The Gender Fall Read online

  I turned to Ms. Dale, who frowned as she met my gaze. “It’s good you’re going,” she said after a pause. “Just, please, be careful. I do not want to end up doing this alone.”

  I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile, then headed down the hallway. Carefully, I pushed open the door to our room. Violet was just as I had left her—eyes closed, breathing deep and even.

  She, Quinn, and Henrik were all sleeping in these rooms because they were either sick or wounded. The rest of us were relegated to sleeping in tents, which was only fair. Those of us in charge had decided early on that we needed to show the refugees we were all in this together. However, I was exempt for the time being, as I wouldn’t leave Violet’s side for longer than I had to… and sleeping next to a sick girl didn’t take up any more bed space in the house.

  Grabbing my bag, which I’d left under Violet’s makeshift sickbed, I did a quick check to make sure my gun was there, then left space for the equipment Owen would be bringing me for our mission. I took the egg out—a gleaming silver case, deceptively simple in its design, but heavy in my hands. The egg had been at the center of all this mess, and while in some ways I owed my relationship with Violet to its very existence, I hated the thing for what it represented. If I had my way, we would toss the abomination into the Veil River and be done with it.

  But the egg was still our most effective bargaining chip, if we could use it correctly. It was the physical manifestation of research started by the previous Matrian queen, Rina, and Mr. Alistair Jenks to create artificially enhanced humans. Elena had been the first child to receive this boost; her mother had allowed Mr. Jenks to experiment on her daughter in the womb. However, like most cutting-edge research, the treatment had a barrage of side effects, ranging from emotional to physical, which seemed to have made the advancement more of a curse than a blessing. I knew this firsthand after seeing the boys they had experimented on to create this supposedly flawless version of the egg.

  It was Elena’s endgame—she was going to force humanity to advance, setting up a dynasty of super humans, but under her rule. It was ambitious, but horrifying.

  But as long as we had this egg in our possession, we had something Elena wanted desperately. And now that everyone thought the real egg had been destroyed in the palace when Violet had detonated the false one and taken out Tabitha, it was even more crucial we kept this secret until we needed it the most. I tucked some spare pillowcases around the damn thing and rolled it under the bed for now, making a mental note to tell Ms. Dale where to find it and begin guarding it properly, as we probably should have from the beginning.

  I shouldered my bag and made my way to Violet, kneeling by the bed. “Violet,” I said softly. She didn’t stir, which was for the best—with her head injury, her waking moments seemed to leave her in states of confusion, pain, or fear, and I didn’t want her panicking over me leaving without her. Or, worse, trying to make me take her with me. I hated the idea of leaving her without a proper goodbye… but we didn’t have time. The sooner I did this, the sooner I could come back with Dr. Tierney and the equipment to save Violet’s life. That provided maybe the only motivation that could have forced me to leave her side.

  All this running through my head, I leaned over and kissed her forehead. “It’s my turn to go get you some help,” I whispered into her hair. “Please… please still be here when I get back. Please… just keep on breathing for me, okay, baby?”

  Then I stood and headed toward the door before my tired mind could urge me to forget about going with Amber and Owen and instead climb into bed and hold Violet close until I drifted off into sleep. The image was sweet, so tempting, and I promised myself I would get to have that moment with her. Just… after I had negotiated a peace with the rebel faction and secured a doctor and the equipment needed to save her life.

  Amber and Owen were waiting on the porch as I exited the house, having taken next to no time to find the gear they needed. Amber quickly straightened, picking up her bag from where it was resting against her shin, and headed toward the forest, where we’d been keeping the heloship. It was a half a mile away, hidden in a clearing.

  Night had fallen an hour ago, and the sky was clear, the light from the half-moon illuminating our path, even through the forest canopy. The air had a slight chill to it, a sign of the changing season, and my breath crystallized as soon as it escaped my lungs. I made a mental note to put someone on firewood duty, and another note to send out a search party for another place to house our small forces when it got too cold for the tents. Winter was coming, and there was no telling how long this conflict would last.

