Canvas Skies (Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great!) (13 page)

“Not exactly, not from Beatrice. How did the
two of them ever raise a son as thoughtful and kind as Guy?”

“Maybe that was his rebellious nature rather
than their parenting,” I suggested.

Keira sighed and looked at me. “Can I do
this? Can I really become Elite?”

I reached for her hand. “You can, and you
will because you love him. Besides, you won't really be Elite,
you'll be somewhere in the middle.”

“There's no such thing.”

“But that doesn't mean there can't be.” I
paused as it hit me. “There is no Divide in Mediterra.”

Keira gave me a funny look. “Really? Maybe
you just didn't want to see it.”

“Well, I'm not saying everybody got along.
It wasn't all ice cream and puppies, but there were a lot of people
somewhere in the middle, not rich and not poor.”

“Somewhere in the middle.”

“If the Mediterrans can have that, why can't
we?”

We just stared at each other for a moment.
Then Keira reached over and gently squeezed my hand. “So what
happened after you left last night?”

I pulled my hand away. “Nothing. We all went
out for dessert, that's all.” I finished with the protective wrap
and slid the painting into a thin box.

“That's all?”

“Well, I learned something.”

“What?”

“The man you call a patronizing pig...I
don't know about patronizing, but he is a pig. Mr. Burke kept
staring at me all evening. It gave me the creeps, at least until I
learned it wasn't just me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Didn't he stare at you too?”

Keira shook her head.

“Hmm, maybe it's because you were with Guy.
Anyway, he gawked at a lot of the women, not just me. The artists
noticed. Hisoka said, 'If a hen had walked through the front door,
Mr. Burke, Sr. would have stared at her breasts and then asked for
some stuffing.'” I smiled at the memory.

Keira stared at me. “Guy's father made you
uncomfortable, and Hisoka made you laugh about it?”

“Yeah, he did. He's nice. We talked. We
laughed. We had a good time.”

“Did you talk too, or did he do all the
talking?”

“We both talked. Why don't you like him? Is
it because he's Elite or because he's Gov?”

Keira shook her head. “It may be nothing.
It's just the way he treated me when we first met. Apparently, he
doesn't like it when women talk during business meetings.” She
paused. “There's something else you should know. Hisoka is an
informer for the Resistance, but there's something about him. Just
be careful what you say to him, okay?”

I nodded. “Okay, thanks for letting me
know.”

“Oh, wow!”

“What is it?”

“Look where this piece is being sent!” She
grinned as she held up the wire and bead sculpture Brody had
purchased.

I looked at the address and felt my cheeks
grow warm. He had bought it for me.

“Two admirers!”

I busied myself with the next shipment and
wondered, would they still want me if they knew who I really was,
if they knew what I'd been through? Probably not. Not after what
Lance Beckett had done. But what if?

Hisoka was kind and quiet, as different from
Lance Beckett as a man could be. Perhaps his gentle nature was all
I needed to drive away the nightmares for good. And he was an
informer! If he really believed in the Resistance, then I could
trust him with my secrets. But if the wrong people ever learned
about Nadine...no, I couldn't risk her safety. Keira was right, I
would have to be careful around Hisoka. But maybe...given enough
time.

Now, Brody. Well, I didn't know anything
about him really, only that he was a friend of Keira's. Just then I
remembered his comment from the night before.

“When were you shot?”

Keira looked up in alarm. “I didn't want to
worry you. I'm fine.”

So it was true. “When?”

“My last night at Brody's. I'm sorry. I
should have said something.”

“Yes, you should have. Keira, you've got to
stop protecting me!”

“You're right. It won't happen again. I'll
tell you anything you want to know.”

“Is there anything else I should know?”

“Um...the healing process doesn't work right
if the bullet's still inside.”

We spent the next couple of hours working in
silence. I had nothing to say and plenty to think about. At noon,
Brody was a welcome relief. I pulled on my jacket and hurried to
the front door.

He asked, “What are you in the mood
for?”

Anything but chicken, and some honesty on
the side, please. “Oh, I'm not a picky eater. Anything will be
fine.”

