Prophet of the Badlands (The Awakened Book 1) (66 page)

t Althea’s insistence, Karina had hovered nearby while she used the autoshower. The sight of the tube brought back the last strong memory associated with it―the vision of her sister in the field. This, in turn, had left her wanting nothing to do with the impersonal bathing device. With Karina in sight, it was tolerable, but it was not her bath.

Anita, Mike’s partner, had dropped off some modern clothing for her. The plain white dress had a one-inch silver disc at each shoulder that held it closed across her chest. The hem ended at the length of her fingertips when her arms were at rest. She balked at socks and kid’s sneakers, but begrudgingly accepted them when Anita pointed out they would keep her from touching the “bad city.” As soon as she was in the rear seat of the Division 0 hovercar, they came off.

Her left hand held Father’s; her right held Karina’s. All three of them shared several minutes of nerves as the vehicle slid off the roof of the hospital tower. Althea stared at her knees, picking at the carpeted floor with her toe. She did not really want to go with these police to visit their bosses, but Anita had talked her into it as a gesture of thanks for reuniting her with her family. These people treated her like a person, like a little woman that had her own wants and needs, not like some prize for the taking. For that, she found it possible to respect them.

The ride was over too soon, and she slipped her feet back in the uncomfortable shoes and tapped them on all the way. Anita set the car down on the roof of another building, high winds fluttered hair and clothing as they scurried to the shelter of a door flanked by two armored men. Father seemed most interested in their weapons, but did not dawdle long enough to ask them any questions.

More people in black, some armored, came out of doors to see her as they navigated the building. Many gasped at her glowing eyes. Father and Karina held her hands and she squeezed a little tighter each time a new face popped up. Following a belabored explanation of the difference between elevators and cages, Althea gulped and allowed them to lead her inside one.

Her knuckles whitened as the doors closed, and she tried to burn holes in the steel with her stare until they parted to reveal a different outside than the one they had just left. Through a plush lobby they walked, past rows of plants both real and false. A man jumped up from behind a large onyx desk and ran over, excited to see them.

“This way,” he said, before jogging off down a corridor. “Wow, they really do glow.”

She looked down.

Transparent security doors parted for them, and the entourage made its way through a white-painted corridor with blue-grey carpet. Althea stared at all the modern things, clean and unthreatening. This building was a world apart from the Bumwallow; she shot a forlorn look at the floor, thinking it cleaner than many plates from which she had eaten before. When they arrived at a small waiting area and took a seat in a row of violet chairs, she looked over at Mike.

“Mike? Why do people like Whisk live outside if there are nice places like this?”

“Whisk?” He raised an eyebrow.

Althea explained.

“Oh, homeless people.” Mike rubbed his chin. “That’s a hard one. Some actually prefer it, they call it ‘rejecting society.’ Other people just have horrible luck, or mental issues, while others have addictions that control their life. There is not one clear answer about it.”

“They lack motivation,” said Anita. “They’re only out there because they’re lazy.”

“That’s an unfair generalization,” said Mike, whirling on his partner. “You can’t just lump them all together like that.”

Althea tuned out their resulting debate, getting out of her chair to sit in Father’s lap once more. Karina hopped a seat left to stay close. She smiled, closing her eyes and basking in the warm breath washing over the top of her head. He gave her a light kiss.

“I won’t let them take me away again.” Althea let her feet sway idly. “I won’t let anyone do it anymore.”

“If you can bring back the dead, I imagine you can do whatever you want,” Father whispered into her hair.

She giggled for a moment, and got somber. “I don’t know if I can do that again. I don’t know how I did it.”

“Althea?” A young blonde woman with green eyes appeared at a doorway. “They’re ready for you.”

Her uniform seemed fancier than the others did. Althea stood, squinting at the new arrival.

“I’m not going alone.”

“That’s fine, dear.”

Althea followed with her family close behind, through another corridor past two men with rifles. The escort leaned her face close to a panel, which bathed her in blue light and a glowing grid. A happy chirp emanated from the wall and a door opened, leading into a large meeting room. Seated at a wide black desk, two men flanked a grey-haired woman. Althea looked up and to her left at Father.
Is this their council?
His hand squeezed as he her voice spoke in his head, and he nodded.

“I imagine so,” he whispered.

This city is so big. Why do they only have three judges?

Father shrugged.

All three elders appeared entranced by her glowing eyes. The woman leaned on her elbows, overhead light shifted along the whorl of grey pinned up behind her head.

“You must be this Althea I’ve heard so much about. I am Division 0 Chief Jane Carter. I am in charge of the special police that have been helping you. On my right”―she gestured at a hard-faced older man, mostly bald―“is Deputy Director Johannes Burckhardt, my immediate subordinate.” Carter indicated the somewhat younger looking man on her left with dark hair and caramel-colored skin. “This is Mikhail Kovalev, Regional Commander for West City.”

Althea kept a flat expression; no mystery to anyone that she did not want to be here. “Yes. You wanted to see me?”

