Reparation (Worlds Apart Volume 3)

By Amanda Thome

Could you sacrifice yourself to keep the ones you love alive? For Nessa, Ty, and Garrett this is the decision they are forced to make. Someone must die to keep the others alive. The question is, will the right life be sacrificed? Whose love and life will end in the dramatic and thrilling conclusion to the Worlds Apart trilogy? Follow Nessa, Ty, and Garrett as they fight for the citizens of their nation and each other to the heart-stopping end. An end that truly shows how one life and one sacrifice can change the world

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amanda Thome
• Release date: Mar 25, 2018

Amanda Thome

Amanda Thome is the Author of Ruination, book one in the Worlds Apart dystopian trilogy. Amanda grew up in Maine and later moved to Pennsylvania where she obtained her bachelor’s degree from Ursinus College. She later received her doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from Columbia University. Amanda currently resides in Idaho with her husband Clint.

Book preview

-Worlds Apart-

Resignation

Amanda Thome

Copyright

Athena Alley Press Book

Copyright ©2015 by Amanda Thome

All Rights Reserved

Cover design by Clarissa Yeo

Edited by Elaine Olson

No part of this book may be reproduced in any format without permission. Please do not encourage or participate in any piracy of copyrighted materials which would be a violation of the author’s rights. Please only purchase authorized editions.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, locations, and incidents are formed from the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual places, events, or persons is purely coincidental.

First Edition: December 2015

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the men and women of this country that fight for our freedoms. Without them upholding the beliefs we were founded upon Worlds Apart could become a frightening reality.

Chapter 1: Ty

One of us has to die so Nessa can live. It’s not a possibility, its fact. But, just ‘cause something’s fact doesn’t make it easy to accept. Garrett or I would lay down our life for her, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy when the time comes. 

Jake steers the craft, unaware of what Zane just told us. The broadcast feature Zane and Victor came across skips with static and our signal is lost. Garrett and I are the only two that saw my terminal memory. It was the final thought Zane and Victor dragged outta my head with their plagiarized version of evanescent. If I could forget it I would, but I can’t. I keep seeing the terminal memory repeat. I watch Nessa sacrifice herself for Garrett or me, always dying so we can live.

Garrett looks like he’s picturing the same thing. I bet he’s looping that scene in his mind too. At least Zane gave us hope that Nessa will come outta it alive. That’s if one of us dies in her place.

Garrett, Ty! Clint howls from the belly of the craft. His echo bounces off the walls.

It’s the first time Garrett and I have looked at each other since seeing my terminal memory. His eyes seem different now; they make me recoil.

Listen, there’s no point in thinking ‘bout what we just saw. I say eyeing the broadcast feature. We both know when the time comes; one of us will do it. I say avoiding his eyes.

Yeah. His voice breaks as he turns away.

Green light’s coming, hurry boys! Liv screams from behind us.

Garrett shoves me outta the cockpit, part of me wanted to stay rooted there a blink longer. Maybe more time woulda made this whole thing less frightening.

I’m going to secure us together. Garrett says latching his harness to mine.

Right. I shake my head remembering Clint’s plan of Garrett and I jumping tandem.

We’ll be latched together as we jump outta the plane and into Central. The only reason we’re doin’ it is for Nessa. Central’s got her. We watched them hook her to evanescent. They are pulling her memories right from her head. If we don’t get her soon she’ll be gone for good.

The flashing yellow light beating inside the hover snaps to a piercing green. Garrett locks down the final clasp that links us together. The hover’s hatch swings open as we latch in place.

I scan the inside of the hover. Gavin, Liam and Liv stand tall and ready. Don looks sorta transparent and seasick as Clint advances him forward. His catatonic stare reminds me of how Jake’s sister Natasha looked after they’d rescued her.

You got this? Gavin asks eyeing my bum leg.

Yeah, for sure. I say faking confidence that I don’t really feel. Every time I shift weight onto it my body flinches.

Supplies first! Clint shouts eying the enormous crates stacked near the back.

Liam and Gavin hit the brakes holding the two crates up. With brakes unlocked the wooden boxes slide outta the craft. My eyes bug as I watch them spin into open air. I swallow hard knowing that will be me in a blink.

See ya down there! Liv hollers as she sprints outta the hover. She leaps into the air, fearless as always.

Clint nods to Gavin and Liam, both of them jump in synch with each other. Garrett and I are next. If it wasn’t for my pride I’d probably dig my heels into the floor and protest but I can’t let Garrett see me cave.

We’re up. Garrett shouts tapping the goggles across my helmet.

Thanks. I mumble pulling them over my eyes.

I nod to Don as we step forward, Don’s brave front from earlier has faded away. He’s full of fear now.

Garrett leads me to the edge, my gut tosses. His hand taps my shoulder in time with his words, Three, two, one, he yells sending us both over the edge and spinning.

