Dark Prism (The Glass Sky Book 2) Page 7
Oh, God. Had he recognized me? I pretended to be unaffected by his reaction, trying to keep my expression neutral. When I realized he was speaking to me, I snapped back to his face, eyeing his mouth for the words.
Get it together, Star. Focus.
“What’s a gorgeous specimen like you doing in a dump like this?” he smirked, leaning forward to place my ID into my palm, holding my hands together in the process. “I’m a lot more fun than this stupid rally. What do you say? Let’s meet up. I’ll make it worth your time.” He grinned as his eyes raked down my body. As though disappointed I was wearing such loose clothes, he refocused on my lips and licked his own.
I tugged away slowly, matching his flirty smile, but he didn’t let go. Swallowing the desert in my mouth, I trained my eyes onto his, trying to read what was going on in his head. He wasn’t bad looking, but that snarl reminded me of the persona Everlee had donned when he’d pretended to be one of the Insurgents. At least I could now see that it was a common trait amongst this lot. Creepy, sex-starved, narcissistic men. How typical.
“Sounds delightful.” I forced a genuine smile onto my face as I flicked my eyes up and down his body, pretending to check him out. It made me feel dirty, and I promised myself a nice, hot shower the moment I got back to the safe house to scrub it all off. He smirked, satisfied with my answer as he wiggled his eyebrows at me.
“Good. Find me after the rally. You won’t be sorry, darlin’.”
He let me go and waved me forward as I continued to grin and blush like a smitten schoolgirl. On the other side of the gate, I cleared my throat, disgusted. I scanned the crowd for Gigi, finding her quickly since she’d worn red gloves for that very purpose. I slipped through the crowd and took a spot a few paces away to her left. She turned and looked around, her eyes sliding right over me to not seem as though she knew me, but she shoved her black locks over her shoulders to signal that she’d seen me too.
I exhaled the breath I was holding, relieved we’d gotten past the first obstacle so easily. I just had to make sure I didn’t exit through the same gate the creeper guard was at. I glanced up to the podium as a portly man approached, cleared his throat into the microphone, adjusted his ugly tie, and placed some papers noisily onto the podium. He was thick with a protruding belly and had red cheeks and slicked back, thinning gray hair. His jacket was slightly damp on the shoulders from the rain. I wondered who he could be.
“Welcome to the Bi-Annual Presidential Reception. I am Senator Harry Jones. This festive event will be held every six months from this point on to give a chance to the lower classes to see the president and his cabinet. Not to mention, listen to his infinite wisdom and plans for the city of Petra. You will be graced with his magnificent presence and delighted to be near the one and only, President Farlan Parsons! Please welcome him!” He held his arm out toward Farlan, who was approaching from his left. He shook the large man’s hand and then turned to face the crowd.
I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the introduction. Delightful indeed.
Settling my gaze onto Farlan, I shuddered, shivering in the cool sprinkle of rain. He looked well, almost too energetic for someone constantly at war with people. I pressed my lips together as I watched him rile up the crowd as though he were some sort of energy booster. His long silver hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and his suit was tailored to fit him like a glove. Some of the women around me swooned at his figure-hugging clothes. It was difficult to not gag at their immature giggling.
Camera flashes strobed, not only taking pictures of Farlan but of the massive crowd pressed together to see him. The crowd had erupted in applause and cheers at seeing Farlan. I cringed at the enthusiasm and the camera flashes, taking pictures of everything, including Gigi and me. Panic filled me as I tugged my hood more tightly around my face. I flicked my eyes around, finding the positions of the cameras and lowering my head. I hoped Gigi had pulled her hood over her head as well, but I could no longer see her with the people behind us shoving everyone forward to get closer to the podium. The crowd thickened into a suffocating, claustrophobic mass.
Who knew so many people admired Farlan? It made me sick.
I frowned at the pressure of bodies pushing behind me. Someone stepped on my foot, and I yelped, trying my best to shrink into the smallest ball I could manage. My eyes widened as I realized I couldn’t find Gigi anymore, and I was being pushed closer and closer to the podium.
