Inverted

6. Emissary Cove

Ada wants to disappear.

Watching the girl from Reed's Creek exit the transport her voice betrays her desire to disappear, "Hey! Reed Creek!" All eyes turn to Ada, including her adversary. "Sky Landing. Are you from Reed Creek?"

"No, I'm..." Her perfectly contoured face creates every wrinkle possible, and her focused eyes spew a hatred suited for the First 400.

The Reed Creek girl walks over to Ada. "That's Margaret Carnegie. I hear she is the only offspring of Sky Landing for the next six years. We all have real high hopes for her future. She is the Republic's new sweetheart."

"Oh...I...never mind."

"Kidding! She is the worst. My name is Adwin Brownith."

Kostas inserts himself into the conversation, "I'm Kostas Medwine."

Ada takes a moment to register what happened. "Wow. I was thinking 'oh man I really misjudged this girl.' My name is Adelaide Porter, but my friends call me Ada."

Silence. Awkward.

"You called out over the entire crowd to get our attention, Ada. Is there something you wanted?" The weight of Adwin's hand on Ada's shoulder is comforting.

"I...I saw you on the transport getting upset, and I don't know. I felt compelled to speak with you. Are you ok?"

The abruptness of the female voice on the loud speaker goads a scream from Ada, "Please proceed to the lobby, scan your Advantage X, and follow the instructions given. Please proceed to the..."

Adwin speaks over the woman, "Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for checking on me."

"Yeah, of course. Sorry to bother you. Good luck this week."

Ada rushes away towards the tower entrance.

"Ada!" Adwin's words stop her right in front of the entrance. "Your necklace is beautiful."

"Thanks. My dad gave it to me. Maybe I'll see you around tomorrow." She continues into the tower. Her mind racing about why she called out to Adwin in the first place cease all thoughts as she stands in the midst of the most awe-inspiring place she has even seen. There are seventeen elevators in front of her and no ceiling. Looking up she can see the night sky framed by the balconies of the rooms above. The lobby walls are gold-plated wood. Scenes of starving families, hand-to-hand combat, and war-torn infrastructure — all scenes from the Great Fall — are carved into the right wall; and the First and Second Cities, the hyper loop, and smiling families are depicted on the left. Under the cheerful scenes of the new Republic Ada sees the hand plates and rushes over to them.

Just as she reaches out to place her palm on the reader, a pair of hips swing and spin her arm out of the way. It's Sky Landing. Ada takes a deep breath, closes her eyes and remembers the sun shining on the marble face of her father. "I don't think I ever got your name?"

The girl's long blonde hair almost slaps Ada in the face as she whips her head around to stare silently. Ada had been actively ignored plenty of times by her mother. "Mine is Adelaide. I guess I'll just call you Sky."

"Why don't you do that." The words slide out from under her disgusted smirk. "But you know I don't really think there will be another occasion for us to speak again."

"Let's hope not." Ada offers in agreement. The girl stomps off to the open elevator. Flashing above her as she waits for the glass doors to close are the words, "Margaret Carnegie." Ada calls as loud as she can across the crowd, "Enjoy the ride, Peggy."

The reader glows with Ada's hand pressed against it. The familiar voice from her tragus implants fill her ears, "Welcome Adelaide Porter from Cat's Bridge. Your itinerary has been added to your Advantage X. Please proceed to the floor two hundred and ten. There is an elevator waiting for you." Ada starts walking and the voice continues, "Once you exit the elevator follow the arrows on the wall to your room, twenty-one three zero six. Your roommate Margaret Carnegie has already checked in.