It’s another cold day today, all silver ruins and snow-covered decay. I wake up every morning hoping for even a slant of sunlight, but the bite in the air remains unforgiving as it sinks hungry teeth into our flesh. We’ve finally left the worst of winter behind, but even these early weeks of March feel inhumanly frosty. I pull my coat up around my neck and huddle into it.
Kenji and I are on what has become our daily walk around the forgotten stretches of Sector 45. It’s been both strange and liberating to be able to walk so freely in the fresh air. Strange, because I can’t leave the base without a small troop for protection, and liberating because it’s the first time I’ve been able to acquaint myself with the land. I’d never had a chance to walk calmly through these compounds; I had no way of seeing, firsthand, exactly what’d happened to this world. And now, to be able to roam freely, unquestioned—
Well, sort of.
I glance over my shoulder at the six soldiers shadowing our every move, machine guns held tightly against their chests as they march. No one really knows what to do about me yet; Anderson had a very different system in place as supreme commander—he never showed his face to anyone except those he was about to kill, and never traveled anywhere without his Supreme Guard. But I don’t have rules about either and, until I decide exactly how I want to rule, this is my new situation:
I’m to be babysat from the moment I step outside.
I tried to explain that I don’t need protection—I tried to remind everyone of my very literal, lethal touch; my superhuman strength; my functional invincibility—
“But it would be very helpful to the soldiers,” Warner had explained, “if you would at least go through the motions. We rely on rules, regulation, and constant discipline in the military, and soldiers need a system upon which they might depend, at all times. Do this for them,” he said. “Maintain the pretense. We can’t change everything all at once, love. It’d be too disorienting.”
So here I am. Being followed.
Warner has been my constant guide these last couple of weeks. He’s been teaching me every day about all the many things his dad did and all the things he, himself, is responsible for. There are an infinite number of things Warner needs to do every day just to run this sector—never mind the bizarre (and seemingly endless) list of things I need to do to lead an entire continent.
I’d be lying if I didn’t say that, sometimes, it all feels impossible.
I had one day, just one day to exhale and enjoy the relief of overthrowing Anderson and reclaiming Sector 45. One day to sleep, one day to smile, one day to indulge in the luxury of imagining a better world.
It was at the end of Day 2 that I discovered a nervous-looking Delalieu standing behind my door.
He seemed frantic.
“Madam Supreme,” he’d said, a crazy smile half hung on his face. “I imagine you must be very overwhelmed lately. So much to do.” He looked down. Wrung his hands. “But I fear—that is—I think—”
“What is it?” I’d said to him. “Is something wrong?”
“Well, madam—I haven’t wanted to bother you—you’ve been through so much and you’ve needed time to adjust—”
He looked at the wall. I waited.
“Forgive me,” he said. “It’s just that it’s been nearly thirty-six hours since you’ve taken control of the continent and you haven’t been to visit your quarters once,” he said in a rush. “And you’ve already received so much mail that I don’t know where to put it anymo—”
“What?”
He froze. Finally met my eyes.
“What do you mean, my quarters? I have quarters?”
Delalieu blinked, dumbfounded. “Of course you do, madam. The supreme commander has his or her own quarters in every sector on the continent. We have an entire wing here dedicated to your offices. It’s where the late supreme commander Anderson used to stay whenever he visited us on base. And as everyone around the world knows that you’ve made Sector 45 your permanent residence, this is where they’ve sent all your mail, both physical and digital. It’s where your intelligence briefings will be delivered every morning. It’s where other sector leaders have been sending their daily reports
—”
“You’re not serious,” I said, stunned.
“Very serious, madam.” He looked desperate. “And I worry about the message you might be sending by ignoring all correspondence at this early stage.” He looked away. “Forgive me. I don’t mean to overstep. I just—I know you’d like to make an effort to strengthen your international relationships—but I worry about the consequences you might face for breaking your many continental accords—”
“No, no, of course. Thank you, Delalieu,” I said, head spinning. “Thank you for letting me know. I’m—I’m very grateful to you for intervening. I had no idea”—I clapped a hand to my forehead—“but maybe tomorrow morning?” I said. “Tomorrow morning you could meet me after my morning walk? Show me where these quarters are located?”
