by Lola Dodge
I couldn’t see specifically when or how, but the general fighting on the horizon said Nagi wasn’t going to sit back and let himself be replaced. He was bringing the fight to us. And with Tair unmasked, he knew exactly where to find us.
One by one the votes trickled in. Too slow. The bluish haze of a million things gone wrong crept closer by the second.
It took everything I had not to storm the stage and put on a clairvoyant show, but my third eye felt caked in mud in the press of bodies, and as soon as I dropped my hood I’d set off the alarm again. A Red Helix popping into the middle of the vote wouldn’t inspire anyone’s confidence. But the votes still weren’t registering fast enough. Were the senators even trying? They looked more busy whispering to each other than voting.
It wasn’t gonna fly.
I was trying to figure out how to fix it when a guy in body armor pushed up next to me. “Quanta?”
His past flashed before I tamp it down.
A woman pushes a dark-eyed boy on a swing. His infectious laugh rings out as he swings higher and higher, then jumps. He skids and rolls to a landing, and still giggling, runs off across the grass. “Benj! Where are you going?”
“Benj Wallace?” I asked, jamming my mental walls back into place.
“Yes, ma’am.” He lifted his facemask, revealing chocolate brown eyes and a smile. “Knight said you needed a little help?”
A little? More like a lot of help.
“How do feel about having a gun battle later?” I asked. He looked ready enough, decked out in body armor with a bunch of guns and knives and spare magazines sticking out of his pockets and holsters. I had a tranq gun and a gun, gun, but I looked super unprepared compared Knight’s buddy.
“You’re making my day. My guys have been bored off their asses working Citadel missions.” Benj snapped his facemask back into place, although he sounded like he was still grinning behind it.
“Well before we get to the shooting can you help me ask a question?” Because I really wanted to be the one doing the shooting rather than taking the bullets, and the longer we stood around here, the farther we drifted from the ideal futures.
“What is it?” Benj leaned down so I could speak into his ear.
“Can you ask Tair to prove he has the formula?” That was the most obvious way to speed this mess up. Then they’d know how deadly serious this vote was.
As soon as there was a lull in the other shouting, Benj called out. “How do we know you really have the formula?”
All calm and confident, Tair stepped back to the center of the stage. “Check my records. You’ll notice I was working directly for Doctor Nagi when I was exiled. I entered his Red Helix team and stumbled on some information he didn’t want known. If he succeeds in killing me, you’ll be stuck in the current system another thousand years. Isn’t it time for a change?”
Missing our old psychic link, I gave Tair a mental thumbs-up anyway. The explanation was the perfect mix of truth and lies. And it should knock out at least one question mark for the Seligo.
So maybe they’d stop moving like molasses.
“Not good enough!” A guy called from the seats. “Show us the formula!”
That wasn’t happening, but Tair took the question in stride.
“I couldn’t share it all in this venue if I wanted, but if I could borrow a tablet?” Tair asked. Someone standing on the other side of the dais handed him up a portacomp and he scribbled a few lines of code with a finger. His code popped up on the senators’ screens, sparking more and more whispers. “I’m sure any Green Helixes present can confirm the basic theory here.” It looked like gibberish to me, but the senators had clearly spent more time studying genetics than I had.
The mumbling cut off and the votes started trickling in. They were slow at first, popping onto the screens, showing who’d voted what and making little pie charts.
I gritted my teeth. I still couldn’t see the result. There were too many individual choices involved. It was fifty-fifty.
At best.
But slowly, slowly the count started tipping our way.
I bounced on my toes. Was this really going to work?
Now that decisions were being made, the futures started to settle a little. I grabbed for whatever intel I could find.
Doctor Nagi storms down the hall, surrounded by battle-ready Black Helixes—
Air whooshed from my lungs like I’d been punched in the gut. He was coming. Now.
I waved for Tair, but he was looking at the tally on the screens.
Most of the votes were in. And Nagi was out. Done-zo.
But votes were votes and guns were guns. If Nagi slaughtered the senate, there’d be no one left to overthrow him. According to the futures I was seeing…
Nagi could very much slaughter the senate.
I tossed my cloak and clambered onto the dais. The alarm kicked up as scanners caught my face, but the shocked silence that fell over the crowd was exactly what I needed. “You’ve all made your decision. Now you better fight for it, because Nagi and his Black Helixes are on the way.”
“Guards! To the exits!” Tair’s father started calling out orders, marshaling the private security guys into a fighting force, but all I could see in the future was gunfire and blood. The senate floor was a kill box, and Tair and I needed out before the bullets flew.
But as I grabbed for him, the future changed again. Instead of thousands of misty maybe-timelines, two options snapped into place in the clearest fork I’d ever seen. Timeghosts fluttered a bit on either side, so there were variations how the choice could play out, but it was a choice.
Two paths and I could only pick one.
One: run.
We duck under our cloaks and sneak from the senate chamber, slinking past Black Helixes so intent on quashing a rebellion, they don’t spare a glance for anyone who’s not a senator. Hopping a pod, we navigate back to the building where Nagi’s keeping his Reds. It’s easier to make our way through security with Nagi distracted at the senate.