Where was Gigi?
Chapter Thirteen
Star
I scanned the other people around me while doing my best to cover most of my face. Nothing looked out of the normal, even the craziness of the crowd. I felt my stomach twist as I tried to wrangle my nerves. It felt like I had a rock sitting heavily inside me. I hadn’t expected to lose Gigi so quickly. I hoped no one noticed she looked quite a bit like the President’s daughter with dark hair. She’d worn only light make up so she wouldn’t look at all like the propaganda posters hanging around the city of her standing with her father, wearing heavy makeup and in full support of his campaign, but she still looked similar. The hair helped, but….
I closed my eyes. Everything will be okay. It will be okay.
I found it hard to concentrate and not worry too much. If people noticed me, they might call the medics, and I’d become a spectacle for sure. I slowed my breathing, hoping it would calm my heart from beating so hard. I could barely hear people speaking around me from the roar of the crowd.
“George, it’s good to see you! When is Lily due? It’s soon, right?” A man in the row behind me had leaned forward, speaking to the guy next to me.
“Oh, hello, Hank. Haven’t seen you in months! Yes, she’s due next week. Counting down the minutes,” George yelled to be heard above the noise.
“Well, that’s amazing. You still tinkering with those special mechanisms in your spare time?”
George fidgeted. “Um, well. Not since the prohibition started. The government forbids the manufacture of any new parts.”
Hank narrowed his eyes and reached over, patting George’s shoulder along with a tap on the guy’s cheek. “That’s good. That kind of stuff is dangerous. You don’t know who is real and who isn’t. Spies everywhere.”
“Yeah, I heard.” George reached up to touch his cheek as Hank withdrew.
“You take care of yourself, George. I’m glad to see you doing well. Oh, how’s the job? Keeping busy with your new work?”
George cleared his throat as I peeked over and noticed him tugging on his collar, sweat beading on his temples.
“Um—m, yeah. Keeping mighty busy lately. Supply and demand, you know?”
“I agree. I have to go, but it’s good to see you again. These things suck the energy right out of me. Take care, now.” Hank smiled, tipping his hat to George with a nod, and disappeared into the thick crowd. It didn’t occur to me how unusual it was that he hadn’t stayed until the rally had ended. The crowd shoved me from behind, and I bumped into George. My eyes swung back to him as he caught me.
“You okay, young lady?” he asked. His eyes scrutinized me as he blinked, looking a bit confused. I pulled away and tugged my hood back into place.
“Yes, thank you.” I turned and slid into the crowd toward where I had last seen Gigi. I glanced back at the stranger.
George remained where I’d left him, seemingly dumbfounded. He appeared to be looking around for his old friend, but he’d vanished more quickly than I had. Such a normal yet odd conversation. It had raised my alarms, but I didn’t know why. I glanced to the stage as Farlan continued his egotistical speech but sought out George one more time to find him sweating profusely, wheezing, and desperately tugging at his collar. Either he was going to have a heart attack or a nervous breakdown, or he was having a reaction to something.
Suddenly, the preceding conversation seemed far more unsettling than it had first appeared. He scratched at his cheek and throat aggressively, drawing blood as he gasped. I quickly scanned the crowd to see if anyone reali
zed what was happening.
Guards stood at the entrance, scrutinizing the crowd for anything suspicious. I sucked in a breath, willing my panic to settle down but not knowing why I was feeling off about this whole thing.
George was wheezing now and reaching out to grab me for balance. Somehow, he’d found me again in the sea of people. I pushed at his hands grasping my jacket with a death grip. I hoped he wouldn’t keel over right on top of me and get me caught by the guards. What was happening to him? Was he dying? Or maybe this was all a ruse. My cheeks burned as I stole another glance his way to find his eyes bulging red and pulling me closer to him.