“Of course,” he said with a slight bow. “It would be my pleasure, Madam Supreme.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant.”
“Certainly, madam.” He looked so relieved. “Have a pleasant evening.”
I stumbled then as I said good-bye to him, tripping over my feet in a daze.
Not much has changed.
My shoes scuff on the concrete, my feet knocking into each other as I startle myself back into the present. I take a more certain step forward, this time bracing myself against another sudden, biting gust. Kenji shoots me a look of concern. I look, but don’t really see him. I’m looking beyond him now, eyes narrowed at nothing in particular. My mind continues on its course, whirring in time with the wind.
“You okay, kid?”
I look up, squinting sideways at Kenji. “I’m okay, yeah.” “Convincing.”
I manage to smile and frown at the same time.
“So,” Kenji says, exhaling the word. “What’d Castle want to talk to you about?”
I turn away, irritated in an instant. “I don’t know. Castle is being weird.”
That gets Kenji’s attention. Castle is like a father to him—and I’m pretty sure if he had to choose, Kenji would choose Castle over me—so it’s clear where his loyalties lie when he says, “What do you mean? How is Castle being weird? He seemed fine this morning.”
I shrug. “He just seems really paranoid all of a sudden. And he said some things about Warner that just—” I cut myself off. Shake my head. “I don’t know.”
Kenji stops walking. “Wait, what things did he say about Warner?”
I shrug again, still irritated. “He thinks Warner is hiding stuff from me. Like, not hiding stuff from me, exactly—but that there’s a lot I don’t know about him? So I was like, ‘If you know so much about Warner, why don’t you tell me what I need to know about him?’ and Castle was like, ‘No, blah blah, Mr Warner should tell you himself, blah blah.’” I roll my eyes. “Basically he was telling me it’s weird that I don’t know that much about Warner’s past. But that’s not even true,” I say, looking at Kenji now. “I know a bunch about Warner’s past.”
“Like?”
“Like, I don’t know—I know all that stuff about his mom.” Kenji laughs. “You don’t know shit about his mom.”
“Sure I do.”
“Whatever, J. You don’t even know that lady’s name.”
At this, I falter. I search my mind for the information, certain he must’ve mentioned it—
and come up short.
I glance at Kenji, feeling small.
“Her name was Leila,” he says. “Leila Warner. And I only know this because Castle does his research. We had files on all persons of interest back at Omega Point. Never knew she had powers that made her sick, though,” he says, looking thoughtful. “Anderson did a good job keeping that quiet.”
“Oh,” is all I manage to say.
“So that’s why you thought Castle was being weird?” Kenji says to me. “Because he very correctly pointed out that you know nothing about your boyfriend’s life?”
“Don’t be mean,” I say quietly. “I know some things.” But the truth is, I don’t know much.
What Castle said to me this morning hit a nerve. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wonder, all the time, what Warner’s life was like before I met him. In fact, I think often of that day—that awful, awful day—in the pretty blue house on Sycamore, the house where Anderson shot me in the chest.
We were all alone, me and Anderson.
I never told Warner what his father said to me that day, but I’ve never forgotten. Instead, I’ve tried to ignore it, to convince myself that Anderson was playing games with my mind to confuse and immobilize me. But no matter how many times I’ve played back the conversation in my head—trying desperately to break it down and dismiss it—I’ve never been able to shake the feeling that, maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t all for show. Maybe Anderson was telling me the truth.
I can still see the smile on his face as he said it. I can still hear the musical lilt in his voice. He was enjoying himself. Tormenting me.
