Swarmed

by Simone Pond

  “What about shields? Do you have those?”

  “Those we have.”

  Hudson enters the kitchen, his tank top smeared with Harper’s blood. He scrubs his hands in the sink and chugs down a glass of water. He’s a muscle-bound machine with hair so light it’s almost white and a long nose that reminds me of a German Shepherd. He could probably lift me by the scruff of my neck and fling me to my death.

  “Is Harper okay?” I ask.

  “She’s doing okay. A little out of it, kept calling me Johnson.”

  I sit back, relieved. “Yeah, a swarm got him back near Midway, and we had to leave his body behind. It was awful.” I pause to hold back a gale of tears. “She’ll want to go back and get it,” I say to Hudson.

  “She’s not going anywhere for a while. Some serious muscle damage in that leg of hers.”

  His words sink into my brain, leaving me stunned. I hadn’t thought about her being out of commission. But I guess an alligator did just attack her. A harsher reality clicks in; without her we won’t be able to get to break the SOB.

  “How long will she be bedridden?”

  “She needs at least a few days.” Hudson removes his tank top and tosses it into the trash.

  Noah walks into the kitchen and glances at shirtless Hudson, whose rippling abs look like someone used a precision tool to sculpt. “Okay,” he says, sitting next to me at the table.

  “Hudson, can you put a shirt on, please?” Emily scoffs, rolling her eyes, but I detect a slight blush. He laughs and waves her off.

  I hold up my wrist. “We don’t have a few days.”

  “Whoa. You’re cutting it pretty dang close.”

  “That’s why we have to get to that server as soon as possible.”

  “With Harper incapacitated, you’ll have to handle the server,” Emily says this like I’m supposed to know what I’m doing.

  Noah looks at her sideways. “Handle the server?”

  “You’ll have to get access to the server room and enter the code into the SOB. It’s not complicated.”

  “If it’s that simple, why can’t one of you do it?” Noah asks.

  Emily shakes her head sternly. “We can’t leave our post. There’s a lot of activity going on, and when the SOB goes down it’ll be mayhem. We’ll need to stay close to the drug labs for chaos management.”

  I’m not sure what she means by drug labs, but I can safely assume it’s where the Technocrats are manufacturing the drugs they distribute to the speakeasies. What this means is I’m on my own, not just getting onto the island, but getting to the server. My heart starts doing that thing where it feels like it’s shrinking into itself. I look at Emily and try to explain. “I was only supposed to serve as a distraction. I don’t know how to break servers. I’m not trained in this sort of thing.”

  “Don’t overthink it. All you have to do is get into the server room and enter the code. You’ll be fine.” Emily has such confidence that I almost believe I can pull it off.

  Hudson pulls out a chair and sits. “Hard part will be getting into the server room. As far as we know, your brother is the only one with access. Can you get him to bring you there?”

  Nervous laughter shoots from my mouth. “It’s a miracle he’s meeting with me. And that’s probably so he can kill me with his bare hands. He’s not going to let me waltz into the server room.”

  “You’ll have to lift his fingerprints and get in on your own,” Hudson says.

  “How am I supposed to do that? You don’t seem to understand, I’m not actually with the resistance. I’m more an honorary member. And my brother hates me.”

  “I can help you,” Noah says.

  “Do you really think Roman will let you come along for the ride?”

  Noah doesn’t respond for a few moments. “What about Roman? Can he do it?”

  “He’s not going to risk his life for our cause. Kalli is our best option.”

  “How exactly does one lift prints?” I ask.

  “I’ll give you a kit to create some jelly fingertips. You’ll need something with your brother’s fingerprints. A glass or a piece of paper would work.”

  A memory rushes to the forefront of my mind. I jump up from the table and run to the bedroom and grab my damp backpack. I dig out the copy of The Portrait of a Lady and open to the bookmarked page. I’ve been using the playing card I found on the floor at the cemetery—the one with my brother’s bloodstained fingerprints. I wanted to keep these things as a reminder of the monster Achilles has become. As though I could ever forget. For prosperity’s sake, I also grab the deck of cards I pilfered from the party and run back to the kitchen.

