“I know. We ran into Steve at the space port.”
“Seriously? What happened?”
“I’ll tell you later. Go on with the story.”
Marco explained how Cole was hailed as a military hero for saving the Bounders and quickly moved up the ranks. Lucy used her recognition to talk her way into a press position and rose from there.
“What about you and Addy? It sounds like the two of you deserved some credit.”
“Yeah, well, Addy—”
As if on cue, my sister bounds into the room. Literally bounds.
“I’m back!” she says, flopping cross-legged to the floor.
“You’ve been practicing with the gloves,” I say.
She winks. “It’s been a while since you saw me, J. I’m a bounding expert now. What did I miss?” She tosses me a pack of strawberry fruit balls.
“Actually, I was telling J-Bird what he missed when he was trapped in the rift.”
“About that . . . ,” Addy says, ripping open her own pack of fruit balls. “Time moves differently in the rift, huh?”
I nod. “It was like I was only gone for a couple of hours. The lost aeronauts were only there for two days.”
“So, let me get this straight,” she says, “you lived for a few hours in the rift while I lived for almost a year in the real world, right?”
I shrug. “I guess.”
Addy hops up. “That makes me older than you!”
Umm . . . no. I shake my head and stare down my sister. “It does not.”
“Oh yes, it does! And don’t forget it!” She twirls around the room chanting, “I’m your big sister! I’m your big sister!”
She eventually sits down beside me on the bench and nudges me with her shoulder. “Seriously, though, what happened in the rift? Where’s Mira? All we’ve heard are rumors.”
I tell them about the Youli, their message, and Mira’s departure. A thick lump forms in my throat while I talk. Sharing it with my sister makes the wound feel fresh.
“The Youli and their peace talk,” Marco says, “that’s old news. Isn’t that what that guy said to you on top of his spaceship on the Paleo Planet? And then again when we planted the degradation patch on their systems during the intragalactic summit?”
“This was different.”
“How?” Addy asks.
“I don’t know how to explain it. It felt different.”
Addy places her hand on my shoulder. “Maybe it just felt different because Mira went with them.”
“No, that wasn’t it,” I say, “and anyway, why are you guys fighting me on this?”
Marco and Addy exchange glances.
“We’re not fighting you, Ace. It’s just . . . peace can be dangerous. For us.”
That makes zero sense. “Peace is the opposite of dangerous.”
“Maybe for most,” Addy says. “But what about the Bounders? Someone has to look out for our interests.”
“We were born to be soldiers,” Marco says. “We were bred for war, not peace. If there’s peace, there are no more Bounders.”
I laugh. “Come on. It’s not like they’re going to kill us off.”
“In a way, I think they will, Jasper,” my sister says, “unless the Bounders have a voice at the table.” I’m sure she can tell by my face that I don’t understand.
“If there’s no more need for Bounders,” she explains, “no more military need, there’s no more need for the Bounder Baby Breeding Program, at least how things are currently constructed on Earth.”
“I’m still not sure I understand.”
“It’s like this, J-Bird. Addy and I and the other Bounders in the Resistance, we’ve had almost a year to reflect on the Battle of the Alkalinian Seat. Yes, we want peace, but we want a say in what that peace looks like. Earth needs to change. We need a planet—a civilization—that has room for all types of people, one where Bounders are welcome and born not because of military need but because it’s right.” He offers his hand to Addy. They stand together, staring down at me. “If this war has taught us one thing, it’s that in our differences lie our strengths.”
“And while we’re open to talking about our planet’s entry into the Intragalactic Council,” Addy says, “it can’t be on just the Youli’s terms. The Resistance needs a voice. The Bounders need a voice.”
As I stare at my sister, I’m struck again by how much time I lost in the rift. Addy has always been willful and strong, but the person I’m looking at isn’t my kid sister. She’s a leader, a warrior.
“Will you fight with us, Jasper?” she asks. “Will you join the Resistance?”
