“Chastity?”
Next, the camera panned back to Freya, who lay limp in a man’s arms. He leapt from the pulpit to the transport device just as another man activated it. Bright lights radiated as the man holding Freya’s body jumped through.
The Security officer operating the camera seemed to be just as disoriented. Chastity returned to the screen as one of the military personnel attacked her, wrestling her to the ground. The camera swayed back to the microphone where Freya had stood, then panned back again to show the floor.
“No blood.” Lewis gasped. “There’s no blood!”
He screamed, punched the wall, then suddenly lost his footing and collapsed. The bright light above blurred in and out of focus.
Freya’s alive.
He rolled onto his side, facing Dr. Rhetta’s body. Her lips had turned blue, her once intense stare now vacant. Part of him thought he should do something with her body, or at least close her eyes, but he struggled to move.
Let them come for me. I’m a dead man anyway.
Time passed. It could have been hours, it could have been minutes, he cared not.
“Lewis? Are you there?”
His head jerked up from the floor, looking up to the source of the voice: his monitor. A chill washed over him as he pushed onto his knees. A young, strikingly beautiful woman’s face showed on the screen. She had large eyes with long flirtatious lashes and full lips. Her beauty wasn’t what grabbed his attention as much as how someone so young could carry such a confident, commanding demeanor.
“Yes?” He raised an eyebrow. “If you know my name, and can access this monitor, I can only assume you’re High Council, yet you look far too young.”
Her eyes narrowed. “My grandmother said you were clever for someone in the military. I am looking for her. Have you seen her?”
He grimaced. “I’m sorry. I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
As he spoke the words, understanding flooded his mind. He couldn’t comprehend how a woman as striking as this could be related to that vile creature laying dead on his floor. His gaze darted to the side, realizing her body was clearly out of the monitor’s range if this young woman hadn’t already noticed.
“Dr. Rhetta. She was meant to collect you and bring you to the State House. Did she make it there before the commotion?”
He gulped down dry air.
If I run now, I could make it out an access hatch to the surface. I would rather die a free man then be executed.
“No, she didn’t make it here. In fact, I haven’t seen her since she originally dropped me off here. She said she would return and give me instructions to my mission, but never did. I have rotted here ever since,” he hesitated, “since I killed the former Head of State.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course. She is difficult that way. She could have just conferenced you anytime, as I am now, but she always insisted on speaking to high profile personnel face-to-face. She claimed she had a better grasp of body language if she did.”
High profile? That’s how the High Council sees me?
His eyes darted around the room. “So, then who are you? And why was she supposed to bring me to the State House?” He paused. “And why was I hidden from Security all this time?”
“My name is Devina, and just like my grandmother, I choose to live inside the dome unlike the other High Council members to have better control over the culling. I lived undercover as a cook in the State House and convinced Freya I was her contact in the rebellion to ensure she took proper action. Once you are situated, I will return to the mountain as there is no longer need for High Council representation under the dome.”
Lewis blinked, trying to keep his face neutral. It made perfect sense that the High Council would put such measures in place, yet it still stung.
Freya never stood a chance.
He licked his lips. “And how am I to be situated? I still don’t understand my purpose.”
Devina narrowed her eyes. “Okay, I see you’re not that clever. But that’s okay. The Head of State is only a token position. I’m sure you can read from the scripts we send you for every broadcast.”
Lewis rocked back, sitting on his heels. It was lucky he hadn’t been properly standing for her call or he may have fallen over. His lips parted as he looked off to the side. “Dr. Rhetta wanted me to be the Head of State?”
She leaned forward toward the monitor. “Lewis, you are the Head of State. Now, since most of Security has fled to the colony, we are operating blind. There is no coverage in your area, which is why I need you to get underground ASAP. You were supposed to get down there before the uprising. So, if you please. Leave, now.”
Lewis nodded to the monitor, hardly able to utter a word. The screen switched off, and looked over at Dr. Rhetta’s still body, her blanched skin.
What have I done?
Even though time wasn’t on his side, he had one semblance of hope; privacy. Without hesitation, he grabbed onto Dr. Rhetta’s cold, frail body and lifted her into his arms. He had to act fast. With the chaos in the atrium, there was a chance he could get her outside of the dome, a place no one would think to look for her body.
Chapter 28
Colin
Aakil sat on the log, his shoulders slumped while Colin paced anxiously. “You mind giving it a rest, mate? You’re making me dizzy just looking at you.”
Colin’s feet froze in place, instantly making him feel as though he would implode. He bounced on the balls of his feet and shook his hands while focusing on his breathing.
