Fledge (32 page)

Peak City is bursting in explosions. I look over at Lucan and I can see his shock as well. The reporter's voice isn't registering in my brain, because when I look back all I see are the words
Tactical EM Pulse and Nuke Explodes over Peak City
scroll across the lower edge of the screen.

I hear boots running up the stairs and then Ashur is next to me. I look up at him and watch the flashes of destruction flicker across his face for a few seconds before he looks down and meets my gaze. Lucan's hand is on me then and he is pulling, yelling at Ashur to turn the fucking screen off, and yanking on Kadian's arm so hard he's begging desperately for him to let go.

"Stop!" I scream as my hands come up to my ears. "Just shut the fuck up for a minute, all of you!" I breathe in and out repeatedly as Ashur moves to turn the screen off. "Stop, Ashur. Leave it alone. It's my fucking home that was just blown up, so if anyone has a right to watch as it falls apart, it's me."

The room is hushed of human sound and all eyes are on me. Only the explosions make it into my ears. I look over at the stairs and most of the guys from downstairs, and all of the Archers, are there, quiet and still. I walk over to the couches and take a seat, then lean back into the cushions and turn up the volume and log every detail, every scream, every dead body, and every demolished building that used to be the rock of my existence as it falls into ruin.

A little while later an additional nuke is reported. This time it takes out Council Three in the RR. A hovercopter flies as close as it can get in the northwestern sector to show the world the burned land that used to be my tallgrass. The tears finally begin to fall. My whole life, everything I had before I came here, is wiped away in a single day.

They stay there with me and watch the screen, every one of them, my team or otherwise. Warrior or Archer. They all stay. And they say nothing. We just watch as the entire middle section of the United Republics erupts into total war.

Eventually Ashur takes my hand and pulls me up. "We're going home now." On the ride home I stare out the window and think. My home is gone, Tier is guilty, I have promised to deliver something that might not even be possible, and I killed someone who trusted me.

And millions of people are dead, Junco. Maybe Moju too, so this might signal the end of the entire avian race. And all you think about is how it affects you? Nice.

When we land on the upper terrace of the apartment I push Ashur off and go directly to my room. My biometrics release the lock and I close it behind me before anyone can follow.

I leave the lights off and sit down in the window seat, looking out at traffic and the bright lights of Amelia proper. My vision screen comes to life but stays silent.

Is there a way to salvage anything from this event?

There is always a way, Junco. The question is, as always, what are you willing to sacrifice to make it happen?

"What do you want?" I say out loud.

Your compliance.

"Tell me what I have to do."

You know what you have to do. You've known it all along. It's the reason you stayed behind when Slag came for you. It's the reason you fought with Lucan. It's the reason you lied under testimony. And it's the reason you will push Ashur away.

I shake my head. "There is only one way to make it right."

Yes. So shut the fuck up and get on with it, why don't you? Quit looking at the things you've lost and see the things you have.

Chapter Thirty-Four

I wake up in the new bed, luxurious blankets and pillows strewn about from my thrashing. My door is open and I can hear voices coming from the living room. Ryse's for sure, and a few more that I don't recognize. They joke a little and get loud and Ryse tells them to keep it down. I hear the familiar sound of poker chips and listen for Braun, but his voice is not among the cacophony of maleness that floats into my room.

I get up and go into the bathroom and start a bath, adding bubbles as I watch it fill up, then strip my Fight Seven uniform off and sink into the hot water with a heavy sigh. I slip under a few times to get my hair wet, then use the provided bottles to wash and condition it.

When I'm done I wrap up in a white robe that hangs on the bathroom door and stuff my hair up in a towel. Back out in my room the voices are louder now and I tap the door shut and go find something to wear. A few minutes later I hear a knock.

"Enter."

"Sorry, Junco. I hope we didn't wake you up." Ryse smiles at me and I try to smile back, but I'm just not into it. I just go into the closet and pull on some bed shorts and a tank top. Then find some white fuzzy socks that slip over my feet and go back in the bathroom to brush my hair.

When I come back out he's sitting on my bed, waiting for me.

"What?"

"You want me to call Ashur and tell him to come home?"

"Why? Where is he?"

"Working on something for Lucan."

I shake my head. "No point, really. It is what it is, Ryse. And there's nothing any of you can say or do to change it."

He nods. "Yeah. OK. Well, when you're hungry you just let me know. I'll help you pick something you'll like from the autocook."

He walks over to the door and I walk over with him and close it as he leaves, then go over to the window seat and plop down. It's a fabulous space and looks out over the boulevards. Several stories down I can see the train, then several more there is another one. I can't see the bottom during the day either, but there are tall buildings across from me that are interesting to look at. Plus, there is a lot of eye-level traffic that captures my attention.

I pull my legs up to my chest as I watch the people who pass by inside the flyers. A noise over on the pile of clothes in the bathroom pulls me out of my reflection and I jump up and go grab my com from my pants pocket.

"This is Junco."

"Hi, Junco. It's Kadian."

I sigh. "What do you want, Kadian?"

"Oh, I just wanted to check up on you, make sure you're OK. I'm very sorry, Junco. Everyone is very sorry."

"Yeah, except those crazy people who wanted to kill me last night for Tier's stupid decision."

"They have calmed down due to the – circumstances. Have you watched the screens today? There was a public apology."

"No," I sigh. "I just woke up."

"Well, I have an ulterior motive for calling you."

"Yeah, what's that then?"

"I want to take you somewhere tonight. Will you come out with me?"

