The Choosing (23 page)

The sense that something was wrong hadn’t left him since the night Helms had died. The truth was just below
the surface and Remko could almost taste it. He had sacrificed everything for his government
 
—love, friends, freedom
 
—and he’d done so believing the men he served were just. Now he wasn’t sure what he believed.

Isaac took his place at the Authority table. The rest of the members were slowly trickling in one by one, all of them working to keep their faces clear of emotion. The next hours would be difficult for most of them, but for none more than their president. He walked slowly to his place, his eyes red and his skin pale.

Seeing the effects of his mourning was enough to make Isaac doubt Ian’s ability to make the right decision as they moved forward with his daughter’s trial. Isaac knew many of the council members would fight to show the girl mercy, much as Carrington had done. They would claim she was young and foolish, that she deserved the chance to recommit herself to the greater cause. Isaac believed differently, and just as he had silenced Carrington, he intended to do the same here today.

Once all the seats at the table were filled, a heavy silence fell over the room. Riddley Stone, the Authority’s Minister of Justice, oversaw the proceedings of any hearing. He would serve as judge while the remaining nine members served as jury. The ruling had to receive a majority vote. By rule, President Carson would participate but not vote
unless it became necessary to break a tie. Isaac knew he could not afford to let that happen. Ian could not be trusted to be unbiased.

Isaac could not blame him entirely. It must be heartbreaking to raise a child who proved to be such a disappointment. One who had walked so far away from truth. That was what happened when children were given too much freedom: they started to believe they could define their own futures and that rules and regulations didn’t apply to them. They developed the misguided notion that they somehow stood above the law and could carve out a path on their own. Isaac would not make that mistake with his children, which was why he’d hardly slept as his mind churned over the way Carrington had insisted on Arianna’s innocence.

He had originally been completely taken by her level of submission. From the moment they’d met he could see that she was broken enough to be taught the truth of God, but last night had caused some serious alarm. Unaware of where her strong reservations were coming from, Isaac had spent the majority of the night pacing in his bedroom, begging God not to let his little lamb prove to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Isaac shook his head and cleared those thoughts from his mind. He needed to be completely present now to make sure the vote swung in his favor. Arianna’s punishment had to be harsh; it needed to send a clear and powerful message not only to his bride-to-be but also to Aaron’s flock that the Authority was no longer treating such insurrection lightly.

That was the reason he had insisted on such firm consequences for the Lint and the CityWatch guard who had been caught in a romantic entanglement. The men around this table were starting to grow soft, and weakness would only make them vulnerable. It was as if none of them saw how easily their order could come tumbling down around them. Isaac was thankful for the clear vision he had been given and hoped to lead the weaklings in this council back to righteousness.

“Let us begin,” Riddley said. His voice was a bit shaky and Isaac feared he would have to work even harder than anticipated to achieve the desired result.

“Let the trial of Arianna Carson commence here on the fourteenth day of the tenth month at 1:04 p.m. The defendant is accused of treason for being caught leading a group of people outside the city limits to meet with a known traitor and felon identified as Aaron.”

Riddley cleared his throat and continued. “Aaron speaks out against the institution of the Authority and the law of God and refuses to live under the purview of the city. He remains at large and poses a significant threat to our way of life. Miss Carson’s association with this felon is cause for great concern and we are here today to see that she is held accountable for her actions.”

The man hit his gavel against the hard wooden desk and the doors behind him swung open. “Bring in the prisoner.”

Two CityWatch guards led in Arianna, her wrists bound together in front of her. A tracking band was latched
around her left ankle, its red light blinking in sync with her steps. Her white clothes had been replaced with brown scrubs. Her hair was pulled back from her face and she kept her eyes trained on the ground as she shuffled in.

Isaac stole a glance at Ian Carson and saw that the president had his fingers entwined, resting on the table before him in a prayerful position. His knuckles were white and he appeared to be intently studying his perfectly manicured nail beds. Isaac turned his attention back to the prisoner. He felt pity for the man at the head of the table but could not ignore his underlying pleasure at these proceedings. All sins must be punished and he drew great joy from seeing justice brought to each offender.