“You—you’re her… you’re Vince’s daughter,” he wheezed, his words barely audible as he fell to his knees and tried his best to stay upright. His fingers tore the pocket off my jacket. “Why?”
“Shoot,” I cursed under my breath, trying to shift myself away from him without looking like I was doing just that. Crap, crap, crap. He knew who I was. How? I gave his reddened face another good look before it dawned on me.
He was George Kelton, my father’s lead machinist at the factory. He’d been building parts for years. Just recently, under President Farlan, it’d become illegal to do so. I’d recently learned that George had taken over my father’s factory and reworked the machines to build weaponry for the Insurgents. It’d been easy with my parents held hostage in our home. George had been Farlan’s liaison right under my father’s nose. He wasn’t working for my father anymore, but the damage he’d caused had left its mark. Based on Hank’s words to him, it seemed he hadn’t entirely given up on his old work, though.
I paled as George finally collapsed, whispering something I couldn’t hear until the gurgling in his throat was too much. He was inches from me as he passed out, foaming at the mouth, still clasped onto my jacket. I pried each of his fingers off my clothes before getting to my feet.
“Medic! He’s having a heart attack!” I called out. I found the creepy guard I’d met earlier and waved madly at him until I got his attention. He peered over to where I was pointing, saw the man on the ground, and raised his radio to call for help. At least he’d been good for something. Some guards with defibrillators were already rushing over as the crowd parted, racing to kneel beside him. In the commotion, I saw Gigi exit the rally through one of the unattended gates, looking as spooked as I felt. Her eyes found mine and widened in panic. I waved her my way and left George on the asphalt, rushing away to leave before anyone noticed. Outside the gates, I grabbed her arm and ran for dear life, nearly dragging her through the city streets.
Once we were out of sight of the rally, I let go of her but continued to hurry back to the safe house. Turning down another street, I made sure I couldn’t hear the crowd anymore. I came to a stop and leaned on the side of a building along the entrance to a dark ally. I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. We had made it out alive.
“Star, what happened?” Gigi’s voice was shaking.
“I don’t know. I think a guy was assassinated right next to me by some old friend of his.” I squeezed my eyes closed, willing my fear to ebb away.
Gigi’s mouth dropped open in shock. “He murdered him?”
“Shh! Keep your voice down. Come on, we have to go back to the house. It’s not safe out here.”
We continued at a more normal pace, keeping our heads down. Luckily, the streets were almost empty due to the increasing rain. It was now coming down in sheets. I tightened my hoodie over my head, as did Gigi, but it did little to keep us dry. We’d lost our umbrellas in the crowd.
“I think he was working on something illegal,” I whispered. “I’m afraid my father might be involved somehow. The other guy probably poisoned him with something to give him a heart attack.” I frowned. “Not that he didn’t deserve it. He stole my father’s factory and turned it into an abomination.”
Gigi didn’t look at me as we rushed back to the safe house. Her silence disturbed me, but I didn’t know why. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure we weren’t being followed. I couldn’t relax until we were near the house, a welcomed sight. Before we went up the steps, Gigi grabbed my arm and tugged me back.
“What’s this about?” I snapped. I wanted out of the rain. My body shivered from the cold water soaking my shirt, pants, everything.
“Did… did you kill that man?”
“What? No! Why would I do that?” I shook my head, taken aback. “I told you what I saw.”
“But you were standing right there, and you said he stole your father’s factory, and—” She choked on her words, afraid to say any more. Her eyes searched mine, and for the first time ever, I knew she wasn’t just a pampered princess. She was smart. Observant. Not just eye candy. It made me wonder if I was safe living under the same roof as her. I never thought Farlan would have trained his only daughter to protect herself by observing everyone around her. Now I knew better. She could be a threat to us all.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Why did you really leave your father’s regime for the Glass Sky?”
“I don’t have to answer that.” She stared down her nose at me, daring me to push her. “Star, don’t lie to me. I thought we were friends.”
