Chapter 34
“Just as we prepare boys to be future New America leaders, we must also prepare girls to be their wives. This order establishes the Academy of Eve. All orphan girls aged five and under will automatically become wards of the academy, and we are finalizing an incentive plan for families who wish to secure prosperous futures for their daughters by enrolling them.” - Excerpt from a video message from New America President Soren Whitman to the New America population
Briar
No one else seems suspicious.
The Dust Walkers and Tiders are sitting at tables in the Hub, happily shoving food into their mouths.
Ingrid’s soldiers passed out containers for everyone. Inside each one was a big container of peanut butter, bread, dried meat, and dried apples. The containers were stuffed full, each with more food than we’ve been getting in five full days.
“I’ll get started,” Marcus—but not really Marcus—says from the front of the room. “If anyone didn’t get food, raise your hand and we’ll get you some.”
We. He and these New America assholes have become we. Why doesn’t anyone else seem to notice?
I try to look casual as I glance around the room. Nova’s not here. Neither is Adele.
The longer I look, the harder my heart pounds.
No Chance. No Breck. No one who stood with Nova back at the beach is here.
They were all armed. I have a small knife tucked into my boot and a holstered gun around my waist. There are at least three dozen New America soldiers in here, and more keep arriving.
They all have guns. I can’t challenge that many people.
We’ve been taken over, but no one else in the room realizes it yet.
“The world has changed a lot since most of us were on the mainland,” Marcus says. “I’m not being hyperbolic when I say that infertility and water shortages are putting the future of humanity at risk.”
The low hum of chatter quiets, people turning to look at him.
“When Soren Whitman saw civilization crumbling in the wake of the virus, he seized control. Some of his methods were militaristic and unorthodox.”
This is a rehearsed speech. Ingrid is watching Marcus give it, probably knowing every word before it even leaves his mouth because she wrote it.
In the wake of the virus. Seized control. Unorthodox.
Not only is it a load of shit; it’s not how Marcus talks. But give these hungry people some peanut butter and they’re complacently buying it all.
Movement beside me makes me glance over. Amira is there, smiling brightly. She passes me a container of food.
“Can you believe this?” she whispers. “We were just talking about peanut butter yesterday.”
We weren’t. It’s her way of telling me to play along until we can safely talk. Marcus is rambling about how misunderstood Soren fucking Whitman is, and there’s no way I can eat while listening to this nonsense.
Some of the Tiders are nodding as he talks. We were actually making progress with some of them. Helping them—trusting them inside our camp—helped them see us in a new light.
I want to run into the jungle, scream until I have no voice left, and never come back.
I did this. The Tiders are lined up like bowling pins, and Ingrid is using her brainwashed version of Marcus to roll a strike.
I fought to bring them into our camp, and now my own people are dramatically outnumbered by pro-Whitman ones.
“No more living like savages,” Marcus says.
“We can stop fighting just to survive. Stop fighting each other and work together. I was briefed on what’s happening back home, and it’s heartbreaking.
People are dying every day because of water shortages.
Women are dying from untested medical procedures by fraudulent doctors promising they’ll be able to get pregnant. ”
What the hell happened to him on that island? I just can’t figure it out. There’s no way Marcus would ever tell Ingrid he’s the leader of an anti-New America uprising. She knew, though.
How did she know? They must have hypnotized him or something. If they have the power to wipe out his memories and entire personality, they could also have a way of seeing what was in his mind before this.
“I know you all have questions, and the time to ask those questions will come. For now, I need you to trust me. Commander Voss and her soldiers are going to secure our camp and keep us safe so we can focus on restructuring. I need to be briefed on the volcano and the damage.”
My focus fades as my mind wanders. Where are Nova and the others? We don’t have a holding cell anymore. They could be captives on the boat Ingrid brought here, or ...
I can’t think about that possibility. I have to believe they’re still alive. They’re in danger, though.
I smile at Amira. “Thanks for bringing me all those canteens earlier. I can’t believe you filled all of them up. Next time we practice archery at our spot, I’ll bring them.”
After a second, she nods. “So we’re hanging out later? Like an hour?”
“Not that long.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
Amira and I know each other so well that I have no doubt she got my message. Fill as many canteens as you can and meet me at the spot in the woods where we practice shooting. I’ll be there as soon as I can.
I’m sick with worry for Marcus. He’s no longer himself in every way that matters, but I can’t fall apart over it. I need to find my friends and get them somewhere safe.
My heart races on my walk to the Sub, where I quickly unlock the thick metal trapdoor embedded in the floor of McClain’s office.
I take out the aromium switch and pack it into the backpack I grabbed from the gun room.
Nova gave me one key, kept another one for herself, and locked the other two keys inside the storage area with the switch.
We wouldn’t let Marcus have access to them since he almost died after his last aromium switch.
I add a few guns and some ammo to the backpack, but I’m careful to keep it lightweight so it doesn’t draw attention.
