Elite

The Hub sat at the center of New Eden, its alpine tower visible from even the furthest reaches of the society. Slate grey walls of its exterior reflected the sparkle of the night’s sky like candles spread across a dark blanket.

Sylvie’s eyes tracked the glow of the beckon light at its summit as she wove her way through the labyrinthine path of the gardens. Her heels clicked excitedly on the smooth pavement, mirroring the giddiness that made her insides feel as if they had no fixed point.

Home for any and all primary operations in the city, the Hub had intrigued Sylvie for as long as she could remember. As a child, she had waited outside the massive doors, hand clutched tightly in her mother’s, for her father to join them every evening. By no means had she been allowed beyond the gate, but she had spent countless hours dreaming about what was inside. She never thought she would get a chance to see it for herself.

Until now.

“I know you were excited about the Commemoration,” Davis said as the main entrance came into view. “But tonight was the only opportunity I had to share this with you. Since everyone is at the party, the Hub will be primarily deserted.”

Sylvie scanned the empty courtyard, searching for some sign of the guard that customarily stood watch outside, but not so much as a shadow of him lingered. “I didn’t think Sentinels attended celebrations,” Sylvie said, noting the obvious absence.

New Eden’s Sentinel Guard was an ever-present feature of society. Clad in their hallmark carbon body armor, they insured the security and safety of every member of the Elite. Sylvie had seen them peppered along the perimeter at the plaza, but their attendance at the Commemoration festivities had been anything but celebratory.

“Rogers is on duty tonight,” Davis said, making his own sweep of the vacant yard. “He must be doing a round. He knew we would be coming right after the Address.”

Finding the entry without a guard was unsettling, even if it did mean Sylvie would be able to go inside. But the warning signals were temporarily drowned out by the anticipation of walking across the impenetrable threshold. It even temporarily quieted the irritation Sylvie felt flare at Davis’s assumption about getting her here and on such a precise timetable.

“Can we go inside now?” Sylvie asked, adding an extra coat of honey to her words. She smiled brightly and mentally commanded her eyes to sparkle in such a way that would make Davis believe it had everything to do with him rather than her brimming exhilaration at what he had to offer.

“Of course,” he said, returning a much more genuine version of her smile. His chest swelled with pride as he stepped toward the retina scanner allowing Sylvie a brief moment to roll her eyes. “Davis Vine,” he said and a green light sprung to life reading the glow of his right iris.

“Welcome, Davis,” a clipped female voice called from a tiny speaker beneath the scanner. Without another sound, the twin titanium doors slid back, melting into the walls like unrippled water. Light brightened the path inside, finally uncovering what Sylvie had only dreamed about before.

Her breath stuck in her throat as she gazed up at the slick reflective walls. Like waves of black glass, stories upon stories rose up in seamless symmetry. A ring of darkened hallways circled around to an illuminated enclosure on the far wall. Its octagonal sides refracted the light inside like a crystalline prism, making it glitter the way a crown jewel would if perched in the crest of a diadem.

As Sylvie walked deeper inside, she could feel the expanse literally hum with the power of New Eden. Her head buzzed despite the lack of champagne, causing her to reach for Davis’s arm in spite of herself.

“I knew you would be impressed,” Davis said, covering her hand with his own. He sounded a bit arrogant for Sylvie’s taste, but she followed him uncommenting as he led her toward the focal point of the room. The unblemished panes of the small alcove were so clear; it appeared as if human hands had never touched them.

Sylvie’s fingers itched to be the first, but she managed to keep them motionless as Davis positioned himself in front of yet another scanner which glowed in greeting at the mention of his name. Sylvie lifted an eyebrow wordlessly questioning the reason for the added security.

“Every department requires clearance,” Davis said, anticipating the inquiry. “Not everyone is allowed to go everywhere.” Sylvie nodded, her smile masking her disappointment as she mentally crossed exploring on her own off her unwritten list.

The automated voice bid Davis welcome and the solid sheet of glass before them glided silently away. Stepping inside, Sylvie spotted a panel as it materialized to their left that bore a mile long list of departments. Next to them was an identical row of tiny buttons. Some glowed keenly begging to be touched, while others remained undisturbed in their apparent slumber.

Davis reached out and laid a careful finger on one of the enthusiastic volunteers. Before Sylvie could read his selection, the panel dissolved and the transparent door moved effortlessly back into place.

A moment later, Sylvie felt the rush of the floor rising beneath her and watched as the ground beyond the lift moved further away. “Where are we going?” she asked as the elevator suddenly halted in its climb and began a smooth glide to the right.

“You’ll see,” Davis smiled affectionately patting her hand, reminding Sylvie it was still tucked in the crook of his arm. As delicately as she could manage, Sylvie lifted it away and aimlessly stroked at her unmarred hair. She flashed Davis a smile she knew he would read at bashful and with a coy brush of her hand against her dress, rubbed away the memory of his touch.

When the lift finally came to a stop, Sylvie peered through the reflective surface of the door and watched a long hallway disappear into seemingly endless darkness. Its nebulous depths promised a wealth of secrets ripe for her plucking. As the door silently moved aside, a light broke the blackness above them and shimmered off of the high gloss of the floor. Instinctively, Sylvie moved forward and with every step down the corridor, a new bulb eagerly took the place of the one before, dousing its momentary glow.

