Gedney tips his head. “Let’s say I was hoping you’d come.”
“I didn’t know you were working with the Resistance.” We might as well clear the air about that up front.
“It’s best to be discreet, don’t you think? At any rate, you seem to have found out on your own.” He turns and hobbles back where he came from, calling over his shoulder, “Come in. We have much to catch up on.”
I follow Gedney into the kitchen of the lab building where one of his assistants is at the stove, stirring a huge silver pot with an old wooden spoon.
“You remember Jasper Adams?” Gedney leans over the pot and inhales the fragrant smell of garlic and onions and spice.
“Of course,” the woman says. “Nice to see you, Jasper. The chili is ready. Eat up.”
After she leaves the kitchen, Gedney points at a chair. “Sit. I’ll dish it out.” He pulls two white bowls from the cupboard and ladles chili into both. “You can speak freely in front of my staff. They’re loyal to Jon—and to me, I suppose, although it’s Jon who brought them on.”
“Have you been working with Waters all this time?”
“Not exactly.” He places a steaming bowl of chili on the table in front of me alongside a tall glass of water. “Jon and I had a falling-out on Gulaga. I strongly disagreed with his decision to implant the Youli brain patches in you and Mira, as you know. Then so much went wrong on the tour: the disastrous meeting with the Youli, the alliance with the Alks, the unexpected Earth Force offensive at the intragalactic summit. Some of the blame belongs to Jon. He knows it, but it took a while for him to see his part. It took even longer before we were ready to talk it out. But in the end, we want the same things—for you kids, for Earth, for the greater galaxy.”
“Why aren’t you on Gulaga?”
“It’s important to have members of the Resistance everywhere, don’t you think? That way we can more effectively do what our name suggests: resist. Here at the labs I’m still doing important research. Yes, it may benefit Earth Force in the short run, but it will benefit Earth in the long run. Waters understands that. Of course, the real value of me staying in place is my ability to pass information and . . . other things, if you will.”
“So you’re a spy like Jayne?” I cringe as I say her name. What if Jayne was injured at the rally, too? In my mind I see my dad holding my mom, both of them covered in her blood.
“I wouldn’t use that word, but if it helps you to frame it that way, so be it.”
I press my eyes shut, trying to erase the picture of my parents. I need to focus. Jayne wasn’t willing to give me any answers. Hopefully Gedney is. “What do you want from me?”
“You’re in a unique position, Jasper. You’re one of the few humans alive who has talked with the Youli directly.”
I swirl the chili around the bowl with my spoon. I suppose there’s no reason to hold back with Gedney. “The Youli gave me a message in the rift. They want peace.”
Gedney bows his head and takes a long breath. “That is good news.” He sits back in his chair. “You have doubts?”
He must see the confusion written on my face. “Cole doesn’t think we should listen to the Youli. He showed me vids of the Battle of the Alkalinian Seat and other clashes with the Youli that happened while I was stuck in the rift. How can the Youli seek peace but still attack our people?”
He folds his hands on the table. “It’s complex. We dealt a blow to the Youli when you kids placed the degradation patch on their vessel. It divided them.”
“That’s what the Youli who helped us escape from the rift told us.”
“It’s true, and such division is particularly challenging for a species used to acting with a collective mind. Some of their people believed that Earth should be stopped and were willing to do whatever it took to make that happen. But recent reports suggest they’ve healed their internal differences, and that they’re ready to move forward. That’s why now is the perfect time to negotiate a peace between our planets and finally join the vast intragalactic community.”
Gedney’s explanation makes sense and squares with the other facts I’ve gathered since returning from the rift, but I’m still not clear why the Resistance is so eager for me to join them. They risked blowing Jayne’s cover in hopes she’d convert me, and I don’t even think they knew about the Youli message. “Where do I fit in?”
He doesn’t answer at first. Instead, he studies my face, then slowly smiles. “We’ve always said the Bounders are the future, but you kids never understand how important you are, do you?”
