Atlantic Island (20 page)

My God,
thought Theo,
he's really going all the way with this.

"In the course of that brief undersea investigation," said the mayor, "the science team discovered—"

"Lies!" Yelled out a voice from the crowd. "You lying bastard!"

Here we go again,
thought Theo.
 

Pushing his way to the front of the stage was a skinny man wearing a t-shirt and jeans that were far too loose to belong to him. The man's hair was long and unkempt. He wobbled as he worked through the crowd. Theo wondered if the man was drunk. Wasn't all alcohol under lock and key?

Mayor Lucas presented the man with his best and brightest smile. "My friend, I assure you that I speak based on evidence and only after substantial deliberation. Please, if you would just let me finish—"

"You're finished alright 'Mr. Mayor,'" said the man mockingly. "You and the rest of your so-called leadership. It's time for the conspiracy to be revealed!" The man passed Theo's row several feet to his left. Theo caught a glimpse of the man's face and recognition hit him. This was the same man Theo and his friends had seen protest the ration stations. Theo recalled the officers yelling at him and knocking him unconscious.
They called him Bob,
Theo remembered.

The audience continued to part for Bob as he moved past. Nobody wanted any part of this. Theo looked at Officer Dougherty. The officer was on his walkie-talkie. Theo assumed he was communicating with the snipers up in the catwalk area. Theo remembered the last time someone had interrupted the mayor and attempted to take the stage. Tiberius had quickly removed the woman from the arena. For some reason, the deputy mayor remained motionless and expressionless at the back of the stage.
 

Mayor Lucas's smile had faltered. He looked seriously concerned. Bob reached the stage and with a surprising amount of strength for one so frail he launched himself up and onto the surface.
Now,
thought Theo,
grab him now! Somebody!

"Sir," said the mayor, "I would be happy to meet with you at a later time and discuss any of your grievances."

"No," said Bob. "No later. No more." He reached into the waistband of his baggy jeans and drew out a small gun.
 

As Bob's hand came up, Dougherty yelled into his walkie-talkie. "Now! Take him now!"

A bright light flashed and a series of gunshots boomed in the silent hall. Theo's eyes were helplessly drawn to Bob, whom he expected to see falling to the ground. Bob was still standing, the muzzle of his gun smoking. As Theo's eyes panned the scene, he quickly realized it was Mayor Lucas who was falling to the ground. Theo was shoved aside as Officer Dougherty raced to the stage. Everything became a blur. Government workers swarmed over the mayor as Officer Dougherty reached the stage. In the darkness at the back of the stage, Theo caught a glimpse of Tiberius, still looking calm, flicking his thumb up. At that exact instant Bob was struck in the head by a sniper's bullet and he collapsed on the stage floor.
 

Theo couldn't breathe. He strained to see the mayor but the mass of people on stage had blocked his view. Security Forces emerged from everywhere ushering the terrified audience out of the arena.
 

Theo allowed himself to be carried along in the current of people moving toward the exits. His mind raced and yet his thoughts were a jumble of images and ideas that refused to crystalize into words. He stumbled out into the street and wandered. He was so confused. He wanted to go home, that much he knew for sure, but where was home?
 

Theo made his way to the boardwalk. He wanted to get away from the mass of screaming people. The noise hurt his head. He thought maybe sitting in the dark on the beach would be nice. As he stumbled through the sand he felt a hand on his shoulder. "I've got you bro, relax." Bill was standing behind him.
 

Theo tried to talk. "The mayor…Tiberius...snipers…"
 

"Later man," said Bill. "We'll talk about everything later. Right now you have to calm down."

"I don't… I can't… the mayor—"

Bill slapped him across the face. Theo's words cut off mid-ramble. His brain began to reboot.

"What…what did you do that for?"

"Whoa, that actually worked," said Bill. "I figured they do that in the movies to snap people out of panic attacks. You looked pretty panicked, buddy."

"Thanks, I guess. I don't know what happened to me. I think I overloaded."

"It's cool man. You were front and center for some crazy stuff. People are really scared. I'm not saying you don't have a right to be upset too, maybe more than the rest of us… and I don't want to be an ass, but me, your girl, the rest of our friends… we need you man. You're our leader."

Theo was taken aback. "That means a lot. I don't know anything more than anybody else though I don't think…" Suddenly, something registered in the back of his mind. "Tiberius! He signaled for the sniper, I know he did."

"What do you mean?" asked Bill.

"I think he made the Security Force wait before taking down the attacker. He gave time for Mayor Lucas to be shot."

"Jesus, Theo, that crazy dude was going on about conspiracies. You don't want to join in with that, do you?"

"I'm just telling you what I saw."

"There you are!" Kylee called out as she, Ryan, Michelle and Jamie were walking down the beach toward Theo and Bill. "Are you okay, Theo?"

"Don't worry," said Bill. "He went a little nutso but I fixed him up good and proper."

"Good," she said. "When do you think we'll hear something about the mayor?"

Just then a bright light blinded them. Theo had a second to think that another Event was underway but then his eyes adjusted. The screens of the giant pier mall, shuttered and dark since the event, were now on. On each screen was Paul Tiberius.
 

"Citizens of Atlantic Island," his cold voice boomed, "I am deeply saddened to inform you that despite the best efforts of medical staff, Mayor Sam Lucas has passed away."

Theo felt lightheaded. Kylee put her arm around him and squeezed, grounding him in reality.
 

