The Pearl Wars (12 page)

16

Cassius’s sky taxi pulled into Horizon College’s docking bay, landing smoothly on the ground as the overhead seatbelt lights flickered off.

Cassius undid his belt, thankful that the trip had taken under an hour. Colin had managed to find a seat next to him and rattle off questions the entire way, concerning everything from life on Skyship Orion to Cassius’s views on the Unified Party. Cassius had supplied mostly single-word answers. Halfway through the journey, he wondered if Madame had secretly sent the boy up to test him. It certainly wasn’t beyond her.

Luckily the taxi’s cabin was reasonably spacious, and newer than it looked from outside. Cassius had taken the window seat so he could stare at the clouds while Colin blathered on. His mind raced from thought to thought, mostly regarding his meeting with Madame in the infirmary. The shiny black cube. Fisher could open it, she’d said. He had some sort of key. Why he’d have anything to do with it at all was beyond Cassius. And why hadn’t Madame mentioned the cube before? If it really belonged to his mother, then he had a right to know about it.

When the last of the onboard lights turned off, the driver shut down the power and moved down the ship’s walkway.

“All right, kids. In a moment I’m going to ask you to quietly file out using the side exits—two in the front and two at the back. There’ll be folks at the far end of the docking bay to meet you and let you know where to go next. I’ll be onboard waiting for departure, so if you need to leave anything behind, that’ll be all right.”

With that, he walked back to the driver’s seat and pushed the button to open the doors. Those nearest to the exits stood, stretched, and filtered off the ship.

Cassius waited a moment for the cabin to clear, allowing Colin a head start before leaving the ship himself. As he stepped into the docking bay, a shiver ran down his spine. This was it. No turning back now. He cleared his dry throat and took a deep breath, trying to keep his hands steady. He couldn’t let his anxiety show.

Once ready, he followed the group to the far side of the bay. It didn’t take long. Compared to Atlas and Polaris, the Academy was nothing.

At the arched entrance to the bottom level stood two adults. Mr. Sorenson and Ms. Gray, senior teachers who would be showing Cassius and the others around the Academy. Cassius wondered what they really did. If Madame’s intelligence was correct, he was looking at a pair of secret agents.

The teachers distributed a pair of pamphlets and went over the rules of the day: stay with your guide at all times, don’t get lost, don’t head into the students’ quarters. With any luck, they’d be taking him right to his target. Maybe things weren’t going to be so difficult after all.

Then they were split into two groups. Cassius ended up in Ms. Gray’s. Colin, thankfully, was put into the other group. That would make things easier.

Ms. Gray took a quick head count and Cassius’s group left the bay, traveling to the elevators. All the while, Cassius considered ways to separate himself. First he had to find Fisher, which meant playing along a little while longer.

Soon they arrived in the center of a meandering hallway on Level Six. Posters, artwork, and faded maps hung along the curved walls. The gray carpet was noticeably stained. Ms. Gray wrangled them together in a huddle, keeping her voice low. “We’re heading by some of the classrooms on our way to the canteen so I need you all to be quiet, especially around open doors. The teachers are expecting you, but we don’t want to interrupt lessons.”

She turned and started off down the hallway. Cassius lingered by the elevators and stayed on the outskirts of the group in case he needed to make a quick escape. He closed his eyes for a moment, calming his racing nerves.

Then they wound down the most randomly designed corridor Cassius had ever walked through. What cou
ld have been a straight shot devolved into a series of twists and turns, alcoves and walls. Terribly impractical, but it would make hiding easier. He made a note of it.

They passed several closed, numbered doors before arrivi
ng at the entrance to a library. Cassius peered through a large glass window in the wall before traveling around the perimeter into another hallway. Several doors hung open before them. Ms. Gray raised her finger to her lips and moved forward.

As they passed the first open door, he hid behind a tall Asian boy and caught a quick glance of the room. Empty except for a few old desks shoved into the corner. Same with the next room. Where were all the students?

Then his chest tightened. Heat.

Not again.

He loosened his tie, struggling to block out the pain. His breathing shortened as he considered the worst possible scenario. Fire. Explosions.

Remembering the medication, he reached into his jacket and felt around for the pills. When he was sure no one was looking, he slipped the tiny white capsule from the packet and tossed it into his mouth.

They arrived outside the third door. His heart did a back-flip. The pain remained steady. A woman’s voice came from inside the room. Ms. Gray held out her hand to stop the visitation group and stepped through the open door.

Cassius gripped his chest, forcing the fire back inside of him. He was not going to let this happen. Not when he was so close.

Ms. Gray emerged from the room and ushered the group of eager students closer. They surged through the entrance. Cassius stayed back. He couldn’t risk any of the Shippers he’d m
et in Syracuse recognizing him. He settled just outside the doorway, ducking behind the group.

The teacher, a short African woman with a bright smile, stood facing them, going on about the merits of the college’s academic programs. Cassius tuned her out. The heat pounded through his torso but he held it at bay, peeping through cracks in the group. His eyes searched every row of the classroom, up and down, looking for Fisher.

