City Center, The (11 page)

“No, I’m sorry. I was just surprised. I’ve only seen kissing in movies.”

“Get some rest, Ava. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Ava was alone for the first time since sitting in Morray’s containment room earlier that day. Was that only twelve hours ago? Seemed like another lifetime. She replayed Joseph’s kiss. She touched her lips with her bandaged finger, wishing she hadn’t ruined the moment. Everything she had experienced on the Outside—the ocean, the trees vibrating with life, the millions of stars in the black sky—nothing compared to how she felt about Joseph. She had her suspicions during those few minutes, standing next to Morray’s statue in the South Sector, but now she knew without an inkling of doubt that she loved him.

The Beach

Ava sat up
and looked around the shadowy room. Had she fallen asleep playing a virtual game, or was she still asleep? What would Helena say if she showed up late for morning training again? She tried to get up, but every muscle in her body seized and she fell backwards onto the bed.

“Ava, it’s okay. I’m right here,” Joseph stood over her holding a glass of water.

She sat back up and looked at Joseph. He was real. She really had left the City Center.

“I thought it was a dream, leaving the City Center.”

“Definitely not a dream.” He smiled. “There’s some oatmeal on the table. And I have some clothes for you. Probably going to be big, but better than that robe.” Ava looked at the stack of clothes. They were similar to what he had on—heavy and sturdy material. “After you eat and get dressed, we’ll head out.”

“Have you slept at all?”

“A few hours.”

“Did you kiss me, or was that a dream?”

“No, that was real. And I’m sorry. I was out of line.”

“Please don’t be sorry. You caught me off guard.” Ava looked down and pretended to focus on her bandaged finger. Her cheeks warmed up. She felt embarrassed and excited at the same time.

“I’ll be in the front cabin when you’re ready to go.”

Not much of an appetite, she only took a few bites of the oatmeal. Standing up was too painful so she sat on the bed to get dressed. The shirt was stiff and itchy and the pants were about a foot too long. She glanced at the big black boots—how was she supposed to walk around in those clunky things?

“I don’t think so,” she said.

She put on some socks for a layer of protection and edged off the bed. It took her a few minutes to stand upright—every cell in her body clenched. The door seemed a mile away and she recoiled at the thought of walking across the room. She inched her way to the front office wincing with every step. From the doorway she watched David and Joseph. They were in a corner talking in hushed voices. Ava struggled to make out the words, but she guessed from David’s quick hand gestures he was still frustrated with Joseph. She tried to move in closer and bumped into one of the desks, knocking a piece of equipment to the ground. Everyone looked over. She waved, embarrassed.

“Are you okay?” Joseph walked over.

“My legs are a little wobbly. And my feet are beyond words. But I’m happy to be alive. I think.”

“Here, lean on me. Or do you want me to carry you?”

Ava wanted Joseph to sweep her off her feet and carry her away like in the movies, but she didn’t want the other men to think she was weak. She balanced on his shoulder and tried taking a few steps, but the pain was too deep.

“You’ll have to carry me,” she whispered.

“Is there anything I can get you?” David approached.

“No, thank you. I’m fine.”

“Take care of her, Joseph. She’s the one thing Morray wants. And we need leverage.”

Joseph glared at David, then walked toward the door. “I’ll notify you when we arrive at the village.”

“Thank you, again, Miss Rhodes, for helping Joseph. He’s important out here. It would’ve been a great loss.” David walked alongside them, resting his hand on her shoulder. Another chill ran through her body.

“I don’t know what to say.” Ava looked away.

“Just get back on your feet. We’re going to need your help.”

“My help?”

“Joseph can explain.”

The morning light was too bright for Ava. She shielded her eyes with her hand as Joseph carried her toward a parked vehicle tucked in the bushes. She glanced up at the clear blue sky—bluer than any shade she had ever seen. “Look!” She pointed to a pair of birds flying overhead. “They’re real.”

“It’s all real, Ava.” He lifted her up and put her into the Jeep. “It’s not gonna be a comfortable ride. Lots of bumping around. Here, put these on.” Joseph handed her a cap and a pair of sunglasses.

“I’ve never been in one.”

He jumped into the driver’s seat. “Runs on solar energy. Same technology as the armored walls.”

Ava didn’t want to talk about the City Center. “Where’s your village?”

“Northeast. Ojai Valley. But I want to give you a quick glimpse of the beach first.”

