Simulated, p.23
Simulated, page 23
I’m delusional. Noble can’t be Mandel. Mandel and I never had a frequency. Even as a kid, I wouldn’t have forgotten it. And if Mandel had experienced it, he would have told me. But Noble somehow knew it would happen, that’s why he used his robotic voice whenever he contacted me. So maybe he can’t be Mandel. It’s too much to think about.
“Any news?” I ask, conflicting emotions rolling around in my stomach.
“Not much. Just watching Kai on the job. They’re all preparing for something. Probably Müller’s arrival. Kai’s getting ready to go out to meet us. I think he’s planning to use the girl as his cover.”
“The girl? That’s a bad idea. X girls, former or not, aren’t loyal.” I move to the screen, but immediately wish I hadn’t. The girl’s long hair is down her back, and everything about her is sexy. Her dress flutters open to expose her upper thigh just like Madame would have wanted. Inwardly, I cringe.
She greets him by rubbing his arm, then goes to sit next to the Sheikh. Kai smiles, a nonchalant confidence about it. When did he get to be such a good actor?
Then again, Kai was always good at keeping secrets. He kept mine from Chan. He helped me do a hundred little things Chan never knew about. The rebel side of him that skipped work was always there. I believed it was because he hadn’t found what he was passionate about. Has he found it now?
I watch him because I miss him and this whole thing with Noble is tearing me apart. If I’d never gone to China, would I be chatting with Mandel now? And where would I be without Kai? He’s been a rock in my life, grounding me. He never gave up on me. Kai didn’t get the chance to know Red, but that same power and passion of Red lives in him. Kai saw the good in me when I was hard, cold, distant, and angry. He pursued that girl, knowing all I needed was to be loved.
Even though Qadar will make the drop off, I refuse to stay at the camp. I will see Kai tonight. We won’t be able to actually touch or talk, but even being near him will comfort me.
On the screen, Kai sits there almost like Madame, so hard to read. The Sheikh is assessing the room. He knows something, like a captain on the sea before a storm. He’s more nervous than I expected. Is it because Müller arrives tonight?
“Are you here to accomplish your plans or the Successor’s?” the Sheikh asks Kai, grilling him again.
“We’re all here for our own plans, am I right? But I came here because I seek a leader with vision.” To an outsider, Kai might look relaxed, but under the surface his whole body is on guard and ready. He reminds me so much of the brothers back in Song Valley. They taught him well, not just the art of Kung Fu, but how to truly use power.
“Ah, yes, then you won’t be disappointed. Grand plans and plenty of resources will come with the Successor,” he says, leaning in with a refined laugh. “Where do you plan to base your operation?”
“My territory is Shanghai,” he says, smoothly. “I came for the master-file and to be part of the Loyalists.”
The Sheikh grunts. “Good. Because my territory is here,” he says. “And soon it will all be mine.”
Kai gives him a coy glance. “Then we should stay in touch.”
“Isn’t there anything that would persuade you to stay in this region?” the girl pipes in from across the room.
“I’m always open to persuasion,” Kai laughs softly, staring at her. “Excuse me.” Kai stands, winking at the girl as he exits the room. She picks up on his hint that she’s meant to follow. I squirm in my seat. He’s really going to tell her? Kai should know better.
“She can’t be trusted,” I mutter to Noble.
“Are you sure it’s not jealousy?” he asks.
Kai leans in, his large hand covering her petite shoulder. “Ennéa, I’m going to check out the location before the others arrive to make sure it’s clear. No one else seems concerned. But I know better. I’ll be back in an hour. If anyone asks, please tell them I’m in my room.” He slides his fingers over her hair, and I burn up inside.
How can he do that so easily?
“I’ll do it.” She flashes him a nervous smile.
“Ennéa!” The Sheikh beckons her.
“I have to go.” Kai glances back in the direction of the Sheikh. “You deserve better than him or any of the men here.”
“Deserve or not, one can only hope for someone loyal.” Her face falters, beautifully broken and shattered, and yet a faint smile spreads across her lips.
