There Once Were Stars (27 page)

But we’re not free yet. I break away, running my thumb along his lips as my palm rests against his cheek. “Alec is inside the dome, and the message has gone across the monitors. I think the Director has been infected by Waldorf. It’s time to go.”

“We have one last thing to do,” Evan says. “We need to get to B1.”

“No. We need to get help for your arm.”

“Nat, there’s no time. You have to put my arm back into place.”

“What! I can’t do that.”

He winces as his good arm moves the dead one out to his side. “Come sit over here.”

I reluctantly follow his directions.

“Now, lean over, grab my hand and put your foot against my torso for leverage. Very slowly, pull my arm towards you.”

I start to pull and Evan howls out in pain, yelling, “Don’t stop!” I keep pulling, and soon the infected drown out Evan’s shouts with their shrieks. I’m rewarded with a popping sound.

Evan lies panting on the floor and I let go of his arm. “Thank you.” He rotates his arm as if nothing happened. “It’s tender, but it will work.”

“We don’t need to go to B1. Catherine gave me a device to kill the infected down here.”

“We need to carry out Alec’s plan. We need to shut down the boiler. Not only will it give the resistance a chance to take over, it will shut down all of these terrible experiments.”

“The experiments are over, and we weren’t able to get to the virus, because Waldorf blocked the freezers. Now we can’t shut down the boiler systems. If we do, the virus will release itself on the entire dome.”

“Dammit,” Evan says. “Take me to the elevator, then. Let’s get out of here.”

I realize I left Jak’s key card on the Director’s desk. How stupid. Of all the things to mess up on, after getting this far, a key card is our undoing. “We can’t get out.” I hold out my empty hands.

“There’s another way,” Evan says. “Through the dumbwaiter. I found it when I was down here last time. It’s how you get food from floor to floor. We will take it up to B1, and leave from there.”

“I thought only B3 had an exit?”

“I thought so too, but when Mrs. Watson took our key card up to Engineering, she found the master blueprint. There are exits strategically placed all over this dome.”

“Why haven’t I heard about this before?”

“Nat, there hasn’t been time to explain every little detail. Let’s get out of here.”

I grab my gun from the floor, and follow him around the remaining curve of the hallway. We’re nearly back at the entrance when he points to the small elevator. There’s a keypad next to it.

“We have to take turns,” he says.

“I’m going first. You’re injured. Plus, I have the gun.”

“No. I’m going first.” His eyes focus on me. There’s an urgency in them. I’m sure he just wants to get as far as B3 as quick as he can.

“I’m the one who taught you how to shoot,” he continues. “Plus, I can’t climb in without your help.”

I want to argue, but I know he’s right. After some awkward climbing, he finally situates himself in the small box, with his knees pulled up to his chest. It smells like old metal, rusted to the point I hope it stays together. He flashes me a weak smile, as I key in B1. The dumbwaiter jerks before grinding upward. After a few minutes, the chute groans as the dumbwaiter makes its return.

The tiny device Catherine gave me weighs heavily in my pocket. My job isn’t done. I run back to the gated area, past the room where Evan fought for his life against three infected, who were once innocent people, stolen from their homes on the surface. When I arrive at the gates, the infected reach toward me, as if they’re begging. There’s only one thing I can give them now—peace.

I pull the device from my pocket. It’s a tiny sphere of smooth silver metal, with a single button that marks the surface—a tiny little button that controls all of the lives of those in front of me. I look back at the infected. No. Their lives ended a long time ago. It’s now or never.

The button presses with surprising ease; I roll the grenade along the floor until it disappears in the middle of hundreds of feet of the infected. I pause one last time, taking the images of their faces and imprinting them into my memories. If no one remembers the mistakes we made here, how will we stop from making them again?

I run as fast as I can back to the dumbwaiter, where it sits like a gaping hole waiting for me to climb inside. I scramble in and reach around, keying in my destination. With a jerk, the dumbwaiter creeps upward and I slide the door shut. But the moment everything goes dark, the dumbwaiter shakes violently. It screeches to a stop, and I brace my arms against the walls of my small enclosure. I know I succeeded—the infected have been eliminated, but I can’t help but feel a prickle across the back of my neck as my hairs rise at the thought of being trapped in this tiny box. I bang my hands on the walls beside me. Nothing.

