“How do you know Thomas?” I ask him after swallowing some soup.
“He was my trainer at the machinist plant from when I was thirteen. When he was forced to leave, I made it a point to do whatever I could for him.”
“Like what?”
“At the back of the Borough, part of the fencing is bent, so we can crawl through it, but only a little way. It’s enough to get extra supplies down to the camp so they don’t starve.”
Talk slowly winds down as the evening approaches. The dishes are cleared and the men, along with Quin, adjourn to the bedroom for the night while the remainder of us stay and sleep on the small foldout bed in the front room.
Naomi takes the left side, while Bea takes the middle, and I cling to the right edge of the thin mattress. I try to fall asleep, but the constant droning from the monitor is making it virtually impossible. I nudge Bea lightly, rousing her from sleep to ask if there is a way to turn it off.
“No, it’s always on. It’s controlled by the Regulators. We can’t even adjust the volume.” She falls back to sleep with ease, though I remain wide awake, watching and listening.
The supposed death toll from the shuttle disaster rises when the announcer claims that more bodies have been located floating among the wreckage. I close my eyes and try to will myself asleep only to be jarred by a sudden high-pitched whistle coming from the screen. The words Special Announcement scroll in bold red type across the top. I look over at Bea and Naomi, but neither has stirred.
“We have just received word that High Ruler Aldus Vladim of Tyre has announced he will send forces to Acheron and attempt to seize the city.”
I sit fully upright in bed, listening to every word the announcer is saying.
“Our Superior of Communication was able to intercept the broadcast High Ruler Vladim sent out to his people today.”
The screen changes to Vladim standing on a balcony on one of the many high rises in Tyre, gesturing to the crowd that has gathered below him.
“My fellow Tyreans, the High Ruler of Acheron sent thieves into Tyre to rob the Antaean known as Trea from us. He carefully orchestrated her removal from our city, but we have located those responsible.” The picture changes to five men and women lined up in the center of one of the Boroughs. “I have no doubt that he has taken her to Acheron where she will be tortured and eventually killed. I have called on my security forces from the Boroughs in the north to form a recovery team and enter Acheron to take back our most prized possession.”
“When this was brought to High Ruler Hayden’s attention,” the announcer breaks in, “he had the following comment.”
The screen changes to the symbol of Acheron.
A new voice, presumably Hayden’s, begins to speak. “We have always known the people of Tyre could not be trusted. Ever since the destruction of the Dormitories, our relationship with them has been severely strained. If this war is to happen, Acheron will prepare itself, and we will prevail.”
I climb out of bed and head to the bedroom to get Quin.
Chapter 15
Quin is lying on the floor, covered in thin blankets. The other men lay on small cots spread throughout the tiny dark space. I kneel beside him, place my hand on his shoulder and shake him. He stirs slightly, but doesn’t wake. I shake him a little harder causing him to open his eyes and look up at me.
“What?” he asks, eyelids still half-closed.
“We need to get to Acheron today.”
“What…why?”
I tell him about the announcement I saw on the monitor.
“He’ll do anything to find all of the Antaeans, which is why we need to get to Acheron before he does.”
“I understand your concern, but there’s nothing we can do at the moment. Naomi and the others are not scheduled to depart until the day after tomorrow.” He grabs my arm and pulls me down next to him, draping one of his blankets over me. “Now try and get some sleep.” He pulls me into his chest, resting his chin on the top of my head.
I know he’s right, but my anxiety is getting the best of me. I try to mimic my breathing with his to calm myself down and it begins to work as I slowly feel my eyes begin to close.
“Meg.”
I hear my name uttered from a far off location. I begin to rock along with the violent waves in my dream. My stomach turns as the motion becomes more vicious.
“Meg.”
My eyes shoot open and I see Quin bending down over me.
“You need to get up, now.”
I toss the blanket off, get up, and follow him into the living room. The monitor is displaying work orders for the day, showing Naomi and her roommates as last minute add-ons to the rotation.
“Looks like you’re going to get your wish,” Quin says at my back.
“We need to get a move on if we’re to get you two on board the ferry,” Jagger says, as he lays out tools on the top of the dining table. He picks up a thin metal thread, which he inserts into a menacing-looking device that is clutched tightly in his hand.
“What is that?” I ask.
“It’s an encoder. I need to program Bea and Karl’s details into these threads and then implant them into your wrists. Everyone is scanned before they are allowed onto the ferries.” Jagger rolls up his sleeve, revealing a bar code just under the surface of the skin