“Oh God, that’s somehow worse.” Aakil remarked. “Keep walking.”
Colin nodded as his feet instantly sprung into action. He was glad Aakil accepted his need to pace. He felt he might blackout otherwise.
“It’s all going to be fine,” Aakil assured him for possibly the hundredth time.
“I know.” Colin gulped down air. “I know. We’ve done everything we can, and the rest is up to those inside the dome.”
Aakil looked at Colin sideways. “Is it time for you to fill me in on the part of this plan I don’t want to know about?”
Colin stopped pacing. His skin blanched as he held his breath.
Aakil raised an eyebrow. “Really? I’m going to hate it that much.”
Colin nodded awkwardly and resumed his pacing. There were only two people who knew of his plans to abduct Freya, the Head of State, his partner who didn’t want to flee the dome to be with him on the colony world.
When he went over the plans with Chastity, she used words like rescue and liberation, encouraging him to take her. She swore that Freya never truly got over him and refused his offer to run away to the colony world because she didn’t know she could sleep to adjust their ages so they could be together again.
Chastity had also advised that Freya might be a little mad at first when she woke up, but only because she would worry about what had happened to the colonists while she slept. But if Colin could show her a well-functioning world built without the State, or her governing, then she would quickly forgive him for taking her against her will.
It all sounded fantastic when Chastity said it, but as they approached the final hour, he doubted for the first time how well Chastity actually knew Freya.
Maybe Freya had concealed some of her stubborn tendencies, performing on her best behavior while confined in the walls of the State House. Or maybe Freya had never gotten mad at Chastity, or hated her, something he was far too familiar with.
Chastity was the only one to know the full truth, and it didn’t look as though she would make it through to their side. He knew as they went over the plan it was a necessary risk. She may have to sacrifice herself for their cause, for his mother. So much of him wished he could get to know Chastity and hear all about his mother, but he knew time was a luxury they didn’t have.
There was one person who knew a half-truth of what he planned. With any luck, Aakil would be too distracted to stop him or to tip off the medic to know what was really
happening.
All she knew was to prepare the hibernation chambers. He said they may be necessary if the sparse military personnel made it through to their side. They could force them to sleep until their world had the means to handle these intruders better.
She hadn’t seemed too convinced, but as Colin had established himself as somewhat of a leader, she didn’t protest.
A shout sounded from the transport device as the bright lights lit up. Colin spun around and peered at the device, feeling as though every second dragged for an eternity.
Suddenly, a shape took form through the bright lights. A man carrying a woman in his arms: Freya.
Colin ran forward and instantly cupped his arms under her limp body. “I’ll take her from here.”
The man twisted away, holding onto her protectively. “And what are you going to do with her?”
Colin let out an exacerbated growl. “I’m taking our Head of State to the ship’s medical bay. If any of the State’s goons make it through, I want her out of sight.”
The man’s body relaxed as he passed Freya over to Colin. Colin pressed her body firmly against his as he jogged off toward the ship.
Before he had closed the distance to the ship, Aakil appeared at his side. “Colin, that better not be who I think it is.”
Colin ignored Aakil’s pressing remark as he climbed the stairs into the ship. Colin was practically at the sleeping chambers area before he realized that Aakil had abandoned him. It was probably for the best. He needed to get Freya plugged into one of those chambers before she woke up.
He saw the medic standing off to the side of a chamber, and he pivoted to his left to meet her. Colin lay Freya’s body inside and took a step back.
“Why is she unconscious?” The medic raised an eyebrow.
Colin wiped sweat from his brow as he tried to reclaim his breath. “This is the Head of State. This was part of the distraction we needed to take the transport device.”
The medic spun toward him, crossing her arms. “And why exactly would we need to lock her in a chamber?”
Colin choked on the dry air in his throat. Suddenly all the cover stories he had thought of seemed insufficient to cover for abducting the Head of State. “We just need to keep her down for a while. Don’t worry about it.”
She stepped forward, pointing a threatening finger at him. “If this is some cheap ploy to gain power, then—”
“Power! What the hell are you talking about?”
She lowered her hand and placed it on her hip. “If this is truly the Head of State, then she should be in charge here too. I mean, she was probably our age when we left, but most of the people here love her and would want her to lead us. If you’re putting her to sleep because you got used to being in charge around here—”
Colin stepped back and rubbed his face. There was nothing more he could do than tell her the truth. His tone dropped to a hushed voice. “She was our age when we left. Two years younger than me, actually.”
Maybe it was that his eyes glistened with moisture, or that his body language had changed to be submissive. The medic took a step back and looked down at Freya.
