New City

by Deborah Abela

  ‘What do we do now?’ Griffin asked.

  Isabella sank onto the lounge. ‘We have to find out where they took him.’

  ‘And then?’

  ‘Is everything okay?’ Bea stood at the door with Raffy, their faces knotted with worry.

  Griffin brightened. ‘Sure it is. Give me time to wash up and we’ll read some more Oliver Twist.’ Bea wasn’t budging. Griffin threw a pointed stare at Xavier. ‘Come on. I know I’m not as good as Griffin, but I’ll get us started.’

  Griffin sat beside her.

  ‘It’s my fault, Griffin – the bulldozers and soldiers, Vijay and Mr Finch being led away like criminals.’ Her body slumped forward with the sadness of it. ‘You tried to warn me, Mrs Gooding tried to warn me, but I wouldn’t listen.’

  ‘You don’t know this was your fault.’

  ‘Vijay used those tunnels for years. Why have they discovered them only now?’

  ‘You were doing what you thought was right.’

  ‘But I’ve made everything worse, Griffin. What’s going to happen now?’

  He wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, that it would go back to how it was and everyone would be safe.

  But he couldn’t.

  Instead, he held her close and tried to ignore the memory of the Major General’s thundering steps as he left the studio, like a warning that this was only the beginning.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  A Dark Secret

  Vijay lay in semi-darkness. Only a narrow stream of moonlight slithered into his cell. He was cold, and no matter how tightly he curled into a ball on the thin mattress, tucked the blanket around him, and pulled it to his chin, he couldn’t get warm.

  He shut his eyes tight but he kept seeing the bulldozers slamming into the ground, and hearing the thud as metal teeth tore into their tunnel, destroying what they had worked so hard to build.

  He could still feel the soldiers’ fingers as they dug into his arm when they dragged him off his bed. He kept seeing the scared faces of the kids as they huddled together, wanting to help him but not knowing how. He’d winked at them and said he’d be okay.

  But they had looked so scared.

  The worst part was seeing Samira, her eyes wide and haunted. They’d almost made it. Everything was in place for her to be smuggled out that afternoon but she was too sick to even leave her bed.

  The soldiers had held him down while they went through everyone’s belongings, tearing up books and smashing games. When they found Samira’s wings, one of the soldiers crushed them in his hands, breaking the frame and letting them fall to the ground in a crumpled mess.

  He’d wanted to run to Samira and hug her and tell her everything would be okay. Tell her a joke that would make her smile. Tell her he’d be back to take care of her.

  But the fingers dug in deeper when he tried to move, and he was hauled away.

  Footsteps in the corridor made him snap upright. He scrambled into the corner, pulling the blanket higher, as if it were protective armour.

  Jangling keys clanged in the lock. The door swung open and the room flooded with light so bright that it made Vijay flinch.

  Two soldiers stood at attention on either side of the door. The cold of the stone wall felt icy against Vijay’s back.

  The Major General, leaning on his cane, stepped inside, followed closely by the silent steps of the panther.

  He sat on a chair beside the bed and ordered Cleopatra to sit.

  ‘So we meet. I am Major General Grimes.’

  Vijay’s eyes switched from the panther to the man.

  ‘You’re quite the resourceful one.’ The Major General patted Cleopatra’s head. ‘Building tunnels, thieving from houses, trespassing in our library.’

  Vijay’s jaw clenched. He knew if he tried to defend himself he’d be admitting everything. His words would be twisted and used against him, so he stayed quiet.

  ‘I have to congratulate you. For years we thought we’d built a high-security city where we knew the movements of every citizen, but who knew there was a young boy from the camp making a fool out of us all! Do you think you’re a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to give to the poor? Because you’re no more than a common thief.’

  Cleopatra opened her jaws and yawned before settling back down.

  ‘I’ve seen your kind before.’ The Major General’s voice was the low growl of a brewing storm. ‘Do-gooders who think they know it all when all they are doing is mooching off the goodwill of others.’

