EHuman Dawn (22 page)

Dawn couldn’t reply. His greeting only made her silent anger grow stronger and take root even deeper in her being. Adam noticed the shift in her confidence. He realized it was time for him to come forward. This wasn’t meant to be a meeting between Edgar and Dawn. It was a meeting between father and son. Adam squeezed her hand and then addressed the man.

“It’s not Dawn who wishes to return to your side, but I!”

Edgar turned to look at him, his emotionless black eyes searching Adam up and down.

“I’ve never seen your face,” Edgar lied, moving closer to Adam as if to get a better look, “So tell me, how can you wish to return to my side?”

“You don’t recognize your own son?” Adam asked.

“My son? My son is presumed dead.”

“It’s me, Father. It’s Elijah,” Adam answered, almost choking on each word. Admitting his lineage brought him a sense of shame.

An intense look fell across Edgar’s face. So Dawn thought this Candidate was Elijah? What was her evidence?

“Yes father, it’s me. Elijah. As you can see, I’ve found Sophia once more,” Adam spoke confidently as he nodded to Dawn. She smiled at Adam and he knew that he’d broken the spell of despair that had befallen her.

“Yes,” Edgar replied with growing confidence, “I can see it in the way she looks at you. Elijah, my son. How many years has it been?”

Dawn released Adam’s hand and moved to the periphery, leaving the two men alone to circle one another, sizing each other up. Adam was trying to recall his father, trying to reach back to some memory, anything that would trigger a connection. But the only thing his database would reveal was his own video feed, memories planted by Dr. Neville—not really his own.

“
Shake it off,”
Dawn suddenly said via TeleSpeak, “
Focus on the mission. Tell him the story we agreed upon.”

“Too long,” Adam replied, “I’m not sure how long actually. I’ve been Adam Winter for quite some time, but only recently became aware of my true heritage.”

“Really? Adam Winter is the eHuman name you chose?” Edgar asked. Adam nodded.

For his part Edgar had always had a suspicion that his runaway son had Jumped. He’d searched for him in Neuro, of course, but Elijah’s name wasn’t listed among the 7 billion people who took the eHuman form during the ten years of the Great Shift. None of his Guardians had found the trail.

But Dawn had pursued Elijah as well, and when the Guardians intercepted a copy of her list of Candidates, Edgar took the exercise seriously. For decades he clung to that list, tracking each and every one of them. In reality, he’d known Adam Winter for far too long.

But was Adam Winter really Elijah? Dawn seemed to think so, but what made her so sure? Nothing in his own research had ever led him to believe the Newsreel host was his son. Edgar
Prince regarded the handsome man before him, staring deep into his dark eyes. He sensed anger and a deep, cold detachment. Yes, this could be his son. In those last days before he fled, Elijah had often glared at his father in a similar way.

“Adam Winter,” Edgar said out loud to no one in particular.

“Yes,” Adam answered, “I’ve lived by that name for a long time.”

“Then how is it that you now claim to be my son?” Edgar challenged.

“It was Dawn’s people who informed me of my origins,” Adam began, “It seems that one of the first actions the Resistance took after it was founded was to seek out your heir. When they found me, they took me into their custody. When they realized they couldn’t get any useful information out of me, they had planned to kill me.”

Focus
, Dawn advised him cautiously,
Keep true to the story.

“But Dawn wouldn’t let them,” Adam continued. Edgar raised an eyebrow and glanced at Dawn.

“And why was that, my dear?” Edgar taunted, “How in the world could you have had any attachment to Elijah—since we all know you lost him the day you lost your memories of your life as Sophia?”

“Dr. Neville informed me of your betrayal before he died,” Dawn replied huskily, “Besides, love never dies.”

Edgar remained quiet. Dawn stood staring at him, arms crossed, blond hair plaited high upon her head. She was the true Leader of the Global Resistance. In that moment, Edgar was proud. Dawn was still his finest creation.

“She’s right. Love never dies,” Adam agreed, interrupting Edgar’s thoughts, “You may have forced her to become an eHuman, but you couldn’t destroy the connection. We both felt it.
When her colleagues suggested disposing of me, she begged them to make me an eHuman instead. To allow me to live out my life as Adam Winter, planted in New Omaha, oblivious to both the Resistance and my father.”

