Taken (A Dystopian Novel) (The Taken Trilogy), page 22
“The governor has plans to turn all of this around in the near future. Once we secure these areas.” Morse cranes his neck around to us. I translate that to mean, bringing over more people from my world.
By the time we get to Tresling, the sun has traveled across the sky. The city has a more metropolitan feel than Wicker Farm, but Tresling is still a shell of what I imagine it used to be. Overall, the buildings are in much better condition than Wicker Farm. The air is smoldering as we exit the car. We are parked in front of a guarded house. It is a large single-family home, and Morse escorts us inside. The smell of food hangs in the foyer. I’m starving because we have not eaten in hours.
Governor Richards and few other people, including James, Sasha and Brian, are having lunch at a long dining room. Sasha’s smile drops the minute she sees me. What an awkward few days this was going to be. Marco, Morse and I take the three empty seats. I end up sitting across from Sasha. The space between us is cold enough to freeze. She looks everywhere, except for at me. I do the same.
Soon, we stragglers are served.
“Now that everyone is here…” Governor Richards raps his glass with a fork. “I would like to propose a toast. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to welcome you the next generation of Miranda. I have invited you all here because I want you to be the first to know the big news. Tresling is the next step in our rebuilding plan.” His face beams with excitement.
“I will continue to be Governor of Miranda and based in Wicker Farm. I am currently working with Director Harrington who will become the new mayor, but Tresling also needs a mayor. Now all of you are far too young for the job, but Morse is not. In the coming months, he will take over as mayor of Tresling from the interim mayor.”
We all clap during the pause when Richards takes a sip of water. I search Sasha’s face for hints, but she looks just as surprised as I am.
“But a mayor needs a team. These positions would be high-ranking and come with housing, better housing than Wicker Farm, and more rations and exclusive access to the University of Miranda. Jessup beach is nearby, too. We’re in the process of concluding training of new security officers, and we’ll be offering lots of new job opportunities here. Tresling will return to its former glory. Mr. Morse and I have handpicked this group as the potential team to see that it happens.” He smiles at each of us. The group breaks out into a murmur until he clinks the glass again.
“But there aren’t a lot of people here in town,” I blurt. Everyone looks to me.
“There will be,” he says at length. I have never heard three words sound so ominous.
“You’re expanding the resettlement program?” Sasha asks. Her napkin is twisted taut in her hands. Richards blinks or maybe his eye twitches at her.
“We will talk more soon. I invite you to spend some time at the lake or explore further, but stay within the vicinity. It’s still a little dangerous at the fringes. You will be staying in the houses on either side of this one. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy, but tomorrow we have business to attend to before you all head home in the early evening.”
After wiping his hands on his cloth napkin, Governor Richards stands and leaves. I eat slowly without really tasting the food. My thoughts are so heavy they block the sound of everyone’s chewing and conversations. We would be in charge of Tresling. I would have the opportunity to go to a university. In a short period of time, I have already lived a life that I would not otherwise get to have. Aubrey has a better life, too. What am I saying? Moving to Tresling means being away from the machines and further away from getting home.
After lunch, everyone splits up into groups to investigate Tresling. Sasha leaves with her father and Brian, but I’m incredibly anxious to talk to her. Before I walk outside, I see her and Richards having a really intense conversation. I know she didn’t report me, at least I hoped, but I really want to talk to her.
It’s too hot to walk, so Marco and I talk a security officer into driving us around. We wind past a man-made lake nestled between houses.
Tresling is bigger than Wicker Farm, with taller buildings in the distance. There is a lot less security officer presence and when we see them, they wave and say “hello.” People are moving about normally. We drive through what used to be a bustling downtown area. Most of the storefronts are empty, but some have an “opening soon” sign plastered to the window. Also, there’s a functioning movie theatre and a nightclub. Marco points out a sign to a now-defunct train station stop.
“No Resistance here?” I lean forward and ask the officer driving us.
“Nope. Everyone who lives here is either native to Tresling or Miranda in general. During and after The Epidemic, a lot of effort was made keep it stable and secure. It took a hard hit with all the deaths, and the people who never came back after quarantine, though. Still rebuilding, but life is pretty much okay here. Wicker Farm used to be like this until the resettlement program. If he starts it here…” he says. Then, I hear him swear under his breath. “I’m not criticizing the governor about his plans or anything.”
Marco claps him on the shoulder. “It’s okay man. You’re among friends.” The officer nods, but in the rearview mirror, his eyes still hold some anxiety.
“We’re New Rezzies,” I say. He nods.
“I grew up not too far from here in Bradbury,” the officer says.
“The woman I stay with is from Bradbury. Nora Anderson.”
He considers my words for a second, but shakes he head. “Anderson is a common name. Probably don’t know her.”
When we get back to Richards’ house, Sasha, James and Brian are getting into one of the other SUVs. We pull up next to them and the security offer tells us that they are heading to Jessup beach. Sasha rolls her eyes from the back seat. She doesn’t want me to come. I don’t want to make her uncomfortable, but Marco says he’s dying to see the beach. The two of us climb into the very back, and I endure an extremely awkward ride to Jessup beach. Luckily, it’s less than an hour away and soon the city scenery gives way to just partly cloudy skies and ocean. At the horizon, the clouds look like they’re nearly touching the water.
