False Future (14 page)

“We led them right to East,” Sophia says quietly.

Noble rubs his forehead. “That’s enough, please.”

I stare into Peter’s eyes, which appear black in the yellowish candlelight, and want to fall right into them. They’re still warm. Somehow I know they’ll always be warm when they look at me. “East told me”—my mouth tastes and feels like it’s full of cotton balls—“that if we didn’t get him out, everything was lost.”

“Like I said, take a look outside,” Noble says.

I slide out of bed, my healed skin feeling tight in places, but good overall.

Sophia starts talking again, but I ignore her. I leave the apartment, following glow sticks up a series of steps. Peter follows at a distance behind me. I climb a few flights of stairs, relishing the feeling in my stiff muscles, a good kind of pain. At the top of the stairs the door to the roof is broken. I step out and walk to the edge, the air even colder than it was before. The building is located on the east side of Central Park, overlooking the Verge and the wide swath of crushed and burned trees around it.

Peter comes up beside me, and together we just stare at the Verge. There is no longer a laser coming out of the top. Instead there’s a thick beam of Black, firing straight up into the sky and spreading out in all directions. It makes no sound; there is no sound anywhere. It’s too late. True Earth got the Key, and they’ve used it on our world to recreate the effects of a nuclear war. We got up here just in time to watch the end.

As more Black spills into the sky and spreads like an upside-down puddle, lights still glowing in the city flicker and die. Whole buildings lose power, one after another, until there is no light to see by. I can’t even see Peter, but I reach for him in the dark and press my lips to his.

“We can still keep fighting,” he says, but I’m not interested in hearing words anymore. “Fighting in a different way. Maybe bringing order to the world right now is the best thing we can do.”

I don’t know what to say to that, so I say nothing.

Sophia and Noble join us after a while, and then together we go back to the room.

Where Olivia is waiting for us.

O
livia sits casually in a chair next to the desk, her legs crossed.

“Tell us what’s happening out there,” Noble says, both of his hands in fists. “Tell us something.”

Olivia licks her lips. She looks…
ashamed
. And she should be. This mess is her fault. It was her desire to meddle, not the director’s. If only she had let events play out like they were supposed to. No matter how horrific they might’ve been, they would’ve been
natural
.

“Tell us!” Noble says.

“The director used the Key to cripple your world. No one is capable of fighting back now.”
East—what did she do to him?

“What does that mean?” Peter says.

“She used the Key to manipulate the Black, harnessing the energy to burn out every electronic device across the globe. Your world is dark now, like it was in the days after the war. It’s morning outside, but the sun is hidden behind the Black. And will be for as long as it’s here.”

Another ten seconds go by where no one says anything. I try to imagine what it’s like out there, and I can’t. Seven billion people in a world of darkness. Pitch-black. Like being trapped in a nightmare.

“Why?”
Noble says.

“Because now no one can fight back. It’s over.”

“This is it,” I say. “This is how she’ll rebuild. Billions will die, and those who survive will be part of the world moving forward.”

This is when I’m supposed to take control of the entire world, along with my team. We’re back in the Dark Ages. Only we have the power now.

“What about the rest of my team? Noah, Rhys…you.”

Olivia stands up. “They will be here in a few days. They may not…
I
may not remember things you all remember. Some of their memories could not be saved, but they will more or less be your teammates. We will…
You
will all be together again.”

Noble gasps, and Sophia claps a hand over her mouth. I know they’re thinking of Rhys. We lost him so recently, and the thought of him returning before we’ve even had time to grieve is incomprehensible. Would it just be normal, like he took a quick vacation?

I flex my left hand, rubbing my thumb over the new scar. “Why did you come here, Olivia?”

“To summon you. The director plans to have you speak directly to the world before the day is over. You’re to meet her outside.”

Oh, no big deal, she just wants me to speak directly to the world.

“What about the rest of us?” Sophia says.

“You will remain here.” I think she wants to say more, but all she ends up saying is, “I’m sorry.”

Olivia opens the door and leaves, but not before opening the fingers of her left hand and dropping something on the floor.

It’s a crumpled ball of paper. I make it there before anyone else and raise my hand for silence. I unfold the ball and hold it flat against my palm. It reads,

They are listening. Meet me downstairs.

And then, below that,

There is hope.

