“Okay,” he said.
“Your answers should be as short as you can make them while still satisfying the reporter,” said Ada. “It’s the Kellos Network conducting the interview, so they’ll probably send Rachel Madison.”
Archer didn’t recognize the name and he didn’t ask anything further. It wouldn’t change much even if he knew the reporter’s exact disposition ahead of time, and he felt as though he needed a minute or two to organize his thoughts.
I just need to be confident, charming, and as honest as I can be about how I ended up in this situation.
His thoughts invariably turned back to Trevor as the rail car continued down the line. His brother had seemed so real in the training area, so vivid. Even after what Karen had told him, it seemed at least possible, if not likely, that it had all just been a hallucination. He still couldn’t explain how a hallucination of Trevor could have known where the mute switch was, but maybe… it was just luck?
If it was, let’s hope that I still have some left.
“Here it is,” said Ada, as the rail car pulled to a stop. “It will be better if I wait for you outside. We want this to seem like it was something you did of your own volition.”
“Right…” Archer nodded slowly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He climbed out of the rail car through the front door and looked at the building he stood next to.
It wasn’t as large or majestic as many of the more eye catching structures in the inner city, but something about it screamed of money. The outside walls were clean, as was the street in front of it, and there were little aisles of grass to either side, giving the impression of a small courtyard.
Archer walked to the front entrance and pushed his way in through the double doors. Sunlight from a large overhead window illuminated the lobby from above. People sat on nice leather couches, or conversed leaning against walls, drinks in hand.
It looked less like a place of business and more like an expensive lounge area. The casualness of it was shocking, and it did the opposite of what he assumed it was supposed to, anxiety pounded through his chest.
“Archer Clark,” said a voice. “Right on time.”
An attractive young woman dressed in a white and grey suit jacket and a tight black skirt made her way across the room toward him. Her hair was dark brown and smooth, framing a pretty face, and Archer guessed that she’d chosen her outfit to accentuate the swell of her breasts and curve of her hips.
“I’m here for the, uh, interview,” he said, scratching the back of his head.
She nodded to him, and he felt really dumb.
Not a good way to kick this off. Maybe I can get some pity from the fact that I’m out of my element?
“Rachel Madison,” she said, flashing a smile with perfectly white teeth.
“Nice to meet you.” He shook her hand, and then followed as she turned to lead him across the room.
“We’ll do the interview in my office,” she said. “Can I have someone get you anything? Coffee? Tea?”
“No thanks,” said Archer. He’d never been able to afford either, growing up in the coal district, and as such, had never developed much of a taste for them.
Rachel led him down a hallway into a small room that matched the motif of the lobby. There was a camera already rolling, operated by a gangly cameraman. There was a long leather couch flanked by two matching arm chairs and a glass coffee table containing crystal tumblers and a coordinated decanter.
“Have a seat,” said Rachel. “Please.”
Archer hesitated, and then chose one of the armchairs, keeping his back straight as he sat. Rachel smiled as though he’d just made a cute blunder, and chose the opposite armchair to sit in.
“Archer, please, relax,” she said. “This isn’t going to be whatever your lieutenant or captain or whoever forced you to do this interview made it out to be.”
“It’s just… been a long couple of days,” he said. “I’m still adjusting to all of this.”
“I can imagine.” Rachel smiled at him and then the camera while crossing her legs with the grace of a swan. She had a pad of paper in her lap, and glanced down at it. “Has the transition been hard for you, given how sudden and massive it was?”
Archer shrugged.
“It was hard living in the coal district,” he said. “But there are some elements of my life now that are… even more challenging.”
“Care to share? You don’t have to go deep into detail if you don’t want to.”
Archer hesitated.
I need to be careful about what I say. I can’t get too comfortable.
“Getting the neural node implanted,” he said, settling on something minor. “It was such a weird sensation. Like a bee sting crossed with a really bad sliver.”
Rachel laughed, and her face became even more attractive and radiant than it had been at rest.
“I have to imagine there are parts of living in the citizen’s district that you like more than being in the coal district though, right?”
“Of course,” said Archer. “It’s nice having a comfortable bed. The food is way better, too. Lots of perks to it.”
Rachel nodded and glanced back down at her notebook.
“How do you feel about your brother Trevor?” she asked. “Is it hard, given your history, to mourn for him?”
Archer fidgeted slightly, knowing that the question left room for him to hang himself, if he wasn’t careful.
“Of course I’m mourning for Trevor,” he said. “The two of us had a complicated relationship, but he was still my brother.”
And that’s the truth. I feel no joy over his death, even if it led me to new opportunities.
“Okay…” Rachel tapped her finger against her notebook. “So, joining the Metal Squad, entering the public eye. Have you been tempted by any of it, yet?”
Archer frowned.
“What do you mean, exactly?” he asked.
“You’re a young man,” said Rachel. “Eligible. In the public eye. Still new to this life, sure, but I’ll bet you’re already noticing some of the perks of your new status.”
