by Simone Pond
“You’re late,” Ava said, without looking up.
“Better late than dead,” Grace muttered, walking toward the kitchen.
Ava ignored her daughter’s attitude and did her best not to take it personally. She understood Grace’s need for independence—independent people don’t like being boxed in. All she had to do was think back to her days inside the city center. Ava hoped her daughter would eventually come around to realize she wasn’t the enemy—that she was trying to protect her from the real one. The man she had been relentlessly hunting down since before Grace was born. She knew Morray was lurking in the digital realm, plotting his next move to regain control. Ava dedicated her life to ensuring that would never happen again. Years ago she had made the tough choice to withdraw from public life, relinquishing her authority as one of the architects of the new society so she could dedicate her time to searching for Morray. But mainframe search after mainframe search, she still hadn’t come across anything concrete. No digital footprints, no identity matrix. Nothing. Most people claimed he was gone for good, but Ava knew better.
Grace went to the kitchen to help her father with dinner. Joseph had become the buffer between the two, keeping the peace between mother and daughter. She loved the way Joseph had always stepped up when she was too engrossed in her work; he understood and respected the importance of her research. After all, he had set the wheels into motion by handing her Lillian’s journal so many years ago.
“Ava, dear, you wanna join your family for dinner?” Her husband’s calm voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Yes, I’m coming.” She placed the journal into the bottom drawer, locking it with a key she wore around her neck. Ava protected the old journals with the same tenacity she protected Grace.
She sat down at the dining room table. The smell of rosemary and potato stew filled the cabin. “Smells delicious. Thank you, honey,” she said, taking a spoonful into her mouth. The savory stew warmed her tongue, and she closed her eyes to enjoy its hearty flavors. “Delicious. How’d you get so good at this?”
“Lots of practice,” he said, smiling.
Ava looked up and noticed a bandage on Grace’s forehead. She reached over and brushed aside Grace’s hair. “What in God’s name happened?”
“Little accident at the SportsPlex,” Grace said, biting into a roll.
“SportsPlex? You were in the city?”
“I wanted to get in a little more practice before tryouts tomorrow.”
“You’re lucky it wasn’t worse. What were you thinking?”
“I guess I wasn’t.”
Ava studied her daughter for a moment, trying to come up with the right words that wouldn’t set her off. “You’ve worked so hard for this, I’d hate for you to lose this opportunity.”
“It’s just a graze.” Grace pulled away and continued eating.
“Joseph, did you see this?”
He stayed quiet.
“I’m fine, Mom.”
“I wish you’d be more careful.”
“I’m always careful. I don’t have much choice. You’re constantly riding me.”
“You know I just want to protect you.”
“I can protect myself.”
Ava sat back in her chair, no longer in the mood to eat. “I don’t want to argue tonight. I’ve been working all day.”
“You’ve been working my whole life,” Grace said.
“Working to protect you, and our people.”
“From what? A ghost from the past?”
Joseph slammed his fists on the table. The cabin grew still. “I’m wondering if the two of you could take a moment to say a prayer of thanks?” Joseph lowered his head.
Ava and Grace followed suit, and there was a brief moment of calm before Ava started up again. “I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t go to city without a chaperone?”
“But you had your watchdog, Sam, on me.” Grace took another huge bite of her roll.
“Are you implying I sent him to spy on you?”
“I’m just saying I can handle myself. Right, Dad?”
Joseph raised his head and started eating.
Grace glared at her mother. “I know you don’t think I can take care of myself, but I can. I’m one of the most talented combat fighters in our village.”
“I don’t doubt your abilities, Grace. I know you can handle yourself. It’s just, when you go off to the city . . . You haven’t seen what I’ve seen.”
“Those days are long gone. When are you gonna start living in reality?”
Ava bit down on her lip to keep from exploding. “Our reality is this—you never know when someone with bad ideas and a lot of power will sneak in and strip away all that is good and right.”
“The most important thing I’ve learned from you is to protect freedom—at any cost. Am I supposed to just sit back and do nothing, wait for some tyrant to take over? That’s not what you did for your people.”
“I’m just saying you have to be smart about things, Grace. You can’t just leap off cliffs and hope for a safety net.”
“I am smart about things!” Grace got up from the table and ran to her room.
Ava stood up, but Joseph reached out and took her hand. “Leave her be, Ava. You’ll only make it worse.”
“I can’t say anything right.”
“Maybe if you had a little trust.”
“Trust must be earned,” she said.
“How can she earn it if you don’t give her a chance?”
“She’s not ready.”
“Ready for what, Ava? You’ve spent all these years preparing for Morray’s return, and what has that done for you? You’ve locked yourself in another prison, and you’ve been holding your daughter hostage.”
“I just want to protect her.” Ava finally broke and started crying.
“You can only do so much, and then you have to let go. Grace is growing up, whether you accept it or not, and one day she’s gonna make a good soldier. She’s smart and fearless, maybe to a fault. She’s gifted with a sword.”