  Vijay kept his mouth shut.

  ‘It took some time to find you, but by searching through our security vision we can see you’ve been quite clever in your disguises. I wonder what your parents would say if they knew their son was a thief. Or maybe that’s where you learnt your skills. Maybe they were no good too.’

  Vijay felt as if he’d been given an electric jolt.

  ‘Maybe they rebelled against the work of the army when the Chaos happened. Maybe they taught their students at the university to reject our attempts at restoring order.’ He leant in closely. ‘Maybe they butted in where they weren’t welcome.’

  Vijay stared into the Major General’s one good eye. ‘What did you do to them?’

  The Major General sat back and patted Cleopatra. ‘You need to learn about the cycle of life: little bugs are eaten by bigger bugs, who, in turn, are eaten by something larger still. And so on. It is good for us all …’ He paused. ‘That the smaller pests are disposed of.’

  Vijay threw off his blanket and lunged forward. Cleopatra was instantly on her feet. Her claws dug three deep gashes into his arm when the Major General pulled back on her leash.

  ‘Shhhh.’ He stroked her head. ‘It is simply the way life is, boy, and you would do well to accept that.’

  Vijay cradled his injured arm to his chest. ‘Come on, girl.’ The Major General limped to the door. It was closed behind them and bolted shut.

  Vijay felt his blood racing through his veins. The stone walls seemed to be closing in, shutting him away from everything he’d known and loved.

  He picked up the chair and smashed it against the door again and again. He screamed and cried until the chair was nothing but splintered wood.

  Soldiers burst into the cell and held his arms. He kicked at the air and thrashed his body.

  The Major General’s sneering voice echoed around his cell. ‘I’m surprised your parents didn’t teach you better.’

  Vijay lurched forward once more but was held back by the guards. ‘My parents were heroes who fought for what they believed in without any regard for their own safety.’

  ‘Or that of their sons.’

  Vijay stopped struggling. A drop of blood from his arm splattered on the floor.

  ‘They had the chance to rescue you but chose not to.’

  ‘It’s not true.’

  The Major General smiled. ‘No? So where are they now?’

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  A Desperate Plea

  That night, Isabella couldn’t sleep.

  She slipped out of her blankets and snuck over to the room across the hall, softly knocking on the door.

  After a few moments, Corporal Smith appeared in her pyjamas and sleep-ruffled hair.

  ‘Isabella.’ She winced. ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘I need to ask a favour.’

  ‘Come in.’

  Isabella sat on the lounge. ‘I saw the news about the camp tunnel and the boy.’

  Corporal Smith shook her head. ‘It’s very disturbing but as my dad said, sometimes you find one bad egg in the carton.’

  ‘What if he’s not bad? What if he’s an innocent kid?’

  ‘You saw the footage. He’s a thief and, even worse, he attacked an old lady.’

  ‘It isn’t true,’ Isabella said. ‘Vijay couldn’t hurt anyone – his biggest hero is Gandhi.’

  ‘How do you know his name?’

  Isabella had to be careful. She couldn’t risk making things worse.

/>   Corporal Smith eyed her closely. ‘Isabella, if you know anything, you need to tell me.’

  ‘Have you ever been to the camp?’

  ‘I’ve never had reason to.’

  ‘Do you know they’re all children?’

  Corporal Smith shook her head. ‘I don’t think that’s the case.’

  ‘Apart from the soldiers, they’re kids like me who’ve been locked away when they’ve done nothing wrong.’

  ‘I guess there were many who were orphaned, so perhaps –’

  ‘What kind of government locks up innocent children?’

  ‘Not all of them are innocent.’

  ‘Can I show you something?’

  Isabella took Vijay’s camera from her pyjama pocket. She played the recording of the camp – the rats, the mud and the performances – including Vijay’s jokes.

  ‘His jokes aren’t very good, but he’s a good person and looks after those kids like they’re his family.’

  ‘Where did you get this?’

  Isabella took a deep breath. ‘I’ve been to the camp.’