Did he tell you how many other soldiers wanted to be in charge of Sector 45? How many fine candidates we had to choose from? He was only eighteen years old!
Did he ever tell you what he had to do to prove he was worthy?
My heart pounds in my chest as I remember, and I close my eyes, my lungs knotting together—
Did he ever tell you what I made him do to earn it?
No.
I suspect he didn’t want to mention that part, did he? I bet he didn’t want to include that part of his past, did he?
No.
He never did. And I’ve never asked. I think I never want to know.
“Don’t worry,” Anderson said to me then. “I won’t spoil it for you. Best to
let him share those details with you himself.”
And now, this morning—I get the same line from Castle:
“No, Ms Ferrars,” Castle had said, refusing to look me in the eye. “No, no, it’s not my place to tell. Mr Warner needs to be the one to tell you the stories about his life. Not I.”
“I don’t understand,” I said, frustrated. “How is this even relevant? Why do you suddenly care about Warner’s past? And what does any of that have to do with Oceania’s RSVP?”
“Warner knows these other commanders,” Castle said. “He knows the other supreme families. He knows how The Reestablishment operates from within. And there’s still a great deal he needs to tell you.” He shook his head. “Oceania’s response is deeply unusual, Ms Ferrars, for the simple reason that it is the only response you’ve received. I feel very certain that the moves made by these commanders are not only coordinated but also intentional, and I’m beginning to feel more worried by the moment that there is an entirely other message here—one that I’m still trying to translate.”
I could feel it then, could feel my temperature rising, my jaw tensing as anger surged through me. “But you’re the one who told me to reach out to all the supreme commanders! This was your idea! And now you’re terrified that someone actually reached out? What do y—”
And then, all at once, I understood.
My words were soft and stunned when I said, “Oh my God, you didn’t think I’d get any responses, did you?”
Castle swallowed hard. Said nothing.
“You didn’t think anyone would respond?” I said, my voice rising in pitch. “Ms Ferrars, you must understand—”
“Why are you playing games with me, Castle?” My fists clenched. “What are you doing?”
“I’m not playing games with you,” he said, the words coming out in a rush. “I just—I thought—” he said, gesticulating wildly. “It was an exercise. An experiment—”
I felt flashes of heat spark behind my eyes. Anger welled in my throat, vibrated along my spine. I could feel the rage building inside me and it took everything I had to clamp it down. “I am no longer anyone’s experiment,” I said. “And I need to know what the hell is going on.”
“You must speak with Mr Warner,” he said. “He will explain everything.
There’s still so much you need to know about this world—and The Reestablishment—and time is of the essence,” he said. He met my eyes. “You must be prepared for whatever comes next. You need to know more, and you need to know now. Before things escalate.”
I looked away, my hands shaking from the surge of unspent energy. I wanted to—needed to—break something. Anything. Instead, I said, “This is bullshit, Castle. Complete bullshit.”
And he looked like the saddest man in the world when he said— “I know.”
I’ve been walking around with a splitting headache ever since.
So it doesn’t make me feel any better when Kenji pokes me in the shoulder, startling me back to life, and says,
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: You guys have a weird relationship.”
“No, we don’t,” I say, and the words are reflexive, petulant.
“Yes,” Kenji says. “You do.” And he saunters off, leaving me alone in the abandoned streets, tipping an imaginary hat as he walks away.
I throw my shoe at him.
The effort, however, is fruitless; Kenji catches my shoe midair. He’s now waiting for me, ten steps ahead, holding my tennis shoe in his hand as I hop awkwardly in his direction. I don’t have to turn around to see the smirks on the soldiers’ faces some distance behind us. I’m pretty sure everyone thinks I’m a joke of a supreme commander. And why wouldn’t they?
It’s been over two weeks and I still feel lost. Half paralyzed.
I’m not proud of my inability to get it together, not proud of the revelation that, as it turns out, I’m not smart enough, fast enough, or shrewd enough to rule the world. I’m not proud that, at my lowest moments, I look around at all that I have to do in a single day and wonder, in awe, at how organized Anderson was. How accomplished. How very, very talented.