In the fourth row from the doorway, two seats back, he found him—the same pathetic runt he’d met only days earlier on the rooftop, head resting sluggishly in his hand.

Cassius fought back a smile. He ducked away and detached himself from the group, tiptoeing to the next open doorway.

He slipped inside the empty room and darted behind a shelf, pulling the bag from his shoulder and unzipping it. He removed the pieces of the pistol from inside and attached them, hooking it onto the belt underneath his jacket. Just in case.

He leaned against the wall and controlled his breathing. The thudding in his heart grew fainter. The medication had begun to take effect.

17

“All right, folks.” Mrs. Dembo closes her textbook. “Excellent job today. Time to head to next period. Monday will be infinitely more interesting, I promise.”

I shut my book with a satisfying thud and shove it under the desk as the rest of the class shuffles out the door. Only two more periods of this left. Hopefully I can make it. And given what’s happened already, I mean that literally.

I stand and stretch, walking through the row of desks to the door. Just as I’m about to leave, Mrs. Dembo holds out her arm to stop me.

“Not so fast, Jesse.” She positions herself between me and the exit. The remaining students pass around her until it’s just the two of us.

She frowns, arms crossed. “What was all that about today? You looked horrible.”

I focus on the wall, hands in pockets. “I told you. I didn’t sleep very well.”

“Lack of sleep doesn’t cause seizures, Jesse.”

“Maybe I ate some bad chicken.” I shrug, knowing what’s really going through her mind. “You should check with the cooks.”

Her eyes narrow. “If we didn’t have visitors today, I’d have sent you down to the infirmary without question. As it stands, we’re going to get you checked out tonight.”

“But, I—”

“If it happens again today, you’re to get help immediately, even if there’s a whole group of visitors in the classroom at the time. Do you understand?”

“It was just a stomachache.”

“We’re not arguing about this, Jesse.”

“Whatever,” I mutter, and try to push my way past her.

Her arm stays steady, a bar across the doorway. “Was it just a stomachache, then?”

I glare at her. “What else would it be?”

She shakes her head, but doesn’t respond. I push past her. She lets me go. I leave the room without looking back. She knows full well that there’s something wrong with me, but won’t come out and say it. Nobody will.

I storm down the hallway, but I don’t get more than a few feet before an arm juts out and curls around my neck, choking me from behind as it yanks me into an empty classroom.

The door shuts and locks in front of me. My captor’s arm tightens around my neck, drawing me closer. “Don’t make a sound,” a voice whispers in my right ear, “or it’s over.”

I gasp for air and reach up to my neck.

The arm loosens and pushes me to the ground, face first. I flip around, just as my captor pulls a gun from underneath his jacket.

I look up. Even without the Unified Party badge I recognize him immediately. It’s the guy from the rooftop. Cassius Stevenson.

He aims a pistol at my face, looking down at me with the same arrogant expression as last time. And I thought my day couldn’t get any worse.

“What are you—” I don’t finish the question, realizing how senseless it’d be. He’s here. End of story.

“Shh.” He takes a step forward. “I told you to be quiet. Next time I fire.”

“How did you get up here?” I whisper, not expecting an answer. I comb my memory for mistakes I made back on the Surface, breadcrumbs that could have led him back to the Academy. But even if he’d found the ship, security would’ve taken him out before he reached the sixth level. He shouldn’t be here. A Pearlhound like him shouldn’t think twice abou
t someone like me.

Cassius eyes the room for a moment before returning his att
ention to me. “This is what’s gonna happen, Fisher. You’re gonna help me out here, all right? We need to get down to a shuttle and head for the Surface. You’re going to take me to the elevators, and you’re gonna to do it in silence. This pistol is loaded with Pearl energy. You want it fired into your heart?”

“I’m not taking you anywhere.” I push the pistol away from my face.

He crouches and grabs me by the collar, forcing the tip of the pistol into my chest. “All right, then.”

“No, no!” I panic. Sweat pools inside my school suit. “Don’t shoot!”

He drops me, standing but keeping his finger on the trigger. “I could’ve killed you easily a few days ago,” he starts. “I can do it again, so don’t play games with me.”

I nod and bring my knees to my chest. “You … you wanna get off of the Sky
ship?”

“That’s what I said,” Cassius responds, “and I’m taking you with me.”

“No way.”

He sighs, a flash of anger in his eyes. “You go where I tell you to go, Fisher. Now get up and check the hallways. And no screaming for help or you’ll be dead before anyone arrives.”

I lift myself off the ground and head to the closed door, hoping there’ll be someone in the hallway. Mrs. Dembo could still be in the classroom.

Cassius follows inches behind me, concealing the weapon but keeping it at the ready. I unlock the bolt and twist the doorknob, hands wet with sweat. Cracking open the door, I peer out into the hallway.

Cassius pokes the tip of the gun into my back. “This isn’t a time to play around. Get going.”

I open the door and step outside. Cassius stays close. The hallway’s empty. Anyone who could actually help me is hiding down on the lower levels because of Visitation. Students and teachers are in the classrooms pretending to study liberal arts. Whether Cassius planned this or not, it couldn’t possibly be a better set-up for him.