What will Evan do if I’m trapped in here? The entire place is falling apart above us, and I’m stuck in the walls. I can’t even go back to B3, which right now doesn’t seem like the worst alternative.

Something rattles overhead, and the dumbwaiter jerks back in motion. I rest my head on the steel behind me and wait for my destination. After a few seconds, the dumbwaiter stops. I slide the door open and watch as the unfamiliar floor of B1 comes into view.

Evan is nowhere to be seen. Ahead of me is a maze of pipes running from boilers twice my height. Their motors vibrate the air, whirring in a never-ending loop. Warmth makes the air heavy, but the silence makes it uncomfortable.

“I’m not going to let you hurt her again.” Evan’s voice cuts through the air from the other side of the machinery.

“That’s not why I’m here,” Jak replies.

I stumble out of the dumbwaiter. Jak’s here? But why? I run between the machinery, trying to follow their voices, but I stumble over a man, slumped on the floor. There’s a gash in his head, but he still has a pulse. He’s wearing a blue work suit, with B1 on the chest. He’s just a worker. Did Evan do this? Or was it Jak?

I step out from behind a row of boilers and see Evan pointing his gun at Jak. Even worse, Jak is pointing a gun back at Evan. Nothing good can come from this.

“What are you doing here?” I ask Jak.

His eyes flicker to me, and then snap back at Evan. “Catherine told me what happened,” Jak says. “I came to stop you from blowing up the dome. Think of all the innocent people.”

“What?”

“He’s lying,” Evan says. “We can’t trust him.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Nat,” Jak pleads. “You know I’m right. I’m sorry about everything that happened between us. I don’t know why I did it. I thought the Director was acting in the best interests of the dome. He wasn’t. I saw that video. No one can deny the proof now. But all those innocent people above us, haven’t they suffered enough?”

“We aren’t going to blow up the generator,” I explain. “I killed the infected that were downstairs. Where is the Director now?”

“I told him you came to save the Outsider.” Jak looks at me again. “He’s on his way to stop you so I ran ahead.”

“The Director’s not dead?”

“Not yet. But he also told me about the plan—Evan’s plan. I came down here because I knew I could make you understand.”

“What plan? We’re just trying to get outside.”

“You can’t stop us,” Evan yells at Jak.

“What’s going on Evan?”

“Nat, don’t you understand. It’s the only way.”

My stomach does flip flops as it twists itself into knots. My mind races back to B3, back to why Evan wanted to come here.

“There isn’t an exit on B1, is there, Evan?”

“Nat, you know Alec will agree. We have to shut down this dome. You saw what they did down there. All those innocent people turned into those—things.”

“No.” I shake my head. “You can’t do this. You’ll hurt those people above. You’ll be just like the Director.”

Evan’s gaze darts between Jak and me, like a wild man trying to decide who to trust. I walk over to him, holding my hands out, not taking my eyes off his.

“Evan. I told Catherine she could trust Jak. He’s the one who told me where you were. He helped me save you.” Evan’s eyes soften, but he still shakes his head. “He can help Samson make this a better place for people to live. You and I can have a life here.”

His eyes soften as they search mine, as if he’s trying to believe me. Whatever happened to him on B3, I need to make him trust me again. I stare back and manage a smile. “I know it can be better.”

He nods, and I put my hand on his gun, lowering it. Jak does the same, as I take Evan’s gun into my hands.

That’s when I’m grabbed from behind.

“Nat!” Jak yells.

“She’s wrecked everything,” the Director hisses in my ear. “All our hard work—ruined. Can’t you see it, Manning? She’s one of them.”

His skin burns against my cheek and something sharp touches my neck. Sweat drips off his face onto mine.

“Don’t hurt her!” Evan yells.

“She took it all away from me!” the Director yells. “I won’t let her leave this floor alive.”

“No!” Evan calls out. “You’ll spend the rest of your life in prison.”

“I’m dying as we speak,” the Director growls, loosening his grip for a moment as he shakes his head. He’s fighting the virus; I can feel it. Waldorf succeeded.

“She’s immune,” Jak yells. “You can’t hurt her.”

