Compliance (17 page)

“You were
there
?” My cheeks flare. “Why didn’t you come out? You could have helped me convince them, and now I’m not even sure how to find them again.” But I will. I found Adele and I can find Joshua. I don’t need Burn’s help.

Twenty feet behind Burn, two Comps step into the alley, and I pull him around the corner.

He pushes me away. “Keep your hands off me,” he says. “I told you. I don’t mess with little girls.”

“You jerk.” Anger rises hot and hard. “I hate you.”

“Ha. That’s not possible. You don’t even know who I am.” He grins, then his face, his body, his entire appearance starts to change.

I blink. Blink again. Then rub my eyes.

I’ve already seen Burn change into a much bigger, much scarier, out-of-control version of himself, but this is different. Instead of turning into that oversized, powerful monster, he’s becoming shorter, slimmer, almost feminine. His clothes change too. This is some kind of illusion.

Closing my eyes I count to three. Something strange is happening with my vision. When I open my eyes, I skitter back on the pavement. “What?” I cry out. “How?”

Burn’s no longer there. Instead, it’s a woman, at least ten inches shorter than Burn, dressed in brown leather pants and a tight khaki t-shirt that’s cut low over a well-endowed chest. Silver hair flairs out around her light brown complexion.

“Who are you?”

She sneers. “Get your ass off the ground.”

I shake my head.

She leans against the wall.

Then she changes again—into my father.

My throat clamps shut. I know it’s not him; it can’t be. But it’s like my dad’s right there, just feet away from me, and
it’s all I can do not to leap up and wrap my arms around this parental mirage.

But before I make a fool of myself, she—or he?—turns back into the leather-clad woman.

I stand and brush off my pants, and the woman stares at me from a face that’s got sharp, fine features and distinctive eyes. They look purple against her caramel complexion.

“Who are you?” My voice shakes. I draw a deep breath. “Is this the real you?”

“The one and only.” She shakes her head, and her silver hair sparkles under the moon light. “Name’s Zina.”

“Where’s Burn?”

“How should I know?”

“It was you all along.” My words come out on a weak breath.

“Of course.” The smirk on her face is repugnant, and it’s the same one I saw the other night on what I thought was Burn’s face.

My mind cycles through my last two encounters with the person I thought was Burn. Burn is brooding, he’s dark, he holds his emotions close to his chest, but he’s not smug or taunting. He’s not cruel. I hate that I was fooled, but I didn’t know a Deviant could physically change so completely.

Still, I should have known something was up. Burn would never have treated me so badly.

“Has Burn even been inside Haven since I got back?”

“How the hell would I know?” Zina snaps. “I avoid that monster whenever possible.”

I want to hit her for calling Burn a monster, but I keep my cool. “Why did you disguise yourself?”

“Why would I show my real face?”

“But why appear as Burn? Just to mess with me?”

Her laugh is deep and throaty. “
That
was a happy accident. I dress as that monster all the time.”

“He is
not
a monster.”

“He is not only a monster”—she steps close to me, glaring, clearly trying to intimidate me, and I hate that it’s working—“he’s a
homicidal
monster. I had no idea you and Burn even knew each other, never mind
knew
each other.” Her nose wrinkles. “Talk about sick.”

Her little girl taunts flash through my mind. “There’s nothing sick about it. Burn and I are the same age.” Close enough anyway. Burn doesn’t know his exact birthday.

“I meant,” she curls her lip, “that it’s sick for
you
to be with
him
—a Shredder. He can’t be trusted.”

“Burn’s not a Shredder. Burn hates Shredders. I’ve seen him kill them.”

Grabbing fistfuls of my t-shirt, she yanks me toward her. “I know he’s a killer. Believe me.” She shoves me back. “But this isn’t about him. It’s about you.”

“What about me?”

“I told you to stay away from Adele Parry.”

I straighten my shoulders. If Zina’s my contact with the Freedom Army now, I need to rise above her taunts. I focus on the dull brick wall behind her.

“Rolph wanted to find Adele and I found her. I found out other things too.”