Mikhail leaned back, sliding a finger across his amused smirk. Althea came close to smiling at him; he seemed to like her. Burckhardt on the other hand seemed to hate everyone, even the air he was breathing. Althea squinted at him; he felt just like the Badlanders. He wanted to use her power.

“This one’s at least ten, Johannes. Ready to strap an E90 on her hip and send her out?” said Mikhail, already snickering at his own joke.

The comment earned a hard stare, but no reply. Althea bit her lip, sensing Carter wanting to laugh, but hiding it.

“We have been reviewing your case files and find them very intriguing. Someone with your abilities is rather vulnerable to exploitation if not protected.”

Althea stared into space. “What’s exploitation?”

“I mean, people will want to take advantage of you, make you do things you don’t want to do.” Carter made a soft chuckle. “I’m sorry, dear, it slipped my mind you have not had proper schooling.”

“Oh. Like him?” She let go of Father’s hand long enough to point at Burckhardt. “He wants my power. I feel greed.”

Burckhardt shifted, coughing into his fist. Carter shot him an accusatory look.

Mikhail appeared about to burst with laughter. “Don’t mind him, he’s like that with everyone.”

“We would like you to stay with us here; we have a special school for gifted children. You will be able to learn how to be part of the modern world and at the same time be protected and safe from anyone who would hurt you.”

“You want to learn me. You are just like Archon; you want to make me do things.” Althea let go of her family, taking a step forward and making fists. “This place is no better than out there. You want to cage me with fear instead of bars. I want to go home. I do not like this place, or that man.”

Burckhardt drew a breath as if to speak. Mikhail held a hand up, silencing him and earning a glare. “I would caution you, Johannes, don’t antagonize her. Read the report on her telempathy before you wind up a basket case.”

“Bah, telempaths.” Burckhardt waved at him.

Carter lifted an eyebrow. “You find us weak, Johannes?”

Color drained from his face. “No, ma’am. They are just not…”

“I see,” she said. “Psionics are all about weaponization to you. Pyrokinesis, Telekinesis, Mind Blast… Everything else is just a toy, am I right?”

Burckhardt turned red.

Althea frowned at the imprints her toes made in the tips of her shoes as she lifted and dropped them. “I don’t like to hurt people. I am not a threat to you.”

“If not a threat, you are certainly careless,” scoffed Burckhardt. “You let that Archon fellow live. Who knows what sort of trouble he―”

“That is not her concern.” Carter’s voice started loud and dropped off. “If this girl would spare the life of a man who killed her close friend, she cannot present a threat to anyone.”

“Just don’t shoot her sister,” mumbled Mikhail.

Karina gawked, then clung to Father.

Althea gasped. “How do you… Oh, the telepath that watched my dreams.”

Mikhail grinned, tapping the tip of his nose before leaning toward Carter. “She lashed out at someone who shot her sister. In a moment of great emotion, she has the potential… But, I am confident such a thing is only possible in the most dire of circumstances.”

“Yes,” said Carter, her ice blue eyes softening to a grandmotherly stare. “Even now she feels sad for the man she injured.”

“Corporations would want her genetic material,” added Burckhardt. “We already know someone acquired a DNA sample from the Myshkin woman.”

“Yes, but she was not as this one is,” said Mikhail.

“Awakened?” asked Althea. “That’s what Archon called it.”

Burckhardt rolled his eyes. “Puffed-up, arrogant bastard.”

“What do you plan to do with your gifts, girl?” Carter sat up straight, raising one eyebrow.

“I want to go home to Querq. There are people who need me there. We don’t have the little red sticks that make hurts go away. I don’t like it here, everyone is so mean.” Althea gazed into the warped reflections on the shiny desk, thinking about her day spent wandering the city. “I want to go home so I can help them. I was happy there. All I want is to be with my family.”

Seeing her deflate, Karina walked up behind her and set a hand on each shoulder. Althea smiled.

“That’s the Badlands. We cannot guarantee your safety there.” Burckhardt made a dismissive wave. “We need to keep her here.”

“You want to understand how I can do the things I can do. I do not like this place.” Althea looked to Father. He did not seem fond of it, either.

“I don’t care where we live, as long as we are a family,” whispered Karina.

Althea took another step at the table, glaring at Burckhardt. “I will not let you keep me. I am going home.”

Carter leaned back at the radiant emotion in the room, eyes fluttering. “Very well. Perhaps it would be best to keep you out of arm’s reach of biomedical companies. If you are willing to help us as well, should the need arise, I am sure we can come to an arrangement.”

Althea relaxed.

Mikhail pulled his hand away from his mouth. “As strange as it sounds, she may actually be safer out there. I doubt there is much roaming the desolation that she could not handle, now that she is of a mind to do it.” He winked at her.

“This is highly irregular,” said Burckhardt, slapping the table.

“You will have ample opportunity to review the results of her training. We can work with her just as easily out there away from prying eyes as we can within the city.” Carter offered her best grandmother’s smile. “I’d offer to take you on a tour of our facility, but I think you’d rather be home.”

“Yes, please.” Althea leaned back into Karina, pulling her sister’s arms over her chest.