The ARC 02: Talented Read online

  ‘The mutation has allowed the human brain to develop in ways we only ever read about in science fiction. We have seen cases of increased memory, strength, speed, extrasensory perception … really we are yet to see the limits of what humans are now capable of.’

  ‘I’m fairly certain my memory is just as bad today as it was yesterday,’ the same boy interrupts again, triggering several giggles from the younger girls in the group.

  The woman eyeballs him, causing the room to go silent. Her upper lip almost curls as she responds. ‘It is unlikely any of you will exhibit such talents yet. Your test results gave indication of only the slightest mutation and you have been assigned talent levels of five and below. As such, you will be placed in East Hope, where you will be given the opportunity to improve any talents you develop over time.’

  I have so many questions for this woman, but I begin to worry about drawing attention to myself. If what she says is true, and I’m completely normal in a world filled with these ‘talents,’ I’m in big trouble.

  ‘If you focus and work really hard on your talent, you may find yourself one of the lucky ones who get recruited to North Hope, where we have a special academy dedicated to the talented. The academy is extremely prestigious, so only those recruited are allowed in the north of the city.’

  There are a few soft whispers at the mention of a special academy and even this woman, who struggles to appear enthused about welcoming us here, is excited by the prospect of recruitment.

  ‘Why can’t my mum come to the surface too?’ one of the girls asks.

  ‘Yeah, why doesn’t anyone in the ARC know about the surface?’ another joins in, as the other kids in the room speak up, agreeing.

  ‘Unfortunately,’ she raises her voice to be heard over the group, ‘Hope is still very much in the early stages of development and we don’t have the resources to provide for everyone from your respective ARCs. Until we are able to set up more farming land for crops, we simply cannot support such an influx of people. Once those arrangements are in place, we will of course begin to relocate all ARC citizens above ground.’

  ‘How come it’s sunny here?’ the boy beside me asks.

  ‘Good question. If you go outside on a sunny day and look up to the sky, sometimes you will see a shimmer in the air, way up high. This is the protective shield that covers Hope, called The Sphere. It filters the air, deflecting the heavy dirt and grit away from the city. It was developed to aid with pollution before impact, but they’ve found a much better purpose for it now. Any other questions?’

  I slowly raise my hand. ‘How do we get in contact with old friends from the ARC who are on the surface?’

  ‘That information is only available to immediate family. Anyone else?’ she asks, with a quick, cursory glance around the room. ‘If there are no other questions, we will start calling your names so we can escort you to your assigned accommodation.’

  My stomach does an uneasy flip as she says this. I was told they’d arranged a family for me to stay with and I give a moment’s thought to what the people will be like.

  The woman calls out one of the girl’s names and proceeds to lead her from the room. As soon as they’ve left, the other kids start talking in hushed whispers. I don’t join them. Instead, I focus back on the people walking past the window. It’s difficult to block the others out though with words like ‘tainted,’ and ‘talented,’ being thrown around.

  ‘Do you miss your family?’ the boy next to me asks.

  ‘No.’ I turn to look at him. ‘Why?’

  He tilts his head and watches me closely. ‘You just looked sad is all. It’s okay, you know, to miss them…’

  For the first time I notice his red-rimmed, puffy eyes. He’s not the only one. Several of the others look like they’ve been crying and one of the girls is still wiping at the tears silently trickling down her cheeks.

  ‘I’m not upset,’ I assure him.

  He nods in response, as though only to placate me, and quickly changes the subject. ‘What do you think of everything she said?’

  Hoping he gets the hint, I fold my arms and turn back to look out the window. No one has walked past in a little while now, so it’s difficult to look immersed in the world outside when there’s nothing going on out there.

  From my peripheral vision, I notice the boy’s shoulders slouch as he looks away. It’s better if we don’t talk. I need to keep to myself if I’m to protect the truth about how I came to be on the surface.

  When my name is finally called there is only one other kid waiting in the room and I feel a wave of relief I haven’t been left till last.