“And so they Jumped you and set you free, in a city near their Headquarters?” Edgar asked incredulously.

“Yes,” Adam replied.

“You wanted to keep an eye on him, didn’t you?” Edgar asked Dawn.

She nodded fiercely.

“Wouldn’t you?” she suggested.

“Oh—that’s too sweet!” Edgar laughed. In spite of all the trouble she’d caused him, he found the entire situation amusing. The “list” of Candidates must have been created to throw him off. Yes, Dawn was a much more capable leader than he’d given her credit for.

“You mock our pain,” Adam cried out, forgetting his composure.

“No, really my son, I don’t mock your pain. I just find it touching that after two hundred years, the two of you would be reunited! It’s simply divine!”

Adam knew that Edgar was trying to provoke him. He prevented himself from speaking the angry words forming at his lips and instead smiled at his father, continuing his act as the penitent son.

“And what do you want now?” Edgar demanded.

“I want to come home,” Adam admitted. It wasn’t a lie. He did want to come home and reunite with Edgar. There was no other way to get near Archion—and ruin his father once and for all.

“And what about your lover—the greatest terrorist of our times?” Edgar thrust his thumb in Dawn’s direction.

“She wants to come home, too. We both want to return to your side,” Adam explained.

“In exchange for what?” Edgar asked suspiciously.

“That all charges against Dawn are dropped. That we’re allowed to live in peace together in your compound,” Adam suggested.

“And why would I do that?”

“Because I’m truly sorry,” Dawn explained, “I only formed the Resistance when I learned of how you’d betrayed Elijah and me. For all these years I’ve been completely dedicated to destroying you, marching to a song of personal revenge. I had my troops descend on New Omaha so I could finally retrieve Adam and reveal the truth to him. Now that I have him back, the Resistance is nothing to me. Adam, I mean Elijah, is all that matters and I want nothing but to be by his side.”

“And I want nothing more than to be by your side, father,” Adam added, “It’s my rightful place.”

Edgar glared at the lovers. He’d always known that if Dawn’s search had been successful, if Elijah had been found, the boy would eventually come back to him. But he had never expected Dawn to be at his son’s side. She had a Resistance to run. Had Dawn really gone through all the trouble of finding Elijah just to have him back as her lover?

To have the pair under his control was a dream come true, a dream he had long ago deserted. The Resistance would crumble with Dawn out of the picture. She was their rallying point. That she would give that up for love was suspicious at best. But what did that matter?
Whatever their motives, Adam Winter and Dawn could not bring any harm to Edgar in New Caledonia. They could only bring him more power, if he played his cards right.

“I accept your offer, my son,” Edgar replied in a voice so low and soft, it seemed a whisper. “Come home. It’s time. I’ll send a HyperPlane to New Omaha. Have those heathen rebels hold their fire and allow it to land on the airstrip. It’ll be there tomorrow at three in the afternoon, Global Standard Time. Don’t be late. Only once shall I show my mercy.”

“Thank you father,” Adam replied, forcing a look of relief, rather than fear, onto his face.

Edgar paused for a moment. Had he noticed Adam’s insincerity?

“It’ll be good to meet you, Adam Winter,” was Prince’s crisp reply.

Edgar released the communication connection and his image vanished, leaving Adam and Dawn alone, wrapped in an eerie silence.

She ran into Adam’s arms. The couple held each other, shaking with the knowledge that the deed was done. They were on their way to New Caledonia, directly into the heart of evil.

They would most likely risk death, but they had crossed the Rubicon yet again. There was no turning back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Origen stood in silence.

Dawn had just given him a full report of their TeleConnect with Edgar. While the pair had managed to convince the man to allow them access to his compound on New Caledonia, Origen wouldn’t necessarily call the result a success. What plans Edgar had up his sleeve, Origen could only guess. Throughout the entire Uprising, Origen had dedicated himself to Dawn’s safety. With her agreeing to join Adam, she was now out of his control. And knowing Edgar the way he did, Origen was quite sure that safety was the last thing that Edgar had in mind for her.

“We leave tomorrow,” Dawn said, a note of wistful finality in her voice.

