The Elementalists

Chapter 26

Sammi

The Futurists are arranged in a perfect formation along the platform. Jinaka stands beside me, hands on his hips, waiting for the last few soldiers to straighten up. His expression terse.

Singavere Station. The last time we came, we were searching for Rai. I was so awestruck—the holograms, the neon-lights, the robots. And not only that, but the bustle, the business of it. It felt so vibrant, so alive.

Now?

It's a ghost-town. Sweet-wrappers drift across the tiles, a lonely droid sweeping them underneath AI vendors, whose mouths are turned staunchly down. The platform is full of smoke—a couple of soldiers clear their throats, obviously repressing coughs.

I shiver. Not from cold, it's the opposite of cold. Besides, I'm tucked up in Kass's cloak. No. I'm not cold.

Not on the outside, anyway.

The look on Tanner's face haunts me. The way he watched me be dragged from my hospital bed, kicking and screaming—and it wasn't just him. Dimitrov, Paolera, Hughes—all of them were with me in the medical facility. Hughes had covered her face, but I could still heard her crying. Dimitrov ranted and thrashed, straining on the chains that bound him to his bed.

'DON'T GO WITH THEM, SAMMA. SPIT IN THEIR EYES. MAKE THEM REGRET THEY WERE EVER—'

But Tanner got to me the most.

'Bring me too,' he pleaded with Lieutenant Charlie. 'I need to protect her. I made an oath—on my honour—to protect her. Please. I won't be any trouble. Just let me come with.' But Charlie didn't, of course. I don't think Tanner's honour was of much concern to him.

As Charlie pulled me from the hospital room, another soldier approached. With someone familiar.

'Brie,' I hissed. Like my friends in Squad Three, her wrists clinked from the weight of chains. But I didn't care about that—I'd spotted the quivering ball tucked under her arm, and the thick sheet of fabric slung over her shoulder. A Futurist soldier was guiding her by the elbow; he didn't look happy about it. Neither, particularly, did she.

A flare of rage flashed through my chest. She tricked us. I glowered at her, daring her to look at me, but she didn't have the guts. She just frowned and turned away.

'We found this one with these.' The Futurist jabbed his head at Brie's possessions, and Charlie scrunched his nose in distaste.

'A broken racer and a moth-eaten cloak. They're just junk. Chuck them.'

'No,' I burst out. Brie blinked, and Charlie frowned at me in annoyance.

'What?'

'They're not junk. That's Rai's drone and Kass's cloak. They need them. I need them.'

Charlie pursed his lips, exchanging a glance with the other Futurist officer. 'Why should we care about your needs?'

My cheeks flushed. 'Do you want me to help you or not?'

'You don't have a choice,' he flared back. But then, he relented, rolling his eyes. 'Oh whatever. Nick, just give her the damn crap.'

Within seconds, I'd flung Kass's cloak around my shoulders, breathing in its familiar scent of damp earth and fresh hay. Henry shuddered in my arms, letting out a mournful string of beeps. I sighed.

'I know, Henry. I miss them too.'

But then Charlie pushed me forwards, leaving my friends and Brie staring at my retreating back. There was no time to waste on anything as foolish as my lonely, breaking heart.