Saven the complete serie.., p.65
Saven: The Complete Series, page 65
Two Autovees come to a complete stop in front of the water fountain. Doors open and shut. A tall, wiry, distinguished-looking man with close-cropped copper-colored hair and pale skin approaches the beefed-up freak. He salutes him with a respectful bob of his head. They walk off, huddled in conversation.
The landscape out front is unoccupied now. While we could sneak relatively easily out that direction, it’s far too exposed. “We need to find a back or side entrance.” I skim a look at the partly open door behind us. It seems vacant. Creeping on tiptoe, I peek in. It is some type of formal ballroom, and the space stretches back to a hideously decorative open fireplace at the rear. A crater-size hole in the roof lets in gusts of hearty wind, and a large gray and black metal rod juts out from its landing place in the floor.
Logan peers over my shoulder as advancing footsteps approach. We swiftly scoot back into the shadows. Gunfire opens, followed immediately by two loud thuds. “Clear on the east wing,” an oddly recognizable voice says into a mouthpiece. My breath rattles around my anxiety-ridden chest. “You three go check on the others in the west wing, and the rest of you follow me.” They run off and I exhale gratefully.
“Come on,” Logan whispers, “let’s get the hell out of here.”
We race through the frosty ballroom and out the doors at the back into another passageway. A long glass wall offers a glimpse into an inner courtyard-slash-sunroom. The glass roof has been completely obliterated, and the surrounding walls have collapsed onto the space, crowding it with rubble and debris. Logan tugs on my hand, and we dash across the floor and into another room. We are halfway across the space when a small door on the left opens and three soldiers enter the room. “Stop right there,” the one at the front says, pointing his weapon at me. His almost black eyes penetrate mine in obvious … recognition?
A memory pitches to the forefront of my mind. “Bo?” Logan’s gaze alternates between Bo’s and mine.
“It’s the rebels.” Boy does their timing suck.
The other soldiers cower unsurely behind Bo. “What are you waiting for?” he says, twirling his fingers in the air. “Cover the other side.” With cautious steps, they surround us. “Well, this is an added bonus.” Bo sneers at Logan. “I know someone who will be most pleased to make your acquaintance, Prince.”
The two soldiers at the rear suddenly slink to the floor, tossing their weapons aside. Puzzled, I stare at them in confusion. “Get those,” Logan tells me, clearly in control of the situation. Then the penny drops. He has commandeered their minds.
“What the …” Bo says, gaping at the guys as he fights an inner battle with his quivering arm.
“What a shame I’m in such a hurry,” Logan says, walking toward Bo and extorting his weapon. I snatch the guns from the ground, slinging them over my shoulder. “Bo here is going to drive us out the front entrance. Let’s go.” Logan prods him in the back with the butt of the weapon.
We’ve just stepped out into the rear passageway when Bo makes his move. Swinging around, he catches Logan off guard with a strong jab to the ribs, knocking him off his feet as he punches him repeatedly in the face. Logan’s head spasms as he slinks to the floor. Bo withdraws a knife from the back of his pants and sneers at Logan as he crouches down over him, knife angled over his lower stomach. Logan’s eyes shutter as he zones out, his body limp on the floor. Yanking the gun off my shoulder, I ram the butt into the back of Bo’s head. As he topples over, he stares at me strangely. His dark pupils appear lighter and bluer, and there’s a customary sheen to his gaze. His eyes loll in his head as his body rumples into a disheveled pile.
Logan’s eyes flutter open as he shoves Bo to the side. “That was we—” I’m cut off as the sound of running footsteps approaches. We have scarcely enough time to turn and flip up our weapons.
Vin skids to a halt in front of us, palms raised. “Don’t shoot. I’m not your enemy.”
My eyes meet Logan’s, and I see my own weariness shadowing his face. “Will you help us then?” I keep my weapon erect as I pose the question.
“Of course. We need to get you out of here before G discovers Logan is in the building.”
“G is here?” We both lower our guns as Vin walks toward us.