“The beach? Isn’t that dangerous with Morray’s men coming?”

“Yeah, but I want you to see the Pacific Ocean. To see what Morray stole from you.”

They drove down a narrow path; tree branches scraped along the sides of the Jeep. Ava scooted closer toward Joseph to avoid getting scratched. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, getting brighter as they moved through the tunnel of trees. The cap and sunglasses helped, but the light strained Ava’s eyes—she blinked from the glare, hoping they’d hurry up and adjust. She wanted to see everything.

“There it is.” Joseph stopped the Jeep.

The Pacific Ocean looked like a plate of sparkling glass. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s so… I don’t have words.”

“People used to fill the beaches. And over that way,” he pointed south, “that was the Santa Monica Pier. Families from all over the country—the world—would visit the pier, until the elites destroyed everything.”

“Can we drive down? Just for a minute?” Ava asked. “I know it’s risky, and not smart, but I don’t care. I want to get a closer look. I might not have another opportunity.”

Joseph stared ahead, thinking. She looked at the layer of dark stubble on his chin, and without thinking, she touched his face. He looked at her and nodded, “For a minute.”

He drove onto the sand and pulled up close to the water where the waves broke onto the shore. The wind brushed against Ava’s cheeks and blew through her hair. She felt light and free, like she could drift away. On the Outside everything moved and flowed. They sat in silence listening to the waves crashing down, one after the other in endless motion.

“We need to get going. The longer we’re out here, the higher the risk.”

“Thank you for sharing this with me. If I don’t live to see another day, this moment was worth it.”

Joseph drove back toward the main road and slowed down. He grabbed Ava’s arm. She looked up—a silver capsule vehicle blocked the entrance to the road. Patrols. Or Morray’s men coming to get her.

“Tuck your hair into your hat and keep your sunglasses on, and your face lowered. Don’t say a word. Even if they address you, let me speak.” Ava followed his instructions.

Joseph pulled up next two men in black uniforms—they looked like Officers from the City Center. Ava’s stomach twisted into a tight knot. She didn’t want to go back. She couldn’t leave Joseph. Not now. He reached under the seat and pulled out a small black handgun, and slipped it into his pocket. “Stay calm,” he whispered. Stay calm? She felt like her heart was going to explode. She lowered her head and pictured the soothing ocean waves. Joseph could handle the Officers. They’d be fine. On their way to the village in a few minutes.

“Can I help you?” Joseph stepped out and addressed the men.

“Routine inspections. Paperwork and vehicle pass.” The Officer towered over Joseph. Ava wondered if all of Morray’s Officers were designed with a height advantage.

“This is public space. I don’t need papers,” Joseph said.

A gust of wind blew Ava’s hat off and onto the sand. She pulled back her hair and twisted it into a bun, hoping the Officers weren’t paying attention, but another breeze came up from behind and blew her auburn hair like flames in the wind. The other Officer stepped around to the passenger side. Ava lowered her face, avoiding eye contact.

“Do you have papers?” he addressed Ava.

“Her papers are back in her village,” Joseph said. He kept his hand in his pocket.

“I was talking to the female.” The Officer opened Ava’s door motioning for her to step down. Stepping onto the sand would be excruciating, but she didn’t have a choice. She stepped down. Her black socks sank into the hot sand. Pain seared the soles of her feet. She held her breath to force away the pain. She sized up the Officer’s movements—but her body wasn’t in any fighting condition. The Officer brushed the sand off her hat and handed it to her. “You look a bit pale for an Outsider.”

“She’s been sick. That’s why I brought her down to the ocean.” Joseph looked over to Ava. She held onto the side of the Jeep for balance.

“Sick?” The Officer looked at Ava.

“Mm-hmm,” Ava mumbled and faked a cough.

“You know what I’m thinking?” He nudged her chin upward.

“Be careful. She’s not well,” Joseph yelled.

“You’re a dead ringer for the missing Successor Candidate on Morray’s alert list.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ava looked into his eyes and shoved his hand away.

“You’re coming with us.” The Officer reached toward his weapon.

