Page 91 of Conform
“Why did you feel compelled to risk yourself to come here?” Gerald asked, looking at me like he saw something the others didn’t. “You must know there will be consequences.”
“I don’t want anyone else to die,” I confessed to them all. Barrett huffed a breath. “I am sorry about Christopher,” I said, looking at him.
I let Hal pull me toward the exit as Barrett whispered, “You owe me twenty marks.” I didn’t know what marks were and I didn’t hear what they had bet on.
“Hurry, I want to talk to you before I take you back,” Hal told me quietly as he picked up his pace. Loud music filled the tunnels as we turned into a large, cavernous room. People danced with reckless abandon. It was nothing like the dancing I practiced with my HI. It was captivating, and on the walls of the room were countless canvases, many of which I recognized as having been assigned for destruction.
I moved toward the art, but Hal pulled me to an exit. I glanced over my shoulder at the dancing one last time. There was an intoxicating pull to it.
“I’ll take you sometime,” Hal whispered as we made our way down a long tunnel.
“There’s music and art down here,” I said more to myself than to him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Would you have believed me if I did?” Hal asked. He had a point. I had only ever been taught to fear people who wear blue. “I told you someone has to take out their trash. No one here is interested in erasing what makes us human.”
We weaved through tunnel after tunnel. Each one looked the same. Silence found us as he turned down another tunnel, and another. “There are so many tunnels. How long has this been here?” I asked as we turned again. Hal navigated them like it was second nature, undisturbed by the dark.
“The tunnel system is ancient. Some of it was built before the Last War. When the war ended, all remaining humans lived down here.”
“What?”
“Yeah, they don’t teach you that at the Academy.” We turned again. “After the war we all lived beneath as equals. The nuclear warfare set off something called a nuclear winter, and no one could survive aboveground.”
“What changed when we resurfaced?” I asked.
“I wish we knew, but something horrible took root,” Hal said, turning again, down another tunnel identical to all the others.
“How do you not get lost?” I asked as he made another turn.
“You get used to it, and there are tells if you know where to look.”
We entered a tunnel that was wider than the others. A round opening glowed dimly in the distance and Hal came to a stop, looking around. We were alone.
“I want you to have this,” Hal said, extending a knife toward me. It was small, the handle simple.
“Why do you want me to have a knife?” I asked, holding it awkwardly.
“Seeing you in there today, with them . . . I might not always be there if you’re in danger.”
“Was I in danger today?”
“Yes. But not just from them. Emeline, your MIND tracks you. You shouldn’t have come. This was dangerous.” He shook his head.
“Hal,I watched a man die, and the Illum said it was my doing. I saw the Parting.” I gripped the sheathed knife, my frustration mounting. “Bri is right. I’m a vessel who isn’t taught anything. I am tired of living in the dark. I chose to come down here because I am tired of doing nothing. I told the Starlings I wanted to help because—”
“You what?” Hal asked, stepping back.
“The Starlings, they support the Reaper. I told them I would help. I told them I would get information on the Illum for the Reaper.”
“Did they suggest you come down here?” Hal demanded.
“No, they told me to do nothing. Do you know them?”
“The Reaper’s network is wide. You should have listened to them,” Hal exclaimed, dragging his hand down his face. “This is dangerous.”
“I know that. I came anyway. I came down here to find the Reaper. I came down here to findyou.”
Hal tipped his head toward the ceiling. “Moonlight, there is a reason I said goodbye. You are the Illum’s Mate. You can’t do this.”
