Outcasts (8 page)

Zane frowned at Shaylinn. “He didn’t suspect?”

“He didn’t seem to,” Levi said. “But he did act like there was something missing.”

“And what does the message say?” Zane asked. “The fourth one.”

Shaylinn unfolded the piece of paper, but the waitress arrived then with their food.

She set it all on the table and asked, “Can I get you anything else?”

“Just some privacy, please,” Levi said. “Thanks.”

“Right, well, thanks for visiting Café Eat. Find pleasure tonight.”

Levi watched her walk away, and only when he was sure she was out of earshot did he say, “Go ahead, Shaylinn.”

Shaylinn handed the message to Levi. “It basically says Bender is working with Otley.”

“What!” Jordan slapped his hands on the table and stood. Levi and Omar’s sodas sloshed over the side of their cups.

“Jordan.”
Shaylinn grabbed a napkin and mopped up the spilled soda.

“I’m not surprised,” Omar said. “Bender is a maggot.”

The mere idea sent fire through Levi’s chest. But people were staring. Levi raised his eyebrows at Jordan. “Have a seat, Jordan.”

Jordan plopped back to his chair and folded his arms.

Shocked and confused, Levi read the message, then passed it to Zane.

“Is it bad, brother?” Omar asked.

“Yeah.” But why would Bender partner with Otley? A month ago he’d wanted Levi to shoot Otley. Was this a recent move? Or had Bender been talking with Otley even back during Lonn’s days? Maybe that was how Lonn had gotten caught, which painted a terrible theory of the botched Lonn rescue in his mind. Well, if Bender had killed Chord and turned on Lonn, he wouldn’t hesitate to betray Levi’s people. They had to move. Now.

Zane sighed and passed the letter to Omar, but Jordan snatched it away before Omar managed to touch it.

“Hey!” Omar said.

This conversation might be too scary for Shaylinn. “Omar, you and Shaylinn go sit at the counter, will you?”

“You don’t want me to hear something?” Omar scowled and gestured at the letter in Jordan’s hands. “I don’t even get to read it?”

“Not you, brother.” Levi nodded to Shaylinn, who was picking at her salad.

“Fine,” Omar said. “Let’s go, Shay.” He whisked her plate out from under her hands and carried it to the counter.

“Hey!” Shaylinn said, getting up to follow him.

Once they were both seated at the counter, Levi asked Zane, “Is Shaylinn safe? What she did with Kendall … defying Bender like that. What if he knows? What if he put one of those MiniComms in Kendall’s apartment or put one on Shaylinn somehow? I mean, look at that hair. There could be anything in that mess.”

“I don’t think he’d put an ear on her,” Zane said. “But he’s been
watching Kendall since Chord was killed. Rewl and I followed her a few times.”

“You think Bender had Chord killed?” Levi asked.

“He must have. My guess is Rewl did it.”

Rewl. Maybe that kid
could
shoot. “Who’s Ruston Neil?”

“How much rebel history do you know?” Zane asked. “Have you heard of the FFF?”

“I’ve seen graffiti in the storm drains,” Levi said.

“The FFF was the first resistance movement in the Safe Lands. Where the Black Army is mostly made up of disgruntled Safe Landers, the FFF is the real underground made up of Naturals. Been around almost since the beginning. Stands for Freedom for Families.”

“Wait. Families? Here?” Levi asked.

“This place didn’t just start out the way it is now, peer,” Zane said. “Things happened. Over time. And in the beginning, there were people who didn’t like what was happening. Anyway … Ruston Neil is the current leader of the FFF. Ruston and Lonn were friends, worked together on a lot of things.”

“So Chord figured Ruston needed to know about Bender and Otley,” Levi said.

“We all needed to know,” Jordan said. “We need to take down that maggot.”

Zane shook his head. “Don’t do anything yet — at least not to Bender.”

Levi couldn’t just sit around and wait to be arrested or killed by Otley. “What if I went to Dayle up in the Department of Public Tasks?”

“Dayle would just go to Ruston too,” Zane said.

“Does Bender know Ruston?” It seemed like all these rebels knew each other.

“Yes, but he doesn’t know where he lives. Ruston keeps off the grid as much as possible. He’s only got a few guys who run for him. Bender can’t find him. No one can.”

“Can you?” Levi asked.

Zane smiled and ate one of Levi’s fries. “I can find anyone.”