The warmth flooding through my limbs must be exactly that—hope. I pass the note around, holding a finger to my lips. Maybe Olivia is having a change of heart. Or maybe it’s just another ruse. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully trust her again.

Peter takes the finger away so he can kiss me.

Noble just nods. I leave them all behind.

I find Olivia in the shadow of a stairwell. We’re in an apartment building with fancy, super expensive-looking décor. Roses are everywhere, carrying sticks that glow as bright as torches. Shadows play off the walls, highlighted by green and gold light. The Roses are all moving with purpose, some carrying supply boxes, a few carrying weapons. Clearly this was a backup base separate from the Verge, but now they’re leaving; I can’t tell if that’s good or bad.

No one looks at me twice, but I know I can’t just walk out of here. The director isn’t that stupid.

“What’s going on?” I whisper to Olivia.

“We’re leaving. The invasion force is scaling down to an occupation force.” She stops when two Roses look in our direction briefly, then pretend they didn’t see us once they recognize her. I guess lurking in the stairwell isn’t exactly inconspicuous.

“Why are you telling me this?” I can’t keep the edge out of my voice.

“A group of soldiers is being held in the camp in Central Park. They’re currently freezing to death, along with many others, but if someone were to free them…”

“Why would I believe anything you say?”

She steps closer, in my face now. “In exactly one hour, go three blocks south and two blocks east, then enter the restaurant with the broken window. I’ll be there.” She squeezes my arm once, then slips in with the moving Roses, instantly becoming just another Olivia, albeit one wearing golden armor.

I don’t know what game she’s playing. All I know is I’m supposed to meet the director right now, and I don’t want to disappoint her.

I
find the director outside, facing away from the building, arms folded across the small of her back. The sky is alive with Axes, the light from their engines standing out against the darkness. The windows in every building are dark; I see only one distant fire burning orange with people-shapes moving around it. The dim form of the Verge is visible in the distance, its metallic surface reflecting what light there is, but the ruins of the Time Warner Center are hidden in gloom. The snow is coming down again, thick and fast.

The only reason I can see the director is that she has five Roses around her holding electric torches. It makes them all glow a ghastly greenish-gold, highlighting the blowing snow like sparks.

I stop a few feet away, and she turns around, giving me a big, creepy smile I would never make on purpose. “You look healthier.”

“Thanks.”

“I assume you’re here because you’re ready to begin?”

“You haven’t left me much choice.”

“Actually I’ve left you one.”

The wind howls, kicking snow up between us. It swirls sideways, stinging my face. I’d like to be anywhere else in the world right now. The bastards couldn’t have waited until summer to invade?

“Okay…” I say.

“You can either do what you’re supposed to and unite with your team. Or you can continue to fight me, your very self, and I will alter history further by replacing you with another Miranda clone who will get the job done. You will die again, and when you come back, you will be different…but the result will be the same. We are prepared to pull the strings from a distance if it means securing the future of this planet. So you can either do your part to recover from
this
”—she points to the sky—“or you let us experiment with other versions of you. Either way, this won’t end. People will die.”

I stare at her in silence.

“Do you really want to stand by and do nothing? I wouldn’t, so I assume you wouldn’t, either.”

She’s right; I don’t want to.

“What would I have to do?”

She nods. “For now, all you have to do is wait. While the animals eat one another.”

I shiver, thinking about what that looks like around the world right now. Humanity is gripped in more terror than anything an army of Roses could have caused. Everything is just…gone. We’ve failed. No matter what comes next, we’ve failed. The best we can hope for is to turn out like Commander Gane’s world.

“Your team will spend the next year in the Verge, or anywhere else in the city you prefer. Consider yourself free. Soon the Black will be sealed. Within weeks, the darkness will be lifted and you will see the sun again, but there will be no power, no running water, for a very long time. Use the next year to bring this city under your control. Establish order, and I know you will be ready to lead. I will return after that year and give you the gift of immortality. Then your team will truly be on the path to taming the world.”

“Why do you trust me?” I say.

She sighs through her nose. “Because I
am
you. And I know you want to do what’s right.”

She takes a moment, peering into the darkness around us. “I will be glad to go home, to see what changes have occurred after all this, if any.” She settles her gaze on me again. “I can see in your eyes that you’re only now beginning to understand what you must do. And accept.”

