Untitled - Chapter 20 - Keep Guessing - Seg.1

{segment 1 of chapter 20 - Logan}1

Putting down my earpiece, I wonder at how much Garn has been using my authority lately, but I don’t really mind. It’s a simple task for me to make a phone call or two, and it seems to help him and Avalia out a lot. Attached to the side of my head is a headpiece with microscopic lenses attached to the front. I slip the 10x down over my eye and pick up a pair of tweezers and my little project. 2

I’m working in the lab as always on a miniature prototype of the winged-mech design. It’s coming together well, though the original mech design was a human shape and humans aren’t built for flying. I’ve had to give the mech the ability to change to a more aerodynamic shape and change back at will. At the moment the mech looks like some sort of mechanical angel, which is giving me some interesting ideas for the name of the project.3

I feel Jonn’s emotional signature before I hear him approach. But I’m busy attaching a finished wing to a doll-sized mech, so I don’t look up as I greet him. “Hello, Jonn.”4

He’s used to my awareness of him now, so he’s not at all surprised. He leans on the desk beside me and crosses his arms casually. “Hey, Logan. Been busy these last few nights, huh? I haven’t seen you for a while.”5

“I have been busy,” I agree.6

“Sure you haven’t got yourself a girlfriend?” he asks. He’s amused and somewhat affectionate. It’s this brotherly affection that I don’t understand. Perhaps it’s impossible for a person not to grow attached to anything they spend a lot of time with.7

“I’m sure,” I say, swapping my tweezers for a smaller pair. “What about you? For someone who’s interested in my love life, you don’t talk about yours very much.” I meant this as a joke, but I must have mistaken humour for a normal-sounding comment, because Jonn answers seriously.8

“Well if you really want to know, I met a girl at the café we go to sometimes. She’s a child-care worker; her name’s—Wait, don’t change the subject. We’re talking about you here. I know it’s your life and all, but you can’t make a habit of staying out all night so often. You’ll burn out.”9

That’s what he thinks. Although I don’t think I’ve stayed out all night that much lately, maybe he’s—10

The tweezers clatter onto the table as pain shoots through my head. It’s stronger than last time, more persistent. Muscles tensing, I jerk down to my knees, cringing and contorting into a ball. “Ow,” I curse, waiting for sharp pain to ebb away. Damn it, that’s going to get annoying if it keeps happening.11

Jonn sighs angrily; I realise that he’s crouching in front of me. “You see? This is exactly what I was talking about just now! Look, I’m not stupid. I’ve noticed that everything’s been getting weird lately, so I know something important is going on. But no matter how important it is, you can’t work 24/7. You’re not a robot.”12

Hoping that everyone else in the lab was too absorbed in their own work to notice my little collapse, I stand and go back to my work. Despite the fact that I dropped the prototype on the table, it doesn’t look damaged. So I pick up my tweezers.13

“Hey, Logan. I’m still here.”14

I look up at Jonn blankly. “Yes. Is there something else?”15

He frowns. “Well, yeah actually.” He lowers his voice. “I was wondering if you could tell me what’s going on. I know you might not be able to tell me here, but… you have to tell me sometime, ok? All the soldiers are wondering what’s going on; why there are so many new recruits. Why all the spies are leaving at once. Is the new Empress bent on starting a war or something? I know you have something to do with her; don’t bother lying. Just…” he looks around helplessly. “I have to know if you’re allowed to tell me anything, or if I have to keep guessing.”16

I cock my head slightly. Well, obviously I can’t tell him anything. “Keep guessing,” I say.17

He nods as if this is what he expected, but he still feels disappointed. “Alright.” He grins. “Try to actually come home sometime tonight. You know, so I know you’re not dead.”18

{Avalia}19

I put on a pair of black cargo pants and a grey singlet. An Empress isn’t supposed to wear these things in public, but everyone needs to exercise, so I was given a good variety of garments when I began living in the Triumph. Taking out my gold hairpiece, I tie the front part of my hair back in a more modest brown hair tie, leaving the rest still hanging down. I find a long black coat to go over the outfit and leave it unbuttoned. 20

Returning to the sitting room, I ask Garn, “Do I look alright?”21

“What were you going for?” he asks.22

I shrug. “Practical, but not so casual that I don’t look respectable.”23

“I think you’ve achieved that,” he nods, amusement touching his voice.24

I don’t bother to ask what he finds so funny. “Are you ready to go?” I ask him. “When does the next bus arrive?”25

He glances at his watch. “Soon. If we’re going to do this, we’d better hurry.”26

I nod. Together, we head for the door. Garn peeks outside to make sure no one’s around before letting me lead the way to the stairwells. My footfalls are soft on the carpet, but he moves silently behind me, and I have to look back every now and again to make sure he’s still there. Finally we come to the stairwells, and once we’re in the door I feel like we’re already free, so we rush down the spiral of stairs to the ground floor. 27

It’s then that I realise that we have to get past reception. There are usually about five mechs behind the desk at one time, along with one human. How could I possibly get through unnoticed? Beside me, Garn starts chuckling.28

I scowl at him. “It’s not funny.”29

“Didn’t think very far ahead, did you?” he smiles. “Well, it’s a good thing you have me here. I called Logan while you were changing, and by now he’s probably called all the mechs at the desk, ordering them to let us pass. I think he wants you to cheer up, though he also just seems to like causing Duvavi grief. As for the woman… let me go first. Listen closely, and when you hear me clear my throat, you have to run. When you get outside, turn right down three blocks and wait at the bus stop for me to catch up. Do you understand?”30

