Trellis

9

We meet up in a city in the southern region of Arcadia. Needless to say, it is not cheerful. Rima spends the whole time sobbing on Ley's shoulder, while Cresswell has her head in her hands.

'It's always been risky,' she murmurs, 'but no one takes the threat seriously until it happens to themselves.'

Rima shoots her a glare and goes back to dabbing at his eyes. Ley grabs his hand and squeezes tight.

The next day, we decide to void plan A. Rima forbids it, saying that he never wants to lose someone he cares about again.

I am tempted to fulfil that wish. But I don't know if I can do it.

I have had enough. I sneak down to the nearest library when all of them are asleep and contact Blair via email.

Blair:

I can't do it. Hallett is dead, but I can't do it to anyone else. It's too painful. I want out, or another way to remain free without killing.

I leave it unsigned and delete my account.

I have to vanish from the country immediately. 

I am not too far from the southern border. With some luck, and my stolen tech, I can probably make it past or die in the attempt. Either way, both better options.

I figure I have a better chance of surviving on wing than on foot. Putting my suit back on, I climb to the top floor of the library and open the program on my wristwatch.

Immediately, the wings begin to flap on autopilot. I simply type in coordinates on the computer and launch myself off the building. Setting it to the highest speed, I feel like a puppet on strings as I soar over the dark city.

If I'm fast enough, I'll be gone before whoever's tracking my computer even realizes it.

Maybe I can mess with the programming, increase my speed by another fraction—

A biting pain in my ankle, and my computer begins to beep. I bite back a scream as I begin to lose altitude. Wind rushing past, I pray for it to be fast.

At the last moment, my wings bank, but I crash into a bush nonetheless. Brushing aside leaves and thorns, I get back onto my feet.

'Stay there and don't move.'

Indeed, there is a man pointing a gun at me. I hold up my hands. 

'Blair says to give you this message.'

'Well, get on with it.'

For a moment, I see my life flash before my eyes. But he huffs and starts to recite the message, occasionally glancing at his wrist.

'Her words, not mine: "We had a deal. Their lives, in exchange for your freedom. Mine, in exchange for yours. You broke that end. I'm giving you another chance—" wait, it's a little smudged here, but I think it says, "I will leak everything you have ever done, complete with evidence." Well, that's cheerful. See you.'

In a swirl of black, he vanishes.

I try to move from my spot. The pain in my ankle has become burning, intense. I only have time to glimpse the tranquilizer dart before I pass out.

When I come to later, somehow back in the abandoned hut we had been borrowing, I only hear the words of those message, repeated again and again in my head. 

Nobody questions why I am still in the black suit. Perhaps they are too tired to do it. But when Intiga Ley turns around, a spark in her eyes, I know that is not the case.

'We have to take revenge,' she growls. 'They cannot do this to one of us and expect nothing in return.'

'Please tell me this isn't another one of those ideas,' says Cresswell wearily, cooking a can of beans over a fire.

'It is another one of those ideas. I'm going up to where the asshole lives and making her tell me who did it. And then I'm going to put this on.' Her fingers ghost over her wristband.

'No,' says Cresswell.

'Yes,' Ley says. 'What say you, let's re-enact another one of those...democracy things.'

'Not again.'

'Yes again. So far, it's one for each. Deciding votes get handed to you.' She tips her chin at me and Rima. 'Yvet.'

'I'm going to show her exactly what these fairy lights can do.'

'That's for.' She looks to me. 'Brains of the group. Your vote counts twice.'

Cresswell turns to me, frantically nodding. Ley stands in front of her to block her from view.

'I say...for.'

Ley pumps her fist in the air. Cresswell goes back to cooking beans, looking as if she wants to set something on fire.

I feel no joy from it. I just want this to be over, quickly. 

And then, I find myself cheering for these children to take down Wendlis Blair.