Variations of the image blurred. It wouldn’t be a total cakewalk—I’d still need to rewind time more than once to get us through all the traps and guards—but finally, I found the perfect timeline.
Knight takes off in the hovership and we soar back to Roboloco with a cabin full of rescues. Cassie. Mona. Oliver. Kiri. Aliya. Some more ragged than others, but all alive and one or two even cracking a smile.
Devan cries with joy as she finally reunites with her friends, Mona crushes Cipher in a hug, and Cass rushes toward me with a smile.
But…
Even if we freed the prisoners, we’d already opened a trash can of worms. The path kept right on rolling. Nagi would easily crush this little half rebellion, and on the other side, with no one left at the senate to work or even speak out against him, he’d be more powerful than ever. There’d be no second chance to kick him out, so running today meant setting ourselves up to fight every day of the rest of our lives.
After the happy reunion, our path would spin out into battle after battle after battle, and Tair and I wouldn’t be the only ones struggling. The flashes of options showed so much death I had to block it out. Cipher and Knight. Lady Eva. Devan and her friends. Now even Cass and the Roboloco kids. They were all involved, and they’d pay for it if we went down this road.
But choice number two…
I fought to keep breathing as the timeghosts steamrolled me.
Tair and I sprint the corridors surrounded by his family’s soldiers. We trade shots with the Black Helixes protecting Nagi, advancing step by agonizing step. The way forward blurs until we’re standing face-to-face with Nagi in a long white hall.
Again, different options popped up. I died. Tair died. Both of us died. But if I gritted past those ugly, worst-case scenarios, I could see the best future ever.
Doctor Nagi slumps on the ground in a pool of blood.
The man was permanently down. Out of our lives forever.
It was possible.
<
br /> And again, more futures spilled out on that side of the fork. If we took down Nagi, the coup would hold. Cass and the others would survive, and the Shadow Ravens would still have more fights ahead, but against a disorganized temp government instead one led by an authoritarian mastermind.
It was a no-brainer, but creepy crawlies slipped down my spine. We could make a stand. If Tair and I worked together, we could finally kill Nagi.
But would we survive?
“Tair…” Somehow he heard me over the rowdy, panicking senators.
“What’s wrong?” He leaned down, cupping my cheek as he brought his face close to mine.
I couldn’t believe I was going to suggest putting him—both of us—in more danger, but I couldn’t make this decision by myself. Not telling him was as good as choosing the path alone. “We have a choice. If we sneak out now, we can free everyone and survive, but Nagi comes out of this stronger and we’re screwed later on. If we stay and fight…” I wasn’t a fighter, but Nagi and his people couldn’t be reasoned with or manipulated and they weren’t going anywhere, either. “I’m not sure if we’ll live, but this is our last best chance to take him out.”
We were always fleeing and reacting. Nagi was always a step ahead. We couldn’t keep squeaking by him forever, and as much as my instincts pushed me toward self-preservation, I knew I’d regret walking away this time. Maybe not tomorrow, but a year from now? If Cipher and Devan and Eva all went down fighting?
We could nip all of that right in the bud.
“Is this a fight we can win?” Tair asked, his hand slipping to my shoulder.
“Not easily, but I’m getting tired of running away.”
“So am I.” He crushed me into is arms, pulling me against his chest. “But if it means losing you…”
As the seconds ticked and people ran and shouted all around us, I closed my eyes and breathed Tair in. I didn’t want to lose him, either. There were too many things we hadn’t done together. Fun things. Happy things. Going dancing and chess games and sleeping together until noon before eating waffles in bed.
I wanted those futures. But no matter what path we chose, our safety was never going to be guaranteed. Pressing into Tair’s warmth, I felt peaceful and protected. The breath of calm brought a hit of perfect clarity. Saving ourselves didn’t matter right now.
We had a chance to save everyone.
I gave Tair one last squeeze, wishing I could hold onto him, but Nagi’s warriors would be here any second. “I’m ready for a fight. Are you?”
I hoped he was in because I’d never be able to forgive myself if I passed up this chance.
Chapter Thirty-Six
ALTAIR
Was I ready to fight?
My heart said to screw the politics and head straight for Cass, but I could imagine what Quanta was seeing if our choice was either make a stand or flee.
If we didn’t stop Doctor Nagi now, we’d be taking an early battle victory only to lose the long war. We couldn’t let that happen.
I didn’t just want my sister to survive. I wanted her to have a future.
I kissed the crown of her head. “If you’re ready for a fight, I’m ready for a fight.” It wasn’t easy to cast aside my doubts with everything at risk, but Quanta wouldn’t send us into a pure suicide mission. And if the day could end in Doctor Nagi’s death, then I was on board.
We could use a little revenge.
“Then let’s do this.” Quanta pulled me with her as she hopped off the dais. The senate floor teemed with activity as fighters took positions. The senators screamed into their coms, calling for backup or announcing the vote results in the hopes that the military would ignore Doctor Nagi’s orders.
That wouldn’t happen. The Black Helixes were too deep in his pocket.
