A Hero Rising (5 page)

“Yeah, but he doesn’t go anywhere.
Beach Party Rules
is by the ocean. It’s cyberlicious.” She said the word
ocean
as though it were a mythical place. Skye wished she could take her there.

Even though Skye had to remind her to act like a big girl, in some ways she was growing up faster than Skye would have liked. “Where did you hear that word, cyberlicious?”

Carly shrugged and looked down. “From
Beach Party Rules
.”

“Of course.” They found a spot where the water was shallow enough to stand up and waited for James. Their clothes dripped in the darkness, creating a rhythmic
plink plop
.

“What if he doesn’t come?” Carly whispered. She had about as much faith in strangers as Skye had in Grease’s promises…but James wasn’t a stranger any longer, was he?

“Then we’re stuck in some pitch-black underground sewer. At least there aren’t any moonshiners down here.” Skye’s heart sped up. Maybe there were.

“James!” she yelled at the chute as if the rage in her voice alone would bring him down.

Silence, and then more
plink plop
. Doubt crept in, like the chill of the water catching hold to her bones. What if he didn’t make it? Skye swallowed and summoned her courage. “Come on, Carls, Spread your arms. Search for a way out.”

The chute clanged as if the door had opened and closed. At first Skye thought the guards had locked them in. Or would James do that to keep them safe? A rattling came next. Someone whooshed down.

Was it one of the guards? She grabbed Carly and backed into the corner. “Stay still and don’t say anything until I do.”

Carly grabbed her hand and nodded against her chest. Her little fingers were frozen, and Skye rubbed her hands over them. Not that hers were any warmer.

The person in the chute came down with a splash beside them. Skye held her breath. Long moments passed before he surfaced and gasped for air.

“Skye? Carly?”

She released her breath in relief. “James, we’re over here.”

The water rippled as he swam closer. “Are you all right?”

“Wet and cold, but otherwise alive.”

“Good.” He found their incline and waded toward them. She wanted to reach out and feel him just to know he was there and not some imaginary hope. She held out her hand, feeling the air before her. But he didn’t move, surprising her. He’d just held her hand through the entire party upstairs. Why not now?

“What’s the plan? Carly and I were just feeling around for a way out.”

“There’s something I have to show you, Skye.” His voice was serious and steady, as if he’d planned it all along. Her heart jumped. Would he tell her now he was a monster in disguise? No, not James the hero.

“What?” she shrieked.

She sensed movement in the darkness, like he had pulled something from his pocket. The room erupted in neon green light. As her eyes adjusted, she could discern a low ceiling, two channels running out into corridors beside them, and James, his head glowing like a light bulb, illuminating everything within ten feet.

“Cyber beans!” Carly whispered below her.

Skye yanked her hand back against her chest. Betrayal burned in her heart, despite the fact that he’d never promised her anything. She’d thought he was a hero, but he was no better than Grease, another gang member struggling through lower-level life. Actually, he was worse, the sworn enemy of the Razornecks. “You’re with the Radioactive Hand of Justice?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t have time to tell you. I know Carly’s dad, your husband—”

“Boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend,” he amended. “You told me he’s a Razorneck.”

Her tone turned cool. “That would make us enemies.”

“I don’t want to be your enemy. I want to help you.”

Skye’s head whirled like someone had turned her upside down. She clung to what she knew. “That’s what the Radioactive gangmen do—they help everyone out. But some people don’t want your meager offerings. They want to pave their own way in the world.”

“I understand that. What we have issue with is how they do it. They can’t just take things for themselves and not share it with others.”

“You’d turn into another government. Before you knew it, the handouts would run dry. Just like they did years ago.”

“We don’t want that. We want the people to rule.”

“That’s not what I’ve heard.”

The air fizzled with dissonance between them. Grease used to love to talk about how the Radioactive Hand of Justice would be another useless government. Telling people what to do and how to do it. Rewarding some with food while punishing others they didn’t think deserved it. How could she trust James?

What choice did she have?

Carly broke the silence as if his affiliations didn’t matter. “Can we go now?”