I’m not proud that I’ve thought that.
Or that, in the quietest, loneliest hours of the morning I lie awake next to the son Anderson tortured nearly to death and wish that Anderson would return from the dead and take back the burden I stole from his shoulders.
And then there’s this thought, all the time, all the time:
That maybe I made a mistake.
“Uh, hello? Earth to princess?”
I look up, confused. Lost in my mind today. “Did you say something?”
Kenji shakes his head as he hands me my shoe. I’m struggling to put it on when he says, “So you forced me to take a stroll through this nasty, frozen shitland just to ignore me?”
I raise a single eyebrow at him.
He raises both, waiting, expectant. “What’s the deal, J? This,” he says, gesturing at my face, “is more than whatever weirdness you got from Castle
this morning.” He tilts his head at me, and I read genuine concern in his eyes when he says, “So what’s going on?”
I sigh; the exhalation withers my body.
You must speak with Mr Warner. He will explain everything.
But Warner isn’t known for his communication skills. He doesn’t make small talk. He doesn’t share details about himself. He doesn’t do personal. I know he loves me—I can feel, in our every interaction, how deeply he cares for me—but even so, he’s only ever offered me the vaguest information about his life. He is a vault to which I’m only occasionally granted access, and I often wonder how much I have left to learn about him. Sometimes it scares me.
“I’m just—I don’t know,” I finally say. “I’m really tired. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“Rough night?”
I peer up at Kenji, shading my eyes against the cold sunlight. “You know, I don’t really sleep anymore,” I say to him. “I’m up at four in the morning every day, and I still haven’t gotten through last week’s mail. Isn’t that crazy?”
Kenji shoots me a sideways glance, surprised.
“And I have to, like, approve a million things every day? Approve this, approve that. Not even, like, big things,” I say to him. “It’s stupid stuff, like, like”—I pull a crumpled sheet of paper out of my pocket and shake it at the sky—“like this nonsense: Sector 418 wants to extend their soldiers’ lunch hour by an additional three minutes, and they need my approval. Three minutes? Who cares?”
Kenji fights back a smile; shoves his hands in his pockets.
“Every day. All day. I can’t get anything real done. I thought I’d be doing something big, you know? I thought I’d be able to, like, unify the sectors and broker peace or something, and instead I spend all day trying to avoid Delalieu, who’s in my face every five minutes because he needs me to sign something. And that’s just the mail.”
I can’t seem to stop talking now, finally confessing to Kenji all the things I feel I can never say to Warner, for fear of disappointing him. It’s liberating, but then, suddenly, it also feels dangerous. Like maybe I shouldn’t be telling anyone that I feel this way, not even Kenji.
So I hesitate, wait for a sign.
Kenji isn’t looking at me anymore, but he still appears to be listening. His head is cocked to the side, his mouth playing at a smile when he says, after a moment, “Is that all?”
And I shake my head, hard, relieved and grateful to keep complaining. “I have to log everything, all the time. I have to fill out reports, read reports, file reports. There are five hundred and fifty-four other sectors in North America,
Kenji. Five hundred and fifty-four.” I stare at him. “That means I have to read five hundred and fifty-four reports, every single day.”
Kenji stares back, unmoved. “Five hundred and fifty-four!” He crosses his arms.
“The reports are ten pages long!” “Uh-huh.”
“Can I tell you a secret?” I say. “Hit me.”
“This job blows.”
Now Kenji laughs, out loud. Still, he says nothing. “What?” I say. “What are you thinking?”
He musses my hair and says, “Aww, J.”
I jerk my head away from his hand. “That’s all I get? Just an ‘Aww, J,’ and that’s it?”
Kenji shrugs. “What?” I demand.
“I mean, I don’t know,” he says, cringing a little as he says it. “Did you think this was going to be . . . easy?”
