The Registry (33 page)
“You sure about not releasing the boy’s photo still?”
“This is a close-knit area, and with this many possible helpers we would shut them off if we did a press release. I’m not sure there is a single decent American around who would do the right thing and turn her over to her husband.” Grant tossed the file. “We stick with the plan. You have your best agents out there flashing that boy’s picture. Someone must have seen him. He’s not in hiding.”
“Well, if the community is so rotten and willing to protect the girl, what will make them turn him over?” Agent Ross asked.
Grant noticed there wasn’t a single hint of sarcasm in his voice.
“Your agents and my men are informing the good people of Gila Bend that he’s received a large inheritance, but in the grief of his father’s passing he ran away. We’re just trying to find him before he enlists and it’s too late.”
“They won’t think it’s strange he had a father?” Agent Ross was bred from the same stock as the majority of American sons.
“Not in this area; we’ve already found fourteen sons kept by their parents. I don’t think there are that many in the whole Northeast Area.”
“Lucky boys,” Ross said.
“Lucky?” Grant raised an eyebrow. “Boys raised like that don’t grow into men. They never make it out of service alive. Their parents aren’t saving them. They are sentencing them to die.”
Agent Ross shrugged and nodded in agreement. The phone went off with a loud shrill, stopping the conversation. Grant was glad for the break.
“Agent Ross.”
The quick greeting made Grant like his new friend a little bit more. He turned to the next file.
“Where at? The Rowe house in Theba? How far are you? Ten minutes?”
Grant rose from his chair. He looked at his outfit, a brown polo and checked brown shorts with brown sandals. He would have liked a more fashionable look to greet his wife in, but it would have to do. He caught sight of a white cardigan hanging on a hook and grabbed it, just in case a desert chill set in. Feeling more presentable, he walked over toward the phone and ripped it out of Ross’s hands.
“Good work, agents, this is Grant Marsden. I am proud of you boys. Now, sit tight; do not enter that house under any circumstances. Stay out of sight. Don’t let them know you are there. Do you understand?”
“Sir, that’s against procedure. We have to go in and get her right away,” the agent on the phone said. He was not familiar with Grant’s procedures.
“Listen. If you set a foot in that house without me I will make you suffer. Even if you get her, you will not be rewarded. You will be terminated.” Grant didn’t mean from their jobs.
After a momentary silence the agent gave a “Yes, sir.” Grant tossed the phone back toward Agent Ross.
“Do you want me to pull up the car? We’re about thirty minutes away,” Agent Ross said.
“Car? No, don’t be stupid.”
Grant was excited. Tonight was the night. He would have her, and she would pay.
Remember, you will enter service as a boy and leave as a man. You will be worthy of an identity, a new life that you can create for yourself.
—The Boy’s Guide to Service
T
ell her.
Andrew kept repeating the words over and over in his mind as he tried to sleep.
Tell her everything.
Why was it so difficult? He closed his eyes and her face was the only thing he saw. When she had first said hello to him standing outside her father’s office, his heart had almost stopped. And she still gave him the same feeling.
He’d had enough. This was pure torture. She was just across the basement, tucked away. He wondered if she was thinking about him, too. He’d promised himself tonight was the night he’d come clean. He tried to tell himself he didn’t have anything to fear, that he wasn’t even risking rejection; she’d already made her feelings clear to him. But he knew it wasn’t true. So much had happened since the bed in Saint Louis. Even then there was always the possibility she had just been curious about kissing or she didn’t know how to behave with a male so close to her. He was terrified. He’d made a life keeping himself bottled up, making it impossible for people to tell how he was feeling or what he was thinking. He knew that by telling her anything he was betraying the code that had kept him safe all these years. So maybe it was okay if he waited another day.
His body had just started to calm down when Rod’s words echoed through his head.
Feelings can always change.