James offered his hand, his palm shining in the light of his gang’s colors. “I want to help you, Skye. My people found an unfinished colony ship. We can get you out of here if you’re willing to come with us. If not, I can show you the way. You can go back to your apartment and wait for your boyfriend. But you have to evacuate this city one way or another. Once the moonshiners take over—and they will—the world leaders will deem this area contaminated and nuke it. Nothing in this city will live.”

Skye shivered as she listened to his words. She’d grown to hate the Razornecks, but to go against them completely and side with the enemy was a risky move. Was the Radioactive Hand of Justice any better?

Underneath all her misgivings, she knew she still trusted James. How could a man that went out of his way to save them, and allowed them to tag along to the point where they’d jeopardize his mission be bad news?

She hated to admit it to herself, but she liked him. Going with him was the best for Carly, hands down. He made more of an effort to keep her safe than Grease had done in the three years she’d known him. Besides, he’d saved her and Carly, and she owed it to him to help him out.

“So are you with me or not?” James’s hand didn’t move.

Skye’s heart was a storm of vulnerability. James radiated more than just neon light, and she felt like a moth drawn to his flame. She’d never felt this way about Grease. And yet, he’d ripped her heart out when he left. To have feelings for someone else so soon after Grease left scared her more than the thought of moonshiners at her door.

If she weren’t careful, she’d hurt herself in more ways than one. But James was all they had, and she needed to put Carly first. Steeling herself, she stepped forward and slipped her hand in his. “I am.”

“Good.” He looked away as if collecting his emotions, and then pointed with his free hand. “This way.”

Chapter Seven

A Piece of Paradise

James’s hair reflected off the rippling water, casting ghostly light down the corridor. In the darkest, deepest passageways of Earth, he thought of Mestasis flying a parsec away, barreling through star-studded deep space.

Did she think of him? Or did steering the ship consume all her energy? In a way he wished it did, because she wouldn’t have to bear the ache plaguing his own heart. But he also yearned for her to remember him. Would she look back five hundred years from now, when his bones were dust, and the
Expedition
neared Paradise 18? She’d be more machine than woman, absorbed into the mainframe to sustain her so she could continue to drive the ship. Would she think of him then?

Skye and Carly splashed behind him, stealing his thoughts from the heavens to the sewer. Skye’s decision to go with him brought him immense relief. He couldn’t imagine a young woman and a little girl wandering through the breached city to that trashed apartment, waiting for a Razorneck who probably wouldn’t come home. The Radioactive Hand of Justice would take them in despite their affiliation. With him they’d have a better life.

If I can get to the ship in time.

James squelched his doubt. When there was no room for error, he didn’t make mistakes. Everything was going according to plan. He still had the miniscreen with the flying program and the coordinates, and he’d made it to the center of the city where Thadious Legacy’s tower stood. Next he had to find a hovercraft.

Saving Skye and Carly brought him a measure of happiness against all the turmoil raging inside his chest. He liked Skye. Almost too much. Enough for guilt to coat every word he said to her. Mestasis was his love, and no one else could ever come close. Yet, Skye deserved better than a dingy apartment and boyfriend who would never come back. She was lovely and tough, with a princess-like grace and a strong sense of self. She could hang from a balcony and trudge through the sewers all to save a little girl who wasn’t hers to begin with. The way she cared for Carly showed him how tender and loving her heart could be. She and Carly deserved their own paradise, and he wanted to give it to them.

More reason to get moving.

James quickened his pace as the air grew warmer, signaling they were walking below the next building: Thadious Legacy’s tower. He spotted metal rungs on the cement and put up his hand for Skye and Carly to stop sloshing around.

“What is it?” Skye whispered, joining his side.

“I’m listening.”

“For what?”

“Movement.”

She put her hands on her hips, green eyes gleaming. “I thought you said there wouldn’t be any guards.”

“That’s not who I’m listening for.”

The moonshiners may have beaten them to it. If so, he wasn’t about to emerge in a room full of speeding maniacs. But the upper levels were silent. With Morpheus charging the moonshiners’ systems, there was no way they could keep still for that long.

