daynight (55 page)

Upon finishing, he hands the note back to me. “I agree. We do have much to discuss. Why is this woman claiming to be your mother and why would SCI security give us food and medicine? Did you negotiate an agreement with them?”
 

“Sorry, no. I wasn’t really in a position of negotiation before I left.” I give him the cliff notes version of what happened since I last saw him, including the story behind Vienna Darcton being my biological mother. Doc’s thrilled that I have an ‘in’ with the Ten for peace talks. He’s hopeful that he can use Ted to get as much information about the inner workings of the SCI as possible.
 

I refrain from sharing the information Kira gave me with Doc, for now. Any plan that doesn’t involve diplomacy will take a better sales pitch than I’ve had time to put together. We may want to use the excuse to hold talks with the SCI as a reason to return to the city, while secretly being well prepared to cripple the Theran ‘transportation’ system. Doc excuses himself to go in and talk to Ted. I sit at the edge of the canyon and watch the sun rise into the horizon.

I hope I made the right choice in choosing Exile. In retrospect my decision was pretty rash. I’d been given the opportunity to become an SCI insider. I could have advocated for the Exilers and potentially had access to the city models and portal system. But, the Ten and Council would be watching my every move, expecting me to screw up. And besides, I’m not good at putting on a fake happy face. I’d fail at mock obeisance to Vienna and that I’d just give the Ten further fuel to target me.
 

As much as I don’t want to think about Kira and leaving her behind, I can’t help it. She’s likely Cleaved to Ethan by now. Picturing them together, consummating their Cleaving, isn’t healthy, I decide. I shake my head. My choice is made and I have to live with the consequences. I could have decided differently.

Doc Daryn’s return interrupts my thoughts. He asks, “Is your mother a good woman? Will she be open to talks with us?” he asks. “I’m not getting a whole lot out of Ted Rosenberg. He thinks we’re going to kill him, so is in there bawling.” We both chuckle, knowing that the Survivalists would never execute an Exiler.

“Well, my mother is a member of the Ten of the SCI, so on the one hand, no. Not at all. But, she did right by me by giving us supplies, so I have to hope that there’s pockets of good—in both my mother and the rest the leaders of the SCI.” What I’m really thinking is that evil that’s taken root and left to thrive will eventually overtake and eke out all the good. At the risk of sounding like my father, I think some weeding needs to be done in the Garden. But instead of killing the ‘weeds’ I like the idea of a work camp. That would humble the prima donnas. “Do you really think we can find a diplomatic solution to our problems?”

Doc’s wrinkles sink deeper as he crunches his face. He runs his fingers through his long white locks and I see strands of brittle hair fall. Exiler life has taken its toll on Doc. “Perhaps. If they see us as an ally, we may be able to have a positive impact on their policies.” He’s sticking with his spiel.

“I hope you’re right,” I say.

“Me, too,” he says as he walks back into the cave. I’m concerned. If Earth’s history is any indication, dictators don’t negotiate. If the talks fail, we will have to consider a more drastic approach. Either way, I’m afraid I’m going to have to return to Garden City.
 

Perhaps while I’m there on business I’ll come across a certain girl who I can’t quite get off my mind. Unfortunately, a quite different girl sits down next to me. One that reminds me that Karma remains quite displeased with me.

“Welcome to sooner,” Bailey says.

“Shoot. I’d been hoping for later,” I mumble. “Much, much later.”
 

She leans in to whisper in my ear. “That’s too bad. I know your plans. And I can help.”

“How can you help me? Or our cause?” I ask.

“Well, Blake Sundry… As it stands, you have a fraction of the Exilers on board, right? What if you had the Second Chancers on board?”

“I tried that and failed,” I say.

“What if you had a Second Chancer who, say, remembered
everything.
One that the SCI let slip through their clutches by way of Exile.” My head whips around to her so fast, I pinch a muscle in my neck. She’s so close to me that my lips brush hers, leaving me with an annoying tingly sensation.

“You remember?” I say. “For how long?”

“I never forgot. They always say you’ll never forget your first…,” she says. No way. She
does
have all her memories from before. I suspected, but the implications of the truth have my mind whirring with possibilities.

