Joan Ascends

Chapter 21: A sycophantic sociopath with an inferiority complex

I'm up at dawn the morning I'm going to turn myself in to Strand, adrenaline already pumping through my veins. As I make my way to Harriet's office, my fingers skim the back of my neck. Last night Marie inserted the Mind Manipulator, but the tiny wound is already fully healed, just as she said it would be.

Our interaction was almost exactly as it was in my vision, with one difference. Marie not only gave the manipulator the ability to connect to a cellular signal, but also found a way to ping it remotely, so that my team can send me images through my contact cameras. It's more than I ever hoped for, and just might give me the edge I need to keep my promises and make it out alive.

In her office, Harriet is absorbed with scrolling through blueprints of Strand and identifying parts of the campus that are still unmapped.

"Everything set for today?" I ask her, settling into my favorite chair by the window.

Harriet turns and looks me over, as if she's making sure I'm strong enough for what lies ahead. "Officer Ben and his team will be here at 10 to pick you up, and Lexi has agreed to a press conference outside of Strand."

Harriet had a stroke of genius at the last minute, and turned my entrance to Strand into a public event, with documented footage of me entering Strand's campus. With the rising popularity of the reality series, viewers all over the world will have questions if I never come out.

"I bet Lexi's thrilled to have me at her side on camera again," I joke, trying to lighten the mood.

Harriet sighs, and her whole body droops with fatigue. Her body now has to fight off H2IV every second of every day for the rest of her life, like me. My supply of the antidote is rapidly dwindling now that our entire team needs a dose every few days. Which is another reason why getting inside Strand can't wait. We need to steal their recipe for the antidote, or thousands of people are going to die.

"We were supposed to change the world together, Joan," Harriet says. "What if I screw everything up while you're gone?"

"Are you kidding? You've been steering this ship from the beginning. All I've ever done is knock us off course."

"Some days I want to take Mason and leave this city. Maybe find somewhere off the grid where we could be two people in love, instead of two Throwbacks under Strand's thumb," Harriet admits quietly. "But now, no matter how bad things get, I'm stuck. In the back of my mind, I always knew I could leave this rebellion in your hands, and you'd figure things out. But without you, I'm alone. There will be no running away from it all now."

There are no words of comfort or reassurance I can offer my friend. Harriet leads selflessly, so painting a picture of a future where she is celebrated for her success won't excite her. She may take on the task, but it will be out of duty, not for recognition or power.

"Come on, I want to review the blueprints with you one last time," Harriet says. "Knowing your way out of that building might save your life."

Together, we bend our heads over Harriet's tablet, collaborating one last time before I breach the gates of the enemy.

***

The ride to Strand in Officer Ben's squad car is largely silent. It's an older model with outdated nav software, so it drives a somewhat circuitous route around Seattle as we make our way to Strand.

When we finally pull up in front of the sprawling campus, Officer Ben leans forward, eyeing me through the bulletproof glass separating us.

"Ready for action?" he asks with a raised eyebrow.

"As I'll ever be."

"Anything goes wrong in there, I'm one phone call away," he promises.

His words are kind, but naïve. He assumes that I'll be treated fairly by Strand as long as law enforcement is watching. But I know how differently the law is interpreted when it comes to Throwbacks, and only an Evolved would make the mistake of thinking that all I need is justice on my side to come out of this safely.