Kai reaches for his jacket.
The Sheikh calls again, and the girl turns to go back inside.
Moments later my phone beeps, alerting me to a message on the street. I look down. “Kai sent another message—in the emergency stock.”
Noble opens a portal into his cloaked tech world, and I log in through a backdoor.
“What’s he saying?” Noble asks.
I look at Kai’s message. A photo pops up of Kai and I when we went to the Seattle Piers one night. We’re leaning against the dock. The picture was taken right before a group of seagulls attacked us, trying to steal our fish and chips. That night was a disaster. Everything went wrong. We missed the show we’d come for, and after the birds swarmed us, my wallet fell into the harbor. We’d ended up laughing about it all night, but still, why would he send this photo?
My cheeks flush with embarrassment. “Sorry.” I shake my head. “It’s personal.” He occasionally sends pictures or notes but never to the emergency portal. Maybe it’s because he knows he’s in hot water. Or maybe he misses me or needs to remind himself of the truth.
I look at the message once more then watch it disappear. Tonight can’t come soon enough. This deal needs to be done. I shouldn’t even be here, and neither should Kai. Suddenly, I’m angry at everyone. At Kai for taking this job. At Noble for not telling me who he really is or what he knows about Kai or what I need to do to get my gift back. I’m mad at myself for failing Mandel long ago and letting my feelings for him take over my mind. I’m mad that when I look at Noble, I want to figure him out, but he came at the worst time possible. I’m even mad that Madame didn’t tell me who the next Successor would be.
A week ago, things were simple. Kai was mine and I was his. But then my conversation with Mara returns and I know it was never that simple. Now I’m mad at myself again for never saying “I love you” to Kai. The words were so often on the tip of my tongue but never able to come out, and he can say it so easily, even while he’s undercover.
I stiffen and shake it off. This isn’t me. Phoenix would never let these emotions gain control over her. Kai and I can talk when the mission is over. I just need to focus. People’s lives depend on it.
As if on cue, Qadar walks in. “We have to get to the military ruins after dark. Do you think Kai is ready?”
I snatch my jacket, jumping to my feet. At least I’m sure about one thing. “Ready as he’ll ever be.”
Chapter 47
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE SAHARA, DOUZ, TUNISIA
IT'S ALMOST SUNSET. We hop into a Jeep and set off for our destination—the middle of the desert where an old Roman palace lays in ruins—the drop off point. Noble’s cousins run a camel trekking tour out there. This week is particularly busy because tourists are visiting for the festival.
We park behind the H’naiech Stadium where crowds of international visitors bustle around, talking excitedly about camel and horse races. Signs point to traditional Bedouin wedding parties and snake charming displays. Musicians play horns, drums, and bagpipe-type instruments around us. Traditional dancing is going on in different corners of the desert festival grounds. The pandemonium is a welcomed cover. All five of my senses light up and I’m drawn in every direction.
My fingers start tapping on my thigh, searching for my gift like an addiction I crave. I want to count every motorcycle, food stall, tourist, and animal in this place. I need my numbers to come back in full force, but without being grounded, the result will be nothing but trouble.
We weave through the crowds and arrive at a stall where Noble’s family is busy setting up a caravan of camels.
“This way,” Noble says. He points beyond the stadium to a stretch of desert where special Sunset Races will take place. “Bedouin traditions will be displayed as part of the festival. The most popular camel ride through the desert is at sunset. If we’re near any of the caravans at that time, we shouldn’t be noticed. That’s why we chose this spot. It’s close enough to the ruins but far enough away if we need to escape into the crowd.”
“What about your family?” I ask, avoiding his eyes. He knows I’m struggling with something. His eyes are calculating my every move. He’s being very careful with me. He probably thinks I’m still jealous. He has no clue that I know who he really is—if what I believe about him is true.
“They know how to hold their own, and this is their territory,” he says, zipping up his vest. His desert boots and jeans make him look American, but then there’s the other half—the dark hair, the loose white button-down that makes him look local. Whatever ethnicity he is, he blends in. “Qadar will make the drop off. We watch from a distance. If there is any sign of them using PSS Radar, we won’t be able to use anything more than a cell phone.” Noble doesn’t spell it out, but PSS Radar tech is what enabled him to pick up on a government-protected biotag.