“Do you remember the transition? How you came through?” I ask.

“Every. Last. Bit,” she says as she raises her eyebrows. “People, places, processes. The works.”

“What’s the catch?” I ask. With Bailey, there’s got to be a catch.

“We’re partners. Very. Close. Partners. Your daddy’s not around to keep you away from me, so I’m thinking we start over,” she says as she runs her fingers very seductively across my lips.
 

“After everything you did to me, you want a do-over?” I ask. Unbelievable.

“Yes. Yes I do,” she says. “All that ridiculous drama seems worlds away and lifetimes ago.” Touché.

I turn away and take a moment to contemplate whether I can make a deal with the Wicked Witch of Exile. Can I resume our relationship? Her knowledge can tip the scales in my favor. And it’s not like I’d be cheating on Kira. She’s freaking Cleaved to my brother. They’re probably rolling around naked right now. Bailey leans in and puts her head on my shoulder. My body betrays me as it does a little happy dance at her touch, apparently not having forgotten our little incident in the bathroom.

She lifts her head back off my shoulder and I turn to her. She’s got her bedroom eyes blazing and is staring at my lips like they’re the blue ribbon winner of a decadent chocolate buffet. When she licks her lips and opens them just a fraction in anticipation, all reason goes out the canyon. I’ll likely add it to my regrets, but what’s one more on such a long list. What happens with the Exilers, is going to have to stay with the Exilers.

“Well, ok then,
partner.
Let’s do this,” I say as I close the distance and crush my lips to hers.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Ethan

A twenty year old in his third year of law school hardly needs his mom to drop him at school and help him settle, but my mother insisted, she purportedly being worried at how I’ll take the separation from Kira.
The separation that she forced nights ahead of schedule. I didn’t even get to say goodbye. I am livid. By the time I got home from my meeting with Uncle Henry, I found a house full of armed security detail and a mother with a mouth full of excuses. She didn’t trust that I’d return to fulfill my law school commitments if I’d had that ‘extra and unnecessary’ time with Kira. The farewells would be too hard on both of us. She called me “selfish” and said, “How could you dare consider doing that to your pregnant Cleave?”
 

Kira. Beautiful, breathtaking, sexy Kira. I miss her already. Who cares about law school when the love of my life is pregnant with my child? She wanted to consummate our Cleave! Settling in at my desk, I start to pen my thoughts to her with plans to send my letter back with my mother. I have to be careful what I write, knowing that if there’s censor-inviting material, the whole thing will be tossed. My cell phone still has the picture of Kira that I took the night of the party and many more I took of the two of us together on our ‘vacation.’ I stare at the pictures and consider sneaking back to find her. Unfortunately, my mother won’t tell me where on Thera she is.

Everyone thinks they own me. Dr. Christo and the Arbiters with their altruistic plans for restoration of original Theran ideals. The SCI wants my help with world domination and Uncle Henry wants me to become an SCI-owned politician. None of their plans interest me. But I stay obedient to stay alive.
 

My mother still believes that my non-existent heart condition mars my royal family status, much like a CEO with a few felonies on his or her record would be a problem with the board of directors. Perfectly healthy ‘Original’ progeny means everything to the rulers of Thera. In their minds, all native Therans—those who aren’t Second Chancers—should be of pure Original blood. Anything less dilutes their potential power on Earth. Of course, my progeny will be presumed hybrids, like me. Will my ARB marker be as much of a risk to those babies as a heart defect would? Dr. Daddy wouldn’t tell me.

My thoughts return to my letter. What I want to write—and what I know Kira wants to hear—concerns my childhood, my real parentage and the vows I’ve made to keep her safe. But I’m forbidden to discuss my childhood because my ‘parents’ repeatedly broke Canon edicts in my upbringing. Amongst other Exile-worthy violations, they had two prominent heart physicians killed on Earth to get them to Thera for my treatment, even though Daddy Christo took over in the end. It wasn’t kosher to risk the SCI being implicated in murder charges over a ‘defective’ Original, but my parents felt their actions were above the law. Taking steps to save my life was as close to an act of love as they’ve ever shown me. But, it wasn’t for me, but to enforce the legitimacy of their seats on the Ten. An unspoken requirement for holding a seat on the Ten is pure Original-blooded posterity.

