Chapter Thirty-Two Noah

His palms were sweating, but Noah focused on breathing in and out as he and Evelyn walked along the street. After permitting him to complete some more practical training in and around the library, Robyn had finally given the go-ahead for him to appear as a drudge in a more public place. The last few days had gone well, as far as he could tell, but he knew the leaders still doubted him. He was looking forward to proving them wrong.

Evelyn had dressed in finer clothes than usual. Having ascertained that the mission would take her nowhere near BellaLab Corp, she had been happy to act the part of a Bellator citizen wealthy enough to have her own drudge. Noah was accompanying her through the city on a shopping trip. She had visited various shops already, and Noah had assisted her: carrying purchases, ferrying things to and from the comcar she had hired for the morning, and bringing her snacks and drinks when she required them. It meant mixing with other shoppers, sales assistants, the comcar driver and, on one terrifying occasion, a pair of Bellator guards.

They'd been at it for more than an hour, and the tension in his body was beginning to make him ache. Evelyn seemed to be enjoying herself, not speaking to him unless she was barking an order, making sure she stopped frequently to browse, demanding things of him which kept him on his toes. Noah knew that was the point of the outing. And despite his discomfort, he was doing well.

Right now, they were standing in line at a fancy delicatessen. His mouth was watering at the array of fine cheeses and meats which were laid out under the glass of the counter in front of him. Such delicacies were unknown in Eremus, yet many of the women here enjoyed them on a regular basis. The shop was busy, and he was carrying a number of parcels from the clothing store they had just visited. The burden was awkward, and his arms were beginning to ache, but he was determined not to draw attention to himself by shifting the load into a more comfortable position.

Ever the mistress-of-disguise, Evelyn was conversing with the assistant behind the counter as though she was a long-lost friend. Again, Noah knew they were spending as long as possible in each shop, so he could be thoroughly tested. Neither Madeleine nor Robyn would send him to a placement in the community without being confident he could successfully pull off the drudge subterfuge.

He found himself thinking of Ella, who had left to begin her own placement three days ago. Apparently, she was doing fine so far: her cover story had been accepted and she had managed to integrate herself into the canteen at Matriarch House with no major problems. Noah hoped she was alright. He was eager to follow in her footsteps and feel like he was doing something useful. But the leaders wanted more proof of his capabilities before they signed off on a placement for him.

He wondered if the mistrust was linked to him being male. There was a kind of entrenched prejudice in every Bellator woman, he had discovered. They couldn't help it. Even the most forward-thinking members of the Resistance shot him curious looks sometimes, and he knew that the negative image of men they'd had drilled into them from an early age was difficult to escape. Even Faith struggled with it sometimes.

He sighed. Only time and exposure to males who broke the stereotype would fix the problem.

A sharp elbow in his side brought him back to the here-and-now. As the assistant moved away to wrap her purchases, Evelyn glared at him. Instantly, Noah understood. Though it hadn't attracted any major attention, his loud exhalation had not gone unnoticed by the Resistance member he was supposed to impress. Dipping his head further, he resolved to become invisible in the eyes of all Bellator females. When Evelyn turned back to the counter, she looked a little less furious.

The assistant was holding out Evelyn's purchases. "Will that be all?"

As Evelyn nodded, Noah stepped forward to collect the shopping. Thankfully, there were only two small packages this time. He balanced them on the top of the existing pile, praying they would return to the comcar before going anywhere else. Dropping the pile of boxes in the middle of the street would undermine all his successes.

"Be sure to visit us on Liberation Day, won't you?" the assistant trilled. "We're launching a new range of artisan produce that day, to celebrate Bellator's achievements." She glanced down in an attempt at modesty. "The chancellor has chosen us to cater the banquet, you know."

Noah wondered what banquet she meant. And, as his stomach rumbled, how nice the food might be. And then, it occurred to him that perhaps, as a member of the government's catering staff, Ella might be involved in some way.

"What an honour," Evelyn trilled.

"It really is." Noah sensed the woman's delight at the accolade. Leaning forward, she dropped her voice. "And the ceremony is so important this year, what with the recent trouble and all. I mean, Chancellor Danforth has had so much to cope with… with all the lies this terrible rebel group has been spreading."

"You're so right." Noah found himself in awe of Evelyn's acting ability.

"And as for this Faith Hanlon girl…" Noah stiffened as the woman tutted in disgust.

"Hmmm." Evelyn was making a great show of studying the range of cheeses under the glass of the counter. "What do you make of her?"