Teams of Green Helixes had pried open wall panels and were hacking into the building’s security, hopefully disabling the automated weapons systems. That would make our lives much easier—and likely longer—but Quanta and I were still outgunned.
“Hey, Benj! A little help?” Quanta stopped in front of the guard who’d called out the helpful question at her prompting. He held his gun ready, and the slight deference in the way the other fighters were positioned around him said that he was their squad leader.
“Orpheus, right?” He offered his hand. “I’ve got ten guys. We’re with you for whatever you need.”
“Thanks. We’re grateful.” I returned his handshake. Benj had thick fighter’s calluses, and both he and all his men stood calm and composed despite the chaos around us. Knight’s recommendation would’ve been enough to trust them, but I was that much more confident seeing how they carried themselves—and the sheer amount of weapons they’d brought between them. None had fewer than four visible handguns, and some had larger rifles strapped to their backs.
“Don’t be too grateful,” Benj said. “We’re also getting paid.”
There was that, but I still trusted them. And I’d have to pay Knight back.
“So what’s the situation?” he asked.
“We’re targeting Doctor Nagi. The rest…” I turned to Quanta. I’d have strategies when I knew what we were up against. Until then, I’d rather depend on her knowledge than lead us in the wrong direction.
She rubbed her arms. “Nagi’s definitely in the building. I think he was trying to crash the meeting not realizing there’d be a firefight, but now that you and I are on his radar, a few armies of Black Helixes are stomping our way. I just can’t tell where he disappears to… Where’s the safest place to hide around here?”
“The security bunker,” I said. The armored room was deep underground—far below and away from Quanta’s original prison. Nagi and the top senators were meant to escape there in the event of an emergency that trapped them on site, and a rebellion qualified.
Quanta scrunched her eyes in concentration. “I think that’s where he’ll head. We have to get to him first.”
“This way.” I cut across the chamber, heading for the southward door. Quanta followed with Benj and our new force of fighters. As far as I knew, there was only one lift that led to the bunker, and thanks to my parents, I knew exactly where to find it.
And as long as Doctor Nagi was in reach, I wanted a piece of him.
My parents were too occupied arguing with Senator Astor to notice us slipping away and I didn’t feel the need to say goodbye. We dashed for the door.
Muffled gunfire exploded on the other side of the chamber. Senators screeched and ducked for cover, but the bullets weren’t inside yet—only hitting the other side of the northward door. Mercenaries flanked either side, not wanting to stand in the line of fire.
The westward door was already shut tight, but men were still heaving the south and east doors closed. The twelve of us cut through before they could seal us off.
The heavy mechanized bolts clicked into place behind us. The lobby was empty, but it wouldn’t be for long.
I could already hear the boot steps closing in.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
QUANTA
Bluish timeghosts covered over my vision. There were hundreds of ways the next few seconds could go down, and I had to find the perfect harmony between tracking the options and losing myself in the present.
Except, I had a hard time being all Zen with the pat-pat-pat of gunfire in my ears. Was it echoing from the future? Or from down the hall?
I shook myself. Focus.
Benj and his guys dive out of the way as bullets start to fly through the lobby. Tair drags me behind a column and we use it as cover, peeking out to target Helixes. Our mercenaries take the brunt of the attack, and after a long few moments trading fire, we finally come out on top. With half as many people still standing.
If nothing else, staying where we were was a terrible idea. At least tracing the image backward showed me where the Helixes would hit us from. “They’re coming down that hall on the left.” So we could either head straight ahead or to the right. “Which way to the bunke
r?”
“Right,” Tair said.
That was all I needed. “Hurry.” I ran for it. Tair, Benj, and the guys sprinted with guns at the ready. I left mine at my hip for now, trusting them to cover me while I focused on the future.
Nagi’s fuzzy figure hopped in and out of my brain. He’d always been a beast to pin down, even when he and I used to cross paths. Now was no different.
The route took us back into the fancy hallways, which had thick carpets and walls chock full of political portraits and tipsy vases. The farther I ran, the harder it was to shake the creeping shadows from my past.
Nagi rolls me down a hallway bound to a stretcher—
I beat the image back before I saw any more. My history didn’t matter right now. My future did.
Focusing on my feet and my breath, I kept running. Tair and our fighters had no trouble keeping up with my pace because I wasn’t going fast enough. I had to figure out where Nagi was now. The clearest image I could dig out was from one of the worst paths, and its solid lines said this one was pretty likely.
Nagi leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he watches security cam footage on a wall filled with too many screens to count. He sits cozy and smug in the bunker, surrounded by wary Black Helixes, but there’s no threat to him here. On the screens, his teams mop up the last of the resistance in the senate.
So heading to the bunker was a definite. Focusing on that image, I tried to muddle my way backward through the timeline. How did Nagi get there? And when?
Nagi hustles down a hallway, surrounded by a pack of elite guards. They herd him, moving close to his body with protective hands on his shoulders, pushing him toward the lift. A retinal scanner drops down to read him before the lift’s doors ping open.
That was a future. Not a past.
Hope burst through me. We could still get to him in time. And as long as he was running for cover, he wasn’t sending guys to pick us up. That would be his first priority once he went to ground.