They’re both looking at me, waiting for my answer. It would be so easy to say yes, to let Addy and Marco take over, to follow their direction and fight alongside Waters again. The truth is, I do think they stand on the right side of the conflict, even if Waters doesn’t always do the right thing. Since my first tour of duty when I learned the depth of Earth Force’s deception, I’ve known in my gut that what the Force is doing is wrong. Plus, there’s no one in the galaxy I trust more than Addy and Marco.
The problem is, when I really think about it, I trust Cole and Lucy, too. What Cole showed me about the Youli was really troubling, even with Gedney’s explanation about the Youli division. Cole’s 100 percent on board with Earth Force, and he has the best strategic instincts of anyone I know. Then there’s Lucy. She may be annoying sometimes, but there’s no one who has a bigger heart, who cares more about her friends. I know she thinks she’s doing the right thing.
Could there be a middle ground? Is there a road to peace that brings everyone together? That unites Earth Force and the Resistance?
“I have to talk to Waters first,” I tell them. I need to speak to him directly about the Youli’s message and his intentions.
The air next to Addy shimmers. Half a second later, Regis appears.
I recoil. Maybe I was starting to tolerate Regis, but that definitely doesn’t mean I was ready to invite him to the Nest. Unfortunately, it seems someone already issued an invitation.
“What’s up?” Marco asks him.
“Waters asked me to get you guys,” Regis says. “He needs all the captains in the Parliamentary Chamber, stat.”
“Captains,” I say. “So the Bounders in the Resistance were promoted just like in Earth Force.”
“It’s nothing like Earth Force, J. Just wait and see.” He turns to Addy. “We should go.”
“In a sec,” she says. “You go ahead.”
Marco shrugs, then bounds away with Regis.
Addy sits on the floor and pats the ground beside her. I slide off the bench and plop down next to my sister.
She wraps me up in a giant hug. “I can’t believe you’re really here, J. I spent so many nights lying on this rug, trying to imagine you somewhere in the galaxy, alive. Everyone kept saying there was no way you survived, but I wouldn’t accept it. I couldn’t accept it. A world without you just wasn’t something I could get my head around.”
“When I got to the rift,” I say, “all I could think about was watching the venom tube rip open into the deadly waters with you and Marco inside it. I could actually picture your sinking corpse.”
“That’s gruesome.” Addy starts laughing. “Everything about Alkalinia was gruesome. It was so horrible it’s actually funny.”
I’m laughing, too. “Do you remember how freaked Marco was when he met Serena’s babies?”
Addy falls back on the carpet. “So freaked! I mean, who wouldn’t be freaked wading across a futbol field filled with tiny, venomous snakes?”
“Welcome to the EarthBound Academy!” I say, lying down beside her. “Was it all you thought it would be?”
“And more!” She giggles. “I nearly died along with all my new Bounder friends, and my brother was lost in a timeless rift! It’s awesome!”
Our laughs fade, and the memories recede, and I’m left again with the reality of my post-rift life. “Marco was telling me what happened while I
was stuck in the rift. You showed up before he got to the part where you and he joined the Resistance.”
“They had a funeral for you, Jasper,” Addy says quietly. “It was the worst day of my life. Tons of people spoke, including Admiral Eames. While she talked, a giant screen rose up behind her with a picture of you and the words PROTECTING OUR PLANET COMES AT A PRICE scrawled in cursive letters across your face. That very day, Earth Force posted the picture on the webs and distributed posters across the planet. Your death became their propaganda campaign.”
Jasper Adams: poster boy. The way Lucy tells it, everything about the campaign was a huge success. As with most things, though, there’s another side.
“I was so appalled,” she continues, “I never reported back to duty. Neither did Marco. Neither did a lot of the Bounders.”
So that’s how so many Bounders ended up with the Resistance. In some weird way, it’s because of me. “Is that why things got so bad with my pod? Because Cole and Lucy supported the propaganda campaign?”
“No, that wasn’t it. . . .” She props up on one elbow and looks down at me. “Don’t you see? Your pod was already growing apart back on Alkalinia. And then you were gone. You were the only thing holding the pod together, Jasper.”
