by Tanya Ross
Afterward, it would be easy to melt into the crowd. They could both take the “M” home. They would board separately. His more luxurious Status Twelve area in the front of the train and her simpler Level Eight toward the back would further disconnect them. Nothing would look abnormal.
“Ember, call up your CommuteCar again and meet me at the M’s Cloud Nine stop.”
“The ‘M’?” Her eyes searched his face, as if looking for a more sensible answer.
“No one can track us when we’re there, Ember.”
“Of course. You’re right. Good call.” She winked at him and patted his arm playfully. He groaned inwardly.
Like before when they met at Nemo’s, Will waited until Ember’s car picked her up before ordering up his own. It gave him time to pull his mood up further and distance himself from her physically so no one would question a simultaneous arrival. Now, just to stay the course.
On his way to the “M” Will’s mind whirred. He used everything in his power—all his training—to elevate his mood. He was seldom, if ever, unable to bring up his points. He could do it. This time was no exception. He thought about how lucky he was and concentrated on happier moments.
The “M” was one of those moments. When he was last at the “M” was the very reason why he had been promoted to Level Twelve. He let his memory fall back to that day…
It had been just an ordinary day, a day he took a simple walking shortcut home when he became an unexpected hero. Always hyper-aware of his surroundings, he gasped as he rounded the bend. What he saw about ten feet away from the walking path seized the breath in his chest. A fair-skinned dark-haired boy about twelve was poised to throw a Frisbee from the top of the Bird’s Eye Pass Bridge to a group of kids standing beneath.
The “M” system ran along this ridge at a high speed, and signs were posted to warn pedestrians anywhere near the tracks.
How did that kid get up there? Will thought. A feeling of dread overwhelmed him, the tingle going down through his toes. As he watched the young boy dance on top of the bridge, Will realized that the kid had probably used the bridge’s abutment sculptures to climb up there. Tranquility prided itself on artistic structures, and the bridge was no exception. A series of steel, colorful shapes arranged in a vertical pattern, rose up on either side of the bridge. Climbing the shapes like a jungle gym would be an intriguing challenge for a boy trying to prove himself. It was a risky escapade, most likely fueled by his friends’ encouragement. The boy was too busy proving himself to understand how much he was putting his life at risk.
“Hey, stop, kid! Stop! Get down!” Will yelled. Will looked at his Alt: 2:10 p.m. The monorail would be flying by in mere minutes.
Without any acknowledgement of Will, the boy shouted, teasing, “Who’s gonna catch it? Successful catch—big Alt numbers!”
With glee, the children below screamed as the Frisbee was released and sailed down through the air to the lucky one who could jump the highest to capture it.
What sounded like an earthquake suddenly caught the attention of the little show-off on the bridge. He instantly froze. Will heard it, too—the unmistakable rumble of the Monorail making its way down the track from the south. There was nowhere for the kid to go; jumping off the bridge was out of the question. He saw the lights of the train; its horn blared. Will’s mind whirred…less than three minutes and the kid would be dead.
Will shoved through the now-screaming kids, rushing over to the northern end of the bridge’s concrete support pillar. Grab the first structure. Climb. No…he slipped! Refocus. Climb faster! Grab the guardrail…pull up! Run!
The Monorail was in sight. Its horn blared. Eighteen seconds. The kid shrieked. Will jerked the boy off his feet by his waist. “Got you!” Dropping the boy over the guardrail, he commanded, “Hold on to that square, kid!”
Eight seconds… the train would be upon him, too. Will vaulted over a two-foot divider on the parapet and hung on with his arms once again to the outside guardrail of the bridge. The monorail raced by, out of sight in the blink of an eye.
A deep breath, and Will carefully lowered himself down to where the boy was still hanging on, white-knuckled, to a decorative yellow square sculpture. Crying tears of terror and remorse, the boy grabbed onto Will’s shirt and put his face into his chest. “Oooooh,” the youngster moaned.
“You okay, kid?” Will asked in a strained voice.