“What do you want from—”

“Shh.” He nudges me in the back. There are so many other people onboard that the Unified Party could kidnap. So many stronger, more important people. This has to be a mistake.

I turn right and head down the hallway, hoping that the door to Dembo’s room will still be open. But when we pass by her classroom, I realize that I’m doomed. The door’s shut. She’s left already. If I shout down the hallway, Cassius’ll shoot.

So I head forward. Cassius shifts to my side, walking casually like we’re old buddies or something.

“Don’t go out to the main corridor,” he whispers. “Stick to the inner hallways.”

I nod, scanning each open door for a sign of movement.

We pass around the backside of the library. I crane my neck to see in through the windows. There’s a Visitation group bunched together inside, backs turned in our direction. I look around for Avery. She should be in the stacks, working. If I could get her attention, she’d know what to do.

“Face forward.” Cassius pushes me to speed up.

Before I know it we arrive in the final corridor, steps away from the elevators. They’re deserted. Hope shrivels inside of me. If I’m going to make my move, it’s gotta be now. But I’m unarmed. Cassius is stronger.

I slow to a crawl, stepping forward with legs of concrete.

“Faster.” Cassius pushes me again. I nearly topple to the ground before catching myself.

We arrive at the elevators and Cassius moves to press the request button. The doors slide open right away. He forces me inside and follows.

The doors slide shut. We’re alone.

“Why are you taking me to the Surface?” I blurt as Cassius presses the button on the wall.

He ignores me. “These elevators bugged?”

“Why would I tell you that?”

He scans the upper corners before responding. “You did something. To me.”

“You’re the one who had me dangling off a building.”

“And then you did something.”

“Yeah, I fell.”

“You’re lying.” He shakes his head. “When we get to the bottom level, you’re gonna get us into a shuttle so that we can head down to the Lodge.”

“I’m not authorized to pilot a shuttle,” I reply, like it really matters.

“You let me worry about that.” He moves to the front of the elevator. “I just need you to get us in.”

I’m about to argue when the elevator doors open to reveal the ground level. Cassius sticks his head into the corridor, then grabs my wrist and attempts to pull me out.

I latch onto the metal bar at the far end with my free hand. Cassius struggles to break my grip, but before he can yank me into the corridor, a girl darts out from around the corner and tackles him to the ground. His fingers slip from my wrist. I turn in panic. Avery leaps from the floor and grabs my hand. Cassius lies in a heap on the ground, flummoxed.

“Hurry!” She pulls me across the corridor into the docking bay. We fly through the entrance as Cassius lifts himself off of the floor.

My heart ticks like a time bomb as we race through the docking bay. I don’t know how Avery knew to attack when she did, but I’d be dead without her.

“Stop or I shoot!” Cassius yells from behind us. Avery keeps running. I pull her back and spin around to see Cassius gaining ground, pistol raised.

“Don’t move another inch.” He approaches, glancing around the empty bay. The visitation taxi rests in the corner across from a line of empty Academy shuttles.

“I don’t know who you are,” Cassius glares at Avery, “but you better move out of the way and let me take what I need. My trigger finger’s itching for some action.”

Avery stands behind me, clutching my shoulders. Neither of us moves.

Cassius takes several more steps in our direction before stopping. A figure approaches behind him at the entrance to the bay. As the silhouette nears us, I notice the familiar bald spot. It’s Mr. Wilson.

I look back at Cassius. So far he’s oblivious.

“Last chance,” Cassius says. “Step away from Fisher.”

Avery stays close. Cassius cocks the pistol, preparing to shoot. But before he can pull the trigger, Wilson sneaks up and yanks his arm to the side.

“Run!” Wilson bellows. Avery and I turn and bolt to the nearest waiting shuttle.

Cassius reacts immediately, kneeing Mr. Wilson in the gut and breaking free of his grip.

Avery and I dart behind the shuttle.

“Your code!” she urges.

I frantically plug the numbers into the keypad and wait for the door to open. The moment it does, we jump inside.

Cassius swears, stumbling away from Mr. Wilson and raising the pistol. Wilson lunges at him—misses.

Avery fires up the shuttle. Cassius pulls the trigger.

A blinding green beam erupts from the pistol, hitting Mr. Wilson in the chest and burrowing through his body until it pokes out the other side and dissipates into the air. Wilson collapses face-first onto the ground with an echoing thud.

“No!” I stare out the window in horror. Mr. Wilson lies still, a willing sacrifice. For me. He took the bullet for me.

He didn’t even like me.

Cassius winces for a moment, then turns to come after us. He’s too late. We hover off the ground. Our landing gear rises and Avery takes the pilot’s seat, steering us through the docking bay.

I watch as Cassius barrels toward us, gripping the pistol. He could shoot if he wanted, but he doesn’t. Instead, he stops halfway and heads for the row of empty shuttles.

I turn to Avery. “He’s gonna follow us.”

She keeps her attention on the sky outside the docking bay. “He’ll have a tough time without an access code.”

But
as I watch Cassius struggle with the shuttle locks, pounding his fists on the door, I know he’s gonna find a way to break in. All we can do is put as much distance between us and
him as possible.