Beneath the Fallen City, Jamie A. Waters [ebook reader .TXT] 📗

“Like hell. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Alec held up his hand. “I’m not asking you to come permanently, unless you decide otherwise. Instead, I would like to invite you to visit the towers. It’s my hope that some of your childhood memories may return.”

“Forget it.” Kayla shoved her commlink in her pocket and headed toward the door. She’d figure out some other way to get Veridian out of the contract. Her idea about leaving the district was beginning to look more appealing.

Alec took a step toward her and said quickly, “Wouldn’t you like to see your mother again?”

Kayla froze. Of all the things she’d expected him to say, that wasn’t one of them. She turned around slowly and narrowed her eyes at him. “My mother died in the ruins helping me escape.”

Alec shook his head. “Whoever it was, she wasn’t your mother. A team of people from OmniLab, scientists and several Inner Circle members, took you into the ruins. Your mother has never left the towers.”

“I don’t believe you,” Kayla argued, but he’d placed a niggle of doubt in her mind.

“She’s very much alive,” Alec informed her. “She’s spent the last sixteen years believing her only child was killed. It would mean a great deal to her to see you again.”

Kayla shook her head, feeling overwhelmed. The possibility she could have family had never dawned on her. It was too much for her to wrap her head around. “I… I have to go. I need some air.” Not caring what they thought, she ran out of the room toward her private area in the crew’s quarters.

She enabled the privacy setting and sat on the edge of the bed, putting her head in her hands. Realizing she was shaking, she took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Things were moving way too fast, and she felt powerless to stop them.

Screw that. I’m only powerless if I let them control me.

Kayla stood and looked around the small room, wanting to escape. She opened the locker and pulled out the empty bag Veridian had brought with him. Running away could be an option. If she scavenged enough, maybe she could pay for Veridian’s contract or pay Leo off to hide Veridian. There were other facilities out there. She didn’t know where, but they existed. Somewhere.

Possibilities ran through her mind, each more absurd than the last. She tossed the bag on the bed, ready to have a panic attack, when the door slid open. Kayla looked up to see Veridian standing in the doorway.

His gaze fell on the open bag. “Kayla, what’s going on?”

She sat on the bed, pushing the bag aside. “I don’t know anymore, V. It’s all getting away from me. That Master Whatshisface seems to think I’m an Omni and wants me to go visit the towers. He says my mother is still alive, and that she believes I’ve been dead for the past sixteen years.”

Veridian’s eyes widened, and he sat next to her. “Wow. Do you believe him?”

She shrugged. “You saw the picture. I don’t know what to believe.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I was thinking about going back to Leo’s camp,” she admitted, nudging the bag with her foot. “My contract’s been thrown out, but I didn’t realize it didn’t apply to yours too.”

Veridian put his arm around her and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “If going back to Leo’s camp is what you want to do, then go. Don’t worry about me. Staying here is temporary. Quite honestly, living in a trader camp isn’t half bad.”

Kayla gave him a weak smile. Even though it had only been a few days, she liked being here too. She wasn’t ready to admit it out loud though. But no matter how much she liked or disliked it, Kayla couldn’t imagine being somewhere without Veridian. “That Master guy said if you wanted to be released from your contract, he would do it. But I have to visit the towers with him.”

“Kayla, seeing the inside of the towers is something most ruin rats dream about. Aren’t you curious?”

“No. I’ve always hated those stupid towers. They freak me out for some reason.”

Veridian fell silent for several long moments. “I shouldn’t be the reason you go. Don’t worry about my contract. But if what he said is true, I think you should consider meeting your mother.”

Kayla felt a sudden uncontrollable fear at the thought. “Why? She’s just some woman I don’t remember. It was your mother who raised me.”

The words sounded crass even to her, and she flinched at Veridian’s disapproving look.

“Family is important, Kayla. She’s your mother and deserves to see the woman her daughter has become. It would have broken my mother’s heart if she thought she lost me.”