We park in a lot just above the beach on a rock cliff and walk down a set of steps to khaki-colored sand. It’s not a very clean beach. Strewn litter is wedged between the rocks or blowing into the water.
Sasha, who slips out of her shoes, starts to walk the length of the beach, and I try to catch up with her after I take my own shoes off. She allows me to walk along side her but doesn’t speak to me. I wish she would just yell or scream at me. I hate the silent treatment, but she doesn’t keep me waiting for long.
“Everything Brian said about you is true,” she says spitefully. My stomach tightens in anger and hurt. I deserve that. I watch the water drag sand away. A weak wave dies on shore and skims my feet. She slams her shoulder into me, which catches me off guard and I stagger sideways. She waits with her hands on her hips until I regain my balance.
“You won’t be able to just kiss me this time and make everything better. I can’t believe you stole from me, Jackson. I’m so angry. You know how I feel about you, and you put me in a bad situation. If I don’t keep your secret, you’ll get in a lot of trouble. This is emotional blackmail,” she says, giving me another little shove.
“I know, and I’m sorry. I will never be able to tell you enough how sorry I am,” I whisper. “It was eating me up inside about you getting in trouble for the keycard.”
“I didn’t. I reported it as soon as I noticed it was gone. They must have cancelled it right after you used it, but you have to know, the system keeps track of every swipe. If someone checks, you’re going to have some explaining to do. Why didn’t you just ask me? What were you looking for?”
I take a deep breath to steady myself, inhaling as much courage as I can, and I tell her everything, from the moment Aubrey and I arrived to the present. She listens without speaking. Mostly, she just rakes her fingers through her hair, though at some points when she looks at me, there are flashes of betrayal on her face.
“Were you just using me all this time to get to those machines?” She stops walking and halts me with a palm on my chest.
“I think I fell for you the minute I saw how Aubrey reacted to you. I fought it though. Everything with you has always been real.” I push her hand harder against my chest until I’m sure she can feel my heart beating. Having her hand there makes it beat faster. We smile at each other for a moment, but then she presses her lips together in thought.
“And The Resistance? You really think you can trust them?” She pulls away and wrings her hands. “And you and Charlie…”
“Never went anywhere, but I trust her.”
“Russell?”
“Not as much as I should, but he has the manpower…if we need it.”
“Manpower to do what?”
“I’m not interested in hurting anyone, just distracting your father’s people until we can get away.”
“The last set of houses they burned came pretty close to spreading where people actually live. Jackson, they’re dangerous.”
“They want to go home,” I counter. “Your father can’t bring more people here. It’ll only get worse…for everybody. He’s building Resistance numbers for them.”
She balls her fists. A response waits on her lips, but she shakes her head instead. She grunts in frustration. “Damn you, Jackson.”
“You know we have to stop this and make it right, Sasha,” I say. I put my hands on her shoulders. She looks like she’s having an internal argument with herself. She opens her mouth to speak several times before the words finally come.
“Alright! Alright, but you can’t ever lie or steal from me EVER again, Jackson. EVER… And if you want out, I guess I’ll help you.”
“You would do that?”
“And go against the only parent…the only family I’ve ever known,” she says. She stares at the horizon before we trudge to the large rocks that edge the beach. I climb and pull her up so we watch the waves. We sit side by side with our legs dangling.
“You don’t seem surprised at any of this…” I say.
“Part of me, a part I’m ashamed of, really hoped you would just give up, but I knew you wouldn’t. Even when we first met, you were so determined. I hear it in everything you say,” she explains. “I had a feeling we would get here.”
I caress her cheek. “If this works, I want you to come with me. Not for me, but for yourself. I know you want to find out where your real family is.”
“I don’t know if I can do that…”
My heart twists, and my mind can’t hook the words I want to use to try to convince her. I always assumed she would just come too and finally abandon her loyalty to Richards. But it’s too much to ask.
My eye catches Brian on the far end of the beach. He’s staring right at us even though he’s talking to the rest of our party. My eyes drift to a bird as it squawks above us while gliding across the sky.
“I’m not sure how the machines work and I have no idea where to find the third one.”
“This is crazy, and you have no exit plan.” She hugs her knees into her chest.
“That about sums it up,” I sigh. We climb down and lie on the beach for a few hours until our driver signals that it’s time for us to go. We walk to the parking lot. Sasha and I sit in the back of the SUV on the ride back. I can almost feel Brian’s hatred seeping through the seats, but I don’t care, and I tuck her hand into mine and nuzzle her neck. We watch the gold and pink splashes that wash the sky as the sun dips. Going forward, we will probably only have a few more of these moments.
When we get back to the house, the others retire to the adjacent houses, and Sasha and I sneak away to her room after learning her father is away somewhere in the city. She is the only one staying in Richards’ house so we have it to ourselves for the time being.
