Meke helped Daniel drag Jens away. Meke’s tiredness deepened with every step. Jens didn’t help matters by dragging his feet as he wheezed. He tried to escape a few times but Daniel kicked him in the ribs, which put a quick stop to the foolishness.
As they reached the rocks, Meke leaned against the biggest rock, rubbing her eyes. Now that the danger had disappeared, all she wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep with her thumb firmly planted in her mouth.
Daniel shoved Jens next to Doctor Ball’s unconscious body. Jens, still struggling for breath, didn’t resist as Daniel bound his hands and feet. Rising to his feet, Daniel spat at Jens and stalked off.
Meke followed, not wanting Daniel to do anything foolish. She found Daniel crouching by the nameless man that she had killed minutes ago. Daniel closed the man’s eyes and bowed his head.
Meke stared. Why would Daniel grieve for an Elite Forces soldier?
Then the sight made sense. The two faces—one alive, one dead—bore a strong resemblance to each other. They were brothers.
Sometimes, this happened. A child born to a Square or Equi family would test as a Fiver or Star. Prosperon would sweep that child away, placing them with a peer family.
Meke held her fist to her mouth, feeling like an intruder. She had killed Daniel’s brother. This thought proved too much for Meke’s overtaxed brain. She stumbled back to the boulders and sank to the ground, her eyelids drooping. Between her long blinks, she saw Trove smile at her, ashen-faced.
“Go ahead and sleep. Your first is always the worst,” he said. Meke tried to respond, but sleep overtook her. The last thing she felt was Tooth climbing into her lap.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
IT FELT like someone was pushing down her eyelids. That was okay. Meke didn’t want to open them anyway, but the nudges wouldn’t allow her to fall back into the peaceful nothingness.
Meke opened her eyes a crack, allowing sharp white light to fill her vision. The light hurt her brain, so she squeezed her eyes shut again.
“What do you want? I’m tired,” Meke said, her arms falling down after her last word.
“Please open your eyes. It’s too strange,” Arya said. She sat in a chair by Meke’s bed.
“I don’t need to. You know that,” Meke said.
“Please.”
Meke sighed, opening her eyes to the harsh fluorescent lights. She squinted at Arya, trying to block out the brightness. The room remained as it had been for the last three days. It was a sparse white room with locked cabinets and a solitary table at the far left corner.
“Oh Meke, if I had known—” Arya shook her head. “You never should’ve gone.”
Meke’s eyes fluttered wide open. “No. I’m glad I went. Now I know I can do it.”
“At what price? You were almost killed.”
“They wouldn’t have killed me. They would’ve just taken me.”
“That’s—” Arya squeezed her hands together. “I didn’t come here to do this. I came here to tell you that you need to get dressed. We have an important meeting to go to.”
Meke licked her lips. Her thoughts came slowly and sluggishly, as if slime and tar mired her brain’s neural pathways. “I’m still tired. Why don’t you go ahead?”
“No Meke, you’ll want to do this. I’ve already spoken with the doctors. You’re fine.”
Meke rubbed her eyes. She didn’t feel fine.
The time between now and when she fell asleep in the mountains remained fuzzy and imprecise in her memory. She only knew a few things. They had left Trang and John buried somewhere in the mountains. Trove lay in bed, motionless. Meke knew the last one with a startling certainty since she could feel his still body a few rooms away. Doctor Ball and Jens sat in cells deep in the Barrack’s bowels. She knew that with the same certainty.
Meke poked at the tight plaster on her left hand. She had broken her left hand during the mission without even realizing it.
“How’s Trove?” Meke asked.
Arya shrugged. “Still sleeping. He lost a lot of blood, so the doctors want him to rest.”
Meke rubbed her eyes. “Have you found out anything about these patients?” Meke asked.
Arya’s smile was a tiny one, more of a twitch than a smile. “Yes, and that’s why you should get ready. I was able to get Sterling to let you observe this meeting. They’ll be discussing these patients,” Arya said. “It was the least that we could do.”