  We reached the heloship quickly, and within minutes, we were in the air. I watched the small farmhouse disappear through the bubble window in the front, where Amber sat at the controls. I had only flown in helicopters a few times during my career as a warden—since flight was so restricted in general by both Matrus and Patrus—and only once in a heloship, when Amber had picked us up the day before, and I had remained in the cargo bay with Violet the entire time. So it was an interesting experience watching the dark mountains framing the rolling farmland beneath us. The lights of the city shone bright in contrast, but soon the glow faded as we moved steadily deeper into the mountains, away from humanity’s prying eyes. The world where I’d grown up seemed so tiny and insignificant from up here.

  “I’m taking us the way we discussed, Viggo,” Amber said, her focus on the window, reading gauges and adjusting the controls under her hands. “It’ll take about an hour… maybe two.”

  I nodded and took a step back, rotating my shoulder. “What’s this base like?” I asked.

  Amber gave me a rather mysterious look, her eyes twinkling. “Well, you’re in for a treat.”

  “How so?”

  “Let’s just say… Well, it’s better if you just see it. It’s hard to explain.”

  I frowned, but let it go, too tired to dig deeper. Besides, no matter how unpredictable Amber might be, I trusted Owen. He wouldn’t keep information from me if he thought it was worth mentioning. Which he clearly didn’t, so…

  I went over to one of the wall-mounted seats and pulled it down, taking a seat. The ride was surprisingly smooth. I wasn’t sure what I had expected—roaring engines, rocking like a boat?—but this was not it. I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes.

  I must’ve slept, because the next thing I knew, Amber’s voice was loud in my ears. I jolted forward and looked around blearily, stifling a groan. Ignoring the exhaustion, I stood up and moved over to where Owen was standing by the strange black table in the middle of the command area. It was glossy on top, but with a complicated, rolling, square-like pattern underneath it. On the surface, Owen had placed several items into three piles. He pushed one of them toward me, and I began sifting through the items. I slipped the aerosol canisters into a small black bag designed to attach to the back of my pants through the belt loops, followed by my gun in my waistband, and the subvocalizer around my throat. I kept the device off for now, looking at Owen.

  “What’s the plan?” I asked.

  “Descending now,” said Amber from the front, over my question. “It might get a bit bumpy, so hold on, gentlemen.”

  Owen slid his gun into the holster at his hip, grinned, and answered my question. “Why, we’re in the neighborhood! It would be impolite to come all this way for a romp in The Green and not pay a visit to our dear friends!”

  I smirked at his wide, beaming smile. “So we’re going in the front.”

  He clapped me on the shoulder and nodded. “It’s only polite.”

  I chuckled, slapping a magazine into my gun. It was a bold plan, and frankly, I wasn’t sure I had the patience for anything more complicated than that. I couldn’t deny the surge of adrenaline through my veins at the unknown waiting for us down below. The heloship shuddered, and I reached out to grab the table, using it to keep me steady as we descended toward the Liberator home base.

  9

 
Viggo

  I peered out the bubble window as Amber lowered the ship down to a flat protrusion of rock that jutted out several hundred feet over The Green, dropping sharply on one side. It was flush with the mountainside, which was another sheer rise, almost like a series of steps for a giant. I couldn’t see anything that remotely looked like a base, just stone and a light dusting of snow. I was suddenly glad I had remembered my jacket. The Green was mild and humid, but the mountains were not. As the heloship shuddered again, I was grateful for the nip in the air forcing more adrenaline into my overworked system, giving me clarity and a sense of renewed—albeit temporary—energy.

  Amber stared at the controls, her entire body focused on our descent. She guided the ship smoothly down, despite the jolting wind, and we landed with barely a shake or a shudder. “Nice job,” I said as the girl continued flipping switches and turning dials, powering the ship propellers down.

  “Thanks,” she replied absentmindedly, her eyes on the control panel. That was going to be the last audible word on this mission for a while; from here on out, it was toxin masks and subvocalizers. I geared up in silence, the tingle of my vocal cords freezing a weird counterpart to the air coming to my mouth in filtered bursts through the mask.