  28

  (still 2 days remaining)

  I run into the kitchen and toss the playing card on the table, feeling proud of my inadvertent save. “And if that doesn’t work, these will.” I hand Hudson the deck of cards I stole from my brother.

  “These will work. I’ll be downstairs in the lab if you need me.” Hudson scoots away from the table, and Emily gets up and follows after him.

  Noah and I are sitting at the kitchen table in this quaint southern farmhouse, sipping our iced teas like normal teenagers. The eyelet curtains flutter in the breeze that comes in through the window over the sink.

  “What’s on your mind?” Noah asks.

  “I could live in a place like this. It’s so quiet. Not like Richmond with all of the bustling about and the trolley cars. This is … nice.”

  Noah rests his hand over mine, his eyes taking me in slowly. “I can picture you living here. Wearing an apron and making apple pies.”

  “No concerns about time passing, or struggling to gain days. Although … I’m not so sure about the making pies part. I’d probably while away the hours reading.”

  When Noah smiles my whole world clicks into place and everything feels wide open and possible. He leans over and brushes a tender kiss on my cheek, whispering, “I’d like to sit around and read with you, listening to the crickets and sing gazes.”

  I’d like to spend the rest of the day sharing our romantic musings, but Emily comes into the kitchen and sets two devices down onto the table.

  “Geo-shields. They’re still in the prototype phase,” she says.

  I pick up one and twirl it around. “You know, the last one didn’t work so well. That’s why we lost Johnson.”

  “Always a gamble,” she says. “But you should be fine. If the shields don’t work, get to water.”

  “Great, more water,” I mutter.

  Emily chuckles. “You know islands are surrounded by water, right?”

  “She knows. And if she could have it any other way, she would,” Noah says with a wry grin.

  Emily laughs and gives me a wink so that I don’t feel entirely ridiculous. “It’s getting late and close to rendezvous time, so we should get the code from Harper and hit the road. I’ll get you as close to Darien as I can, but you’ll have to hike the rest of the way.”

  Harper is in one of the guest rooms, her arm and leg are bandaged up neatly, and all of the dirt and swamp water has been washed off. Hudson did an excellent job tending to her. She’s propped up on some pillows staring out the window, tears streaming down her cheeks; the usual light in her eyes is gone.

  “How are you feeling?” I ask softly.

  “Been better. Been worse.” She doesn’t look at me.

  “I’m glad you’re alive.”

  “Thanks to you,” she says. “And I’m not particularly happy about that.”

  “You aren’t right now, but you will be. Eventually.” I sit in the chair next to the bed and hold her hand. “When my mother passed, I stayed in my room and cried until the tears stopped and numbness took over. I thought nothing would ever feel complete again. That something would always be missing. When she died, she left a huge hole in my chest. One I thought I’d never fill. But as time passed, I learned to appreciate the empty space because it reminded me of her. And eventually I started filling that hole with her memories a
nd the love she gave. Love doesn’t go away just because the person who gave it is gone. It took some time, but I rejoined the living. That’s what we do, Harper. We ground our falls so when we rise again we’re on solid footing.”

  Harper gazes at me, and a faint flicker passes in her eyes telling me she’s going to be okay. “It’s up to you now, Kalli. You’ll have to take down the SOB.”

  “That’s what they’re telling me.”

  “You can do it. I have zero doubts.”

  I nod, pretending to agree. I’ll be lucky to even make it to that island. “I’ll do my best,” I tell her.

  “Even if you die trying, at least you went down for a good cause.” Harper hands me the piece of folded up paper, and I study the code. I remember the hope she had as we were driving to Midway before everything went to shit.