Noble hands Qadar the small device, a circular black holothumb the size of lipstick. It’s so small, and yet it carries the most dangerous secrets in the world.
Qadar will trek ahead to the meeting point on foot, while we join a camel caravan. Beside us, tourists fill the area, giddy for their own romantic moonlit camel rides into the desert. They’re joking and seem to ignore the loud bellows and groans the large beasts make. Not to mention the smell and the spitting. Guides from other caravans begin describing all the Roman and Phoenician ruins scattered throughout the desert in Tunisia. Noble and I are going to a ruin that’s not on the list, a place the locals call Ksar Douz.
Noble brings a camel over to me. He makes it kneel so I can climb on.
My legs grip around the beast, and I take hold of the saddle. Its back legs go up first throwing me slightly forward. Then its front knees push up. My legs strain in a new position, gripping onto the animal, using muscles I never knew I had.
We wander down a sandy path, riding side by side, at the back of the train of camels. Noble is sizing up everything around us, almost showing off.
I’m starting to feel frustrated. My gift has not returned yet but Noble acts like he knows exactly how it’s going to come back. PSS said the sims would work. Noble said to give him three days. Apparently, no one knows how I function. Not even me.
“Tomorrow is my last day, you know,” I say darting a glance his way. If he’s Mandel, I want to give him a chance to tell me himself. He should. He still owes me answers. But he’s silent. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I know I shouldn’t push this right now, but I can’t help it. My sims are highlighting Mandel for a reason—unless Noble manipulated them, in which case I’d be even more upset. “So if you want to tell me anything. Now’s your chance.”
“Like what?” he asks blankly, pointing ahead to a large, ruined stone structure that used to be an ancient palace. Inside, there is a circular courtyard made of stone. Ksar Douz.
My gift blinks on for a second, showing me the layout of the land, calculating every small detail before me. I’m hopeful that it’s going to stay until it abruptly fizzles out, making the fire in my bones even hotter. “For starters, like what will help my numbers return. You said three days would be enough.”
“Relax,” he says, finding my eyes. “Your gift is there. You don’t know it, but it is. You’ll get it back and we’ll find out who the Successor is.” He steers us away from the group. “We’re here. This part is tricky.”
He hops off his camel then offers his hand to help me down too. His hand holds tight to mine, completely covering it. The feeling is distracting, warm and soft, and I almost trip. What is wrong with me? We tie up the camels and walk north to a different set of stone walls, a few hundred feet from the larger ruins. We can see directly inside Ksar Douz from where we are, but we’re hidden pretty well from anyone at the ruin in front of us. He checks the cameras he set up earlier inside the Ksar and returns to me.
“May I?” he asks, touching K2.
I stretch out my wrist, and after he punches in a few numbers, we’ve got visual of the Ksar courtyard and all audio is routed to my earrings. When he’s finished, I snap my wrist back.
“Easy.” His calm is annoying me right now. The numbers inside him give him all of the advantage. As he confirms the nano-tech audio-earbud with Qadar is working, a debate goes on in my head.
On one hand, I want to ask Noble if he is Son of a Mandelbrot, on the other hand, I don’t. Because if he is…then I won’t know what to do. Every emotion tied to Mandel is too strong and with Noble in front of me, and our frequency mingling like it’s meant to be entwined…I can’t interpret what it means right now. It’s all too much. My hand starts tapping furiously against my leg again.
Soon Noble is standing beside me, handing me a device that deceivingly looks like a cell phone. It’s actually a mini satellite with more bandwidth than I’ve ever had. Noble is utterly amazing. Why didn’t I use my gift to chart the stars or something like that after my mom died? Why finances and investments? Then I remember Mandel is the one who told me about the stock markets, and in my grumpy state I’m happy I now have someone to blame.
“We haven’t detected any radar tech in use yet. Looks like we’re in the clear.”