Archer let out a small, slightly uncomfortable laugh.
“I’ve been focused on taking care of my duties,” he said. “My training is challenging enough without trying to add in a social life on top of it.”
“That’s too bad…” purred Rachel. She held Archer’s eye for a moment, and he felt a little overwhelmed by the willingness he saw on her face. She slowly licked her lips and wiggled slightly in the chair, pushing her chest out. Archer cleared his throat.
“Next question,” said Rachel, her voice a little strained. “The pressure on your shoulders must be enormous. When it comes to defending Tempus, do you think you can get the job done?”
This time, Archer knew better than to hesitate with his answer, or let his real feelings show.
“I am the right man for the job,” he said. “I know how to survive better than most.”
“Mmm, good answer,” said Rachel. “Now, I was forced to agree to a rather limited time constraint by your commanding officer, but I would be remiss in doing my duty if I didn’t ask the question on everyone’s mind. Did you or did you not attempt to assassinate Trevor six years ago, when he first began training to join the Metal Squad?”
Archer froze in his chair. He’d been it expecting the question, but somehow, it had fallen to the back of his mind once the interview had started. Perhaps it had been a defense mechanism, a manifestation of him hoping that everyone would forget about the incident. But here it was, and he had a choice to make when it came to how he answered it.
Contradicting Trevor’s fabricated version of events would not only involve calling his dead brother a liar, but accusing all of the media channels of misreporting the truth. It would be challenging a narrative that had been part of Trevor’s official history for half a decade, one that had gained momentum in the hearts and minds of the people of Tempus.
But if he didn’t open up about the truth
of what had happened on the fateful night and get his side of the story straight right from the beginning, he would never escape. It would be a myth that would follow him to the grave.
“Trevor and I had a disagreement,” he said, carefully, “and the encounter turned into a fight. I was a twelve year old boy, fighting with my older brother. The people who say that I tried to kill Trevor are taking the event out of context and spreading misinformation.”
The stunned look on Rachel’s face made it immediately clear that she hadn’t been expecting this. She looked so caught off guard that Archer’s first reaction was to say more. He held back, knowing that it was important for him to be concise and definitive about what had happened.
“That’s…” Rachel shook her head. “Wow. Okay, I think we have all that we need.”
She smiled, recovering slightly as she stood up. Archer shook her hand again and felt her hold the grip for longer than she needed to while staring into his eyes. He’d seen the look before and finally remembered where.
She was the reporter interviewing Trevor in the recorded news segment I watched in the recruiter’s office.
“You really are something, Archer,” said Rachel. “And this is coming from someone who knew your brother… quite well.”
Archer nodded.
“I appreciate that,” he said. “Thanks for keeping things civil in the interview.”
“My pleasure.” She flashed a wicked smile at him, and Archer felt serious tension hanging on the edge of the moment that passed between them.
CHAPTER 16
Ada was waiting for him outside in front of the rail car. She was biting a fingernail, and her brow furrowed when she saw him approach.
“How did it go?” she asked casually. Her voice was neutral, but her body language spoke volumes about her concern.
“Actually… not too bad,” said Archer. “The reporter was nice enough. I didn’t have to be especially creative with my answers.”
Ada let out a sigh of relief and nodded.
“Good,” she said. “That’s good. Come on, I’m giving you the evening off. I’ll take you back to the Prime Complex. You’ve earned some rest.”
The ride seemed to go by more quickly, but Archer figured it was probably just because he was getting used to the sights of the citizen’s district. It was the core of Tempus, with the huge towers at the center and endless variety in the shops and services offered. He understood now why most of the middle class citizens he’d encountered back when he’d been a smog had been blind to the poverty and suffering in the coal district.
Is that what’s going to happen to me, eventually? Am I going to forget about all of the people on the other side of that wall?
His thoughts turned to Sabrina for the first time that day. She’d been doing well by smog standards in the coal district, working at one of the nicer brothels, making enough money to live comfortably at times. Now, thinking of her and her living conditions made Archer feel incredibly guilty for all of his newfound fortune.
“Ada,” he said. “Can you do something for me?”
She’d been sitting next to him and resting her eyes, but she instantly snapped them open when she heard his voice.
“That depends on what it is,” said Ada.
He explained Sabrina’s situation. Ada listened intently, nodding and frowning.
“I can look into finding a job for her in the inner city,” said Ada. “You should think about it carefully, however. It might be easier for you to move forward if you aren’t distracted by old flames.”
“It wasn’t really like that with me and her,” he said. “And Ada… I want to see my mom.”
“It’ll have to wait until at least tomorrow.”
“That’s fine,” said Archer. “I just… need to see that she’s alright. And how she’s being treated in her new accommodations.”
“Archer…” Ada’s frown deepened, and she shifted in her seat to face him directly. “Are you going to be able to do what I need you to do? This isn’t the start of you losing your nerve, is it?”