“I don’t believe that. It can’t be that simple.”
“Sometimes it is. Bonds break.”
Mira’s words from the rift come back to me. You’re the glue, Jasper.
Addy sits up and crosses her legs on the rug. She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “Friends come and go, J. But family is forever.”
A sad smile lifts my lips. I’m so relieved to be back with Addy. She’s not only family, she’s one of my dearest friends. Wait . . . family . . . our parents.
I push myself up. “I saw Mom and Dad.”
Addy raises her hands to her face. “Really? How are they?”
“They’re worried about you, Addy. They thought you were dead, too, you know.”
“Did you tell them I’m alive?”
“I hinted at it.”
“Good. I know we’re supposed to be all secretive in the Resistance, but I hate keeping them in the dark.”
“There’s something else, Ads.” I scoot my back against the bench. “Mom was injured in the Resistance attack.”
Alarm crosses Addy’s face. “No! Everything went wrong! It was supposed to be nonviolent. We think someone must have tipped off Earth Force. Tell me she’s okay, Jasper!”
“Gedney’s sources said she was released from the hospital. But I’m not going to lie, she was badly hurt.” I can see Mom’s face, staring up at me through blood and tears. “She pushed me to search for you, Addy.”
She blinks back tears. “None of that was supposed to happen. It’s all our fault.”
Silence stretches between us. In many ways, it is the Resistance’s fault. They may have the ultimate goal of peace, but they’re willing to cross a lot of lines to get there. I wish I could tell Addy that everything will be fine, but we’d both know it wasn’t the truth.
“It’s hard to predict what might happen when you’re at war,” I finally say, “even when you have the best intentions. I believe in the Youli’s message, Addy. Peace is the answer.”
She smooths her bounding gloves and rises to her feet. “I don’t disagree with you, J, but we need to fight for the kind of peace that protects everyone.”
27
ADDY WALKS ME TO THE Bounder burrow before heading to the Parliamentary Chamber. She suggested we bound there, but I insisted on taking the long way around. I wanted a few more minutes with my sister.
The Burrow—the old Bounders dormitory—is cavernous and empty. The silver glow of the occludium-powered lights casts a glare on the glossy walls. I run my fingers along the shellacked mud. I can almost hear Lucy and Neeka talking about clear nail polish. I wonder if Neeka misses Lucy. The old Lucy.
I walk all the way to the last bunk, the one Marco, Cole, and I shared with Regis and his pod mates during our tour of duty. It’s empty. The beds are stripped, and there’s no sign that anyone has stayed here in a long time. It’s probably been empty since we left.
There were stacks of bedrolls by the front of the Burrow, but I’m too tired to go all the way back. Plus, everything aches. My body is screaming at me for spending a whole day curled up in a dark box.
I climb up to the top bunk, the one that used to be mine, the one that Regis tossed the creepy crawlies in during our tour. I close my eyes, expecting to fall asleep instantly, but I can’t. Instead, I think about what Addy and Marco said about the Bounders, which makes me worry about the talk I need to have with Waters, which reminds me of the Youli’s visit to the rift. And Mira.
Why did you leave with the Youli, Mira?
Do you miss me as much as I miss you?
Will I ever see you again?
• • •
I must eventually doze off, because the next thing I know, someone is barking in my ear.
I shoot up in bed and almost fall out of the bunk.
“Didn’t think I’d see you again,” the monotone voice box translates.
I get a look at the source of the bark: an old Tunneler with a scar across his furry face.
“You scared me half to death, Barrick. Don’t do that again!”
“It’s good for you. Keeps the reflexes sharp. Let’s go.” He makes some growly noises that don’t translate and starts walking toward the exit.
“What do you mean? Go where?” I grab my blast pack and follow him across the Burrow.
“I said, let’s go. Waters is waiting,” he calls over his shoulder.
“Why didn’t he come himself?” I ask once I catch up with Barrick.
“He’s very busy.”