It’s true. If we don’t do what they order, they’ll just try to figure something else out. Maybe going as far as giving us the tattoos they used to control Beta team. We will simultaneously be ourselves and not ourselves. So what am I supposed to do?

“Your team will join you in the Verge,” the director says softly. “Your
whole
team.”

I can’t deny that seeing my friends again makes me tremble in a way that’s not so terrible. I miss them so much. I miss being a family. I miss feeling like we’re doing something good, and right.

“Good-bye for now,” she says. “Be in the Verge by noon. That’s four hours from now. From there you will address the world.”

The director starts to leave, heading toward the Verge with her crew.

“What am I supposed to say?” I call after her.

She considers this, then shrugs. “Whatever you think they need to hear. This is your show now, Miranda. The world is counting on you.” She turns away.

I stand in the ice and cold for a few more minutes, feeling the darkness and the silence around me. Someone screams somewhere very far away, or maybe it’s just the wind.

I want to cry for the people dying right now. For the people who will die in five minutes, five hours. For those who will make it five days in this dark new world.

I want to cry for them, but there is work to do.

I go back into the building and find my team in the apartment. They all turn to look when the door opens. I stare back at them, not knowing where to begin.

“Here’s what happens next,” I say, and then I tell them what we’re supposed to do.

“But we’re not going to do that,” Sophia says.

“If we don’t, it’s over,” Peter says. “Did you miss that part? We had our chance. Now it’s time to think about what we can do to save the most lives.”

“Have we had our chance, though?” I ask. “It sounds like we have one more.”

Noble’s eyes are a little clearer. He’s holding something small and black in his hand. “I found the bug, but there may be more. Shall we…?” He gestures to the hall.

We leave the room, go up two flights of stairs, and kick in one of the apartment doors. It’s a posh space with antique furniture everywhere and no occupants. The Roses must’ve cleared the whole building out when they took it over.

I tell them what Olivia said about meeting with us.

“She’s up to something,” Noble said. “We can’t trust her. It could be a trap.”

“Clearly,” Sophia says.

“Listen,” I say. “If we fight back, we need to hit hard.”

“A surgical strike, yes,” Noble says. “But we don’t even know where East is being held. He’s the Key, so without him, we can’t change a thing. And even if we do find him, there’s no guarantee we can change anything at all! The Key could be destroyed, or rendered inert by using it—East might even be dead. So do we trust Olivia, or go off on our own?”

“I think we might have to trust her,” I say. “Carefully.”

“What is the point of fighting?” Peter says. “The damage is done. We can do more good here, if we try. I don’t know if we have the right to gamble with so many lives. Maybe surrendering is the right path.” I never thought I’d hear him say that. Could he be right?

“No, it’s not. We can keep them from doing this to the next world,” Sophia says, brow furrowed. “Let’s not forget where I came from. They aren’t going to suddenly stop traveling through the Black, wiping out other universes.
Other
lives will be affected by our inaction, not just the ones here.”

“Let’s see what Olivia is up to,” I say, wandering into the kitchen. “If it’s a trap, it’s a trap. We can’t be much worse off than we are already. If it’s not a trap, we need her help.” I drink two glasses of rusty-tasting water. The fridge has leftovers, some ham in a plastic container and what smells like gouda mashed potatoes. I stare at them, thinking,
Rhys would be all over those right now.
So would Noah.

That’s when I know this isn’t a question of fighting back.
Of course
we fight back. Rhys and Noah wouldn’t roll over and take the director’s orders if they were alive and we weren’t.

Peter comes in and eats a piece of ham. A few minutes pass as we just eat and look at the floor, but then I’m looking at him, because he’s easy to look at, and because I know he could be taken away from me again at any time.

As if he can hear what I’m thinking, he puts his hand on my shoulder. Then he pulls me to his chest.

“I’m really looking forward to spending some normal time together,” he says.

“God, me too.”

“I missed you so much,” he says. “You don’t even know.”

“Not as much as I missed you.”

“When it’s over, if we’re alive, we’re going to go on vacation.”

“Oh, tell me more,” I whisper against his neck.

“We’re going to go to a beach, and we’ll swim with dolphins and collect seashells. Actually I don’t care about collecting seashells, but I definitely want to swim with dolphins. And then we’ll go into the mountains and get a cabin and hunt mountain lions.”

