Skyship Academy tpw-1

by Nick James

  “Two… ”

  I dart over to him, yanking it from his arms. The soldier stops counting and watches me scoot forward.

  “Place it in my hand.” The soldier takes a step forward.

  I look up at the gas mask, searching for a face behind all the hardware. Eyes, a nose… something.

  They don’t know who I am.

  The thought strikes me out of nowhere. If they knew that Madame wanted me, they’d forget about the Pearl altogether and pull me from the trailer without hesitation. Of course, it doesn’t change the fact that as soon as they get the Pearl, they’ll drag us all off to a Security Center anyway. If they don’t shoot first.

  Not gonna happen.

  “Get behind me,” I motion to the others.

  Avery grabs Skandar and Eva by the shoulders and pulls them to the empty boxes at the front of the trailer. Eva tries to fight her way back to me, but Avery pins her down.

  As soon as they’re safe, I close my eyes and focus, hoping that Portland wasn’t a fluke.

  My body’s not screaming bloody murder like it did back in the alleyway. I know this is a crap shoot, trying to control something I don’t even understand, but I continue on, feeling the Pearl’s energy meet my own.

  “Weapons at the ready,” the soldier orders. I do my best to ignore the sounds of the battalion.

  I hold the Pearl in front of me, feeling it grow warmer with each passing moment. I press in on it with my hands, squeezing between my fingers, and imagine a straight line from my chest down through my arms and into the Pearl.

  And then it happens. I open my eyes and watch the Pearl drift away from my fingers, floating toward the open trailer door. The closest soldiers take a cautious step back.

  I squint, eyes fixed on the hovering Pearl. When it reaches the back end of the van, I ball my fingers into fists.

  The Pearl explodes, shooting a wave of green energy out into the city. The soldiers topple over in its wake, pushed to the ground like paper dolls. The sides of the van bubble out in an ear-piercing grind of metal. But behind me, it’s still. Like last time, my body deflects the energy.

  I claw my way forward, watching as a pair of legs disappears up over the top of the trailer, soaring into the air and out of sight-just like in the Portland alley. I catch sight of the figure just in time. It curves up past the layer of chemical smog and out of sight. Definitely humanoid this time.

  My fingertips pulse like they’re ready to shoot lightning bolts. I feel like I could single-handedly power an entire Chosen City.

  The others stumble out from behind the pile of boxes, mouths agape.

  Skandar moves to the edge of the trailer, staring down at the sea of unconscious bodies before looking over at me, dumbfounded. “Jesse, you’re the man.”

  Eva moves to his side. “Have you done this before?”

  I ignore her, and turn to Avery. “It didn’t hurt this time.”

  She nods, flashing an encouraging smile.

  Eva steps down from the trailer, laying her hand on the unmoving shoulder of the nearest soldier. “Jesse, you just destroyed a Pearl.”

  I scoot closer to the edge. “Now you can see why I have to find answers. The Unified Party’s not gonna like what I can do.”

  Avery joins me. “Neither is the Tribunal, for that matter.”

  “You’re like a human bomb or something,” Skandar whispers.

  “I have to have a Pearl,” I reply. “But I can sense them… control them. I brought one straight to me in Portland, without even realizing what I was doing.” I step out onto the pavement, trying to ignore the bodies below me. “And I think there’s something inside.”

  “Inside what?” Avery follows me.

  I turn to face her. “Pearls. Something or… someone. I’ve seen it twice now, with both explosions. Flying up out of the energy, there’s a figure. It’s like I’ve hatched something.”

  Skandar cranes his neck to look at the sky. “I don’t see anyone.”

  “It’s gone.” I stare at the wispy layer of clouds above. “If it was ever there.”

  Avery backs away, curving around the trailer until she comes upon a pair of bodies lying on the ground beside the cabin. She crouches, pressing her fingers on George’s neck. “They’re stunned. Both of them. They won’t be waking up for a while. I hope they get some good dreams out of this.”