“That’s what we want,” Levi said. “We have to leave the bunker. I can’t keep my people vulnerable to Bender. Plus I’m sick of him telling me what to do.”

“I’ve got a place,” Zane said. “No one knows about it. Not even Rewl or Bender knows. It will be a tight squeeze. But you could bring your women there. At least until I can talk to Ruston about someplace bigger.”

“Oh, no,” Jordan said. “I’m not getting separated from my wife again.”

Levi didn’t like the idea of dividing their flock either. “Can we all go there?”

“Yeah, sorry,” Zane said. “I meant all of you. You’ll fit.” But he didn’t look so sure. “We’d have to move you at night or really early in the morning, go through the storm drains, at least until we’re on the outskirts of the city.”

“Our leaving would tip off Bender that we don’t trust him, though,” Levi said.

“It won’t be a problem if he can’t find us,” Jordan said.

“What about Omar?” Zane asked. “You want him to stay on grid and task?”

“No,” Levi said at the same time as Jordan said, “Yes.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Levi said.

“If Omar goes into hiding, Otley will know,” Jordan said. “Bender said the enforcers were still watching him.”

Right. “But
Bender
said, Jordan. He could have been lying.”

“What if he wasn’t?”

“What if Omar runs into Bender?” Levi said. “What if he asks Omar about me or where all our people went to?”

“Omar tells him you got the women out one night, and that they’re back in Glenrock,” Jordan said.

Levi didn’t like that plan. “It puts Omar in a vulnerable place.”

“Look, I’m going to take this letter to Ruston and get the new place ready,” Zane said. “I’ll tap you with the plan. Until then, play like you know nothing about Bender and Otley.”

“Who?” Levi said.

Zane smirked and stood. “I’ll tap you. Oh, here.” He removed a Wyndo from his pocket. “This is for Mason. Remind him that messages automatically delete once they’re read. I’ll start on the ones for the femmes when I can get the parts.”

“Thanks, Zane,” Levi said.

“Part of my pleasure.” Zane limped out of the café.

“I don’t like this, Levi,” Jordan said. “I want out of here yesterday.”

“Me too. Hopefully Mason will have a plan come Saturday. Once I get him this Wyndo and we can talk without having to send paper messages, things will move faster.” At least he hoped it would. He had no idea what was taking Mason so long up there.

“Mad good.” Jordan slapped the table. “Then talk to Omar about staying away from Shaylinn, will you?”

“Since when?” Levi turned on his chair. Omar and Shay were sitting at the counter. They were both laughing, using plastic forks to smash Omar’s french fries into mush. It was the first time in a long time that he’d seen his little brother acting his age. “What’s he doing wrong?”

“Nothing yet,” Jordan mumbled. “But he will.”

Levi wished Jordan would let up on Omar a bit. But saying so would only start a fight. “Shaylinn isn’t stupid. You’re going to have to trust her at some point.”

“Like you trusted Omar? Look where that got all of us.”

Levi gritted his teeth through that insult. “Omar and Shaylinn are different people.”

“Not as different as you’d like to think. They’re both youngest kids, family misfits, insecure, and looking for meaning in the world. Omar thinks he’s found it. And I don’t want him showing his version of ‘meaning’ to my sister.”

“He knows right from wrong,” Levi said. “He might be trying to justify his actions now, but he’ll grow out of it.”

“Until he does, keep him away from her.”

Levi didn’t think Omar would dare touch Shaylinn, but he didn’t
really know Omar that well. Probably never would. “He’s going to die slowly before our eyes.”

“It’s what he deserves,” Jordan said, as if Omar’s impending death was no big deal.

Levi couldn’t let that comment slide. “You forgave him. Don’t act like you didn’t.”

“I know. But … I loved my father. I loved yours. And every time I look at his face, I …”

“They would have forgiven him,” Levi said.

Jordan stared at Levi, his eyebrows high. “Elder Eli would have. Our fathers? I don’t think so.”

Levi checked himself. He had the tendency to glorify his father’s memory, but Jordan was right: Levi’s father would never have let Omar live this down. “But you agree forgiveness is right?”

“Not when I see him living like an animal and loving every minute of it. He was repentant before. And I could tell he was sorry then. But lately … he’s been acting like a maggot again.”

“I don’t think he’s loving it,” Levi said. “I think he’s miserable.”

Levi climbed into bed and snuggled against Jemma’s back, pulling her close. It was selfish to wake her, but he wanted to talk. The elder of Glenrock was responsible for much. No one helped him with the pressure like Jemma. He played with her hair and tickled the back of her neck until she stirred.