“I’m okay…. yeah….” He blinked, still in shock.
“C’mon…I know you’re shook up, but we’ve got to get back down.”
Will helped the boy, step by step, cautiously navigate down the geometric gauntlet to the concrete sidewalk below.
Simultaneously now jabbering, the kid’s audience of friends erupted, jumping all over them, finally forming a haphazard circle around the victim and his savior.
A trio of male friends high-fived the boy, their faces unwinding like the release of a too-tight spring. Two highly hysterical girls were crying—tears of joy or fear, Will couldn’t tell.
“Hey, now…we’re all safe… But, what’s your name, Frisbee King?”
“I’m Jesse. I live in Orange Glen…Who are you, mister?”
“I’m Will. So glad I was nearby. We were both lucky today…but now, I’m going to make sure you get home. And, I’m going to tell your parents about what happened here today.” Will wiped the sweat off his brow with his hand. Realizing it too late, Will looked at his hands, dirty from the ordeal, and knew his face was now streaked with grime. His shirt, too, was torn. Will imagined he looked like a filthy rag doll that had seen better days.
Jesse shook his head. “Thanks for coming to get me.” Another tear leaked out of Jesse’s eye.
“Yeah, well…let’s go. You need some rest—after your parents’ lecture, that is.” Will winked.
As they walked away down the path, leaving Jesse’s friends behind, Will felt his Alt vibrate. Glancing down, he saw it reflect a powerful upturn in points. The Alt’s numbers registered like a casino’s slot jackpot. The Alt was posting points that dramatically exceeded his current status! He wryly smiled at the Alt’s acknowledgement of his emotional outpouring of strength today but had no complete idea what the leveling up entailed.
It wasn’t that Will didn’t appreciate the points, but what made him feel on top of the world was the opportunity to unselfishly help another person in distress. He felt amazing in spite of what he had been through. Exhausted, but also totally euphoric, he felt more fulfilled than by anything he had ever done in his life.
As if in answer, his Alt actually began to glow. A dim light within the face of his Alt increasingly became brighter and brighter. Looking down, Will gasped. The Alt’s luminescence was radiant. This was new and mysterious, but certainly something significant had happened to his Status.
Will walked the rest of the way to Jesse’s house, where he gave him up to a relieved and thankful set of parents…
A day later the story hit the Tranquility News, and the rest was history… The memory brought a broad smile to his face. What an opportunity he’d been given. He was sure he was doing the right thing by letting Ember go. He needed to be on his own and follow the laws of his city. Too much depended on it.
36
Ember’s Rendezvous
Ember arrived at the jam-packed Cloud Nine station as the late afternoon sun dropped behind the horizon. Her attention, though, was drawn to the colorful surroundings of the site. This was where the Birds Eye Pass Bridge rose up from the park trails below. The “M” whooshed by, fifty feet from the waiting area at the top of the bridge. Sections of brightly hued chairs lined the perimeter of the area, grouped by color, so those with higher Status sat furthest away from the Maglev. Ember stood in the center. The plaza was a monument to color; the abundance of vines, flowers, and fluffy hedges beckoned with their beauty. Blooms perfumed the air. It would be at least a beautiful place to meet Will. Not only gorgeous, but romantic as well, especially as the sunset streaked the sky with color
.
Her eyes scanned the crowd for him. It was a while before she saw his yellow CommuteCar pull up to the curb, where she saw Will exit his ride. Her insides always responded like a wax candle, both burning brightly and melting at the same time. The real joy in her life. Her Alt buzzed, and she checked its face. Her points were soaring in her anticipation of spending time alone with Will.
Even from a distance she observed that his aura had changed since she had seen him just minutes earlier. Puzzling. It appeared in rainbow waves, but some flashed murky, some vibrant. She thought maybe he was just nervous about a private time alone. After all, they had never had the opportunity. She nourished a growing eagerness in her own heart. Her pupils widened as he approached, and her breath came in short bursts. Warmth spread through her body. The place wasn’t secluded enough for what she longed for, but at least the flora would provide a partial privacy screen.
