Deliverance (19 page)

A snippet of a memory passes through my mind, one of being taught the Lessers spent all their allowances on entertainment. It appears they had the social class wrong on that statistic. Big surprise.

Sindy finds a seat and we sit near the front. The production starts with a rambunctious musical number, and as the singers and dancers move on stage, I squint to study one girl. I'd recognize the smooth black curls anywhere. It's Lilith, I'm sure of it. She begins her part of the song, and she dances right past me.

If I can just find her—if I can speak to her for one moment—she might take a message to Keegan for me. She hates me and she always has, but maybe she won't hold it against me now. Maybe she'll help us.

The song ends and the actors and singers leave the stage.

“I have to use the restroom,” I say.

Sindy nods, barely paying attention. Her gaze is riveted to the actors.

I squeeze between the seats, apologizing as I go, and hurry out of the room. Glancing down the hallway, I go right. It seems the logical direction since it's the way the singers left the stage. I pass the restroom as well as some type of gift shop. The hallway veers left and a sign hangs over a door.
Backstage
.

I take a deep breath and push through the door, steeling myself to get stopped. No one stands on the other side, though. People rush through the back hallways. Actors change costume right in the open, but no one seems to care. Stage hands shout directions to each other while other actors hurry onto stage. Finding Lilith in this chaos will be impossible, but I have to try, and I have to do it before Sindy gets suspicious.

Doors stand open and I peek into each one I pass. At the third door, I see the group of singers who just left the stage. No one notices me as I slip into the room. Costumes fly and the singers laugh as they discuss the show. Lilith is at the back of the room, changing into regular clothes, alone.

“Lilith,” I whisper.

She jerks around, a frown on her face. “What are you doing here?”

“I need your help, Lilith.” I glance around to make sure we're not being watched. “Will you tell Keegan I can't speak to him? They're watching me, and they've threatened his safety if I break their rules.”

“Why would I help you?” she sneers, but her face is curious.

I grind my teeth and take a slow breath. “Don't do it to help me. Do it to help Keegan. You can have him, Lilith. I sure can't. If he stays with me, he'll be demoted. Just promise you'll tell him why he won't see me again.”

She pauses. “What do you mean they won't let you see him?”

Why does she have to ask questions? Can't she just help me? “I'm not exactly good at following their rules, that's all.”

She watches me for a few minutes, but finally she nods. “Yes, I remember the things you did back home. Fine. I'll tell him, but you better not get me into trouble. I'll rat you out in a heartbeat.”

I know she means it. “Thank you Lilith.” I rush from the room and make my way back to Sindy. She watches the play with little interest in me or my absence. I settle in, but my mind isn't on the play. It's on the thought of Keegan being with anyone other than me. I close my eyes and try to block out images of Lilith smiling at him, of Keegan writing a love song for the girl with ebony curls, of them hugging—or worse.

I peel my eyes open and watch the stage with a pit in my stomach. And I try to ignore the fact that I may have just given up Keegan forever.

 

 

 

 

30

 

Maybe it's because I'm looking for it, but I notice the note under the front door as soon as I crawl out of bed the next morning. I feel like a new person after getting a good night's sleep, and I bound across the room to read the note.

Meet me in the alley.

I can't get my clothes on fast enough, and I pull on my last shoe as I scoot out the door.

Guard Nev paces the alley when I make my way outside. I grab a rock and slide it in place so the door can't close. “I didn't expect to see you so soon.”

“I found someone who can do the procedure, but it needs to be tonight.”

“I can come as soon as I'm done training,” I say bravely, even though my insides aren't feeling nearly as brave as my voice.

“Good.”

“Do you know when we'll get inside the prison?”

“No, but this is a solid step in that direction. It looks like the prison transports run on a schedule, but I can't get ahold of the schedule.”

“Maybe I can help,” I say. “I met some people.”

He stops pacing, his eyes narrowed. “Who?”

