The Significant (9 page)

      
The surprises continued.

      
There was a large pool set into the
floor, the pristine waters showing the care put into maintaining it. The
windows leading to the balcony allowed light and heat into the room. Kailynn
walked around the pool, completely overwhelmed. When she realized that there
was a smaller room off of the pool area with a sauna and workout area, she
could not help but roll her eyes.

      
“I don’t know what I was expecting…” she
grumbled.

      
As she left the pool area, she found
herself feeling indignant. She had to struggle to stay warm in Trid and find a
way to feed herself, but the Golden Elite had an entire level of Anon Tower
that had a pool and guest rooms for guests that Kailynn was sure Isa never had.
The class difference between the two was so apparent it almost physically hurt.
Kailynn was wondering why Isa was living in such luxury while there was an
entire district of her planet that struggled to survive just beyond the borders
of her shining capital city.

      
Kailynn walked through the other door of
the pool area, finding herself traveling further into the Golden Elite’s level.
She found herself in another hallway with four doors, two on each side. When
she got to the first door, it opened for her. Kailynn wondered what the Golden
Elite needed with four
additional
guest rooms—except the hallway did not contain guest rooms, but guest
suites
. The rooms were even larger and
more lavish than the room Kailynn was staying in, which she found to be
incredibly extravagant.

      
Kailynn followed the bend in the hallway
and saw three more doors. She approached one, expecting it to open
automatically like the others, but it did not. She turned away from it, not
sure how to open it, since there was no handle on the door, and moved to the
next one, which did open. There was a smaller room with a billiards table and
several plush seats facing a large television—the only one Kailynn had seen in
the home.

      
The Significant went back to the last
door she had not explored and was confused at the sight.

      
There were shelves lining the room and in
many rows through the room. There were boxes sitting on the shelved with
writing along the edges. The boxes were different colors and sizes, filling the
shelves entirely. Kailynn stepped further in, the lights flickering on
automatically. She approached on of the shelves and gingerly touched one of the
boxes. She pulled it off the shelf, looking over the design on the front of the
long, thin box.

      
That was when she realized that the box
was not a box at all. It was multiple pages bound together to form a package
she had never seen before. She touched the pages, shocked at their texture and
thinness.

      
The sudden stop of a humming and the
sound of a door opening caused Kailynn to quickly replace the package and leave
the room, intent on coming back at a later time.

      
She quickly went back to the living room,
which was empty, and tried to decide what to do next.

      
She finally made the decision to go onto
the balcony. She walked to the glass wall and one of the panels automatically
moved aside for her. The cool air brushed her face and cleared her mind a
little. Never in her life did she ever think that she would be standing on the
balcony of the Golden Elite’s home.

      
Kailynn was looking out over the
buildings, trying not to get too close to the edge of the balcony. She had a
fear of heights and did not want to risk the vertigo she normally got looking
out of her own window on the third floor. Anon Tower was far taller than any
building she had ever been inside.

      
She took a deep breath and carefully stepped
forward, putting her foot down lightly and transferring her weight as if the
balcony would give way under her. She took another cautious step toward the
railing, raising on her toes to look over the edge, even though she was too far
away to see the ground.

      
“This building can withstand earthquakes
of nine-point magnitude,” a voice said behind her. Kailynn whirled around,
startled, and caught sight of Isa’s smiling face. Kailynn placed a hand against
her chest and let out a shaky breath.

      
“You scared the shit out of me.”

      
Isa chuckled and walked closer.

      
“I apologize,” she said. “You’re
acrophobic?”

      
“What?”

      
“Afraid of heights,” Isa clarified,
walking past Kailynn and turning around, taking a few steps back until she
could lean against the front rail. The younger woman watched her warily.

      
“Come closer,” Isa urged, extending her
hand.

      
Kailynn hesitated, not sure if she should
listen to Isa or decline and go back inside. She looked at Isa’s bright blue
eyes and found herself taking a step forward before she knew it. She slowly
reached out and let Isa take her hand. The Golden Elite gently led the
Significant a step closer to the edge.

      
“You’re safe up here,” she assured.
“There are sensors in the bottom of the balcony. If anything falls, a net
extends a few floors down to catch it.”

      
Kailynn blinked and turned to the Golden
Elite.

      
“Sounds like there have been some suicide
attempts from this balcony.”

      
“Not since they put the net in,” Isa
corrected with a laugh. She gently pulled Kailynn a step closer. “The trick is
not to look down. Look outward.”

      
Kailynn took another step forward, but
her fear got the best of her and she froze one step away from the railing.

      
She pulled her hand from Isa’s and shook
her head.

      
“I’m good here,” she said quickly.

      
“It’s closer than where you were before,”
Isa complimented.

      
“You’re not afraid of heights?”

      
“No,” Isa said with a shake of her head.
“I never have been.”