“It's a beautiful day. How about a walk and
a picnic?”

I smiled. “I know the perfect place.”

After we picked up salads and tuna
sandwiches from a nearby cafe, I directed Brody to my favorite spot
in Liberty Park, a wooden bench near three crooked apple trees.

I took a bite of the sandwich Brody handed
me, then washed it down with a sip of cranberry juice.

“Thank you for lunch.”

Sunlight glinted off Brody's golden brown
hair. He was the type of man I'd been looking for a year ago,
handsome and wealthy. I tilted my head back, closed my eyes and
enjoyed a deep breath of sunshine. My mind finally began to clear
until I sensed Brody watching me. My eyelids fluttered open, and I
turned.

“What?”

“You're beautiful!”

I blushed and looked down at my sandwich. A
swarm of bees suddenly found their way into my stomach. I shifted
away slightly.

“I'm sorry. Did I say something wrong?”

“No.” I raised my head and focused on the
apple trees. “Thank you, by the way, for the sculpture.” Was Brody
anything like Lance Beckett? Hungry with power, hungry with want? I
turned and looked him right in the eyes. “What do you know about
me?”

“You want the truth?”

“Yes.”

“The whole truth?”

I nodded.

“Excellent!” He took a deep breath. “I know
your name, and I know that Keira and Scott are your sister and
brother. I know about the Resistance.”

I gaped at him. “Oh, is that all?”

“No.” He continued in a low voice. “I know
that certain people within the Gov are after you.”

My voice was barely above a whisper. “Why?”
Could he even hear me?

“Because of the Resistance, I imagine. Or,
is it because you can regenerate?”

“What?”

“Can't you?”

I looked away, regretting ever having
started this conversation. Warm fingers pressed against my arm. I
looked down at Brody's hand and then up into his pale green
eyes.

“Is that why, April?”

I froze. My voice turned to steel. “Don't
ever call me that. April is dead.” I looked at the apple trees,
picked up my sandwich and took a bite. The bread felt dry on my
tongue.

Brody was quiet. I glanced over. He wasn't
eating. He just stared at me.

“Aimee, I would never do anything to hurt
you.”

I swallowed and bit my lip. As much as I
fought it, one tear escaped. Brody reached out with his thumb and
gently wiped it away.

As soon as Aimee returned I went home,
changed into pale blue running shorts and a white t-shirt and
grabbed an apple on my way out the door. If Eberhardt was home,
maybe we could train together. Otherwise, I would head out on my
own. I needed to be outside in the sunshine and fresh air, and
Aimee's silence had made it perfectly clear that she needed a break
from me.

I raised my hand and rapped twice.

“Hi, Keira!”

I turned in surprise. Raquelle was dressed
for a workout too, only her outfit was red, and her long black hair
was back in a ponytail.

The door swung open. Eberhardt filled the
doorway. He wore black shorts, a black tank top and a black cap.
“Keira, glad you could join us. Not helping Aimee today?”

I shook my head and took another bite from
my half eaten apple.

“Well, come on in!”

He turned, and we followed him inside.
“Since you're both here, I have an idea.” He slapped a sheet of
paper on the table. It was a map with multiple courses running
throughout Tkaron. The paths were of equal distance and difficulty
but wound through different areas of the city.

“It's a race.” He grinned. “We'll each take
a different route. Speed is important, of course. However, I've
added a challenge. We each need to pick up something interesting
along the way.”

“What do you mean by interesting?” Raquelle
asked.

“That, I will leave up to you. I'm taking
the blue route.” The door slammed behind him.

Raquelle and I hurriedly reviewed the
map.

“I've got green!” she shouted.

“Then I'll take red.” I left my apple core
spinning on the table. We exited the building at exactly the same
time but turned in opposite directions as soon as we hit the
street. I settled into a moderate pace, not wanting to tire too
quickly.

The sun warmed my bare arms while the soles
of my shoes slapped against the pavement. Thoughts that had been
floating around in my head began to evaporate, and I started to pay
closer attention to my surroundings than my worries. In this
downtrodden Working Class neighborhood, few cars drove by. Most
people walked along or simply sat on their front porches with
nothing much to do and nowhere to go.

