Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles #1)(40)

“You said Mother started this place?”

I nod.

“That’s not possible,” he says. “There is no way your mother started this facility.” He crunches his face up in concentration.

“Sure it is. Why not?”

“The War was over fifty years ago, Evie. Your Mother doesn’t look any older than thirty.”

“Fifty years ago? That’s not possible. I was one of the first children born here. The city is only maybe twenty years old. And Mother started this when she was in her early twenties. So, she’s in her forties, at least.”

“No, Evie, it can’t be. There’s no freakin’ way. If she started this during the War, then it’s over fifty years old. So, either she’s lying about when she started it, or she’s lying about who started it.”

The silence drags out while I consider this information. If he’s telling the truth, then Mother’s been lying to everyone for a long time. But how did she fool the people that have been here from the beginning?

Suddenly a speaker over our heads crackles to life and Mother’s voice flows into the room, causing us both to tense as if our muscles are made of violin strings and someone is turning the pegs.

“Attention, Citizens of Elysium,” she says. “We have an emergency.”

Gavin and I exchange a look as a chill fills my body. She knows we’re gone. I’d been hoping to have a course of action before this happened.

“The Surface Dweller has escaped our Detainment Center, and it appears that he has kidnapped the Daughter of the People. For your safety, and that of my daughter, please report any sightings to the nearest Guard or Enforcer, but do not approach them. I repeat, do not approach them. The Surface Dweller is possibly armed and definitely dangerous. Your cooperation is appreciated and will be rewarded.”

She follows the announcement with a description of Gavin—paying special attention to mention his gray eyes and darker skin—and then repeats the announcement.

The blood freezes in my veins. There’s no way we’re going to be able to get around now without being seen. I’m too noticeable and so is Gavin. We won’t last a minute out there.





CHAPTER TWELVE



Mother’s word is law. Everyone must follow the law. If you do not, then you are a traitor and will be treated as such.





—CITIZEN’S SOCIAL CODE, VOLUME III





“What do we do now?” Gavin asks. He’s already standing. He’s tensed as if to run, but I can only tell because the ropes of muscle stand out against his shirt. His eyes are calm and direct as they watch me.

I don’t know, I want to scream, but only say, “We’re going to have to find another escape tunnel. And we’re going to need to get away from the Enforcers and the Guards.”

“How long do we have here? It doesn’t look like anyone’s been down here in ages.” He runs his finger along the box and holds it up to me, showing me the dust on the tip. “I doubt they’ll come anytime soon.”

“Mother gave me that map. She’s going to know I used it. This is the first place they’ll look. Maybe not here specifically, but one of the ‘safe zones’ marked on the map. We need to find somewhere safe where there aren’t people and not on the escape map. The Residential Sector is probably our best bet. There are vacant quarters. We can find one and that’ll give us at least a little while to plan.”

He thinks for a minute, his eyes staring at the ceiling. He huffs out a breath and crosses his arms over his chest. “It’ll have to do.”

I kneel to draw in the dust along the floor. “Here, pay attention. In case we get separated, you need to know how to get there. I don’t know how much of what Mother said she thinks is true, but on the off chance she honestly believes you kidnapped me … if we’re caught, you’ll be safer if I go back to them willingly.” He watches my hand as it draws on the ground, but now his eyes jerk up to mine. He opens his mouth to object, but I keep going, pretending I don’t see it. “You need to make sure to run as fast as you can into the shadows and to here.” I mark an X where the entrance to the Sector is. “I’ll meet you there when I can.”

It’s quiet while I draw the rest of the map of the Square. I can’t trust the accuracy of the map Mother gave me, so I have to take the time to draw this one.

“It’s important to stick to the shadows. Your eyes and skin will give you away. No matter what happens, you have to make sure to get to here. Do you understand?”

He doesn’t say anything, and from the fact that his jaw is clenched and he won’t look at me, I know he’s angry with me. Hesitantly, and fighting the urge that wants me to not do it, I cup his cheek in my palm to try to get him to look at me. “Please. Promise me.” I let my hand drop to my side. “Please. No matter what. If you get caught, we’ll never get another chance to do this.”

He sighs and then nods. “Fine,” he says shortly. “But how long do I wait if you don’t come?”

“Twenty-four hours. If I don’t come for you, that means I’m physically unable to. Whether I’ve been confined, or Conditioned, or—”

“Killed.”

My heart jumps into my throat, but my voice is devoid of emotion when I say, “Or she kills me for defying her. Yes. That’s why it’s important to memorize this map of the city. If for some reason we get separated and I don’t meet you at the rendezvous point in twenty-four hours, you’ll need to find another escape tunnel by yourself.”