Drowning in Deception (23 page)

“Well that’s nothing new,” muttered
Sera. “We’ve already established that.”

Clover nodded. “Yeah. But Rye had a
suggestion about how we could try to get people to stop drinking milk. He
thinks we should find a way to spread the word that it’s tainted. You
know…poisoned or something.”

“Hey, that could work,” said Zander. “Telling
everyone the Watch Tower drugs the milk would seem like a joke, because the
Watch Tower is what keeps us all safe, keeps the city running, basically. They
would never do such a thing. You know how it goes. But poison…like something’s
gotten into the milk by accident. I think people would react quite differently
to that.”

“That’s exactly what we talked about.”
Clover twisted a lock of hair in her fingers. “But what we couldn’t come up
with was how to spread something like that around to the entire city. Because
it can’t be gradual. If it’s only a few people at a time, and word spreads
slowly, then the Watch Tower people will get suspicious. So what we need is for
everyone to stop drinking it at the same time.”

“My Uncle Joseph.” Everyone turned to
Luas, who was usually more of a quiet observer than a discussion contributor.
Having all eyes on him caused his cheeks to turn bright red. He shrugged. “He
prints the weekly newspaper. The next issue is due out tomorrow.”

Clover’s eyes widened. “That’s a great
idea, Luas.”

“It is,” agreed Smith. “But it could
also get your uncle into some serious trouble. More than likely the kind that
involves severe punishment.”

“It’s okay. He’ll do it. I know he will.”

The redness of his face deepened, so
Clover decided to do him a favor by drawing attention away from him. “Great.
I’ll write something up and then Luas and I can take it to his uncle.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

They all began to get up, when Gart’s
voice suddenly stopped them. “Wait. I have news.” His smile stretched like
pulled fabric right across his face. “Yesterday I was given access to the top
floor.”

No one had been expecting him to rise to
the top floor quite so fast, so they all turned back to him, beaming.

“That’s great.”

“Congratulations.”

“I have almost free roam up there now.”
He smiled proudly. “I’ve been on the helichopper launch pads and I’ve been in
the room where the weapons are kept. And since access to that floor is limited,
nothing is guarded.” His face took on a devilish look as he bent down to a sack
that lay between his feet. From the sack he pulled out two small hand guns and
some boxes of ammunition.

“Awesome.” Sera grinned and grabbed one
of the guns, inspecting it closely.

“Good job, Gart.”

“Here. Let me show you.” Holding the
gun, Gart demonstrated how to eject the magazine, insert the ammo one at a
time, and reinsert the magazine until it clicked. He then showed how to
disengage the safety and pull back the slide on the top barrel. Sera watched
with great interest and then proceeded to do as Gart had done.

“You’re a natural,” he told her, which
caused Sera’s face to light up like a hundred watt bulb. “Now let’s leave the
safety engaged and save that for…”

“Kickin’ some ass!”

Gart couldn’t help but laugh at her
enthusiasm.

The demonstration now over, Clover and
Smith went and sat at the kitchen table with a pen and paper, drafting the
article for the newspaper. It was easy to decide on a title: Breaking News -
Poison Found in Eadin’s Milk Supply.

The article outlined that recent testing
by the Watch Tower had revealed that a poisonous chemical had leaked into the
city’s entire milk supply. It advised that every citizen should cease their
milk consumption immediately. That they should not drink it again until such
time as the milk could be cleansed of the danger. They also stated that as the
poison left the body, one could expect terrible headaches, tiredness, and a
powerful thirst for water. There was no cause for alarm, as this was the body’s
way of ridding itself of the poison, and the side effects shouldn’t last more
than a couple of days.

Clover and Luas hurried to his uncle’s
office and printing room, which was located in the basement of his house. They
hoped they weren’t too late to have it printed in the next edition.

