The Forsaken (43 page)

I look up through the metal grate above us and just see darkness. By the time I look back down, the light from outside has narrowed to a two-foot band as the false wall closes. Then just a slit.

And then there’s nothing but the dim light of the elevator’s digital display, as the dune seals with a clattering crash.

The elevator continues moving upward.
Is it really over?
I can’t come to terms with that idea. I feel more tired than I’ve ever felt before.

“How high does it go?” Liam asks. He sounds exhausted now, just like me. Neither of us expected that a place like this would exist at the end of our journey.

“Eight levels,” Dr. Elliott says.

“And tunnels branch off at each one,” another man with a long beard adds. “Don’t worry. There are plenty of safe rooms inside here. The rock won’t collapse on you.”

We keep ascending. I’m still hot and sweaty, but I feel a chill pass over me. The makeshift elevator clangs and groans as it bears us upward. “We need to rescue our friends,” I say. “We have to go back to the wheel.”

“We can talk about that later,” Dr. Vargas-Ruiz replies. “First you need water, food, and rest—in that order. Then you’ll be briefed on the Destiny Station and our mission here. You’ll meet the other kids that we’ve rescued from Island Alpha. And hopefully, you’ll help us work to bring down the UNA and establish a fair society in its place.”

I sense from her voice that she’s not telling us everything about her agenda. But I don’t want any more surprises or secrets.

“So that’s it?” I ask. “We just get to live here from now on? There’s got to be a catch.”

Suddenly, Minister Harka’s terrifying visage flashes across my mind. I tighten my grip on Liam’s hand.

What if this is all a trap, and we’re being set up somehow?

But Minister Harka is dead. I saw him die on the wheel. So if there is some dark surprise that awaits us in the heart of Destiny Station, it has to be something else. But what?

The elevator interrupts my thoughts with a jolt, as it comes to rest.

“Level three,” a woman in the back declares. “We’ll take the occupied pods up to level six and start thawing them.”

Dr. Elliott nods.

“This is where you two get off,” Dr. Vargas-Ruiz tells us. “The other kids your age from the island live on levels one and two. You’ll meet them soon enough.”

We follow her out of the elevator and into a wide tunnel carved through the rock, supported by metal beams. A few other people disembark behind us, heading off down another passage. Yellow utility lights hang along one side of each tunnel. They make it bright enough to see but cast odd, gloomy shadows.

“Watch your step and watch your heads,” Dr. Vargas-Ruiz cautions us. Behind me, I hear the elevator start up again.

I feel nervous because I don’t know what’s coming next. If things go wrong, Liam and I are trapped in here, and there’s no place to run. This rock could be our tomb.

But as we walk, I can hear the tunnels buzzing with life. The distant sounds of conversation and laughter echo off the walls, coming from small rooms attached to the main tunnel. I even hear faint strains of acoustic music every now and then, and realize they must have instruments up here.

Soon more adults emerge, as our tunnel intersects with a larger one. Like an ant colony, this intricate maze seems to be created from a series of tight crisscrossing tunnels.

“You’ll get to know everyone eventually,” Dr. Vargas-Ruiz tells us. “Two thousand people isn’t as many as you’d think. In a week or two, it’ll seem like home.”

“Are there any windows in this place?” I ask.

“There are some rock crevices to look out of, on the highest levels. We mainly use them to keep watch. We’ve built an access tunnel to the top of the rock as well. At night we often go out there for air.”

As we pass people in the tunnels, they wave and smile at me and Liam. I wave back. It’s clear they know we’re new arrivals. I realize that almost everyone here probably went through an experience similar to ours, assuming Dr. Vargas-Ruiz is telling us the truth.

We are the rebels now,
I think, hardly believing that I’ve become the very thing the GPPT purportedly tested for. Our government’s paranoia and fascism has created exactly what it feared the most.

I think back to how I was in New Providence: shy, quiet, and a little mousy. An orphan shut inside the confines of her own mind within a society that ultimately didn’t understand her.

