Rebellion (27 page)

Asher is greeting his grandmother in a much less dramatic way than I greeted Gavin, so I back away from Gavin slightly, but I refuse to let go of his hand. Not just yet. Asher gives me a questioning look and I nod. I'm fine. In fact, I'm more than fine. I'm great. I'm perfect. And—as a fire lights in my blood—I realize I'm ready. Finally.

I turn to Nadia. “Please get Evangeline and send for Father. Thank you.”

It's time to finish this poker game, as Asher calls it. I've learned so much from him and the best advice he gave me was to keep my cards close to my chest until just the right moment. It appears that moment's now.

It takes a few minutes, but finally Evangeline and Nadia arrive and we all take seats around the table. Asher sets up the vid screen so Father can be a part of the communication using the only computer from the Palace Wing we've let access the mainframe. When his face pops onto the screen, Lenore stares at him. “Eli?”

Asher glances to his grandmother, and pats her hand. “It's too risky for him to try and come here, so we do this.”

“Hello, Lenore. It's been a long time.”

“Too long,” she whispers in a wavery voice, but doesn't say anything else. She gestures for me to start.

I glance around the table, taking in everyone around me, gathering my thoughts and figuring out exactly what I'm trying to accomplish.

I squeeze Gavin's hand. “A lot has happened today and while I'm so very glad you're back safe, I'm afraid there's no time for a welcome back party.” I move my gaze to encompass everyone when I speak next. “Mother has finally shown her true colors tonight. She will, of course, try to blame the Underground. This time, there is no hiding that she was behind this. But I believe we have the upper hand.”

Father speaks up. “She'll wait until the morning to make her announcement. She thinks we have time since what happened should be devastating to Evie.”

“She's right,” I say, glad my voice isn't showing any of the inner turmoil I feel. “But we can't wait until tomorrow. We have to expose her, before she exposes us.”

Nadia nods. “I agree. There are still too many of her Citizens stranded in Elysium, but we cannot let her have them.”

“How do we do it?” Evangeline asks.

“Through the vid screens. And we'll tell everyone—including those in the Caverns—what she's done.” I turn to Nadia. “I need everyone in the common area. I want it on the big screen. There's been some dissent. Some questions about what we're waiting for. This is a horrible way to answer them, but it's what I feel needs to be done.”

“Of course.”

“Try to make sure the children are not able to see this. I'm not going to sugarcoat what happened. In fact, I'm not going to hide anything. I'm going to literally show the Citizens what she's done. The
people
will be shown what she's done.” I focus on Father. “Are the bodies still there?”

Gavin stares at me. I ignore him for now. He'll know everything soon enough.

“We're still conducting our investigation and documenting the scene.” He glances at his watch. “They're probably finishing up now though.”

“Good. We need to act now. Mother's waiting to make her move. We're not. We'll take her thunder from her
and
use her own ammunition against her. I won't let my friends' deaths be in vain.”

“But you're covered in their blood,” Evangeline says. “If you show them what she's done, she'll use that to blame you anyway.”

“She can try,” I say. “But she left too much behind this time. Too much that points to her. I think the Enforcer that did it made sure of it.” I pull the slip of paper from my dress pocket and flash it out. “She'll also have to explain why this note exists.”

“She'll blame you,” Evangeline says again.

“But how many will believe her?” Father asks. “Her followers are few. Some have
joined
our ranks. Half the city wears the masks. A quarter of her population is in the Caverns. We walk freely among the rest. This might be the final crack in her wall.”

“I think we're underestimating Mother and the power she has over the city. Over us. This is a trap,” Evangeline whispers. “She's using this to prove you are a monster and anyone who follows you will die by your hand.”

I smile. “Of course it's a trap. But we have nothing to hide. I just have to show the people what we've seen and know. I will prove who the real monster is.”

*   *   *

I grab my mask, while Asher gathers his equipment. Evangeline and Lenore decide to stay back with Nadia to help the Citizens shelter the children. Gavin, however, wants to go with me.

I've noticed his attention on my bloody dress a few times. It doesn't take much of a logic leap to figure out he wants to know what happened and where we're going. My first thought is to protect him from the sight. I can't imagine how hard it'll be for me to step back in there, let alone him. But, in the end, I decide to let him go. He needs to know everything that's happened since he left and we don't have time to ease him into it.

Carefully, we dart through the passageways that lead to the Residential Sector until we get to the apartment again. It should be mostly empty now, except for the bodies and the crew who'll take them to give them a proper good-bye. Father waits for us outside the door. The coppery scent of the blood is unmistakable even before we open the door.

“This is going to be bad,” I say to Gavin. “Very bad. There's no shame in deciding you can't handle it. But, please, if you can't, don't go into the hallway alone. The bedrooms and bathroom are safe. Wait in one of those for me.”

“I understand.” His hand brushes mine, but I don't take it. Even though I really want to.

I push open the door and step in, trying not to gag on the much stronger stench of coppery blood. Father and Asher rush in, keeping their attention away from the bodies. Gavin follows at a much slower pace, his eagle-eyed gaze taking in everything in the room.

When he shuts the door, he leans against it. “Jesus!” He looks at Asher. “Mother did this?”

Asher gives him a sympathetic look. “An Enforcer carried it out, but Mother ordered it.”

“Why?”

“Because they were part of the Underground,” I say quietly. “They were two of our first members and our most avid supporters. We were close. Mother found out somehow.” I have a sick feeling starting to claw at my stomach, but I force it down. We've got a message to get out.

I turn to Asher. “What do you think? Should I be here first?” I stand by the wall covered with Tate's blood and brain matter. “I'll say what I have to, then Father can pan down to the body, before we move to the kitchen.”