  Hudson comes into the room and checks Harper’s vitals. He smiles and tells her she’s doing great, which eases the tightness in my heart. Then he gives me a thin plastic case. “Jelly fingertips. And you might need this.” He hands me a gun.

  “I’m not shooting anyone.”

  “Just take it.” He shoves it into my unwilling hand, then he unfolds a map and points to the eastern shore on Jekyll Island. “The building that houses the server is located right here.”

  Harper is barely able to keep her eyes open, but she motions for me. “The server room is on the top floor. Once you get in, look for the main server. All you have to do is enter the code exactly how it’s written. And then …” She starts to fade off.

  Emily taps my shoulder. “It’s time to go,” she says.

  I lean down and tell Harper, “I won’t let you down.”

  “Do it for Johnson,” she says as her eyes flutter shut.

  Along the drive through the tree-shrouded back roads, Emily slows down and points to a prison-like compound situated at the far end of the valley. “One of the drug labs. They’re sprinkled throughout the off-grid regions. A lot of workers aren’t there by choice,” she explains. “The majority are being blackmailed with their DODs. They work to live.”

  “It’s an awful system,” Noah says, staring at the compound with disdain. I know he’s thinking about his brother.

  “I’m sorry we never got to find out who killed Julian,” I say.

  “I already know who killed him.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It was the system. This messed up system that Long-Timers are supporting without a second thought.”

  “I’m sorry.” I want to say more, but I can’t. Words don’t change the way things are. Action does.

  Emily glances at Noah, a sadness crossing her face. Maybe she’s lost someone too. Most of us have. “What you’re doing will bring everything out into the open. Once the people see what’s really going on, they’ll start fighting for change.”

  “Do you think hoop dresses will fall by the wayside?” I try bringing some levity into the dour conversation.

  Noah laughs. “God forbid you’d have to wear a dress when this is over.”

  *

  Emily drops us off about five miles outside of Darien, and though we’re worn to the bone we continue walking through the lowlands. We have two hours to reach the meeting point. The afternoon sun is sweltering, and our clothes are drenched, and we’re about tuckered out. We’ve been on the run for days. Five of them to be exact. And in my case, I need to be exact. After today, I have one day remaining before I get swarmed. Unless this plan goes off without a hitch.

  Noah stops and takes out his canteen, offering me some water. I take a few sips and hand it back. His dark curls are dripping with sweat, and he looks so cute that I want to kiss him right under this oak tree, despite the disgusting heat. “Something I’ve been meaning to tell you,” he says.

  “What’s that?”

  “You owe me a new jacket.” He cracks a smile.

  “Sure, as soon as I finish taking down the SOB, I’ll get right on that.”

  He tucks the canteen back into his bag and stares at me, causing me to squirm in my boots. I have to look away to catch my breath. Stepping closer, he cups my chin. “Thank you,” he says.

  “For what?”

  “For opening my eyes. I would’ve lived the rest of my Long-Timer life totally oblivious to everything that matters.”

  I’m not sure why I consistently find the most inopportune times to become shy, but something about the intimacy thing throws me off kilter. I smile and pat his arm in a friendly manner. “You helped me too.”

  “With what?”

  “Prejudice doesn’t go just one way. I really hated Long-Timers before getting to know you. I guess not all of you are assholes.”

  He gives me one of his crooked grins and touches my cheek, his fingers smoothing my skin, sending chills through my overheated body. For one precious moment, I forget about everything weighing me down and let it go. And it’s glorious. Until he quickly pulls away. “Do you hear that?”

  A low buzz infiltrates the air.

  Flies.

