by T. C. Edge
“Welcome back. Good journey?” she asks.
Jackson shrugs.
“Just a walk in the park. Be nice to sleep in a proper bed through. There are proper beds here, right?”
“Yeah, if you can find one. I reckon it's gonna get pretty cosy in here now.”
Jackson's eyes widen as we enter, an expression that all newcomers to this place seem to adopt.
“Wow,” is all he says as we wander in.
Ellie and I share a giggle. We're well used to the place by now.
Around us, the main chamber continues to fill. Soon, it'll be bursting at the seams. A guard stands up onto a table and begins calling for order. Then, he introduces my father.
Drake joins the guard on the table, who then steps down. He raises up his arms and calls for calm.
“Everyone, everyone, listen closely. All of those who have just arrived need to go through processing.” He smiles around at many familiar faces. “And might I say, it's good to see you all again! Welcome to Petram!”
They all cheer. Among them, I spot one of Theo's attackers, and wonder just what issue he's taken to moaning about now. It was always the same troublemakers grumbling over rations and water stores and the presence of Theo in the camp. Here, they'll probably complain about having nowhere comfortable to sleep.
“OK, we need all new arrivals to follow the guards over there to the left. We need you to confirm your names and we'll give you a number. Then you will be assigned somewhere to stay. I'm afraid we are getting quite overcrowded here, so keep your expectations low.”
Drake steps down from the table and the fresh stream of refugees start moving left. Jackson turns to me.
“I'd better go off as well, don't you think?”
“Go speak with my dad,” I say. “I'm sure he's dying to talk with you and discuss your journey.”
He nods.
“Good idea. I'll see you girls later.”
Once more, seemingly through pure instinct, he leans in and kisses my lips. He withdraws with a smile and melts into the crowd. Ellie looks at me with raised eyebrows.
“So, things starting to happen with you two then?” she asks.
At that moment, I smile and see, over her shoulder, Theo standing to the side of the chamber. He quickly diverts his eyes away from me and then walks away. Ellie turns to follow my gaze and sees him walking off.
She turns back to me.
“He loves you, you know,” she says.
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “No he doesn't.”
“Link saw it first. You remember, when they had a fight in that basement, before we were captured. He could see it then. And I've been watching closely. He does, Cyra. He loves you.”
“Why would he love me? I'm just a girl from Agricola. He's from Eden.”
“Cy, that's the old you talking. And talking about the old Theo. Neither of you are the same now. The question is, what are you going to do about it.”
“Nothing,” I say blankly. “There are more important things to worry about.”
“And Jackson?”
“The same. They both just friends. Nothing more.”
“Friends you kiss,” she says with a coy smile.
“It's them who kiss me, not the other way around. Nothing I can do about that.”
“So...you've kissed Theo too?”
“Well...like I say, he kissed me. It was only a little thing, when I was patching him up after he got beaten by those thugs.”
“And, how did it feel?”
I shake my head and raise my shoulders.
“I don't know. It was a kiss. Wet, I guess. Stop digging for gossip, Ellie. We have work to do.”
With a knowing smirk on her face, she tightens her lips and ends the conversation. I breathe out a mental sigh of relief and we get on with our day.
Things continue to rush. With thousands more refugees having arrived, and with smaller pockets still coming in through the gates, we find more recruits coming to us daily. And with our new force of potential Watchers to train, we find our time increasingly stretched.
Thankfully, Jackson comes to join us and offers his own expertise. Having been trained as an Officer on Knight's Wall, he's well positioned to head up the training of the soldier recruits. Along with Ellie, the two of them handle that side of things, whilst Theo and I attempt to devise ways of training the potential Watchers and Athena.
It's difficult. With no way of manifesting their fears, like we had in the Grid, it's hard to get them to truly face and confront and, eventually, conquer them. First of all, we ask the five recruits what their greatest fears are. They all give the same answer; death.
It's a constant presence in their lives, and something that can strike at any time, and in all sorts of ways. Each of them have, therefore, lived with that fear for years. And that gives us a head start, an advantage. Day in and day out, it's been a perpetual menace to them all. All they need to do is dwell on it, think of nothing else as they train, and soon their visions will grow clearer.
Athena is a different matter.
When I ask her what she fears, she just stares at me and says: “nothing.”
I believe her. After what she's been through, there's nothing left to fear, not even death. It's why she's able to see into the Void already, and why I spend most of my time trying to help her control her power.
I know it will take time. Time and persistence. Her initial desire for quick returns begins to fade. Or, at least, she learns to control that ambition. We train early each morning and late each evening, often joined by Theo. And as the days pass, she grows stronger. By the end of the week, she's even able to see blind attacks from behind as we spar.
It's a good sign, and one that tells me she might be ready for live fire training. Her eyes go wide and eager at the prospect.
“You're going to try to shoot me?” she asks, excitedly.
Only someone with the power of a Watcher would find such a sentiment appealing.
I nod.
“I'm going to fire at you, Athena. Focus as closely as you can. Search for the path of the bullet, and dodge it, just like you do with our fists when we fight.”
