Rebel Song (17 page)

CHAPTER 20

Sitting in the damp grass by a peaceful pond, Rogan opened his wounds. Theron Elwood had been a good farmer, a loyal soldier who served in the Northern War and came home to find his sacrifice had gone unrecognized and his suffering untreated. And it turned out he wasn’t the only one. They were all left to wallow with festering wounds on dried-up dirt farms while the King pursued more profitable agendas. Then came Uncle Colt’s murder by a ranger’s hand on the square—all that blood in the lion fountain. That’s when the violence really erupted. That’s when they lost everything.

“What people don’t seem to realize, is the first rebellion didn’t happen because they wanted something for nothing, because they wanted to sit lazily on the beach, getting drunk and waiting for a government check,” Rogan explained. “They did it because they saw no other choice. They were going to die of starvation or die trying to eat.”

“Oh what a different tale the history books tell.” Elyra ran her fingers through her hair mindlessly.

“You’d think they would have waited until those present were actually dead before they started rewriting them. Truth is though, a lot of people did die. A lot of innocent people.”

“So your father was actually executed over this?” She was wide-eyed, as if she were listening to a ghost story and not the sordid history of his life.

Rogan pursed his lips tightly and shook his head.

“Not exactly. He was charged with treason but he died in prison before he could stand trial,” he paused. “After he died, he was officially declared convicted. We nearly lost everything after that—the business, the land. Everything. It took us years to recover. The Cause kind of dried up after that, too. It goes down as one of the King’s
great victories
.” He was aware this was her father he was talking about, but he was beyond sugarcoating the truth. She stared hard into his eyes.

“How…how did he die then?”

He took a deep breath.

“They said he hanged himself.” He saw her mouth quiver in shock. “He didn’t,” he added firmly. “Theron Elwood was not a traitor and he certainly wasn’t a coward. He was going to lead us all toward real change. I don’t think the King could risk the publicity of a trial so somebody made it look like a suicide. And it sent a message that the rebellion was weak and cowardice. My father would have
never
taken his own life. Never.”

“I just…” she began, conflict dancing across her pale face. “I just can’t believe my father could be capable of such things. I know he can be a mean old bastard, but he’s fair. I watch him at court and council. He believes in a justice system that works.”

Rogan chewed his nail. As much as he hated the king, how could he expect her to do the same?

“I don’t expect you to just accept it. It was nearly a decade ago. He was younger and more rash then, and strongly under the influence of Pantone’s corruption. I’m sure he’s changed a lot,” he said without real conviction. He doubted a thing had changed. If anything, Pantone’s influence was growing.

“I suppose so,” she still looked unconvinced his story wasn’t some rebel fabrication. “So now you’re out for revenge against my father?”

“Revenge? No. There is nothing that’s going to bring them all back. But just like everyone else, I am out for justice. Not for the sins of the past. That’s history we can’t change. But for the present and the future. You have to understand, we can’t just ignore the past either. If we don’t remember it, we are condemned to repeat it.”

“And now I pretend that I don’t know any of this? We just go on meeting in secret and kissing in the shadows while you plan a rebellion and I do my best to stop you in public?” She was being serious, but her flare for drama made him laugh.

“For now, yes, something like that.” He reached out and stroked her flushed cheek. “I promise that you’re not in any immediate danger. But I can’t promise things won’t escalate soon. Not everyone involved shares my desire for a peaceful resolve. A lot of people remember what happened and many still live in the past. You need to be prepared for what their anger might lead them to do. The bomb at the protest is a perfect example of how unstable things are. The council can think whatever they want about the way things are out on the streets, but I need you to know the truth. I need you to be part of the peaceful solution I seek.”             

“I don’t know what I could possibly do to change anything. I’m just a pretty figure with no power.”

“You have influence. That’s just as powerful as the gavel.”

She looked at him as though she was trying to remember if he was even the same person she thought she knew.

“This is really happening, isn’t it?” She asked as if just now waking from a daze.

“Yes.”

“Okay, then I’m going to be there for you. Whatever happens.”