"The elite Security Force has killed the mayor's assassin," continued Tiberius. "There is nothing more to fear. As of this moment I am humbly assuming control of Atlantic Island. We are more than a town or a city. We are a nation that will not be degraded by evildoers. Therefore I relinquish the title of "Mayor" and instead I shall take up the mantle of "Supreme Leader" of Atlantic Island. You will be safe. You will be strengthened. We will all grow together into the glorious nation that Sam Lucas would have wanted us to be. All hail the leadership of the mighty Atlantic Island!"

5 months later

"Wake up!" a voice called from a great distance. Theo turned and tried to go back to sleep. "Theo, I said wake up!" The voice was back, closer now and sounding agitated.
 

"Okay, fine, hang on!" He sat up in bed and shook his head, clearing out the fog of another difficult night's rest. Kylee was perched on the end of the bed, radiant in the morning light that broke through around the thick shades on the windows.
 

"Good, you're up. I was worried about you!" She scurried up the mattress and maneuvered into his arms.
 

"Worried?" he asked. "Why?"

"You were talking in your sleep again," she said. "Tossing and turning and sweating. The same as you've been doing since—"

"Since the night the mayor died. Yeah, I get it."

She raised her palms toward him. "Chill with the 'tude, mister. I'm on your side, remember?"

He managed a weak smile. "Yeah, I know. Sorry. It's just getting a little old, you know? Dreaming that crap all night and then dealing with the real world all day. I'm not really sure which is worse."

"So what was it this time?" she asked. "Tiberius again?"

He shrugged. "I don't really know. It's all a little hazy. I think he was in there somewhere but I don't remember. I just have this awful feeling." He looked at her. "I might remember more if somebody hadn't woken me so abruptly."

She grabbed a pillow and walloped him in the face. "Remind me not to look out for you in the future," she laughed. "Now come on, we gotta get to work."

Theo rolled out of bed and went to the closet. He grabbed one of the two brown outfits hanging there. Since Tiberius established total control over the island, many things had changed. There had barely been time for Theo to recover from the loss of Mayor Lucas before his security clearance was revoked and he was barred from the Palace. Only those who had shown unwavering loyalty to the Supreme Leader remained on the advisory council.
 

Theo had joined the growing ranks of farmers in Margate. The farmers were assigned uniforms darker than the sandy soil in which they toiled. Theo always felt a little bad about insulting the uniforms as he realized that some unfortunate person on the island had been forced to sew them by hand.
 

Now he dressed in one of those baggy shirt and shorts combos. His hair was nearly to his shoulders now and he tied it back in the ponytail style that had become so common on the island since Tiberius had outlawed haircuts above the shoulder. The official word was that this was meant to reinforce uniformity over individuality, but as Bill put it, "Freud would have a field day with this guy."

The teens had worried that Bill would face a reinstated sentence with Lucas out of the way, but so far nothing like that had occurred. The biggest blow to Bill came in the form of Bertier and his gang of thugs. Instead of being arrested, as had seemed quite certain at one point, Bertier and his friends were deputized to operate on behalf of Tiberius's Security Force of Atlantic Island. This got them out of school, which they liked, and allowed them to create mischief with impunity, which they loved. Theo and the rest stayed out of Bertier's way as best they could, but Theo knew Bill was itching for a rematch.

Theo's group had all left school as well. The teachers were under severe restrictions and there wasn't much learning of any sort taking place anymore. School existed now only to keep the young people off the streets.
 

For everyone else, it was all work, all the time. There were no weekends or days off, not that there would be anywhere fun to go spend that time. Theo didn't mind this all that much. Working in the newly created fields held some appeal, he had to admit.
 

Five months of hard work with a modest diet had left Theo a lean, muscled, tan young man who did not in any way resemble the teenager who had journeyed to the shore nearly a year earlier. Kylee assured him that she loved the "new and improved Theo."

Kylee's access to privileged information at the security station had been severely limited. She was still doing paperwork and other menial tasks, but with little hope of a promotion to the real Security Force. Her relationship with Theo had seen to that. Theo felt guilty for limiting Kylee's career, albeit inadvertently, but she swore it was for the best. She didn't like the attitude of the new Security Force. Those officers who relished being able to abuse their authority were flourishing under the new regime. Those like Officer Menendez, who cared about the people he protected, were being slowly ostracized.
 

Officer Dougherty had tried to investigate the mysterious circumstances behind the assassination of Mayor Lucas, and had earned himself a month-long suspension for his troubles. When he returned, the fire inside him was gone and he fell unenthusiastically into line.
 

Theo used the bathroom and brushed his teeth, being careful not to use more than the smallest functional amount of toothpaste. The white gel was just one of many products in short supply on the island, and distribution of goods was disproportionate at best since Tiberius's rise to power. Like most things on the island, rations favored those who wholeheartedly supported the regime.
 

Theo thought he might try to see Ryan after work. Tiberius had disrupted the science team, cancelling all research related to the Event and the new universe. He wanted them to focus all efforts and resources on the island. With Tiberius's dislike of privileges being extended to the island's youth, Ryan was lucky to still have a job with the science department. As it was, he was not allowed to do much more than paperwork.

The demotion had taken a huge toll on Ryan. He was moody and irritable and his relationship with Michelle had soured. Theo thought this was probably due in no small part to Michelle's status on the island. She was an outspoken loyalist to the new government, and so she was one of the few teenagers treated with anything approaching respect. She had been promoted to manager of the records office.

Kylee had asked Michelle why she was so supportive of what was becoming something between a dictatorship and a monarchy. Michelle responded, "It's not about whether or not I like the leadership. What you all don't seem to get is that this is all there is. There's no other country to run to. There's no opposition. As far as we are concerned, Tiberius is the ruler of the world. I wish the rest of you would figure that out and start to play by the rules."