“I think the coast is clear.”

James climbed first, lifting a metal grating just enough to peer out of the hole. The basement could have been a royal throne room. High ceilings jutted in shadows with hanging crystal chandeliers. The floor was black-and-white checkered marble, contrasting with floral tapestries on the walls. An antique Lamborghini Reveneton rested on a pedestal under a clear plastic cover.

“We’re definitely in the right place.” James pushed the grating aside and hefted himself up. He offered Carly his hand, wondering if she’d finally accept his help.

Carly shot him a wary look. She may have realized she didn’t have a choice, because her little hand darted up and she grabbed on. He lifted her, careful not to squeeze her hand too hard, yet she let go immediately after finding her footing and scurried a few feet away. James sighed. At least he’d made some sort of headway. Maybe next time she’d actually talk to him.

James offered his hand to Skye as Carly looked around.

“Why does the hovercraft have wheels on it?” Carly lifted the corner of the cover and touched the orange painted body.

“It’s not a hovercraft, Carls, it’s a car,” Skye said, regaining her balance as James pulled her up.

“What’s a car?”

Skye looked at James as if it was a tough question to answer. James tried to explain. “A long time ago, there weren’t as many buildings, and people had room to drive on the land instead of riding in the air.”

“Where did everyone live?”

Her question impressed him. She was a smart little girl for someone not educated in the high-rise Academies. “There weren’t as many people back then, so we didn’t have as many buildings.”

“Oh.”

Skye took Carly’s hand. “Come on. We need to help James find a hovercraft.”

“It’s okay.” James waved his hand. “I’m still thinking about the quickest way up. Legacy would have parked the hovercrafts on the higher levels, maybe even on the roof.”

Before he could search for an elevator, Carly screamed, the sound shrill and full of terror. James whipped around and drew out his laser, pointing the barrel at a set of yellow, glassy eyes. The beast stood a whole foot taller than Carly, with white whiskers as long as her arm and a black and orange striped hide.

“It’s stuffed,” Skye said, putting her hand gently on James’s arm. “The thing’s probably been dead for over a century.”

James sighed in relief and lowered his laser. “I think I’ve seen too many of those moonshiners. They’ve got me jumpy.”

“We’re all jumpy,” Skye said with a sympathetic smile. She squeezed his arm before removing her hand. Before he could respond, she jogged over to Carly. “It’s called a tiger—an animal that used to live on Earth. Go ahead, touch its fur.”

Carly reached out, cringing at the same time. “It’s soft.”

“See? Nothing to be afraid of.”

While they petted the stuffed tiger, James searched for a way up. “I think I see an elevator across the room.”

His hopes rose, and he had to remind himself Thadious Legacy may have shut off the power.

“Great! Let’s get out of here.” Skye sounded triumphant.

James kept his own voice flat. “This tower’s three hundred levels. Let’s hope it still works.”

They scuffled over the marble floor, leaving a trail of sludge from the sewers. James pressed the panel, and the numbers lit up. His mood brightened. Thadious Legacy had never struck him as an environmentalist. Made sense he wouldn’t think to save energy for the rest of the world.

They stepped in and he pushed the level for the atrium that Mestasis had spoken of. His stomach grumbled, and he couldn’t imagine how Skye and Carly felt. He had promised the little girl food, and he always kept his promises.

Elegant music played on the intercom system as the elevator rose. Sweet strings swelled in a melancholy melody accompanied by flute trills. The serene ambiance contrasted with the dire situation, making James feel as though Thadious Legacy mocked him from space.

Skye locked eyes with his, steadying him, helping him to refocus his thoughts. “I hope there’s a hovercraft here.”

“He has everything else: classical music, antique cars, chandeliers—you’d think he’d have at least one utility vehicle.”

“If you look hard enough, you just may find another colony ship somewhere on one of these levels. Heck, maybe even another planet.”

“Yeah, stashed right next to the crystal wine glasses.”

Skye shrugged. “We might as well just stay here, invite your friends, have a party.”

James chuckled. “I’ve never heard you use sarcasm.”