Luas had been right. His Uncle Joseph
read the article and quickly agreed. She was surprised at his reaction. He
didn’t ask who wrote it, if it was true, or any of the questions she’d been
expecting.

He only looked at Clover, and with
raised brows said, “So, you’re telling me that this article comes straight from
the Watch Tower and that I should print it on the front page?”

She shook her head, confused. She’d said
no such thing. She turned to Luas, who prompted her to say yes by nodding his
head. Oh, of course, she realized. Joseph was no idiot. Somehow, someway, he
knew exactly what they were up to. He only needed a reason to claim his own innocence
in the scheme.

“Oh, yes,” she said. “This is official
Watch Tower business. Very important for it to be released to the public as
soon as possible.”

He nodded and smiled. “Right.”

Clover felt giddy inside. It was going
to work. It had to work. When the people of Eadin stopped drinking their
‘poisoned’ milk, they would see clearly. They would be angry with having been
lied to and fooled. And then they could reveal the rest. Surely everyone would
get on board with fighting for the rights of the citizens of both Eadin and
Quell.

As had become habit, Rye was hiding in
the trees not far over the boundary line on his side of the Wall, waiting for
Clover. The second she approached, he grabbed her into a desperate embrace, one
that was even more passionate than she was used to from him. She almost sensed
fear oozing from him.

They clutched each other’s hands tightly
and ran through the dim, snow-covered woods to their nest of bushes on the
other side of the Wall. Once inside, they brushed the dusting of white from
each other’s hair and clothes and sat down to face one another.

It was then that she finally got a good
look at his face, which was lit up by the glow of the soft orange radiating
from the lantern. The shadows it cast revealed, as she had suspected, that something
was wrong.

“Tell me, Rye.” She gazed deeply into
his dark brown eyes, the flecks of gold in them all but disappearing in the
shallow light of their cozy hide-away.

“It’s, well…Arma…”

“What’s wrong with Arma?”

“Nothing’s wrong with Arma. It’s just
that she…”

Clover waited patiently for him to go
on.

He inhaled sharply. “Do you remember me
telling you that we had been fighting about me seeing you?”

She nodded.

“Well, it’s getting worse all the time.”

“So?” This wasn’t anything new and
Clover couldn’t understand why it was a problem all of a sudden. “She just
doesn’t understand what’s between us.”

He scrubbed a hand through his dark,
shaggy hair. “She’s finally made me realize. Oh, Clove. I’m sorry, but she’s
right. I never should have let it get this far.”

She shook her head. “I don’t understand.
Why now? What’s changed?”

His forehead leaned in to press against
hers, his eyes somber. “My feelings for you have changed. They’ve grown
stronger. I…I… I didn’t believe they’d ever get this intense. Or maybe I did,
and I just couldn’t admit it to myself. And... Clove, every moment we spend
together is a moment closer to your death.”

Had he fallen in love with her? Was that
what he was saying? The way she had once felt about Zander couldn’t even begin
to compare with her feelings for Rye. Her love for Zander had been…content. But
Rye…  Just the tiniest touch from him sent jolts to her core. She traveled to
another world every time she looked into those intense, dazzling eyes. And the
thought of not seeing him, if only for a second each and every day, caused a
panicky flutter in her heart. Without a doubt she was in love with him. She’d wanted
to tell him, but wasn’t sure if he felt the same. Now, it seemed to her that he
did, even if the words weren’t being said out loud. But what he had said was
wrong. He would never hurt her. Not if he loved her. Could he?

“But you’re always so careful, Rye. I
know you’d never hurt me. You couldn’t.”

He grumbled. “Actually, I could.  I told
you before, whether I mean to or not, killing you is a very real possibility.” He
scratched at his head roughly.

Clover shook her head, searching his
face for more answers. Was he breaking up with her?

He rose to his knees, pulling her up to
hers in front of him so their stomachs and chests lightly touched. His face was
only inches from her own and she could now see the bright flecks of gold
dancing fiercely in his eyes.