When I don’t reply, he continues, “The Youli know you can communicate with them, Jasper. They’ve known since they first encountered you on the Paleo Planet, long before you had the brain patch implanted. Now they’ve entrusted you with an important message. Don’t forget you also have relationships with leaders in both Earth Force and the Resistance. I’d say it’s clear how you fit in. And that’s not even counting your relationship with Miss Matheson.”
My heart jumps. “Do you have news about Mira?”
He shakes his head. “Only whispers, I’m afraid. I’ve heard she’s alive and safe. I believe in my heart that she is critical to the peace process.”
I almost wish he hadn’t said that. It makes me think—it makes me hope—that Mira will come back, that her absence is part of the larger workings of the galaxy that I just don’t understand right now. Mira always sensed that kind of stuff. Maybe her leaving with the Youli had all to do with that and nothing to do with me. “I wish she were here. She’d know what to do.” And she’d help me calm down. How am I supposed to play an important part in the peace process—how am I even supposed to track down my sister—when I don’t know if my mom is okay?
Gedney leans forward and lays his frail hand on my shoulder. “Perhaps Mira will be back someday soon, Jasper. For now, you need to trust in yourself, and something tells me you know what to do, too.”
I try not to think any more about Mira or my mom. There’s no time for a pity party. Like Gedney said, I need to trust myself and do what needs to be done: get to Gulaga, talk to Waters, and find Addy. “I can’t make a difference from here. We both know where I need to go.”
Gedney nods. “I was hoping you’d feel that way.”
“But first,” I say, “I need to know what happened on Gulaga. During our tour of duty, it was clear a lot of Tunnelers weren’t fans of Earth Force, and we knew about the Wackies, but all of that was still pretty underground. Literally, underground.” I choke out a laugh at my bad joke.
“Good one.” Gedney chuckles. He takes my chili bowl and refills it at the stove. When he returns to the table, his tone is serious. “After the space elevator snapped, unrest grew on Gulaga. Waters stayed behind and mobilized the rebels. Earth Force miscalculated. They left repairs in the hands of the Tunnelers, so when the Resistance rose up, there weren’t many who were willing to stand and fight for Earth Force. In fact, almost every Tunneler was proud to fight with the Resistance. Soon, the remaining Earth Force loyalists were forced off the planet or . . .”
He doesn’t finish the sentence. “Killed,” I say.
Gedney nods. “No matter how you look at it, Jasper, this is war.”
“That’s why we need peace. Too many have died already. I have to carry the Youli message to the Resistance. What’s the plan?”
“As soon as the escort arrives with the seized aeronaut, you’ll be stowed away on a cargo ship bound for the Nos Redna Space Port. From there, our operative will fly you to Gulaga.”
I’d almost forgotten that the smoke bombs at the rally were just a distraction for the Resistance to kidnap an aeronaut. “The plan worked? Things turned ugly and violent pretty quick. I figured the Resistance really botched things up.”
Shaking my head free of images from the rally, I ball my hands into fists. When I get to Gulaga, I’m going to have some choice words for Waters about the Resistance and its tactics. It’s almost like they’re taking lessons from Earth Fo
rce, even if their positions are at odds.
“Again, son, I’m so sorry about your mother.” Gedney speaks softly, obviously aware of how upset I am. “We believe the Force picked up on our plans at the last minute, but we managed to carry out the operation. If we tuned into the webs, you’d quickly learn that you and Denver Reddy are missing.”
My mouth falls open. “It’s Denver?”
Gedney nods.
“That’s a huge blow to Earth Force!”
“Everything came together, even with the breach in intelligence.”
“You’re sending us both to Gulaga?”
“That’s the plan.” He smiles and pats my hand. “Now finish your chili and relax. You probably won’t have much good food or rest for a while.” He scrapes his bowl and takes it to the sink.
We talk for a few minutes about the logistics of my stay. He promises to check on my mother as soon as he can. Then he leaves the kitchen to return to his laboratory.