“Just wait. You have a lot to learn about me.” Her eyes teased him.

“Good stuff, I hope.”

“Depends on what you’d call good.”

Carly pulled on Skye’s shirt, interrupting. “I don’t want to stay here. The music is scary.”

Skye smoothed her hand over the stray wisps of blond in Carly’s hair. “Don’t worry, Carls. We’re not staying long.”

The elevator beeped, and a smooth voice announced, “Level Two-hundred and forty-three. Enjoy.”

A wave of humid air hit them in the face like a tropical bath, smelling of sweet blossoms. Vines draped in front of them, and James pulled the greenery back for them to enter. The walls were made of glass. Sparkling stars winked at them in the velvety black sky. Even this floor rose above the city lights.

“What is this place?” Skye’s eyes widened.

James averted his eyes from the stars and who they reminded him of. He pulled an apple hanging from the branch of a tree, feeling the smooth peel under his fingers. “Pit stop for lunch.”

“Smokin’ cyber beans!” Carly took off, jogging down a row of fruit trees. She stopped and grabbed a cherry, probing it with her fingers until the skin broke and juice flowed out. “Is it really real?”

“Carls, don’t eat that. It might be poisonous.”

“She’s fine,” James assured her, taking a bite of the apple. The sweet tartness stung his tongue. “This is Thadious Legacy’s private greenhouse, used to grow all his own food.”

She watched him swallow the bite. He saw her calculating behind her sharp eyes, weighing the risk against her own hunger.

“I guess if it was good enough for him, then it’s good enough for me.” She knelt down and pulled a tomato off a spindly vine.

He threw her an apple, shining in the moonlight, bright as a new toy. “Eat as much as you can and fill your pockets. I’m not sure when we’ll have more food.”

“Like this? Probably never,” Skye said as she bit into the tomato and juices flowed down her chin. She brought her hand up to stop it and looked back at him sheepishly, as if there were table manners in an abandoned greenhouse at the end of the world.

James smiled. His gaze flitted to where the juice ran down her chin to her neck and he turned away, embarrassed. How could he notice such things when Mestasis was off flying the ship with input holes drilled into her head? He busied himself by picking fruit for the ride.

“Look what I found, Skye!” Carly dangled a carrot by the roots. Moist soil clung to her little fingers. Cherry juice stained her lips, and she’d stuffed her cheeks to bursting with berries.

After filling his pockets with apples and oranges, James found Skye digging up potatoes with her fingers. “I’m going hovercraft hunting. You and Carly stay here and rest. I’ll come get you if I find anything.”

“Sure thing.” Skye flashed a reassuring smile and held his eyes with her own. “Be careful.”

Her words hung heavily in the air between them. He wondered if her concern ran deeper than the fact she needed him to save her and Carly’s life. The urge to comfort her grew inside him. He had always been a caretaker, and Skye’s vulnerable position drew him in. James ran his finger along her cheek, wiping away a streak of tomato juice. As he touched her, an insistent pain ached inside him.

Not again.

Romance couldn’t snare him twice. Losing Mestasis had almost killed him, and he never wanted to reopen that wound. Caretaking was one thing, loving, another.

He pulled back, his voice cold. “I’ll return soon.”

Just as he turned to step away, the elevator beeped, a jarring sound invading their private pocket of paradise. He jerked his head up, watching as the doors closed and the platform plunged to the lower levels.

“Is it returning to Level One automatically?” Skye’s voice cracked. Her fingers trembled, dropping the potato. It bounced once and landed by James’s boot.

“Not sure.” James slipped out his laser. “One way to find out.”

They waited as the numbers on the panel decreased. It took ten minutes for the platform to reach the bottom, but neither of them moved. Carly hummed in the background, skipping among the berry bushes. The beeps ceased as the platform reached ground level.

James held his breath, feeling like he’d sucked a storm inside his chest. A burst of new electricity buzzed, and the elevator rose with a new series of beeps.

Skye gasped and whispered as if the intruder could hear her from three hundred levels below, “Someone’s coming.”

James raised the laser to the door. “Let them come.”