I can’t tell Kira about my ARB-fueled blood, either, or I’d put us both at risk. The SCI wouldn’t react kindly to knowing I’m a plant and the Arbiters have taken great lengths to keep their secrets from the Council. So, all I can safely discuss for now is how much I love her. How I’d do anything, everything for her. And how she’s the one thing that makes my life worth living.

One day, when I know we aren’t being followed or listened to, I’ll tell Kira everything. Maybe I can convince my ARB-brother, Jax, to ‘run interference’ so that we can freely talk. Kira deserves to know about me, despite how painful it will be to share. I’ll start with my childhood. My loneliness. Fear. Monotony. Emotional abuse. Longing for human interaction. Dreams of escape from my prison. I still yearn for escape. My cell may be larger, but the shackles are heavier than ever. I’m an adult, but have no control over my life. And if I can find something to hold over Daddy Christo, I’m going to get approval to tell Kira about the Arbiters and my presumed duty to them.

Kira saved me from the brink of insanity. Despite my parentage she accepted me. She let me live the childhood I never had with her. For the first time in my life I feel hope for a happy future. I can deal with the rest with her at my side. Or perhaps I can do better than deal—perhaps together we can fight the controlling influences that plague us.

How can I ever describe on paper how much I love Kira? Or how much I’ll miss her? How I can’t stand being away from her while she’s pregnant? How can I tell her that I would do anything in the universe to make her happy? I do my best, but nothing will make up for my not being there.
 

Once my mother has stocked my apartment, cleaned and dusted like the maternal being she’s never been, she’s finally ready to depart. I give her my letter to Kira, which she promises to have delivered promptly, although I know the odds are less than fifty-fifty Kira will ever see it.

“I think you’re all set, Ethan, so I guess I’ll be on my way,” she says, kissing me on the cheek.
 

I grit my teeth. There are so many forms of punishment I could inflict upon my mother, but I’d be killed for any of them. I need to see Kira again, so I choose life. “Thanks for the help, Mom. You really didn’t have to do any of that. I’m a big boy now,” I say with feigned appreciation.

“It’s the least I could do after everything you’ve done for me and for Thera,” she says. “Everything’s gone according to plan, thanks to your perfect obedience. The Cleaving is done, the babies are brewing, and thanks to those Militant Exilers, the weeds have been extracted from the Ten and the Grand Council. The Exilers have no idea that they only took out the members we left unsecured that night. Equally important, the seed is set for your brother to make his prodigal return. I think I can speak for your Dad when I say that we’re so proud of you.” Actually, she hardly speaks for my real father. And, I don’t know what planet my mom’s from that makes her think her plan or things are perfect. Oh wait, actually I do. The one where the insane people rule.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, Mom. I’ll leave the scheming to you and I think I’ll just focus on law school and visiting my beautiful Cleave every moment I can,” I say. Perfect cooperation. That’s what I vowed to keep Kira safe.

“Don’t less us down, Ethan. I expect you to focus and do well. Be top of your class. Nothing less is acceptable for what we have planned for you,” she says.

“I know, Mother,” I say. “But I refuse to do that at the detriment of my Cleaving with Kira.”

“Kira will be fine. In fact, I assigned Jax to be her personal bodyguard and instructor,” she says. What the fetch? I knew Jax would weasel his way into this somehow. I’m going to kill him. My mother smirks and adds, “She’ll be perfectly safe and attended to.”
 

 
That statement has as much double meaning and little credibility as my Uncle Henry’s campaign slogan: ‘Expect MORE from Henry King. MORE Unity. MORE Service. MORE Security. With NO MORE Taxes.’ He forgot a few: MORE Lies. MORE Rules. MORE Uniformity. With NO MORE Freedom.
 

Beware, fellow citizens of Earth. The SCI will soon be controlling a country or city near you. And you won’t even see it coming.

Author’s note

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daynight
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