CHAPTER THIRTY
Castor
I tugged at the collar of my tuxedo, straightened my bowtie. It was my costume – fitting, considering it was the same suit I’d worn when this all began.
The Fox limousine turned off Mercé Boulevard on to Sunrise Avenue, passing the stalled construction of the Solis Sky Tower and Dominion’s headquarters.
Jacinta, Gemma and Grandfather sat across from me.
Their presence couldn’t dull the high I felt, knowing how close we were to the end.
The fact they still didn’t know what had happened last night made it that much sweeter.
I hadn’t slept at home. Mr Williams let me crash on one of his couches while he took the other.
I doubted he slept, keeping an eye on me, but it didn’t bother me.
The Williamses were the reason I’d be able to push through today.
They treated me like family when mine had done nothing but cause pain for them.
They gave me strength and a place to feel accepted.
I used that strength to walk back into the Fox estate a few hours ago.
I used it to get dressed, to sit this close to the same people who’d rather induce unbearable pain than cure me.
I was numb to them now. I patted my jacket pocket, my phone with the recording of Nova still there. We’d already copied a back-up to Apollo’s ghost network. Nothing left to do but keep my eyes forward.
‘It looks like the local news is gathering.’ Jacinta peered out the window. ‘You both have your talking points from Della? What to say if Mayor Whit wins, or if he somehow loses?’
‘Everything is memorized,’ said Gemma. ‘She also went over sound bites we can slip in about the protests if we need to. We can point out how they’ve delayed the trials on the new medicine this city desperately needs.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘How exactly did protesting delay the trials again?’
‘It’s about the narrative.’ Grandfather nodded toward city hall. ‘We’re here.’
Protestors stood outside the marble building, its gold dome reflecting the sun like a bursting star. The group claiming another solar flare was meant to hit last night had retired their charge. The remaining protestors were the ones brave enough to scream their truth. They felt their pain.
‘I’ve always found their signs catchy. IMMUNE TO BULLSHIT. I feel like Mayor Whit could use that as a campaign slogan,’ I quipped.
‘Castor Jace. If you mess this up for us tonight with that misplaced sarcasm of yours –’
‘When have I ever actually messed anything up, Jacinta? The Starshade rumor and Yvonne Meadows press pieces drove up your stocks. If anything, I added a cool few hundred million to your pockets.’ I glared at her, unable to hold anything back. ‘What are you so scared I’ll do?’
The limousine door opened and police escorts cleared a path for us.
‘You two behave.’ Grandfather stepped out into flashing lights.
Soon we followed, smiling and waving at the cameras.
Our manufactured Fox facade was in full effect.
Gemma stopped to rattle off her script to the press, Jacinta and Grandfather doing the same – expressing their overwhelming support for Mayor Whit.
A familiar reporter held out a microphone to me.
‘I feel like I’ve seen you before,’ I said. ‘But not at these kinds of events.’
‘I’m Ross Graham with SCSN. I’ve covered a lot of the protests and Brenson Moorehouse’s campaign. I thought I’d switch things up today. Maybe catch a sound bite. Do you have one not rehearsed with your family’s PR team?’
I grinned. ‘Give me ten.’
Inside, the large lobby had transformed.
The marble floor bearing the seal of Alta Bay gleamed, freshly waxed, winged-tipped shoes and high heels crossing it.
The reception desks were gone, replaced by a small stage.
Behind it, a holoscreen updated with the latest district vote counts.
South Alta sat at an overwhelming ninety-eight per cent for Brenson Moorehouse of the Legacy Party.
Mayor Whit had underestimated Mr Moorehouse and the fact that the population of South Alta outweighed Crestview and Westlake combined. It would come down to MidCity.
My gaze roamed over the many faces, searching for one.
Nova’s.
I’d asked Pua and Jaiden for their tickets tonight, promising answers to all their questions soon.
One was for Nova, the other for her partner in crime: Apollo Anand.
Apollo had managed to hack the registration system so that when Nova scanned her ID, Pua Fredericks’s information would flash across the screen, and Apollo would register as Jaiden Wilds.
I’d been nervous it wouldn’t work. Seeing Nova across the room now confirmed it had.
She was radiant in a short, fitted dress wrapping her in the golds and fuchsias of the Legacy Party when everyone else here was wearing silver and blue.
She’d reached out to one of the stylists from Della’s team to help with her make-up this morning.