But that was before Gadya taught me how to stand up for myself.

Before David and Veidman taught me to question the reality around me.

Before Rika reminded me of the importance of being generous and kind.

And most of all, it was before Liam taught me how to fall in love.

Three boys roughly my age stream right past us. No one jostles anyone. Everyone seems polite and respectful.

“This way,” Dr. Vargas-Ruiz says, steering us onwards, past more kids.

I’m suddenly self-conscious. Everyone here looks so clean and normal that it’s almost shocking. I can smell their soap and freshly laundered clothes. I can’t wait to get out of my zone suit.

“Where are you taking us?” Liam asks, as we navigate another tunnel, going slightly upward.

“To your rooms. After thawing, we generally make new arrivals spend three days in a very informal quarantine—mostly to get them adjusted to life in the station.” She pauses. “We also need to debrief you further, and get you medical checkups.”

She turns a corner, and we follow. A moment later, we reach a large metal door positioned flush in the rock wall. A plaque on it reads
QUARANTINE ROOM
2.

Dr. Vargas-Ruiz opens the door. Beyond it, I see a huge space carved into the sandstone, with rows of lights hanging overhead. There are about ten different cubicles inside, separated by glass walls rising nearly to the ceiling. Each one appears to have a narrow mattress inside it, along with a table and a chair. There are curtains inside each room to pull around the walls for privacy, like in a hospital.

I feel nauseous for a second. These rooms remind me a little of the scanning cells in New Providence.

“It’s just for a few days,” Dr. Vargas-Ruiz says, noticing the looks on our faces. “You’ll each get your own cubicle. And it’s not like we’re going to lock you in or anything—although I’d prefer if you stayed in here for the next three days, for your own safety.” She walks forward and opens up another metal door in the side of the rock wall, displaying a primitive bathroom with a toilet and a shower stall inside. “There are towels on the rack. Fresh tunics and pants as well. You might want to clean up.”

“Definitely,” I say.

She gestures at the cubicles. “You can each pick your own. In a few days, when we’ve thawed out the other pods from your plane, this place will be filled with more kids from the island.”

“What about the Monk’s people?” Liam asks, concerned. “On the island, there are two tribes of us—”

“I know,” she interrupts. “There’s your kind and those you call the drones. The drones are generally just kids whose minds get more affected by the chemicals on the wheel. We tend to keep the different groups separated at first. Just so there’s no fighting. But pretty soon all of that goes away.” She pauses. “Here at Destiny Station, we’re all equals. United by a common cause.”

Liam nods.

“I’ll send a doctor to check on you both tonight,” she says. “To make sure you don’t have any tropical fever, parasites, or other medical conditions.” She eyes us. “Do you both feel okay?”

“We’re fine,” I tell her as Liam nods again.

She moves back over to the main door and opens it. “Someone will be in shortly with food.”

She steps into the tunnel and closes the metal door firmly behind her. Liam walks over to it and checks the handle. Indeed, it isn’t locked. He swings the door open and then shuts it again.

For a moment, Liam and I just stand there in silence, like we can’t believe everything that’s happened to us. Or that we’re still alive.

Then, inexplicably, we both start laughing.

It comes out of nowhere. It’s the sound of being safe. The sound of being overwhelmed. The sound of relief that for the first time in as long as I can remember, we’re not facing imminent death.

But then my laughter slowly fades as I remember that despite our good fortune, our friends are still in jeopardy back on the wheel. Not to mention all the other kids in the UNA just like us.

“Which room do you want?” Liam finally says, gesturing around. “I think they’re all identical.”

We end up taking two cubicles across from each other, so we can leave the glass doors open and talk.

I sprawl back on my narrow mattress. Liam does the same on his. Although our journey is over for the moment, I know that many more challenges await us.

I’m just about to say something to Liam, when the door to the room suddenly opens again. I sit up, expecting to see someone bringing a tray of food. Instead, I see Dr. Vargas-Ruiz.

