassador,” Augustus said with a smile.

  Of everyone in this room, Augustus was the most likely candidate to help us. It wouldn’t do to shun him, especially after all his hospitality.

  “Um,” I began, glancing back to the wall where Vance had stood. He was gone. “I’m a little embarrassed about this, but I don’t know how.”

  Augustus did that rapid-blinking thing and chuckled. “My apologies. I should have considered that. Don’t worry. We’ll take it slow.” He took my hand and placed it in the crook of his elbow, then started toward the dance floor.

  The knot in my stomach tightened, and suddenly I felt like I would be sick. I found Vance circling the room. When our gazes met, he looked away.

  Fine. Two could play that game.

  The actual dancing part wasn’t too hard. As the music began to swell again, Augustus placed my left hand on his shoulder and the other in his, then began to sidestep in small motions. I was happy to let him lead. The couples around us took note of his identity and gave us more space on the floor. One woman gaped, her mouth open in surprise as she stared over her partner’s shoulder. Then she whispered something in his ear, and he turned to look as well.

  This felt so unfamiliar, so awkward. Augustus was an attractive man, and I should have been thrilled to be in his arms. Despite his youth, I could bet most women in this room would be flattered to dance with him.

  But he wasn’t Vance.

  I searched the room for Vance but couldn’t find him. There were just too many people.

  As the music went on, I let my body relax and move in time with the beat. The previous song had been slow but happy. This one was sad, almost mournful, like losing someone you loved. It had a bitter edge to it and fit my mood perfectly.

  I didn’t realize I’d closed my eyes until the song was over.

  Jolted back to reality, I opened my eyes to find Augustus watching me. We’d stopped swaying, but he still held me close. Very close. I could feel his breath on my face, the pressure of his hand at my back. His chest against mine.

  His gaze was warm and searching. “I’ve never seen a woman so affected by music before. Or was it my warm embrace that pulled you in?” He leaned closer. His lips brushed my earlobe. “You look ravishing tonight.”

  I pulled away, my heart in my throat. “Thank you.”

  Another song began, and he pulled me in again. I kept a safe distance between us this time. He followed my gaze to the other side of the room. “You’re looking for your bodyguard. I’m sure he’s taking a much-needed break. Even men with the best of intentions need time away from the ladies on occasion.”

  “I’m sure he’s fine.”

  “You know,” he began, leaning in toward my ear again. I pulled farther away. He pretended not to notice. “I’ve been thinking about your country, or what it used to be, at least. One of the largest, most powerful nations in the world. Many countries tried to conquer it, but nobody succeeded. And then it defeated itself. There isn’t much left of it now, I understand.”

  “You don’t—”

  “No, no. Let me finish. I was going to say that the moment I saw you stepping onto our docks, I knew any country led by such a beautiful woman had to be something special. If you feel it’s worth fighting for, I admire that. Perhaps I can get you an audience with the prime minister.”

  His words sent chills down my arms. I should have been pleased at the words. After all, if Britain came to our aid, we’d have a good chance. And here a British prince was practically pledging his support. This was exactly what I’d come for.

  But something bothered me about all this, something I couldn’t quite explain.

  I looked up at him. His gaze was tender and piercing and focused on my lips. A shiver ran down my legs and I glanced away again. I’d have to handle this very carefully. “NORA isn’t perfect, but it’s full of good people who deserve a bright future. Every single one of them is worth fighting for. I won’t quit until we’re left in peace again.”

  “A noble effort. I certainly hope you succeed.”

  “I can’t do it without help. If your country pledged support to our cause, we could probably stop the war before it even started.”

  Augustus pressed his lips together. That strange gleam in his eye seemed brighter close up. It was disconcerting.

  “You and I have more in common than anyone in this room, I think,” he finally said. “Neither of us will ever be granted the power we’d like. I can see how difficult it is for you, knowing what must be done but being unable to convince others of the truth of it. Yes, it’s fitting that the third son and a councilwoman would enjoy one another’s company so much.”

  I stared at him, unsure what to say. In some ways he was right. If I’d had the
courage to take the throne back from Dresden, I could have done great things. But there was something disturbing in the prince’s tone. I tore my eyes away from his and looked around again for Vance.