Meke flung off her sheets. “Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”
She rushed into the bathroom, still wobbly from her three-day bed rest and dehydration. Her one hand fumbled with her uniform’s loops and clasps. When she managed to put her clothes on without mishap, she sighed. The clothes felt good on her skin, much better than these thin sheets.
“Before we go,” Arya paused, shifting in the chair, “understand something. I had to pull a favor with Sterling to let you in.” Arya glanced up. “This is a meeting only for top commanders. I’m lucky I got you in, so please don’t make a fuss.”
Meke sighed and nodded. Arya stood up, put her hand on Meke’s forearm. Arya’s hand looked very small on the black fabric. “I’m glad that you’re safe now.” Arya smiled. “Let’s go.”
◆ ◆ ◆
Meke craned her neck, trying to see past the bodies in front of her. She could only see parts of Sterling’s face as he sat back, listening to the other commanders.
She had never seen most of the commanders before. One of them was a middle-aged woman with dark red hair and deep lines around her mouth. Her mouth moved rapidly, pointing at the large screen hanging on the wall. The others were younger, mostly clean-shaved men with sharp eyes. All different shapes graced their hands. Some boasted a proud Fiver. Others had Squares. One Equi stood out, a quiet, slight woman at the far corner.
No matter how Meke focused, the spoken words eluded her. Her sense didn’t work very well for lip-reading. They all faced Sterling, with their backs toward her.
Arya snuck in a few signs here and there. “Alika intercepted some e-comms between the institution and Donner.”
Meke knew Lucio Donner. Everyone knew who he was. Prosperon had a president, but the true power lay in the First Special Minister of Science and Technology, Lucio Donner. Everyone knew that he would step into the President’s office in Technologia once Edgar Tolls reached his capacity.
“Samuel has some insider information from Technologia.”
Meke sighed, sinking back into her chair. She had hoped for some conclusive declaration, not this quibbling over e-comms and spies.
They became very interested in what the red-haired woman showed them. Everyone passed a large handheld to one another, each peering at it for a long while.
Meke tried to see the screen, but she couldn’t. Arya, after she got the handheld, slid it to Meke.
Her eyes widened as she read it.
---------- Begin Messages ----------
Dear The First Special Minister of Science and Technology,
I have completed the experiments on subjects ###376-497. I have modified the protein compounds to increase the likelihood of subject survival. This strain shows tremendous promise.
I will send updates biweekly.
Best regards,
The First Star of Genex, Aster Ball
---------- Next Message ----------
Dear The First Special Minister of Science and Technology,
After initially promising results, the subjects are not responding as predicted. After the third week of treatment, subjects’ cardiac and respiratory functions rapidly decline. Total organ failure occurs after four or five weeks.
It seems like results for subjects cannot be replicated consistently. For best results, I must to study both #135 and #323 closely. If I must only study one, it should be #135. She demonstrated the highest aptitude.
Please advise.
Best regards,
The First Star of Genex, Aster Ball
---------- Next Message --------
--
Dear Esteemed Doctor Ball,
I find this new update very disappointing. I endeavored to provide you with the best genetic material possible.
Meanwhile, we have been hard at work retrieving subject #135 since she holds the most potential. We received communication that subject #135, otherwise known as Meke Lichota, will emerge from hiding and attempt to breach the Genex facilities. I am sending a special unit of the Elite Forces to assist you in her return. Fulfill your duties as a Star.
Any further communications should be with the First Commander of the Elite Special Forces of the Prosperon Army, Praveen Damore.
Regards,
The First Special Minister of Science and Technology, Lucio Donner
---------- End of Messages ----------
As Meke finished reading, she felt the Equi commander staring at her, the woman’s mouth slightly open. Meke swallowed hard and handed the handheld to her.