The guards led Arianna to a pedestal opposite her father’s seat so the entire group could see her clearly. She didn’t fight the men as they helped her step up and didn’t pull or yank at her restraints. She remained quiet
 
—calm, it seemed. Isaac longed to see fear in her eyes, but when she lifted her head to face them, he found himself disappointed. Her face reflected peace. There was a tinge of sorrow when she saw her father, but there seemed to be none for herself, only for him.

Anger raced up Isaac’s back and he pulled his eyes away. Her disregard for the rules was so blatant that she did not indicate the slightest remorse for her actions. Such flagrancy was offensive and Isaac’s desire to see her suffer grew even deeper.

“Arianna Carson,” Riddley began, “do you understand the charges you are facing?”

“Yes,” she said.

“And how do you plead?”

The room was nearly quiet enough to hear the spectators’ beating pulses as everyone awaited her response.

“Free,” she said.

Riddley looked confused and glanced at Dodson Rogue on his right. Dodson shrugged and Riddley turned his attention back to Arianna.

“I will repeat the question: How do you plead?”

“I plead free,” Arianna said.

“I think you misunderstand the question. Do you believe you are guilty of these charges?”

“I believe that if spending time with a teacher who has given me my freedom is a crime, then yes, I am guilty.”

Shock and whispered exclamations went around the table. President Carson cradled his forehead in his hand and shook it back and forth.

“So you don’t deny that you have an association with the traitor Aaron,” Authority Monroe Austin said.

“He is not a traitor; he is a teacher,” Arianna said.

Monroe shook his head. “Open contempt will not help your case, young lady.”

“Forgive me; I meant no disrespect.”

“Of course you mean disrespect,” Authority Rains Molinar said. “Your actions are signs of flagrant disregard.”

“My actions brought harm to no one,” she said.

“You led people outside the borders of the city. That, in and of itself, is a punishable offense. They could have been hurt,” Riddley said.

“But they weren’t. To the contrary, they benefited from hearing the truth Aaron shares.”

Several men around the table threw their hands up in disgust or shook their heads at her words. Isaac began to think he might not encounter as many objections as he had feared. If she continued, she would talk herself right into his hands.

“And please, do tell us all what that truth is,” Rains said.

“It is the truth of identity and of purpose. It is the truth that we are not defined by rank or class, that each of us is perfect and chosen to be great
 
—”

“Dreams of a silly old man,” Monroe said.

“They are only dreams until you wake up to reality. The choice is yours; the truth already resides in you,” Arianna said.

“Can’t you see that the traitor has filled your head with lies?” Riddley asked.

“The lie is what I was raised to believe, what each of you in this room, and your fathers before you, poisoned these people to believe.”

“Enough!” President Carson said. The room fell silent and all heads turned to their leader. His eyes were on his daughter’s face, his chest rising and falling as the wheels turned behind his eyes.

Isaac saw his opportunity as the bitter understanding of
what Carson’s daughter had become sank deeply into the crevices of the president’s mind. “He is right,” Isaac said. “We have heard enough.”

He waited until he had the attention of everyone around the table before he continued. “Listen to the way she speaks of him, with unwavering loyalty. She has become his disciple. Aaron has taken the place in her heart where the law of God should reside. I warned you that failure to deal firmly with such traitors would result in this kind of escalation. Each of you knows that leading with a weak hand only brings more trouble.”

“And what would you have us do?” Dodson asked, finally joining the conversation. “Kill them all?”

“Not all. But this one?” Isaac pointed to Arianna. “Yes.”

Murmurs flew around the table as the men responded on top of one another.

“There hasn’t been an execution since any of our fathers sat at this table.”

“Surely a more suitable punishment would be appropriate.”

“That is outrageous; she is only a child!”

Isaac pounded the table to restore order and regain their attention. “A child, might I remind you, who led people from our city into the hands of a traitor.”

“She is confused, struggling with being an adult. This is all a simple act of rebellion,” Dodson said.