Dipping down, he brushes his fingers against Bo’s wrist. “Yes. He wants to go through the VP’s study personally.”
“What’s he looking for?”
Vin exhales, shaking his head. “I don’t know. He won’t tell anyone.” He straightens up to his full height. “Do you know where the VP is?”
“He’s already gone,” Logan states, touching his fingers to the blood leaking out of his swollen nose.
“He’s kidnapped my sister.” I’m barely keeping it together as I dab gently at Logan’s nose, attempting to quell the flow.
“I’m so sorry.” Vin’s look is full of compassion. He casts a quick glance around. “We best move. Follow me. Keep your heads low, and if anyone stops us let me do the talking.”
“Can we truly trust him, Sadie?”
“I think so, but what choice do we have anyway?”
Vin walks briskly down the hall, and we keep pace with him. Streaks of fading daylight slip through the fractured walls, shining a spotlight on the brutalized building. It’s a wonder the structure remains standing. Tendrils of smokiness bleed into the air, desiccating my throat. Vin stops in front of a high wooden door at the end of the hall. “Let me check out the lay of the land. Wait here. Keep vigilant.”
Vin slips out of the building, and we wait for him to give us the all-clear. He pops his head through a couple of minutes later. “It’s safe. Come on.”
Logan exits first, sheltering me with his tall frame. Vin scurries into the driver side of the blacked-out Autovee idling at the base of the steps. “Get in the back on the ground.”
We crawl in as instructed, and Vin throws a blanket over us. “Stay flat to the ground and keep quiet.” Logan’s warm body heats me from behind, and his soothing proximity slices the edge off my fear.
The vehicle inches out onto the gravel-lined path, advancing slowly. The ride is less bumpy as he maneuvers the Autovee onto the asphalt-lined driveway. Vin slows down as we approach the gate, and the soft whirring of the window as it depresses is the only sound in the car. “You heading out, sir?” the guard asks.
“Yes. I’ve some business to attend to on behalf of my father. I will return in due course.”
“As you were,” the man says before barking out orders to the guards manning the gate.
Vin expertly steers the Autovee out onto the road. “Stay down until I tell you it’s okay,” he murmurs through thin lips.
“We can just teleport now.”
“No. We need to talk to him. Let’s wait.”
A few minutes later, the car leaves the main road, turning onto a rough stretch of road that ties my stomach up in knots. Logan winds his hands around my waist, and I clutch his warm fingers in mine.
“It’s okay to sit up now,” Vin says.
We crawl onto the seat. Pushing my tousled hair out of my eyes, I focus on our surroundings. Vin is driving on a battered road through the middle of a densely populated forest. Rain-filled clouds hover low in the rapidly darkening sky. He swings the car off road, parking in an inconspicuous spot under the thick, green cover of trees. We all hop out.
“Thank you.” Logan is earnest in his gratitude.
An unassuming smile washes over Vin’s face. “I’m glad it was me who discovered you. Things could’ve gotten nasty back there. What were you two up to anyway?” He lounges against the hood of the car.
Logan casts a furtive look my way. Interpreting it instantly, I know he’s worried about trusting anyone else, but if my hunch is correct, then I think Vin is the exact person we need right now. “Who is your father?”
“G is my father,” he says without hesitation, verifying my hunch.
“Can we trust you?” I pin him with a serious look.
“I hope I’ve just demonstrated that you can trust me. Have I ever done anything to make you doubt me?” Sincerity splays over his earnest face.
“No. But you’ve got to understand how difficult it is to detect who is genuinely trustworthy. Everyone is trying to use us for their own gain.” I tuck my hair behind my ears. “Your father has made his agenda clear, and he poses a considerable threat to Logan’s life. So why should we trust you with what we know?”
Vin smiles, and I understand the look. He knows I’m testing him, and he approves. “Just because he’s my father doesn’t mean I blindly follow him. In fact, I don’t share his ideals anymore. I did, initially, when this whole thing kicked off. But now, there is much about his plans that gives rise to grave concern. It’s clear to me that there’s much we don’t know, but Dad is plowing ahead despite not having all the facts.” He dusts his hands.