Her hand was still locked around my arm, squeezing it hard. It ignited my rage as I felt her fingers dig into my flesh. She could keep her secrets locked up for all I cared.
“I’m not lying, and we’re far from being friends.” I jerked my arm away from her but remained rooted. I crossed my arms, drilling my disgust into her.
Her resolve crumbled at this, and she dropped her eyes to the ground. Her shoulders slumped, and she looked tired. Her wig dangled strands outside her hood, snaking in soaked tendrils around her.
“You’re right. My father made sure I had no one to turn to. He’s kept me under lock and key since my mother died, never allowing anyone to get close to me. Clyde, you, and Fran are the closest I’ve gotten to anyone.”
Okay, I hadn’t expected that kind of response. I didn’t know what to do. Feel sorry for her? I had problems of my own. I didn’t need to take hers on as well. It was my turn to look away, studying the raindrops dripping from the roof of the townhouse. I turned and reached for the door, but she placed her hand on my arm again, squeezing it hard.
“Don’t walk away. I’m talking to you, Star,” she snapped. “All you do is run away. You can’t run away from this or me. I don’t want us to be enemies.”
I scoffed. “You think this is all about us? Well, time to open your eyes, Gigi. Everyone is suffering, they just hide it well. It’s all your father’s fault. You’re the same as he is, selfish and full of yourself. Everyone has done so much for you, and yet you’re good for nothing. You have no skills, no way to help the rebellion. You’re lucky Fran and I even agreed to help you when you could turn on us at any second. Why don’t you go back to your father with your tail between your legs and accept your position as a pretty face for Farlan to look good? I’m sure you’ll find Clyde there kissing his backside. We don’t need you here.”
“You know what? I’m not alone. I have my fiancé, Clyde, to love me. He doesn’t care if I’m a rich, pampered princess. I don’t need you or Fran.” She spun on her heel and raced down the steps. Once on the pavement, she took off, sobbing as she turned the corner. I was going to go after her but held back.
“Dammit,” I swore under my breath, stomping up the steps in a fury. Fran barely managed to get out of the way, since she’d opened the door while we argued. I brushed past her, steaming with anger.
“I know you heard everything. Save me the recap,” I blurted out, dumping my wet boots on the floor before I strode my way up the stairs. “Gigi’s gone, by the way. We might need to go to another safe house, because who knows whose side she’s on? Can you get that arranged?”
“Of course,” she responded.
At least one of us was reasonable. I jerked the door to my room open and slammed it behind me. Flinging myself onto the bed, I punched my pillow over and over.
I shouldn’t have let Gigi get to me. So what if she didn’t trust me? I could handle that. But to accuse me of murder?
At least I had a reason to be far from my parents. She was just with us to defy her father in any way she could. She was living in her own fantasy world if she thought her life was worse than mine.
I was the one with no friends. No friends, no parents… no Clyde.
I pressed at my eyelids, fighting off the stabs of pain. I turned into the remaining pillow in my bed, stifling any crying. I hated to feel so weak. If I couldn’t be stronger, how would I survive any of this?
Chapter Fourteen
Star
I’d fallen asleep after a shower to rinse the dirty rain from my body. A knock on my door jolted me awake. The windows were darkening with the last bit of light from the miserable, cloud-filled day, barely illuminating the room.
“Who is it?” I grumbled, rubbing my eyes and smoothing back the still slightly damp mess that was my hair. I was wearing a loose pair of pants and a long-sleeved shirt. I hadn’t planned to go back outside, but I rarely wore pajamas anymore. Never knew when I’d be ripped from my sleep to go on the run like when I’d attempted my escape from Farlan’s prison. I wasn’t going to be caught unawares again. My boots sat on the floor, haphazardly flung from the side of the bed. I slipped them on.
“It’s me, Fran.”
I frowned. I didn’t want to see anyone. Not even Fran. I briefly wondered if Gigi had returned to the safe house.
“Come in,” I sighed. Smoothing down my shirt, I heard her creak the door open.