“I like mountain lions.”

“I know, me too. We’ll hunt them to capture them and make them our pets.”

I smile, and the smile turns into a laugh. But soon the moment is gone. He kisses me once on the forehead and whispers in my ear, “I love you. No matter what happens next.”

I carry that with me as we wait out the hour. We even curl up on the couch and catch a quick nap. It’s nice. And normal.

But then Noble is gently shaking us awake. “It’s time,” he says. He opens his jacket and yanks out a panel hidden in the fake fur. Inside are capped syringes filled with the familiar yellow liquid. “Better safe than sorry,” Noble says. “With so much going on, we can’t forget about the small stuff.”

“Thanks for taking care of us,” I say to him. “You’re a genius.”

He shrugs, smiling. “What can I say?”

Peter goes to the bathroom, and Noble removes one more syringe from his jacket. This one is filled with a deeper yellow fluid, closer to honey. “Keep this on you, Miranda. If you come across a group of Roses, I want you to try using your power. You won’t send them running, but you may…disorient them. Startle, at the very least.”

“How is that possible? Roses are immune to fear waves.”

He looks away. “I was able to modify you slightly while you were in your tank, which will let you tolerate a shot this strong and may allow your power to work on other Roses. I’m sorry for tampering—I hope you’re not upset—but if we were going to bring you back, I wanted to give you an edge.” His eyes fall to the new syringe. “Your power should work, at least a little. But you must take this shot soon after. It’s very important. Wait too long and you could burn out. You could literally forget everything on the spot. And possibly go into a coma. Or worse.”

“Well at least you’re not scaring me.” The syringe has a metal strip, so I touch it to the small of my back and it sticks to the magnetic scales.

“I’m sorry, I—” Noble begins.

I stand and squeeze his wrist. “Thank you.”

He nods. “Use your judgment. You always have.” I can tell he wants to say more.

“I miss him too.”

Noble stares at my hand on his wrist, and his eyes shimmer all at once. “He loved you, you know. Like a sister. He would check on you when you were in the tank.
I’m going to visit Miranda,
he would say.”

All I can do is nod.

Soon we’re back in the cold, which scours the remaining sleep from our bones. To the south, a building is on fire, offering just enough reddish light to see by. I see a few people walking down the street with oil-burning lanterns they must’ve stolen from some outdoor supply store.

“Let’s move,” Noble says.

We do, jogging the five blocks to the restaurant slowly, eyes peeled for danger. We pass a few people on the street who huddle in doorways or shattered storefronts. The jog has almost warmed me up by the time we reach the final intersection. The sushi restaurant across the street has a big hole right in the front window, like someone tossed a brick clean through.

Then I feel a rumble through the soles of my feet. “Cover!” Noble whispers, and we all dive behind a parked SUV. A Thorn rips down the street, kicking up a rooster tail of snow. It’s there and gone. We wait a few more seconds, listening hard, then sneak up to the side of the sushi restaurant.

We push through the front door. It’s not any warmer inside, but the air is still. Olivia is sitting at a table near the bar in the back. We walk over and sit down like we’re having dinner together. It’s eerily quiet.

“Is there any food left?” Sophia says as a hello.

Olivia folds her hands on the table. “It’s all gone. Just one bottle of sake that had rolled under a cupboard.”

“Let’s get down to business,” Noble says. “Why did you call us here?”

“And why should we trust you?” I add. Looking at her, I still can’t believe she’s the girl I fought side by side with in the forest after Tycast died and the Beta team came after us. I watched her die at the top of Key Tower, and yet here she is, a thousand years older, not the person I knew at all.

“Because I’ve had a change of heart,” she says. “Perhaps I don’t want to tinker with fate any longer. We’ve made a mess, and I thought this was the right way to fix it, but it’s possible I’ve lost perspective. Since I no longer know what the right thing to do is, I’ve decided that maybe this is…”

“Wrong,” Sophia finishes for her.

It sounds too good to be true. “How can you help us?” I say.

She allows a small smile, one I remember so well. “Our forces decrease by the second. We’re returning home, for now. But you have survivors in this city who are prepared to fight. Not long ago, a group of prisoners were brought into the park. Men dressed as soldiers—”