“I found a place called Broken City. There were people inside. The Free.”

His silence rings in the air like an alarm and my stomach knots. Maybe Miriam fooled me.

“What's wrong?”

“You started looking as soon as I was gone, didn't you?”

I laugh. “Of course. Did you think I would stop?”

He sighs. “I had hoped you would trust me to guide you in the right directions.”

“I found the people, and they are Christians. I didn't get caught. It doesn't matter how I found it.”

Guard Nev watches my face, and he finally shakes his head. “Fine. How can they help you?”

“Miriam, their leader, said she can find things for me. I just have to ask. I'll find out if she can get the transport schedule.”

“Do it. I will return in three days.” He turns to go but I stop him.

“Where do I go tonight?”

“Someone will meet you outside of your apartment after suppertime.”

He leaves without another word, and I slip inside the building.

I gasp and freeze. A citizen stands at the foot of the stairs, watching me, wide eyed. She's an older woman, but she looks fit and strong. A small dog pants at her side, attached to the leash in her hands.

She wears the same grunge clothes everyone in the city wears, but she looks especially silly because her hair is curled and teased to stand several inches from her head. We stand in a showdown for several seconds before I take a deep breath and beg.

“Please don't say anything. I will do whatever you ask.”

“I have to turn you in,” she says, but her voice waivers. She glances uncertainly at the door then back to me. “Why were you speaking about those things?”

Lord, help me.

“I needed help finding my mother, and he was helping me.” If she has kids then she might connect with this story. I can only hope she has children.

“What happened to your mother?”

“She got sick. She was sent away, and I wanted to find out where.”

The woman listens intently, obviously considering my words. “I heard you speak of Free people and Christians.”

I have no way of defending against her accusations. “Please don't say anything.”

“What are you going to do? I can't let you go on if you plan to harm the city.”

“I have no intention of hurting anyone.”

She bites her lip and glances again at the alley door. “I won't tell, but if I see you doing anything else illegal, I'll have to turn you in.”

“I understand,” I say, exhaling in relief. I jog up the stairs so I can grab breakfast, and then I hurry to the Training Dome. What was the woman doing in the stairwell, anyway? I've never seen a single person take the stairs in Greater City.

Today Professor Higgins discusses what we can expect to find in Lesser City 6. Berry keeps turning to me and smirking. I want to talk to him again, but if Professor Higgins catches me, he won't be happy. Mom's file was not in Records, and that means someone else has it. Seeing as how Berry knew her location, I'm guessing it's him, but how did he get it? There's no way he has some secret access to Records.

I rub my arm, anticipating tonight and what will happen when they “tag” me. The thought makes my stomach hurt. I also keep an eye on the door to my right. Guards might charge in at any moment to take me away, but when training ends, and no one comes, I know the woman on the stairs kept her promise.

Berry gathers his things and heads for the door when I decide to make my move. “How did you get her file?”

He smirks again but doesn't look at me. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“You do,” I hiss quietly. I don't want to draw Professor Higgins' attention. “Otherwise you wouldn't have known where I would find her.”

He heads for the door without answering me.

Oh no, he's not getting off the hook that easily. I stay right on his heels. “Tell me how you got it. What's your issue with me? I've never done anything to get in your way.”

He stops at the vac chamber and spins to me. His face has transformed from egocentric to angry. His eyes flash. “You've done everything to get in my way. When I tested I was told I was the favorite to work directly under Supreme Moon. As far as I knew that was exactly what should have happened, at least until you showed up. Then I hear a new student is training alone with Professor Higgins, and she's eating brunch every week with the Great Supreme. I don't know how you did it, or why, but I won't let you steal my place in society.”

I draw back with a bark of a laugh. “Steal your place? I never asked to come here. In fact, I've done just about everything I could manage to get demoted. I don't know why I'm here anymore than you do.”