The woman leaned closer. "Well the poor girl has obviously been through a lot. When I read that leaflet, I couldn't believe some of the claims she was making. They've obviously got a real hold on her."

"They?" Evelyn mused.

Noah had to admire her. She was an excellent spy, blending in, saying just enough to get the woman talking. He could see why she was such a valuable asset to Madeleine.

"Eremus." The woman almost whispered the word. "Surely it has to be… men behind all this?" Noticing the queue of customers had grown, she stood back, as though knowing she needed to conclude the conversation. "Anyway, I'm certain the Liberation Day ceremony will prove a wonderful opportunity for the chancellor to reassure everyone. There are so many rumours…" she blew out a breath. "One doesn't know what to believe. But her speech will be broadcast to the entire city. I'm sure she'll offer a powerful message. Put everyone's minds at rest for good."

"I'm sure you're right."

Evelyn bristled as the woman behind her shuffled a little closer. Time to go, Noah thought. Evelyn clearly agreed. Leaning forward, she brought the conversation to a close.

"The banquet's at Matriarch House as usual, yes? And Danforth's speech will be broadcast from the square?"

"It will indeed." The woman beamed with pride. "You shop here that day, you'll be dining on the same food as the dignitaries." She leaned across, brandishing something in her hand. "This flyer has all the details. We're open all day, but I'd advise popping in early. You know how busy the square can get, and we're expecting great demand as people leave. Wouldn't want you to miss out."

"I'll be sure to pop in." Evelyn accepted the flyer graciously.

Turning to Noah, she slipped the flyer between two of the packages. The delicate balance disrupted, the parcels at the top began to slide sideways. Refusing to panic, Noah bent his knees, jamming his foot against the counter. The tower of items teetered for a moment, but his rapid shift of weight worked to counterbalance the load. Forcing himself to take slow, deep breaths, he managed to realign the pile without issue.

Once the packages were under control, Noah followed Evelyn, who had already stalked out of the shop. He resisted the urge to scream at her for abandoning him. As they made their way to the side street, they passed several other women. Evelyn smiled politely at them all, but, to Noah's relief, did not stop.

When they reached the comcar, the driver was waiting.

"Everything in order?" the driver asked as she opened the back of the car so Noah could unload the packages.

"Yes, thank you."

When he had safely unloaded the parcels, Noah slipped the leaflet the woman in the deli had given to Evelyn into his pocket. He turned back to Evelyn, bracing himself for her next challenge.

"Where to now?" the comcar driver asked.

"I think I'll take a walk," Evelyn waved a hand. "Want to pick me up from the Liberty Park Café in an hour?"

"Of course." The driver glanced down at her wristclip. "See you at the south exit at two p.m.?"

"Thank you."

Within seconds, the comcar was gliding away. When it had turned the corner, Evelyn glanced up and down the empty alleyway before turning to Noah.

"You're not as good as you think."

Knowing it would prove her statement correct, Noah refused to react. He'd felt like he'd done quite well, up until the unconscious sigh and the near-accident in the final store. But completely fading into the background seemed the only way to convince the women of the Resistance that he was up to the job.

"Hmmm." Evelyn tapped a foot on the ground. "You're determined, I'll give you that. I just don't know if you're ready to be out here alone."

This time, Noah had to fight to keep his head levelled at the ground. He retained the drudge pose, refusing to react. No way would he give Evelyn the satisfaction of reporting him to Madeleine.

He was surprised when she chuckled. "Not bad. I'm trying to provoke you, you know. You mostly do a decent job of resisting the temptation to react." She looked out at the street ahead. "Final task, then. Follow me to the cafe, but keep a beat behind as always, alright?"

Noah inclined his head to show he understood.

"When I get there, you'll wait outside. There's a designated area for drudges, though there aren't usually more than one or two there at once. It shouldn't be too much of a struggle for you if there are others. It's not like drudges even speak to each other in public."

Noah had found himself wondering how much drudges spoke to one another in private. Aside from Arden, who was hardly a normal example, he hadn't spoken to any drudges at all. That would come if and when he took up a placement. He swallowed the nerves which coursed through him at the thought.

Without waiting for a response, Evelyn set off, retracing their route out of the alleyway and heading back along the main street. Noah felt a little easier, knowing that his tasks were almost complete. Another hour, where he'd only have to walk and stand still whilst maintaining the drudge posture, didn't seem too tricky. And then he'd be back at the library.

Perhaps he could steal a couple of hours with Faith once he returned, before he had to serve dinner.