I can’t believe I’m going back to Gulaga, back to a diet of forage and fungi and BERF bars. It’s time to stockpile Earth food. I force down a third bowl of chili, even though I’m way past full. Maybe Gedney will let me bring a duffel filled with snacks to Gulaga.
After I eat, I refill my glass with clean, cold water. I take a long sip and let it trickle down my throat. I try not to think about much—my brain is tired of thinking—but whenever my mind starts to relax, I see my mom on the ground covered in blood.
I have to trust that she’s okay, that the wound wasn’t serious, that her friends and colleagues at the hospital are giving her good care.
But even if she’s not okay, I’m doing exactly as she asked. I’m going to find my sister.
• • •
The next morning, I wake to the cutting swish of helicopter blades out the window. Gedney told me last night that the helicopter pilot is an agent for the Resistance, even though he works for Earth Force. Every week he does an authorized supply run for the laboratory, which often includes a lot of unauthorized information and materials for the Resistance. Today, his cargo is a bit different. If Gedney is right, Denver Reddy should be on board.
I pull on the pair of sweatpants one of the lab assistants gave me last night and head for the helipad.
Gedney’s already waiting outside. “Your traveling companions have arrived.”
The helicopter touches down and the blades start to slow.
I’m not sure what I’ll say to Denver. I can’t imagine he’s in a very good mood after being kidnapped. Plus, I have no idea what they’ve told him about me, if they told him anything.
The pilot hops out of the cockpit and crouches to avoid the blades. Then he opens the back door and leans inside. Next thing I know, he’s pulling Denver out by his bound wrists.
Denver bends low and jogs alongside the pilot to clear the helicopter. When he looks up, his eyes find mine.
His face is a mix of fury and confusion. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here, kid. You were in on this?”
“Not exactly,” I say. “I had no idea you were part of it. I wasn’t sure I was until a few days ago.”
“You’re going to have to explain that,” Denver says.
Before I can reply, Gedney claps Denver on the shoulder. “Everything will be explained soon, Captain Reddy. We apologize for the manner in which you’ve been brought here, but it was necessary to—”
Gedney keeps talking, but I can’t focus on his words. Someone else is climbing out of the helicopter and running toward the labs.
A dark knot twists in my belly—because even though he’s hunched over and wearing a hat, I can tell from the way he moves that it’s Regis.
I grab Gedney by the arm and pull him around the side of the lab building. When we’re out of view of the others, I turn on him. “You didn’t tell me Regis was coming!”
“I wasn’t sure he was until this very moment.” Gedney keeps calm, even though I’m clearly furious, and even though I just forcefully dragged him across the compound. “The Resistance employs several different escorts, and identities of those on specific missions are divulged on a need-to-know basis.”
I clench my fists. “But you knew it was possible.”
“I also knew you might not agree to come if I told you Regis would be traveling to Gulaga.”
“He’s going to Gulaga? With me?” I laugh, if you can call the nasty, stupefied croak that forces its way out of my throat a laugh. “Then you’re right, Gedney. If Regis is going, I’m not.” I turn away from him, walk the long way around the laboratory buildings, and kick open the gate of the compound. Without a glance back, I jog across the field of wildflowers where I once lay with Mira counting stars and listening to crickets. I shake my head free of the memory and push forward up the mountain.
21
I’VE BEEN CLIMBING AT A brisk pace for several minutes when I hear footsteps crunching dry leaves on the path behind me.
“Hey!” Regis yells. “Wait up!”
The dark knot in my gut twists tighter. I can name it now as the particular mix of anger and wariness that I associate with Regis. I won’t let him see my fear, but I wish I were wearing my gloves.
“Why would I wait for you?” I call over my shoulder. “What could you possibly have to say to me?”
“Please, Jasper!”
Please, Jasper? Those are words I never thought I’d hear from Regis. I turn around and plant my feet.
Regis stops and bends over his knees, out of breath. It’s clear he’s been running to catch me. “Give me a sec,” he says between gasps.