Kayla frowned and picked at a piece of lint on her blanket. He was right. If what Alec said were true, she could be getting a second chance. The door beeped, and Kayla glared at it in annoyance. She wasn’t ready to agree to anything yet. “If it’s that Omni guy again, tell him I’m washing my hair or something.”

Veridian chuckled and opened the door to find Carl standing in the doorway. “Sorry to interrupt, but I was hoping to speak with you, Kayla.”

Kayla looked up at him and gave a nod. He stepped inside. “Would you mind giving us a minute, Veridian?”

Veridian hesitated before nodding in agreement. “Think about what I said,” he reminded her before leaving the room.

She grumbled under her breath and stood. Needing to keep her hands busy, she picked up the bag and tossed it on the desk. No matter what she decided, she needed to pack. Carl walked up behind her and slipped his hands around her waist. She stiffened slightly, but then relaxed against him as he brushed his lips against her hair. “It’s a lot take in, I know. I don’t blame you for wanting to leave.”

She turned around to look up at him in surprise. “You don’t?”

He shook his head. “No, I don’t. I know you don’t want to be controlled or manipulated. That’s exactly what’s happening. I don’t want you to leave, but I understand if you do.”

His easy acceptance was surprising, but Carl never did anything expected. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Kayla rested her head against his chest. He seemed to understand what she needed, even when she didn’t. She inhaled his masculine scent, wanting to memorize it. “Well, it’s not like you won’t ever see me if I go back to Leo’s camp. I’m sure I’ll piss you off again before you know it.”

Carl paused for a minute and then tilted her head up to look at him. “I don’t think you understand the enormity of what’s happened, Kayla. I’m just a trader working on behalf of Omnilab. OmniLab controls the district. You’re part of that, whether or not you want to admit it. You can scavenge whatever the hell you want in whatever district you want and no one can say a damn thing to you now.”

Confused, she pulled back. “What are you talking about?”

“Tower politics. There’s a hierarchy, and the Inner Circle is at the top, right below the High Council. Many members of the Inner Circle are also part of the High Council, the governing body of the towers. I guess you could say the Inner Circle acts more as advisers to the High Council.

“Before your father died, he ran the High Council. The High Council appoints traders to act on behalf of OmniLab. In exchange, they provide generous compensation for securing artifacts and resources. All traders answer to the High Council and the Inner Circle. You’re part of the Inner Circle by right of birth.”

Kayla laughed. “Are you trying to tell me I’m your boss now?”

Carl smiled wryly. “In a strange twist of fate, yes.”

Hmm. This has possibilities. Kayla gave him a wicked smile. “So you have to do whatever I want?”

“Technically, yes,” he admitted and tucked her hair behind her ear. “But to be honest, I shouldn’t even have my hands on you. You’re… ah… quite a bit out of my league now. Members of the Inner Circle keep to themselves. They don’t usually pay much attention to us lowly traders.”

Kayla raised an eyebrow as she ran her hands across his chest. “What if I want your hands on me?”

His eyes darkened with desire. “Kayla, I don’t think there’s a man alive who could resist you, Inner Circle or not.” He bent down, his lips ravishing hers. She put her arms around him and returned his kiss with equal fervor.

They were both breathing heavily when the kiss ended. She rested her head against his chest while he threaded his fingers through her hair. His voice was low and husky as he said, “Part of me wants to say to hell with everything and run off to Leo’s camp with you.”

“Let’s go right now. We can even go start our own camp.”

He chuckled, then his smile faded as he searched her expression. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“I don’t like people telling me what to do or how to live my life. It seems like that’s all I’ve been getting lately.”

He considered her for a long moment. “I think you have a lot of your father in you.”

Kayla blinked, momentarily taken aback by his words. She’d occasionally wondered about her mother, but she’d never given much thought to a father. Leo was probably the closest thing she had to one, and she wasn’t convinced he’d bother with her if she weren’t consistently turning in a profit. He’d taken her in as a kid, and she’d been paying him back ever since. “What do you know about him?”

“From everything I’ve heard, he was a great man. He never backed away from a challenge and had an incredibly strong will. Everyone admired him. It was a huge blow to the High Council when