“And you’re sure the Successor won’t be able to detect SMOKE on the holothumb?”
“Not unless the Successor is like you. And we both know the odds of that.” He smiles.
“Don’t you mean like you?” I ask, rolling my eyes.
“Jo, on a prodigy aptitude scale of one to ten, I might be higher than you. But in terms of the gift inside each of us—you’re ahead of me. On that note, how did your sims go?” he asks.
“Terrible.” I answer shortly. Confusion and anger are bubbling up. He says there’s no pressure, but what he really means is we need to find out who the Successor is before tomorrow. We have one chance and I’m letting everyone down. Kai. Ms. T. My dad. Noble.
His face is straight, hiding any real emotions. He’s probably feeling sorry for me, which makes things worse. He hacked me. Brought me to Tunisia. Lied about Qadar being his uncle.
“Don’t worry, after the drop off you can do it again.” He tucks his hair behind his ears in a charming way that bothers me.
“I don’t think it’s going to help,” I say. “Each time I go in, I see nothing new. My gift has gone blind.”
“No. It hasn’t. There’s something you’re missing.” He’s so confident talking about my gift that my irritation grows.
“It’s always the same. Two fights. Madame walks away unscathed.” My hand is tapping up a storm. I’m all worked up. “Your bet’s on the Sheikh, right? You’re the genius here. I’ll take your word for it.”
“No. You can do this. I believe in you. We’ll figure it out.” Noble’s voice softens. He can tell I’m upset. “What about phase three?”
Why does he keep mentioning phase three? “I told you. Phase three is too much for me right now.” It’s true. I don’t know what I’ll find there.
“Ok. What about phase one?” he asks.
I shake my head. I can’t tell him about phase one either—especially not until I’m sure about his identity.
“All right,” he says. “I know how you feel. You’re not seeing what’s around you yet, but your gift is there, and it will come back. Everything will be fine.”
He’s trying to be nice, but it snaps my patience because we’re arguing about my gift when all I want is the truth.
“How can you be so sure everything is going to be ok, Noble?” My voice is raised. “You haven’t really told me anything—who you really are, why you know all about me. You didn’t tell me Qadar was your uncle. You could tell me what you know about Kai, but you haven’t.”
I’m fuming. My back is pressed up against a cold rock and it’s digging into my shoulder blades. Here I am in the desert waiting on my boyfriend who lies to terrorists for fun, while in front of me may be the boy I haven’t talked to in years who thinks he truly knows me.
“How can you stand there and tell me you know what it feels like?” I ask, my whole body tense. “You don’t know what it’s like to lose your gift. You’ve only ever flaunted yours in front of me. It feels like my eyes were ripped out. Like my whole world is crashing just like that stupid helicopter. Like my fingers are trying to learn braille but I’ve suddenly gone numb! I used to see infinity. And now I see nothing.”
I turn away, frustrated, leaning my forehead against the crevice, waiting for Kai to show. I don’t want to talk any more but then his warm hand is touching mine.
He gently pulls me away from the gap in the rock, slipping his other hand directly behind me where the rock wall has been digging into my back. His arm blocks the bumpy surface, like he knows the cushion will make it feel better. And it does.
“You’re wrong, Jo.” His whisper, sharp and strong, is so close I can feel it in my chest. The frequency is like a crescendo of music—or waves raging in a storm. “I do know how it feels.”
“How can you say that?” I ask, shaking my head.
His eyes burn into mine with intensity. “Because I lost my gift once too.”
My breath catches in my throat as numbers so vast and intense explode around us like fireworks. The only thing keeping me from spinning into chaos is the frequency that creates a tie to his stable numbers, and a thousand heat waves between.
“Oh yeah?” My voice is rough, snappy. I’m in his face now, a breath away. I lose myself in his eyes but I’m still an angry child demanding to know. “When?”
Our eyes lock in a showdown, of who will look away first. His hand moves from my arm to my face. His other hand joins it. My chin is now cupped in his hands—they’re warm and strong. I don’t move because everything about him pierces my insides even before he speaks.