      
Kailynn looked over the Elite carefully,
unable to help herself. Everything about the Elite was so perfect, it was hard
to comprehend how someone could look completely immaculate. They were silent
for several long moments, staring at one another.

      
“I…I thought you were working…” Kailynn
started lamely.

      
Isa made a face. “I
was
, but Remus remotely shut down my chair.” She chuckled brokenly,
shaking her head. “He really does not want me working this week.”

      
“Remus?”

      
“The one who hired you,” Isa said gently.
“The Silver Elite of the Syndicate.”

      
“Oh…”

      
“I do apologize if it seemed that I was
distant this morning,” Isa said. “I will admit, I do not find the practice of
Significants at all appealing.”

      
Kailynn groaned and rolled her eyes.

      
“Me neither.”

      
“Yet, you do this work?” Isa asked.

      
“Best way for someone like me to make
money,” Kailynn said with a shrug.

      
“Someone like you?”

      
Kailynn felt her stomach flip, so she
pursed her lips and turned away.

      
“Never mind,” she said quickly. “I guess
I’m just surprised. Seems like a lot of people really
like
Significants.”

      
“Yes, unfortunately,” Isa agreed. “That
is why it is still in practice.” The Golden Elite turned to Kailynn fully and
smiled. “What’s your real name?”

      
“What?”

      
“Your real name,” Isa repeated.

      
“It’s Jacyleen,” Kailynn said, startled.

      
“No.” Isa shook her head. “I’m sure you
have a name better suited to you.”

      
Kailynn hesitated.

      
“…Kailynn.”

      
“Much better,” Isa agreed with a nod.

      
“Is your name really Isa?” Kailynn asked.
“Is it short for something? What about your last name?”

      
“No, Isa is my full, and only, name.”

      
“Only?” Kailynn asked, blinking. “You
don’t have a last name?”

      
Isa pursed her lips with a smile and
shook her head. “No Elite has a last name. We do not have parents from whom to
inherit them.”

      
Kailynn’s eyebrows furrowed.

      
“No parents?”

      
Isa looked confused by Kailynn’s confusion.

      
“What do you know about Elites?”

      
“You run the Syndicate.”

      
“Yes.”

      
“What else is there to know?”

      
Isa chuckled at the indignant tone in
Kailynn’s voice. The Significant cringed.

      
“Sorry, I didn’t—”

      
“It’s alright,” Isa said. “May I ask a
question? Was there criteria for someone with an attitude to act as my
Significant?”

      
Kailynn laughed. “Actually, yes.”

      
“Remus knows me well,” Isa mused.
“Please, do not feel that you need to censor yourself. I deal with people who
are politically correct and vague all day. I prefer someone honest and
straightforward.”

      
Kailynn stared at the Elite for a moment
before she found herself smiling sincerely.

      
“You know, that’s amazing that you can
just
say
that.”

      
Isa’s smile knocked the breath from
Kailynn’s chest.

      
“Then, tell me, what else is there to
know about Elites?” Kailynn asked, trying to shake off the feeling. “I know you
run the Syndicate, and that you can’t have sex.”

      
“That’s not entirely true,” Isa said. “We
are not
allowed
to have sexual
intercourse. But we do have the physical capabilities.”

      
“That’s what I meant.”

      
“To be honest, that’s about everything
there is to Elites,” Isa admitted. “There is nothing more to us. No fear, no
emotion, high pain tolerance, low physical needs—”

      
“Did you say no
emotion
?”

      
“Elites are made, not born, and I do mean
that literally,” Isa explained. “We are created in incubational chambers and
grown to a certain age. During that process, certain functions of the brain are
turned off, such as emotions and the ability to cry.”

      
“You can’t cry either?” Kailynn gaped.
Isa shook her head.

      
“Elites were made to work. That’s all. A
great portion of Elites do not even have personality. They simply move about in
life as if they were a machine.” Isa walked to Kailynn, motioning her to follow
as they went back inside. “I’m sure that’s quite different from the people you
are normally around in Trid.”

      
Kailynn stopped at the door and blinked
in shock at the Golden Elite. Isa walked into the living room as Tarah walked
out of the kitchen, wondering if there was anything the Golden Elite needed.
The Significant quickly caught up to Isa and stood in front of her, blocking
Tarah.

      
“What did you just say?”

      
“That I’m sure there are far more
colorful people in Trid,” Isa said. “Did that upset you?”

      
Kailynn narrowed her eyes.

      
“You made it sound as though you were
calling
me
a Trid,” she said
carefully.

      
“Are you not?” Isa asked, her tone
without condescension. Kailynn was about to vehemently deny her true
birthplace, but stopped, startled by the tone in the Golden Elite’s voice. She
hesitated.

      
“What if I was?”

      
“Then you were born in Trid,” Isa stated
matter-of-factly. “I do not see anything wrong with that.” The Golden Elite
looked around Kailynn to Tarah. “Would you please make some tea?”