by T. R. Graves
Chapter 7
Separations
Carlie
As if ripping off a Band-Aid, Dad said, "Jayden, son, there's been a slight change plans. I need to go with Selma, and I'd hoped you'd agree to go with Carlie, Tawney, and Gran. You and I both know you can keep them as safe as I can."
"Sir, I thought you and I agreed that I'd chaperon Professor Enoche back."
"Carlie helped me see the flaw in that plan. Still, I don't want you to worry. I'll speak with Barone as soon as I get to the capital. I'll let him know you followed my orders, that I asked you to make sure my family was safe. Once the coast is clear, I'll contact you. Then and only then will you escort Carlie and Tawney to the academy." Dad paused for a few minutes, debating his next words. "I-I'm even going to speak with Barone about letting you enroll at the academy. I know you've always wanted to be more than a Soldier, that you've always wanted to be a writer. This might be your only chance at that."
My shocked stare jerked toward Jayden at the same time Jayden's reverent stare jerked Dad's way. Speechless with the offer, one that only my father would ever make to a Surrogate, Jayden watched Dad and waited to see if he was going to put conditions on their deal or tell him at the last minute he'd changed his mind. He held his breath and I understood perfectly how much this gesture meant to Jayden, how much he wanted to continue his education, how much he wanted to become a writer.
I never knew.
My inner conscience took over. You never tried to find out anything about him, she admonished.
Catching sight of me and the way my mouth had dropped to my chest, Jayden's cheeks reddened. Suddenly, he was uncomfortable that Dad had shared his hopes, his dreams, and his aspirations in the presence of anyone. In my presence. Jayden glanced around the barn, making sure he avoided any and all contact with me.
"Sir, I'm more concerned for you than some dream that I have no right in having," Jayden said after clearing his throat.
Dad waved his hands as if his safety were the least of his concerns.
"I'll be fine. If you go back with Selma, they'll separate you from her first thing. I am her husband. They'll have a harder time doing that with me. Appearances mean everything to Barone. The last thing he wants is to have to explain to his faithful followers that he's keeping a husband from his wife… especially if that husband is his former Secretary of the Department of Defense and that wife is his former Chair of the National Genealogists Committee.
"Conspiracy theories would taint everything he does and open him up to even more scrutiny, something he can ill afford right now. I'm pretty sure that's the reason he's been letting us lay low here on the farm for the last six months." Dad chuckled cynically. "Of course, the fact that he needs Selma to get back and continue her research won't harm our chances of getting most of what we ask for."
Jayden was appalled that Dad was making light of the situation. "Sir, he might not hurt her, but he'll put you in front of a firing squad in a heartbeat," he said right before he caught sight of the horror on my face. He jerked his chin over his shoulder, signaling for me to leave him and Dad. I was too shocked to move.
Since time was of the essence and I was going nowhere, he reluctantly continued. "I-I mean… he'll do his best to convince everyone you've broken a law, one that comes with a death penalty. Because he wants you dead, he'll set you up, making it look like you committed treason or murdered someone. You know him better than me. You know he'll do it."
Bobbing his head, Dad shrugged. "Theoretically, I have broken laws. There's a law that says I must make my whereabouts known to the government. Thanks to Selma, I've been on and off the radar for six months. It was the only way I could do things that the DOA would execute me for. I'm not naïve. I knew the risks when I walked away from Barone's umbrella of control. There'll be even more risks trying to get back underneath it." Dad put his hand on Jayden's shoulder and squeezed. "If you could keep the rest of them out of danger until we've tested the waters and called you back to the capital, I-I'd appreciate it more than you know, son."
With Dad's request, Jayden stood taller. Like me, he wore his commitment to live up to Dad's expectations as if it were a badge of honor meant to be displayed proudly.
For him, it is.
Jayden turned into the loyal soldier, snapped his heels tight, looked straight ahead, and saluted my father. "Sir. There's not an order you could give me that I wouldn't follow. Sir."
Dad's sad smile was one of sincere appreciation and absolute respect.
"Thank you, son. My family means the world to me. You're the only person I'd ever consider trusting them with."
Everything about the scene before us: the respect my father had shown Jayden; the obligation the Surrogate felt; the fact that we were merely minutes away from being separated—possibly forever—had Mom, Tawney, and me sniffling back the tears and gulping down lumps. Soon, everyone but Jayden was gathered around hugging each other desperately. When I glanced over and saw him standing stoically to the side, I reached my hand out, intertwined my fingers with his, and pulled him into our circle of trust, love, and loyalty.
