The Harvest (12 page)

I try to stand still, to look impassive as I listen to Eli rattle on, watch my father, and process what's unfolding in front of us.

“Eli.” It's Demeter's voice now. “Vale is in Windy Pines with his father. Something is going on. Stand by.”

A hundred, no, maybe two, three hundred hands are in the air, defiant fists above the crowd, wrapped in red, organized to form a pattern, a sign, but what is it? More hands join in. More red. Visible only from above, from the raised platform my father and I stand on, the symbol becomes clear. A slow smile spreads across my face. At my side, Aulion growls and signals for the nearby soldiers to head into the crowd.

“Arrest anyone with a scrap of red on them.” He turns to the SDF soldier behind me. “Get me drone footage from every angle possible. I want access to every open network in this quadrant. Pull up Personhood and activate the facial recognition program. I want names.” He points at one of the black ops now hovering uncomfortably close to me. “Notify Madam Orleán.” He turns toward me with a look so sharp it could flay the flesh off my bones. “She'll want to see exactly what's going on.”

“I had to disconnect you, Vale,” Demeter says. “Sector security probes are looking into this connection. Eli's gone now.”

All I can see is red. The letter R.

Resistance
.

10 - VALE

Spring 76,
Sector Annum
106, 13h21

Gregorian Calendar: June 3

We've got over sixty under arrest. We're tracking the rest down.

Where are you holding them?

Some in the cell here at the town hall, but there's not enough space. The rest are in a warehouse by the airfield.

You've got back-up security around the perimeter of town?

Of course.

Demeter tapped into the security system to monitor my father and Aulion as they talk about the protest, but there's no audio in the room. Instead, she's monitoring the video and is able to read their lips and translate what they're saying. As she feeds the dialogue, along with her commentary, directly into my ear, I try to remain impassive.

“Aulion hasn't been using the honorific ‘sir,'” Demeter says. “I find this interesting. He's standing at attention, hands clasped behind his back. Your father is pacing.”

In your capacity, General, what do propose we do with the prisoners?

I recommend adopting some of the director's methods.

No. Corine has her ways of dealing with problems and I have mine. I won't go that route. I need another option.

I strongly suggest, sir, that these traitors not be given the opportunity to infect others with their ideology. Especially not after Remy Alexander's video.

A pause. I hold my breath. I can't betray any emotion, can't act like I'm hearing anything. Just a few moments ago, my father and Aulion disappeared—alone—into a room in the Windy Pines town council building, leaving me waiting outside the door, my guards never far.

You must realize how few options there are.

“Your father is upset. Aulion is doing nothing to placate him. If anything, he seems to be provoking him. Aggressive body language, slight sneer, hostile
tone.”

Treason is like a virus and we must inoculate ourselves against it. We must dispose of this problem before—

Dispose? Like Evander disposed of the problem at Round Barn? Look where that got us. We won't be using those tactics again. Do I make myself clear?

Is Aulion suggesting murdering the protesters? It seems too far-fetched even for him, but I can't imagine another possibility.

“General Aulion has said nothing. He's standing motionless in the center of the room.”

I know what you're suggesting, Falke, but I won't do it. I refuse to take that step.

There's a long silence. Demeter says nothing. I can only imagine the tension in the room between my father and the general.

I await your orders, sir.

“Your father seems appeased. He's finally turned back to face the general and his shoulders are more relaxed now.”

Take as many prisoners as you can round up, requisition as many airships as you need, and get them all back to the capital. Lock them up where no one can find them. Keep looking for the others. We'll deal with them all later.

Yes, sir.

The door opens and Aulion strides out. He barely looks at me, but instead speaks to the guards. “Come with me.”

“But—” one of them protests.

“Now!”

“I've pulled up the video system schematic and will continue watching Aulion as he leaves the building,” Demeter says. “Once he's outside, I may be able to get an audio feed if there are security drones monitoring the perimeter of the building.”

After what seems an interminable amount of time, my father appears in the doorway. “Vale?”

I stand to greet him.