The way that even the lights sensed every movement in the Hub only added to the sense of wonder Sylvie felt within its walls. So much power, so much immeasurable omnipotence unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Of the five united societies, New Eden had been the first and remained the greatest. Standing in the heart of its command, it was no mystery why.

“This is the Information Center,” Davis said, motioning at the series of glass doors that peppered the long hall. “Each department is in charge of monitoring and updating the files for their division. Everything you need to know about anyone is handled here.”

Sylvie let her eyes skip across the placards indicating each affiliation until they fell on a lone unlabeled door. It was positioned at the very end of the succession and it was the first one Sylvie had seen since arriving that was not made of glass.

“What department is that?” she asked, gesturing toward the solid aperture. Everything about it screamed secrecy and suspense, making it exactly the sort of thing that drew Sylvie in like a fly to a flame. She took an unconscious step toward it before Davis stopped her short.

“Oh that’s Confidential,” he said, shaking his head. “No one has access to that but Alistar and your father, of course.”

“Of course,” Sylvie parroted, her voice trailing off. She set her eyes on the barrier, burning it into her memory. She didn’t know how, but she promised herself one day she would find her way to the other side.

“Come on,” Davis said, drawing her toward one of the rooms. “There’s something I want to show you.” Regretfully, she tore her gaze away from the mysterious door and followed him inside.

Rows of identic desks filed back to the far wall in parallel lines and each was fashioned with a small holographic pod directly in the center of the smooth black surface. Davis ushered Sylvie toward the nearest seat and pulling it out, motioned for her to take it.

Fixing him with a suspicious stare, Sylvie slid into the offered space and waited less than patiently for his explanation. Davis smiled, giving his best attempt at a wicked grin before spinning her to face the desk. “Sylvia Price,” he said.

Sylvie opened her mouth to correct him for using the proper form of her name when she found herself staring at a very familiar image. She looked poised and refined in the portrait that shimmered from the holographic port. Her raven locks were swept back from her face, showing off the dramatic edge of her lofty cheekbones.

“What is this?” Sylvie asked, lifting a hand to brush a finger across her likeness. \

“It’s your Archive,” Davis replied, sweeping her image to the side. In its place appeared an elaborate list detailing everything from her exact height and weight down to the score she made on last week’s biometrics exam. “Everyone in New Eden has one. It even chronicles dietary trends and Network preferences. Isn’t it amazing?” Davis’s OPTIC seemed to shine brighter with his obvious excitement, but Sylvie could not help feeling a bit exposed.

As a proud member of the Elite, she did not question the reason the files existed, she merely wished Davis, of all people, had not been given unfettered access to them. Even if it was the reason she got to see them for herself.

“You said everyone has an Archive?” Sylvie asked eager to remove her own private details from exhibition. She let her mind skip across all the potential files she could explore, but there was only one real option. “What about my mother?”

Sylvie turned and peered up at Davis with the first sincere look of the night and he practically melted under her gaze. “Ellena Price,” he said without so much as a moment of hesitation. Sylvie spun toward the display expecting to see the warm glow of her mother’s sweet smile, but the hologram remained unchanged.

“Ellena Price,” Davis said again, his voice reflecting the same confusion Sylvie felt as for the second time nothing happened. “That’s strange.” Davis’s brow drew together in a straight line. “I know deceased files are accessible. I—“

A loud crash beyond the entrance snapped both of their heads to attention, severing Davis’s words in the air. The whisper of distant voices confirmed that the two of them were no longer alone. The blood stilled momentarily in Sylvie’s veins as she looked to Davis for what to do.

“Wait here,” he said, striding toward the hall. “It’s probably nothing, but I better check it out.”

Sylvie nodded, but as Davis walked out the door, it was the first time she was ever sorry to see him go. Sitting there alone, Sylvie tried not to think about what her father would do if he caught her violating Hub security. She had not even considered the consequences when Davis offered the opportunity to her, but if she were being honest it would have made no difference. Even if Reidan Price himself were standing in the hallway, she would have done the same thing a million times over.

But that fact did little to calm her nerves now.

The minutes crept by like hours and Sylvie was ready to jump completely out of her skin when she finally heard the soft rush of air that signaled the opening of the sliding glass door. “Thank God,” she said, turning as she spoke. “I thought you would never—“

A form filled the doorway and a broad shadow blotted out the light across the floor. Sylvie could not see the face to whom it belonged, but she knew in a moment it was not Davis. “Who are you?” she demanded, rising up out of her seat. Her voice was steely and gave away none of the hysteria she felt rising up inside.

Without answering, the large silhouette took a step toward her, bathing itself in light. Sylvie took in the tattered clothes and dirty rucksack before her sight fell on two unilluminated eyes that marked him for what he was.

A Rebel.

“I wouldn’t do that, sweetheart,” he said, seeing the scream that bloomed behind her teeth. The shrill sound barely escaped her lips before the intruder was upon her and Sylvie’s world was plunged into complete darkness.