Phantom Universe (32 page)

There are roses everywhere: tucked in nooks, crannies, and lain out and across every available space. It’s as if the room has caught flame with all the crimson. It’s so shocking that Summer almost drops her plate of food. Her back hits the wall, and she gasps for breath.
What’s he trying to do to me? Doesn’t he know this only makes it hurt worse?
She closes her eyes, hoping that when she opens them again the flowers will be gone. At the same time, she hopes they’ll still be there too.
Stupid
. Her eyes slide open slowly to see the rosy flames engulfing the room. The aroma is strong and wonderful—and she hates it. And loves it. For several moments she just sits there and stares, not really knowing what she should do or how she should feel. Then this morning replays in her head, Kayla leaning into Gage, one of his hands on her waist, the other around her, their eyes burning into each other’s.

She brushes her hand across the table, and roses tumble to the ground like dark rubies scattering. Like fallen angels descending, dropping away just like her tears as they burn her cheeks like they’re liquid fire. Searing, sparking, devouring. The plate clanks noisily against the wood as the food stares back at her in pity. Honestly? She’s tired of everyone’s pity! She doesn’t need someone to look after her or to protect her. She was alone for years before Landon came around. No more roses. No more pitying stares and ridiculous mutant beef mocking her next to the watery potatoes mixing with the plastic-like vegetables.

Summer violently rips roses from drawers, cabinets, and vases. With an arm full of the most beautiful flower—now ruined forever—she stomps to the door, flings it open and tosses the roses outside. “Whoa!” says Gage under the rain of crimson roses.

Her eyes go wide, and she quickly slams the door in his face. She gathers more roses in her arms, bundles and bundles of them, and opens the door again. He’s still standing there, his
stupid
, hypnotic green eyes pleading. “Summer,” he says, holding his hands up. She throws the roses at his face, spins around, and slams the door again.

“
Please,” he pleads through the door.

There are flower petals everywhere; she’s swimming in them, along with stems and leaves. Still, she sweeps more and more into her arms. It’s no use, but she still does it. Opening the door for a third time, she tosses more roses, more petals . . . more of her anger out at him.

“
Please,” he begs again, his eyes filling with tears. “Give me a chance to explain!”

She wants to scream and yell and tell him that she doesn’t want to hear his explanation—but she kind of does. She doesn’t even bother to close the door again as she rushes around the room and gathers even more roses into her arms, showering Gage in lustrous petals.

“
That girl—I don’t even know who she is! She came on to me, and I told her no. She didn’t like that and threw herself onto me,” he cries out, and Summer pours more flowers, like a rainstorm of petals cascading down his blonde hair. “I was telling her I wasn’t interested—that there was someone else who held my heart and that she needed to get off me! I swear!”

Summer, her arms and hands punctured and scraped from the thorns, collects more. Tears are streaming down her face, and his words sink into her skin, consuming and dominating her body. She crumples against the bed, the petals like a fragrant blanket over her skin.

Gage steps past the threshold and kneels before her. He’s careful not to make any sudden movements, though she’s past that when it comes to him. “It’s you I want. It’s you I care for. Before this have I ever done anything that would make you think otherwise?” His voice is so sincere, imploring her to see reason.

She glances up into his eyes, seeing the tears drying on his cheeks, and knows he isn’t lying. It’s a gut feeling. She believes him, and it only makes her more upset. Her stomach drops at the realization. Not only did she cause herself all this unnecessary grief, she hurt him in the process. Today she’s the monster. Summer reaches up for him, and he engulfs her in a hug as he exhales a long breath in relief. “Thank you,” he breathes and pulls her closer.

Her body still aches from all the trauma she’s been through, mentally and physically, but she doesn’t care. Not anymore. They’re both on their knees in a storm of red, holding on to the one who cares about them. The solace she finds in his embrace is so exquisite it’s nearly painful; still, she bathes in his warmth and strength. He pulls away and holds her cheeks between his large palms as if she’s the most precious, most breakable object on the planet. His thumbs wipe away the residue of her tears as he half-smiles, still uncertain.

“
You’re wonderful, you know that?” he whispers. “I’d be insane to do anything to lose you.” She returns his smile, and his grows in size before he leans forward and gently places a tender kiss on her lips. Summer’s heart gives an extra squeeze for him. When he pulls away he murmurs, “You taste like roses.”

Summer falls back on her feet and laughs aloud, her hand combing her hair, coming away with bits of petals and leaves. Gage stops her and begins to pick the debris from her hair. “We need to talk tonight. Something’s going on outside the camp, and I’m worried for your safety.”

Their eyes meet, and without a word, he can read her anxiety.

“
I’ll stop by here, okay? The boys’ room is connected to yours, right?”

She nods, wondering what’s going on that would concern them.

“
It’s almost time for your next class,” he reminds. “How about I clean up here so you don’t have to, okay?” When she doesn’t nod or move, he stops pulling things from her hair and looks into her eyes. “Flower?”

The nickname’s back, and her blood warms quickly. She sits up and wraps her arms around his neck, nods, and then goes in for the kiss, breathing him in. She’s more aggressive this time, more eager. But it doesn’t last—he pulls away and gently caresses her cheek. “Go to class,” he urges. “If you don’t you’ll be put on their radar, and right now you don’t want that.”

Who?
she wonders.

Then he says, “Trust me.”

I do with my whole heart
. Indeed, her life has turned into a roller coaster.

