Sunset Rising

“The Families?”

“The ten most powerful Families in the Dome, which includes the Ke

“Okay, so what’s left? School, friends, and girlfriends.”

“I went to school at the military academy like all the other privileged kids. You may ask yourself why there’s a military academy inside a Dome that doesn’t have any immediate enemies. The reason is that the Holts come from a military background and they like to keep up the family tradition. Your turn. Where did you go to school?”

“The sixth-floor common room every day from the age of five right up until I was twelve, just like all the other urchins; best friend Summer Nazeem; boyfriend you already met; favourite subject was nature and science. Your turn.”

“I won’t ask if you had any other boyfriends since you and Reyes got engaged when you were two.” He snickered, obviously thinking this quip was fu

“Ow!” He rubbed his head. “Best friend my brother Ted; girlfriend in my senior year, although I had to break up with her in order to pursue Leisel; favourite subject history.”

I resumed massaging his scalp and felt him relax into my lap.

“History? You went to a military academy to learn to fight like a ninja, but history was your favourite subject?”

“History is important. Look how the Holts revised history in order to get everyone in the Dome to accept their despotic government. If the truth had been revealed two hundred and eighty-three years ago, we might not be in the mess we’re in right now.”

“Despotic?” I asked, feeling stupid. Politics wasn’t a subject taught in the common room.

“Holt is a dictator. A tyrant. You can even look at the history of the Pit. Your own people revere Benjamin Reyes. I mean everyone down here is named Benjamin or Reyes.”

“Because he led everyone from the Valley to the Dome. He saved us from the nuclear holocaust.”

“He was also the one who signed the treaty that turned you into slaves. How come no one remembers him for that?”

As I mulled that over, my hands came to a rest. Jack nudged them, reminding me that I was supposed to be giving him a massage. My fingers started moving again.

“It’s not that we didn’t know Benjamin Reyes signed the treaty, it’s just that we prefer to remember him for the good he did. From what you told me about Holt, he concealed the truth.”

“I’m just saying history can be changed in different ways. It can be revised or it can be forgotten. But if we forget the mistakes we made in the past, we’re doomed to repeat them. That’s why I believe so much in Liberty, my family’s organization. We’re keepers of the truth.”

My fingers trailed down to his neck, and he sighed appreciatively.

“What does Liberty do exactly?” I was genuinely curious.

“Liberty was founded on the evidence left behind by Vice President Ke

“You mean like marrying his daughter and becoming president yourself?”

“And trying to find out the codes to the nuclear warheads. If we had those, Holt would lose his hold over the Dome and we would find out where everyone’s loyalties really lie.”

“So you think there are a lot of people who support Holt because they’re afraid of him?” I asked, surprised. Although just about everyone in the Pit hated the president, we supported him because we had no choice. It never occurred to me there would be a lot of bourge in the same position.

“Yes, I do. The man is insane.”

“Do you think a lot more people would support Liberty if they thought the organization stood a chance of taking Holt’s power?” My interest was growing. If Liberty already had a few thousand members and there were more people in the Dome who might join… Add to that the population of the Pit and we could have our army. The bigger question was whether or not Liberty would accept the Pit into their organization.

My hands had stopped what they were doing again, and Jack wriggled his shoulders. I resumed gently squeezing his muscles, coaxing them to relax.

“You seem to be going somewhere with your questions. What are you really asking me?” His arms tightened around my legs, and he snuggled into my lap.

“I’m just trying to make sense of it all. You told me that Liberty was about restoring democracy, which you described as a type of government where the people get to pick their leaders, right?”

“That’s right. If Liberty ever does succeed in taking control away from the Holts, and democracy is restored, then there would be an election.”

“And would the people in the Pit be included in that election? Would we be considered equals under your democracy?”

I felt him tense up for a moment, my question obviously giving him pause. “I assume so,” he said slowly.

“I just find it curious that all of the members of Liberty are from the Dome. Didn’t anyone ever think to ask us? I mean, there are roughly five thousand people down here, and we all hate the president.”

Jack didn’t respond immediately. I thought maybe I had pushed him too far. I didn’t want to alienate him. After all, I was hoping he could help everyone down here organize themselves into a rebellion.

“Do you believe in fate, Su

“I don’t know. I never really thought about it. Why?” I was relieved that he didn’t sound mad.

“I was brought up to believe that my main purpose in life was to get rid of our dictator and restore equality and freedom back to the people. My mother was convinced that the best chance we had was through my marriage. And here I am married to you… the girl who just found a way to raise an army.”

“Except we’re not really married.”

“I think everyone inside this Dome would disagree with you. They watched us get married on television—the urchin girl who married the bourge and humiliated the president in the process. That’s when your rebellion started,” he said thoughtfully. He sat up, stopping to wince at the pain in his head for a moment, and then leaned back against the wall beside me. “All the clues are there—holding you up as a hero, starting riots over you, knowing both of us are down here but they protect us. You’re valuable to them. They’re looking for you to lead.”

“I disagree. I’m not a leader. I don’t know the first thing about organizing a rebellion. That’s why I’m asking you for your help. You have the training, you know the bourge and how they work, and you even have Liberty with thousands of members.”

“So I’ll repeat my question: do you believe in fate? Because together we might actually stand a chance of pulling this off.”

Now I understood what he was saying. Our marriage could form an alliance.

Chapter Twenty

I woke up early and found the place next to me in bed was empty. I felt the heaviness of disappointment. After he had fallen asleep last night, I decided to stay in case there were any side effects from his concussion. Or at least that what’s I convinced myself I was doing. But truthfully it had just felt so good to have the warmth of his body against me as I fell asleep. Now the bed seemed cold and empty.

I heard movement and heavy breathing from the living room.

“Really, Jack?” I called. “You’re working out now? You must be feeling better.”

“Want to join me? You have time before work.”

I reached for my glass of water from the night before and finished it. I might as well get up and join him. The exercise made me feel better. I pushed myself out of bed and went into the living room. I could see his shadow in front of the two chairs in the room. I walked around the chairs and lay down next to him.