I cry out in pain as the sharp instrument pushes against my throat.

“I beg to differ,” the Director hisses.

I’ve got nothing to lose. He’ll kill me once he stops Evan. I reach across my side with the gun in my hand and aim it behind me. I’m not sure where his body is, but he’s so close, I take a chance, place the gun tight against my side, and pull the trigger.

The Director lets go of me and I spin around to see him reel back a step. As he falls, he kicks my legs out from under me, and I collapse to the floor. His reflexes are surprisingly fast. In one quick movement, he’s on top of me, squeezing the breath from my windpipe as he raises a large knife in the air.

A gunshot rings out. The Director’s head snaps back and his body crumples on top of me. I can smell his cologne, as his neck presses against my cheek, and memories of our first encounter flood my thoughts. Screams erupt from my throat as I try to push his body off.

Jak appears and pulls the Director’s corpse away. Another set of hands grabs me under my arms, pulling me to my feet. “It’s okay, Nat,” Evan says. “You’re safe. Jak saved you.”

My body shakes, out of my control, and I struggle to catch my breath. That was close. I huddle against Evan’s body as he runs his hand down my hair.

“I’m so sorry I ever brought you to the Axis,” Jak says. “I thought you would be safe. I thought it would bring us closer.”

I let go of Evan and run over to Jak, throwing my arms around his neck. He wraps his arms around my waist and holds me tight. Jak saved my life. I wish I never had to hurt him, but I have to let him go.

“Won’t you stay?” he whispers into my ear. “Stay, and help me rebuild our home.”

“It’s not my home anymore, Jak,” I whisper back. “It hasn’t been since the dome took my parents away from me. I have to go and rebuild, so I can start a new life of my own.”

“Nat.” He leans his forehead against mine, sending a shiver down my back. “I can’t stop loving you.”

Those final words carry more truth than this dome has provided in decades. Jak kisses my cheek, then lets me go. I release my arms from his neck and realize this is it—this is our goodbye. It’s on our own terms this time. No Director, forcing us together. No Order, forcing us apart. This time it’s ours alone.

Jak nods to Evan, then walks toward the elevators and waves goodbye. I step forward, about to call out to him as the doors close. I almost ask him to wait for me. But I don’t. I hold back my feelings for the safety and security of my past, and watch as the doors close between us.

Evan takes my hand and I turn to the other set of elevators, their doors wide open, waiting for me to accept my new future. Evan squeezes my hands, flashing me his half-grin, and we step forward, together. The doors close on B1, and soon open to the lobby.

Order members run past, moving toward the exits of the Axis. Evan holds his hand up as he peers out the door. But no one is threatening; people are trying to escape. I walk out into the open, and Evan follows, as I make my way through the lobby. The large telescreens continually play the resistance’s message, over and over again.

I step out into the street, where screens continue to blast the truth for all to hear. People are carrying suitcases, and pulling their families behind them. Stores have been abandoned. Windows are smashed. I never realized how powerful the truth could be, until today.

As we walk through downtown, the Order detains people. How long will their charade carry on? Will they try to stop us? As the Order grabs an older woman, she cries out, drawing the attention of a group of residents. They drop their bags, picking up debris from the road, and move forward, crowding the Order. I turn away, unable to differentiate the cries between the innocent and those who hunt them. I’m afraid of the outcome, either way.

As we make our way to the Apartment District, I see a familiar face—my Uncle Alec. He spots us at the same time and runs over, hugging Evan, then mussing his hair like he used to do with mine.

“You’ve done it, kid,” he says to Evan. “Your mom will be proud. This Axis is finished.”

“We couldn’t destroy the boiler,” Evan says.

“What?” Alec’s eyes grow wide. He clenches his fists at his sides.

Before he loses it, I continue. “The infection will spread to the outside. The freezers are not accessible.”

He bites his lip, pausing before he speaks again. “I have another job to finish here, no matter what the consequences. I’m going after the Director and the Delegates.”

“No.” I grab my uncle’s sleeve. “Don’t. The Director is dead. The others will have it under control.”

“I have to, Nat. They deserve to pay for what they did. Every last one of them.”

“We need to get out of here,” I plead. “I’ve got all the information for the vaccine with me. We need to get it outside to safety.”