Suddenly, Mom pulled back and said, "Sam, I blocked Carlie's and Tawney's MicroPharm from Barone's programs. I need to do the same for Jayden. If I don't, they'll follow them through him."
Everyone jolted to attention. There was only one person in the world who could reprogram the MicroPharm chip, and that was its inventor, my mother.
She grabbed her scanning device and said, "Carlie, I need you to watch me do this. I've uploaded the instructions in your MicroPharm—password Mommy2020—but doing it on your own will be a lot easier on you if you watch me while I block Jayden's chip," she explained in her most patient teaching voice. The one she always used in her lab.
Mommy2020.
Mommy2020.
Mommy2020.
I studied her every move while mentally reciting the password in my head, embedding it thoroughly. It was easy. Mommy and her favorite number doubled. Still, it made me feel better to practice my usual memorization exercise.
I stood behind Mom while she took a handheld device and scanned it over Jayden's chest and then his retina. Once it identified him as Jayden Thomas St. Romaine, she pulled from the back of the device a tiny wireless keyboard, and a few keystrokes later, she had the device's hologram spinning above the scanner. My gaze followed hers.
At first, there was a green luminescent dot within the scene, which happened to be the middle of a geographically accurate aerial view of the farm and its surroundings. There was no doubt in my mind that the shot was real-time because of the darkness and because I saw the hoe I'd left out of place and against the chicken's cage before supper the night before.
Beside me, Mom stared on intently. After a flash of red so quick I questioned its existence, she began counting down.
Ten.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
As soon as the word one left her mouth, the green dot representing Jayden disappeared. Mom's exhalation was loud enough for me to assume she'd had some doubts that she'd be able to block Jayden's MicroPharm from Barone's view.
If she was worried she was going to have trouble, how in the world does she expect me to be able to block anyone from being tracked?
The task felt intimidating and daunting. I prayed that I'd never be put in a position where I'd have to do such a thing.
Everything about what she'd just done—what Dad had burdened him with—had Jayden on edge. His nerves were so tight and he was so revved up I suspected I could reach over and pluck him like a guitar.
As soon as Mom packed up the device and handed it to me, I realized it was time for us to leave, and again, I wondered if I'd ever see my parents again.
After hearing Jayden's comments about death by firing squad being a very real option for Dad, I wondered how long it would take for P
resident Barone to convince the world that my loyal father was a traitor. Barone's need for Mom, regardless of her mental health, and her knowledge would be the only thing saving either of them. I hoped and prayed for his sake—for all of our sakes—she held it together.
With the scanner in hand, I threw my arms around Mom's shoulders and hugged her as if for dear life. Tears pricked my eyes.
"Stop acting like this," she admonished. "We're going back to the capital. Once we've taken our medicine and know it's safe, we'll contact Jayden. We'll be back together soon enough."
Mom sounded as if she believed what she was saying, because that was what she needed in order to go through with our plan to separate.
I nodded. "Don't forget to take some of Elle's tea with you."
My voice was thick with the tears I refused to shed.
"I will," she assured me and kissed my forehead long and hard.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Dad and pulled him into our hug.
His voice was as hoarse and crackly as mine when he said, "Jayden. He's going to need you, Carlie. Help him as much as you can."
"I will, Dad. I promise."
From the barn door, Jayden interrupted our good-byes. "Sir, we need to get going."
Dad kissed the top of my head before pushing me from our hug and gently nudging me toward Jayden, who was holding the barn door open. Nothing about our futures was certain, but that door unquestionably held promises of a life unlike anything I'd ever known, planned for, expected to encounter, one without my parents.
Ignoring my dread and apprehension, I dropped the scanner in my backpack, threw it across my shoulder, and headed toward my destiny. Jayden held the door open for me as I passed through. Tawney and Gran—filled with trepidation so deep it was palpable in their wake—followed close behind me. We all jerked with a start when the door separating us from my parents closed.
The night's darkness coupled with the deafening cacophony of nighttime chirps, hoots, and croaks put me on high alert. Thinking about my parents was no longer a luxury any of us could afford.
Surrogate Soldier St. Romaine was back, and it was going to take everything I had in me to keep up with him and not get myself killed as we maneuvered our way through the dark forest's terrain in the middle of the night.