Pushing the hopeful thought from his head, he focused on keeping up with Evelyn. She was a lithe woman who moved with the speed of a gazelle. It required all his focus to retain his posture whilst keeping the appropriate distance behind her as they travelled so quickly.

The busy streets of the shopping district disappeared behind them, giving way to the wider streets of the residential area which was home to Liberty Park. Noah had never been there, but Evelyn had described it as she had briefed him about the day's events. A large green space, it had existed before the Women's Liberation Movement and had once been named after a famous man. Nowadays, its name reflected the Bellator women's freedom from men.

The cafe to which they were now heading was in the very centre. As they passed beneath the curved archway which marked the entrance to the park, Noah felt some of the tension drain away. Being outdoors always made him feel more at home. And while the manicured lawns, well-trimmed trees, and boating lake were a far cry from the wilderness of Eremus, they gave enough of a flavour of home to put him at ease.

Reminding himself not to get too relaxed, Noah focused on keeping his movements as smooth as possible. On the way to the café, they passed multiple Bellator citizens: two red-faced women sprinting along together; a teacher of some kind, accompanied by several children who she was attempting to teach about plant names; and a pair of intellectual-looking women, who sat on a bench pouring over some papers. Noah felt a surge of satisfaction as not one of them gave him a second glance as he passed by.

At the café, Evelyn indicated the area where drudges should wait before slipping inside. The space was empty, and Noah took up residence at the rear, where he could see the lake, though he could not gaze out across it as he wanted to. Keeping his eyes low, he watched the water rolling back and forth across the coloured pebbles with a rhythm he found soothing.

Drudges relied on their hearing far more than ordinary people, he had learned. Their permanently lowered gaze meant their vision was limited, but it was amazing how much you could learn from listening. Noah enjoyed the sound of the water flowing across the stones, but he could also hear birdcalls, the rustling of smaller creatures in the undergrowth, and the footsteps of anyone passing by.

He identified another jogger, her feet pounding the pavement hard. After that, a woman he was certain was older shuffled past with a dog, their passage sounding very different than the runner's had. When the near-silence made him confident he was alone, he moved under the cover of a clump of trees which fringed the waterline.

Placing his hand on one of the trunks, he closed his eyes. Raising his head, he stretched his neck for the first time in hours. The relief was intense. Breathing in deeply, he transported himself to Swallow Lake, where he, Flynn, and Paulo had spent many a pleasant hour fishing and swimming. An unexpected pang of homesickness swept over him.

His reverie was interrupted by a new set of footsteps. It was more difficult to work out this woman's purpose, though. She was not accompanied by friends, or a dog, nor was she jogging. The pace of her step did not even imply a definitive direction. But this wasn't unusual, Noah reminded himself. Unlike the Eremus citizens, the Bellator women had leisure time. They came to places like parks simply to meander, the speed of their passage irregular as they stopped to glance out at the lake or bent down to smell a flower.

But something about the woman's approach set him on edge. Inching closer to the edge of the thicket, he peered out, confident that no one could see him. From here, he could see the path stretching in both directions. To his left, it was empty. But when he glanced right, he could see a figure approaching.

As he'd expected, the woman was not in any kind of hurry. She ambled along, stopping several times to look out over the lake and smell the blossom on a tree branch which arched down from over her head. Eventually, she took a seat on one of the benches which flanked the path, her back to the trees where Noah was hidden.

Once settled though, she didn't seem to relax. As Noah observed her, praying that Evelyn wouldn't choose this particular moment to exit the café and come looking for him, she frequently glanced one way up the path and then the other, took a breath, then repeated the process.

Not like she was simply enjoying the view. There was something odd, Noah thought, about the way she kept looking back and forth. If she were merely seeking refuge from a busy day, she'd be still, relaxed. But her posture, the way her gaze flickered back and forth, suggested otherwise. She was watching, observing people. And not in an idle, absent-minded way.

He had to get closer. Checking that the area was clear of other people, Noah prowled through the trees until he stood directly behind the bench where she sat. Making sure he was still hidden from view, he leaned against the trunk and planted his feet in a firm position so he couldn't stumble and give himself away. Then he focused on the woman again.

She was dressed in plain, dark clothing which, on closer inspection, was faded and looked as though it had been mended several times. Her boots were well-made though, and an unusual shade of blue. She turned her head to the side again, and Noah caught a glimpse of her face. He clamped a hand over his mouth to silence his gasp. From the distance, she had looked like any other woman. But up close, he knew her well.

It was Sarah Porter.