Even In Death Page 2

  “When we got the news in Sudyka that Starborns in Salem had killed a bunch of guards, we were surprised,” Jeffrey said. “But we knew what we had to do. We started fighting.”

  I was shocked by his words. “But we were framed,” I said. “We never killed those guards. In fact, we tried to save the colony, not take it over.”

  “But that’s not what it looked like to us,” Jeffery answered. “And in a way, Jeremiah hurt himself by trying frame you. In a way, he signaled the revolt on his own.”

  Aaron cleared his throat. “So that’s why someone was trying to get help over the radio.”

  Jeffrey nodded. “Springhill is our closest neighbor and we were desperate. We didn’t do well in our part. Somehow Jeremiah had greyskins and guards attacking us. The fifty or so people outside are all we have left of the Sudyka Resistance.”

  Evelyn’s head dipped at this. A look of sadness betrayed her. They had not been ready for all of this. Her plan to take down Jeremiah had started as a personal matter. Jeremiah had killed her love, Mark. He had taken everything away from her. When I looked at Jeffrey, I remembered that he, too, lost someone dear to him. Sarah. I remembered seeing his heartbreak as the tears streamed down his much younger face. But when I thought about it, we had all lost something because of Jeremiah. There wasn’t a person in the room that remained untouched by the pain Jeremiah had brought upon the Earth. The thought brought confidence to me in what we were doing.

  “Has fighting started in other places?” I asked.

  Jeffrey nodded. “All of them.”

  “Even in Screven?” Aaron asked.

  “Even in Screven,” Jeffrey answered. “Jeremiah is getting nervous.”

  “As he should,” Evelyn added.

  “So why haven’t we ever been told of these others in the Resistance?” Aaron asked. “Why have we been made to think that we were the only ones?” His question was obviously directed at Evelyn who shifted slightly.

  “I know that to you it may seem like a betrayal of trust because I haven’t told you,” she said, “but it was for your protection. For the protection of others. We didn’t want Resistance soldiers contacting each other from different colonies.”

  “For instance,” Jeffrey said, “if someone in Sudyka knew about the Resistance in Salem and one of them were caught and interrogated, everyone would be in trouble. Only Resistance leaders in other colonies know that there are more of us ready to fight at the same time.”

  “Keeping you in the dark was the safest thing we could do,” Evelyn added.

  The room was too silent after this. Every person sat and considered what it all meant for them. I knew what it meant for me. It meant that we had to go to Screven and finish what we started. And I needed to do it quickly before my condition worsened.

  “Do you know what needs to be done in Screven?” I asked them.

  Jeffrey nodded and shrugged. “A lot. It will be the most difficult place to take down, obviously. The Resistance there is smaller than I would like, but it’s also the hardest place to get anything done without being seen.”

  “What’s been done already?” Aaron asked.

  “We don’t know,” Evelyn said. “They are afraid to communicate outside of the city for fear of being picked up. Could be chaos, could be very little happening.”

  “We need to get there now,” I said, hoping I wasn’t being too obvious. I nod at Jeffrey. “You’re a teleporter. Can you get us into Screven from here?”

  Jeffrey let out a little laugh and scratched the back of his neck. He looked at Evelyn then back at me. “My ability isn’t very accurate. That’s the only problem. I could get all of you into Screven, but I couldn’t guess where we would end up. We could appear in Jeremiah’s living room for all I know.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Heather said. “We can take him.” Danny smiled at this.

  “It’s the only option we have,” I told him. “Going inside secretly is the best way. We won’t stand a chance if we try to take a car or helicopter.”

  Jeffrey looked at me with a concerned expression on his face, obviously taking the suggestion to heart. I didn’t think he had expected to go into Screven so soon. None of them had.

  “I’ll have no shortage of electrical sources there,” Aaron said. “It’s no problem with me, though I’m not sure what the plan is when we get there. I wouldn’t mind running into Connor.”

  He said this with a hint of anger in his voice. A big part of me wanted to blurt out that Connor had gone to Screven to help us get information about Jeremiah’s plans. But Connor had told me not to tell anyone. He didn’t want to take the chance that Jeremiah could find out about him. All Connor had going for him was knowledge of us and how we operate. I feared greatly that Jeremiah would soon find him useless and kill him, but I figured he still had some time left. I was conflicted about telling the others about him. So, I held my tongue.

  It pained me to see Aaron so angry with him. The two had never truly been able to reconcile with each other over the death of their parents. I had recently learned that Aaron was the adopted son. In a terrible twist of fate, Aaron had once been forced to kill their undead parents in order to survive. The whole situation was tragic.

  I couldn’t understand my emotions. I had feelings for both of them. For Aaron it was the allure of learning more about who I was as a Starborn. I had always felt that he would be able to take me on a journey to show me who I truly was. But then there was Connor who showed me more about myself than anyone ever could. He had shown me that I am not immortal. He had shown me that despite the great gift I had, we were all in this together.