“Sure.”
“I’m sure he’s busier than you,” he barks. “I just found you asleep.”
He has a point. “Why are you still using that old beta-version voice box?”
“Why are you still asking annoying questions?”
Barrick is as grumpy as ever. He saved my life, so he’s not all bad, but he’s not the best for friendly strolls through Gulagaven. When he had to escort Mira and me back here from the Wacky base, you’d think he was forced to eat an entire plate of those creepy crawlies (although who knows, maybe Barrick likes those things). He couldn’t ditch us fast enough.
I follow Barrick through the halls and into another open chasm. He keeps walking right onto one of the narrow bridges with no guard rails.
I freeze. There’s no way I’m crossing that bridge. Mira and I nearly plunged to our deaths off one of those the last time I was here, thanks to Regis. I unzip my blast pack and dig for my gloves.
Barrick stops and turns around on the middle of the bridge. My stomach quakes just looking at him out there.
“What are you doing?” he asks.
“Give me a minute.” I shake out my gloves and slip them on my fingers.
“Not in here!” he shouts.
“The scrambler is off.”
“Don’t care. Don’t like those darn things.”
I can’t bound because he doesn’t like my gloves? Tough luck.
I tap in, build a port, and bound, beating Barrick to the other side of the bridge.
He growls at me. I don’t need the voice box to tell me he’s mad.
“What is wrong with you?” the translation confirms. “I told you not to do that!”
I stand strong. “I don’t follow orders from you, Barrick! And let me give you a preview of my meeting with Waters: I don’t follow orders from him, either!”
Barrick passes me and heads down the hall. “We’ll see about that,” he barks over his shoulder.
I follow a few paces behind him. The ceiling gets lower with each step. Soon I’m more hunched over than Gedney on a bad day. I have a horrible sense of direction, but if I had to guess, I’d say we’re near the bar where we first met Barrick.
He stops in front of a door guarded by a very large, very we
ll-armed Tunneler. He has at least three guns strapped to his furry body.
Barrick nods at the guard, and he steps aside. I follow Barrick into a wide alcove. At the far end of the room is a long, stone table with a desk chair behind it. A few cushy stools are arranged in front. Maps and diagrams are tacked up all over the walls, and stacks of paper and tech crowd the floor around the table.
Waters is standing in the center of the room, spinning a projection of a galaxy sector. When we enter, he snaps his fingers, and the projection vanishes.
“Ah! Jasper! Come in. Have a seat. The stools look funny, I know, but they’re actually quite comfortable. Feel free to take your shoes off. The carpet is incredibly soft. Believe it or not, it’s made from—”
“Mold,” I interrupt. “I’ve been here before, remember?”
Waters narrows his eyes and nods. “Yes, of course I do. Please sit.” He sinks down on one of the mushroom stools. Barrick leans against the doorframe and crosses his arms.
“I’d like to talk with you alone,” I say.
Waters looks at Barrick, who shakes his head.
“Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of Barrick.”
“Are you, like, co-leaders or something?”
“We’re not co-anything,” Barrick says. “You got your meeting. Talk.”
I sit on a mushroom and clasp my hands. I don’t like this dynamic. I don’t like that Barrick isn’t sitting. I don’t like that I feel like this is two against one, especially since I’d hoped to leave the room feeling like we were on the same page, united.
“Before you start, Jasper,” Waters says, “I need to know more about Mira.”
At the mention of her name, my heart jumps. “Have you heard something?”
“Only that she’s with the Youli.”
“Is she okay?”
Waters shakes his head. “I have no idea. I hoped you would shed some light on what happened.”
Something inside of me falls, like a piece of glass crashing and shattering into a million tiny pieces. For a moment, I had dared to hope that Waters might have news about Mira. But he doesn’t know anything more than I do. In fact, I’m probably his source, indirectly. I told Jayne, who probably told her handler in the Resistance, who probably told Waters. Or maybe Gedney just called him up and told him the whole story since they’re buds again now.
The Heroes Return Page 22
