Revelations (The Elysium Chronicles) (25 page)

Seated behind the console, Asher frowns and pushes a button, but nothing happens. He pushes another. No response.

Finally, his face lights up. “This
has
to be it,” he says, and tries one more. The glass top shuts over the top of us and he leans over the console, more confident now, before pushing a lever forward. We move, the nose dipping down so we can pass under the broken doors leading to the open water.

Soon we’re completely under the surface. My breath catches in my throat when it closes over our heads. For a terrifying few seconds I’m dead certain that we’re going to drown, but then Asher says, “
With hands held high into the sky so blue, As the ocean opens up to swallow you.
”

“I’m sorry?”

He turns to me, and shrugs. “It was from a song back before the War.”

“Ah.”

He turns back to controlling the sub and the way he’s competently pushing buttons I have to think he knows what he’s doing. I turn to ask how, but he only smiles at me, obviously anticipating the question. “I … ah … kind of played with this when you first got here.”

I laugh, roll my eyes, and shake my head. Of course he did. “Didn’t your dad know you were playing around with this thing?”

He gives me a look. “My dad doesn’t know anything unless his assistants tell him. And he doesn’t know anything of what I do, unless I screw something up.”

I wrinkle my nose and go back to staring at the water. I try to control the flutters in my stomach that seem to grow stronger with each passing air bubble.

It’s hard to tell how fast we’re going since it all looks the same and I don’t know how long it’ll take to get there. I decide to ask Asher, since he seems to know where we’re going. He’s probably gone down there a lot while “playing around.”

He shrugs. “Don’t know.”

“But … you
do
know where we’re going, don’t you?”

He shakes his head. “Not a clue.”

I lift an eyebrow and sit up straighter. “Then … what … how are we going to get there?”

Even in the dim light from the console, I can see him blush. “Uh … the buttons are labeled and this one here says ‘autopilot.’ When I pressed it, it gave me a list of choices. I chose Sector Three.”

I stare at him for a minute, then burst out laughing. “Cheater,” I say.

Asher winks at me, then goes back to studying the panel, while I look over at Gavin. He’s still breathing, so that’s a good thing, but I’m worried about him. He’s been out awhile.

But I can’t find it in me to feel too bad about it when I think how close I am to answers. To getting my memories—and my mind—back.

Asher looks over. “You okay?”

“Just excited.” It’s not
entirely
a lie.

From the look he gives me, I can tell he doesn’t really believe me, but he only says, “Okay, just let me know if you need anything.”

I don’t respond, but when I turn to face out the window, I gasp and stand to walk closer to the front of the sub and get a better view. Asher gasps behind me.

There, rising in the murky depths, like Atlantis, is Elysium. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful. The feeling of rightness returns with a vengeance and I smile.

“I’m home,” I say and press a hand to the glass in front of me.

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY-TWO

PRIVATE PROPERTY. TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW
*

*
The Law in Elysium permits the use of lethal force.

—
S
IGN IN SUBMERSIBLE BAY

Evie

The computerized voice of the submersible says to have a seat and buckle up to prepare for docking, and while I do sit, I can’t stop staring openmouthed at everything as we drift slowly down a trench. From a distance, it looks like an overgrown, lopsided octopus. In the trench, though, you can see one entire side is lit up like a strange glow-in-the-dark honeycomb. Directly below us I can see more lights. The sub slows and I have a minute of panic about what we’ll meet when we dock. A memory pushes into my brain of a glass-walled room filled with blue-eyed, blond-haired girls, all wearing the same thing.

Black dresses and hooded capes, with black gloves and black boots covering up every square inch of visible skin.

Enforcers
, my brain supplies not so helpfully, and I shiver. Something about them makes my blood run cold.

Another flash: I’m standing in the center of the room and all around me are the charred remains of the girls … the Enforcers.

I blink when I hear the computer voice again reminding us to remain seated. That was the same memory I had in the Outlands. So that was probably real, too!

My breathing is ragged and I recognize the signs of an impending attack. Despite the ominous computer warnings, Asher pushes himself up, leaps over the few centimeters separating us, and tries to shove my head between my knees. I push him away.