  Corporal Smith was wide-eyed. ‘But that is forbidden. You could have been hurt. They kidnapped Bea, which only proves that they’re –’

  ‘They didn’t do it,’ Isabella said. ‘The Major General made sure I knew it was him.’

  ‘He told you that?’

  ‘Not in words, but –’

  ‘How dare you! After everything he’s done for you.’

  ‘But it’s true.’

  ‘And the ransom note?’

  ‘It was a fake. Corporal Smith, you said you joined the Garrison to help people, but how can imprisoning kids help anyone?’

  The corporal glanced at the video footage of Vijay’s smiling face.

  ‘The food is terrible, the rooms are cold, and the kids are forced to work all day,’ Isabella continued. ‘It’s true that Vijay came into town and sometimes stole things, but he only took what they needed. Mostly he went to the library to read because they’re not allowed to have books. And he didn’t attack that old woman – I was with him at the time, so it couldn’t have been him.’

  Corporal Smith was silent.

  ‘Please, do you know where they’re keeping him? I want to make sure he’s okay.’

  A few seconds passed before Corporal Smith spoke. ‘Go back to your room.’

  ‘No, please, I need to see him for a few –’

  ‘What you have done is a very serious violation of the rules that were clearly explained to you.’ Her voice was low and threatening. ‘You need to go back to your room. Now.’

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  A Chilling Victory Speech

  After a fitful sleep and uneasy dreams, Isabella woke to see two soldiers standing over her. One was a short, cupboard of a man with no neck called Corporal Slade.

  The other was Sergeant Brown.

  ‘Isabella Charm, you are to come with us,’ Brown said.

  ‘Why?’ Xavier asked. ‘Where are you taking her?’

  The soldiers ignored him.

  ‘The Major General wants to see you.’

  Griffin sat up. ‘I’m coming too.’

  The soldiers held their guns firmly against their chests. ‘Just her,’ Slade said.

  ‘Don’t go, Izzy.’ Bea grabbed her arm.

  Isabella scrambled out of bed and held Bea’s cheeks gently in her hands. ‘Don’t worry.’ She leant in and whispered, ‘Haven’t I always been able to take care of myself?’

  Bea nodded slowly.

  ‘This time will be no different.’

  ‘But what if they –’

  ‘I’ll be fine. As soon as I’m back, we’ll have breakfast and ask Mrs Gooding for extra pancakes. Okay?’

  ‘Come back soon.’

  Isabella kissed Bea on the forehead.

  ‘I need my boots and coat.’

  Isabella hurried to her room and opened her wardrobe door. She pulled on her coat and boots and, taking the knife from her waistband, slipped it carefully inside her left boot.

  ‘Izzy,’ Griffin began but wasn’t sure what to say.

  ‘I’ll be back.’ She gave her friends one last wave before being marched away.

  The Major General beamed from his throne-like chair. ‘Ah, thank you for coming, Isabella.’

  ‘Did I have much choice?’

  ‘Oh, we all have choices.’ He stroked Cleopatra beside him. ‘Please, have a seat.’

  ‘I’d like to stand.’

  Slade and Brown moved to force the issue but the Major General held up his hand.

  ‘You saw the news?’ he asked.

  Isabella nodded.

  ‘Terrible business. It’s the ingratitude that upsets me the most.’

  ‘Maybe they needed the tunnel to help them survive.’

  ‘They had nothing until they came here.’ The Major General’s eyes narrowed. ‘What they have is more than they could otherwise hope for.’

  ‘If they have all they need, why would they take more?’

  ‘Because they are greedy.’ His voice rose and sharpened before he calmed again. ‘These people are not our problem. Many of them are thieves, or at best the sons and daughters of thieves and troublemakers.’

  ‘But I’m an orphan just like them, so why wasn’t I sent to the camp?’

  ‘Out of respect for your father and his efforts to save Grimsdon and its people.’

  ‘So I’m lucky because of the accident of who my father is?’