“Congratulations,” she says flatly. “You’re done now. Stay out of it.”

“But you need to tell Rolph what they’re planning. Once the rebels know that the FA has a plan they won’t bomb the Hub.”

One side of her mouth quirks up. “You don’t know the first thing about what’s going on.”

“Then tell me.”

She shakes her head slowly, milking the fact that she has knowledge I don’t.

“Why do you hate me? What could I have possibly done to you?”

“You really have no idea, do you?” Her eyes narrow.

“Tell me.”

“Your father and boyfriend teamed up to kill my brother.”

“What? When?” My instinct is not to believe her, but I’m so confused I’m not sure what to believe anymore.

“The day your dear dad was exed,” she says, “Burn put his fist through my brother’s chest.”

“Oh.” The wind rushes out of me. Burn told me that he’d accidentally killed one of his team members the first time his Deviance kicked in. It must have been Zina’s brother.

“Burn didn’t do it on purpose,” I tell her. “And he feels terrible about it.” I pause, trying to catch my breath and gather my thoughts. “But why hold my father responsible—”

“Shut up.” Zina slams me against the bricks and a sharp pain spreads across my ribs. “Your ass of a father can teleport. He could have saved himself. If he’d done that, my brother wouldn’t have put himself in danger.” She releases me and
steps back. “And there are no excuses for your Shredder boyfriend. He feels bad? Well, boohoo. My brother’s
dead
.”

I open my mouth to speak, but I’m no longer sure what to say. I understand why she blames Burn—to a point—but not my dad and not me. My dad didn’t know he could teleport when he was exed. He didn’t even know he was a Deviant. He was expunged because he confessed to killing my mother to protect me. But telling any of that to Zina seems pointless.

She steps way too close. “I’ll never trust you. Never. And if you keep getting in my way…” She puts her finger to my temple. “Pow. You’re dead.”

Chills race over my skin. Her hatred for both Burn and me is palpable, and I want to see Burn so badly it aches. I know he’s not a Shredder like Zina claims, but I want to know why she’d say that, and I want to make sure Burn knows he can’t trust her. With any luck, Management will pick her up for kidnapping me, thinking she’s him.

“Little girl, if I were you”—Zina runs for the end of the alley, leaps onto a ladder, and climbs—“I’d watch my back. You never know where I’ll show up or as whom.”

T
HE NEXT MORNING
during class, I can’t get Zina out of my head. Now, not only do I really have no FA contact, I have an enemy, and everyone I encounter might be her in disguise.

As soon as I get time in the study room, I’ll use Mr. Belando’s passcode to find Joshua so I can try to convince him that bombing the Hub is the wrong tactic, not to mention just plain wrong.

“Glory!” Shaw’s voice booms.

“Yes, sir?”

The class erupts in derisive laughter.

Shaw sighs. “List three reasons.”

My cheeks heat. I have no idea what he’s been droning on about, or what he wants reasons for. I’m not even positive what today’s lecture topic is or what I was supposed to
have studied last night. “I’m sorry. Three reasons for what, exactly?”

“Three reasons why you’re a freak,” Thor says, and Stacy laughs.

I turn toward her and when she catches my eye she stops laughing and turns to face the front of the room.

“Three reasons why Deviants are a danger to Haven,” Shaw says, impatience coloring his voice.

It’s an easy question. No wonder everyone’s laughing. Every child in Haven learns this stuff before they start GT. “They hide among us. They’re one step away from becoming Shredders. They won’t rest until every Normal in Haven is dead.”

The class laughs.

“Thank you for the pre-GT answer,” Shaw says. “If you were four I’d congratulate you.” He shakes his head. “Who can share a reason that’s actually from the information you studied last night?”

Hands shoot up as my cheeks burn, and Shaw calls on Quentin.

“Deviants are different and different is dangerous. They have genetic anomalies that have eroded their humanity. They procreate more often than Normals and have litters, like animals from BTD called rabbits. If allowed to reproduce, Deviants would take over the population of Haven.” He holds up a third finger. “Their blood and other bodily fluids are poison to Normals. They can kill Normals with a kiss. Was that three or four?”

