Spirits of the Earth: The Complete Series: (A Post-Apocalyptic Series Box Set: Books 1-3) by Milo Fowler (paper ebook reader .TXT) 📕

"Yes, Enforcer Chen," it says, its voice somehow different from before.

"Lead us to the roof."

Unarmed, it sets off for the stairwell at an even stride. I nod for Erik to follow and he does, seeming to find the whole situation amusing. He's the only one.

We take the stairwell up ten more flights to the roof access door. There the security clone pauses, half-turning to look past Erik.

"What is it?" My voice echoes down the switchback of stairs and landings below us.

"There is gunfire in the streets, Enforcer Chen," the clone says. "The roof may not be a safe zone. I would be better equipped to protect you if I were armed."

"Can you pilot an aerocar?"

"Yes." It nods.

"Your primary directive is to fly us to police headquarters. Leave everything else to me." The last thing I want is to be sequestered someplace safe with the other members of the Twenty. Until I see this clone follow my orders, I'm not giving it anything it can threaten me with—for my own good, of course.

I'll decide what's good for me. Right now, it's taking a potential terrorist to HQ and finding out what the hell is going on in my city.

The door to the roof slides open as the clone approaches. Outside, the sun is shining. A beautiful day in Dome 1. Nearby domescrapers loom, their mirrored glass reflecting the mid-morning light. Healthy trees in planters line the pathway from the door to the landing pad. The grass fields surrounding us, along with the jogging track, lie vacant.

So much beauty up here, but so few take advantage of it—even on days when citizens aren't advised to remain inside their cubes. When was the last time I went for a run? I'm ashamed to admit I'm more likely to jog in place while plugged into VR, exploring some adrenalin-laced game environment.

The pilot door to the aerocar rises automatically as the security clone steps within range. With a swipe of its white gauntlet, the door to the passenger compartment rises as well. This isn't your standard law enforcement vehicle, the type Drasko flies around the city every night. This is a luxury model straight from the Chancellor's private fleet.

"Very nice." Erik grins as he climbs aboard and takes his seat. The spotless white faux-leather molds to his body, providing exceptional comfort. "Only the best for our Lady Persephone."

The clone is already at the controls as the cockpit door lowers automatically into place. Both of its hands move expertly, running through the pre-flight sequence and activating the electromagnetic coils. A low hum courses through the padded inner hull as the anti-gravity system prepares to take us skyward.

I drop into the seat across from Erik and rest the two rifles on my knees. Both muzzles are aimed in his general vicinity.

He frowns at them. "What? You think I'm going to jump from a flying vehicle?"

"I've seen you do crazier things."

He leans forward as our door drifts shut. "I'm sticking with you, Sera. Of my own free will. I want you to remember that."

Implying that if he wanted to escape, he could have done so long before now. "You're a model citizen."

"I try." He leans back with his hands behind his head. Fingers interlocked. Big dumb smile.

"We are ready, Enforcer Chen," the clone says.

"Take us out." I keep an eye on the street below as we soar off the side of the cube complex and make our ascent. All other air traffic has been grounded. If I'm concerned that a terrorist may target us, it's because we're the only target in the sky right now.

Erik watches the streets as well, leaning over to press his forehead against the pane of plastiglass. The sun washes his face in golden hues, filtered through the dome's blue-tinted plexicon. He closes his eyes for a moment, basking in the warmth. I'm instantly reminded of the boy he was—

Do I really plan to lock him up?

I have to. It's my job. And besides, it's not like he'll be incarcerated for long. Once he explains himself to an interrogator, he might get out early with some requisite community service. Or he'll be charged with resisting arrest and stalking a law enforcer, entering said enforcer's domicile without permission, incapacitating two of the Chancellor's security personnel, possessing dangerous tech including an EMP grenade…

On second thought, that's enough to put him away for a very long time. Particularly now, with the attack on Hawthorne Tower and whatever insanity is taking place on the streets of Dome 1. Eurasia has always held a zero-tolerance policy towards insurgency. Any sort of rebellion will be crushed, and those even remotely connected to the discord will be punished severely.

Erik picked a very bad time to find me.

"So, I'll probably miss the banquet," he echoes my thoughts. Listening in, most likely. There should be a law against that, too.

"It could be indefinitely postponed."

"One can hope."

"How many others have you found?" I hold his gaze. "Of the Twenty."

He abandons the view below and faces me. "I know where they are. The government did a standup job of separating us—especially those sharing DNA. Couldn't have us reproducing. We'd end up with inbred monstrosities. So they placed us with various families in different castes in order to keep us apart. And once we received our neural implants, they made us forget that we had certain...abilities."

"Did the Governors know? Did the headmaster—our teachers?"

He shakes his head. "We were smart enough to hide what we could do from them. We made a game of it, keeping our abilities secret whenever our teachers were looking. But when their backs were turned…" He smirks at a particular memory. "Pretty sure we drove them nuts."

"Secret," I echo. "Like that rooftop show you put on last night?"

"Things are different now. Dust addicts can do everything I can—for a limited time. The more prevalent dust usage becomes, the easier it will be for us to use our abilities in public."

"Where does it come from?"

"Dust? I