  I had spoken to Connor only minutes ago. I had told him that I loved him. And for the first time, I was honest with myself and I knew that I meant it. I couldn’t explain it, nor did I want to. All I knew was that I was sad and I was scared of him being near Jeremiah. He was so brave, and yet I couldn’t help but think it was a stupid move too. What made him think Jeremiah would let him live? Yet there he was. Alive. Having Connor there would be beneficial when I would attempt to take on Jeremiah. Because of Connor, I would know where the Screven leader was. I would be able to stay a step ahead of the enemy.

  My urgency to face Jeremiah only reminded me that my life was coming to an end soon. I knew I would never be able to enjoy Connor’s love. I would never be able to hold him. It struck me that with the virus overtaking my body, I wouldn’t even be able to kiss him goodbye.

  The thoughts running through my head were enough to make me sick. I needed a distraction. I needed to get out of Springhill. I needed to get to Screven.

  “I don’t mind giving myself up,” I said to them all. “Jeremiah will see me if I surrender. Then I can just kill him.”

  “You don’t fear for your own life?” Aaron asked.

  “I don’t,” I said. I’m going to die anyway.

  Aaron shook his head and set his jaw firm.

  “Your willingness is appreciated,” Jeffrey said, “but Jeremiah will have precautions set in place. It wouldn’t be that easy. What we need to do first is meet with the Screven Resistance leader, Allison. She will know what needs to be done. She knows Screven better than any of us.”

  The spirits of everyone in the room felt heavy. We could hear each other breathing, but, to me, it was a welcome sound. The sound of life.

  All of us were exhausted. It was only midmorning and we had all given so much of ourselves already. We needed a break. We needed a rest. But I knew I couldn’t afford to wait. The others might not have understood my haste, but it seemed to be interpreted as determination. Though I was determined, I was also afraid. Terrified actually. I didn’t know what this process was like. I didn’t know what it would involve to try and take down Jeremiah as my body moved rapidly toward death.

  The talk was finished and it was decided that we would all meet in exactly one hour. I knew I had to give Grandma and Jake a final goodbye. I wouldn’t tell them about what was happening to me. I would die on the mission and hopefully that was all they would know.

  Before leaving the Tower, I placed a hand on Christopher’s arm and told him that I needed to talk to him about something. He nodded with a smile, but I didn’t think he would be smiling when I told him what my idea was.

  But first, I wanted to spend some time with my family.

  It had been a long morning already and I couldn’t help but think that this day, my last day, would be the longest day of my life.

  CHAPTER TWO

  I TOLD GRANDMA and Jake about what we were planning to do. When I finished talking, Jake let me know that it didn’t seem like I had much of a plan. He was right. The only plan we had was to show up in Screven and find the Resistance leader Allison. Of course, this wasn’t my plan. Regardless of what the others came up with, my job was to get to Jeremiah before my time ran out.

  The three of us sat at the table and Grandma put out some bread and tomatoes. It wasn’t much, but it tasted good. Under the circumstances, however, I found it hard to eat. Facing the certainty of death had depleted my appetite. Not only that, but the moment I sat down at the table, I started to feel hot, and my neck began to ache. Must have been the start of the fever.

  “What do you think it will be like when all this is over?” Jake asked, mouth full of food.

  “Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Grandma said.

  Jake rolled his eyes but then looked at me for an answer.

  “I think it will be better than we could ever dream,” I said. “We’ll be growing more food, maybe we can even keep animals again.”

  “Oh, that would be great,” Jake said.

  “Maybe you would think about getting married?” Grandma said with a grin. She tore off a piece of bread and did a short toss into her mouth. I could tell the grin was forced behind so much pain. She was doing her best to keep her mind away from the attack that morning.

  Still, her question made me blush. And when I thought about it, it was stupid that I blushed. Marriage can’t happen for me. I’ve been infected. But I played out the conversation anyway, regardless of how painful it was.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “Not sure who I would marry.”

  “Connor seemed like a nice young man,” Grandma said. “Where did he run off to?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know exactly.”

  “Or Aaron!” Jake said. “Can you imagine what your kid would be like? Shooting out lightening bolts and moving things with his mind all at the same time?” He moved his hands through the air and made an explosion noise with his mouth. “That kid would be unstoppable.”

  “Could we not talk about this right now, please?” I asked.

  The two of them smiled at me, but I just stared down at the bread. When I looked back up at them, their faces had turned very serious.

  “I want you to know that it is a very dangerous trip we’re going on,” I said. “There is a possibility that I won’t be coming back.”

  “Well, we don’t need to hear that kind of talk, Mora,” Grandma said. “You’ll be fine. You always are.”

  She might have believed that, but she hadn’t seen how close I’d come to dying over the past couple of weeks. I supposed that even if she had, it would only make her conviction even stronger. But I knew the truth. I knew that I wouldn’t be fine this time.

  As the hour passed, we talked about everything. The past. The future. When the hour was up, it was hard to tell them that it was time to go. A quick goodbye was all I could manage even though I knew I would never see them again. With the virus in my veins, I would be dead by the next morning.

  They both hugged me tightly again as I stood next to the door. “No tears this time,” Grandma said. “I hope to see you here in no time, all right?”

  I nodded at her. It was everything I could do not to burst out crying then and there. I knew I needed to be strong for them. I knew they needed to see a confident Mora walking away from them: a Mora that would be back after she set them all free.

