Rebels

By Casia Schreyer

Ethan has chosen to stay behind in Complex 48 without his sister. There are still questions he needs answers to, answers he's sure he can only find here. Instead, he finds a potential group of allies, and a potential enemy as well. And then there's the matter of those strange, slightly garbled messages that Shawna keeps sending him and what they could possibly mean.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Schreyer Ink Publishing
• Release date: Aug 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9781988853321

Casia Schreyer

My name is Casia Schreyer. I write YA/NA novels and short stories in multiple genres.I am married and the mother of two. I live in Southeastern Manitoba in Canada.

Book preview

Rebels

Underground Book 5

Casia Schreyer

Published by Schreyer Ink Publishing, Canada

Copyright © Casia Schreyer, 2018

All rights reserved

Cover © Andreas Ganz, 2018

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

ISBN 978-1-988853-31-4

E-ISBN 978-1-988853-32-1

To Nate who will soon be reading these

Prologue

Don jabbed his meaty finger on the intercom button again. Shirley, I need everything on Complex Forty-Eight.

Everything?

He rolled his eyes. From the last year. Security reports, operative reports, starting with the most recent.

I’ll send you the files as I find them, she said.

He took his cup to the table in the corner of his office where he kept his kettle and tea bags. Next to the tea bags was a little container of sugar and under the table was a mini-fridge with cream and bottles of water.

He made himself a fresh cup of tea and returned to his desk. Their were two new files on his computer screen. He opened the first and began reading.

That’s right, those kids, the ones Special Ops were interested in. They came from Complex Forty-Eight. They needed permission to bug the apartment before the boy, what’s his name, retuned home. Grieves, that’s it, Ethan Grieves. He kept reading.

Everything was here, how Ethan and his sister had been flagged for special observations by Special Ops, how Ethan had been moved to Complex Fifty with an operative and another operative had been placed with the sister, Shawna. They were testing both twins, and from what he could access of the confidential parts of the files, both had passed with flying colours.

At least until Ethan had made the disappointing choice to stay behind and not train at Complex One with his sister. He was still under strict observation. A strong suspect for rebellion it appears.

The alarm had shut off, thankfully, but there was still a flashing red warning light on his computer screen. It would continue to flash until the security team in Complex Forty-Eight got the situation there under control.

He turned from his computer to his phone. He dialed his home number and waited for his wife to pick up. When she did, he said, I’m sorry sweet-heart, there’s an emergency here at the office. I’ll be home late.

How late?

I don’t know. Hopefully they’ll have this under control soon. I’ll keep you up to date. I’ll see you later. He hung up and then pressed the button for Shirley again. Shirley, get me an update on the current crisis situation. I want to know what’s going on over there. While he waited for that he went back to the files from Complex Forty-Eight.

I wonder if this Ethan kid is involved in this current situation?

Chapter 1

Ethan woke up in his bed and stretched, his gift drifting over the apartment. It would find Axel first, still sleeping on the floor, then Shawna in the room next door. Except today it found no one. He sat up. The room was empty, and a second check confirmed that Shawna was not in her room either. It was rare that Ethan was the last one awake. That honour usually fell to Axel.

He used his gift to check the bathroom and found his father shaving. Ina was in the kitchen, alone. He stretched his mind to the living room and out to the hallway where he brushed against one unfamiliar mind. Not at all curious about which neighbour was coming or going he reeled his gift back in. His confusion lasted only a moment and then he sighed. Right. They left last night. They’re not coming back.

He dressed. He didn’t want to be late for school. That’s not true. I’d rather not go at all. Since I have to, I’d rather not give anyone extra reason to stare at me.

John came out of the bathroom as Ethan passed and nodded once to his son. There were a few spots on his face where he’d nicked himself shaving. Ethan could only remember a handful of times his father had cut himself shaving, usually after a big bowling win and the subsequent celebration which usually lasted long into the night.

He smiled at his father and returned the nod and the two of them passed each other in heavy silence.

Ina was cooking and humming. The coffee was ready and so were three bowls of porridge. For a moment Ethan’s heart lightened. One for me, one for Shawna, one for Axel. They just stepped out. They’ll be right back.

Is your father out of the bathroom?

Yes. I just passed him.

Good. His porridge is going to get cold.

His porridge, and one for Mom. Shawna and Axel are gone. There’s no changing that now. He bit back a melancholy sigh, not wanting to alert his mother to his feelings. Shawna would know. She’d stare at me with wide, worried eyes until she could corner me and ask what was bothering me. Guess it’s going to be easier to keep secrets around here now. He sat at the table and started to eat.

Ina poured him a glass of goat’s milk then joined him at the table. There was a message from security this morning. I thought you might want to read it. She slid her tablet over to him. When he tapped the screen the message was loaded, waiting for him.

TO: Mr. and Mrs. John and Ina Grieves

SUBJECT: Concerning Ethan Grieves, Shawna Grieves, Alexander Dole

Ethan Grieves has been removed from the engineering program. He will remain permanently in Complex 48. He has been remanded to his parents’ supervision until he reaches the age of majority. His possessions are en route from Complex 50. His temporary schooling plan will become permanent effectively immediately.

Shawna Grieves has been enrolled in the Security and Media Training Program and has been transferred to Complex 1 effective immediately.

Alexander Dole has been enrolled in the Security and Media Training Program and has been transferred to Complex 1 effective immediately.

All school and medical records have been transferred to the correct complex databases. These changes are final.