Here Skies Surround Us Read online

  “Girlfriend?” I ask quietly.

  He smiles, leans in, and kisses me. “Come,” he says, pulling me into the office.

  “Natalia,” Caroline says, looking up at me with tired eyes as she fidgets with the key on her necklace. It throws me off. She looks nervous. Why does she feel sorry for me? “I don’t think I’ve been completely fair to you and I’m sorry. I’d like to make it up to you. Evan has told me a lot about you and no matter what he thinks of me, I do value my son’s input around here.” She pauses and looks over at her son, and smiles a weak smile. “He’s fond of you. It cannot be denied.”

  The room is silent as Caroline stares at me.

  “Perhaps I have underestimated you, Natalia,” she says. “I have a proposition. Would you please consider coming to work here, for me?”

  “What do you mean, ‘work for you?’” I ask.

  “I have dismantled most of the Axis,” she explains. “There are only a few departments running on the inside. One is Microbiology. We are working on strengthening the immune serum. Thankfully, that microchip provided us with your dome’s research. Again, thank you. There’s also a small branch of Engineering that is working on a water filtration system. I can introduce you tomorrow. You could decide where you’d most like to contribute.”

  “Thank you,” I say quietly. “It would be nice to have a purpose again.”

  Caroline smiles and looks back over to Evan. He nods in approval, then pulls me back over to him and kisses the side of my head. “I’m going to go home with Nat tonight,” he advises his mother. Caroline winces a little, and I freeze for a moment.

  “Goodnight then,” she says, turning back to her paperwork.

  We’re almost out of the room when she clears her voice. “Nat,” she says. I turn and am surprised to see her standing right behind me. She’s stealthy.

  “Yes?”

  A hint of pity crosses her face. “I just want to tell you that crimes against women are not tolerated here,” Caroline says, searching my eyes for understanding.

  “I–uh,” I stammer. “I’m okay.”

  “Yes,” Caroline says. “Thankfully you are. Those who attacked you, on the other hand, will not be. It’s a strict rule here. No exceptions.”

  I watch as Caroline goes back to her desk and shudder at the thought of what will happen to our three assailants. At least they’ll be held accountable for their actions and finally leave me alone. I shake off the guilt—none of this is my fault. There’s one thing I’m learning about this place.

  There are no apologies in Dome 569.

  I wake up in the morning and see Evan still sleeping next to me in bed. I smile as I watch him sleeping peacefully. It feels like forever since we’ve been able to do this. It’s special. Even more special was how he stood up for me last night to his mother. He loves me. He really does.

  I shift myself next to the heat of his body. He’s wearing a pair of Alec’s pajama pants, but no shirt. I trace my finger back and forth across his chest, stopping in the center. He lets out a small groan. I begin to trace it down the center of his chest toward his navel. He reaches out and grabs my wrist just before I reach the top of his pants.

  “What are you up to?” he asks me in a gruff voice.

  “Just checking out my boyfriend,” I say, letting the word roll off my tongue. The sound of it makes me sing on the inside.

  “Boyfriend?” Evan asks. “Where is he? I wanna meet this guy.”

  I giggle and punch him gently in the chest. He pulls me close and holds me tight. “I think we need to wake up like this more often. It’s a definite improvement from waking up without you.”

  Butterflies flutter in my stomach, dancing around and giving me a rush of confidence. I don’t want this moment to stop. “Tell me more,” I whisper, pressing my lips against the side of his neck.

  “You make everything better,” Evan says, kissing the top of my head, trailing down to my nose.

  “I wish we had more time,” I groan, pulling myself away, but he tightens his grip. “I don’t want to be late for my first day at work.”

  “No!” Evan says, squeezing me tight. “Stay with me another hour.”

  “Are you interfering with my contribution to your city, Mr. Carmichael?” I say with mock-surprise. “Whatever would your mother say?”

  “That’s just cruel,” Evan says, giving me his signature wink. “I never want to hear about my mom when I’m in bed with you.”