He spoke with the quiet voice of a man
with sad news. “There’s no future for us. Our being together is all for
nothing. Even if we do figure out a way to give people their freedom, we still
have to stay divided. You must know that. Clove… We can never share a home,
have a family…”

She felt her face pale and her knees
weaken as she realized she’d just gotten the answer to her question. He was
breaking up with her.

“Damn it!” She jolted from his sudden shout.

She could visibly see the frustration exuding
from him. His dark eyes were narrowed almost to slits, and beads of sweat sprouted
from his brow, despite the cold winter air.

Clover swallowed. She hadn’t seen Rye
lose his temper. She knew exactly what could happen if he did, if he lost
control. He could transition into a blood-thirsty hunter. Would that really mean
her death? They had become so close. Could he actually allow her to become his
prey? She didn’t want to believe that could happen. Especially not when there
was love between them.

Tears filled her eyes, threatening to
spill over in a torrent, as she grabbed both his hands at their sides and
squeezed hard. “No. We can find a way to make it work. We’ve been making it
work.” She choked the words out. “And why now? Why are you deciding this now?”
Her words were rimmed with anger. She wanted him to say the words. Maybe saying
them out loud would change everything.

“Don’t cry, Clove.” His words weren’t
gentle, but sharp. “I don’t want it to be this way either. I…I…” He sucked in a
breath and stroked the back of his hand against her cheek.

He was so close she could feel the heat
from inside his throat pouring out and warming her face. His eyes were dark and
dangerous, looking at her with deep desire - or was it anger? She trembled, yet
forced herself to smile. He needed to know that it didn’t matter to her, that she
was okay with this, that love would help them find a way.

His body was rigid and hot against hers
from their knees, up their thighs, stomachs, and chests. The tears that were
pooling in her eyes remained unwavering as she stared at him in wonder. She was
thoroughly enjoying the heated electrical response her body was having to his
closeness.

His face neared hers as if he was about
to kiss her, but then he stopped. He whispered, “My whole world is different
because of you. Oh, Clove, I wish things could be different. I have to let you
go because I…I...”

His words stung her heart as she felt her
hot tears finally trail down her cheeks. Why wouldn’t he just say it? Wouldn’t
admitting their love make everything all right?

He too had tears glistening in his eyes.
He inhaled a deep and heavy breath. Then he let it out slowly, as if attempting
to calm his nerves. He was looking at her through eyes that were slits. He was
so rugged and strong, with a dangerous edge that excited her, and she loved
that this boy felt for her what she felt for him. If only he could say it out
loud. If only she could say it out loud.

She wanted him. She couldn’t bear the
thought of never being with him again. She could tell by the way he gazed into
her eyes that he felt the same.

He leaned in to place his lips on hers.
They mingled briefly, lightly before he dove in with a hunger she’d never known
existed. He moaned deeply until the hunger awoke in her too, and they wildly
kissed each other like they were two hungry beasts. Hands grabbed at hair, arms
ran up and down from faces to backs to legs, frantically groping to get their
bodies so close that they were almost one.

Clover inhaled his stimulating scent; it
was earthy, like nature, with a dangerous, heated edge. His entire body felt
solid against hers. Both of his hands now latched like vice grips into her hair
to hold her head still. He plunged his mouth against hers even harder, moaning
deeply, ravenously. And then…

He froze. He pulled away from her, his
eyes large and horrified. His chin quivered. “Run.” The word was raspy in his
throat.

And that's when it happened. He started
to pant; short, almost painful sounding breaths. It started with his eyes. They
glowed deep yellow and looked even more dangerous than ever. His stature grew
right before her eyes, taller and broader. She could see the cut of his muscles
accentuated under the now too-tight shirt. He raised his hands up and she
watched with fixed fascination as his fingernails shot out into long, twisted claws.
His teeth became longer and jagged as his mouth widened into a horrid grimace.