Others nodded in agreement and Isaac stood. “Well, let’s ask her, then,” he said. He walked over to where Arianna was standing and stopped just a couple of feet away. “Recommit
yourself to the Authority, child. Rededicate yourself to the true law of God. Denounce this Aaron and his false truth. Make us believe that you will continue to serve your community and I will personally see to your complete rehabilitation.”

Fear flashed across Arianna’s eyes for the first time and Isaac worried that she might actually accept the offer. But then that strange sense of peace seemed to settle back into her countenance, as if something were calming her from the inside out, and her face turned joyful. Isaac doubted the rest saw this transformation, but it sent a chill through him.

“Arianna,” Ian said. He also was standing now in front of his chair, his hands pressed on the table, his eyes pleading. “Do as he asks. Don’t let that man tear apart our family. Think of your mother and your sisters.” There was weakness in his voice and Isaac wanted to slap him for showing such vulnerability in front of his council.

Arianna’s eyes filled with tears. “I
am
thinking of them, and all the women and men who have had their voices stolen, their identities manipulated by the law of your false god.” She took a moment as if to resolve exactly what she was going to say next and then finished. “I will no longer serve this Authority or your god; I serve another.”

No one gasped or argued at first. Everyone was so surprised by her brazen rejection that the room paused. Isaac thought he saw the glimmer of tears in Ian’s eyes and was pleased when a wave of anger crossed the president’s face.

Ian sat back down without another word to his daughter
and finally the room exploded into noise. Most were outraged at Arianna’s statement, but some still maintained that she couldn’t possibly understand what she was saying. Ian said nothing at all.

Isaac fought to conceal his glee. He walked back to his seat. There wasn’t any need for him to speak just yet. He wanted Arianna’s words to settle into them like cement. He needed them to arrive at the decision on their own when he finally called for a vote.

The doubters raised their voices, demanded a different perspective, even shouted at Arianna to be certain of what she said. Her statement never changed. She wouldn’t serve their law. In fact, she seemed more committed to her decision each time she was asked.

One by one, Isaac saw any hope of saving her fade from the faces around him. Dodson was the only man still violently struggling to see another solution. It didn’t matter. Isaac didn’t need all the votes, just a preponderance of agreement.

“Gentlemen, we have been at this long enough,” Monroe Austin said.

“Agreed,” Isaac said. “I think options should be brought to the table and voting should commence.”

“We all know what will happen to this poor girl if you have your way,” Dodson said.

“This poor girl? I believe that it’s clear she is beyond salvation.”

“I thought no one was beyond salvation. Isn’t that part of our religious teachings?”

Isaac refused to let his anger ruin him and swallowed his pride. “When the participant is willing, then yes, salvation can be earned. But this rebel is unwilling and unrepentant. She spits in the face of everything this community stands for. If we continue to let traitors go free, how long will it be before our city is overrun? How long until we have completely lost control?”

“Don’t be absurd,” Dodson started.

“No, Isaac is right,” Rains said. “I think we have let this problem get out of hand.”

“Rains, she is one girl,” Dodson said.

“There have been others,” Riddley said. He combed through the electronic records he always had with him and did some quick calculations. “Sixty-four. Sixty-four different hearings where interaction with Aaron was the primary or secondary infraction.”

Dodson shook his head and growled.

“And this girl was leading more people to see him,” Monroe said. “This problem is growing rapidly.”

“A strong message must be sent that interaction with the traitor Aaron will no longer be tolerated. People are venturing out to see a man they believe can grant them freedom, but they are acting only on the courage of their leaders
 
—courage that comes from this council’s inaction,” Isaac said. “We have the chance to cut off the head of this monster before we can no longer contain it.”

Heads nodded and Dodson’s face grew red.

“I call for a public execution of the prisoner,” Isaac said.
The room fell quiet and Isaac continued. “All in favor, let their votes be counted.”

Isaac raised his hand and felt a moment of trepidation as no one followed. Then another hand shot up, and another. After a full minute, all but three hands were raised.