“Morray won’t come back for a sword fight. Trust me.”
“I know you want to protect her, but you keep pushing her away.”
“She’s so damn determined,” Ava laughed.
“You, of all people, know how it feels to believe in something. To want to do the right thing.”
Ava remembered living inside the Los Angeles City Center—a prison containing thousands of innocent people destined to be slaves to their leader, Chief Morray. She had escaped and fought to save her people. Her determination was the reason the Los Angeles City Center was dismantled and the people set free.
“Why would someone who had fought so hard for freedom refuse to give Grace her own?” Joseph asked.
“I’m scared. I don’t want to lose her,” Ava confessed.
“If you keep this up, you will.”
“I don’t want to lose her to Morray,” she said.
“I’m a hundred percent certain neither of you would ever let that happen.” Joseph smiled and pulled Ava in for a hug.
“There’s still one piece of information I haven’t discussed with you or Grace regarding the academy.”
“I hope you’re not planning on banning her from tryouts. There’d be an all-out war.”
“No, it’s not that. You might want to sit down,” she said.
A few weeks earlier, Director Faraday from the Silicon Valley Academy had made an offer for Ava to work in their labs to conduct more extensive mainframe research on their new equipment. Part of the deal included room and board.
“So, I’ll be living at the academy for the next six months. I’ve been waiting for the right time to discuss it with you both, but there was rarely a moment of peace.”
Joseph closed his eyes and rested his head against the back of the chair.
“You might wanna wait until after tryouts to drop that bomb,” he said. “I’m happy to hear the academy wants you, but you should’ve mentioned this sooner. Not just
for Grace’s sake, but mine.”
Joseph left the cabin, leaving Ava alone to sit with her thoughts. Sometimes independence came with a price.
3
Grace paced around in her room, trying to walk off the feeling of being suffocated. There was no way she’d be able to calm down stuck inside the cabin. She needed some air . . . and her friend Marion. She grabbed a sweater, climbed out the window, and headed toward the Cantina. The Cantina had become the hot spot for social gatherings similar to the cafés and pubs in the city. With so many city residents traveling to the coastal villages, the villagers had begun to take advantage of the trade benefits. Insiders were happy to exchange goods for a break from the bustling city; the Outsiders were delighted to accommodate the new trend, as long as the city folk didn’t disrupt their peaceful way of life.
“Over here, Gracie.” Marion waved from a table in the back of the Cantina. As if Grace could miss that nest of red hair.
Grace joined the small gathering of friends playing poker. Everyone remained focused on their cards. This group didn’t mess around when it came to competition. They approached their education and training with the same fervor, which was another reason tryouts weren’t going to be easy. She noticed Sam at the end of the table—his dark eyes scanned her, as if gathering information. She wondered if he was making a mental note to report back to her mother the next day. Though he was only a couple years older than Grace, he was way too serious, and always had a stiff posture underneath his neatly tucked-in shirts. Sam was meticulous about everything. Grace usually looked as if she left the house in a hurry.
“Wanna play?” asked Marion, scooting over to make room.
Grace sat down next to her friend and glanced around at the players. Blythe sat at the other end of the table, glaring with her permanent scowl. “I think I’ll pass.” Grace smiled politely.
“What happened to your face, Lonestar?” Blythe asked.
“Accident at the SportsPlex.”
“Two losses in one day. No wonder you don’t wanna play.” Blythe went back to her cards.
“I wanna conserve my energy for tomorrow,” Grace said, wishing she had kept her mouth shut.
“Yeah, you’ll need it,” Blythe sneered.
Instead of taking the bait, Grace sat back and checked out the Cantina scene. Tiny strings of white lights and candles gave the place a festive and inviting atmosphere. On the small stage, there was a trio of musicians strumming guitars and singing. The place was packed with villagers along with some Insiders scattered throughout. Everyone sat at the community tables, chatting and listening to the music. Grace spotted a familiar face across the room. A face with perfect symmetry, a strong jawline, and unforgettable green eyes.
“What’s he doing here?” She ducked behind Marion’s hair to stay out of view.
“Who?” Marion asked.
“The Insider who diced up her face,” said Sam.
“He didn’t dice up my face. It’s just a nick,” said Grace, defending Lucas, though she wasn’t sure why. She barely knew him.
Sam threw a couple of chips into the middle of the table. “Raise.”
“I don’t know why the Insiders come out this way. They have plenty of their own hangs.” Blythe tossed in some chips. “See and raise.”
“He’s coming over here,” Marion whispered to Grace.
“What should I say?”
“You need to intercept that stink before it gets any closer,” Blythe said.
Grace stood up and headed over toward Lucas, not wanting him to walk into an ambush. He stopped and waited next to one of the tables, probably sensing her attempt to keep him at bay.
“Good evening, Grace.” He held out his hand and smiled, showing his impeccable teeth.
“So official. You’re on the Outside; you can drop the formalities.” She shook his hand.