“Please,” Colin pleaded. “We all lost people when we came here against our will. If you had the chance to take back the life the State stole from you, wouldn’t you at least try?”
She looked between the pair of them before looking at him sideways. “And how exactly did you know her?”
He looked away from the medic, his hand reaching out to cup Freya’s cheek. No matter how she had changed, how she aged in their time apart, she still owned his heart.
“She was my partner. I loved her very much, still do, and the State promised we would be reunited if I compliantly got on the spacecraft.”
It was the medic’s turn to have her eyes moisten, and she gave a slight nod. It was apparent that Colin wasn’t the only one present who lost someone and, just like the rest of them, she’d do anything to get them back.
She started attaching the necessary equipment to put Freya into hibernation. “I hope I don’t live to regret this. I hope she doesn’t wake up horrified that you abducted her, and she just lost 20 years of her life—much like the rest of us did.”
Colin pushed a few strands of hair away from her face, then leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and let out a heavy sigh. “You and me both.”
***
After he assured the medic he could seal Freya into her chamber, the medic left him there alone.
Colin traced his finger delicately down the side of her face as his eyes misted with tears. “Freya, I know you can’t hear me, but I need you to know how much I love you. I’m going to prove it to you. You said that after 20 years I would understand, but you’re wrong. While you sleep, I will build us a home. I will make this world greater than earth ever was. And when I can give you the kind of life you deserve, that’s when I’ll wake you.”
He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss against her still lips. Once he pulled away, he caressed her face one last time. “I love you; please forgive me.”
Colin sealed her chamber door and peered at her through the small glass window. She looked peaceful, for now. He had to accept that whether or not Freya slept for the next twenty-two years might not be up to him. As the medic had already pointed out, some people might demand their beloved Head of State be reinstated, with or without him at her side.
As he approached the medical bay area, he could hear the commotion all around. Bloodied bodies were being dragged into the spacecraft, although he doubted there was anything they could do for them. The injured were more likely to die than survive; a reality of their new lives. Without the proper medical care, death may become a normal part of life.
He stepped off to the side to let a few more pass and then descended from the spacecraft, seeing mayhem all around him. The once brightly lit transport device was now dark, reflecting the dismal feel to the surrounding people. They may have been victorious, but all victories came at a price. Some stood holding each other as tears flowed freely down their faces from loved ones left behind while others tried to identify the newcomers and find a place for them to go.
As he peered around at them, he was overwhelmed with doubt. Should we have really done this? Can we survive without the State?
The reality of their odds of survival washed over him. He gripped his hands into fists at his side and forced those feelings down.
No. I can’t think like this. I must be strong for these people. I have to build a world that will make Freya proud to be with me. I’m responsible for her being here and I owe it to her, to everyone, to ensure we survive.
Whether he had made the right choices, it was done. He couldn’t turn back now. Freya was here. Passage between worlds ended.
Aakil stood near the transport device, barking orders at the surrounding people. As his head turned in Colin’s direction, his jaw clamped tightly shut, his gaze transfixed in a piercing stare.
Colin jerked his head to the side to signal for Aakil to follow him. He was about to get an earful and didn’t want others to hear. Even if he couldn’t get Aakil on his side, he could at least keep the others from overhearing the evidence against him. Colin walked and walked until he reached the riverside and plopped down on the bank overlooking the water.
Aakil stayed on his feet and paced for a time until he eventually caved and sat beside him. Colin blew out a deep breath and kept his eyes cast down over the turbulent water, hoping the sound of the currents would drown out Aakil’s anger.
Aakil peered over the river as well, refusing to speak. He fumbled with a long transparent item in his lap.
Colin finally caved, hardly able to bear the tension any longer. “What’s that you’ve got there?”
Aakil looked down at his hands, then held the small angular device up to the beam of moonlight. “This is the power source for the transport device. I think they call it a time crystal.”
Colin reached out to touch it, but Aakil jerked h
is hand away and tucked it securely in this pocket. “Sorry, mate, but I don’t want you getting any crazy ideas like throwing it in that river. You tend to do shit like that without talking to me first.”
Colin’s core clenched in anger from the verbal blow, yet he ignored the jab. “You don’t think we should destroy it?”
Aakil shook his head. “Hell no! Are you kidding me? This might come in useful someday. Someone might be able to reverse engineer it and we could have an abundance of clean energy.”
“Someone?”
Aakil shrugged. “It won’t happen in my lifetime, I can tell you that. Especially not living here. Maybe if I had a proper lab and I could spend every waking hour working on it like they do in the mountain, but not like this.”
Conspired: A Young Adult Dystopian Romance (The State Series Book 6) Page 18