“I’m fine,” I rasp, trying to swallow the cough away. “I’m not having a panic attack. Promise.”

“Then what’s wrong?” he asks.

“I remember them,” I whisper. “We were there, trying to find a way into the submersible, and they were trying to break down the door.” I look up to meet Asher’s eyes. “Mother. I think. Her Enforcers. And, before that, these strange, murderous men. Gavin was right.” My heart speeds up. Oh Mother. Gavin was right.

I shove my own head between my legs this time.

“It’s okay, Evie. We’ll be fine. It’s been weeks. It’s doubtful they’re still there. I’m sure your mother took care of them. No way she’s going to let murderers run around and destroy her perfect city, right?”

After a minute, I nod. “I hope you’re right.”

We’re all jolted as the submersible docks to what, according to the computer, is Sector Three. The seat belt digs painfully into my ribs, but Asher gets the worst of it when he flies into the front of the submersible, then back. He lands on top of Gavin, who groans.

Poor Gavin.

Asher quickly shoves himself to his feet and brushes himself off, before giving me this cocky grin that says, “I meant to do that.”

Snickering, I disconnect myself from the seat belt and turn to face the rear of the sub, where another door I didn’t know existed is open. I can see what appears to be the room from my memory.

I exchange a look with Asher, who takes a deep breath and starts forward. “Stay here,” he says. “The big red button on the console closes the door. If I shout, shut the door.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “I’m not letting you go out there alone.”

“But I—” He points to himself, then hesitates and adds helplessly, “And you…”

I use my best no arguments voice. “I don’t seem to recall you tearing vulture-hawks apart with your bare hands.”

He flushes. “You’re injured.”

“So are you.” Gavin gave him a good walloping on the dock. There’s still a bit of blood trickling from his nose.

He sighs. “Will you at least let me go first?”

“A gentleman always lets a lady go first.” I push out of my seat and lead the way onto the concrete deck.

There are bloodstains and burn marks on the floor. I don’t even know what could have left the divots in the concrete, and I don’t think I want to.

“Nobody’s here,” Asher whispers from behind me.

I scan the room, wishing I could have the clear vision I experienced every time I’ve had to protect myself. “Yes, but
something
happened here.”

“Obviously,” someone says behind me, and I whirl around, my heart flying into my throat.

Gavin stands just inside the submersible, rubbing the back of his neck. “Damn it, Evie. Did you really have to knock me out?”

I open my mouth to apologize, but Asher beats me to it. “You should know better than anyone that she didn’t mean to. Besides, if you hadn’t attacked me like a maniac, she wouldn’t have had to subdue you.”

“‘Subdue’? Fancy word for coldcock.” Gavin glares at him, then turns his attention to the room. He shudders and gets that wild look in his eyes again. I swallow and worry that he’s going to do something to Asher again, but he takes a deep breath and his eyes focus. He looks around, zeroing in on the doors. “Looks like someone did some clean up.” He turns his attention to me, his eyes traveling up and down my body. “How are you feeling? Anything different?”

I assess myself, then shake my head. “Everything feels the same.”

He gives Asher a smug look, even though it’s easy to see the worry lines spreading across his brow. “See? Nothing has changed. Now let’s get the hell out of here before Mother figures out we’re back.”

He takes a step back into the sub, but Asher says, “Nice try. We have to find someone to fix Evie.”

“No one here can help her. Everyone here is
trained
to
hurt
her,” Gavin points out. He shifts slightly to one foot and almost instantly transfers his weight back.

“Someone here has to know
something
about nanos. They wouldn’t keep using them if no one here knew how to make them work or fix them if they malfunctioned.” Asher tilts his head to the side, his expression saying, “Just try to argue with me.”

Gavin stares daggers at him and I’m terrified they’re going to get into it again.

“Come on, Gavin. We made it this far,” I say. “We can’t quit now.” And I have no plans of doing so either.

He crosses his arms over his chest. “We need to go back.”

