I leaned. “They look the same to me.”
“Here, I’ll show them side by side. See the frontal cortex here on the glitcher brain?”
I looked closer, glancing back and forth between the two images. “There’s more blue light,” I said, looking up at Jilia.
She smiled. “Exactly. At first we thought glitchers simply had an increased neural capacity due to the brain adapting around the Link hardware the Community installed. But now, it’s clear that the actual number of neurons has been increasing exponentially. There are genes that usually lay dormant that, in glitcher brains, are finally finding expression. The electrical impulses and connections your brain is able to make—it’s not the same leap as the difference between primates and humans, but it’s still impressive.”
Jilia tapped in the screen a few more times. “Now, hold on. This is Zoe’s brain.” The blue lights on the new model covered almost the entire frontal lobe. Adrien gasped and took a step back. I blinked, certain I was seeing it wrong.
“But what does that mean?” I asked. I was suddenly queasy. My powers, the uncontrollable seizures, Adrien’s visions of me as a powerful leader. All of it must be explained by the brain scan in front of me. Solid proof that I was different. My stomach dropped. I didn’t want to be different. I didn’t want to have all this power capped up inside me. I just wanted to be a regular glitcher.
“To be honest, I don’t know.” Jilia’s eyes were still trained on the model, and as she leaned in to look closer, her face was bathed in reflected blue light. “I’ve never seen this before.” I couldn’t read the look on her face—it seemed like a mixture of surprise and excitement. It was clear Jilia only saw strength and possibility when she looked at the model of my brain, but I saw it for what it really was: dangerous.
“Do you have any unusual symptoms? Headaches? Surges in power? New abilities?”
I glanced at Adrien. “Sometimes I lose control, and I feel like it’s too powerful to fit inside my skin.”
Jilia nodded. “Training for you is going to be a bit difficult because we’ve never seen anything like you before. I’m not sure how best to tap into it and control it, but we can experiment with a few different methods.”
She looked away from the screen. “You might be the most powerful glitcher in the new generation, perhaps even the most powerful we’ve ever seen. I can see now that there could be truth to all of Adrien’s visions, Zoe. Perhaps you’ll be able to save us after all.” Her voice held a note of awe.
I didn’t know what to say to that. I wanted to convince her that she was wrong. I wasn’t special. Maybe even Adrien’s visions were wrong. I didn’t have a clue how to save anyone, couldn’t they see that?
Adrien leaned in, his expression dark and withdrawn as his eyes flickered over the data on the scan. He didn’t look at me, and I couldn’t tell what he must be thinking, but his silence sent a chill through me.
Chapter 5
DURING OUR LATE BREAKFAST, Jilia explained the results of my brain scan to Tyryn. “It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Tyryn was a friendly guy, just a few years older than Adrien and me. I’d never seen anyone with such a developed physique. His arm muscles strained the sleeves of his shirt. He also had a wide scar from forehead to chin. The angry line of healed skin was shiny against the dark brown skin of his face.
“General Taylor will be pleased to hear it,” Tyryn said, finishing his last bite of an omelet and then sitting back in his chair. I could feel his eyes on me, assessing me. “She’s asked me to head up a new glitcher task force. We’ll start training when we get to the Foundation.”
“What?” I nearly choked on the gritty protein mix coming through my straw. “But—” I started, then stopped. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”
“Don’t worry,” Tyryn said, his voice calm. “I’ve actually never trained a team of glitchers before, but I’ve been training Rez recruits for eight years. We won’t put you in the field until you’re ready.”
“It’s not just the, um, fighting I’m worrying about,” I said, looking between him and Jilia. “It’s my power. It’s getting harder and harder to control.”
Tyryn turned to Jilia. “You’ve studied glitchers. What do you think?”
“Telekinesis is a unique ability with its own set of obstacles,” Jilia said. “It’s not like other glitchers can tear a room apart if their power goes haywire.”