  After donning the same gear, Owen slung a bag over his shoulder, and I double-checked that the video chip containing Tabitha and Violet’s altercation—one of numerous copies Thomas had made, for strategic purposes—was in my pocket, protected by the plastic box he had put it in.

  Amber moved past me, pushing open the narrow door that separated the command deck from the long, cavernous cargo bay. I followed her inside, past the small passenger door, toward the large rear door that dropped down to form a ramp—a useful feature designed for transporting vehicles.

  She moved to a panel, sliding her own mask over her face, and then glanced back at us, clearly making sure we were both wearing ours. I gave her a thumbs-up, and she pulled a lever sticking out of the wall. There was a slight shake as the door cracked open, and then it lowered down smoothly as she worked the lever. I watched as the ramp dropped, frowning when all I could see was the night sky, followed by a never-ending black void.

  I looked at Amber, wondering what she had planned, but she had her back to me. She squatted down, throwing open the lid of one of the benches that lined the walls of the cargo bay, and began pulling out a bundle of black nylon rope. As she shook it out, I realized it was a harness, not unlike ones used for rappelling or rock climbing.

  She tossed one to Owen, who immediately put it on, sliding his foot through the leg holes and pulling them up over his pants. I watched for a moment, then turned back to Amber to find her standing in front of me, holding an identical harness out to me.

  So… the base is below us? I asked via the subvocalizer, accepting the straps.

  Amber arched an eyebrow and gave me an impish smirk, then reached out and hit a yellow button. There was a hum overhead, and I looked up to see the lines of rope running from the front to the rear of the heloship begin to move. Two lines descended from the winch, and Amber reached out to grab them.

  Pretty much. We’ll be going down the cliff face, she informed me as she bent over to hook up Owen’s harness.

  I cocked my head, looking at the harness in my hand. Wouldn’t it be easier to just land in The Green?

  Amber’s fingers flew over Owen’s harness as she tugged here and there to tighten it up, then ran the rope through several metal keys meant to tighten and prevent the climber from falling should part of the apparatus break.

  The entrance to the base is actually in the cliff face, she replied as she worked. It’s faster to go down than to climb up the outside entrance.

  I took a step closer to the open space, looking down into the featureless darkness. I didn’t share Violet’s fear of heights, but I did have a healthy respect for them. Yet Amber’s point was reasonable.

  I began putting on the harness. Amber was there a moment later, helping me arrange the straps and tighten them. It was clear she had done this before, so I let her take over for me—this was something I definitely didn’t want to screw up. In the span of several breaths, she had tightened the harness and laced the rope through the anchor points. She gave a few more experimental tugs on it, then nodded.

  As she straightened, she gave us both a serious look. All right, guys, here’s the deal. I’m going to lower you down, because it’ll just be simpler this way. Once you’re in, I will rappel down behind you, and then we’ll proceed into the base.”

  Who will handle the winch on our ascent? I subvocalized.

  Oh, I can do it remotely, Amber replied casually as she moved over toward the buttons controlling the winch. As she did so, Owen took a step forward and surrendered his weight to the harness, dropping a few inches out into space, his harness tightening and the rope jerking above him.

  Then why not come with us? Maybe I was asking too many questions, but I wanted to make sure this mission plan was airtight.

  Amber shook her head, pursing her lips through the mask. As much as I love this heloship, I have no idea what weights these ropes were tested at, or how much they are able to hold. It’s too much of a risk to go two on the rope. Especially with you strapping young men. She smirked. You’ve probably got a couple extra pounds of muscle.

  Try twenty-five pounds, I thought, careful not to project that one out loud. I walked to the ledge and peered down into the abyss. I tugged once at the rope, then eased out away from the heloship’s floor, slipping my feet over the edge. I might as well get this over with quickly. My stomach gave a sickening lurch as the rope took my weight, and the harness jerked and tightened uncomfortably around my hips, but everything held.