  Faye meets me by the door and guides me back into the long hallway she brought me down earlier. As we walk, my mind keeps repeating that word—talented. There had been such reverence in the woman’s voice when she had uttered it earlier. People here must think being talented is pretty special.

  I ask Faye again about finding Sebastian, but she gives me the same answer as the woman from the session. The information is only for immediate family.

  ‘But I’m basically his family,’ I protest. ‘I lived with him for several years in the ARC. Can’t you just check where he is on your tablet?’

  Faye hesitates before shaking her head. ‘I’m sorry Elle, I can’t give you that information,’ she responds again.

  I stop walking. ‘Please. I have no one else up here…’

  She pauses a few steps ahead of me and slowly turns. ‘When was he taken?’ she asks, reluctantly.

  ‘About two weeks ago.’

  She smiles slightly and nods at me. ‘If it was that recently then it’s very likely he will be at your school, here in East Hope. I’m sure you’ll find him there. Now, shall we go?’

  I want to believe her, as we continue to walk down the hallway, but something about her inability to meet my eyes makes me less certain she’s being totally honest with me.

  When we finally exit the building my spirits soar. The sunshine makes me want to jump around with excitement or do a crazy happy dance. I still can’t quite believe the feel of its warm caress. I look down at my skin and the light blonde hairs on my arm almost glow under it.

  Faye watches me curiously. I must look like such an idiot staring at my arm hair with such interest. She tries to hide a smile. ‘You’ll have to be careful for the first few months up here. It will take a while for your skin to get used to the UV radiation from the sun. If you’re in it for too long you’ll be at risk of getting sunburnt,’ she says.

  I look at her questioningly. ‘Sunburnt?’

  ‘I forget with some of you younger kids, how little you remember. Just take my word for it. If you stay in the sun too long your skin will burn red, and you’ll be in a lot of pain for a few days.’

  I vaguely remember hearing something about that before. I look down at my pale arm again though and find it hard to believe it could burn red just from being outside.

  She turns round a corner and leads me down a narrow alleyway. The sunshine disappears behind me and the cool shadow of the building covers us as I follow. In this narrow space, I feel like I’m enveloped in concrete. I look around for at least some hint of nature, and only spot a small dejected looking tree.

  ‘Come on, let’s get you in the car,’ she says. We veer off the alley to a big concrete square filled with cars.

  ‘Do we just pick one?’ I ask. She muffles a laugh and pulls out a key. She presses the button on it and the lights flash on one of the cars several times.

  ‘No, that’s our car there,’ she explains, as we walk towards a weather-beaten black car. It has the same sleek and streamlined body of the cars in that video game the boys always play, ‘Speed Junkie IV.’ It shows hints of its age though, with patches of rust on the edges of the car doors.

  Faye opens a door and motions for me to get in. As I sit, I glide my hands along the rough leather texture of the seat. The interior is worn and tired looking, the shiny wooden dashboard has chips in it and the carpet has seen
better days.

  The door slams shut next to me and, seconds later, I hear the pop of the door on the other side of the car opening. Faye slides into the seat next to me. She fiddles around with the keys and different knobs and buttons, and then looks across at me when the car engine rumbles to life.

  ‘Seatbelt.’ She flicks her eyes up to something behind me. I turn and find the contraption. It’s similar to the one in the helicopter. After a few seconds of playing with it, and glancing over to watch what Faye does with hers, I manage to figure it out.

  The car hums as it’s awoken, and music blasts from the speakers immersing us in some foreign tune. The wheels squeal against the concrete as the car accelerates away, the engine roaring as it builds momentum. It moves so fast I feel like my whole body is being forced back into the seat. I grip my hands tightly into its leather edges for comfort.

  As the car veers out onto a wide street I feel dumbstruck by the combination of total beauty and awesome terror of my surroundings. The few other cars on the road hurtle past us, their motors choking and humming as they drive. Our own car quickly darts in and out of the long, cool shadows of the skyscrapers that tower over us; the sun flickering across my eyes through the tiny gaps between them.