I looked down. “But do you have any idea why it’s gotten so out of control lately? Does that happen to other people?”
“Most glitchers experience an expansion of their powers as they grow into them. And glitcher powers are so closely connected to the emotion centers of the brain. You’ve been through a lot lately and you’re still so new to feeling emotion of any kind, it makes sense that overwhelming emotion would make your power erupt in unpredictable ways.” She leaned in, her eyes compassionate. “Most people have seventeen years to learn how to deal with emotions. You’ve only had eight months. But Zoe, I do think that with some discipline and practice, you’ll learn to control it again.”
“Jilia’s helped me before,” Adrien said, eyeing the older woman. “I wasn’t having exactly the same kind of problems, obviously, but she worked with me to help focus my visions through meditation. She can help you, Zoe.” He turned to Jilia. “You’re coming with us to the Foundation, right?”
“Oh,” Jilia hesitated, pushing her food around on the plate with her fork. It was the first time her excitement had flagged since she’d looked at my scans. “I’m not sure. I’m more helpful here in the field.”
“From what General Taylor was saying,” Tyryn cut in, “the Foundation’s almost completely finished, and it’s already her new base of operations. We’ll need a good doctor.”
“I’m sure Professor Henry would look forward to seeing you again,” Adrien added.
Jilia’s face went red and she stuffed a forkful of food in her mouth. She stared at her plate and didn’t respond.
Adrien’s voice softened, as if he knew he’d hit a nerve. “And it would give you more chance to study Zoe and the other glitchers there.”
“Either way,” Tyryn said. “The sooner we head out, the better. Chancellor Bright’s cracking Rez operatives faster than we can get them in place.” He looked at Jilia. “Not many people know about this location, but it only takes one. We’ll be heading out in a couple of days. I’ve already arranged transport to the Foundation, and there’s plenty of space if you want to come with us. If you stay, though, you should think about going mobile again and moving this compound deeper into the forest.”
Jilia pressed a napkin to her lips. “I was hoping there’d be more time.”
“Time’s short these days,” Tyryn said, his mouth grim. “Xona and I know it better than anyone.”
A girl came out from behind the flap to the other sleeping quarters, yawning and stretching her long arms. Her skin was ebony and her hair cropped short. She looked about my age, maybe a year or so younger. “Did I hear my name?” she asked through another yawn.
“Nice of you to finally grace us with your presence,” Tyryn said. “Xona, this is Zoe, and you know Adrien.”
Xona gave a quick nod but didn’t look our way. She hopped up on the counter with the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. It had to be cold by now, but she didn’t seem to mind. She drank it down in one long gulp. Her legs dangled and I could see a small laser weapon strapped at her ankle, even though she was still in her sleep clothes.
Jilia frowned. “You know I’d prefer it if you weren’t armed at the kitchen table.”
Xona’s eyes narrowed as she tossed the metal coffee cup into the sink. “You never know when a detachment of Regs is gonna bust in. I’d rather be prepared than have table manners.”
“Xona,” Tyryn said, a warning in his voice. “Jilia’s place, her rules.”
“Ugh, fine.” Xona rolled her eyes and hopped down from the counter.
She whipped the weapon out of its holster and clicked a small release switch that detached the grip from the barrel. She dropped both pieces on the table with a loud clunk. “There, not armed.”
“Xona—” Tyryn started, but Jilia put a hand on his arm.
“It’s fine,” she said.
Xona grabbed a piece of bread from the counter and stuck half of it in her mouth, then sat down at the table and started cleaning the weapon with the edge of her tunic.
“At least get a plate,” Tyryn said, his teeth gritted. “Mom didn’t raise you to be an animal.”
Xona glared at him. She ripped the rest of the bread into pieces and dropped it on the table beside the gun. “Don’t talk about Mom.”
Jilia and Adrien exchanged a silent look. Then I remembered Tyryn and Xona’s parents had died recently. I cleared my throat, hoping to dispel the tension in the room by changing the subject.