Archer shook his head, though it was as much to convince himself as it was to convince her.
“I don’t really have a choice,” he said. “You wanted me to commit. I have the neural node in my head to prove that I have.”
Ada nodded. The rail car rolled to a stop in front of the Prime Complex. She stood up so that Archer could slide out of the seat into the aisle. She seemed to hesitate before nodding and patting him on the shoulder in a wordless goodbye.
Archer stood outside for a minute, feeling the cool air on his face, listening to the sound of citizens walking home, or out to whatever recreational activity they’d chosen for the night. He turned and walked inside.
The door to his apartment was locked and he fiddled with the keycard Ada had given him the day before to get it open. The lights were on inside and the air smelled of chicken and garlic. He realized that he hadn’t stopped to eat lunch that day, and his mouth began salivating, as if on cue.
“Leigh?”
She popped out from behind one of the kitchen islands, wearing a pink apron over her blue servant’s dress. Archer smiled, more out of surprise than anything. She looked domestic, like a housewife from how they were portrayed in the old pictures from centuries earlier.
“I started dinner, sir,” she said. “It’s just about ready.”
“Thank you.” Archer walked across the kitchen and into the dining area, taking a seat at the table. Sitting down felt amazing, and he could finally let himself relax. He rested his head as he listened to the sound of Leigh preparing the plates. She set one down in front of him after a couple of minutes.
Garlic chicken, vegetables, and rice. A feast by smog standards. Archer let out an appreciative chuckle and grinned at her.
“This looks amazing,” he said. “Where did you get the ingredients for it? Was all of this in Trevor’s fridge?”
“I walked to the store in the commercial sector,” said Leigh. “Captain Ada gave me an expense account to cover the costs of all your essentials.”
That’s right. This is work for her.
“Thank you,” said Archer.
“You don’t have to thank me, sir,” said Leigh.
He let his eyes meet hers. She was smiling, clearly pleased by his praise, and they watched each other in silence, the air electric between them. It was work for her, of course, but somehow, Archer could sense that she didn’t hate it. More importantly, she didn’t hate him.
“Try it,” said Leigh. “I need to know if you like it or not so I can adjust my seasonings in the future.”
“Alright.” Archer took a small bite of the chicken, nodding appreciatively. “It’s good. It’s… really good.”
Leigh grinned at his praise. She picked up her own utensils and then froze in place, as though she’d just remembered something.
“It is okay, isn’t it?” she asked. “Sir?”
“The food?”
“No…” Leigh waved a hand over her plate, and then herself. She’d taken the apron off, but still looked as cute and stunning as ever. “This.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Leigh cleared her throat.
“Me eating at the same table as you,” she said, quietly. “Usually, attendants don’t… share things like that, with their masters.”
Archer sighed. The culture of the tower district elites had always seemed excessive and wasteful to him, as a smog. He’d assumed that his perspective was clouded by jealousy, and that had in part been the truth. But now here he was, living as an elite, and he didn’t have to scratch all that deep under the surface to find the ugliness, the separateness, of the tower way of life.
“Leigh, I consider you to be a friend first, and an attendant second,” he said. She smiled at that, but Archer immediately wished that he’d found some way to phrase it without calling her a friend. It almost felt like she was already closer than that to him.
She was jus
t doing her job last night in the bath. I’m being stupid.
“Sir,” said Leigh. “Thank you.”
“Archer,” he said. “Please, Leigh. Call me by my name.”
“I will when I can remember to,” she said. “Sir.”
A wicked smile flashed across her face as she said the last word, as though there was something deeply amusing to her about playing mock submissive. Archer felt the air in between them heat up and resisted the temptation to play along with the teasing as her demanding master. The moment passed, and the two of them turned back to their food.
“So…” he said, filling the silence. “How was your day?”
“How was… my day?”
“Yeah,” he said. “You went to a store, right? Did you do anything else?”
Leigh frowned slightly, as though she was unprepared to answer that kind of question.
“I… went to the store,” she said. “It was a nice day, so I took my time on the walk, cut through one of the parks.”
She blushed as though she’d just admitted to something bad.
“They had all of the ingredients in stock, which is rare with the shortages,” she said. “Then, I walked back. I put the ingredients away. You didn’t have any laundry for me to do, I just set out some clothing for the next few days.”
“Thank you,” said Archer.
“You don’t have to thank me,” she said, quickly. “After that, I took my lunch break over by Laita Pyramid. The realist spiritualists sing in the courtyard every day at noon, it’s really quite beautiful.”
“Nice,” said Archer. “And then you came back here and… started on dinner?”
“I relaxed for a bit first.” Leigh smiled.
She has the best smile.
“Cool,” said Archer. “That was very thorough. You don’t get asked that question a lot, do you?”
She looked a little offended, but only for a second, her expression shifting into something playful and a little flirtatious.
“Well, how was your day, then?” she asked. “Let’s see how you give your answer!”
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