She moaned in a deep breath and turned in his arms. Her eyes fluttered open and met his. “Hello, my Westley,” she mumbled.

He smiled. “Did you sleep well?”

She blinked sleepy eyes. “Until you woke me up.”

He pulled her on top of him for a long kiss. When he released her, he combed his fingers into her hair. “Bender is working with Otley. We’re all moving in a few days.”

Her eyes widened, and she pushed off him and sat up. “You’re certain?”

He nodded, feeling slightly guilty for ruining her night. “You know, I never really trusted Bender. There had always been something off about the man.”

“What are you going to do?” Jemma asked. “When are we moving? And where?”

“Zane has a place. We’ll probably go tomorrow night or the next.”

“And you’re sure you can trust Zane?”

“Yes, Buttercup. I’m sure.” He was 99 percent sure, anyway.

Tears flooded her eyes. “I want to go home.”

“I know. Me too. I need to talk to Mason. We need to get the children out before more get hurt.” Or infected or impregnated or brainwashed.

Jemma ran her finger over the wrinkles on his forehead, then down to the scab on his nose. “I hope nothing bad has happened to any of the kids.”

He caught her hand and pulled her down beside him, cradling her in one arm. “They’re tough kids, Jem. They’re smart.”

“Did Jordan behave with Shaylinn? Did he make her cry?”

“He reined his temper enough. But he hates Omar, and I can’t change his mind.”

“Jordan has always held grudges too long. Omar
is
trying. I see it.”

“But he’s so caught up in the ways of this place … I feel responsible. Yelling at him has done no good. I’ve thought about beating him up or letting Jordan — ”

Jemma smacked his arm. “What good will that do? You can’t force his mind. God has given us all freedom to choose our own path. Violence will only push Omar away.”

“I don’t like him spending time with Red. Can I forbid him that?”

“I wish you could, but she treats him like a man. And that is why he likes her. Omar has only ever wanted to be one of the men. To be a part of
your
life. So, set an example: Respect his freedom. Praise his good work, and he’ll find his way back.”

“But I’m afraid for him. That Red will break him when she decides she’s bored. That the plague will make him waste away in front of me. That he’ll suck down so much vapor it will kill him. The way these flakers live, indulging every craving of the flesh with no regard for the consequences? It’s madness.”

“They’re bored,” Jemma said. “And spoiled and lazy. They have no serious responsibilities to give them purpose in life. It leaves them aching for meaning. So they fill themselves with pleasure. It won’t ever satisfy in the long run. They need the Lord.”

The Lord. Levi had always assumed he’d have time to read the Bible when he was older. And as village elder, it was his responsibility to train the next generation in their faith. But how was he supposed to do that when he barely understood it himself?

“I’m worried about Naomi’s baby,” Jemma said. “I can handle helping her through a regular birth, but what if something goes wrong? I’ll need Mason’s help.”

Not this again. “Jordan won’t allow it. End of discussion.”

Jemma sat up and shot him that look, like he was wrong, wrong, wrong. “And if Naomi’s life is at stake?”

“Are you certain Mason truly knows more than you?” Because Levi didn’t think so. Mason had witnessed one human birth before their village was attacked. Jemma had helped in at least a half dozen.

“I don’t know. But I’d feel better if I wasn’t alone during the delivery. Ciddah’s help would be ideal.”

“Well, you can’t have Ciddah’s help. Mason’s either. Start training Eliza and Aunt Chipeta to help you. They’ve had plenty of babies. They must know something.” Suddenly Levi was tired. He’d woken Jemma for sympathy and support, and she’d stolen the conversation.

“I’m worried about Mason too,” Jemma said. “The look on his face when you told him to use Ciddah … I think he loves her.”

“Mason in love with the medic?” Levi couldn’t imagine Mason in love with anything but a book. “I’ll believe it when I see it with my own eyes.”

“He blushes when she’s near,” Jemma said. “She’s a nice person, you know.”

“She’s a Safe Lander. They’re all adulteresses.”

“Levi!” Jemma folded her arms. “What a horrible thing to say.”

He rolled onto his side and propped his head on his hand. “It’s true. You’ve seen how they live. The men too.”

“They’re people, Levi. People who don’t know any other way.”

“I can’t spare sympathy for these people, Jem. As elder of Glenrock, it’s my duty to get our people out of here before they’re destroyed like Omar.”