The Star Dwellers
stupidly.
    “Of course,” Ben says. “All of the secret
     trains have been maintained by the Resistance for many years.”
    “The Resistance…” I murmur, remembering my
     history lessons. From what I can remember, the Resistance was
     formed and destroyed in the same year, in 475 Post-Meteor, before I
     was born. My father and his armies crushed the Resistance like a
     bug before it could ever really do any real damage to the
     government. “But the Resistance was destroyed,” I say.
    “You’ve been reading sun dweller history
     books, I see,” Ben says. “The real story is much darker and more
     complicated than your father wants anyone to believe.”
    My mind whirls. But if there are still secret
     trains maintained by the Resistance, then that means the
     organization still exists. That there are still people out there
     fighting. “Tell me,” I say, my throat aching from swallowing too
     much water.
    “Maybe later—we’ve got a train to catch.”
    I have so many questions, but Ben hasn’t led
     us astray yet, so I follow him to the train doors, which open
     automatically as he approaches. Elsey is clinging to his side.
    “Will the train whisk us away to a better
     place?” she asks innocently.
    “I can’t see how it could take us to a worse
     place,” Roc grumbles.
    “We’ll see, Elsey, we don’t know whether
     subchapter 1 has been hit yet,” Ben says, not sugarcoating the
     situation, even for his youngest daughter. I can see how Adele got
     so tough. Her father probably always gave it to her straight—the
     real story, not some children’s fairy tale. A harsh truth perhaps,
     but the truth nonetheless.
    We step onto the train, which is spotless, in
     better condition than even the sun dweller trains. The seats are
     gray and hard, lined up efficiently along the edges like a military
     convoy, with plenty of room in the middle for satchels of weapons
     and ammunition. At least that is how I guess the space was being
     used by the Resistance. Correction: is being used by the
     Resistance. I’m still trying to get my head around what Ben
     said.
    While Roc and I take a seat with Elsey
     between us, Ben presses a black button on the wall and speaks into
     an intercom. “It’s Ben, requesting immediate train transport from
     subchapter 26.” His leg is covered in blood, and I start ripping
     shreds off my tunic so he can bind his wound.
    There’s a bit of static, and then a female
     voice comes through loud and clear. “Ben? Is it really you? We
     thought…we thought you were dead.”
    “It’ll take more than a traitor prison camp
     to kill me.”
    “And Anna?”
    “Anna is below. My daughter is going after
     her.”
    “Do you think she’s—”
    “Yes,” Ben says firmly, glancing at us.
     “She’s alive, I know it.”
    “Adele has been all over the news,” the voice
     says.
    “Look, Jinny, I’d love to catch up, but…”
    “Right, sorry. I’ll get you moving right
     away. We’ll have plenty of time to talk later…but Ben?”
    “Yeah.”
    “I’m sure glad you’re alive—and we’ll be
     pulling for Anna, too.”
    “Thanks. Over.”
    Before Ben can sit down, the train starts
     moving, beginning slowly and picking up speed as the lights flash
     off and we’re thrust into absolute darkness.
    I feel a scrape against my arm as Ben sits
     next to me, grunting slightly. “Mr. Rose—I mean Ben—are you okay?”
     I ask, handing him the strips of my tunic.
    “Thanks,” he says, taking the fabric. “I
     think so. I’m not sure, but I think the bullet missed the bone and
     lodged in the muscle. At least that’s what I’m hoping.”
    “What happened to your ear?” I ask in the
     dark.
    “That horrible soldier with the sword sliced
     it off,” Elsey interrupts from my other side. I turn,
     half-expecting to see that face that reminds me so much of Adele,
     but see only a black void.
    I turn back and say, “He cut your ear
     off?”
    Ben chuckles, which seems odd

Similar Books

Wedding

Ann Herendeen

The House of Wood

Anthony Price

My Side

Norah McClintock

Jake & Mimi

Frank Baldwin

Warprize

Elizabeth Vaughan

Breaktime

Aidan Chambers