Havoc by Higgins Jane

Author:Higgins, Jane [Higgins, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: The Text Publishing Company
Published: 2015-01-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

My heart lurched and all the breath leaked out of me. Lanya looked around, defiant. She didn’t even come up to Jono’s shoulder but she was ready for a fight. Her eyes locked on mine and she mouthed, ‘I’m okay.’

No, I thought. Neither of us is okay.

Frieda said, ‘How are those ideals now? Let’s see if you can hold onto them in the real world.’

I barely heard. My heart was hammering too loud.

Dash moved back to stand guard by the door and Lanya came across the room holding out her hand. I grasped it, held it tight.

‘Now,’ said Frieda. ‘Let’s talk, seriously this time, about what you want. What you both want. Southside is beaten, you know this to be true. But you want a future, perhaps together, worthwhile work, food, money, a place to live. I can give you that.’

Sure you can, I thought. But not for nothing. ‘For what?’ I said. ‘What do you get?’

‘Something very simple. We need to locate the Breken sympathisers here on Cityside. They call themselves One City. They aren’t Breken, they’re misguided Citysiders, clinging to an old cause while the world moves on. We are going to rebuild and revitalise the city. You can help with that. The bridges will open. People from Southside will move freely: they’ll work here, even live here. A new start.’ She held up a hand. ‘Don’t answer yet. Think for a minute. Imagine how it might be.’

Lanya spoke, in halting Anglo. ‘You sent rockets to our town.’

Frieda inclined her head. ‘That was regrettable, but necessary. A message to an old generation of leaders. I’m offering this to you, a new generation.’

Lanya nodded.

‘So you understand?’ said Frieda. ‘You see what’s possible?’

‘I do,’ said Lanya. ‘Will you tear down the wire around Moldam?’

‘In time.’

‘Tell us what it’s for,’ I said.

Lanya said, ‘Why not tear it down now?’

Frieda shook her head. ‘I said, in time. You must answer on the information you have.’

‘Then my answer is no,’ said Lanya. Her hand tightened in mine. ‘I do not speak for Nik.’

Frieda raised her eyebrows at me and I said, ‘What do you think? No, of course.’

She said, ‘You are foolish, both of you.’ She spoke to Jono. ‘Take the girl to Ward 23.’

‘Wait!’ I said. ‘I can give you something else.’

Frieda held up a hand, and Jono paused halfway to Lanya. ‘Indeed?’ she said. ‘What would that be.’

‘I know where Nomu is,’ I said.

I was watching Jono about to plant his hands on Lanya so I barely registered that Frieda gave a little start and moved her hands off the table out of sight to her lap. Several seconds went by. Then she said, ‘That’s irrelevant for our purposes—’

‘But not for her people,’ I said.

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