CHAPTER
37: LAWS

16 years old

As Summer makes her way between the buildings, her mind turns into a whirlwind of chaos. She’s glad that everything has been cleared up with Gage, but his words now echo through her mind like a breaking tide crashing upon the shore.
You’ll be put on their radar
, he said.
Who’s he talking about?
she wonders. She’s so consumed with these imaginary people that she runs right into Landon.

“
Ducky!” He sounds relieved. “I was worried about ye.” His dark eyes roam over her face, his concern turning into confusion as his eyebrows come together. “What’s—” He glances over Summer’s shoulder to see Gage leave the girls’ room, and then his eyes swing back to hers. “Everything all right?”

She nods and grins widely at him, wondering what he must be thinking with the roses scattered all over the place outside.

He exhales a long breath. “Good, let’s go to class before we’re late.”

They rush back to the Edward Complex where Laws: Environmental and Societal is located. Inside the classroom is a man in a business suit with sharp angles and perfectly ironed hems. Summer and Landon take seats at the very back again, pulling their Astropads from their back pockets and the pencil-like plastic piece that accompanies it.

“
Ahem.” The man clears his throat. “I’m Dr. Frankfurt. In this class we’ll be discussing modern laws for the environment and society in general. I’ve been a lawyer for twenty years and a judge of the Phantomship community for ten. We’ll start out with basic laws that have changed from the laws of two hundred years ago.” Dr. Frankfurt turns around and wipes his hand across the air where a hologram appears before the class. As he speaks, the key points appear on the hologram.

“
The air of two hundred years ago was toxic, and the climate was on a downward spiral. Scientists worked diligently for years to find a way to stop the pollution that was poisoning Earth,” says Dr. Frankfurt, his voice dull, lulling Summer into relaxation.

“
There are several new laws, but let’s start with the basic,” he drones on after explaining the change from oil to fusion energy, something that was covered in one of the previous classes, but one subject that Summer hadn’t paid attention to considering where her head was at during the class.

“
Most important environmental law: all toxins, waste, or other trash must be disposed of properly. All water, above and below ground, has been traced. If anyone breaks these laws, tracking them is not a problem. I know how people in the past would throw their trash out their windows as they drove down the road in their gas-guzzling vehicles. That will
not
be tolerated here. We want people to have their privacy, but sometimes we cannot accommodate that due to people’s lack of good sense. Outside of the privacy of homes and some public buildings, all areas are monitored twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. You don’t break this rule and you won’t have any problems.”

A lot of this information is very new for Summer, and she isn’t quite sure what to think of how much they monitor everyone.

“
We also don’t tolerate the sport of hunting unless it’s to provide food for the Federation, in which hunter’s have to earn a license,” says Dr. Frankfurt. Summer internally giggles at how nonchalant Jaden was about the whole thing.

“
The penalty of breaking these laws is immediate death.”

Silence sweeps through the room, cold and deadly.

“
Isn’t that a little much?” a girl asks timidly.

“
We don’t take these matters lightly, Casey,” he says flatly. The fact he knows her name obviously takes her aback, and the eerie silence that follows sends chills down everyone’s spines. Summer’s no longer relaxed, but on high alert. They’ve already been “tagged” and can now easily be tracked and monitored. Step one toe out of line and your life could be forfeit. The whole idea makes Summer want to run away—and for the first time the camp doesn’t seem so innocent nor the classes so fun.

“
Let’s move on to some of our societal laws. Murder, blackmail, stealing, or vandalism is not only cause for death, but for a public execution. These ways may seem crass and harsh, Outlanders, but understand this: without the imminent threat of death, these laws will not be taken as seriously as they should be. Two hundred years ago, even one hundred years ago, without these harsh laws, humans were slowly destroying the world. Any questions so far?” says Dr. Frankfurt all matter-of-factly.

Any answers are obvious, but Casey still raises her hand, and Summer can see her shaking from several rows back.

“
Yes, Casey,” says Dr. Frankfurt, gesturing for her to ask away.

“
Are there no warnings, no trials . . . no second chances?” Her voice is so tiny that Summer has to lean in to hear her.

“
Ah, I knew this would come up. It’s rare that a trial’s necessary; with the technology we have today, catching criminals in the act happens ninety-nine percent of the time. As I said before, I was a lawyer and am a judge now. I do hear cases and sometimes it truly is all a misunderstanding. But no, there are never any second chances for those that are proven guilty. It’s unnecessary for us to have a trial with a jury of your peers when the proof is obvious via our cameras and neural transplants that the government can access when it’s needed for a case. Any more questions?”

The room stays silent. Summer’s sure that she won’t be breaking any of those laws, but the thought of how quickly they kill people for their crimes is mind-boggling to say the least. She’s seen beatings, brutal deaths, and other horrible things done in torture, but the fact that a group of people—a government—would allow a public execution stuns her.

“
And let’s continue,” says Dr. Frankfurt as if this is nothing unusual. “Marriage, sex, and other interpersonal matters are no longer taken lightly as they were two hundred years ago. After the cure of AIDS and other STDS, scientists have been careful to make sure there are no other outbreaks of other kinds of sexually transmitted diseases. The neural transplant in each of us tests the blood on a weekly basis for any kind of illness and sends a signal to the closest doctor or hospital when something needs to be taken care of. That person is then contacted and asked to report to the hospital. To walk around sick or diseased is not an option. Canadians pride themselves in being healthy and living a longer, happier life than anyone in any other country. If you don’t report to a doctor, one will be sent to you immediately to dispense appropriate medication or to perform any procedures to cure or treat whatever ailment or illness you have.