This flung him out of bed. He didn’t want to be safe and alone. He would rather be at risk and with her. He fumbled in the darkness for his lantern and switched it on. He dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a fresh T-shirt. It didn’t matter how he looked; he had to do this before he lost his nerve.
The cold basement floor felt nice on his feet; the coolness spread up through his body, combating his racing heart. He stood in front of her door and breathed, readying himself for the knock. He reminded himself it was late and she might be asleep. He didn’t want to wake her and debated walking back to his room. Maybe he would check. There was a chance she was still awake. He reached for the secret lever before he had a chance to change his mind, and the door popped open. He slid it back, not prepared for what, or who, awaited him.
H
im?!”
Andrew watched in shock as Mia pulled away from Carter and sat up on her bed. She looked flustered in the lantern light. He noticed her hair was out of place, probably from Carter’s hands running through it, and he bit his lips to keep from screaming in pain. After several drawn-out seconds he finally found the nerve to speak.
“You want him?” Andrew’s voice remained steady.
At this point Carter sat up too, and instead of showing offense at Andrew’s comments he wrapped his arm around Mia’s shoulders. Andrew expected the gesture to fill him with rage, but it didn’t; he felt only defeat as he watched her try to shrug Carter off with little success.
“Andrew, I didn’t know how you felt,” Mia started to say.
“Stop. I made a mistake.” Andrew gulped. He wanted to tell her his error was spurning her advances and failing to act earlier, but his defenses were up again. “I made a mistake in thinking that this could be something, but I am better off alone. You don’t need my protection anymore. I need to go back to focusing on myself again. Thank you. For showing me how wrong I was.”
Andrew didn’t wait for a response. He walked as quickly as possible to his room, the only private sanctuary he’d ever known. It wasn’t too late. Maybe Rod was wrong. He could get his life back on track; he just needed to find the nearest reporting station.
Life events can cause stress on the marriage. It is the wife’s duty to ease any burden on her husband. He bears the stress so that she can live a relaxing life.
—The Registry Guide for Girls
H
e’ll settle down.” Carter kissed Mia’s shoulder blade.
She ignored him and followed Andrew. She caught up with him right outside his room.
“I didn’t know you felt this way. Remember, I tried to—”
“Stop talking. Please just stop.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Well, that’s an important lesson to learn. Lots of things aren’t fair.”
“Don’t you think I’ve learned that by now? Andrew, you need to let me in. You keep yourself so private it drives me crazy. I am here to help you, I want to help you. I am so sorry for the way things played out tonight, but it doesn’t change anything between us. Please just tell me what you wanted to say.”
The lights flipped on. Carter must have run for the switch. Andrew looked up at her. She felt his heart breaking and hers doing the same. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and comfort him, but before she had the chance he headed toward the stairs and disappeared.
Mia’s chest felt heavy. It always amazed her how Andrew could say such emotional things with such a flat voice. She wished he would yell. It would be easier to scream back at him. Carter leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. If she couldn’t be mad at Andrew, at least she could be mad at someone.
“This is all your fault!” She walked toward him. “If you didn’t have to push, act so available, this would have never happened.”
“Calm down.” Carter stepped forward and rubbed her arms. “I love you.”
Mia found that hard to believe. Boys were just professing their feelings everywhere tonight. She was already dealing with Andrew. She couldn’t add Carter to that list.
“I doubt that.” Mia held her hand to her forehead. This was becoming too much.
“I love you, Mia Morrissey, and so does that guy who just walked up the stairs. You have a choice to make.”
“He’s gone. Probably on his way to a service station. We’ll never see him again.” Mia felt like she was losing her breath; she needed to focus on one issue at a time. “And I barely know you; you don’t know me.”
“I know enough. And he’ll be back, but I want you to remember this moment.” Carter placed his hands on her shoulders. “I didn’t run away; I stayed right here.”
Mia stared into Carter’s eyes. They were warm, not as intense as Andrew’s glare. She began to lose her anger, but the image of Andrew’s face as he stood in the doorway was all she could see. The hurt was so obvious, and it was her fault. The sound of the front door made Mia snap out of her trance.
