Crimson Rising (27 page)

The energy quivers, as if sighing. “It doesn’t matter who did it. All remaining Ridium is under the Authority’s control once again. There’s precious little left after our initial assault on Earth. Haven’s southern most pits are more heavily guarded than ever before. They may have halted our efforts momentarily, but the dam will puncture. It is inevitable.”

I look at Cassius. “The Scarlet Bombings. Do you think that’s how they got the Ridium under the surface of Earth?”

He shrugs.

Thamus swallows. “May I ask you a question, sir?”

It’s silent for a moment. The energy softens. “You may.”

“Why him? Why your son?”

Matigo takes his time before responding. For a second I think he’s going to ignore the question altogether, but then the energy moves again. “You might ask the Resistance the same thing. I have become a target in this war. Those close to me have become targets. There are other Shifters on this planet, but they will have their own ambitions. There is a legacy to uphold. I cannot make this journey, not yet. Not until I know that it is safe. And if I cannot do it, someone of royal blood must be allowed the honor.” He pauses. “You will take him to the pits at dawn and he will be submerged in Ridium. I have team of Shifters ready to construct his craft and get him safely to Earth. Then, when the time is right, I will send a Herald after him and our invasion will begin.”

Lieutenant Thamus nods. “What if he will not go willingly?”

“He is my son.” Matigo laughs. “He is honored by the opportunity. He is excited.”

Cassius creeps around the side of the desk, trying to get closer to the energy. When he’s near enough to reach out a hand and touch it, something pushes him back. He glances at me, eyes wide with surprise. “It’s like there’s a wall here,” he whispers. “It’s not even warm or anything. It’s just … nothing.”

I shake my head, unable to give any explanation.

Just then, something catches my eye, off to the side of the room. A boy appears from nowhere, sitting on a stool next to the wall, twirling a dagger in his hand. He hadn’t been there before, I’m sure of it. Thamus ignores him completely. There’s no indication that Matigo’s seen him either.

I crouch low to look at the boy’s face. He can’t be any older than five. His brown hair covers the tops of his eyes so that it’s hard to get a decent look at them. The blade of the dagger reflects light from the city beyond as it shifts effortlessly through his fingers. “Cassius.” I keep my voice low. “Come over here.”

Cassius moves past Thamus and crouches beside me to look at the boy. “It’s him,” he whispers. “Of course it’s him.”

I bring my head down and meet the kid’s eyes. And I see it. Instantly. There’s a familiar expression in them—a warped curiosity. A slightly rattled look.

I turn back, heart in my throat. “Theo.”

The boy stands. I back away, scared that he heard me. I push Cassius to the doorway and we watch as Theo approaches Thamus. The red energy pulses behind the desk.

The dagger falls still in Theo’s hands. He sheathes it at his side and crosses his arms. He’s just a kid, but the way he stands—the look in his eyes—there’s nothing innocent about it.

“My son,” Matigo’s voice booms. “Soon you will undergo a journey. A test run. You may be lonely for some time, but I will not be far behind. They are using an energy transport system against us. We will use Ridium against them. It has already been set in motion on Earth. There’s only one thing standing in our way, and it belongs in the hands of the Resistance.” He pauses. “Sons. Children, like you. And once they are disposed of, there will be no stopping us.”

The words blast through me like an explosion. They echo, as thunderous as Matigo’s voice. Disposed of. I stare at the five-year-old Theo’s face, committing everything I’ve heard to memory. Ridium. Shifter. Herald. Submerged.

Disposed of.

Suddenly, everything collapses around us. The walls fragment and fold into each other. Theo’s body disintegrates right in front of me. The hypnotic carpet swirls so quickly that it becomes a starburst. We dive into the endless sea of lights. They begin to change, multiply, and spread apart until they’re stars.

It’s cold. Then windy.

I’m in the middle of the sky again. Free-fall.

Only I’m not falling anymore. Ryel’s cube tumbles from the air and lands in my hand. Something carries me.

Someone.

It takes me a moment to see him. My mind is so muddled. But then I notice the glow. Green, all around me. A cocoon of Pearl energy protects my body. If deflects the wind until I can’t feel anything.

A pair of arms support me, stronger than they look. The Drifter’s face comes into view as he gently holds me in the air. I meet his eyes, though I can’t speak. I let my body droop against his hold, confident that he won’t drop me. I’ve got no reason to be, but the Pearl energy makes everything feel better.