I doubt daylight woulda made this experience any less terrifying, maybe it woulda been worse in light. Right now it’s just darkness and wind. My body tells me I’m spinning but without vision I can’t be sure.

With hands fisted around my harness I try forcing my mind blank. I drive down the fear and think of Nessa instead. I know why I’m flying through the air with my opponent attached to my back. It’s so she can be saved. If nothing else knowing that makes me certain that what I’m doing is right.

It’s hard picturing Nessa jumping by herself but Liv told me she did. Since the day I met her I knew Nessa was tough but I didn’t give her enough credit.

Time to glide, Garrett shouts into my helmet.

His hand yanks the cord positioned between us. There’s a blink where I think nothing happened and maybe the parachute failed. Panic is about to set in but before it grabs hold we’re lifted upwards by the tension of the chute.

My eyes pop open as I look for signs of life below. Garrett’s arms splay as he steers us towards the ground. I hate admitting it but I feel safer with him leading this jump than I would care to admit.

Landing momentarily, I’ll try putting us down clean. Garrett shouts through my headset.

It doesn’t take long before I see Liv and the others with their beacons lit up, we float over the group.

Prepare for impact. Garrett yells.

I’m not sure how I should prepare, that lesson wasn’t given to me before we made the jump.

It doesn’t matter; I don’t have time to think about the best way to crash to the ground before I feel my body slam into the hard soil.

Not bad Borg. Liv smiles as she advances towards us.

Her rifle slaps against her waist. She pays no mind to it. I think about how many people she’s killed with that thing.

That’s an offensive title you know? Garrett scolds.

Does it look like I care? Liv flashes the fakest smile I’ve ever seen. A go screw yourself sorta smile.

Garrett nods as he unties us. If I’m Borg, what’s that make him? Garrett shrugs in my direction.

That’s Tripod. She answers turning away. Even without the crutch I’m stuck with a nickname.

Clint and Don drift toward us, their feet dangling in the air. Don clenches the harness in dread while Clint is intense and serious. There’s a parta me that wonders if anyone truly knows Clint. There are many facets to his personality.

Don looks as lost as I did crashing to the ground. Not bad. Clint barks as he lifts Don by his harness. Eyes on the supplies? Clint asks turning to Liv.

Affirmative, Ruse and Mino are on it now. Liv answers.

Ruse and Mino? I ask.

Well Tripod, Ruse is for Liam and Mino is for Gavin. No time to explain, just accept it.

Liam breaks through the brush that boarders the small clearing we landed in. We call her bull’s eye. He says pointing to Liv. He pulls at one of the crates we’d dropped from the hover.

I remember hearing those names when they were inside Central. The chatter and blue laser beams are still fresh in my mind. That’s how I met Zane’s brother Victor. I held Kara hostage to convince Jon to get someone to hack into Clint’s mission. It was Zane’s brother Victor that unlocked Zane’s sonar system. We watched the entire mission play out as it happened.

I can still see Nessa strapped to the chair with the probe in her head. The thought of evanescent and what it’s doing to her makes me sick. To know Central is pulling out her thoughts is bad enough but knowing they will replace them with their own is downright terrifying.

I think of Central doing that to Natalie. On the one hand there’s the Natalie Jon talks about. His wife who went to Central six years ago to find a cure for us Prems. On the other hand, I know the Natalie that Central created. The hate-filled, cold-hearted woman that exiled me and Nessa to the wilds. The one that threatened to kill Garrett and start a war if Nessa wasn’t surrendered. As bad as all that was, it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as when she tortured Nessa just before strapping her to evanescent.

I don’t know if Zane and Victor will be able to fix whatever Central did to Natalie years ago, but even if they do, I don’t see any chance of forgiving her.

Ready to crack these open? Gavin asks tossing Liam a crowbar.

They set to work prying the giant crates open. Wood splinters as they wedge the metal bar between the planks. On the third heave the first crate busts open enough to see the hover-choppers sandwiched between the RPG.

I call this one boys. Liv rubs her hands together as she pulls a black and metallic blue chopper outta the box. She looks straight at me, We’re together Tripod.

My chest puffs as I pull air to my lungs. The idea of being anywhere near Liv scares the crap outta me.

Ready? she asks pointing her imaginary gun at me, finger aimed for my head.

Yeah. I answer hobbling forward.

The parachute landing musta torn some stitches ‘cause my pant leg’s soaked with blood. I try my best to hide my limp, it’s the one I got thanks to Central’s bullets. I know Liv sees it as a sign of weakness. To her weakness is dangerous. She’s just as likely to kill me as anyone in Central is. The instant I slow her down I’ll be outta the picture for good.

Clint directs Don to get on the back of his chopper. Hold the bars beside you and don’t let go.

Don swings his leg over staring straight ahead.

We’re up. Liam says to Garrett, Liam’s red hair whips from the sides of his helmet.