“Have you met the rest of the glitcher task force?” I asked Tyryn. “What are they like?”
“I haven’t met many yet,” he said, finally looking away from his sister. “I just know what General Taylor’s told me. Glitchers make for unique Rez fighters. Taylor ultimately wants a task force that can take on the Chancellor herself. From what I heard, everyone’s really looking forward to meeting you and having you on the team. You’re the only one who can even get close to the Chancellor without falling under her compulsion powers.”
“Wait.” I pulled my hand away from Adrien’s and held on to the edge of the table to steady myself. “You expect me to take on the Chancellor?”
“You’ve faced her before,” Tyryn said.
“Things are different now,” I sputtered. “She was only the Chancellor of the Academy in one small city then. Now she’s Underchancellor of Defense for all of Sector 6. She’ll be surrounded by the highest security.”
Xona let out a low whistle. “Shunt, that’s intense.”
Tyryn waved a hand and looked at me. “Adrien’s had visions of you as a leader, and Jilia’s scans confirm how powerful you are.”
“You won’t have to do anything right away,” Adrien said taking my hand again. “You won’t be asked until you’re ready.”
My chest tightened so much I could barely get a breath. Adrien knew about their plan and this task force? Of course he did. He’d probably had a vision of it. I didn’t trust myself to respond, so I just shook my head.
After breakfast was cleared away and the others had gone into the other room, I grabbed Adrien. “Tell me about your visions of me. Will I really be able to do this?”
“Zo, don’t worry about it. It’ll all be fine.” He pulled me into a hug.
I clung to him for a moment, but then pulled away. “Are you saying it will be fine because you’ve seen that it all turns out okay?”
His face clouded over. “I haven’t had any visions that make it clear who wins the war, if that’s what you’re asking.” He didn’t say anything else.
“But you’ve seen visions of me? Me being this leader they all expect me to be?”
He was quiet a moment.
“Tell me, please.”
“Zoe, maybe it’s not good to know too much about your own future. I’ve probably told you too much already. No one would have expected you to be some great leader in the first place if I’d kept my mouth shut about what I saw.”
I scoffed. “If you hadn’t told people your visions, they never would have let you rescue me from the Community.”
He nodded, but still didn’t look certain.
“If you tell me what you see, then maybe I can start to believe it too. Maybe it will give me the strength I need.”
He looked at me reluctantly for another moment, but then finally said, “Okay.” He sat back down at the table and I joined him. “There’s this one vision I had. Actually it was one of the first I had of you.” He smiled. “The farther off in the future, the less clear it is what’s going on, and this one was just flashes. In the vision, the sun is shining overhead, but you aren’t wearing a biosuit or breathing mask or anything.”
“How is that possible?” I looked down at my gloves, then at the edges of the mask only inches away from my face.
“I don’t know,” he said. “In the first glimpse I got, all I could see was that you were running toward a house near the ocean. It looked almost like you’re flying, you’re running so fast. And then I got a closer image of your face, and you’ve got this look,” he smiled again. “Like you were determined but not afraid, even though I got the feeling that you were in danger. You weren’t scared.”
The tightness in my chest didn’t ease up at all. I thought hearing about the future would make me feel better, but it sounded like he was describing a stranger. How was I supposed to become this person?
“Were you there?” I asked.
His smile faded. “No.”
“Was anyone else there?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
In the future I was all alone and running into danger. Great.
“But that’s not what’s important. It’s gotta mean we’ll figure out a way around your allergies someday.”
I nodded, but didn’t feel very reassured. “Okay,” I said finally, “will you tell me another one? Maybe one that’s not so far off?”
He looked down. “I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because the more I learn about how the visions work…” He shook his head. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea.” The look on his face made it sound final.
Before I could say anything, Xona stomped into the kitchen. She reached down to seal the strap closed on her shoes before hiking her foot up onto the counter beside the coffeemaker.