Will approached, and again his aura changed. His feelings were up, then down — a random bouquet. She gathered up his emotions—concern first, then the typical welcoming ardor and kindness. Yet, Will was nervous, too. He approached her, and quickly grabbed her arm without even a “hello.”
“Will, are we in a hurry?” She didn’t know what else to think. This was going...strangely.
“We’re in a hurry to find some camouflage.”
“Oh. Sure. I’m just thrilled we can spend some time together,” Ember replied.
“Me too. C’mon,” he urged.
Am I blushing? She put her hands up to her face and felt its heat. I am blushing! she thought.
She noticed a little twitch in the corner of his right eye, proof of the jittery energy emanating from him.
His aura now glittered with determined tones of red. She smiled, knowing now, for sure, he was anxious to wrap his arms around her. Wherever and whenever they were together, her happiness would soar.
He pulled her along, dodging people milling about the area. Some Tranks waiting in line to board the “M” glanced their way and wished them a “good day” to score more Alt points, and some, immersed in their own daily routine or examining their Alts, were like tangible ghosts. They’d never remember ever seeing them. Some faces lit up with recognition as Will walked by, obviously recognizing him from his recent heroics. Several turned their way as if to flag him down. Will kept striding through the crowd, where they could disappear in an anonymous gulf. Blending in was the best way to disguise their whereabouts.
They headed over close to the bridge. Ember looked down in awe.
“Isn’t this where you saved that kid?”
“The very place.”
“Can you show me how you climbed up?”
“Sometime. Not today. Today I have an agenda.” His voice was thick.
Will is sure impatient, she thought. She didn’t know whether to be excited or not. He was intense.
“When we leave, we both take the ‘M’ home, okay? We need to separate,” Will said.
“Got it.”
In a couple of minutes, Will guided Ember toward the station’s most lushly landscaped area. Night-blooming Jasmine and nine-foot lush, tropical hibiscus made it a garden paradise. He parted some bushes, pulling Ember inside. It seemed suddenly they were in their own mini room, cut off from the rest of the world. The rumble of the Monorail streaking by and the murmur of the crowd outside the zone were the only reminders that they were not completely alone. The space seemed made just for them. About four by four, it was shaded from the sun, save one narrow shaft of sunlight that illuminated Will’s face and shimmered in his hair.
Just as Ember had hoped, Will immediately gathered her to him in a tight embrace. She felt consumed by his emotions; love and contentment streamed from his inner soul, infecting her. He leaned in and kissed her—a deep and urgent kiss. She buzzed from head to toe, her legs threatening to give out from under her.
He broke the kiss when both of their Alts vibrated at once. A cascade of electronic bells signaled an upsurge in points. First Ember, and then Will, burst out laughing. Ember had never been so happy.
“So that’s how you make extra points, then?” Ember asked when her giggles subsided. “Those are the easiest points I ever made!”
“Yeah,” Will said, still breathless.
Ember reached out to Will to draw him close to her again, but Will gently pushed her back. He gazed down at her, his face suddenly somber. His green eyes were mesmerizing as always, but there was something odd in them, like a cloud that had passed in front of the sun. They brimmed with conflict. His aura, so dynamic a minute ago, waned and changed from a vibrant blue to a fish-scale gray. He bit his lip, and shuffled his feet, as if he was balancing on a ship at high sea.
“Will?” Ember said. “Something’s wrong. I see it and feel it.” She drew in a ragged breath.
Dropping his gaze, he stepped even further apart from her. “Look, Ember.” He made eye contact again, but she could tell it was an effort. “You know I care for you…deeply.” His vocal tones are guarded, odd. “You’ve meant so much to me. But...we have to stop seeing each other. Especially now with these strong feelings. And what we know about—everything. It’s a massive risk for me—and for you. I have to protect you.”