“OK, I can do it, I'm ready.”
I tell her to move to one end of the large cave, and take my position at the other. Theo stands by my side, pistol held in his hands.
“OK,” I whisper, “aim slightly to the right of her, I'll aim left.”
“You don't want to actually go for her body?”
“It's too dangerous,” I say. “She thinks we're going to aim for her, and that's all that matters.”
“Good plan,” he says.
“Right, Athena,” I shout. “Are you ready?”
“Always,” she calls proudly.
I let her voice echo around the cave for a few moments. It's important that she doesn't know the exact point at which we're going to fire. Several seconds pass and then, with a slight nod to Theo, I start firing to her left, Theo to her right.
The cave explodes with the noise of gunfire. The rock walls behind her crack as bullets rip into them. We each fire off several rounds before stopping abruptly.
The ringing in my ears dies down slowly and I see Athena standing in the exact same spot as she was before. It appears as though she hasn't moved.
I walk forward.
“So, how was that?” I ask.
A smirk rises up on her lips.
“You didn't shoot at me,” she says. “You missed on purpose.”
“How do you know that?” asks Theo.
“Because nothing came anywhere near me,” she says.
“You saw?”
A proud, almost smug look appears on her face.
“Sure did. I told you I could handle it. Next time, though, aim for me. I felt a bit stupid just standing there.”
“OK, Athena,” I say. “Next time, I'll shoot to kill!”
The chamber fills with the sound of laughter. It's the first time I've seen Athena's frosty visage break do
wn.
That night, she joins us around our fire in the main chamber. It's hardly official, but it's symbolic. She's now a Watcher too.
14 - Orders
The city continues to swell. More refugees come by the day. With the main chamber now filled, other caves and chambers are prepared to house people. Even in some passages I find people lying up against the rock walls, curled up in whatever warm clothes they can find.
There are no more beds now. Not enough to accommodate everyone, not by a long shot. Many people begin to create makeshift bedding from spare clothing, seeking out flat surfaces where they can sleep.
Day by day, the situation worsens. Soon, I fear, it will become a crisis. Rumours of food stocks running low continue to spread. Those sent out to gather new rations from nearby settlements often return empty handed.
I find my father a more stressed man these days. He's constantly on the move, constantly helping someone. His eyes have grown a little more stark and bloodshot. When I ask him if he's sleeping, he waves off the suggestion.
“I don't have time to sleep right now, Cyra.”
Once more, I ask him about the option of closing the gate.
“People are saying if too many people enter, our food will be spread too thin and we won't last long.”
All he does is tell me that the gates will never be closed as long as he's here. That anyone who needs help will be given it. I wonder if the Master is quite so empathetic.
I'm summoned to see him again. Once more, he asks me about my visions. Once more, I have nothing to tell him. His expression tells me he's beginning to doubt my power. Perhaps he thinks he was wrong to put such faith in me.
He asks me if anyone else has seen anything of note. I tell him that neither Theo nor Ellie have mentioned anything recently, other than the odd flash of villages being attacked; the same thing I continue to see on occasion.
“And how about the others? These new recruits of yours. How is that little project going?”
“We're making good progress. One girl, in particular, Athena, is already quite advanced.”
“Visions, Cyra, I'm talking about visions. Do you have anything for me at all?”
I shake my head. I don't like his tone, but understand the pressure he's under.
“Sorry to disappoint you, sir, but no, I don't”
“Then go. Get back to work.”
People are starting to creak. We're stuck in this mountain with nowhere to go, and the Master knows it. Knight can quite easily just starve us out of here, no problem at all. It's nothing but a war of attrition, and he's holding all the cards.
The feeling of safety I felt at being here begins to wane.
“There's more than one way to skin a cat,” Jackson tells me one evening as we gather in our little group.
It's a horrible phrase, but I know what he means.
“Knight doesn't have to come and bomb the mountain or march an army up here,” he goes on. “All he has to do is sit and wait. We're locked in a tomb here.”
Where once there was excitement among the people, a feeling that something was brewing, now there's merely a burgeoning dread. It permeates everyone, spreading like a virus. I see faces of concern wherever I go, voices carrying a tone of helplessness. Each day, when we train new soldiers, the same queries and worries are voiced.
But we have no answers. None of us do. In fact, we're being kept completely in the dark. Only Drake attends the war council. Jackson, once my father's right hand man, is told nothing.
I ask Drake, whenever I find him, what the plan is, what we're going to do. He doesn't tell me anything except that plans are being considered. He leaves me each time feeling a little less sure that they have any plans at all.
Days pass by more slowly now. Despite the mountain continuing to fill, it seems quieter, more subdued. People sit each day in silent contemplation, waiting, just waiting for something to happen.
And then, one morning as Ellie and I walk down passages now filled with people, word comes to us that the pieces are finally moving.
It's Lieutenant Murphy who brings the news.
“Ah, Cyra, Ellie, you have orders.”
We look at each other.