“Aulion is taking care of the protestors, and I need you to wait here while I meet with the council members. Then we'll return to the airfield and take the chancellor's airship back to the capital. We'll have some time alone. Just you and me.”

“Vale!” The urgency in Demeter's voice startles me.

“By myself? Are you sure?”

My father looks me in the eye for a long moment. “I trust you.” And then he's gone.

I trust you?
What have I done to merit my father's trust?

“Deme? What's up?”

“It's Aulion. He's contravening your father's orders.”

“He's what?”

“Listen. I was able to record it. As soon as he got outside, on the stage. There are drones programmed to record the speeches and I managed to tap into one.”

Aulion's voice fills my ears. His tone is hushed, but clear. “Set up a perimeter and take only your most trusted troops. Keep it simple and clean. Bolts set to kill. Get a hazardous waste demarcation kit to keep the building off limits. I'm going to issue a lock down order for the whole town. After dark, we'll dispose of the bodies in the woods west of town. There's an old quarry out there. No one will ever find them.”

“Lead me to him.” I say, already moving. I open the door and check the hallway. My father's nowhere to be seen. I don't have a weapon. I don't have a plan. All I know is I have to stop a monster from committing mass murder.

“Take a left here and at the end of the hall, go down the stairs. That takes you back to the lobby and you'll see the main doors out to the stage.” I obey, running down the corridor. Luckily the town hall is practically abandoned. My father and the council members are meeting somewhere, but right now there's not another soul in sight. Everyone must have dispersed after Aulion's troops headed into the crowd. “Just caught him on another camera. Once you're outside, take the steps to the right of the stage and go around the building. Aulion is heading for a hovercar parked out back, the black ops in tow. What are you planning, Vale?”

I have no idea.

I fly down the stairs and burst through the doors, taking the steps out front beside the stage two at a time. I round the corner and see Aulion in the distance. Screeching to a halt, I press myself up against the building. There are two SDF soldiers waiting at the hovercar. I can't take them all down, and I can't risk them getting in that car. Before I can decide what to do, Aulion stops. He points and everyone turns to look into the distance. After a few moments, the SDF troops take off behind the building where I can't see them anymore. Aulion talks to the OAC soldiers and a moment later they get in the car and pull out, leaving Aulion behind.

I pause, unsure of what to do. Do I try to follow the black ops who are probably headed toward the prisoners? Or the man who gave the kill order, and who could reverse it?

It has to be Aulion. He'll only be alone for a moment. I don't have long. He remains in the parking lot, standing stock still, head cocked slightly as if listening to something I can't hear.
A C-Link?
I wonder if he finally managed to convince the Board of Directors he needed one.

After a moment, I realize he's heading back my direction, toward the town council building.
What's he up to?

As he walks, he puts his hand on the butt of his holstered Bolt. Unarmed, even with the element of surprise, I realize forcing Aulion to recall the order will take more than training and luck. I need a weapon. Still hidden by shadow, I slide back around the corner of the building, bound up the steps, and push through the door into the lobby. It's still empty, quiet as a morgue except for my footsteps. I sprint toward the information desk and hurl myself over it. And there it is. A small hand-held fire extinguisher. I pop it out of its holding clip and check the pressure gauge. Perfect. Trigger-loaded like a grenade, I pull the pin and wait. Aulion will have to walk right past me.

The door opens, and footsteps echo in the empty room.
Closer. Closer. Closer
. I wait until he is just past the desk, then launch myself at his back, the trigger of the extinguisher clasped tight in my hand.

Damn, he's fast.
He's already pivoted when I make contact, Bolt clear of its holster. I knock him flat, but he uses his shoulder to break the fall and brings the Bolt around toward me. I don't give him a chance to aim. I twist around and press the fire extinguisher's trigger, blasting him in the face, white foam piling up like a chemical ice cream sundae. He bucks me off his back with an unearthly roar, clawing at his eyes with both hands as his Bolt skitters across the tile floor. With my free hand I stretch out to grab the weapon, clutching the fire extinguisher in my other hand, not daring to let go.