Garrett and I swing our legs over our separate choppers at the exact same time. Both of us ready to save Nessa no matter the cost.

Clint turns to Garrett, "Liam’s your one gun. Get into the tower command and back out. No messing around. We need to penetrate the capital within the next two hours and we will do it with or without you."

Liv powers the chopper on, there’s a steady vibrating under my seat. It’s insane how quiet these things are. I crank my head around to take a look at our group before we take off.

There’s a blink where my eyes meet Garrett’s and I see something inside him. It makes my stomach loop, instinct tells me he’s about to do something against our plan but I can’t tell what.

Chapter 2 Emma

Everything is going to be alright, not perfect but alright. I don’t tell myself it will be perfect because that doesn’t exist. Nothing will be the same again and I’ve appreciated that for some time now. After Nessa went away I knew my life was changed. It wasn’t a question of if it would get back to normal because I knew it wouldn’t.

I sit in Jon’s giant loft which does nothing to make me feel safe. Being surrounded by strangers only makes it worse. To be honest I’d rather be alone. Kara’s trying her best to put me at ease, I can tell she wants me to feel secure. How could I ever feel that way here? These are foreigners, they are supposed to hate us.

Nessa said I can trust them but if there’s anything I’ve learned this past year, it’s to trust no one. Not even Nessa. How could I trust her? She left that afternoon without even saying good bye. I don’t care if she was being forced by Central, she should have fought to stay.

My toes curl around the corner of Jon’s couch as I try to forget my anger. It’s not fair of me to judge Nessa so harshly. After all, what would I have done if the tables were turned?

Your sister does that same thing. Kara says snapping me to attention.

What? I mutter caught off guard.

When she’s got a lot on her mind she detaches too. She gets that distant look on her face like she’s disconnected from her body.

Oh, I didn’t know I was doing that. I smile picturing Nessa doing the same thing.

I can’t imagine what this is like for you. Kara says moving closer to me.

How’s Brian? I ask changing the subject.

Kara pulls back, surprised by the sudden change of topic. I suppose she didn’t expect me to ask about her recently rescued, but nearly mortally wounded husband.

He’s going to make it. They won’t wake him for another day or so.

That’s good, I’m glad he’s going to be fine.

I tell Kara I’m glad but truthfully I’m indifferent about the whole thing. Call me insensitive, immature or whatever, but right now I have enough of my own issues to focus on.

Have you heard from Jon or the others? I finally ask.

Not since we left. He will call as soon as he knows something, Kara answers.

We left Zane’s pristine house hours ago. Nighttime has come and I know my papa is somewhere across the wall going after Nessa. If I think about him leaving it makes me want to break into a full toddler tantrum. I’d like to think I’m not completely selfish in thinking he should have stayed with me. Papa’s got no business going over there.

For Clint and his team that is what they do, but Papa belongs at home, or at most, in a factory. Clint’s team are the type of people that should be going into Central, Papa is not like them. I used to think he was stronger than he is but I’ve watched him this past year and I know he’s not.

The day we saw Nessa and Ty accept the scout position over the telecast something inside both of us changed. It took us days to say anything to anybody, even to each other. When we finally found words to share they were awkward and forced.

I had so many questions I needed answered but I couldn’t ask Papa. He wouldn’t have known the answers. I think he had the same questions too. Papa knew he couldn’t help me cope with Nessa being gone and that tore him apart.

Seeing Nessa had given me hope that answers would come, but that hadn’t happened. Nessa was gone as fast as she came.

You want something to eat? Kara asks standing to stretch.

Sure. I answer getting up too.

I’ll make you something, sit. She says sweeping her hand towards the chair.

I’d like to help. It might distract me. I answer, curious about how they prepare food.

In the Inner the retirees prepared and served all our meals in the pavilion. I’ve never been a part of making food before.

Kara reaches into the cabinets and drawers pulling out jars and silverware, laying them in front of me. Sensing I’m not up for conversation she grabs a knife and starts spreading jelly across bread.

I drag my knife too, copying her every move. She tries hiding her grin but I see it. She would have been a good mom, and I wonder if she will have kids now that Brain’s back.

Kara runs her knife down the center of the sandwich splitting it in two. I copy her, smiling as the knife cuts through the soft bread.

The ringing phone washes my smile away. Kara sets her sandwich down and walks gracefully to the phone, her curly hair bounces with each step.

I force myself to eat my sandwich. It’s the first food I’ve ever made and it tastes better just for that reason. I swallow the last bite down as my ears strain to pick up any part of Kara’s conversation.

I place my plate in the sink as Kara comes back, her face is drawn and pale. What? I say immediately sensing her fear.

That was Jon. Zane just finished talking to Ty and Garrett. They pulled something from Ty’s head during evanescent. Kara pauses. I stay rooted with my feet to the floor.

"You can tell me. I am stronger than I look.