“From who?”
“From the Master. You've been summoned to a meeting.”
“Me as well? Are you sure?” asks Ellie.
He nods.
“And Theo and Jackson too. Are they in their room?”
“I suspect so,” I say. Jackson, as expected, was told to share with Theo when he arrived.
“OK, Cyra, I understand you know where to go?”
“Um...”
“The council room where you've spoken with the Master before. Go there now.”
He walks off down the passage towards our Theo and Jackson's room and disappears out of sight.
“Damn,” says Ellie, looking at me, “this is heavy. What do you think it's about?”
“I guess, maybe, we're finally going to be included.”
We make our way through the various passages to the main chamber, then across to the other side. It's Ellie's first time on this side of the mountain, and she quickly remarks on how the rocky passageways slowly morph into corridors.
When we reach our destination, we find guards stationed outside, as they always are. They open the doors for us as we come, and into the council room we walk.
Several people are there already. Drake, Markus, the Master. Those are the ones I know. Then there are others. Two middle aged men in soldier uniforms. An elderly woman dressed in civilian clothing.
As we enter, it's the Master who is first to speak, sat at the end of the long table.
“Ah, Cyra, come in. And this must be Ellie.”
“Good morning, sir, it's a pleasure to meet you,” says Ellie.
The Master merely nods and points to a couple of spare seats.
My father stands and opens out his hand as if to introduce us to the others in the room. The Master cuts him off.
“Let's wait until we have a full compliment, shall we Drake.”
A couple of minutes later, the door opens again, and Theo and Jackson enter with Lieutenant Murphy. They fill the remaining seats at the table. We all share confused looks.
Once again, Drake stands to perform the introductions.
“Jackson, this is the City Master,” he starts.
Jackson nods his head respectfully and says: “I'm honoured to meet you, sir.”
“And for those of you who don't know,” continues Drake, “this is General Sharpe, General Richter, and Professor Winifred Lane.”
We all smile cordially at each other. Drake sits down.
The Master looks down the table at us, sitting at the other end. His eyes turn from one of us to the next in silence.
“You're probably wondering why you're here?” he says, suddenly.
None of us speak.
“Well, let me answer that question. You all have something to offer this cause, and are at the front and centre of our plans. Your unique gifts will be of great help. Are you all willing to do whatever it takes?”
His eyes scan us again. Out of the corner of my eyes, I can see a series of heads nodding.
“Good, I'd expect nothing less from you. Now, I will hand over to Drake to fill you in on our plans.”
I find my breath slightly caught in my chest as I watch Drake stand once more. Finally, we're going to find out what is expected of us. Finally...
“We have been meeting daily, as you perhaps know,” he starts. “We have considered many options, but have found ourselves turning down them all.”
His words don't inspire much confidence. We look at each other with growing concern.
“We have to look at the facts. Eden is far more powerful than we are. They have more soldiers. They have better weaponry and military vehicles. They have a base of operations that is almost impenetrable...”
“Almost?” I ask, hearing the slight change in his tone.
Drake looks at m
e with a fatherly smile in his eyes.
“Almost,” he repeats. “You all know as well as anyone that we cannot defeat Eden through strength of arms. It is an impossible task. The only thing we can do is to strike right at their heart. We need to assassinate High Chancellor Knight.”
A slight hush sounds as we contemplate his words. It's hardly a revelation. All of us knew from the start that taking out Knight would cause mayhem and the crumbling of his carefully laid systems. His only weakness is, and remains, himself.
“But...how?” asks Theo. “Eden will be in lock down. There will be no way in.”
“There is one way,” says Drake. He looks over at the Master. “But only one man knows it. A man who helped to strengthen Eden many years ago.”
“Who is this man?” asks Theo.
“His name is Aeneas Stein.” We all turn to look at the Master, his voice cutting through the room. “If I was the right hand man of Augustus Knight, he was the left. We once ran Eden together, many decades ago. Until Augustus took all power for himself...” He trails off, painful memories flooding his head.
“And where is he now?” asks Theo, suddenly becoming the spokesperson for our party.
Drake is the one who answers.
“He's incarcerated on Tartarus,” he says. “The Master was banished, Stein was thrown into prison.”
“Tartarus?” I ask, seeing the look of concern on Theo's face.
“It's a prison built at sea,” says Drake, “governed by the inmates. The guards merely keep watch and make sure nobody escapes. And even if they did, they'd be nowhere to go but the depths of the ocean.”
“So...we have to break him out?” I ask.
Drake nods.
“We could come up with no other feasible plan. Aeneas Stein has been stewing in that prison for decades. We will break him out, and in return he'll help us get into Eden. Then, we'll kill Knight and institute Stein as its new leader.”
“And you think the people will just allow that?” I ask. “What about the rest of the council.”
“They will be taken care of,” says the Master coldly.
“And you do realise that Theo's parents are among them?”
“Of course I do, girl,” says the Master. “I knew them for many years. No one objected when I was banished. No one spoke up for me. No one is innocent.”