“The dragon glided through the moonlight and
out over the sea, dipping his tail lightly in the waves.” An
elderly woman waved her hand through the air as if it were the
dragon she was describing. She continued telling her story to some
children on a grey porch, their gaunt faces tilted toward her in
wonder. Around here, stories were often used to keep hunger pangs
at bay.

A few minutes later, I passed a man who was
walking in the opposite direction. His flamboyant lime green skirt
and feathery bright pink boa caught my attention. Definitely
interesting, but with those heels, I didn't think he would agree to
join me for a run. I shook my head and smiled at the thought.

As I pressed onward, taller and cleaner
apartment complexes and businesses towered around me. Sunlight
reflected off their shiny windows. The people here dressed
differently, less colorful, more businesslike. The pace of life
beat a slow and steady rhythm in Working Class neighborhoods while
the business section of Tkaron hummed with a different sort of
energy. I moved onto the sidewalk as cars filled the streets.

Step, two, three, four, inhale, step, two,
three, four, exhale. Impressive Gov buildings surrounded me. People
in business suits, men mostly, hurried along the sidewalks. I moved
back onto the street to keep out of their way.

That's when I saw them. The first had what
looked like a large pad of paper under his arm. The second hurried
to catch up. He wore a simple business suit and carried a black
briefcase. When they were shoulder to shoulder, they began to
talk.

I slowed and finally stopped on a patch of
grass on the boulevard. Leaning forward, I rested my sweaty palms
on my knees and tried to catch my breath. I gazed through wisps of
hair that had fallen in front of my eyes. I didn't want to lose
them, but I also didn't want to be seen, so I bent down to untie
and retie my shoelace. When I looked up again, they were gone, and
a vid'recorder was shoved into my face.

“Miss James? Is that you? Yes, this is the
young Miss Kendra James! Can you tell us anything about your
relationship with Richard Burke? Is he here with you now?”

I held out my hand, obscuring the shot, but
the man pulled back and sidestepped, catching me in the frame once
again. He paused to look around. “Are you alone? What are you
doing?”

I stood and composed myself. “I'm running,
as you can clearly see.”

“Yes, but out here? Alone?” He seemed
baffled.

“It's the latest trend in Vanover, running
in the sun and clean summer air. You do have clean summer air here
in Tkaron, don't you? Of course, back home I could smell the sea.”
I managed what I hoped was a wistful look.

“Do all single young ladies run alone in
Vanover? If so...” He turned and spoke directly to the
vid'recorder. “Our eligible young bachelors will want to head out
west!”

“No, of course not.” I changed my tone to
one of irritation. “I just haven't met many people in Tkaron yet.
Now, if you'll excuse me.” I turned and ran away.

***

“You should have come in from the south.”
Eberhardt stated the obvious as soon as I reached the park. He and
Raquelle sat on a large flat stone, a natural bench. She had a
large bird's feather tucked behind her right ear. Was that from an
eagle? Interesting!

I looked directly at Eberhardt. “Would you
get a message to Guy for me?”

“Sure, but if it's so important, why don't
you just call him?”

“Because we're being watched closer than
ever right now. Who knows if our lines are secure anymore? May I
borrow your cap?”

Eberhardt handed me the baseball cap.

“Thanks.” I adjusted the band and tucked up
my hair.

“So who are you hiding from?” Raquelle
asked.

“Yeah, what happened?” Eberhardt said.

“I don't know what to make of it, maybe it's
nothing, but I saw Hisoka Watanabe and Brody Delaney walking into
the Justice Center not 20 minutes ago.”

“Together?” Eberhardt asked.

“Not at first. Brody ran to catch up.”

“Hisoka makes sense. He works there. What
else did you notice?”

“Um, Brody was carrying a briefcase, but
that's not unusual. Hisoka was carrying a large pad of paper, a
sketchpad maybe? I wouldn't have thought anything of it if I'd only
seen Hisoka, but what was Brody doing there?”

Eberhardt shrugged.

“A few military officers were going in and
out too, but I think that's typical.”