The vac chamber opens up and we step inside. I stand as far away as possible so he can't trip me this time, but it doesn't matter because as soon as we land he bolts from the chamber and out the door.

He didn't answer my questions, but he admitted he was targeting me for a reason. At least now I know what it is.

 

 

 

 

31

 

I avoid Kassy after training. I almost feel guilty for it—she wants to help, after all—but letting her in on the secrets of Broken City won't do her any good just yet. And she definitely doesn't need to be anywhere near me when I leave with Guard Nev's contact.

The food service has left a meal for me, as usual. I scarf it down and am about to go wait on the sidewalk when the HELP comp dings. It's probably a notification for Keegan's upcoming playing schedule.

Please let it be a notification for Keegan's playing schedule.

I hover at the door, not sure if I should check it, but the allure wins out. I jog to the screen.

Communication Received
flashes on the screen.

I tap the box and a message pops up.
Supreme Moon approved a shopping trip! I'll be by in a bit. S.

Panic rises in me and I glance around like the answer will be flashing on the ceiling. What am I supposed to do now? How am I going to pull this off? Guard Nev's contact will arrive any minute to lead me to my procedure. Guard Nev said it had to be tonight.

Sindy's presence will definitely put a stop to that, and getting into the prison is more important than anything else, at this point. I consider leaving before she arrives and saying I didn't get the message, but they'll see through that as soon as they check the files on my HELP comp.

I throw my head back and groan. I'm stuck with Sindy for the night, and I won't be able to get my identification. Guard Nev won't be happy, and he won't even find out for three more days.

Sindy arrives within the half hour. I pretend I'm excited to go shopping, and as we exit the building I glance around casually for anyone who seems to be waiting. There's no one who looks out of place.

We climb into a transporter and it whips us away to the shopping district.

Once again the lights and glamour take my breath away. On the large marquis above the theater, an advertisement flashes for the same show we saw last night. Lilith will probably sing in each performance. Would she take more messages to Keegan?

I dismiss the idea immediately. She barely wanted to take the first message.

The masses are herded down the sidewalks by flashing signs and rope fences. Most of them keep their gazes on the HELP comps that line the walls.

Supreme Moon has them in the palm of his hand. He controls whatever plays on the HELP comps which means he controls whatever goes into these people's brains. They're like sheep being led to the slaughter.

Sindy takes me inside a store and I try to appear interested. Mostly the clothes look the same to me, except they have unimaginably bright colors here, ones we never had in Middle City 3. I choose a pair of coral pants—they have a hole in each knee—and a bright, yellow, knit top. It's cute, in an odd sort of way. Sindy picks out a few more outfits for me to try. I model them for her and she oohs and ahhs over me, almost like we're real friends.

We're not.

An ache in my heart reminds me that Jamie should be here, not Sindy. Instead, we've been separated by miles and social classes. What is Jamie's life like now? Which Lesser City is her home? Maybe she was sent to one of the outlying cities. It's possible I could find her in 6.

Sindy teaches me how to purchase items using my own personal ID. This allows the government to keep track of what I buy, and it allows them to put a freeze on my purchasing power if I don't follow their rules. The evening passes quickly, and I begin to hope that we'll get home before Guard Nev's contact gives up on me.

Sindy calls a transporter and we climb inside.

“I would call that a success,” she says, grinning like she really did have a good time. She's only doing what she's been trained to do. She's a mindless slave to Supreme Moon's teachings.

I almost feel sorry for her, but not quite.

We arrive at my apartment and I climb out. She waves as she pulls away in the transporter, and as soon as she's gone, I turn to search for Guard Nev's contact. I even sprint to the corner of the building to check the alley, but it's useless. No one's in sight.

All hope isn't lost, though, at least not yet. I hurry to the elevator to see if there were any notes slipped under my door. The floor is clean when I enter, and I can't stop my disappointment. I hang the new clothes in my closet and settle in for the night. Nothing is going the way it was supposed to.