  Meanwhile, Owen grimaced, taking a new look at his rope. So you’re using us as guinea pigs? he asked Amber.

  Amber laughed, and then nodded. If it makes you feel better, then technically, I used Violet’s cousin and uncle first.

  It doesn’t, but thanks for trying, Owen quipped, and I smiled. I looked down past my boots as I swung slightly back and forth, surprised by my lack of vertigo now that the initial drop was over. And, I noticed, the adrenaline spike in my muscles had left me feeling even more awake. I suddenly felt bad for Violet’s fear of heights—she was obviously missing out on some fun.

  Maybe we should change places, I said, looking at Amber with a wide smile.

  She narrowed her eyes at me. Why?

  Because I’m suddenly curious about what it’s like to rappel down.

  Amber laughed in response, and then waggled the fingers of one hand while her other one reached out and hit a yellow button. There was a sharp jerk in the rope, followed by the high-pitched sound of the winch activating again. I gave her a dirty look as we descended, but I was more amused than anything else by now.

  The whine of the winch quickly faded as we were lowered. We dangled maybe fifteen or twenty feet from the cliff face. In spite of the moon being out, the rock face was bathed in shadow. I carefully pulled out my flashlight and clicked it on, my beam joined by Owen’s.

  My excitement at dangling over the edge and the adrenaline that it had initially created soon dissipated, and I quickly became bored as we dropped. The black and gray strata in the rock drifted slowly by, and I looked up, surprised to see the heloship wasn’t that far ahead.

  Any way we can speed this descent up? I transmitted through the subvocalizer.

  I would rather not burn out the rotors in the winch, replied Amber. But I’ll ramp it up a little.

  Owen rolled his eyes at me. I shrugged.

  The rope shuddered slightly under my hands, and the rock face began to move by more quickly. The sensation of falling increased, and I leaned into it, letting the fear and excitement drift over me and taking advantage of the adrenaline pumping through my veins. It was helping to focus my mind.

  I felt myself starting to swing slowly around, turning away from the rock face. I stuck out a leg, trying to turn back toward the wall, bu
t only managed to spin the other direction. I met Owen’s gaze as my front turned toward him, and he gave me a sharp look. What are you doing? he subvocalized, clearly amused.

  My reply was another shrug as I attempted to steady my spinning. I’m not sure, I replied dryly. But you should try it—the view is spectacular. I continued to spin around, picking up speed, as the more I tried to remain still, the faster I spun. After a moment, I sheepishly admitted defeat. Can you… uh… help me out?

  He rolled his eyes and reached out to grab my shirt, steadying me. Thanks, I transmitted in reply.

  You gotta remain as still as possible, Owen replied, his focus on the darkness below. When you start to shift your weight, that’s when you start spinning.

  Ah. I paused, suddenly curious. So, was this part of your Liberator training?

  Owen cast me a sidelong look. His transmission was cagier than I’d come to expect from him. Not… really. Call it information learned through more questionable means. A product of a misspent youth.

  I absorbed that information in silence, keeping my flashlight pointed down. The sentence was ambiguous, but it seemed to say Owen’s upbringing had been outside the legal system. Somehow, I couldn’t picture it. Owen seemed too honest and genuine to really thrive in a criminal lifestyle. Then again, anything was possible. Maybe he had changed into the person he was now after the Matrians had taken his brother.

  My flashlight cut across a break in the cliff face below us. Is that it? I asked Owen, pointing with the light.

  He nodded and immediately relayed our discovery to Amber. Great, was all she said in reply. While our descent had seemed slow, with no context to judge our movement in the darkness, it was now clear we were approaching the gap quickly, and I began to move back and forth on the rope, swinging the way I’d just learned not to.

  Almost too soon, the gap was there before me, and I planted a foot on the ledge, leaning forward to keep my balance. I got my other foot under me, and then turned to grab Owen, hauling him roughly onto the ledge with me. He unhooked my rope for me, and I helped him with his.