“So why do you still follow him?” I ask.
He eyeballs us directly. “I am all he has in the world. He was an only child, and his mom’s been out of the picture for years. When my mother died ten years ago, about the same time my grandfather went AWOL, something snapped in Dad. These last few years he’s become fanatical. His heart is in the right place, but I’m worried about him. He’s more reckless; his thoughts and actions are less decisive and more of a knee-jerk reaction. If I walked away, I would frankly fear for his sanity and what that would mean for the movement, and ultimately the country. You don’t understand how much the others look up to him. They worship the ground he walks on, and they won’t challenge him. Someone has to try to exercise caution, and I’m one of the few he’ll listen to, though that’s becoming less and less the case.”
Concern seeps out of his pores. He loves his father, and he’s honestly worried about him. It’s that one trait, above everything else, that tells me he can be trusted. So I open up and tell him everything.
He listens carefully without interrupting, his gaze never straying from mine. “How long before the Amaretti attack?” he calmly asks when I’ve finished speaking. Reaching into the glove box, he snatches a bottle of water and hands it to me. I gratefully guzzle the cool liquid, and it soothes the raw burn in my throat.
“I don’t know whether they will attack Saven first or Earth first, or launch a dual attack. Possibly we have a few days, a week at most. But that’s only an educated guess,” Logan says, massaging the back of his head.
“What’s your next move?” His gaze moves between us.
“We need to speak to the president. Warn him, so that we can at least try to be prepared,” I say, replacing the cap on the bottle as I hand it to Logan.
“Would your father agree to an alliance?” Logan asks, taking a quick glug. Vin purses his lips while he ponders the question. “If I can rally the Saven on Earth, if the president agrees to work with us, and if your father threw his support behind us, then I think we have a shot at stopping them. But it needs every faction working together.”
Vin pushes off the car. “I don’t know if I can convince him. Since the Saven arrived, he’s like a man possessed, and he’s become even more unreasonable. But I’ll try to talk sense into him. There are a few on the Inner Council who should support me. If I can get them on board first, and they support the motion when I introduce it, then maybe …”
“Okay. Then we have an agreement?” Logan extends his hand.
“We do,” Vin says, accepting his handshake. “But there’s one more thing you should be aware of.” He rubs a hand over his tense jaw. “He’s preparing to attack the Sector Twenty facility.”
“But there are thousands of people there! Humans and Saven who could get hurt,” I protest.
“I know, and believe me, I’ve labored that point, but he’s insisting it’s the only way of stopping the conscience transfer. He believes it’s worth sacrificing a few to save the majority.”
“What is it with these men? All thinking they can play God,” I mutter.
“Can you at least stall him?” Logan suggests.
“I’ll do my very best.”
“We’ll see if the president will agree to disable the program. We’ll contact you directly after we’ve spoken with him. If we can get such an agreement, will that appease your father?” I ask.
“Maybe.” He shrugs.
“Right. Then I think it’s time we got to it. We’ll be in contact.” Logan reaches out for me.
“I was wrong about you,” Vin says. “I hope you can forgive me.”
Logan claps him on the back. “Nothing to forgive, dude. Let’s just try and stop this before it leads to bloodshed.”
Haydn and Jarod swamp us the minute we arrive back in the apartment. Logan provides an update, while Haydn attends to my injured cheek and Logan’s busted nose. Jarod visibly pales at the mention of Ella’s condition and the current situation. Distraught eyes meet mine. I guess things have progressed between them while I was gone. “We’ll get her back,” I say with determination. Don’t ask me how, and I can’t dwell on that for fear I’ll dissolve into a sodden heap. But I refuse to give up. I will get my sister out of this mess I’ve created.
After a quick shower and change of clothes, we convene in the living room. Haydn insists on coming with us to the Presidential Palace. Jarod has already left to speak to his father. He is hoping to persuade him to support Vin when he broaches the issue of a tentative alliance. We briefly discuss how we’ll handle this meeting before we make our move.