Meke frowned. They were trying to replicate her. Well, perhaps not replicate her, but her abilities. But, it hadn’t worked. She clenched her left hand, but winced when pain shot up her arm.
These poor fools in the mountains, used and buried because they happened to share some DNA sequences with her. Meke felt the weight of these lives on her. The line between their deaths and her traveled straight and true.
Sterling spoke as everyone completed their inspection of the tablet’s contents. Meke could only catch a few words, but she understood their meaning.
“Questioning Doctor Ball.”
“Exposure…public…”
“… on the Webs…”
“Our chance…public resistance…”
“…remind people….life…”
After a few minutes’ discussion among the commanders, everyone stood and nodded at the still-seated Sterling. Numbly, Meke followed them. Sterling raised a hand for Meke to stop. Confused, she remained standing in front of his desk.
He smiled at her, his teeth gleaming white. He formed his words slowly and carefully. “I am very sorry about the mission. It was supposed to be an easy one, a safe one. However, you performed beyond expectations. Because of you, we can bring Doctor Ball to justice. The whole house of cards will fall down.” Sterling’s hands imitated the visual of the cards falling.
After the obligatory farewells, Meke left the room, half-pleased, half-dumbfounded. Arya leaned against the wall outside of Sterling’s office. “So, now you know what happened back there.” She paused. “Nothing you could have done to prevent it.” Meke wished that was true. “You came back safe. Be happy with that,” Arya said.
“What about the rest of it? Doctor Ball?”
Arya leaned her head back onto the wall. “We’ll bring him to justice. We’ll expose his true nature to people.”
“You mean, reveal the purpose of Genex?”
“Yes.”
Meke frowned. “Why would that do anything?”
“Prosperon isn’t supposed to kill people directly. Survival of the fittest, right? That’s nature, not Prosperon interfering.”
“So, Sterling is betting on people getting angry that Prosperon is killing people? But it has been doing that for years.”
“We couldn’t prove it before. Now, we can.” Arya said, smiling.
“With Doctor Ball.”
“Precisely.”
“But he isn’t responsible.”
“He is. He went along with it.”
“Shouldn’t we blame Lucio Donner?”
“People think too highly of him right now. We have Doctor Ball. We don’t have Lucio Donner.”
“Will you tell people that they killed Fivers and Squares as well?”
“Why would we? It doesn’t matter. Life is life. Sterling wants to do away with the ranking system. If we focus on this, we’ll reinforce the idea that rank matters.”
These ideas settled themselves into Meke’s brain. Yet they felt misplaced, odd. She needed to rest. Her head ached with too many things to think about.
◆ ◆ ◆
Meke peered into Trove’s room. Her nose scrunched up when she realized that something out of place sat at the foot of Trove’s bed: Tooth.
Meke inhaled before she went in. She hadn’t seen Trove since the mission. He needed rest, not people bothering him.
Meke put her hands around Tooth to pick him up awkwardly with one hand in a cast. Trove didn’t need a cat staring at him. No wonder he wasn’t waking up. Who would want to see that sight? Tooth whirled around and sank his teeth into Meke’s forearm. She jerked back, two tiny puncture marks now adorning her arm. Rubbing her forearm, Meke inspected Trove.
Grayness tinged his light brown complexion, but he had more color than before. His breaths came in a steady rhythm.
Meke stared at the chair at the far corner. She had told herself that Trove needed rest, not people, but only doctors came to see him. She pulled the chair next to the bed. Who would want to wake up alone? Maybe Tooth had the right idea.
Arya opened the door. “There you are. I was looking all over the place for you,” Arya said, leaning on the doorframe. “I wanted to tell you that the plans are all set for the exposé. It’ll start next week. We have to move quickly before Donner figures out what we’re up to.”
“What will it be like?” Meke asked.
“We’ll provide all of the evidence. Papers, testimonies, and e-comms. We’ll hack the Webs and take over every screen in Prosperon. We won’t be ignored.”