  I sigh, relieved that the soldiers hadn’t killed George and his son. Without them, we’d have never made it over here. Without a word, I make my way through the pile of soldiers, stepping over limp arms and dodging legs. The air’s thick with remnants of chemical smog. Not enough to be lethal-at least for a couple of hours-but enough to keep a deep, sulfurous smell in the air.

  The van had stopped on top of a maze of crumpled roadways and overpasses surrounding the city. Colossal slabs of concrete rest in heaps around us, crushing anything beneath them. Colorful bits of vehicles lie smashed between boulders-confetti on an ever-dark background.

  We stand on one of the only remaining elevated highways. The ground’s caved in from the dividing lines on, joining the pile of jagged boulders below us. The road itself has a nasty slope to it. A narrow strip of concrete travels down into the city to my right. It’s the only accessible route.

  I move to the edge of the highway cliff, staring down at the remains of Seattle. Several skyscrapers stand like skeletons around the edges of the city, chunks missing from all sides. Most buildings are toothed stumps now, poking up from the carpet of rubble lying in piles around them. Farther away, water seeps in from the coast, creating dark, disease-ridden rivers between islands of junk. A gray smog hangs over the city-an incessant, unmoving drizzle replacing the once-red chemicals from the bombs. I can’t see much beyond the water.

  Far off to the right, surrounded by a septic sea of green, are the remains of the famous Space Needle, reduced to a pointed spire. There’s not a hint of vegetation in sight. No trees, no bushes, no grass. The clouds keep their distance but the dark mist drifts into the city like a runny watercolor.

  I try to picture the city that once was. People lived here-and worked and went to school. Then came the Scarlet Bombings. No warning. Not one person knew what had happened. One moment they were going about their normal business, the next they were dissolved into nothing. I can’t imagine being dissolved from the outside in. Can’t even go there.

  The others join me at the edge of the cliff, staring out at the wreckage. Nobody says a word. Words can’t really describe it.

  After a moment of silence, I turn to face them, speaking softly. “We’ll need weapons.”

  Eva nods. “There are plenty back there with the soldiers.”

  “Find a pair of com-pads, too. You guys need to stand watch up here.”

  Skandar groans. “Man, that is not cool. I wanna do something.”

  “If anyone shows up, I’ll need to know,” I say. “If all four of us are down there, it’ll be too easy for them to take us by surprise.”

  Avery grabs my hand, clutching it tight. “I’m going with you, Jesse.”

  I nod. “Avery and I will go down alone.”

  Eva glances at our hands, muttering. “Yeah, I bet you will.”

  “Please don’t argue,” I reply. “For once.”

  She sighs, reaching over to Skandar and pulling the com-pad from his belt.

  “Hey!” He scowls.

  She ignores him, tossing the device to me. “You don’t want Pearlhounds tracing you. It’s safer to use Skyship-issue.”

  “Fine.” I clip it to the side of my frayed pocket.

  “I don’t like this, Fisher,” she grumbles.

  “Yeah?” I let go of Avery’s hand. “Well, you’re gonna have to deal. All this time protecting me, you should be pretty good at it. Protect me now by standing watch.”

  Skandar frowns. “No offense, buddy, but maybe you need us down there. I mean, that Pearl trick was mass impressive, but you’re running on empty. We can help.”

  “You’re m
ore helpful up here,” I say. “You can see everything. Once we get down below the smog it’s gonna be a mess.”

  “Jesse’s right,” Avery starts. “We need eyes above the city.”

  Eva sighs, crossing her arms. “You’re right. For once in your life, you’re actually right.”

  I smile. “Right when it counts, huh?”

  She lays her hand on my shoulder, shaking her head. “Just… be careful down there. Keep in contact. If you need us, don’t hesitate.”

  I nod.

  “Come on, Harris.” She turns to the pile of soldiers. “Time to get suited up.”

  Skandar pauses for a moment, then steps forward and smacks my arm. “Good luck, mate. I hope you find what you need.”

  Then he’s off, joining Eva beside the van.

  I meet Avery’s eyes. She smiles, weaving her fingers between mine. “You ready?”

  I reach up and tuck the silver key under my shirt. “Let’s go.”

  We stumble down the road, careful not to wedge our feet in any of the cracks.

