Cassius relished the chance to leave his cell, to move freely without shackles pulling him back.
The Unified Party Cruiser landed in the Fringes several minutes ago, opening its door to a world far different than the temperature-controlled room inside the Lodge. Madame surprised him earlier in the morning, arriving in place of the usual breakfast lady. “We’ll be going on an errand,” she’d said, and left it at that. It was like old times. She never revealed more than she had to.
His wrists had welts on them from being restrained for so long. He walked with a slight limp. His leg cramped.
Keep moving.
Madame’s voice echoed in his mind. She hadn’t actually spoken, but the device on his neck relayed her commands.
They were at the edge of a Fringe Town. Syracuse, just a short distance from the Lodge. Cassius couldn’t think of a more uncomfortable place. Every time he breathed, the air felt thick and sandy. Sweat dripped from his neck, staining the collar of his shirt. A dry wind ripped like sandpaper against his skin. And the sun… it was unstoppable. Syracuse, more than any other Fringe Town, had special significance. It was where everything had started, where he’d first met Fisher and triggered his power, where Pearls stopped being energy and became something else. He hadn’t been back since.
The town could be dangerous. The lawlessness of the Fringes wasn’t too far off from the slum lands back in Providence, though they were far emptier. Every time he’d ventured outside in the past, something had gone wrong. Fringers, like Slum Lords, were not to be trusted. Even though he’d denounced the ways of the Unified Party, he could still become a target. No Fringer would be happy to see someone like Madame walking through their town, not after the government all but banished them to a life in this hellish wasteland.
Madame wore a loose white blouse and tan pants. Casual for her. He assumed she wanted to blend in. Beside her was the boy, Theo Rayne, trotting along like an obedient puppy. Cassius didn’t know why she’d insisted on bringing him. As usual, she’d offered no explanation.
Cassius surveyed the buildings on either side of them. Gutted, dusty storefronts bordered the vacant street. This was a ghost town-brown and lifeless. There were thousands like it scattered throughout the country, each as dead as the last. He hoped all the Fringers had scattered to different parts of the state.
Keep walking.
Madame wrapped her arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer. “Lovely morning, isn’t it?”
He wanted to push away, summon fire, and fight, but the harnessing kept him at bay. It was an odd half-life, hazy and unfocused like a dream. He could move. He could talk. But he couldn’t break through.
Madame released him and steered Theo to the right. She pointed to a building on the nearest corner. “That’s a fine example of turn-of-the-century architecture.” Cassius glanced up. The windows had been blown out on all three stories. “Things were quaint back then. I would love to crawl inside a time machine, take an excursion back before it all changed.”
Theo tensed his shoulders. “Do I have to wear this jacket?”
“I know it’s hot, dear, but you don’t want to walk back into the Lodge with a Surface Tan. Besides, the material’s designed to help regulate your body temperature. You’d be less comfortable without it.”
Cassius dragged his feet beside them. “Isn’t it dangerous for someone like you to be out here?”
“It’s a dangerous world, Cassius.” She led them down an alley. “The trick is not caring.”
Theo’s head poked around her back. He grinned. “The great Cassius Stevenson’s not scared, is he?”
Cassius ignored him. The truth was, he didn’t think he could be scared if he tried. He couldn’t seem to summon any emotion at all.
“Now Theo,” Madame chuckled. “Play nice. I don’t want the incident in Cassius’s cell to repeat itself. It’s important to me that the two of you get along.” She paused. “Come. We’re nearly there.”
She led them halfway down another street, identical to the last and stopped before a wide, boarded-up building. Cassius thought he recognized it from his last venture out, but it was tough to be sure. Everything looked familiar.
Madame gripped the cracked door handle. “Cassius, you know I care about you. Everything, even what happened back in Seattle, I did for you. I dream of the day we can walk like this without the use of devices.” She pulled open the door without waiting for a response. A cloud of dust dislodged from the opening.
Keep walking.
They stepped into the foyer. It was identical to the ones he’d explored as a boy when he found it necessary to escape the pristine cleanliness of the Lodge. They ascended a short flight of stairs and turned the corner, heading for a room on the second floor.
Theo stopped in his tracks and blocked the way forward as Madame disappeared into the room. He turned around, eyes slit. “I don’t know why she brought you here, but I’m watching you.”
Cassius pushed past him. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
He followed Madame into the small room. It was empty except for a disheveled bed in one corner and a table in another. She stood at the foot of the bed, hugging a girl. Avery Wicksen.
Without the Unified Party suit she’d worn in Providence, she seemed much more like the girl Cassius remembered. Her straw-colored hair was tied behind her face, revealing soft features. A hint of freckles. She looked common, in loose jeans and a dirty T-shirt. Like a Fringer.
Avery’s eyes met his own. Any glimmer of recognition was fleeting. Dulled. Madame released her embrace and Avery perched at the edge of the bed, oblivious to him.
“My dear girl.” Madame backed up two steps to admire her. “Forgive me for these dreary surroundings. I hate to think of you out here in this heat.”
Avery opened her mouth. For a moment, Cassius expected to hear anger-brash confidence like she’d possessed months ago. Instead, her voice was quiet. “I’m comfortable. I have water.”
“Still.” Madame smiled. “A place like this, a town filled with rousers and thugs, is hardly what I want for my daughter.”
Cassius crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway. Avery was as much Madame’s daughter as he was her son. It didn’t count. It wasn’t real.
Straighten up.
He arched his back, standing tall without even realizing it.
