Inheritance

Reese sat nearby and shrugged out of her backpack. “You should really quit,” she told him, but when he cocked his head at her she took the cigarette, leaning over to light it off Julian’s match. It tasted bitter and harsh, and she realized too late that her dad would smell it on her.

“So what’s the big secret?” Julian pushed.

She exhaled a plume of smoke, deciding to smoke it anyway. She didn’t care what her dad thought. “David and I need to find out what the deal is with our adaptation,” she said, avoiding Julian’s question. “So we’re going to take the Imria up on their offer to train us. Our first lesson is on Saturday.”

“That’s great. But that doesn’t stop you from telling your story.”

She stared at the glowing end of the cigarette, picking her words carefully. “No, it doesn’t. Our abilities are only part of the story, though. We need to figure everything out before we go public, and we need to get proof.”

“You have that recording from the Lovick meeting.”

“That’s one part of it. And the government is totally covering something up, but the Imria aren’t telling us everything either. They’re hiding stuff too.”

“They have to be hiding it for a good reason.”

She looked at Julian, her forehead furrowed. “Why do you trust them? They’re the ones who messed with me and David. They said they’ve been doing research on humans for decades. Aren’t you worried they might not have our best interests at heart?”

Julian shook his head. “You’re not seeing the big picture.” He inhaled, and the cigarette paper crinkled into black ash.

“What’s the big picture?”

He blew the smoke away from her. “This adaptation thing that the Imria are working on could change everything. I read the stuff they released at their press conference. It’s amazing. Think about what this world would be like if human beings could really do this shared consciousness thing.” He spoke with rising intensity, his body bending toward her as he gestured with his cigarette. “Do you know why people hate each other? Because they don’t understand each other. But if we could really know how other people feel—really know it—all that would change. It would bring humans to the next level of evolution.”

Julian’s fierce belief in the adaptation procedure made Reese uncomfortable. “Evolution’s not about levels. It’s not about advancing. You took bio with me; you should know that.”

“Don’t get all debatey on me. Besides, I don’t believe that. If the point of life isn’t to become more intelligent and better adapted to your environment, what is the point? Just to stay in one place, reproducing yourself? That’s stupid. This ability is humanity’s ticket to the future.”

“You talk about it like it’s some kind of superpower. But this isn’t X-Men.”

“No duh. It’s real.” He stubbed out his cigarette. “You should know. You have this ability. You can’t tell me it hasn’t changed the way you see everything.”

“Honestly, it mostly freaks me out. That’s why I’m agreeing to the lessons with the Imria, because until I know how this thing works in me, I don’t think I can really know whether it’s good or bad.” Her cigarette had burned down to the filter, and she dropped it on the ground, grinding it out with her sneaker. She felt a little nauseated from the nicotine.

“You might not know, but I do. It’s good. So I want to be adapted too.”

Her head snapped up. “What? You can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

She couldn’t tell if he was serious at first. “Because it’s crazy dangerous! Because you have to apply, and they’re only taking teens who are on the verge of death.”

“That’s what they said, but they haven’t posted an application yet. Besides, they’re going to need as many test subjects as possible. Why wouldn’t they take a healthy volunteer? Wouldn’t that be better than someone who might die?”

She gaped at him. “You’re serious.”

Anger flashed across his face. “Of course I’m serious. I’ve been waiting for something like this my entire life. This is my chance to be part of something bigger than me. I’m willing to take whatever risks are involved.”

“The risk is dying. Don’t you get that?”

“You’re not dead.”

“I was dead!”

“You seem pretty much alive to me right now.” His expression softened. “Look, I know it’s dangerous, but I want to do this. I want to help humanity.”

“Julian—”

“It’s so important, Reese. It’s so freaking important. This adaptation procedure will change everything. Don’t you see that?” He was practically crouching on his heels in his effort to persuade her.

She stared at him in dismay.

“Will you help me?” he asked. “You know them. You can talk to Dr. Brand and persuade her to take me as a volunteer.”

She was stunned. “You want—how could you ask me to put you in that kind of danger?”

His face darkened. “You don’t get it.” Suddenly he stuck out his hand. “Here. You have the ability. Touch me. Then you’ll know why I want to do it.”

“Jules—”

“Do it.”

The desperation on his face frightened her. She didn’t want to touch him. She didn’t need to touch him to sense how frustrated and determined he was, or how blind he was to the potential consequences. Her phone rang, the sound pealing through the weighted space between them. She pulled it from her pocket and answered it. “Hey, Dad.”

Julian shook his head, withdrawing his hand to take out another cigarette.

“Okay, I’ll be there in a minute,” she said into the phone, and then hung up. Julian wouldn’t look at her. She didn’t like fighting with him. The last time they’d fought was when he was dating Sean, who had been behaving like a jerk and never doing what he said he’d do. Julian had defended him repeatedly, making excuses for him because he was in love. It had soured their friendship for weeks. “Do you want a ride home?” Reese asked, hoping that this wouldn’t turn into another of those situations.

“No.” He blew out the smoke in a long stream. “I have to meet Bri. We’re planning the first GSA meeting of the year.”

“Oh.” It was like the ground had split open between her and Julian, and she didn’t know how to cross the gap.

“I’d invite you to the meeting but I don’t get the impression you want to be associated with the GSA this year.”

His words stung. “Why would you think that?”

He did look at her then, and his dark brown eyes were full of anger. “Why? Why don’t you come out? What are you afraid of?”

Her face burned. “I’m not afraid of anything. It’s not relevant!”

He took another drag on his cigarette and looked past her at the soccer field. “Your boyfriend’s back.”

She felt as if he had slapped her across the face. She hoisted her backpack over her shoulders and made herself walk away before she said something she would really regret. As she crossed the edge of the soccer field she saw the boys’ team running sprints. One of them slowed down, looking in her direction, and she heard the coach shouting at him to get back in line. She knew it was David, but she didn’t stop.

CHAPTER 17

Every day, reporters, photographers, and demonstrators lingered outside Kennedy High School, shouting