He held on a little too long, causing heat to rush up the back of her neck. She looked at her feet, embarrassed she hadn’t taken time to put on shoes or better clothes. She was still wearing her grubby gear she had on all day. He was clean-shaven, smelling of sandalwood, and had changed into pants and a pristine white shirt.
“What can I say? I like tradition,” he said.
“Yeah, I guess I do, too.” She glanced at her feet again.
Lucas bent down and took off his shiny black shoes and socks. “There. The best of both worlds.” He smiled, and Grace couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “What?” he asked.
“Your feet are so white.”
“I just got here; give me a few minutes.” He laughed. “Can I get you something to drink?”
Grace looked back at her friends in their heated game of poker. Sam folded his hand and kept a close watch on Grace.
“Um, how about we go for a walk? I can give you a tour of the village.”
“Sounds ideal.”
He reached out for her hand to hold it, which she thought was a bold move. She quickly headed out of the Cantina, ignoring his hand. She guided him down the lantern-lined walkway through the main part of the village, pointing to things to keep her hands free. She didn’t know if Insiders were always so forward, but she wasn’t about to let this one make any moves.
“That’s the medical hall. I avoid it at all costs.” She pointed to the large cabin-like building.
“Not a fan of illness?” he grinned.
“No, just blood and gross stuff. You know, like battle wounds.” She pointed to the bandage on her forehead.
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.” He put his hands in his pockets and gave her some space.
She continued on with the tour. “And over there is the library.”
“Can we go inside? I rarely get a chance to see books.”
Grace paused, wondering if they should go in or not, but she was running out of options as far as entertaining Lucas. They couldn’t go to the main hall because they were setting up for tryouts, and the farm was too far away.
“Sure, let’s go in. They keep the doors unlocked. For the insomniacs.”
“That’s a pleasant concept, reading a book to go back to sleep.”
“What do you do?”
“Oh, there’s a pill or mist for everything in the city. Surprised it hasn’t found its way out here.”
“The elders do their best to keep Inside things out.” She immediately regretted the words. “I mean, um, I didn’t mean . . .”
“Please, Grace. I understand. This place has a special innocence. It should be protected.”
They stepped into the library, and the scent of stale books filled the air. The relics had been around for centuries. Over the years, the Outsiders had been collecting books that survived the fires during the Repatterning hundreds of years ago.
“I love coming here. That’s the one thing my mother and I have in common. Besides our eyes.” Grace walked over to a shelf and touched the spines of the books, reading the faded titles.
“You have eyes like an Insider,” said Lucas.
“Yeah, well, my mother was one. A pretty famous one. Ava Rhodes. Well, she’s been Ava Strader for a while.”
“You mean the one who . . .”
“You know what? I don’t wanna talk about my mother.”
“Okay, let’s change the subject. What’s your favorite book?” Lucas set his shoes on the floor and walked over to a shelf. He lifted one of the books and held it to his nose.
“Hard to say. So many.”
“If you had to pick one to run away with?” he asked.
“Hmm, one to run away with? Okay, let me think for a second.”
Grace watched Lucas as he strolled down the length of the shelf, tilting his head to read the titles. She wondered why he had made the trek out to Ojai. It wasn’t to apologize for the sword mishap; he had already done that. He must have come to see her again. She liked the way his fingers gently touched the books as he browsed. Her chest warmed up. She hadn’t felt like this over a guy before. The ones in the village avoided her romantically—he
r sword-fighting skills and high-ranking father intimidated them. Nobody wanted to date the General’s daughter. Her mother’s watchdog, Sam, didn’t help matters. It was a nice change to have someone interested in her who didn’t know her entire story.
“Oh, I know.” Grace went over to a small shelf in the back of the library and grabbed her favorite book. “Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.”
“I’ve never heard of it.” He reached for the book to read the jacket copy. “It’s about a spider who saves a pig from slaughter.”
“Well, it’s really about their friendship,” she said. “It’s an unlikely one.”
“Those are the best kind, aren’t they?” he said, smiling.
Grace returned the smile—a bit uncomfortably—and turned around, pretending to look for another book to hide her blushing cheeks. She felt like a timid girl instead of the most talented sword fighter in the village.
“What’s back here?” Lucas headed toward the walk-in vault.
Her stomach dropped. The vault was off limits. “That’s where we keep the journals from the early days of the Repatterning, as well as current records. The first one dates all the way back to 2027. Have you ever heard of Lillian’s journal?”
“Sounds familiar,” he said.
“Lillian was the original Outsider. During the Repatterning, she escaped from one of the plantations with her boyfriend, Aaron, and a few others. The small band lived in the woods, built up an army, and eventually took down the plantation, freeing the people. They started a new society and became such a strong force they were able to ward off Chief Morray and keep him at bay. They’re the reason this village exists today. Anyway, it was Lillian’s story that inspired my mother to escape the city center. My mom claims it was the key to her people’s freedom.”
“Whoa, that’s incredible. Can we go in?”
“No way. That’s one rule I can’t break.”
