Intermix Nation

“It’s not an intermix revolution, Cander!”Nazirah screams. “It’s to the benefit of every territory-born aswell! You should follow your little brother’s lead and stop actinglike a spineless coward!”

Cander slams his fist on the coffee table,making the glass rattle. “I am no coward!”

“Could have fooled me!”

“You think I don’t see the poverty aroundus?” he yells, infuriated. “I help extinguish Medi fires all thetime in the slums! You think it doesn’t eat me up inside, watchinghuman beings burn and die? You think I like being a pawn in theirsick game? I’m just trying to protect my family, Nazirah! Becauseno one else will. Especially not my little brother. You’re the onlything Cato cares about. It’s always been that way. It’s always beenall about Nazirah fucking Nation, and fuck anyone who dares get inthe way!”

“Nazzy!”

A small voice cries from the top of thestaircase, interrupting them. Cato’s seven-year-old sister boltsdown the stairs and into Nazirah’s arms. Nazirah scoops her up intoa hug. Nazirah fondly remembers the day Caria was born; she hasalways thought of her as a little sister.

“Caria!” Nazirah wipes away a tear. “You’vegrown up! You’ve lost your front tooth!” Nazirah scoots over,making room for Caria on the couch.

Caria sits down, bouncing happily, stickingher tongue in the empty gap. “Last week,” she says, gri

Cameron tries to sound stern. “You’resupposed to be sleeping, sweetie.”

“Daddy, please,” Caria says, rolling hereyes. “Nazzy, what are you doing here? Is Cato back?” She looksaround the room excitedly. Cander and Cameron stiffen in theirseats.

“No Caria,” Nazirah says. “It’s only me. I’m… visiting.”

“Oh,” Caria sighs, a bit put out. “Well, I’mhappy to see you!”

Nazirah smiles slightly. She looks atCander, who nods. They make a silent pact not to argue in front ofthe smallest, most powerful Caal.

Juliya comes out with a steaming mug of teaand some homemade cookies. She hands the plate to Nazirah and Cariaeyes the cookies longingly. Nazirah happily shares them withher.

“She’s got you wrapped around her littlefinger,” Cander says to Nazirah. Caria sticks her tongue out athim, fingers sticky with jam.

Juliya adjusts her robe, sitting down on thearmrest next to Cameron. She asks, “How did you get here? We weresure Nikolaus wouldn’t let you out of his sight.”

Nazirah snorts. “Yeah, right.”

“He’s okay with you wandering off?”

“Niko isn’t on the campaign with us,”Nazirah says, unsure of how to proceed. “He’s staying atheadquarters.” She bites into a large cookie, trying to avoidanswering the question.

“You didn’t sneak out, did you?” asksJuliya, concerned.

“Sneak … no,” Nazirah says, chewing. “Walk …maybe.”

“Girl hasn’t changed at all, Juliya,”Cameron chuckles. “Remember when she and Cato ransacked the house,making off with all the homebrewed tequilux we’d been saving forthe family reunion?”

Nazirah coughs up cookie crumbs, blushingfuriously. “I don’t remember that,” she claims.

Juliya looks bemused. “I do,” she says.Then, as only a mother can, Juliya broaches the subject everyonehas been dancing around. “Speaking of Cato,” she says. “Is hewell?”

Nazirah sees the deep concern in her eyes,the worry she hides as she tries to remain strong for her family.Juliya and Riva are so alike it hurt. “He is,” Nazirah replies.“Really well, actually.”

Nazirah proceeds to tell them everythingabout Cato. She tells them about how happy he is, how he feels likehe’s finally found his place doing something meaningful in theworld. How he lights up the rebel headquarters with his smile, howhe is friends with everyone he meets. How he has been stationed fora few weeks in the Red West and how excited he was to go. Hisfamily listens, rapt, smiles and tears on every face.

Juliya affectionately grabs Cameron’s hand.“That’s wonderful to hear,” she says, face shining.

“He misses you.” Nazirah smiles. “Just thismorning, he asked me to tell you he loves you.”

Juliya sobs into Cameron’s shoulder, makingNazirah feel enormously uncomfortable. She stands up, ready toleave, wanting to give them privacy. They’ve lost a son, Nazirahrealizes, and a brother. Because of her.

Juliya sees the guilt on Nazirah’s face,rises to embrace her. “Nazirah,” she says firmly, like a motherwould speak to her own child. “We are so incredibly proud of you,and of Cato. Please don’t think we hold anything against you. Noneof this is your fault.”

But Nazirah doesn’t believe her, not for asecond. She should have stopped Cato from coming with her. But shedidn’t, because she wanted him for herself. Adamek is right. She isa selfish bitch.

“I should probably get back,” she says.“Before anyone realizes I’m gone.”

Juliya and Cameron share a concerned look.“Cander will walk you,” Juliya says. “You can’t roam these streetsalone at night anymore.”

“I’ll be fine,” Nazirah replies.

“It’s not a suggestion,” Juliya sayssharply.

“Nazirah,” Cameron says, “with all theturmoil around here lately, some of the Eridian gangs have taken itupon themselves to … place blame.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re lynching intermix,” Cander answersabruptly. “They round up the beggars on the street every night andhang them in the square.”

Nazirah inhales, clenching her fists. Shelooks away for a moment, collecting herself, before noddingsilently. She pulls out Cato’s cap. Instead of putting it on, shegently fits it over Caria’s head. It falls into Caria’s eyes andshe holds it up with one hand. “Something to remember Cato by,”Nazirah says. “While he’s away.”

“Wait!” Caria shouts, remembering something.She bounds upstairs, banging loudly, and then storms back downagain. She holds something small in her hand, thrusts it shyly toNazirah. “This is for Cato … when you see him.”

Nazirah gently takes the heart-shaped locketshe knows contains a photo of Cato and Caria. “I’ll make sure hegets it,” she says.

“Promise?”

“Cross my heart.”

“Take care, Nazirah,” Juliya says, tightlyhugging her at the door. Nazirah imagines this particular hug ismeant for someone else.

Cander and Nazirah walk back inuncomfortable silence. They soon reach the entrance of the i

“Are we okay?” she asks him quietly.

“Everyone here is drunk,” he whispers in herear. “No one will recognize you. And if they do, they won’tremember it come tomorrow anyway.”

“No,” she says, gesturing between the two ofthem. “Are we okay?”

Cander sighs. “When have we ever been okay,Nazirah?”

“Don’t hold anything back,” she snaps. Shemoves to leave, but he holds her waist more tightly.

“Word on the street is you’re visiting theslums tomorrow.”

“What of it?” she asks.

“Be careful,” he says. “Once the Medis findout you’re here, and they will, it’s only a matter of time beforethey try to get to you. I may not care much for your brother, but Icare for mine. And he cares about you. So don’t do anythingstupid.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Cander scans the crowd again, his eyesnarrowing. “I’m serious, Nazirah,” he says. “Nikolaus has got thismuch right: you’re exactly the spark intermix are looking for toblow this whole thing wide open … and the Chancellor knows it.” Heleans forward quickly, kissing her full on the mouth.

“What are you doing?” she hisses, pullingaway.

He chuckles. “You need to become a muchbetter liar than that,” he says. Cander winks and then walks away,leaving Nazirah stu

“Boys,” she mutters.

Nazirah turns around and stops short,realizing whom Cander was really putting on a show for. Adamekstands a few feet away, unusually smoking a cigarette, watching herintently. Nazirah ignores him as she walks past. Seeing the Caalswas exactly the fix Nazirah needed. And she won’t let him ruin herhigh.