  ‘And because you survived on your own, which is no accident. I admire that. It’s just a shame you’ve become involved in something that doesn’t concern you.’ He paused. ‘We know about you and the boy.’

  Isabella’s heart felt squeezed in her chest.

  ‘After your little accident in the snow,’ the Major General continued, ‘I was curious about how far you flew, being a first-time Ornithopter pilot, and I was astonished to learn you made it all the way to the camp. You even stayed there for some time, which is, sadly, why you became entangled in that blizzard.’

  He tickled Cleopatra behind the ears. ‘The irony is that your Weather Detector was designed to save you, but you chose to ignore it and, instead, it became the perfect way to track your movements.’

  The long silence that followed was interrupted only by Cleopatra’s rhythmic purring.

  ‘I’ve had technicians scanning security footage from all over the city and it seems you’ve been very busy,’ the Major General said. ‘There was some interesting footage of you sitting with him in the library. What did you talk about?’

  ‘Books. He liked to go there and read.’

  ‘When he wasn’t robbing houses.’

  Isabella refused to answer.

  ‘And as we searched further – what do you know – we caught a glimpse of a girl in the camp who looked a lot like you. It was a shame that blast of wind came and momentarily took your hat.’

  Isabella felt her stomach tighten as the Major General’s face turned grim. ‘This young boy has been getting away with treating us like fools for years but, thanks to you, he was brought to our attention and justice will be done.’

  ‘He didn’t attack that lady and you know it.’

  ‘Yes, but with the marvel of this new digital world and some very crafty editing, there are now many who believe he did.’

  ‘What’s going to happen to him?’

  ‘He was questioned last night and sent back to the camp early this morning.’

  ‘He won’t be punished?’ The Major General smiled as if remembering a good joke. ‘I think this is enough punishment – knowing that any chance of leaving the camp, even for his little library visits, is gone.’

  ‘He’s a good person! Better than you could ever hope to be!’

  Cleopatra was on her feet. ‘Shhh,’ the Major General soothed and she sank back to the floor.

  ‘I am not a bad man, Isabella. I’m doing what I need to protect this city and its people.’

  ‘You can convince
yourself of anything since you’re the leader.’

  Isabella knew she’d pay for what she’d said but, right at that moment, she didn’t care.

  The Major General lifted himself with the help of his cane and stepped towards her until there were only centimetres separating them. Isabella could see her face reflected in his shiny uniform buttons.

  Her body tensed, ready for his rage, but instead he spoke softly. ‘Most people back down when what they love is being threatened, but you,’ he shook his head, ‘you are more courageous than I thought. Or careless, I still haven’t worked that out … I tried to warn you –’

  ‘By kidnapping Bea …’

  His lip quivered into a sneer. ‘You and I are very similar.’

  Isabella flinched in disgust. ‘You and I have nothing in common.’

  ‘You’re a smart girl, Isabella. And proud. You fight for what you believe in, no matter how dangerous. You won’t back down, you won’t be intimidated, and you will protect what you believe in. To the very end.’

  The Major General lifted his cane and held it between them in his clenched fist.

  ‘And you will strike if anyone dares threaten what you love. As will I.’ He leant in even closer. ‘This battle is over and I have won and very soon those children will not be my problem anymore.’

  Isabella’s breath caught as if she was falling to the bottom of an icy sea. ‘What will you do with them?’

  The Major General turned to the soldiers, as if he hadn’t heard. ‘Take her away and make sure she stays put until I decide what to do with her.’

  As Isabella was led down the corridor all she could focus on was the pounding march of the soldiers’ steps, drumming a message for the world that she had failed. She was just a child, like the Major General said – how did she think she could defeat him and the entire Garrison force, who blindly followed everything he did? Even Corporal Smith didn’t believe her …

  ‘He said it’s happening today.’ Isabella was suddenly aware of the soldiers talking softly behind her.

  ‘I overheard it at breakfast,’ Sergeant Brown muttered. ‘He said it was all over.’