“Fine,” Origen replied gruffly, “Then there’s only one thing to do. Get your asses to Marcus for the proper upgrades and security enhancements. I need to know we’ve taken all precautions for your safety.”

He turned and left the room quickly, leaving the lovers to themselves.

“Marcus’ lab is at the L street LMO,” Dawn informed Adam.

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s see what he can do for us,” Adam answered with a small smile.

He took Dawn’s hand into his own and led her onward.

The pair headed out of the Capitol building and back into the scorching sun. As they walked down the steps of the building toward a row of transporters, they found themselves instantly surrounded by the eHumans milling about the mall. Even though they now had access to Neuro, they mobbed Adam for more information. They recognized him from the Newsreels, and rumors had spread throughout the city as to his importance in the Resistance. Some wanted to shake his hand and let him know they supported him. Others wanted to know where the famous Adam Winter was going, and if they could join him. He answered their questions and requests as best he could, but a deep sense of frustration began to build within him as each step forward became more difficult.

Dawn watched him try to handle the crowds with a certain curiosity. Ironic that she was the one who’d saved them from immediate danger, yet Adam was the celebrity. A bit of jealousy welled within her, but as she looked deeper into their eager faces, she noticed looks of admiration being cast her way. It surprised her to realized that she was proud to be the one holding his hand. She had to admit, they made an incredibly powerful couple.

Adam was in the middle of explaining to the crowd his need to get to a “very important meeting”, when he was yet again interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my dear colleague, Adam Winter, returned from his on-location assignment,” Anthony Westfield drawled.

Adam and Dawn turned and saw the man sauntering towards them, the crowds parting to let him through. If Adam was New Omaha’s new darling, Anthony was an old celebrity. Everyone in New Omaha knew who he was and gave him what he wanted. The crowd around them moved back a bit to give the two men some space and a quiet fell upon them. In a show of
allegiance, Dawn gripped Adam’s hand tighter. She’d followed Anthony Westfield long enough to knew full well that he was capable of the most devious of acts.

Adam felt his temper rising as he faced the man who had lied to him for years. Fighting the urge to throw his boss across the crowded mall, Adam acknowledged him through a clenched jaw.

“Anthony, always a pleasure to see you. I’d love to talk, but I was just leaving.”

“Really,” Anthony replied, “How convenient. You’ve delivered your lies to these poor people—and now you’re on your way elsewhere. Leaving New Omaha so soon?”

The crowd began to murmur.

“Lies?” Adam challenged, “You’re the one who has been telling lies!”

“Wrong!” Anthony cried, purposefully increasing the volume on his voice, “You’re the Hactivist Adam! You’ve been working for the Resistance as an undercover agent for years. What a brilliant plan it was to infiltrate the city’s Programming Channels, getting us to trust you as you delivered the Newsreels for a century before betraying us!”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Adam yelled back, raising his own volume as well.

“Give the city back to the WG, Adam,” Anthony demanded.

“Why would we do that?” Adam replied.

“Because the people will die if you don’t,” Anthony spoke with authority. Too late, Adam realized what the man was up to. He watched helplessly as the crowds, nervous about their situation, began to side with Anthony.

“Yes, you know this to be true,” Anthony admonished, “You know the Resistance will use the city to get what it wants from the WG—even if it means holding us all hostage to the
point of death! Who are you to control our lives in such a way? Our enemy isn’t the WG—it’s those terrorists who call themselves the Resistance!”

“You lie!” Adam cried, but no one could hear him through the panic that quickly swept through the mob.

The crowd began to get out of control, pushing forward toward Adam and Dawn as if to swallow them whole. Their screams and demands drowned out any attempts either made in their defense. They tried to fend off the tide, but to no avail. The eHumans angrily rushed them and as they collided, another voice boomed out over the crowd.

“ENOUGH!” Origen cried as he descended the Capitol steps, ElectroShock gun raised to his shoulder and pointed directly at Anthony. The crowd instantly dispersed like cockroaches in a flashlight beam.

“Back off, you useless media puppet!” Origen ordered as he arrived next to where Anthony, Dawn and Adam were standing. “It’s you who have controlled them, spinning the news for centuries to keep them docile and unquestioning, while the WG have cashed in on their lives.”