  With one last wave, I set out for the Tower. Along the way I spotted Christopher standing with his sister, Sadie, in the street. When I walked up to them, she looked at me and gasped. At first, I had no idea why she had such a reaction, but then I remembered that she also had a gift. She could read people’s thoughts.

  I held up a hand to her, telling her to wait. “I just need a second to explain,” I told her.

  “Explain what?” Christopher asked.

  “She’s been infected,” Sadie said.

  Christopher looked at me with wide eyes, shocked by the revelation. “How? When? Are you all right?” He shook his head. “Of course you aren’t all right. What happened?”

  “This morning at my house,” I told them. “You can see why I want to get to Screven as soon as possible.”

  He nodded. “I do now. What did you want to talk to me about?”

  “I was wondering if your ability to heal would allow you to sustain me for a time,” I said.

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  I wipe a bit of sweat from my brow. “I know you can’t heal the greyskin virus because it will kill you, but can you stave off the symptoms of it? I need more time.”

  “What kind of time are you looking for?”

  “I need all of today,” I said. “Getting to Jeremiah will be difficult. I might not be able to do it before the infection immobilizes me.”

  “I don’t know,” Christopher said. “I’ve never really tried to heal someone a little at a time.”

  “You want to try it now?” I asked.

  He looked at Sadie, but she only shrugged.

  “Do you know when you’ve reached your breaking point?” I asked him. “Do you know when something is about to kill you when you heal?”

  He looked at me with serious eyes. “Yes. When I touch you, I will know if it can be done.”

  I held out my arm. “All I’m asking is for you to take some of the symptoms so I can function longer. Don’t take the infection itself.”

  “I understand,” he said.

  “Right now I just have a slight fever.”

  He looked around, almost to see if anyone was watching. He then grabbed my arm quickly and firmly. Closing his eyes, he held on with a tight grip. I immediately felt the fever begin to leave my body. My neck didn’t hurt and I didn’t feel abnormally hot.

  He let go suddenly. “There,” he said with a deep breath. He rubbed at his neck and tried to pop it by wrenching it side to side. “I feel the fever. How do you feel?”

  “Never better,” I said. “Like I did about an hour ago.”

  Christopher nodded.

  “No,” Sadie said. “You can’t take him.”

  “What?” Christopher asked.

  “She wants you to go to Screven,” she answered, almost in tears. She turned back to me. “He can’t go with you.”

  “What’s going on, Mora?”

  “If you’re willing,” I told him, “I want you to come with me. I know it’s a lot to ask. Jeremiah is looking for you. If I’m going to get to him, I will need you to help me. Eventually, my symptoms will prevent me from finishing this. That’s why I will need you. To take them from me, until it’s time for me to die.”

  Sadie was crying heavily now. I desperately hoped that no one would see us. Christopher placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her in closer. “It’s okay, Sadie. Don’t cry.” He looked up at me. “If you need me so you can get to Jeremiah, I will help.”

  “I can’t guarantee your safety,” I told him.

  “I know,” he said. “But I am willing. You saved my life in Salem. I don’t know where we would be right now if you hadn’t come to get us. The least I can do is help you in your last hours.”

  “I appreciate it,” I told him. I looked at Sadie. “I promise I will do everything I can to make sure Christopher is safe.”

  She wiped her eyes and nodded.

  “Sadie,” I said. “You can’t tell anyone about me. Nobody knows except for the three of us.”

  Again she nodded.

  “I want you to go and stay with my Grandma and Jake until Christopher gets back. Just promise me that even when I’m gone, you will never tell anyone about the scratch, okay?”

  “I promise,” she said.

  Christopher pulled Sadie in and hugged her. He whispered something into her ear, but I didn’t catch most of it. The last part was I love you so much. Part of me felt terrible for asking him to do such a thing for me. It was a risk for him. A huge risk. Not only that, but he would be subjected to physical anguish.

  But I would keep my word to Sadie. I would do what I had to do to keep her brother safe. With Christopher’s help, I should have plenty of time to get to Jeremiah. I just wish I knew what I was doing, and how I would do it. With a final goodbye, Sadie was off for my grandma’s house and Christopher walked beside me toward the Tower.

  “Your sister cares about you very much,” I said.

  “We’ve been through a lot together,” he said. “We’ve had to learn to rely only on each other. It’s not often that we’re apart.”

  “I want you to know, you don’t have to do this,” I said. “You don’t owe me anything. If you walk away right now, I won’t think less of you. I can find another way.”

  “No you can’t,” Christopher said. “I know the process of becoming a greyskin. I’ve seen it too many times. You’ve got a few hours before the headaches come and the fever begins to send cold chills through your body. Then you will start to get extremely tired. A few hours after that, you will barely be able to walk. Your eyes start to turn dark. Fluids you didn’t even know you had start coming out and you start to have a desire for flesh. Then, almost exactly a day after the infection begins, you die, only to come back to life almost immediately.”

  I lifted an eyebrow. “Not exactly making me excited about this process,” I said.

  He smiled at this. “Well, with our plan, you shouldn’t have to go through all of those things. You will just…die.”