  Augustus smirked. “I believe your captain has disappeared because he knows the natural order of things. He’s stepped back to where he belongs—in the background. We have obligations, you and I. They want us to exhibit the illusion of power but not the power itself.”

  “I never wanted power.”

  He waved that aside. “Everyone in this ballroom does, down to the last waiter. But no matter. There are ways to get around that illusion, ways to get what you want without going through the usual means. Like your land, for instance. Have you considered that destroying your land, making it undesirable, is the only way to save it?”

  Had the guy gone absolutely mad? Our land was already destroyed, and Richard Peak had saved it. My steps slowed, and I began to pull away. “I appreciate your help, but I didn’t come here for fancy balls and dinners and illusions of power. I want my people to be safe. And just so you know, Vance is far more to me than security.”

  He stared at me in a way that made me shiver. Then he leaned forward again. “He puts your purpose here at risk, makes people question you. You two are on different levels. I daresay you’re almost on different planets.”

  “Then I’ll figure out interplanetary travel,” I said sweetly, striding to the edge of the floor.

  Augustus didn’t come after me. When I looked back, he’d already been approached by another woman. Just before the crowd filled in around him, he looked up and met my gaze.

  And winked.

  I went early to the gala and inspected everything—even the potted plants, which were real. This was the first convention event where security would be allowed inside. Only one person per world leader, but that still meant President Chiu could bring an assassin in here without a problem.

  And that phony, shifty prince. He worried me more than anyone here. Sooner or later Treena would see through his façade and figure it out. Until then, I’d be watching.

  I found a place against the wall where I could see the entire room and absently fingered the belt where my stunner usually sat. Security might be allowed here, but weapons weren’t. We were their weapons. Regardless, a stunner would have put me more at ease. Even a pistol, although I hadn’t seen a single one since arriving. Like NORA, these people liked their battles to be bloodless, clean. Sanitized. Less cleanup.

  A hundred other guards lined the walls, all eyeing each other and trying to look threatening. I was the youngest by ten years.

  The stuffy politicians arrived minutes later, most dressed in black or silver. When Treena walked in, several heads turned her way. She didn’t seem to notice. That green dress hugged her curves in a way that demanded attention. Jasper walked beside her. Seeing them like this, side by side, I could see the family resemblance. Same narrow shoulders and thin frame, same low forehead and penetrating gaze. The kind that radiated intelligence.

  She finally saw me. Her expression instantly went guarded, and she reached up to grip her necklace. She leaned forward as if to walk over to where I was, but then Augustus approached and she turned to face him.

  I left my perch and circled the room until I could see Treena’s face again. None of the other security guards had approached their patrons yet, but if she looked threatened in the least, I’d confront the man, prince or not. Then she was following him to the dance floor, her hand in his. He brought her around to dance position, then placed his filthy hand on her back.

  My throat felt like I’d swallowed glass. I jerked away, intending to do another sweep of the room—to look anywhere but on the dance floor—but just then the receiver in my pocket vibrated. The one we used to communicate with the settlement. I’d forgotten it was even there.

  I looked around quickly and, seeing no immediate threat, stepped into the hallway. Too long. The receiver stopped vibrating.

  A few politicians were out there as well, blinking and twitching their eyes. One red-faced woman was adamant about her conversation, waving her hands. When she saw me watching, she shot a glare that could cut steel. Those implants were beyond creepy.

  The receiver vibrated again.

  I typed in the security code I’d set earlier and hit the button. “Selia.”

  “Vance? It’s Ruby. Selia asked me to call.” She sounded out of breath, her voice more high-pitched than usual.

  “Are the girls all right?” I asked, my own voice sounding a little panicked now.

  “Yes, your sisters miss you, but they’re just fine.”

  The panic fizzled away, leaving behind only confusion. If the girls were fine, that meant there was a bigger problem. “What’s wrong?”

  “Ju-Long has escaped.”

  I nearly dropped the receiver. “What?”

  “Someone went to bring him breakfast this morning, and his cell was empty. The lock was busted through, but the guards say they didn’t hear anything last night.”

  My mind raced through the possibilities. He wasn’t eating his food. I’d assumed he was trying to starve himself, but maybe he’d managed to squeeze through the bars enough to escape. But then why bust the lock? Had he created something out of his old food that could do such a thing?