Aulion wipes the foam from his face with a sleeve and struggles to get to his feet. I don't wait. I leap at him, pressing my knee into his chest and the bulk of the fire extinguisher into his throat. I hold the Bolt in my right hand, pointed at his head.

I push the fire extinguisher hard enough into his throat that his breath comes in ragged gasps. Evander's words ring in my head:
Aulion always said you were a coward.

“Rescind the order,” I say, jamming the Bolt into his temple.

He laughs. A bizarre sound barking out from his white-flecked, scarred face. “No.” His voice is rough as he squints up at me with weeping, bloodshot eyes, rimmed in red.

“Call them off!” I push my knee harder into his chest, constricting his breathing, making it clear I would have no trouble killing him.

“How did you know?”

“Maybe your troops aren't as loyal as they seem.” Might as well take the opportunity to sow some divisiveness and suspicion. “Give the order now!”

He wipes his face again, then spits at me. “They're as good as dead already.”

“There's still time. Give the order or I'll shoot.” Aulion doesn't respond. “You've got a C-Link,” I say, hoping like hell I'm right.

“Do your worst, Valerian.”

I press the fire extinguisher into his throat hard enough that his eyes start to pop out and he gasps for air. His lips turn blue and he kicks frantically against my legs. Then I see his eyes roll back into his head and I know he's unconscious. I immediately let up on the pressure, but keep the fire extinguisher in position.

For an instant, everything is quiet. Then Aulion draws in a heavy, rasping breath. I can see the fine webbed lines of burn scars on the right side of his face and neck. With cellular reconstruction, most scars can be healed, but Aulion was too old when he was burned. I still don't know how it happened. Soren hinted one time that he had some ideas, but he never shared them.

“I had every intention of leaving you for Soren to finish off—he's claimed that task for himself—but if you don't give the order right now, I'll have to disappoint him.” Aulion starts to say something, but I shove the Bolt into his skull so hard it'll bruise.

“Give the order,” I say, more quietly this time. “And I'll let you live to fight another day.”

“I'm not afraid to die,” he says, his voice low and raspy. I can feel his breath on my cheek.

“You're telling me you'd rather die by my hand than spare the lives of Sector citizens who did nothing other than raise their fists in protest?” He doesn't say a word.

Everything is silent. I start to count.

“One.” I press the fire extinguisher into his throat again. “Two.” I press harder. “Three. By the time I get to ten, you'll be dead. Four. Five.” His breath is once again coming in rasps. I add pressure with every beat. “Six.”

“C-Link, call them off,” he coughs. “I'm rescinding the kill order.” I exhale. I release the pressure on his windpipe.

“Again. Just to make sure.”
Jeesh,
I think,
is he so lacking in imagination that he hasn't even named his C-Link?

“I repeat, do not fire on the prisoners.”

Inwardly, I relax. His C-Link will relay the orders to the soldiers' comlinks. An invisible weight seems to dissipate and float away. But I don't move.

“I'll give you a gift, General. Just for you. I'll keep your little secret, that you contravened a direct order from the chancellor and decided all on your own to commit mass murder. Of course someone else may turn you in, but I won't. Not just yet.”

His squints up at me. “Tell me how you knew.”

I ignore him. “I'll keep your secret on one condition: you give the order to let the prisoners walk. Exile. Send them into the Wilds. Let them figure out how to survive, but don't transport them back to the capital. Think that's fair?”

“Fair?” Aulion smirks.

“All's fair in love and war, General. This is a good deal for you.”

His voice is almost a growl as he relays the order to his C-Link.

“I can try to get a message to Eli to pick up the prisoners,” Demeter says in my ear.

I try not to smile, but can't help it. “General, instruct your soldiers to transport the prisoners to the border exit at the Windy Pines perimeter on the southern edge of town. They are to enter the Wilds at the guard station there and keep walking due south.”

I feel his muscles tense and can practically see his mind working, trying to figure out what I'm up to, how to throw me off, how to get rid of me once and for all. “I'm waiting.”