“Thank you.” He smiled sadly, knowing it was going to be so much harder than it seemed. 

“Promise me you’ll be careful out there, Rogan? Please promise me. I can’t lose you.” Rogan took both her hands in his and kissed her knuckles.

“Always am,” he said with as much confidence as he could muster.

He brought her into his chest and kissed her forehead. He thought he heard her let out a whimper but he pretended not to hear. Instead, he pulled her chin up and pressed his lips into hers. She returned his affections gently, then with renewed vigor. Her lips parted and she welcomed him in deeper. The stress of everything brewing in his world manifested in his kiss as he grasped at her hair and pulled her tightly against his chest.

If they were going down, then they’d go down swinging.

CHAPTER 21

The screech of the telephone shook Rogan from sleep. It took him a few dazed moments to realize what it was and then to comprehend why it would be ringing in the dead of night. Most people he knew didn’t even have a phone, so the threat of trouble felt very real. He sprang up and hurried to the main room before it woke everyone, realizing it was too late when he saw Ari standing sleepy-eyed in the doorway of her bedroom.

“Go back to bed,” he hissed at her as he rushed past. She stuck her tongue out and didn’t move.

“Hello?” He whispered into to receiver.

“You need to come down to the Brigg,” Ben’s voice said on the other end.

“What’s happened?”

He heard a deep sigh.

“Rogan, it’s not good. Can you come?”

“Yes, but if you’re going to drag me out in the middle of the night, you’ve got to tell me what’s going on.” There was a pause.

“They’ve bombed the Governor’s office.”

Rogan nearly dropped the receiver but clutched it tightly to the side of his face.

“
Who
?”

“Us. The Cause. Well, not really us. It was Alec.”

“What?”

“Yeah. Look I’ll explain when you get here. You need to get down here immediately. We’ve got to do something. This is going to turn to hell really quick.”

“Yeah okay, I’m on my way.”

Rogan turned to see Ari standing next to him, wide-eyed and eager. He shook his head.

“No. Don’t even ask.”

His motorbike pulled into the Brigg Cannery twenty minutes later, located at the edge of the Valley and the city outskirts. He slipped through the darkness to the back of the old building and slid his key into the back door that led to the secret basement. He was only one of three who had a key now. Cable trusted fewer each day—apparently for good reason.

Ben, Cable, Donal, Iris, Mikkel and Sibby sat at a round table huddling over a flickering hurricane lantern. Rogan slipped into the room quietly, not taking five steps before Ben whipped around and pointed a cocked pistol at him.

“Damn it Rogan, you scared me,” he said recognizing him. “Get your ass over here.”

“What the hell is going on?” Rogan asked, taking a seat with the group. Their eyes were stricken with worry.

“Alec’s gone off the deep,” Cable said, shaking his head. “Ben came to us with his intel last night and he lost it. He just snapped. Stormed out in a fury. I knew he was rash but I never thought he’d pull something like this.”

“He’s always been a hothead,” Donal said.

“What exactly happened?” Rogan asked.

“Sent a bottle bomb into the Governor’s office. A big one. Nearly burnt down the whole building. It caused a massive explosion,” Cable said.

“There’s no way the whole city didn’t hear it!” Mikkel piped up in panic.

“What? When?” Rogan asked.

“About eight this evening,” Ben said. “I was down near the square when I saw the flames, heard the sirens. I rushed over, saw Mikkel at the scene. He confessed to following Alec there. Suspected something was up.”

“He was saying all kinds of things that were freaking me out,” Mikkel concurred. “About how he’d show them how powerful their government really was.”

“Was anyone hurt? Governor Grey?” Rogan asked.

“I think he has some minor injuries, but we don’t really know the extent yet. It was a pretty big explosion. It could be bad,” Cable said.

“It couldn’t have been Alec,” Rogan said. “He’s smarter than that.”

“Is he?” Donal asked. “Or is he just as headstrong and impetuous as the rest of you?” He snarled.

Cable glowered at him.

“Did you actually see him do it, Mikkel?” Rogan asked.

Mikkel hesitated and shook his head.