“I know it seems impossible, this thing with the Magistrate. But I think we’ll find an answer. You’ll find a way out. I’ve been trusting you, I—"
“Ember! There is no way out!” Will’s voice split the air. “Not right now. What’s happening is bigger than we are, and I don’t know how to solve any of it. Or if we can. We have to break up, Ember.”
Ember gasped, her mouth dropping in shock. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Her knees buckled and she swayed. Reaching for his arm, she grabbed it to steady herself. She opened her mouth to protest further but her throat constricted, as if trying to grip the lump that was forming there. She swallowed hard and pushed her voice to the surface. “Will! No! There’s got to be something we can do.”
“Our relationship’s forbidden, Ember, and it’s gonna lead to real, legit sorrow. I never should have invited you out…or anything. That was my mistake. My weakness. And now that you’ll be with the Magistrate, and I can’t even see you…well, it’s coming to a natural end anyway.” He forced a smile, but it was feeble, joyless. “But I needed to see you alone—just the two of us—one last time.”
He can’t be serious about this. He CAN’T!
“And what about my mom? The rings? Everything we’ve found out? You’re giving up?” Her words were demanding, pointed, like the edges of broken glass. She hardly knew what to do. Frustration and despair formed a bomb, blowing her heart apart. Her Alt vibrated and chimed again, but this time she knew it was crashing.
Will ran his hands through his hair, as if her questions exasperated him. “No, I’m not giving up, but I’ll solve it on my own. It’s going to take time, though. A long time. That’s why I have to let you go. I’m so sorry, Ember. I really am. You have to believe me. This is for the best.”
Don’t cry. Don’t! But she couldn’t help herself. One tear glimmered on her lashes and then the rest broke free like the downpour of a summer storm. Will reached out to wipe them away. She jerked her head away, avoiding his touch.
“Be happy, Ember.” Will’s voice cracked. “That’s what I want.”
He spun around and tore through the foliage. Leaving Ember behind. Alone.
37
Xander’s Decisions
Xander didn’t know quite what to do with the bound-up bodies from the transport. The men who had driven the truck had to be disposed of as well. Should they just leave them lying out in the open? Should they burn them? Bury them? The crew was waiting. He had to make a decision.
“Throw the death-driver Tranks on the fire, gang. We want no trace of those guys left at all. As for the other corpses, leave ‘em. We want no part of doing body disposal for the city. We know only too well there are Greelox out here. Leave ‘em for them.”
Last to board the vehicle, Ga
briel and Bixby together tossed the men’s bodies on the fire, standing there a moment more to watch the flames wrap around the ill-fated forms. They jumped into the back, pressed the button on the inside to lower the door, and the death wagon rolled away from the scene.
A couple of hours later, their conscripted “bus” arrived at the back entrance of the city.
A Level Ten attendant outside the gate gave a Tranquility salute to Xander and pressed the button allowing the electronic gate to open. Xander drove through. Too easy. So far, the transport had navigated its way back to the city gates on its own. There was no reason why it wouldn’t continue all the way back to its original destination.
“Look. There’s a small road off to the left in those trees. We’re probably headed there.” They veered to the left, taking a tiny street that looked as if it were an alley, but after a tenth of a mile it led into an area so thick with vegetation it created a feeling of night. They rode deeper into the enclave. They finally passed a sign that said, “Authorized Access.”
Xander’s adrenaline was kicking in. Getting back into the city was a bona fide victory, and he was excited. And nervous. The whole mission would rest on whether they could pull this off without being discovered, especially with the others in the back. If they were stopped or discovered, he knew there would be no more banishment to The Outside. They would be executed.
Up ahead he saw a building the same color as the truck—a dusty tan. Foliage partly hid the structure, but it was obviously a type of garage. Their vehicle pulled up to the front and the mega door opened, revealing a spot for the transport, right next to an identical carrier.
Their vehicle’s doors opened.
“Jasper, stay calm…act like this is no big deal…” Xander whispered before exiting. He then moved with an affected laziness, even stretching once his feet were outside the vehicle.