Asher looks at me, then shrugs. “Then go. No one is stopping you.” Then he turns back to the door. “Come on, Evie, let’s go find some help.”

Gavin still has his arms crossed, but he’s watching me now, his eyes pleading with me. I look back to Asher, who has his hand on the door, then back to Gavin.

I let out a breath and give Gavin a look of apology. “I have to.” It tears me up inside to do it, but I go to Asher, who opens the door and glances around quickly before stepping into the hall. Second-guessing and regretting every step I take away from Gavin, I follow Asher into the hallway.

My mind whirls with déjà vu, but I can’t remember what exactly is familiar about it. Other than it reminds me a bit of that strange complex Asher and I got lost in, back in the Outlands. My body tingles a bit as I wait for some kind of panic attack, but when nothing happens, I release the breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“Where to?” Asher’s voice echoes. There are only two options, but it’s pitch-dark one way and the other dead-ends several meters up ahead.

“I guess this way.” I start moving down the pitch-dark hallway.

Asher follows, and we’re a ways down the hall when we hear a door open. Because of the echoes it’s hard to tell where the door is, but when we hear footsteps, we push ourselves tight against the wall and try to breathe as shallowly as possible.

The footsteps tread slowly, and a light flicks on to our left—the way we came from—but I can’t see who’s holding it. I hope it’s Gavin, but I doubt it. Where would he have gotten a light?

The light sweeps from side to side as it continues forward and my heart pumps furiously. I wonder if anyone else can hear it. I’m afraid to move, but if we stay where we are we’ll be caught for sure.

Finally, I decide I have to move. I slide my foot out, then move my body to join it.

The light immediately swings in my direction and shines in my face, blinding me. “Evie?” Gavin says, the same relief I feel in his voice.

“Oh, thank Mother,” I say, wrapping my arms around him in a strangle hold as he steps next to me.

“I’d rather not, actually,” he says, but he holds me just as tightly. The stuff in his hands presses painfully into my back, but I don’t care.

“You stayed,” I say, my voice muffled by his chest.

He pushes me away a little and tilts my chin up with his finger. “I won’t ever leave you again.”

“Promise?” I ask.

“Promise.” He smiles, but before I can smile back he’s kissing me. My stomach flips and my heart trips, but I kiss him back, breathing in his scent like air and holding on to him as if my life depends on it. And it might just. I don’t think I could handle it if he were gone again. Thinking he was dead had just about killed me, too.

Behind me, Asher clears his throat and regretfully I peel myself from Gavin, but I wrap my hand around his forearm. I’m not letting him go again, either.

“Where did you find that?” Asher cuts in, gesturing to the light in Gavin’s hand.

“It’s from before. We needed it the last time we were here because the Enforcers cut off the power so the murderous monsters running around the Sector would have an easier time killing us. Thankfully we had plasma and machine guns.” He shoves something at Asher. “I left them in the submersible. I guess it’s a good thing, too. If I can’t persuade you not to go, at least I can try to offer some kind of protection.”

“What is this?” Asher stares at the silver contraption in his hand.

“It’s a gun, dipshit. It’s called a Reising and it’s fully automatic. You do know how to work a gun, don’t you? I’m all out of knives.”

“Knives?” Asher asks. I’m a bit perplexed myself.

“I figured with all your backstabbing experience a knife would be your weapon of choice, right?”

Asher makes this sound in his throat and I step between the two of them, trying to prevent another fight. This isn’t the time or the place.

“Great! We have weapons. Let’s keep moving, shall we?”

At first no one moves, and then Asher puts a hand on my shoulder. “Lead the way. I’ll be right behind you.”

Gavin snorts. “Typical. Hiding behind someone.” He slings the Reising over his shoulder by the strap and palms the smaller one, holding it and the flashlight in the same hand and taking my hand with the other, before he starts walking, leaving Asher to follow or not.

Gavin

The Sector is so quiet it’s almost creepier than the first time we were here. It’s hard to believe that it
is
the same place. But I don’t drop my guard. I’m sure those … things are still here somewhere and the minute I turn in the wrong direction they’re going to jump out and claw my face off.