  Five steps down and the screeching of tires on pavement interrupts us. Something screams from the top of the highway.

  I spin around to see a red sports car come speeding down the uneven road like an out-of-control monster. A cloud of dust trails its pathway, kicked up into the already coarse air.

  I don’t have time to think-to move, even. The strangeness of seeing an old-fashioned car in such nightmarish terrain knocks me off guard. For a moment, all I can do is stare.

  But as the vehicle draws closer, shock turns to dread. I recognize the driver immediately. No mistaking the gritty expression on his face.

  It’s Cassius, and he’s headed straight for me.

  42

  If I was thinking clearly, I’d react. But all I can do is watch his face until it’s too late.

  “Jesse!” Avery dives out of the way.

  My feet are glued to the ground. He found us. So close, and he found us.

  Cassius slows down, then peels out to a stop right in front of me, the bumper of his car inches away from my legs. He sits there for a second, staring at me, hands gripping the wheel. I shake the fog from my head and prepare to strike a bargain.

  He doesn’t give me a chance. Before I can move out of the way, he lays on the accelerator.

  My legs buckle as the bumper slams into them. I’m thrown up onto the hood, yelping as my ankles seize with pain.

  Cassius accelerates again, sending my body flying against the windshield. I grab onto what’s left of the wipers to avoid flipping over the vehicle altogether. Face down, I hunker against the car, staring at Cassius through the glass. Our faces are a foot apart now. He doesn’t smile. His expression is blank. Terrifying.

  I bang on the window with my fist, shouting for him to stop. Instead he rockets down the pathway into the city. The wind beats against my back, tearing through the legs of my ripped up slacks.

  Just as I’m about to balance myself, he makes a sharp left at the bottom of the roadway to avoid a massive pile of boulders. My body lurches sideways, feet hitting the passenger-side mirror as I struggle to hold on to the wiper blades. They bend to the point of snapping off until Cassius straightens out the car and I twist back to the left, colliding with the windshield again. A crack spreads from the middle. One more direct hit and it’ll shatter.

  Piles of rubble fly by on both sides, dwarfing the speeding car. The mist settles in around us. All I can see is the hood as I desperately cling on. The engine heat roasts the skin under my shirt.

  We travel until the overpass is long out of sight. It feels like hours. Slow motion. But it’s over in seconds.

  Cassius slams on the brakes. The force flings me back instantly. The wiper blades snap and I fly over the trunk. Landing on my feet’s not an option. With the moments I have, I cover my head to minimize injury.

  I hit the pavement hard. And it isn’t like Syracuse. This time it steals my breath. This time the pain rings through my body with such intensity that I’m afraid I’ll pass out.

  I let my limbs fall to the side and lie on my back, struggling for air. My shoulders throb. Everything throbs. It feels like somebody punched me all over with a concrete glove. My head spins. The thick smog threatens to reach down and choke whatever’s left of my lungs.

  All it took was two moves for Cassius to completely immobilize me.

  Cassius shuts off the car and bounds from the driver’s side, slamming the door behind him. The sound echoes along the ravaged buildings.

  I move my fingers, trying to lift my arm. My legs are brittle and useless, but I pull them in anyway, pushing at the ground with my heels. Anything to get away.

  Cassius marches toward me, faster than I have any hope of escaping. In one violent movement he reaches down and grabs the front of my shirt, yanks me from the ground, and pushes me into the pile of rubble behind me.

  “What the hell did you do to me?” he shouts, his face red, eyes ablaze.

  I grab onto his wrist, trying to pry myself from his grip. My body feels like a rag doll, muscles shut down.

  “I told you,” I stammer through fractured breaths. “I don’t know what happened.”

  “Why would she lie to me?”

  “Madame?” I kick at his shins. “Madame’s crazy. She’s not who you think she is.”

  He lifts me up another inch until the shirt starts to cut into my neck. “Don’t talk about her like that!”

  “I’m… I’m serious,” I choke. “She’s using you.”