  The buildings all stand in a row that extends out to the horizon as far as the eye can see. The magnificent structures materialise for only a moment in the distance and then, before I know it, they vanish behind us as we pass. It’s amazing to see them so close, to truly see the city. And all to the tune of some song I’ve never heard before.

  I feel extremely insignificant. There are so many people, even more than I’d thought from the air. Hundreds of faces wiz past the side window of the car. They move so quickly I’m unable to even hope to catch a glimpse of Sebastian.

  I feel a sense of guilt and misplacement as we drive. I don’t belong up here, with these people who are supposedly special—special enough to be allowed to walk freely above ground.

  Eventually the car slows and pulls over on the side of the road.

  ‘Here we are,’ Faye says, as she gets out of the car. I pull uselessly at the seatbelt several times before spotting the massive red ‘release’ button.

  As I step out of the car I am filled with a sense of dread. I’m so consumed by it I don’t watch where I step. I stumble as my foot fails to find the sidewalk, instead ending up sodden in a puddle of gutter water. I shake my leg, the bottoms of my wet greys now clinging to it.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Faye asks, rushing to help me up.

  ‘I’m fine,’ I say, attempting to smile at the situation, but struggling because my wet pants are already forgotten and my dread of living with strangers has returned.

  ‘You will be living in here,’ Faye says, pointing to one of the large buildings that tower over us. It’s just like the rest of them—a wall of glass shimmering a reflection of the bright and sunny city.

  I’m trying hard not to be scared as I cross the road towards the building. Everything was so surreal up until this moment, but now reality is crashing down around me. For a fleeting moment I consider trying to escape, but I know I shouldn’t. Nothing bad has happened so far and I have no idea where I’d go, or what I’d do, if I did try to run.

  ‘This way Elle,’ Faye calls.

  We walk through a set of glass revolving doors and head across to an elevator. I clench my teeth as she presses the button. I’d much prefer to take the stairs. As we get in, Faye hits the button for floor twelve.

  ‘We’re setting you up with Cathy and Paul Mason. They have a son, Jackson, who’s ten, and a daughter, Beth, who’s your age. They’ve had quite a few newbies over the years, so they’re used to the adjustment and will be really good at helping you get on your feet.’

  The elevator dings as we reach the twelfth floor. My heart is beating quickly now.

  Faye knocks on the door and a man opens it. I hadn’t even realised I’d been moving, but I’ve placed myself directly behind her. I’m huddling myself like a crazed person. Deep breaths. I place my arms by my side and step next to Faye.

  I look up, into the man’s eyes, and he’s not at all what I expected. He’s tall and dressed in a smart brown suit. His dark hair is combed back neatly and his eyes are serious, but not unfriendly. He’s looking at me kindly, like he’s actually happy I’m here.

  The door opens wider and a woman comes to stand next to him. She’s short, almost comically so next to him, and slightly dumpy. Her smile is warm and I get the feeling she wants to wrap me up in a massive hug. I want to relax at the sight, because they both look like good people, but my body holds stiff.

  My nose catches a whiff of something from inside the apartment. It’s rich and fragrant. My mouth begins to water as I try to imagine what it could be. I haven’t eaten yet today and, for the first time in this exceedingly long day, I notice how famished I am.

  ‘Hi Cathy, Paul. I’m Faye from the reintegration centre. I commed you earlier about Elle…’

  ‘Yes, of course. Won’t you both come in?’ the woman responds. Faye enters the apartment first and I cautiously follow.

  The woman, Cathy, takes both my hands in hers. ‘Elle, it’s so nice to meet you,’ she says. She’s just trying to be nice, I remind myself, as she continues holding my hands, refusing to let go.

  ‘Well, aren’t you lovely,’ she gushes. She’s half a head shorter than me and has to lean her head back as she gazes up at my face.