Nodding, I repeat the instructions to myself as he exits the stairwell, closing the door only partway behind him so that I can listen. There’s a short pause before I recognise the reception lady’s voice. “Ah, you’re leaving already?” she asks. “Did you have a good visit?”31

“I did,” Garn replies. “But the Empress informed me that there should be a letter for me at reception. Perhaps it got lost. Would you mind having a quick look around for me?”32

“Oh, of course,” she says. “What exactly does this letter look like?”33

Garn clears his throat. “Well, I would say…” Whatever he says after that doesn’t matter, because it’s time for me to make a run for it. I make sure the door doesn’t slam behind me and rush for the door. I look back while I’m escaping to see Garn leaning over the desk, craning to see what the reception lady is doing under there. A mech briefly looks up at me, freezing my insides for an instant before it dismisses the disturbance and looks back down at its work. 34

The automatic doors open for me and I run down the street. A few people look at me with curiosity, but not for long enough to recognise me. Dodging a woman with a stroller, I hurry down three blocks before stopping beside the sign for a bus stop. A man sitting on a bench with a newspaper looks up at me absently and looks back down at the paper. He becomes still after a moment and looks up at me again, silently holding onto my gaze. He raises his eyebrows in question and I smile. He looks surprised and amused, silently indicating the question of what I’m doing here. I shrug. He nods reasonably.35

A few minutes later, Garn appears by my side. “Hey. Nice escaping, there.”36

“Nice distraction,” I reply, detaching my eyes from the other man. “I can’t believe it worked.”37

He shrugs. “Simple lies are easy to believe.” He looks down at the man on the bench. “Jonn,” he blinks. “Hey. How are you?”38

“…I’m alright,” the man grins, putting his paper aside and standing up. “And you seem well. So does your friend,” he says wryly. “I’m Jonn,” he tells me.39

“Lia,” I smile, shaking his hand.40

“Of course,” he replies. “So, where are you two headed?”41

“Training,” says Garn. “Do you know if there’s a facility that’s slightly less crowded than the others?”42

“Both of you?” Jonn asks, looking at me in disbelief. I’m about to say, ‘Don’t underestimate an Outsider,’ but I bite my tongue at the last minute. When neither of us says anything, Jonn’s eyes widen further. “Well… unfortunately, all the training facilities are as crowded as each other. We’re now using the outdoor stadium for combat training as well as the Glass Rooms. Can you believe that?”43

“I can believe it,” Garn rolls his eyes.44

“You know, it’s my day off, but I was thinking of getting some training in, myself,” Jonn says. “Would either of you mind if I joined you?”45

Weirdly enough, I sense Garn looking at me for the answer. It’s so strange; I know I’m an Empress now, but he’s always been the one with the authority until today. “Sure,” I say quickly.46

The bus pulls up beside us and we get on board, taking the seats at the back. Jonn and Garn begin to talk about the number of new recruits, so I’m content to look out of the window as we speed up. It’s so good to be away from the Triumph.47

I really don’t know what scared me so much about that Government Meeting, but it definitely won’t let it happen again. It worries me a little though. If I try too hard to beat them at their own game, I might end up as manipulative as they are. I don’t want to change because of them; that’s for sure. Sighing, I lean my head against the glass.48

At least Garn is back. I know I didn’t originally plan on hiring him as a bodyguard, but it seemed like a good way to guarantee that he wouldn’t be forced to leave the City. I don’t know what I’d do if Garn had to leave on a dangerous mission. And if he never came back… Well, this works out well for everyone. I’ll be glad to have someone around that I can trust. Someone who sees things that I don’t.49

At this, my thoughts inevitably turn to my parents’ assassin. Still out there. Why didn’t I ever think of that? I have to find this assassin somehow, but I really have no idea where to start. There’s no hint of his identity in any records. I shake my head; too much to think about. The bus slows to a halt in front of a large building with a sign above the glass door saying, ‘Military Training Facility 1’. The three of us get off the bus and wander in.50

A young boy sits at the reception desk and doesn’t look up as Jonn swipes his hand under the scanner and Garn swipes his necklace. He briefly glances up to acknowledge us, and stops when he sees me. “Uh… Miss, I hope you don’t plan on going in with them. Women aren’t allowed to fight.”51

I give him a cool stare. “I don’t plan on doing any fighting. I’m a government official and I’m here to inspect the facility.”52

He frowns. “Do you have clearance…? Is there someone I can call to confirm your authority?”53

I could give him Logan’s number, but I don’t think it’s necessary. “Perhaps you don’t recognise me, or perhaps you simply have trouble believing that I would be here,” I say, “But there is no one of higher authority than me that you can call. I am Empress Avalia the Second.”54

Apparently my attempt at being regal is effective. Recognition crosses the boy’s face, and he rushes to his feet to bow. “Please forgive me, your Highness. I really had no idea it was you.”55

“Yes… well, you can redeem yourself by keeping my presence a secret. Can I trust you?” I smile in what I hope is a self-assured way.56

“Uh—Yes, of course your Highness. Although… Forgive me, but… people are going to notice a woman around here.”57

“Mmm,” I sigh. “But I’m hoping to be gone by the time the media is informed.”58

“Alright,” he nods faithfully. “An honour to meet you, your Highness.”59

Nodding graciously, I lead the two men down a hall to the left. Once we’re out of sight I let Garn take the lead though; I have no idea where we’re going. He and Jonn both seem thoroughly amused by this.60

“Where are we headed?” I ask quietly.61

Garn looks back at me. “The indoor stadium. We can run a few laps to warm up before going anywhere else. What do you plan on doing here, anyway?”62

I shrug and grunt something non-committal. 63