I'm shaking my head even though he can't see me. "Kadian, I don't really–"

"Junco, I promise you, this is something beautiful you won't want to miss."

"How would you know?"

"I heard you that day we met, when you asked that barbaric XO of yours if there was anything he could show you that was purely avian, not human. I have something I can show you. Something that fulfills that request."

I'm interested despite myself. "What is it?"

I listen to him tisk his tongue. "Surprises, Junco, mean you have to trust me that it will be worthwhile."

"I'm not really into surprises, Kadian, people tend to get killed when they try to surprise me."

He laughs. "Nonsense, Junco. You're a woman and that means you like surprises just as much as any of them. You've just been around all those killing machines for so long you've forgotten how it feels."

He's got a point there. "I'm not really good at" – I search for the word – "socializing, Kadian. In fact, I'm pretty terrible at all that stuff."

"No, Junco, you've just never been taken out properly before."

"Look, I'm not interested–"

"Me either, Junco. I am happily attached to a very beautiful woman who I would like for you to meet tonight. I just want to show you something, OK?"

I look down at my clothes. "What should I wear?"

"Not those bed clothes you have on."

"How do you–"

"I live across the boulevard, Junco. Exactly opposite your window. And before you go thinking I'm some stalker, we've lived here for years. It's just a happy coincidence."

I walk over to the window seat and peer out, training my eyes to the building across the way, and see a small figure waving at me through the breaks in traffic. "So Ryse was correct? You're a spy and you write terrible things about us? You peep into our apartment?

He gives me an exasperated huff, "This is a family home, Junco. Someone in my family has owned it for centuries."

"So you make stuff up about us?"

"I absolutely do not. Everything I've ever reported on the 039 has been one hundred percent true."

"But maybe it was secret? And you reported it anyway?"

I hear a small laugh over the com. "Perhaps. But that's what reporters do."

"So you want to take me out so you can report on me tomorrow?"

"Well, of course I will report on you. You're news, Junco. But the venue is worthwhile, and does deliver what you're looking for. Something that cannot be seen on Earth."

I hesitate.

"It is beautiful, Junco. And you could use a little beauty in your life today."

He's right. I could just sit here and listen to Ryse and his buddies play poker. As if my whole world wasn't in the process of coming down on me. Or I could go out and forget for a while. And isn't that what always gets me through the disasters? Forgetting? Shit, if there's one thing I can do it's push it all away. "OK, I'll go."

"Perfect, I'll pick you up in five minutes, wear anything you want."

And then the com goes dead.

I throw on some pants that look like human jeans, but aren't. And a shirt that isn't too complicated to pull over my head and seam together. I slip on my uniform boots because they are comfortable, and then head out.

Ryse and his friends look up as I enter and walk over to the terrace to go up to the roof. "Hey? Junco? Where are you going?" Ryse's cigar bobs up and down in his mouth as he talks.

"Out," I say. I'm halfway up the terrace stairs when I hear the flyer on the roof. Ryse is running to catch up with me, but I don't stop. The door opens on the flyer and Kadian is smiling at me.

"Oh, fuck no!" Ryse steps in between the flyer and me, blocking my advance, but I shoot him a dirty look.

"Ryse, I'm not a prisoner anymore. I'm Fledged out now and if I want to go out, then I will."

"But Junco," he pleads a little, "this is Kadian, he's a total scumbag."

I stick my chin up. "I have my com so Lucan can track me all night. I'm going, and there's nothing you can say about it."

"Ashur is not going to–"

"Ashur isn't my keeper, Ryse. I'm not on duty so I don't have to take orders from you or him."

Kadian has exited the flyer and steps up to Ryse. "I promise to deliver her home safe and happy."

Ryse actually growls at him and I push him back and jump in the flyer. Kadian gets in with me and then the door closes and we take off.

The flyer banks hard into a parking structure and I have a fleeting moment of déja vu at the suborbital station with Rache. I push it down and get out. Kadian stays seated and I poke my head back into the cab. "You coming or what?"

He smiles and shakes his head. "Girl stuff, Junco. I'll pick you up in two hours."

Before I can protest there are female hands leading me away and into a steamy shop filled with tantalizing flowery scents and the bustle of girls. I am subsequently plopped down onto some large cushions as a team goes to work on my fingernails, talons, hair, and to my horror, a full face of make-up including eyelashes that make my lids feel heavy.

When they bring about a mirror a while later I don't even recognize the girl on the other side. My hair is piled high on my head with soft tendrils slipping out every so often to soften and frame my face. My hazel eyes appear large and the color is brought out with make-up. My lips are a pretty pink just like my cheeks, and when I tilt my head to see the SEAR scar along my jaw it has all but vanished.

The ladies all nod and smile, then tug me up and guide me into a dressing room where a severe woman with a tight silver bun and wings to match sits with her lips pursed.

"It is a genuine improvement, Junco. Do you approve?"

I look in the full-length mirror. "Yeah, I like it."

She smiles. "I'm Anni and now we will dress you for the night. The dress is a gift, of course. So you may keep it."

"OK, thanks."

She brings out a stunning floor-length gown that is the prettiest shade of spring yellow I've ever seen. As she goes about instructing her helpers in fastening it around my wings I catch a glimpse in the mirror.

"Wow."

They top it off with a slight jacket made of some kind of fur that is a shade or two lighter than my hair. I scowl at the shoes as they place my feet in them, but Anni clicks her tongue at my balking and after I give in and cooperate, I'm suddenly three inches taller.