  When she finally drops my hands from hers, the man gently pats me on the back. ‘I’m Paul and this is my wife Cathy. The kids are at school, but they should be home shortly. We’re really looking forward to having you here and want you to feel like this is your home.’

  I nod up at him, completely lost for what to say.

  ‘You both know the drill,’ Faye interrupts. ‘Elle, if there’s anything … you have my username and can comm me at any time. Good luck. I’ll check up on you in a couple of weeks to see how you’re doing.’

  She is leaving already? I peer at the Masons, who stand there with their welcoming smiles plastered across their faces. They seem nice, but I’m not ready to be left with these strangers.

  Faye stands at the door waiting for me to acknowledge her departure.

  ‘Thanks,’ I say to her, attempting to sound more confident than I feel.

  ‘It’s no problem.’ She gives a little wave goodbye and starts walking towards the elevator.

  ‘I need to head back to the office,’ Paul says, bending down to pick up a briefcase. ‘I’ll see you both at dinner and we can have a proper chat. Get to know each other a little better.’ He jogs down the hallway to catch up with Faye.

  Cathy closes the door behind him and I stand inside the entrance, my arms folded across my chest as I blankly stare her down. I’m waiting for the smiles to go and the act to drop. These people can’t be this nice.

  ‘Here, I’ll show you around…’ Cathy beckons me forward.

  I frown for a brief second, before dropping my arms and following.

  Silently, I shadow her as she flits around the apartment. Cathy obviously takes great pride in her home. She is highly excitable and revels in showing me all of its massive rooms.

  Like all the other buildings I’ve seen this morning, the entire place has floor-to-ceiling windows and when we enter the lounge room I’m drawn to them as soon as I notice the warm light flooding inside.

  I carefully approach the glass. There’s a massive drop down the sheer surface of the window to the ground, where the people and cars are all in miniature. I expect to be unnerved by the sight, but the feeling of being up so high thrills me. There is so much to see out there and the world beyond the glass is huge. It’s so open and free, and though my stomach drops as I look down, my chest feels like it opens up to embrace the wide world in front of me.

  The view out over the city is simply breathtaking. Buildings high and low sprawl across the city before me, their windows shimmering golden under the sun’s heat. There is no sign o
f the barren snow-covered wasteland that stretches from the surface above the ARC all the way to the edge of the city.

  I can’t believe I’ve spent my life without this incredible view. Cathy calls me away from the window to continue, ‘the tour,’ as she puts it. The next room on the tour is apparently mine, and Cathy can’t stop smiling as she goes for the big reveal.

  It’s huge. Unbelievably huge. Although I guess that’s to be expected in an apartment so enormous.

  I step into the room and look around it, taking it all in. It’s beautiful. A double bed sits in the centre covered in sheets that are a pastel pink floral print. It looks so enticing I feel the urge to run over and jump on it.

  There’s an old ornate wooden wardrobe against one wall and a gorgeous embellished mirror against the other. At the end of the room the floor-to-ceiling windows continue, framed by thick curtains. Everything in here is beautiful, but like the rest of the apartment they appear timeworn, maybe salvaged from the world before impact? The room is larger and far prettier than the standard white quarters I shared with Quinn in the ARC, but without her presence it feels remarkably empty.

  ‘Elle?’ Cathy asks, from where she stands in the doorway.

  ‘Mmm?’ I turn to face her.

  ‘I’ve been baking in the kitchen. You must be starved. Would you like to come with me and have something to eat?’

  ‘Sure.’ My stomach grumbles in agreement, my ravenous hunger now provoked. I follow her through to a bright, open kitchen that’s all white marble benches and cool steel appliances. It looks like serious cooking must happen in here. It’s almost the same size as the kitchens in the ARC, and they cook for hundreds of people.

  She bends down with a towel in hand and takes a tray out of the oven, placing it on the cooktop. I then realise what the smell was … cookies!

  ‘Have they told you much about what’s happened to you and how everything works around here?’ she asks, as she begins transferring the cookies onto a plate.

  ‘Sort of, but it felt like there were things they left out.’