Chapter 61

I find myself in the town plaza, but getting here is a blur just like the road and trees. The town center is barely that. Without the stalls of the Sunday farmers' market, it's only a large oval of tall trees with a carpet of loose leaves beneath them, and in the center a crumbled fountain that isn't working.

There are half a dozen carts with vendors selling goods--a hot bread cart that seems to magically produce a fresh hot loaf in seconds and another cart that has gray meat packaged in plastic packs that my sister and I would have called mystery meat, like in my aunt's casseroles. Most of the vendors look like they're human, but one is definitely a Bot with no legs like Dot. He's attached to his cart like a hood ornament on a car and he's selling vTrips. To my right is a woman tending three small children who are mesmerized by one vendor's creation of sparkling cookies in the shapes of animals. The dough barks, meows, and roars as it takes shape and crystallizes into the requested form. A dozen more people either walk through the plaza or stand at other carts to buy something.

On the far end of the plaza just outside the oval of trees is a group of land pirates huddled on a low wall. Bone and the other two I worked with are among them. They frequently glance around the plaza, like they are wary of everyone else. I probably need to be more watchful than they do. I haven't seen any Security Force Officers since I was kicked by the one on the road, but there's more to be wary about than them. I scan the perimeter of the plaza, looking into the shadows. Where is she? Is she watching me now?

Kara? Even if she were close enough to hear me, she wouldn't answer.

I said Jenna's name first when I finally had a mouth again to speak. How could I have done that to her, after all we had been through together? Why would I do that? I held her last night. I whispered poetry into her ear. For you, Kara, just for you. I desperately tried to make up for all the hurt I've caused. From the moment we woke up at Gatsbro's estate, I thought if I loved her enough, I could make up for the accident--make up for the hell we had been through. But it's never been enough.

Is today the day she will come? Tomorrow? I don't know how long I can keep it a secret that she's here. It doesn't seem right. Jenna deserves to know. But Kara deserves the timing she wants too--after all the years she was forced to wait in dark silence, she deserves at least that much. My eyes travel over the plaza again. Is she watching right now from someplace beyond the trees?

The waiting twists inside of me until every fabricated bone in my body is ready to snap. Where is she? One of the land pirates stands. He mumbles to the others, and Bone puts something into his hand. He walks toward the bread cart. The baker sees him coming. I read the baker's lips as he jerks his head toward the land pirate and says to a man working the cart with him, I always charge those Non-pacts double. Serves them right. Too stupid to know the difference. Make sure you do the same. The other man matches the baker's scowl. Filthy Nops, he says.

I am already walking toward the cart. Nops. That's what that is. The Fancy Pants have their own degrading slang for Non-pacts. Yeah, some things don't change. But I'm not so filthy anymore, or tired or weak. And I'm a head taller than the baker. As I approach, the baker is already scowling at me as he takes the order from the land pirate. "Wait your turn, you--"

I let my jacket flap wide open. He notices the expensive fabric and cut of my shirt, probably more extravagant than anything he's ever owned, courtesy of Gatsbro's expensive tastes.

His scowl changes to a smile. "I'll be right with you, sir," he says.

"Not necessary." I place my hand on the land pirate's shoulder. "I just wanted to tell this fellow that I know a place where he can get better bread at half the price."

The baker's smile disappears. "Why, you--"

"Want to make something of it? Because we can." My hand drops from the land pirate, and I step closer to the cart. I almost hope he does make something of it. Every fiber in me twists impossibly tighter. I want to snap. I want to snap more than I want a fair price. The land pirate glares at both of us, not trusting me, either. He is here for bread, not trouble.

My hand twitches. My eyes drill into the baker's. Bread, not trouble. I take a deep breath. Focus, son, remember the goal. My face feels like it will crack, but I plaster on one of my classic Gatsbro grins--the kind I always used to get him to back off. "Unless," I say, "you want to cut your price in half. Then I would say you had the best bread in town."

The baker is glad for the out. "You're darn right I do." He turns to the land pirate and charges him the standard price for two loaves of bread.

"Yeah," I say, before I walk away. "Best bread in town."

The walk home is quick.

I feel strong. Empowered.

More than I have felt since--

Ever.