Adrenaline rushed through Ava. They were taking her back to the City Center. She couldn’t go back. She’d have to fight—regardless of her condition. Inching backwards, she dropped and rolled across the sand, ducking low behind the Jeep. Shots rang out and a sonic boom from the Officer’s weapon echoed in the air. Ava rolled underneath the Jeep. Multiple pairs of black boots shuffled around, kicking up sand. She maneuvered to the opposite side and pressed against the tire. A few more shots rang out—Joseph must have been shot. How could she manage the two Officers without him? She didn’t have a weapon, or the energy, to ward off the men. She curled into a ball next to the wheel. Footsteps crunched through the sand, heading toward her. There was no way she could make a run for it. It was over. She was going back to the City Center. She waited for the Officer to snatch her up.

“Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” Joseph reached down and helped her up. He carried her to the passenger seat. The two Officers were sprawled out on the sand. “I didn’t have a choice. They were going to kill me, and take you back.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Ava shuddered, staring at the men. She had never seen a dead person. She felt sick. Even though they were going to take her back, she didn’t want them to be killed for it. They were following orders. She wanted to run into the ocean and wash herself clean.

“I need you to wait here while I get rid of the bodies. The water will glitch out the nano-trackers on the uniforms. I’ll disengage the one on the vehicle. We’re taking that back to the village. We can use the parts.”

Ava sat in the passenger seat while Joseph dealt with the Officers. He removed their weapons and communication devices and put them in the backseat, then dragged the bodies to the shore. Ava pictured the waves pulling them out into the ocean, never to be seen again.

Joseph got behind the wheel and pulled away from the beach. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” he said.

They drove north along the mountain roads with the Officers’ vehicle attached to the back of the Jeep. Whenever they hit any large bumps, it scraped the ground, reminding Ava of the dead men. She tried to erase the thoughts from her mind, but she couldn’t.

“You really killed them,” she said.

Joseph drove in silence. Ava tried to focus on the golden light coming through the trees and the birds flittering from branch to branch, but she felt hollow inside. She knew Joseph didn’t have a choice, they were going to kill him and take her back, but seeing what he was capable of terrified her. How could he be so nonchalant?

They reached the top of a hill and Joseph pulled over. “I want you to look through that clearing.” He pointed. Ava looked off in the distance toward an enormous hexagonal structure—sunlight glinted off the black solar panels.

“The City Center,” she said.

Joseph held her hand. “Those Officers were a part of that thing. That’s what I killed.”

“Well, I’m a part of that too.” She turned away, trying to hide her tears.

“No, you’re not. Not any more.” He pulled the Jeep back onto the road.

As they descended the mountain, Ava drifted in and out of consciousness. Joseph turned down a narrow road that cut through the forest and slowed as they approached a clearing. His village was nestled against the foothills, with clusters of wood cabins scattered throughout. Children played in the grass while women and men moved about carrying baskets of miscellaneous items Ava couldn’t identify. Some stopped to watch out of curiosity.

“We need to get you fixed up.” Joseph lifted Ava and carried her toward the medical hall. She rested her head on his shoulder. The children ran behind Joseph, cheering his return. Ava hadn’t seen a child since she and her generation were children. One of the girls waved. Ava mustered up a grin; she couldn’t wait for someone to remove her pain.

A woman with long brown hair met them at the entrance of the cabin. “Welcome home, sir. Glad you’re safe.”

“Thank you, Rebecca. This is Ava. We’ve had a long haul and she needs some medical attention.”

“Of course. Let’s get her to a bed.”

Joseph carried Ava inside and set her down on a bed.

Rebecca peeled off Ava’s blood-soaked socks. “I’m shocked you’ve been able to walk at all. I’m sure you’re not used to severe levels of pain. Not with your technology. Why don’t you lay back and relax. Joseph, you can come back later. Don’t worry, she’s in good hands.”

“No, please don’t leave me,” Ava said.

“I’m in the village. If you need me, Rebecca will send someone.”

“I don’t want to be alone.”

“You aren’t alone. You’ll never be alone again.”

*

James burst through the doorway and ran to Ava’s bed. He stood over her, his black eyes cut into her. He released a high-pitched cackle.
No, no, I don’t want to go back
, she tried to yell, but no words came out. Her arms and legs were cemented to the bed, paralyzed. James squeezed her neck, cutting off the air. He laughed and laughed. She tried to scream for Joseph, but she couldn’t breathe. He lifted her by her neck and dragged her outside. There he held her up in front of a crowd of City Center residents who were cheering and chanting. He yelled to the crowd, silencing them. He let go of Ava. She thumped to the ground and began to sink into the dirt. Lower and lower she went until she was buried. She swirled downward into a black hole…

“Wake up, Ava.” Someone shook her shoulders.