Nova deserved to be camera-ready just as much as I was.
She was my co-star tonight. Thick bangles circled her left wrist, and I tugged my sleeve down over my right.
As soon as I was close enough, I pulled her to me, greeting her with a kiss.
I’d never get tired of kissing this girl.
‘Hi, Castor Cas,’ she said, breathless. She smelled of lemon and mint – the body butter from our first official date. We’d come so far since that day, since the first time we met. And there was so much more ahead of us, together.
‘You look amazing.’
‘Estelle got this dress with one of those infamous Mercé Boulevard Pain Carrier discounts this morning. At least now when people stare at me, I can pretend it’s because I look good, and not because I don’t belong here.’
‘You belong anywhere I am.’
‘A word, Castor Jace.’ The smell of vanilla and apricot drifted in our direction.
I sighed. I expected her to recognize Nova. I’d even considered she might throw us both out, but I’d bet on her aversion to making a scene. I followed my mom to the edge of the room, already over whatever she had to say. She couldn’t ruin this for me. No one could.
Jacinta could barely hide her glower, her lips pressed into the thinnest line.
‘What is she doing here? I told you that nonsense was over.’ She pulled out her phone.
‘You know what, never mind. I’ll have Della draw up a new NDA with a lump sum Nova Williams won’t refuse.
I knew this would happen as soon as your grandfather shared how quickly she’d said yes to his offer.
He said she “sparkled at the arrangement”. ’
I groaned. ‘You mean the hellflare she had while they spoke? That’s low. Even for you.’
‘I’ve been around longer than you. I can see through her kind.’
‘By “her kind”, you mean confident girls from South Alta?’ I scoffed. ‘You know, I thought you’d get it. Pop was from MidCity, working full-time while in school to support his family – just like she is. You were so close to running away together. Did you forget all that?’
‘I told you so you’d learn from my mistake.’
I flinched. She didn’t mean that. She couldn’t mean that. ‘You see Pop as a mistake? Is that why you keep him away?’
Jacinta glared, yanking me closer to whisper in my ear.
‘I loved your father. Don’t you ever question that.
But you need to understand your place and that girl’s place are not the same.
If you want the legacy your Grandfather has planned for you, you have to stay in line.
Like I did. Everything I’ve ever done is for you and Gemma.
Don’t challenge what you don’t understand.
Our way of doing business has given you everything you have – the clothes on your back, the roof over your head.
You think anyone would look at you if it weren’t for the name I gave you, the name your grandfather gave you?
You have the perfect, privileged life. All you need to do is focus on school, play in the water and not mess up our name.
I have everything laid out for you, just like your grandfather did for me. You’d do well not to disturb it.’
I pulled myself free, straightening my tuxedo jacket.
‘The results are in!’ Reporters rushed to the stage.
‘A little change in the status quo could be nice.’ I smiled back at Jacinta. ‘Don’t you want to know who won?’
Apollo approached in a black tailored suit, a thick laptop tucked under his arm. ‘Your phone, Mr Fox?’ He grinned. ‘Are you ready to prove to everyone you aren’t your last name?’
I swapped my phone for the microdrive in his hand. ‘Let’s put on a show.’
I rejoined Nova, taking her hand, then waved over the journalist from earlier. ‘I hope you’re ready.’
Nova and I parted ways. She tried to step on to the stage, but security immediately blocked her.
I hated this part. I walked around to the other side, Nova deliberately drawing the attention of anyone who might try to stop me.
Jacinta was there with Gemma, both yelling at Nova while she looked as unbothered as ever.
I loved how attractive I found that part of Nova’s personality.
Mayor Whit and Grandfather stood at the other staircase, about to go on stage.
‘Hey, Mayor Whit. I was hoping you might let me introduce the two of you.’ I smoothed my hand over my tuxedo jacket, my Fox smile in place.
Grandfather glanced past me to Nova. ‘What are you doing, Castor?’
‘Nothing you wouldn’t be proud of. You taught me my manners.’
His gaze dropped to my freshly bandaged wrist.
I clamped a hand on his shoulder. ‘Deep down, you’ll be proud of me, Grandfather. If not, then I guess I never really knew you at all.’
Mayor Whit scrunched up his face. ‘I think I’ve missed something here.’
Grandfather grabbed my wrist, pressing down on my fresh wound.