“Nobody loves anyone down here. Don’t forget it,” Mia said. She wasn’t prepared for this conversation. “We have to go after him.”
She started toward the stairs but Carter reached out and grabbed her hand, swinging her back around to face him.
“Andrew is a smart guy, and the nearest station is miles; just let him blow off some steam. The situation needs to sink in for him.”
“You don’t understand; he’s my family.” Mia moved away from Carter and ran to the stairs.
“Wait, you’re too flustered. It might be dangerous for you up there alone in this condition. Let me.” Carter was already on the steps, reaching the top door. “Wait down here.”
Mia wanted to argue, but she took the opportunity to calm down. She walked back downstairs and sat on one of the bar stools. Of course
now
Carter thought it wasn’t safe for her upstairs. She would be happy to never see this basement again. Resting her head in her hand, she thought about the night’s events.
Andrew cared about her, but she’d been too busy with Carter to notice. Carter saying he loved her made Mia shake her head in disbelief. He was carefree and happy, but Mia realized these traits didn’t make him incapable of love. It had just never occurred to her that he was serious about their situation.
The sound of footsteps upstairs made Mia queasy. She heard two distinct sets and was glad Carter had brought Andrew back, but she wasn’t ready to face him. It did make her feel better that he hadn’t made it to a service center. She wasn’t ready to make any choices. Instead she would tell both boys she needed a cooling-off period.
More noise was coming from upstairs. It sounded like the two were fighting. Muffled voices were being raised; she was happy she couldn’t make out what they were saying. She didn’t expect them to change into best friends right now but had never thought violence would ensue. Smoothing down her cotton dress, she went to break up the fight. Before she made it to the stairs, the door was flung open and Carter’s body came rolling down. He slumped like a rag doll on the bottom step.
There is never any fighting in a marriage. It is the wife’s responsibility to ensure this. As long as she is compliant and helpful, there will be no reason for any discord.
—The Registry Guide for Girls
T
here wasn’t any time to think or focus. Mia went right toward Carter. She couldn’t believe Andrew would be so violent. She knew he had some issues, but there was no reason to hurt Carter, not this badly. She bent down next to him and placed her head on his chest. There was too much death; she couldn’t handle any more. Relief and tears poured out as she heard his strong heartbeat. Carter was alive. He looked up and she realized he wasn’t even unconscious.
“Hide,” he said while he tried to catch his breath.
He was already hoisting himself up on his elbows. Mia hugged him.
She would wring Andrew’s neck. She could hear him coming to the basement door and prepared to give him a speech this time. She started to stand, but Carter gripped her arm.
“
Hide!
” He pushed her so hard he almost threw her.
“I’m not scared of him, he’ll never hurt me. You don’t need to worry.” Mia appreciated Carter’s concern but it was unnecessary.
Carter was about to speak again but it was pointless; Mia knew now what he was getting at. Two men started to descend the stairs, each in the standard-issue black RAG suit.
“We have confirmation on the girl,” one stated into a microphone that was attached to his lapel. “Affirmative.”
Mia backed up into the basement. There was no way out. She would have to grab a weapon and try to make it past the agents. Before she moved her feet a loud blast sounded. One of the agents had put a bullet hole in the ceiling. Both of them had their guns drawn. One pointed toward Mia, the other firmly at Carter. They were on the bottom steps, about to enter the basement.
“Relax, calm down. We have you now. You’re safe.” The agent focusing on her spoke in a soothing voice. “Kill the boy,” he instructed his partner.
“No!” Mia lunged forward, only to see both of the RAG agents flung against the wall, landing right next to Carter on either side of him. Andrew fell along with them, landing on top of Carter. He jumped up, secured a loose gun, and held it to the back of an agent’s head. He reached for the other agent’s firearm and handed it to Carter, signaling for him to do the same. Carter slowly stood, his hands shaking.