  The com-pad at my belt hisses to life. Eva’s voice comes out muffled and small. “Jesse, are you okay? Jesse? Avery’s coming down after you. There are-”

  Cassius rips the device away, chucking it into the rubble. “Back in Portland you said you were sick, like me. Why haven’t you exploded?”

  I cough as the smog creeps into my lungs. “Put me down and we can talk.”

  His eyes narrow as he considers it. With a sigh, he lets go of my shirt. I crumple to the ground. Not exactly what I meant by “put me down.”

  I pull my aching body to a crouching position and rub my shoulder. My knees are raw, my scuffed slacks stained with blood. “What do you mean, exploded?”

  “On the Chute,” he mutters. “Fire.”

  I stare up at him, searching his stony face for an answer. “That was you? You blew up the train?”

  “Every time I get close to you,” he continues. “Ever since the rooftop.” His fingers clench into a fist at his side. “Fire. From everywhere. From inside.”

  I take in a mouthful of air. “You’re… you’re not exploding now.”

  He looks down at his hands, shaking. “She said if I found you I’d be cured. She said you were the reason, that you’re dangerous. What the hell’s so dangerous about you?”

  I frown. “My incredible knack for getting my butt kicked?”

  He scowls. “You think this is funny? I crawled through the desert because of you! I… killed an entire train of… ” He trails off.

  I sit in silence, watching him control his expression.

  He crosses his arms. “So what happens to you? What happens when you get sick?”

  I look over to the side. I shouldn’t tell him. It’s stupid to reveal anything that could be used against me, but there’s a desperation in his eyes that even he can’t control.

  “Pearls.” I hold my fist in the air, letting my fingers fall open. “They explode. Boom. Then they’re gone.”

  His eyes widen. “You can destroy Pearls?”

  I nod.

  His expression becomes cold once more. “She’s right. You’re a danger to the country. You’re just what the Shippers need to weaken the Unified Party and gain control.” He reaches forward.

  “She doesn’t love you,” I say, hoping that I can get him to pause for a second. I remember what Avery said outside Lenbrg. Madame’s really done a number on Cassius. I can’t take him physically, but maybe there’s another way.

  His hand freezes. />
  “You’re not her son,” I continue. “Not really.”

  “That’s none of your business.” He sneers. “Why did you come here? Why Seattle?”

  “Skyship found me here when I was a kid.”

  He shakes his head. “Madame knows. She’ll be here. She’ll find you.”

  I grit my teeth, inching back against the rocks, building up what little energy I have left. “I’m a good hider.”

  He chuckles. In that instant, for the split-second he’s unguarded, I kick him right in the stomach. He staggers back a few paces, out of breath. It’s long enough for me to push myself up and limp around the nearest boulder.

  “Big mistake!” He wheezes behind me.

  I keep my attention forward, dipping under a crumbling entryway into a narrow, dirt-stained alley. Strength failing me, I dart behind a piece of wall, clutching my chest. My organs burn, working overtime. The air stings as it hits my skin.

  It’s quiet for a moment.

  Cassius flies around the corner of the wall and punches the side of my face. I lurch farther into the half-building, feeling around the inside of my mouth with my tongue to make sure I’ve still got all my teeth. I gag on blood. Metallic. It tastes horrible.

  Cassius smiles. “Time’s run out.”

  I hunch over, breathing hard. He approaches slowly and watches me struggle.

  “Help me find the lab,” I choke. “Maybe there’ll be a cure.”

  “Madame has the cure.” He pushes me backward. “All she needs is you.”

  I trip over a beam sticking out from the ground. “She’s playing you. It’s all for Pearls. I can control them. Once you bring me to her she’ll forget about you.”

  Before I can stand up, Cassius grabs my arm and twists it behind my back. I shout out in pain. He twists harder. “Prove it.”

  “That girl I was with,” I sputter. “Her name’s Avery. She’s like you. Madame trained her, raised her, and got rid of her. You’re just an accessory.”

  “I’ve never seen that girl at the Lodge,” he whispers. “I don’t believe you.”

  “That day on the rooftop,” I continue. “We triggered something in each other. It brought me here. You, too. Help me find the lab. We’re connected in some way.”