  “Are you trying to sabotage my first day?”

  He groans. “Get to work then.”

  He sits up and leans over the edge of his bed to grab his shirt. Across his back, scars shine like a map etched on his skin. I reach out and run a finger along his back. I feel his body freeze, but I can’t help myself.

  “What happened to you?” I ask. I kneel behind him, wrapping my arms around his torso, and kiss one of his scars. His body relaxes.

  “Those are from my mom,” he says quietly. “Quinn fell in the quarry and Remy saved him.”

  “What did that have to do with you?”

  “He was only two, Nat,” Evan says, dropping his head down between his shoulders. “I was supposed to be watching him, but I wasn’t paying attention, I was goofing around with my friends. My mom whipped me for it.”

  “You were still young,” I say sympathetically. “Too young to be responsible for a child.”

  “I was old enough to know better,” Evan says. “From that day on, I took everything a little more seriously. I had to.” He runs his hands through his hair and then sits there, still. I shift under the weight of the silence. Suddenly Evan turns, scooping me with his arm and laying me back on his pillow. “Why do you think I worry about you so much?” he asks, tickling me as he kisses my neck.

  “Don’t you know,” I laugh. “I can’t be tamed.”

  “That’s what makes you so interesting,” he says, turning me over and pulling me close. But after one kiss, I push away and get ready for work.

  Outside, I make my way down the winding streets toward the dome. I replay waking up next to Evan this morning repeatedly in my head. It is an amazing feeling and I hug myself on the inside.

  But those scars.

  If Caroline would do that to her own child, what would she do to others?

  I stumble across a group of people in the city square, where there’s some sort of commotion. Caroline’s voice calls high above the others. I push my way to the front of the crowd to get a better look. On the stage, chained to three posts, are Karl, Mack, and Jeb.

  “These three men are charged with crimes against a woman,” Caroline’s voice yells out. “Do we tolerate that here?”

  The crowd shouts, “No!”

  Karl breaks into tears and a wave of pity passes over me. This just seems wrong. Then I remember Mack’s hands on my half-naked body and I shake off my compassion. The third assailant’s eyes wildly scan the crowd. When he sees me, his eyes widen and he cries out, “There’s the girl. Call her up here, she’ll tell you! I never touched her. I never did!”

  The crowd turns in search of the mysterious girl. Caroline sees me and points her finger in my direction. She looks irritated that I’m present; I’ve interrupted her speech.

  “Come up to the Court, Natalia Greyes,” Caroline says, the last word almost a growl.

  The crowd parts for me and I keep my eyes on the stage. I can hear people’s whispers as I walk passed. That’s her? She’s so young. Poor thing. The last thing I want is the stigma of being a victim. I cross my arms in front of me and walk up the steps to the Court.

  An older female judge speaks directly to me. “Natalia Greyes, did these men assault you?”

  I look at Mack and he’s staring back at me with an insolent smile on his lips as he runs his tongue across them. Memories of his hands against my skin flood my thoughts. I look away quickly at Caroline.

  “Yes,” I say. Karl’s sobs get louder.

  “I nev
er did, you little tease!” Jeb yells out.

  “Natalia Greyes,” another judge speaks up. He’s younger, closer to my age. “Did all three of these men commit a crime against you?”

  I look over at Jeb, who’s staring at me with narrowed eyes. He hates me. I’ve never done anything to him. I might have sympathy for him, somewhere inside of me, in the same place where Karl’s sobs pull at my heartstrings. But one word resonates in my mind. Tease. He has no respect for me. Who knows how many women he’s violated before?

  “Well,” I say, unsure of myself. I remember Jeb holding a knife at Evan’s throat. I remember Karl kicking my clothes away from me. I remember Mack’s hands on my bare skin. I firmly believe, had things progressed, all three of these men would have committed a crime.

  Caroline steps in, pulling on her necklace. “Natalia, did any of these men try to stop what was happening?”