The Drifter speaks. “You saved me. Now, I shall save you.”

My shoulder jerks back as I hear his voice. “English?”

He nods. “English.”

“Wait.” I analyze his face, looking for markings, hair color, anything to identify him. “Are you—”

“You freed me,” he interrupts. “From a dark machine. There was a tunnel. Darkness, all around.”

“You’re the guy from the generator back at the Academy,” I say. “From three nights ago. I didn’t know if you’d lived.” A smile breaks out on my face. I don’t mean it too. It fades as soon as I remember the events of the night. “Hey … what about Cassius?”

“He is with my friend,” the Drifter replies, his voice calm and low. “You are both safe. It’s lucky you found a senso-cube. It bought you some time.”

“That’s what that thing is? A senso-cube?”

He nods. “You and your brother were suspended in the air for nearly thirty minutes. Frozen, like statues.”

The thought makes me cringe, not only for the sheer weirdness of it, but for the thought of what Theo could have done to us in that time.

I glance toward the stars. The vessel of Ridium is gone. Theo’s disappeared.

The Drifter’s grip loosens around my midsection. “We are nearly on the Surface, now. My transport energy is beginning to fade. I won’t have many more flights left in me.”

The sun begins to rise over the mountains. Not enough to kill the darkness, but the sight captivates me. It’s been so long since I’ve been this high in the air. I used to witness sunrises like this every morning out my dorm window. I’ve been on the Surface too long.

Before I know it, the Drifter’s feet touch ground and he places me in the dirt. I lie there, trying to get my bearings. Only when I’m sure the earth won’t collapse underneath me do I stand.

Cassius stands beside a second Drifter. I pivot to scan the stark landscape. We’re back outside Lenbrg, right where Theo conjured that vessel of Ridium. I crane my neck and search the stars, past Skyships to the darkest part of the sky. He’s up there. He wanted to kill us.

Matigo’s son.

We have to stop him.

It isn’t long before I see the others come over the hill toward us. They must have seen the glow from the Drifters. Avery takes off at a sprint toward me, then wraps my torso in a tight embrace.

The second Drifter helps Cassius to his feet. We stand in a bubble of dim green, which is already starting to fade.

The Drifters tell us their names are Talan and Sem. Sem’s the one who plucked me from the sky, and speaks better English than Talan. The language processors in their Pearls vary in structure, he says. Some are damaged during transport, and others move more slowly to cater to individual brain functioning.

“Where have you been?” Avery clutches my arm. “By the time we headed outside, you guys were gone.”

“Theo’s escaped.” Cassius steps past her. “He’s Matigo’s son. He wants to kill us.”

Eva follows him. “Matigo has a son?”

Sem looks down at his fingers, watching the last of the Pearl energy drain from his body. “The boy’s shifting powers have been unlocked. He’s in control of Ridium now, just like his father. But he’s young. Inexperienced. We may be able to strike before he has a chance to do any major damage.”

I turn to face him. “How are we supposed to do that?”

Sem stares directly into my eyes. He looks strikingly like Ryel. “Pearl energy is the most powerful force we have. If we can knock him off balance, we’ll attack when he’s most vulnerable.” He sighs. “Talan and I are nearly dissolved of our energy. We won’t be much help in this regard.”

“But you’re talking to the Pearlbreaker.” Skandar moves beside me. “Jesse can get more Drifters.”

Sem extends his fingers. “Let me see your arm.”

I hold up my right hand. He grabs hold and pulls me closer. “Ridium, I see. Your father gave this to you?”

Cassius kicks the dirt before turning to face us again. “It was in the form of a box, at first. It melted and … and now we can’t get them off.”

“These are a problem in the hands of a Shifter like Theo.” Sem glances at Talan. “Though they might be something more.”

I swallow. “Ryel said that it could be programmed.”

“A Shifter can do many things with Ridium,” Sem says. “Not the least of which is programming. It’s possible that your parents coerced a Shifter to imbue these bracelets with a purpose.” He drops my hand.

I stare down at the blackness. “Like what?”

“That isn’t clear, but once a chunk of Ridium is given a purpose, it will follow its programming until another Shifter tells it otherwise. This could be a problem, or a blessing. Only time will tell.”