Madame strode to a wide window at the opposite end of the room. It had been covered with wood planks, but lines of sunlight poked through. “It won’t be for much longer, I assure you. You’ll have Jesse Fisher back in good time.” She looked over her shoulder. “And when he sees you like this… well, he’ll be concerned. And rightfully so.”
Cassius watched Avery tense up. Her fingers gripped the bedspread. Her heel tapped against the ground. “Do you know where he is now?”
“No,” Madame responded. “That’s why I’ve come here. I have a surprise for you.”
She motioned Theo to her side. The boy pulled the pack from his shoulder and handed it to her, backing away without a sound. Madame unbuttoned the top flap and pulled a communicator from inside. Cassius recognized it instantly. Badly worn, unrealistically large. It had belonged to him only a few short days ago. Fisher’s communicator.
She tossed it across the room to Avery’s waiting hands. “Old Unified Party technology. Cassius was using it to speak with Jesse Fisher. We’ve switched it off until now. Go ahead and turn it back on.”
Avery ran her fingers down the side of the device, searching for the switch. Cassius knew exactly what to press, but he remained silent.
Madame threw the pack back to Theo. “It’s only a matter of time before Fisher tries to contact his brother. When he does, he’ll find you instead. And that’s when we’ll construct our story. The two of you will be reunited.” Her brows raised. “See? I do keep my promises.” Avery examined the communicator. Her hands shook. Her face remained blank.
Madame crouched on the ground beside the bed. “I know about love. It may seem disingenuous, coming from me. The two of us have been strangers for some time now, but I remember it. At times it seems there’s nothing more important.”
Avery switched on the communicator.
“That’s a good girl.” Madame patted her knee. “You remember the plan. Everything hinges on timing and trust.”
Cassius stepped forward. “What are you going to do to Fisher?”
Quiet.
Madame stood, a half smile on her face. “I’m not going to do anything to him, Cassius. Calm down.”
“You’re bringing him here,” he continued. “And obviously it isn’t so he can see her.”
“What exactly are you accusing me of?”
Theo laughed from the window. “Maybe the great Cassius Stevenson needs another dosage.”
Cassius glared at the kid. “I am so sick of you.” He bolted toward the window and shoved Theo into the slats. His fingers tightened around the boy’s neck, eager to snap it.
“Stop!” Madame shouted.
Cassius’s grip loosened, half under his command, half from the sound of her voice.
A shot punctured the silence, coming from the street beyond the window. Theo ducked. So did Cassius. Madame froze before striding to the window. She bent to peer between the slats, then gave a great sigh. “Fringers,” she said. “And their guns. Always bullets. So unrefined.”
Avery stood, still clutching the communicator. “They don’t know about me. I expected them to scavenge the building, even just for shelter, but it’s been safe.”
“They’ve probably seen the cruiser.” Madame turned. “That ought to have set them off.” She pulled Theo to his feet and dusted off the corner of his jacket. “Go outside and make yourself useful.”
The boy swallowed. He hesitated a moment before nodding. As he went for the door, he made a point of bumping into Cassius’s shoulder. Cassius eyed the kid in disbelief before turning back to Madame. “You’re sending him out by himself? You don’t even know how many Fringers are out there!”
“I saw three. There may be more.” She held out a hand to stop the boy. “Names. I’d like names, if at all possible, Theo.”
Theo nodded before sprinting out the door.
Cassius scoffed. “They’re gonna kill him.”
“They won’t.”
“Trust me. If they’ve got guns-”
“They won’t kill him,” she repeated. “You and Theo have a lot in common. Don’t underestimate him.”
Cassius stared at her, searching for the truth. Her face was impossible to read.
“Why do you want names?”
She clasped her hands at her waist. “There’s been rumors of an uprising in these parts. It’s the closest Fringe Town to the Lodge. It would be fantastic news if any of the Fringe leaders were disposed of today.”
“You mean-”
“You felt the blade of Theo’s knife yesterday.” She glanced at his chest before meeting his eyes once more. “It’s his favorite. I gave it to him several years ago. You didn’t know about it, of course. You didn’t know about him.” She paused. “But you soon will.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Shut the door,” she said. “He’ll knock when he’s ready.”
Cassius took a moment to peer into the hallway before closing the door. Theo had already disappeared.
Madame moved to Avery’s side and placed one hand on her shoulder. “Let me show you how this communicator works.” She coaxed Avery into a sitting position. “This is all we had back in my day. Primitive, yes, but it does the trick.” She tapped the bed with her free hand. “Why don’t you come join us, Cassius?”
He stood still, listening to the sounds outside. There were more shots. Two, then a third half a minute later. After that, nothing but silence.
To the bed, Cassius.
He moved to the side of the bed, positioning himself as far from Madame as possible. He wished he could do something. If he’d had his full senses, he could break free and warn Fisher.
He stole quick glances at Madame. The way she hovered over Avery, the hint of lavender coming from her skin… it was all too familiar. He recalled nights when he was a boy and she would come to his room to read to him. The classics-never anything trivial or childish. She’d been like a mother, then. She looked like one now. No one had ever made him feel more important.
A knock came at the door. Three equal thuds.
Madame passed the communicator back to Avery. “That was quick.” She smiled, then raised her voice. “Come in.”
The door opened and Theo entered the room, jacket torn at the shoulder and hair stuck to his face. He raised his knife, wet with blood, and dropped it to the floor. “Randy, Paul, and Joseph,” he panted.
Cassius stared at his face, then down at the weapon, the dark-red splotch against the wood.
Madame frowned. “Pity. Not an important name among the three of them.” She stared at the tear in his jacket. “You can take it off now if you want, darling. No risk of Surface Tan in here.”