  “Find him,” I said. “That man is dangerous. He’ll take advantage of any opportunity to contact his country. If they come back to get him—” The evidence was connecting in my mind. Ju-Long knew things he shouldn’t, which meant we had a spy in the camp feeding him information. It was probably that person who broke him out. They could be on their way back to China right now.

  Ju-Long knew too much. He would tell Chiu everything—our war preparations, our numbers, our intentions here. The danger surrounding Treena was now greater than ever.

  Ruby sighed. “That occurred to the circle as well. We just had an emergency meeting. Unfortunately there’s more, and this is even worse. We measured the lake last night.”

  “It’s lower?”

  “It’s about half the depth it was a week ago.”

  Shock pounded through me. Half? “That’s impossible.”

  “And it’s not just the lake. Only two wells of the four have any water left. It’s like something is sucking the water right out of the ground. And our crops—”

  “I can guess.” Crops needed a huge amount of water. The land we’d chosen was fertile, but it wouldn’t produce anything if it didn’t rain soon. We desperately needed those crops. And that didn’t even take the animals into consideration. A group of traders had passed through and traded us a few cattle at an exorbitant price. We couldn’t lose those cattle.

  “I’m afraid we’re running out of options,” Ruby said. “We can start rationing, I suppose. But if we don’t find another water source soon, we’ll have to leave. This Ju-Long thing has just narrowed our focus. I think it’s time we discussed an exodus to NORA.”

  Now I understood why Selia had asked Ruby to break the news. They both knew my feelings on this subject.

  “No,” I said. “We won’t go to NORA, not now. We’ll find some other way.”

  “Vance—”

  “Even if they agreed to treat us well, which is doubtful, they’re about to be attacked. I won’t trade one kind of death for another.”

  “We all knew it was a matter of time,” Ruby said smoothly, as if she expected my response. “Both groups need one another to survive this. Besides, do you really think they’d destroy NORA and leave us unscathed? We’d be next. And frankly, we have to survive in order to get that far, so we should get moving sooner than later.”

  “NORA is the worst-case scenario. There are other things to try first.”

  Ruby sighed. “Rations, then.”

  “We don’t have a choice.” I let out a frustrated breath. “I shouldn’t be here. You need me there more.”

  “I’m sure Treena is glad for your company.”

  I imagined Treena in Augustus’s arms
, all relaxed and happy, and felt as if someone had tightened their hands around my windpipe. She’d acted so strange lately, sneaking out and keeping secrets.

  “Half rations,” I told Ruby. “If things don’t improve soon, I’m coming home. With or without Treena.”

  I left Augustus on the dance floor and went in search of Vance. Twenty minutes later I found him against the wall again, watching me with arms folded. It only took a glance to know he was upset. His expression went beyond hurt and into anger. I took a deep breath and pushed through the crowd toward him.

  “Finley is going to take you home,” he said when I reached him. “She’s waiting in the lobby.”

  “Now?”

  “Now. Something’s come up. I want you to stay in your room until you hear from me.”

  “Vance.”

  He finally turned on me, his eyes boring into mine. “What?”

  His harsh reaction gave me pause, but I barreled on. “I don’t care for Augustus. It was one dance, okay? You don’t need to act like this.”

  “I’m not jealous. We’ll talk about this later.”

  “No, we’ll talk about it now.” A few people turned to look at us, and I realized I was shouting. I lowered my voice again. “Did you really think I came here to dance and enjoy the food? I have a job to do, if you haven’t noticed.”

  “So do I,” he hissed, “and my job is more urgent at the moment. There’s been a new threat—”

  “Well, maybe your job is interfering with mine,” I cut in. “How can I talk to the other leaders when you keep getting in the way, insisting everyone’s out to get me? Don’t you see how paranoid you’re acting?”

  “Oh, I’m getting in your way?” His dark eyes were dangerous now. “You go running around the city at night with another guy and come back covered in mud, and I’m paranoid for not being okay with that. Then I ask you to stay in your quarters for a while and you call me jealous. I don’t care who you dance with, Treena. I don’t even care who you run around the city with, frankly. But my only purpose here is to keep you alive, and I will stop anyone who gets in my way—even if that means you.”