She noticed us sitting at the table. “Sorry, counter’s got the best height for stretching.”
She looked between me and Adrien like she was gauging the level of tension between us. “I’m going for a run.” She kept stretching, then looked back at me. “You can come if you want. There’s some extra shoes by the door.”
“Really?” I asked. She’d seemed so gruff before, I was surprised by the offer.
She paused to look at me more critically. “Well, if you can keep up.”
Adrien was still holding my hand. “Look Zoe, we can talk about this more—”
“No,” I pushed back my chair abruptly. I didn’t want to keep pressing Adrien to tell me about the future when he obviously didn’t want to. “A run sounds great right now. Besides,” I looked back at Adrien and tried to smile. I felt upset about our conversation, but I didn’t want to take it out on him. “You said I’ll be strong in the future. How else am I going to make that happen unless I train now?”
The early morning sun shone down through the layers of trees and leaves, but a lot of the ground was still in shadow. Only a few leaves were lit up bright green where the sunlight managed to break through.
“I’ve got a route I usually run,” Xona said, jumping up and down a few times to warm her limbs. She looked over at me. “I’m not going to slow down for you.”
I nodded, fixated on all the green in the forest around us. It was still astonishing and unnerving. It wasn’t just green, it was a hundred different shades, from the deeper green of the leaves hidden in shadow to the bright, almost neon green moss that covered the rocks and the bottoms of the trees.
“Ex-drones,” Xona said under her breath with a smirk. “You guys always get so cracked about the Surface.” Then before I could respond, she took off, racing into the forest. I followed as fast as I could, not wanting to lose sight of her in the vast green maze.
It felt good to run. The suit stretched easily with every step I took until I barely noticed I had it on. Running had always calmed me, both in my Community days and in the lab alcove. But running on the Surface was far different from running on a treadmill. On the treadmill, you could lose yourself in thought as the regular pounding of your footfalls provided a hypnotic rhythm. Out here,
you had to constantly watch where you were going. The forest floor was springy and uneven, and I kept my eyes trained on the ground to make sure I didn’t trip over tree roots or bushes as we went.
But the exertion did feel good. It was a relief to forget about all the insanity of the past few days and think only about where my foot would land next.
“Thanks,” I said to Xona, huffing from the incline we had just run up. “I really needed a good run.”
She looked at me out of the corner of her eye as she continued jogging, clearly impressed that I’d managed to catch up to her. She didn’t seem winded at all. The path was wider so we jogged side by side.
“Seemed like things were intense between you two back there. Then again,” she cocked her head, “Adrien was always an intense guy. That brooding stare of his used to drive all the Rez girls wild.”
She looked at me like she was waiting for a reaction.
“Yeah?” I asked, not taking the bait. “Jilia said you knew each other growing up?”
“From when he was fourteen. He ran away and joined up with the Rez unit my dad led. ’Course his mom got all crazy when she found out where he’d run away to. She came into the compound where we were staying, yelling and screaming about how he was too young. My dad talked her down. Did his whole, ‘the young are the future of the Rez’ shtick.” She sounded sarcastic as she mimicked her father. “Though from what I hear, you’re supposed to be the real future of the Rez.”
I felt the blood leave my face. If she was trying to get a reaction out of me, she’d finally succeeded.
“If you believe the rumors about Adrien’s visions,” I said, trying to shrug off the comment.
“Well, I don’t. The whole idea of destiny is total piss. No offense. But I’m not going to believe one girl’s gonna save the world just because someone had a vision.”
“Even if Adrien’s visions always seem to come true?”
Xona paused, slowing her stride. “So far, maybe. But saying something is fated sounds just like the lies my mom used to tell me about how it was all gonna turn out okay. How all the bad stuff in life was part of a bigger purpose and that everything happens for a reason. How all the lives sacrificed for the Rez will be meaningful in the end when we win.”