My mind races as I leave the Sub. This is a dangerous move, but it’s the only one I have.
In the center of camp, Olin is sitting with the Rising Tide children in the shade of a tree, one of Ingrid’s soldiers counting the kids. I walk over, smiling sheepishly.
“Olin, I’m restocking and I can’t carry one of the crates I need by myself. Can you give me a hand?”
“Sure.” He gets up from the ground, looking at the soldier and saying, “I’ll be right back.”
“Olin!” one of the girls calls after him.
My heart squeezes. I’m about to force him to make a tough decision.
“Are we going to the storage room?” he asks, falling into step beside me.
I nod, checking to make sure no one can overhear us. “I have to get out of here. Now,” I say softly. “Please come with me.”
Olin played everyone at Rising Tide for a long time, convincing them all he was mute. He doesn’t show any reaction as we continue walking to the supply room.
“What about the kids?”
“I think they’ll be okay. I think all the Tiders will be okay. It’s the rest of us I’m worried about, and I need help.”
“Okay. What should I do?”
I breathe easier knowing he’s willing to come. I slide the straps of my pack from my shoulders.
“You know the place you went with me and Amira to practice archery a couple weeks ago? Go there and hide. I’ll be there soon.”
I pass him the backpack and he takes it, nodding. “Where are you going?”
“To get someone else.”
“I can help you.”
I lock my eyes onto his. “Getting yourself and that pack to a safe place is how you’re helping me. I’ll be there soon. Go.”
Turning before he can say anything else, I move to the side of a tool storage shed, then behind it, where I’m out of sight.
The sun hasn’t set, but dark-gray storm clouds loom above, smothering the sunlight. It makes it easier to creep from building to building unseen.
My hand twitches with the urge to pull my gun from my holster. But I can’t risk it. If Ingrid’s soldiers stop me, I need to be able to play dumb.
I move into the jungle, using it for cover until I’m back at the beach where Ingrid’s giant boat is docked. I count fifteen uniformed soldiers, some still stacking crates on the beach.
There, Chance, Adele, and Stella are sitting in the sand, all three handcuffed. Two armed soldiers are guarding them, one of them mopping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand and then looking up at the sky.
Movement catches my eye and I find Nova at the edge of the beach near the jungle, her hands and ankles cuffed. She’s lying on her side in the sand, stacked crates obscuring the soldiers’ view of her.
I close my eyes, trying to come up with a plan. I have a gun and a knife. Neither of those will help remove her cuffs. With her ankles restrained, she won’t be able to move much.
Think, Briar.
If only I still had the aromium switch. With aromium on, my increased strength might be enough for me to carry Nova.
When I open my eyes, I see that Nova’s not alone. I know that long brown hair with gray streaks. It’s Ellison, kneeling in the sand, her hands wrapped around the handles of a massive bolt cutter.
I exhale softly, relieved. I should have known Ellison wouldn’t stand by while her wife is being held captive.
A crack of thunder sounds, and Ellison uses the cover of the sound to cut through the cuffs on Nova’s ankles, her brow furrowing with the effort.
Nova immediately gets into a crouching position. I can’t hear them, but from their expressions, I think Nova’s telling Ellison to run and Ellison’s refusing.
The rain starts then, skipping the drizzle and going right to a downpour.
“Get ’em on the boat!” a soldier calls.
I stay hidden as soldiers make Chance, Stella, and Adele stand and walk up a ramp to board the boat, guns pointed at them the entire time. A soldier walks toward Nova.
Covering my mouth with my hand, I watch in horror. Nova practically hisses at Ellison, who moves to hide behind the stacked crates. If the soldiers on the boat or the ones on the ramp turn, they’ll see her.
Nova lies down on her side again, putting her ankles together and moving them behind her. It’s not even two seconds later when the soldier rounds the corner and sees her.
“Get me the fuck out of this rain!” she bellows, snarling at him. “I could get hit by lightning!”
He shakes his head and goes back the way he came, calling out to the other soldiers.
“That bitch needs a shower anyway! I’m leaving her here.”
Well played, Nova.
A few of them laugh, all of them rushing to get out of the rain. It’s pouring so heavily it’s hard to see through it.
This is my opening. I crawl from the cover of the jungle onto the sand, moving as fast as I can to get to Nova and Ellison.
I reach them, but Nova immediately grabs me and flips me onto my back, the breath whooshing from my lungs.
“Stop, it’s Briar,” Ellison hisses. She drops to her knees beside me. “Are you okay?”
“Fine,” I manage, the word lodging in my throat.
“Sorry,” Nova says. “Shit, you were coming to rescue me, weren’t you?”
I’m finally able to suck in a full breath. “How are we going to get to the others on that boat?”
Nova takes my hands and pulls me to my feet. “We’re not. Not yet. We have to get the hell out of here. Now.”