Smart Jasper would turn his back on Regis and keep heading up the path, but I’m not thinking smart right now. I’m actually curious what on earth he’s going to say to try to bridge the chasm that exists between us—a chasm at least as deep and dark as the one he forced Mira and me off in Gulagaven. If it weren’t for Mira’s quick thinking, he would have killed us both.
Regis takes a huge gulp of air. “Look, I was a jerk, I get it.”
“You were a jerk? You get it? What exactly do you get, Regis?”
“I have a lot of regrets, okay?” Regis stands and clasps his hands above his head, still breathing hard. “But it was a long time ago, and I’ve been working really hard to show I’ve changed.”
I laugh. “You have an odd definition of ‘long time.’ ”
He drops his hands and starts to close the distance between us. “I know it must seem that way to you.”
Right. From Regis’s perspective, our tour in Gulaga was a year and a half ago. For me, it wasn’t half that long.
Regis keeps on talking. “Getting booted from the Academy was the best and worst thing that happened to me. I blamed you at first, Jasper. I knew it was Gedney who arranged for my dismissal, and I had a hunch you put him up to it. But shortly after I got home, Gedney reached out to me. He explained that some of my behavior has to do with my genetics—I have these impulses that are hard to control. It’s not an excuse, but it helps explain things.”
“You’re right; it’s not an excuse.”
Regis keeps going like he didn’t hear me. “Gedney’s been great. He’s helped me develop strategies to stay calm and focused.”
I curl my fingers tight against my palms. “You’ve been working with Gedney all this time? You were in touch with him during my mission to Alkalinia?” I talked to Gedney about Regis the day before we left for that slimy, underwater planet. How could he look me straight in the face and talk about Regis’s dismissal from the Academy and not mention that he was helping him get all zen or whatever?
“Yes. I’d been leaking information on behalf of the Resistance for months by then.”
Wait . . . before Addy and I left for the Academy, there was an anonymous informant who was pumping the webs with Earth Force secrets. The Force was doing everything it could to contain the leak, and promising swift and serious discipline for anyone caught divulging secrets, including Bounders. Addy and I were interrogated. I was convinced
our apartment was bugged. That’s why Addy and I had to talk in our building’s basement storage room, the dusty old closet with the freaky dolls where I bounded from yesterday. Could Regis have been the leak?
I tip my head and look Regis in the eyes. “Were you the one who tipped off the media about the Bounders and the Youli war?”
Regis nods with a satisfied smile.
“How’d you do it? You managed to keep leaking secrets even when Earth Force swept the planet on a major manhunt for the mole.”
“What can I say? I’ve always been creative in my plans. Remember Florine and the tofu noodles? At least this time I’m fighting for the right side rather than just fighting.”
The image of Florine in the trough with the noodles in her hair forces a smile onto my face. “Those noodles were awesome.”
“Yeah.” Regis laughs and shakes his head. “She was drowning in those things!”
“All you could see were her pink fingernails reaching out for help!”
“Help me! Puh-leeeze!”
Regis’s Florine impression is so spot-on, I burst out laughing.
Wait a second! I am not sharing a laugh with Regis. No way!
“How about we head back to the labs?” Regis asks, trying to take advantage of our chummy moment.
I backpedal up the path. “Are you kidding? I’m not heading anywhere with you!” The pitch of my voice rises. “It doesn’t matter what line of fluff you give me, and I don’t care what Gedney says, you can’t erase the past! I almost died because of you! Mira almost died! There is no coming back from that!”
Regis takes a deep breath, and this time it’s not from running up the mountain. He balls his fists, then flexes his fingers. The seconds pass. I can almost hear him counting to ten in his head.
“I’m trying very hard, Jasper,” he says through a clenched jaw. “I want to do what’s right.”
“Great. Do what’s right. If the Resistance wants a civil war, they’re going to need soldiers. More bodies can only help.”
“That’s not what I mean, and you know it!” Regis shouts. “I’ve spent the last eighteen hours with that has-been aeronaut Denver Reddy and all his arrogant blather. I’m not going to take it from you!”
The Heroes Return Page 17
