Resist Them by Scott King

Author:Scott King
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scott King

Chapter Fifteen

The moment Tayes entered the connivance store and saw the hole in the wall, she regretted not having sent brigaders to inspect the shop after Randdol’s first disappearance. This was on her. If she didn’t fix it, Hobbes would finally have a real reason to kick her out of Hata.

Back at Randdol’s apartment, brigaders had found the old man's tags and the pulled teeth. Somehow, he'd figured out their system for tracking citizens and now was off the grid.

Stepping over an arm-sized dildo, Tayes peered into the hole. The blue light on the other side had a mystical quality to it. On the vid screen in her helmet, she pulled up the blueprints for the block. Below the connivance store was a channel that connected to the city’s runoff water system. The undercity was a labyrinth. She would never be able to track Randdol down there, but that was okay, because her gut told her Randdol's final destination, even if he didn’t realize it. He was going to Old Hata.

The last time Tayes had been in Old Hata was the day The Word and The Brigade came. That was twenty-seven years ago, and the memories of that night haunted her.

Tayes couldn’t remember what she and her parents had done earlier that night. They must have eaten dinner. From what she could recall, her mom was a horrible cook, which meant her father had prepared it.

It had been around bedtime when she'd gone to the kitchen to kiss her parents goodnight. The kitchen was old style, with a real wood table and stone tiles. The walls were painted bright colors—none of the white bland cack that plastered Hata today.

Tayes knew what guns were, but at that age, she'd never seen one in real life. She was filled with shock to find her father holding a gun against her mother. His wrist shook, as if the gun were heavy, and a mixture of sweat and tears ran down his red cheeks.

“You don’t have to do this,” her mother said. “You don’t have to listen to him.”

“I do.” Her father brought the butt of the gun up, tapping it against his temple. “The Word says I have to. The Word never lies.”

“What of Catherine?” her mother said. “Your flesh and blood. You can’t do this to her. It will kill her.”

“Mom?” Catherine asked in a quiet voice. “What is going on?”

“I’m serving the will of The Word.” Her father knelt, keeping the gun pointed at her mother. With his free hand, he waved to Catherine, gesturing her over.

Catherine looked to her mother. The woman’s thin nightgown clung to her. Tear stains dotted her chest, and when she met Catherine’s eyes, she shook her head, telling Catherine not to listen.

Catherine knew the consequences of not listening to The Word. No matter how desperate her father might try not to hurt her or her mother, he wouldn’t have the will power to disobey.

“Please, Papa.” Catherine crossed the kitchen, staying just out her father’s reach. “Put the gun away.

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