Chapter Forty-Three Faith

The Liberation Day celebrations had begun. Danforth's speech was due to start in forty-five minutes.

Everyone was in place. Robyn's team had just left the library in a comcar headed for the hospital. Concerned about Sophia's condition, Madeleine had insisted on Lily being with them. Sophia had been through so much. If she needed medical help, Lily was most qualified to give it. Noah was already in place, laying the groundwork for Robyn's arrival.

Diane was with the team in the square, which was there to monitor citizen reactions to the speeches. Ella was making her way to the control room at Matriarch House to disconnect the firewall. Evelyn waited in a safehouse on the outskirts of the city with Flynn and Helen.

Frustrated at not being able to actively participate in the mission, Madeleine was holed up in her office watching the square from various angles through the security cameras Blake had hacked into. The tech genius herself was in charge of comms, in addition to making sure the speech went live.

Faith was terrified.

If the mission went to plan, they were one huge step closer to breaking down the barriers between Eremus and Bellator. To stopping the experimentation on the academy girls. To freeing the drudges. Each team member's role was crucial, but she knew her speech was a vital part of the operation. It had to go well.

Trying to calm her nerves, she drew in a breath and then blew it out slowly.

"Could you be quiet?" Blake tutted. "I'm trying to concentrate."

"Sorry." Faith lapsed into silence again.

A moment later, Blake spun to face her, eyes blazing. "Would you, p-lease, get it together."

Faith blinked, realising the obsessive drumming of her fingers on the desktop was not conducive to calm.

"I'm sorry… it's just… I…" She fell silent. "Never mind."

Blake sighed. "Would you like to see the schedule again?"

Clicking a couple of buttons on her keyboard, she gestured to the screen in front of her. A second later, Faith was staring at a list of the Liberation Day proceedings. She checked her wristclip. Ten thirty. The Bellator orchestra would be playing.

Faith remembered the academy students being marched into the hall every year so they could watch the broadcast. She was ashamed to say she had never paid much attention to the speeches. On one occasion, she had persuaded Sophia to sneak away with her to avoid the dull event. They had hidden in one of the student bathrooms, stuffing their faces with pastries saved from the celebratory breakfast.

Faith sighed. Such frivolous rebellion seemed a world away.

When Faith had been forced to watch, the only part she'd enjoyed was the orchestra. It was the highlight of the ceremony, in her opinion. Sophia would slide a hand into hers and they would close their eyes, allowing the beautiful melody to wash over them.

"Could we–" She stopped.

Blake's eyes snapped back to hers. "What?"

"Nothing. Sorry. I'm distracting you."

"Spit it out." Blake cocked her head to one side. "Whatever it is, if it relaxes you even a little it will be worth it. For me, at least." She flashed a rare smile at Faith's confused expression. "You're like a bomb waiting to go off. And when you explode, I'll be collateral damage."

Faith laughed, surprised at the humour, bleak though it was. "I was wondering if we could tap into the ceremony broadcast. Listen to the orchestra. I mean, only if it's possible… convenient…"

Blake had already turned back to the screen. Disappointed, Faith chided herself for hoping that the tech genius might share her love of music. But after a rapid tapping on the keyboard, she heard it: quietly at first, but increasing in volume as Blake adjusted one of the sliders on the control panel in front of her. A hundred instruments swelling together in glorious harmony.

They would have opened the ceremony with The Women's Anthem, Faith knew. It was not a tune she was particularly fond of. Right now, they were playing a piece that was unfamiliar. Its melody was beautiful, rising and falling with a haunting sadness that brought tears to her eyes. Blinking rapidly, she sucked in a breath as quietly as she could, hoping the woman beside her wouldn't notice.

"They're incredible, aren't they?" Blake's voice had taken on a tone Faith had never heard before, one filled with awe. "The way all those instruments can weave such a wonderful sound."

"You like music?" Faith tried to keep the surprise from her voice.

Blake turned to her, more slowly this time. "That shocks you?"

"Um, maybe. I–"

"Oh, would you stop being such a mouse! It drives me mad." Blake lifted the mug which was ever-present at her elbow, draining it of the coffee which was her life blood. "What are you afraid of?"

"I'm not–" Faith stopped. "Well, maybe a little."

"I'm hard on everyone." Blake sniffed. "You should have learned that by now."

"I guess so."

"And I was especially hard on you when you first got here, because…" Blake hesitated. "I suppose I doubted your allegiance, with you coming from the academy, then having been in Eremus." She drew back, studying Faith closely. "You have to admit, you're hardly built for combat."

"I know I'm not strong." Faith cleared her throat. "Not physically, but–"

"Oh hush." Blake had turned back to the screens again. "That's not what Madeleine wants from you. I know that now."

Faith stayed quiet, revelling in the frank conversation. It was refreshing to see Blake so unguarded. She wasn't sure she would witness it again.

"You've shown loyalty since you arrived," Blake continued. "It's just… Madeleine's plans aren't always so obvious to begin with. But your speech today…," her tone became reverent, "it's going to make a massive difference."

"Um, yeah." Faith searched for intelligent words and came up empty-handed. "I hope so."

"If it works, that is."

Therewas the Blake who Faith knew. "Yeah. If it works."

The tech whiz glanced at her. "Better not mess it up then, had you?"

Faith laughed shakily. "I'll do my best not to. I mean–"

The familiar intermittent pinging announced an incoming call. Blake jerked to attention, all traces of humour vanishing.

"You there already, Robyn?"

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Faith leaned forward, straining to listen.

"Robyn?" Blake's voice notched up a tone. "Is there a problem?"

There was the sound of rapid breathing, followed by rustling sounds. They waited.

"You could say that." Robyn sounded tense. "We've hit some traffic. There are a ton of diversions taking vehicles away from the celebrations in the centre. They're snarling up the roads everywhere. We're stuck on Elliott Street heading north right now. Got any bright ideas about alternative routes?"

Blake started typing. "Give me a minute."

"Thanks." There was a brief pause. "We've seen some additional security measures, too."

"What do you mean, additional security?"

"Guards. Posted in various key locations. Stopping vehicles, asking questions." Robyn broke off, groaning. "Shoot! There's one up ahead. Lily, can you–?" They waited, while she gave directions to the other members of her team. "Damn. We can't avoid it." The rustling sound was back, as though Robyn was shifting in her seat. "I have to go. Keep working on a different route for us, would you Blake? I'll try and talk our way past the guards."

The call cut off abruptly. Blake pulled her earcoms out. "Dammit!"

Faith's heart contracted as the techie banged her fist against the desk. For a moment, she sat still. Faith had never seen her at a loss before.

"Can I–?" she began, but Blake brushed her words aside.

"No."

Bending over her datadev again, she tapped away at the screen until a city map appeared. Large sections of the streets were coloured with red, a bold representation of the traffic Robyn's team found themselves stuck in. Bending forward, Blake placed a finger on Elliott Street, her eyes searching for routes which might be less congested.

Faith sank back in her chair. "I'm sure there's an alternative route. There has to be."

"There will be." Blake frowned. "It just depends how long it takes Robyn to deal with the guards. And how quickly we can reroute them. Because," she paused, her voice quivering, "if we can't get them there soon, our window of opportunity to grab Sophia will be gone."