Joan Undone

Chapter 17

I return to my dorm, away from the suffocating silence in the Bunker.

In the lobby, Jo is sitting in one of the ratty couches, waiting for me. We're silent as we take the elevator to my floor.

In my room, I release a long, tired breath. "Did you read the news? I saved an evil Strand executive, Dr. Rodriguez, from a fate he probably deserved, and put innocent people in danger. Crew called me Strand's errand girl, and he's right."

"You monumentally failed," Jo says, but her tone holds no judgment. "That's a good thing."

"There's nothing good about saving the life of a baby killer at the expense of helping people who deserve it," I contradict.

"The lessons that hurt the most last the longest," she says. "You understood Crew's depravity on Circe Night. Now you understand how deep the roots of evil go within Strand. You'll never forget, never underestimate either of your opponents. Strength springs from the truth."

"Did you know about Dr. Rodriguez?" I ask her.

"You're expending your energy in the wrong direction."

"What do you mean?"

"You cannot save people one at a time. Think. When Strand takes action, it affects millions of Throwbacks all over the country. Even Crew, in between his one-off mob executions, takes action that catches the attention of many. All eyes are on Crew and Strand. You must redirect those eyes—to you."

"We're working on getting our story out there."

Jo impatiently bats away my suggestion. "No one cares to hear another story. You must do something that commands attention."

"Like attacking the Chrysalis?"

"Only if you wish to die for no reason," Jo says.

"I thought the Evolved police would jump at the chance to quickly take down Crew's headquarters. Maybe they don't believe that I really know the location of the Chrysalis."

"That isn't it," Jo says, her gray eyes examining me intensely. "The police in this city are corrupt, and they are using Seattle's disaster as a proof point to squash protestors of the existing system of segregation in this country."

"But Evolved are dying, too!"

"A few sacrificed for the greater good, in their minds. Strand wants to crush Crew in a grand spectacle that reminds Throwbacks of the power of the Evolved if they step out of line, and reminds the Evolved public that Throwback enfranchisement will only lead to chaos and violence. Of course, they only want that to happen after they take advantage of the chaos to clean house of disabled Throwbacks who are costing their shareholders money."

The enormity of Jo's revelation is dizzying. "How long will they let this violence go on before they end Crew's rebellion? My team will have to attack them ourselves. We need to get weapons, train."

"No. You must show there is another path toward change that the Evolved cannot spin as terrorism."

"Another rally? Those don't get anywhere," I argue.

Jo shakes her head. "A lawsuit. With a big-name lawyer claiming a serious ethics violation, a high court may hear your case. It will be much easier to convince one judge to make a change than convincing the Evolved one at a time."

"Easier than getting a new law passed by Congress, too," I muse.

"The time will come for laws to be rewritten, but there must first be a groundswell of passion and momentum from the liberal Evolved community, and a united front by the Throwback community."