  I start digging through my bag and pull out the geo-shield devices. We press the buttons, but nothing happens, so we run away from the incoming swarm. I trip over a branch and launch over the side of a hill and roll down with incredible velocity, which is good because I’m farther away from the flies. But I’ve lost sight of Noah. I hold out my device and press the button again, but it’s still not working. I repeatedly press as I twirl around scanning the area for water. Naturally, the only time I actually want water, there’s none to be found. The buzzing grows louder, as the swarm moves in through the trees like black ink. I run back up the hill to find Noah, but the flies are moving in quickly. I zigzag between the trees, trying to throw them off, but they catch up to me. Just before they descend, Noah dives out from behind the trees, knocking me to the ground, and activates the shield. The throng of flies buzzes overhead, moving in for the kill, but as soon as they touch the electromagnetic shield they are zapped. It’s like a storm of black hail and cracking thunder.

  We stay huddled together long after the last fly dies, shuddering from the blast of adrenaline. I can’t speak. I can’t move. The thought of my mother dying in this manner racks my core. The thought of anyone dying like this is repulsive. I start sobbing and slipping into the void of despair.

  Noah deactivates the shield, and before he can say anything to console me, I take off running. I run and run until I collapse to the dirt and sob some more. After a minute or two, Noah approaches and stands over me, nudging me with his boot. I know he’s teasing, but I’m not in the mood. I swing at his leg. He jumps back, then leans against a tree and waits for me to finish my crying jag.

  “You about finished?” he asks.

  “I’ve wasted the last three years obsessing over my brother. Thoroughly messed up my DOD. I thought I could make things right. But what if I blunder up the most important part? What if I can’t get to the server? I don’t know why you stayed with me. I can’t do this.”

  “Why do you think I’m sticking around? Because I like getting swarmed? Crossing through swamps? Getting my ass kicked by your brother and his henchmen?”

  “You stayed to find out who killed your brother. And I couldn’t even help with that. I’ve been so selfish only thinking about me.”

  “Like I said, drugs killed my brother. The system killed my brother. I’m staying because I want to be with you. I want to help make things right.”

  Noah’s words are earnest and genuine. He’s not the same boy who left Richmond five days ago. His entire moral constitution has changed, and he wants to help fix the broken things—including me. When he reaches down to lift me up, I notice his wrist. I pull his hand closer to make sure I’m not seeing things.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “We had a lot going on. Alligators and flies. Didn’t want to add to your stress. Besides, now we have matching DODs.” He grins, but I don’t find this in the least bit humorous.

  “My life was already over before
we left the grid. I never cared about my DOD. But you actually had a life. And now I’ve ruined that.” I start welling up again, wishing I could just make everything stop racing forward.

  “First of all, your brother is just using me to scare you. He won’t go against my father. So don’t worry about my DOD. But more importantly, you’re still breathing so that means you still have a chance to fix yours. Frankly Kalliste, I don’t want you to die. I’d like to get to know you better. Maybe take you out on a real date. Kiss you without worrying about the passing seconds or getting swarmed. Teach you how to play poker properly.”

  It’s impossible to hold back my grin. “And you call me a smart aleck.”

  “I know it’s hard for you to understand this because you’ve shielded yourself from the world, but we actually need you in it. So, would you kindly stop crying and rally?”

  I get off the ground and stand up to face what’s ahead of me. I have been hiding from the world, using excuse after excuse to keep my distance from other people for fear of losing them. It might be time to fix that.

  29

  (still 2 days remaining)

  Noah and I arrive in Darien a little ahead of schedule, which is good because we both need to rest. I can barely hold up the canteen Noah hands me. He collapses under a shade tree. The air is still muggy and too sticky for human contact, so I sit across from him and rest my head against a tree. A refreshing breeze comes up from the nearby water, helping to cool us down, and for a few moments nothing else seems to matter except savoring each passing moment. Every now and then some sunlight catches the golden flecks in his eyes, and I’m filled with gratitude that he’s here with me. That the storm between us has ended, and I’m not worried about what will happen when we return to our grid—if we return …

  “I could stay like this for days,” he says.

  “Me too. I mean if we had some to spare.”

  “We will.”

  “Glad you’re feeling confident in my abilities. I might be in over my head.”