“No,” I say quietly. “I just thought it would be better than this.” “Better, how?”
“I guess, I mean, I thought it would be . . . cooler?”
“Like, you thought you’d be killing a bunch of bad dudes by now? High- kicking your way through politics? Like you could just kill Anderson and all of a sudden, bam, world peace?”
And now I can’t bring myself to look at him, because I’m lying, lying through my teeth when I say,
“No, of course not. I didn’t think it would be like that.”
Kenji sighs. “This is why Castle was always so apprehensive, you know?
With Omega Point it was always about being slow and steady. Waiting for the right moment. Knowing our strengths—and our weaknesses. We had a lot going for us, but we always knew—Castle always said—that we could never take out Anderson until we were ready to lead. It’s why I didn’t kill him when I had the chance. Not even when he was half dead already and standing right in front of me.” A pause. “It just wasn’t the right moment.”
“So—you think I made a mistake?”
Kenji frowns, almost. Looks away. Looks back, smiles a little, but only with one side of his mouth. “I mean, I think you’re great.”
“But you think I made a mistake.”
He shrugs in a slow, exaggerated way. “Nah, I didn’t say that. I just think you need a little more training, you know? I’m guessing the insane asylum didn’t prep you for this gig.”
I narrow my eyes at him. He laughs.
“Listen, you’re good with the people. You talk pretty. But this job comes with a lot of paperwork, and it comes with a lot of bullshit, too. Lots of playing nice. Lots of ass-kissing. I mean, what are we trying to do right now? We’re trying to be cool. Right? We’re trying to, like, take over but, like, not cause absolute anarchy. We’re trying not to go to war right now, right?”
I don’t respond quickly enough and he pokes me in the shoulder.
“Right?” he says. “Isn’t that the goal? Maintain the peace for now? Attempt diplomacy before we start blowing shit up?”
“Yes, right,” I say quickly. “Yeah. Prevent war. Avoid casualties. Play nice.”
“Okay then,” he says, and looks away. “So you have to keep it together, kid. Because if you start losing it now? The Reestablishment is going to eat you alive. It’s what they want. In fact, it’s probably what they’re expecting— they’re waiting for you to self-destruct all this shit for them. So you can’t let them see this. You can’t let these cracks show.”
I stare at him, feeling suddenly scared.
He wraps one arm around my shoulder. “You can’t be getting stressed out like this. Over some paperwork?” He shakes his head. “Everyone is watching you now. Everyone is waiting to see what happens next. We either go to war with the other sectors—hell, with the rest of the world—or we manage to be cool and negotiate. And you have to be chill, J. Just be chill.”
And I don’t know what to say.
Because the truth is, he’s right. I’m so far in over my head I don’t even know where to start. I didn’t even graduate from high school. And now I’m supposed to have a lifetime’s worth of knowledge about international relations?
Warner was designed for this life. Everything he does, is, breathes—
He was built to lead. But me?
What on earth, I think, have I gotten myself into?
Why did I think I’d be capable of running an entire continent? How did I allow myself to imagine that a supernatural ability to kill things with my skin would suddenly grant me a comprehensive understanding of political science?
I clench my fists too hard and—
pain, fresh pain
—as my fingernails pierce the flesh.
How did I think people ruled the world? Did I really imagine it would be so simple? That I might control the fabric of society from the comfort of my boyfriend’s bedroom?
I’m only now beginning to understand the breadth of this delicate,
intricately developed spiderweb of people, positions, and power already in place. I said I was up for the task. Me, a seventeen-year-old nobody with very little life experience; I volunteered for this position. And now—basically overnight—I have to keep up. And I have no idea what I’m doing.
But if I don’t learn how to manage these many relationships? If I don’t at least pretend to have even the slightest idea of how I’m going to rule?
The rest of the world could so easily destroy me.
And sometimes I’m not sure I’ll make it out of this alive.