  “No,” I say firmly. The crowd gasps and then hushes, hanging on every word.

  “Then you are all found guilty,” Caroline shouts out. “Sentences will be carried out in the morning!”

  The people cheer back. “Until tomorrow!”

  Caroline really knows how to stir up a crowd, and I’m left feeling used. I quickly run off stage with my head down and make my way to the Axis. People pat me on the back as I pass by. What will their punishment be? Whipping? Worse?

  Inside the Axis, the same skittish girl is still working behind the desk. Does she ever get time off? My thoughts jump to Ali. I wonder how things are going for her in Laundry. It would be nice if she could get a position somewhere like the Axis. Then I could keep an eye out for her.

  The receptionist recognizes me from the night before and waves me over.

  “Hi, Natalia.” She smiles. “I’ve got your department badge for you.”

  “You guys still use badges?”

  Her eyes widen. “It’s because you’re going to be in a restricted area.”

  Caroline enters the Axis behind me. “Natalia!” she calls out. “Great job out there. Very impressive.” Something flickers in her eyes. Anger? No. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Satisfaction? Maybe it’s the fact that I didn’t completely embarrass her.

  “Follow me,” she says firmly.

  We ride in the elevator up to Floor 6 in silence. I glance at Caroline, standing so close I can smell her perfume. Her are lips pursed tight as she stares at the doors with her stone-cold eyes. I couldn’t imagine her as my mother. What sort of life does Evan have, with a woman who works twenty-four seven? No wonder she’s not close to Quinn—they probably barely know each other, making Evan responsible for his little brother all this time. At least I only ever had to worry about myself.

  I glance down at the key around her neck that she’s always playing with. There’s something inscribed on it, and I just make out the number “3” as the elevator doors open.

  I snap back to attention, looking out and see a lab. Its layout is like my old one and immediately I’m homesick. What has Jak done with the Axis, and will things still be operational there when I return home? I look at Caroline, stifling my emotions behind pursed lips.

  “Evan told me you’d like this.” She smiles. “I want it to be our first step to being friends.” She looks away quickly and enters the lab.

  “Cabri,” Caroline calls out, “Minton, come here, please. I’ve got someone I’d like you to meet.”

  Two scientists hurry over. The first is a tall, lanky man, and the other a short, round woman. The man rolls his eyes as he walks in our direction. The woman, on the other hand, practically bounces with every step.

  “This is Greyes,” Caroline explains. “She is a friend of Evan’s from Dome 1618, and the one who brought us a sample of the immune serum. She undoubtedly has skills that will be useful, so she will be assisting you. Natalia, this is Cabri and Minton.”

  The female scientist is Minton. Her eyes widen at Caroline’s suggestion that I will be useful and she enthusiastically shakes my hand. Cabri, however, shows much less expression. He looks me up and down, and in doing so, reminds me of Carleton, one of the Director’s creepy Delegates who used to do the same thing every time he’d see me. Except Cabri seems much less interested in me; he lets out a loud “sigh” and rolls his eyes again.

  “Good.” Caroline nods, and quickly turns on her heel and leaves the lab.

  “Let’s get to work,” Minton says excitedly. “You can come with me.”

  I walk over to Minton’s workspace where she has a bunch of blueprints laid out next to a few different-colored cylinders. I pick up one of the sheets and see scientific calculations next to a drawing, and I can barely translate either. I look up at Minton, wondering what she’ll expect of me.

  “I’m an engineer,” Minton explains. “Cabri is a microbiologist. He’s working on replicating the immune serum you brought us, and he gets very pissed off when he’s interrupted, so I basically keep out of his way.”

  “What is it you’re working on?”

  “Something very important indeed!” Minton says. “I am developing a water-filtration system. The idea is to get the immune serum into the water system so that everyone is protected, in every dome the river touches. The filtration system I’m creating will act as an accelerant, eliminating all impurities and ensuring its effects are multiplied.”

  “This seems a little excessive, doesn’t it?”