“Back already?” Liam asks.

“Yes.” She turns to me. “Alenna, there’s someone here who wants to see you.”

I start to feel nervous again. “What? I haven’t even showered yet or anything. And what about our checkups?”

“Those can wait. I thought you could meet with her tomorrow, but she demanded that I fetch you right away.”

“Who?” Liam asks, standing up protectively.

“It’s not my place to say,” she tells him, sounding mysterious. “Besides, this meeting is really for Alenna.” She gazes at Liam with an unreadable look in her dark eyes. “I can’t explain why. Not yet. But it’s her choice whether you come with her or not. If she wants you to, you can.”

“Oh, he’s coming,” I say. There’s no way I’m going to let anyone separate us.

Liam speaks up in agreement. “I go where she goes.”

Dr. Vargas-Ruiz nods. “Fine. I’m actually coming too. These meetings can be stressful. It’s best if I’m present to mitigate any issues.”

Issues?
I’m too tired to even want to know what she’s talking about. But I figure as long as Liam is with me, everything will be okay. I stand up, Liam already at my side.

“Come with me, then,” Dr. Vargas-Ruiz says.

We follow her out of the chamber and back into the hall, wending our way through the network of tunnels. My pulse is racing faster. Liam and I hold hands.

Dr. Vargas-Ruiz finally stops at a wide door. This one is made of burnished wood. It has a handmade sign hanging on it that reads
RECONCILIATION ROOM 6
.

Her fingers tighten around the doorknob. “Alenna, are you ready?”

“Probably not,” I tell her honestly. “Can’t you just tell me who’s in there?”

Liam steps in front of me. “Let me go inside first,” he says.

“You’re worried there’s something scary in the room,” Dr. Vargas-Ruiz intuits. “A threat.”

“Just being cautious.” He glances back at me. “Alenna saved my life in the specimen archive. We watch out for each other.”

“Good. We need people like you and Alenna here.” Dr. Vargas-Ruiz turns the doorknob and pushes the door open. “Just take it slowly, okay?”

Liam steps forward, and I follow him into the room.

The room is small and has a warm yellow lightbulb jerry-built onto the ceiling. There’s a wooden table inside, with a plastic pitcher of water on it and two mugs. In one corner sits a pathetic fake rose in a homemade clay vase. Dr. Vargas-Ruiz moves into the room behind me.

But it’s the person sitting in the chair at the table, looking up at me, who makes my heart skip a beat.

“You . . .” I breathe, feeling my legs start to give way.

It’s not possible. I must finally be losing my mind. That’s the only explanation.

I’ve cracked.

Liam grabs at me, keeping me steady.

“Easy,” he says, but I can barely hear his voice over the rush of blood to my head. “Who is she?” he asks.

The woman in the chair is someone I never expected to see again. Someone I haven’t seen in a very long time.

“Alenna,” she says, still looking up at me.

Now I know I must be going crazy, because her voice hasn’t changed in all the years since I last saw her. It’s the same voice that has played over and over in my head.

A voice I could never forget.

Her hair is short and graying at the temples, and she has a lot more wrinkles. Otherwise, she looks pretty much the same. I just keep staring at her.

“C’mon, tell me who she is,” Liam is saying, sounding worried.

I can only manage a single word before the emotions overwhelm me, and I go crashing to the floor.

“Mom.”

HOMECOMING

I
’
M CRYING SO HARD
that my words catch not only in my throat, but also in the jumble of my mind. Thoughts crash down like waves breaking on jagged rocks. Liam has his arms around me as we crouch on the floor together.

“Your mom?” Liam whispers into my ear. “But I thought you were an orphan.”

I still can’t speak. Not even to him.

My mom half-rises from her chair. “Alenna,” she says again.

Then she rushes around the table toward me. I fall forward into her arms. She feels different from how I remember. Smaller and frailer. But she smells the same: the warm scent of home that has lingered in the corners of my dreams and tattered memories ever since she and my dad were taken.