The president is alone when we teleport into his office. I think he damn near passes out, if the look on his face is any judge. Logan succinctly summarizes the purpose of our visit, and the president gives him permission to proceed. Haydn and I remain quiet as Logan explains everything in more detail. It’s somewhat surreal to be here, in the president’s office, meeting the very man himself. The president’s expression grows darker and more and more fretful. Silence fills the space when Logan finishes speaking. The president gets up from his lacquered desk and paces the room. We all share troubled expressions.
“Come sit here,” the president requests, moving toward the large open fireplace. He gestures at the two couches in front, and we move over and take seats. Removing his jacket, he turns up his sleeves and sits down beside Haydn, facing us. “Firstly, I’d like to thank you for having the gumption to come and tell me this, Crown Prince. I’ve had my suspicions about Horace Tonnard for some time now. Commissioner Williams too. I gave them far too much control, and that is totally on me. I had also suspected your father was manipulating me. I should never have agreed to the Sector Twenty experiments, and it has greatly troubled me. I’ve always felt it was a step too far, but once it was put into action, it was difficult to backtrack.”
I’m not shocked to hear such thoughts. The president has never once met with the VP at his offices, and though phone contact was regular, I got the distinct impression there was no love lost between the two men. I only wish the president had had the backbone and the wherewithal to tackle the VP before now. How different might things be if he’d been in more command of his office?
He runs a hand through his fine hair, breathing heavily. “Is there any possibility that the Amaretti won’t go through with their planned invasion?”
“That’s doubtful, sir, but not totally out of the equation.” Logan explains about his friendship with Dali and her quest to try to stop her father.
“I assume you have some sort of plan in mind?” Logan nods in confirmation. “Let’s hear it.”
Logan outlines our proposal, and the president asks intelligent questions. They debate the pros and cons, while Haydn and I sit rigidly stiff like mute bystanders. Neither of us has any experience in political negotiation, and we’re more than happy to leave this all up to Logan. I’ve never seen him in this guise before, and I’m so proud of how well he conducts himself. I suppose, in future, this is the sort of thing I’ll have to grow accustomed to.
“Very well, then,” the president says, rising in his seat. “I’ll get Commissioner Williams picked up, send out a scouting party to track down the VP, and order a halt to all experiments in Sector Twenty. For their safety, everyone will be confined to the facility for now. I’ll notify the head of military operations and the secretary of state so we can begin to make some concrete plans. We’ll cancel all leave and recall all military personnel.”
“Very well,” Logan says, standing beside him. “I will speak to the Saven here and secure their support. We’ll also touch base with our rebel contact and see if they are prepared to help.”
“I never thought the day would come when I’d be appealing for help to those opposed to my regime—the very people who have been plotting against me for years.” He sadly shakes his head. “But circumstances mean we must lay our differences aside for the sake of humanity. I’m man enough to agree to it, but I wonder if G is.”
“I don’t know him personally, so I cannot predict how he will react. But I do know his son, and he is an honorable man. I genuinely believe he wants to do the right thing. Whether he can convince his father is another matter entirely. I will let you know as soon as I have word,” Logan promises.
“Thank you.”
Haydn and I stand up. I take a stabilizing breath. “Mr. President? I wonder if it might be a good idea to allow the individuals in Sector Twenty to decide for themselves if they wish to remain in the compound or go home. If the Amaretti attack, and people are away from their loved ones, it will cause more panic in Sector Twenty and in those sectors where people have missing family and friends. Perhaps a coordinated transportation effort can be organized to transfer those who wish to return to their sectors?”
The president reviews me carefully. “Ms. Owens, I must formally apologize for my lack of manners. I should have properly introduced myself at the outset of this meeting. Perhaps you will understand if I say I was more than a little taken aback by the surprise party.” He smiles wanly. “It is delightful to finally make your acquaintance, though I wish it was under better circumstances.”
“Me too, sir.”