  “What do you mean?” Minton flinches from behind her round spectacles. She tilts her head, which makes her tight curls bounce, as she waits for my answer.

  “Back home we gave everyone injections,” I explain. “This seems like a lot of extra work to get the same result.”

  Cabri pipes up from the corner. “You’ll find that our dome isn’t like yours at all. When people have had a true taste of freedom, they are much less submissive to blindly taking injections. Not everyone would agree with them—they’d come up with conspiracy theories. And then before you know it, some are immune and some aren’t, and then god forbid we get attacked by another dome with the virus.”

  “Okay, Cabri,” Minton shifts uncomfortably, “I think she gets the point.”

  “I just mean if it wasn’t for domes like hers keeping the virus alive we wouldn’t need to worry about these things,” Cabri says, turning back to his work. “Like I don’t have better things to do than tinker with another dome’s serum … ”

  I finally understand what Caroline’s problem is with me. I am part of a dome that has brought her yet another problem to deal with, and I am the reason that dome still has samples of the virus. My head spins, forcing me to sit.

  “Don’t mind him.” Minton smiles reassuringly. “He’s just a cantankerous old grouch. Truthfully, he wishes things were like they used to be when we were all cooped up inside this big old dome.” She winks at me and I manage a smile for her.

  “There,” Minton says. “That’s better. Now tell me about your home. What’s it like there? I’m sure you miss it a little.”

  “I do,” I say. “It’s still new to me to be outside the dome.”

  “Of course it is,” she says. “Just imagine if we’re successful; you could take a prototype of this filtration system back with you when you leave.”

  Cabri grunts. “Can you two keep it down? I’m splicing. I cannot believe I can’t get my own lab opened up for this project.”

  Minton looks at me and rolls her eyes. She turns and begins to fuss about with her contraption and points out some important elements to me. “It’s fairly simple,” she explains. “Here is the tubing that you must connect to the water line, which then goes through a series of filters. From there it exits through another set of tubing, where you get drinking water.” I start taking notes and make my own drawings, so I can wrap my head around all of this later.

  By the end of my shift, I understand that the filtration system uses different membranes inside. Each will have a different effect on the immune serum, helping it to magnify its
effectiveness rather than lose it. The white filter cleanses the water, separating it from the serum; then the black filter reacts with the serum to magnify it; and the gray filter combines them back together so that they are consumable. Without the gray filter, the serum would not be added back. I still have many questions about how this system works, but I think it’s best to keep them for tomorrow. Every question I did ask made Cabri glance over and give me a dirty look. I’d rather not make an enemy my first day.

  I get home excited to tell Evan that I’ve served a purpose today. Plus, it’s one that will help my dome as well. But as I approach the house, I notice it’s dark. There’s no one inside. A note from Evan lies on my bed. He and Alec had to go back out to work. I drop it, filled with disappointment. I can’t help but wonder if his mother had a hand in this.

  I wake up the next morning alone. It’s already not a great start to my day. I tossed and turned all night, waking up to every noise in the house in the hopes that it was Evan. It never was.

  On top of it all, my nightmare has returned. It’s not the same, waking up from a horde of infected without Evan there to assure me it was all just a dream.

  As I drag my feet to work, I notice a crowd has gathered again at the Court. Right—I forgot about the sentencing. I seem to have missed the speeches. They look ready to carry out the punishment. Do I really want to know what happens? Either way, it won’t be good. Still, a side of me wants to see Caroline in action. Just how far will she take it?

  I push my way to the front of the crowd and see Caroline front and center, with two others I don’t recognize sitting behind the judge’s bench. Caroline holds up a long whip. I stop in my tracks and my jaw drops as I realize what is about to happen.

  “These men have been sentenced to a public lashing. Ten whips each!” Caroline shouts, holding the whip above her head.

  The crowd cheers wildly. Mack, Karl, and Jeb are tied to posts, lined up at the edge of the stage.

  “Make them pay!” the crowd begins to chant.