“Not,
exactly.
I was following him but I lost him for just a few minutes. Then the explosion came.”

“We’ve asked around and have it on good authority that he did it,” Cable said.

“Why am I just now hearing about this?” Rogan asked, frustration bubbling at his surface.

“I didn’t want to pull you all in until I knew for sure he had done it,” Cable said.

“So what now?” Rogan asked. “Where is he?”

Cable shook his head.

“Don’t know. He could be in the wind. Mikkel said he took off on his bike right after the explosion. Didn’t stick around to see his handiwork,” Cable’s last words trailed off.

“Or?” Rogan asked, detecting something more in his tone.

“Or, there’s a rumor he was snatched right up. Didn’t make it out of town.”

“No,” Rogan muttered and massaged his temple.

“We don’t know that it’s true,” Iris said, trying to pacify them.

“We have to assume it’s true,” Ben interjected. “And that if they have him, they’re going to get what they’re looking for. We have to prepare for the worst.”

“Alec won’t talk,” Sibby said. “He’ll die first.”

“You’re assuming they’ll let him die first. I’ve seen Demos’ handiwork,” Ben said solemnly. The bruises on his face and nose were still yellow and swollen and the red circles where cigarettes had kissed his arm flesh were scabbed and blistered.

“Like Ben said, we don’t know what will happen, but we have to prepare for the worst,” Rogan said.

“What exactly
can
he tell them?” Iris asked.

Cable sighed and shook his head slowly.

“Enough,” Cable admitted. “He knows enough to get us all locked up. Or worse.”

“Rogan’s right. It’s time to arm ourselves,” Ben said. “Create a plan. The Northern factions have already started rioting. Real rioting. None of this peaceful protest bullshit. Ballantyne can’t ignore this anymore.”

“Don’t be rash,” Donal said. “You can’t make military decisions on a hunch. Or because some hot-headed idiot drops a bomb on a city official.”

“That’s my brother out there!” Sibby snapped. “You can’t just do nothing.”

“Donal, I love you,” Rogan said. “But we can’t sit idly by any more. It’s time to send our message. Alec has put it in motion whether we like it or not. If we don’t show unity on this, we’re going to look weak and disjointed. We’ve passed the point of no return.” He thought about what Elyra said Pantone and Henri thought of them.

“Let’s all calm down,” Donal said. “Let’s put our feelers out. See if we can find out what happened to Alec.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Ben said. “We’re supposed to just sit back and put our
feelers
out? While Demos tortures Alec and plans his next attack?” Ben’s fingers dug into the wooden table.

“If you go up in arms blind you’re as good as dead,” Donal growled. “And you’re going to have nothing but riots from the rest if you start shouting war cries. You are the leaders here. The rest are going to look to you for guidance.”

“So what do we do then?” Sibby asked, big doe eyes wide and frightened.

Donal rubbed at his beard.

“Don’t go out of your way to tell anyone anything who doesn’t already know. But let’s be honest with those who do. Tell them you don’t know who set that bomb. And that’s truth. We don’t know for certain. Whatever you do, keep everyone calm and assured that we’re in control. Let’s sleep on what to do next. Give it a few days, see what happens.” Donal said.

The group looked to each other nervously but no one spoke.

“No,” Cable finally argued. “We’re not going to be pheasants in a barrel.”

Donal pursed his lips and considered him.

“Cable, when you came to me determined to reinvigorate a lost cause of resistance, I gave you my support. I gave you my loyalty and the wisdom that I’ve earned through two decades of being a soldier. But I did NOT agree to follow you blindly while you burn down the city.”

Cable’s face tightened but he didn’t retort. Finally, he looked at Rogan.

“Rogan, what do you think?”

Rogan rubbed his forehead and tried to calm his racing thoughts. Donal
was
right. They were in charge and they had to lead the rest from danger. But inaction would get them all killed just as quickly as a blind battle. He knew better than to think the rest would sit back quietly. He had to lead them, but not into safety. He had to lead them to fight.

“They started this war, not us. Let’s show them what we’re made of.”