“Four,” Shaw replies. “Good work.”

Anger rises inside and it’s all I can do to keep my mouth shut. If Management spreads lies and no one disagrees, then how will anything ever change? But anyone who asks questions in Haven is immediately suspect.

The door to our classroom opens and Captain Larsson steps inside. I look down at my desk.

“Cal,” Larsson calls out. “Step outside.”

My insides flip, but Cal rises without question and follows Larsson into the hallway. Shaw resumes his lecture but I can’t concentrate with my ears buzzing. Why would Larsson want Cal?

Shouts come from the hall and everything inside me clenches. The voice shouting loudest is Cal’s. The wall of the classroom vibrates. Something or someone slammed into its other side.

Everyone gets up and rushes toward the door. I’m too small; my passage is blocked so I tug on shoulders, I push and yell. Finally, I drop and crawl under the final few sets of legs to get to the front of the pack now assembled in the hall.

Two Comps hold Cal as he struggles against them, and Larsson has his Shocker pointed directly at Cal’s chest.

“No.” I jump up from the floor. “Don’t shoot him.”

Larsson doesn’t even turn.

“Let me go,” Cal shouts. “I need to save him.”

My body recoils at the tone of Cal’s voice. I’ve never seen him this angry. I’ve never seen him out of control. I’ve never seen him defy authority.

“Cal, what’s wrong?” I call out.

He turns at my voice, the Comps loosen their hold, and
he lunges forward, escaping their grip. Larsson fires his Shocker and its tag strikes Cal’s chest.

The Comps grab him, and insulated from the charge by their thick gear, they hold Cal as his limbs shake and vibrate. His body twists—convulses—and his face distorts to a painful grimace, yet he doesn’t fall.

Larsson increases the charge.

“Stop.” I grab Larsson’s arm to stop the torture. “Why are you doing this? What’s wrong?”

Cal slumps to the ground and I run to his side. “What have you done?” I accuse everyone in the hall. “Someone. Tell me what’s going on.”

Larsson crouches beside me and puts a hand on my shoulder. I shrug it off.

“There’s been an accident,” he says quietly.

The Comps tug Cal up and I throw my arms around his torso, trying to push the Comps away. “Leave him. Can’t you see he’s unconscious?” I just want to hold him, to keep him from further pain.

“A set of scaffolding collapsed in the Hub today.” Larsson’s voice is even and calm. “A construction crew was on it, several stories up, preparing for the President’s birthday.”

“And?” My heart slams hard against my ribs. “So?” I can’t make eye contact with anyone or someone will die.

“Three workers were killed,” Larsson says. “Others were badly injured and are being admitted to the Hospital.”

“Why is Cal so upset?” My voice shakes.

“One of the workers admitted to the Hospital was Cal’s brother, Scout.”

The instant I’m allowed into the detention room, I rush to Cal’s side, still shocked that Larsson granted me this visit. I sent a message to Mrs. Kalin, but I’m not sure when she’ll get it or if she’ll come. Cal’s strapped down to the bed, metal shackles at his ankles and wrists and a thick strap of leather over his forehead to hold his head down.

I run my hand over his cheek. His skin’s clammy. “Cal.” I bend to get my lips close to his ear. “Can you hear me?”

His body jerks and his eyes snap open, full of terror. “Get me out of here. I need to keep Scout out of the Hospital.”

“We’ll figure out a way.” But there is no way. Scout’s already in there, but telling Cal while he’s restrained seems pointless and cruel. He tugs against his bindings and blood trickles from his wrists onto the sheet.

I put my hand on his arm. “Stop struggling. You can’t break those cuffs. You’re hurting yourself.”

He stops tugging.

“They won’t remove those restraints until you calm down.” I put my hand on his cheek and force myself to breathe slowly, doing my best to hide my own terror and grief.

My breath hitches. I wonder if Jayma knows yet. As Scout’s dating partner, someone must have told her.