“That should work. It'll get the point across nicely. We'll show how only an Enforcer could have done this. And since Mother doesn't want to publicly announce you're alive, she can't say you did it.”

I nod. “Tell me when you're ready.”

I wait while he sets things up and turn to look at Gavin. He's slightly pale, but holding on quite well, considering. I guess all the hunting he's done over the years has made him slightly numb to, or at least able to tolerate, the sight of this much blood. I am definitely not numb; I'm incensed by it.

“Ready,” Asher says.

“Don't say a word while we're recording, okay?” I tell Gavin. “Unless it's an emergency. I don't want Mother to have any more information than she already has.”

“Okay.”

I take a shaky breath, then pull the mask over my face. The mask instantly aligns itself with my head, making me want to shudder. I hate that feeling. When it settles, I signal Asher to start recording and transmitting the video. Immediately the holo pops up in the room, showing me in all my glory. Bloody dress and mask.

“People of Elysium. I apologize for the late-night intrusion into your homes. However, I have important information everyone needs to know.” I glance to the body in front of me. No one should have to see this, but I refuse to keep the Citizens in the dark. That was Mother's way. Not mine. And since this could happen to any one of them, they need to know. “The images I'm about to show you are extremely graphic. If you have small children, please do not let them see this footage.” I wait about a minute for people to gather their children and remove them from view of the holograms. “Approximately four hours ago, at midnight, it was discovered that two Citizens had been horribly murdered in their own homes, in front of their child.” A lump forms in my throat, making my voice thick. It's hard to speak. “This child, a girl no older than three, was then sent out into Sector Two with what I can only assume was the hope that she'd be brought to me. She had a note pinned to her pajamas, which were drenched in her parents' blood.” I read the contents of the letter, show the camera the note, then pull away so people can see the whole of my dress again. “As you can see, I am covered in their blood as well. I'm certain Mother will try to prove that I or a member of the Underground did this, but I have irrefutable proof that this was done by one of Mother's Enforcers.”

I kneel down, the hem of my dress gathering more blood. I gesture to Tate's head. “This was the killing blow. Only an Enforcer could inflict this much damage to a human skull.” I gesture for Asher to pan along the body. “You can see from several of the slash marks, these are no ordinary marks. There's no hesitation. They're all clean, straight lines made in exactly the right spots to make this appear as bloody and messy as possible. There's only one ‘mistake.' It's obvious that she tried to stab him in the back of the neck, but missed or slipped and sliced the jugular instead.” I gesture to the red stained walls. “Take note of the spray of blood on the wall across from the body.” I stand, and walk backward through the kitchen door.

Father shows Kara now, including the bloody knife. “The woman, a mother herself, tried fighting back, but still had her life stolen from her. These people were Citizens. People from the Metalworking and Agricultural Sectors. People just like you. But they were also so much more than that. They were parents, friends, and now … martyrs. Symbols. Mother killed them simply because they believed differently than she. The Underground has never taken a life. We've gone to extreme measures to not only avoid it, but to stop several assassination attempts. We've never done anything but show people the truth about Mother. To prove you don't have to live in the constant fear of Mother and her shadows. But now because these people disagreed with her and sided with me, Mother decided to take their lives. Their blood is on my hands. Literally and figuratively.” I lift my arms, showing my blood-covered, cloth-wrapped hands. “We all know these Citizens weren't the first, and I know they won't be the last. The next death could be you or someone you love. Do you really want a woman who kills people because they believe differently than her to be in charge of absolutely everything in your life? Do you really want to live in this gilded cage, believing everything this woman says because you're afraid to find out what's outside of it? Do you really want to live in fear for the rest of your life, which could end tomorrow or the next day or the next? Most importantly, do you want your children to grow up in a world filled with fear and death? She calls Surface Dwellers monsters, but looking at this massacre, I know who the real monster is. Do you?”

 

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY
-
THREE

Mother's laws have dictated and ensured the Citizens' predictability for so long that Mother has become quite cavalier in her assumpition they will remain so. Therefore, in order to get something we've never had, it's important to do something we've never done.

—
E
VIE'S
JOURNAL

Gavin

Seeing those poor people was probably the worst and most heart-wrenching experience of my life. Now I know why Evie looked so broken. I have more questions, but they can wait until later. Eli rushed back to the Palace Wing after Evie finished with a promise to vid chat. So now I follow Evie and Asher back to the Caverns, keeping as quiet as I can while I let things percolate in my brain.

Back in the Caverns, Asher puts the equipment away and Evie just keeps walking past all the people gossiping. A few try to talk to her, but I don't even think she notices them. She just continues past them as if they aren't even there. At first I think I should follow her, but I veer off when I get to her—our?—cutout. At a loss as to what I should do, and after a few minutes of trying to decide whether I should try and sleep on the floor, or wait to try and talk to Evie, I go back to the War Room and wait.

Asher sits at the table, staring at a box filled with equipment, cords dangling from his fingers. He seems as unsure of what to do as I am. Evangeline sits next to him, tears spilling silently down her pretty cheeks. Her back is ramrod straight and her hands are folded on the table as she stares straight ahead at the wall. Nadia looks defeated. I think that's the scariest of all of this. I don't think I've ever seen her show an emotion. Defeat shouldn't be the first one. I take the seat next to Asher, leaving a space for Evie in the middle, should she join us.

Uncomfortable with the silence, I finally bite the bullet and ask, “So … who wants to share what I missed?”

Asher turns his head up, only to return to staring at his cords without saying anything. Nadia stares into space for a minute, but then she sighs and spends the next several minutes catching me up.

“So … now what?” I ask.

Asher lifts an eyebrow. “We do the only thing we can. Wait for the backlash.”

“And what's the backlash?”

“Who knows?” Asher yawns and sits up as the screen next to him lights up with a picture of Eli. The vid screen.