In her room, she closes the door and leans against it. She meets my eyes with an inviting smile. Without her beckoning me, I walk over. She is beautiful. I find myself longing for her even though she is right there. I lower my face to kiss her, but stop to take in how beautiful she is.
I kiss her and the feeling of her lips against mine is enough to sedate me. We kiss as if it is keeping us alive, which is ironic since we’re both nearly breathless. My hands slip under her shirt, tracing her toned stomach. She pushes me away slightly and after a pause, she yanks her shirt over her head. She flashes a shy smile at me and crosses her arms over her bra, shifting her weight from foot to foot.
She’s so beautiful that I can’t bring myself to say it without becoming a blabbering fool. My pulse speeds and warm tingles sweep my skin as I wrench out of my shirt.
“I’ve never--”
“Me neither,” I interject and she drops her arms.
“But I want to…” her voice trails off. I take tentative steps toward her, and my nervous fingers push her hair from her face. Then, I pull her against me and the warmth of her skin sends a rush through me. I moan as her hands roam my chest, shoulders, and my back. I did not realize until now how much I love her. The thought of leaving her world without her pains me.
I take her face in my hands, and my palms rest against her cheeks as our mouths meet. As we kiss, our lips find a rhythm, matching the each other’s eagerness and fervor. We lower ourselves to the bed, still kissing without stopping to catch our breaths. I slide one of her bra straps down and kiss its place. Then I kiss her neck, listening to her unsteady breathing.
“One last good day,” she whispers.
“One last good day,” I echo.
*****
The next morning, after breakfast we’re shuttled to downtown Tresling to an office building for a meeting. We sit around a conference table and an assistant distributes files to each of us, but it’s hard to focus. Sasha and I are both still giddy from the day before, and we keep catching each other’s eye from across the table. Marco rams my side with his elbow before he flips open the folder. I angle my face away from him, so that he can’t see that I’m blushing. For the first time, my mind drifts to a fantasy about staying in Miranda, maybe even giving my quest up. And I’m unable to talk myself out of it.
A parade of Governor Richards’ officials and supporters who live and work in the city stroll in. People are far more pleasant and relaxed with Richards here than in Wicker Farm. After several rounds of ice breaker introductions, we’re all laughing like old friends.
“Now that we’re all acquainted, it’s time to discuss business. As my group has been made aware, I have big plans for Tresling. We’re transferring everyone who has adjusted to the resettlement and the Natives here. Based on the survey responses, it makes sense to have everyone living more comfortably here. I plan to turn all of Wicker Farm into a transitional city.”
Glances are exchanged, but no one fills the silence. My throat immediately goes dry. I pour a glass of water and my trembling hands spill some across the table. I chug my glass. Sasha goes pale.
“If you will turn to the first sheet in your folders, you will see that resettlement efforts will triple in the next few months, and by the end of the year, I hope to increase the population by a thousand or so. It’s an aspiration, but I’m going to keep my hopes up.”
“A whole transitional city? How?” Brian asks. Even he looks surprised and concerned. “Could we handle that?”
“Yes, I’ve been training security officers non-stop for several years now in preparation for this. I know there’s a lot of mystique surrounding where people go when they ‘disappear’ from The Institute, but much of the time I’m just recruiting people from there, from other parts of the states, and we have the students who were placed on the ‘security and policing’ track when they first arrived. I’ve prepared thoroughly for this occasion. James can confirm that with his work with security management. Daniels is aware. If you weren’t on this trip, you would’ve been briefed next week, Brian. It really won’t affect you because you’ll be here.”
Clearing his throat, Richards stands. In his eyes is a tinge of excitement. “Two other cities, Clarion and Merth, are next on the list. Soon those will be like Tresling.
New Residents will all start in Wicker Farm and transition will be at minimum three months, and once they are through with transition, we will transfer them to other cities. It will be much more organized than it sounds. Different sections of the city will reflect how far along a New Resident is. The new structure of Wicker Farm is detailed in the information in your folders.”
All of us pull the map of Wicker Farm from the folder. The neighborhoods are color coded, and there are numbers denoting each of the steps the New Rezzies will take from arrival at The Institute until they leave Wicker Farm. The only thing missing on the map is The Clave. It’s not there at all. I point this omission out to Marco.
“Electricity, water, food will become incentives to follow rules…” Richards continues.
“The Resistance doesn’t have any of those, and they’re still in existence,” a woman interrupts.
“Yeah, aren’t you worried about Russell Tremell getting to a whole new group of people?” a man asks. An arrogant smirk materializes on Richards’ face. “No.”
I take this as an opportunity to investigate further. “What’s going to happen to The Clave?” I ask. Richards simply smiles.
18
The Times, They Are A-Changin’
Sasha bites her lip and her face quickly displays fear. She pulls her chair closer to the table.
“Dad? The Clave?” she asks. Richards’ smirk fades when he turns to his daughter, and his face softens. He sighs.
“I’ve been sympathetic to their cause long enough, far kinder than my predecessor, but they’re destroying the city and setting back our rebuilding efforts. They must be dealt with.”
I look at Marco, but he keeps his gaze locked to whatever he’s reading.