“Great.” Meke’s mouth dried up as she signed.
Arya’s eyes shifted to Trove. “So, how is he?”
“The same as ever,” Meke said.
“He’ll be fine. He has had worse.” Arya shrugged. “His genes are wired for healing.”
“And he’ll be teasing as soon as he wakes up, I suppose,” Meke said.
Arya knitted her thin eyebrows. “Tease? Trove?”
Meke felt her cheeks flush. “Never mind.”
Arya narrowed her eyes, then straightened. “Well, don’t stay too late. We need to plan. You’ll be the star witness,” she said. With a wave, she left.
Meke turned and looked at Tooth, who was curled up next to Trove’s feet, fast asleep. As Meke watched the smooth cadence of Trove’s breathing, she wondered why the exposé felt misaligned. It all made sense. Once they exposed Doctor Ball, Prosperon would either collapse or it wouldn’t.
Now, Meke hoped it would fall and fall hard. Something had shifted deep inside of her. Now, she knew who had killed everyone. She knew who had turned her into a half-mutated human being. No matter how she made this sense her own, she couldn’t deny the invasion.
She wanted Prosperon to fall. This realization raised goose bumps on her skin. She had never wanted anything this badly before. Looking at Trove’s stubbly face made Meke wish that he were awake. He would have some ideas. Meke’s thoughts rambled until a yawn crept upon her. She gave into her exhaustion and eased into unconsciousness.
A touch jolted her out of her uneven slumber. Blinking, Meke’s mouth fell open as she saw Trove’s eyes on her.
His upper body hung off the bed, his arm outstretched on Meke’s chair. Meke gasped and hauled Trove back on the bed. He weighed far more than she did, so she collapsed on the bed, panting. “Are you all right?” Meke asked, searching for any signs of torn wounds, nausea or dizziness.
Trove winced, but he managed to nod.
“I feel terrible, but I’m all right. I’ve had worse.” He lifted his covers and examined his thigh, which was still bandaged. “And they fixed me right up.”
“You were asleep for three days!”
“Oh, they do that if you’ve lost blood. Once I was out for five days.”
Anxiety lifted a weight from Meke that she hadn’t known she was carrying. Meke wrapped her arms around Trove. His large body stiffened, then his chest rumble as he laughed and his muscles loosened.
His hands moved behind Meke. “Glad to see me up?” he signed.
Meke shrugged and squeezed h
arder. With a deep sigh, Trove placed his hands on Meke’s back. His arms were firm and warm. Meke felt the heat radiating from his body. Good, she thought, he’s healing.
With a regretful sigh, Meke untangled herself from the hug. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a hug like that. She suspected never. As her face passed by Trove’s face, Meke paused. Trove’s eyes focused on hers. A strange heat flickered up Meke’s neck.
Before she realized it, Trove’s warm lips were on hers. It felt strange, but the feeling disappeared as she fell into the kiss. The heat deepened into something intense and addictive.
As she felt Tooth stirring, Meke jerked away. She gasped and covered her mouth. No, no, I don’t know what this is. Meke needed to leave. As Trove raised his hand with a startled look, Meke grabbed Tooth and ran out of the door.
Tooth trashed in her arms as she ran. By the time she arrived at her door, long cuts graced her arm and even her cast. Meke slammed the door behind her. Tooth leapt out of her arms, bared his fangs at her and stalked away. Meke collapsed into the chair next to the bed, her hot face in her hands.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
MEKE COULDN’T sleep that night. Her mind revisited the kiss over and over again. She didn’t understand how things had transformed from a friendly hug to that. Yet, she couldn’t help but wonder about the possibilities. She imagined staying in his arms. Her mouth curved up at the thought, despite its owner.
Then what?
There would be stares. There would be murmurs. None of these would do her credit. Trove would get sick of it. Then he would say goodbye and she would be left alone. No, worse than alone, ruined and alone.
Secret Value of Zero, The Page 15