Cassius rubs his wrist. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

I let my hand fall to my side, forgetting about the bracelet for a moment. “Drifters. We need Drifters.”

Sem nods. “We must attack the boy, and soon. But we need all of the artillery we can get.”

“Okay.” I turn and face the distant mountains. I close my eyes so that nothing can distract me and work through the events of the past few days, considering my options. Allies and enemies, and everything in between. When I open them again, a single vision fills my mind. “Okay. I think I know what to do.” I turn back. “What’s the nearest Skyship?”

Eva shrugs. “There are a couple storage ships just south of the Canadian border.”

“No.” I ball my fist. “It needs to be one of the larger ones, but nothing with a heavy Tribunal presence.”

“Then Altair,” she replies. “Skyship Altair. Southeast of here.”

“What are you thinking, Jesse?” Avery’s eyes narrow.

Cassius smiles. “He’s thinking we need to steal some Pearls.”

“We’ve got two options,” I say. “Break into a Chosen or find a storage facility on one of the Skyships. We can’t just stand here waiting for Pearls to come to us. We need a lot of them, and quick.”

Eva frowns. “And what about Theo?”

Cassius curses under his breath. He clutches his bracelet and meets my eyes. “I’ll handle Theo. At least until you can break the Pearls.”

Sem moves to Talan’s side. “And we will do what we can to help. Unfortunately I don’t think I will be able to enjoy the benefits of flight for much longer. We’ll require use of your shuttle. But we can help organize any freed Drifters. We can make sure your efforts aren’t in vain.”

I nod. “Then let’s get this over with.”

Eva points back to the hill we’d come over. “Shuttle’s just past that point.”

Sem meets my eyes. “Lead the way, Pearlbreaker.”

––––

Two hours after dawn.

Skyship Altair hovers over the Idaho/Montana border. It’s far enough from either coast to be much of a government stronghold. Eva says she’s heard it’s mainly a recreation and business center. Not a lot of money stored onboard, but given its size, it’ll need a plentiful amount of Pearls to keep it airborne. This will be our target.

The sun beams in every window of our shuttle. The Fringes are bound to be baking, even this early in the morning.

Cassius sits in the pilot’s seat. “So that room we saw, with Matigo and his lieutenant. That was a memory?”

Sem nods. “A reconstruction. Important events are stored in senso-cubes on Haven. The Authority controls all of the planet’s history. I suspect that particular cube was stolen.”

“I found it in Ryel’s pocket,” I say.

Sem’s brows raise. “If he was indeed a pilot with the Authority, I suppose he would have had the opportunity to grab a cube before joining the Resistance. Usually they’re simple to trigger, but Matigo likely had security in place on that cube. You were lucky it managed to activate in the air. Perhaps due to the vast amount of Ridium above it.”

Cassius brings us back level. “Any tips on Theo?”

The Drifter frowns. “Don’t underestimate him.”

“Yeah,” Cassius says. “I think I’ve got that.” He turns to me. “As soon as the officials on Altair see this Academy shuttle land in the docking bay, they’ll likely send people after you.”

I grit my teeth. He’s right. Unless Alkine’s pulled off some sort of diplomatic miracle while I’ve been gone, everybody onboard the Academy are still fugitives from the Skyship Community.

“I won’t stay long,” Cassius continues. “Just a quick drop off. Use the others to create a distraction.”

“Yeah,” I say. “We’ll do what we can.”

Sem nods. “We need to be on the offensive. We can’t drag this out.”

“Good thing,” Cassius responds. “Because we’re almost there.”

––––

My knees shake with nervous energy. I think about last spring, when I was a simple Skyship trainee floundering in a program that, at the time, seemed too big and too difficult to bear. Now, only four months later, I’m planning an assault against a Skyship.

I think back to what Morse said in the Fringes before Theo killed him. I could be the trigger for this invasion. Has it already happened? If I would’ve stayed back at the Academy like Captain Alkine wanted, would we have had more time to prepare?

There’s no chance to second guess myself, now. We stand in the docking bay of Altair, watching the ship pull away. I don’t know what Cassius thinks he’s doing, going after Theo on his own. I’ve learned not to question him, but it doesn’t sit easy with me.

Before leaving the ship, I grabbed a pistol and tucked it in the waist of my pants. The cold metal is a constant reminder of the risk I’m about to take. It should raise my confidence. Maybe I’d feel better if I was a good aim.