Leaving Ickwall had been no easy feat. The tunnels Zia took to reach the surface were dark and hot, steamy almost. When she stepped out of the gloom and into Genesis she lost her breath for a moment.
Vehicles sped through the air and across streets, movement never ceased. Buildings boasting hundreds of stories threatened to pierce the dome above the colony. Neon lights flashed and bled into the atmosphere, causing the night to glow in bizarre colors.
Zia strained her eyes, searching the skies for a place far away. Haze disfigured the planet in the distance, its crisp lines fogged by the filth coating the dome. Earth, or Old Earth as some people called it, was conversely fresh and beautiful.
Maybe Earth is better off without us humans.
An artificial breeze swept over perfectly manicured lawns as she walked past mansions that pressed against each other.
She found Lucille's home as instructed by Roman and Kora. The thought of what faced her next sent a chill across her back. The plan was simple, find Frida and take her home.
When she saw the house, she knew it must be Lucille's. Black, gray and pearl ruled its color scheme. The image of a castle popped into mind as she stood staring at the estate. Sleek lines and rounded walls, balconies and towers, pillars and immense windows caused the building look like a piece of art. The palatial property was the material of dreams.
Lucille had a loving home and an education, friends and an admirable career. What went wrong? How did she turn into the person she is now?
Her throat tightened with anxiety and excitement. She hesitated at the gate, wondering what to do next. Then, someone grabbed her coat and pulled her backwards into bushes.
"Hey! What-" a hand clamped over her mouth.
A gruff male voice whispered near her ear,"Do ya wanna get us noticed?"
She ignored the slight pain coming from her back and faced her captors. The disgruntled faces of Roman and Kora stared back.
"Sorry, you just startled me. I thought we were meeting closer to the house." She shook her dark hair out of her face.
Kora narrowed her eyes at Zia, "That's exactly how to get noticed." Something about her tone was making Zia uneasy.
"Come on, we're goin' through tha back." Roman crouched and moved towards the end of the wrought-iron fence, across the lush grass, coming close to the left side of the house.
Kora snaked her way past Roman and perched beside the gate, typing a sequence of symbols into the keypad.
"Psh, tha security on these old gates is ridiculous. Yew'd think with a job like hers, she could afford better...," the gate popped open and Kora smirked at Roman, "security..."
Roman asked Zia, "Do ya remember what to do?"
Zia nodded and told him, "I think so. I climb up to Frida and get her out. Then go to the hangar you told me about and board the ship..."
Kora asked, "Which ship?"
"The one in the worst shape," Zia smiled, "then wait for further instruction."
Roman chuckled, "That's her. Oh, and if we aren't there by morning go without us. We've left flight plans."
She nodded and tried to picture herself driving a ship. Alone.
Well, it shouldn't be too hard, if Archie can do it...
Zia's hands shook as they reached the window that spanned four stories in a solid block. She would climb beside it until she reached the round window at the top.
Kora helped her slide the suction tools onto her hands, "Remember, press tha button with yer thumb once to hang on and twice to release."
She felt silly with plate-sized black suckers strapped to her hands but knew they stood between life and her death. Plus they were an easy and stealthy way to reach Frida unnoticed.
"Strap tha girl into tha harness with ya." Roman said.
Zia glanced at the climbing gear again, "Can it hold both of us?"
Roman chuckled, "If it can hold me, I think yer gonna be fine. We gotta hurry. Ya need to go."
Zia could hardly believe how lucky she was to have the help of these strangers. It made her wonder exactly why they were so generous.
"Thank you, both of you. I appreciate-"
"We know, just go. Yer gonna alright." Kora waved Zia's gratitude away, then gave her a boost.
Zia placed a hand on the gray stone wall beside the window and clicked once, then did the same with her other hand. Next came her feet, left then right. She crawled up the wall one limb at a time, slowly working her way up higher towards the top window.
How did they know where Frida sleeps? The thought troubled her, again.
When she wasn't counting clicks and sweating her nerves out, she was peeking into the windows. She had never seen luxury of such a quality before.
Everything is so...perfect and shiny. And to think of the house she grew up in...
As she came closer to the top floor, she heard music coming from inside. Classical. The highs and lows came and went, making her journey more exciting. She glimpsed movement inside and froze, hugging the wall. She dared to crane her neck for a better view.
Inside a room filled with wine, a short man was rearranging bottles. She noticed the odd way he moved, pivoting at the hips before turning and moving so smoothly it was inhuman. That must be the assistant, she thought as she positioned her hand to move up again.
Trying to hurry away before being seen, she clicked the climbing tool with her thumb to steady herself, but it didn't engage. All of her weight shifted to one side as her left arm flew backward.
"Shit!" She hissed as panic shot from her fingers to her toes. She panted and looked down.
Oh, I shouldn't have looked down.
The ground was four stories down and a lifetime away. Her heart thumped a crazy rhythm as she shook her head and looked back up. Only one more floor to climb, she told herself.
I hope this bloody plan works.
Frida's window was large and round, a soft warm light shone from inside. A small girlish voice hummed along to the song playing.
Tears sprang in Zia's eyes when she saw the girl. Frida was drawing, sprawled on a thick carpet with her legs kicking in time to the music. Her sandy blond hair fell in her face and she looked almost plump, healthy.
She seems happy. If I take her, will I be taking her away from a life of opportunity? Will she even want to leave? I might as well ask her and let her decide.
Zia tapped on the girl's window three times in succession.
Frida's head snapped towards the sound and her eyes widened in shock. Then a grin spread across her pale, freckled face. She jumped to her feet and ran to the window. Frida pressed the side of the window and it whooshed sideways into the wall.
"Zia! What are you doing here? Oh my gosh, oh my gosh." She clapped her hand over her mouth and said, "I should keep it down, huh?"
"Hi, little one. How I've missed you! Would you mind letting me in?"
"Oh, of course. Here...," The girl stepped aside and helped Zia climb inside.
They hugged fiercely and when Zia pulled away, she noticed that the room was decorated in the same moss green as Frida's eyes. Toys filled every surface and drawings covered the lower half of the walls. A bookshelf spanning one wall was crammed with more books than Zia had seen since leaving the Farm.
"It looks like you have a nice life here..." Zia studied the girl's face, searching to recognize the truth in her statement.
Frida shrugged, "I have so many things to play with and can read anything I want. Lucille is nice, but she isn't here much." she looked at her feet for a moment, hesitating. When she looked up at Zia again, there was determination in her eyes, "I found out about the Farm, about how it works. I want to go back and tell the kids there what is really going on. Where they come from..."
Zia thought for a moment, not sure how much to tell Frida about the rest of the plan.
Frida said, "Is that why you're here? To take me back?" Her voice was filled with emotion and hope.
Zia beamed, "Yes, if you want to go."
"Oh, I would love to go back home. It gets pretty boring here, anyway. I miss birds singing and real wind. I even miss the old library. Is Violet already there?"
Zia almost cried. Her heart was broken and at this point, she was ignoring the pain with all of her power. She bit her lip, as pang of guilt stabbed her heart, "She's on Vitruvius. I'm sorry, little one."
"Oh," Frida's face fell as she sighed, " I'm sorry, too. I know how much you care about her." She took Zia's hand and gave it a squeeze.
An alarm blared, suddenly, causing them both to jump.
WOMP WOMP WOMP WOMP
"What is that?" Zia asked.
Frida shook her head, "I don't know, I've never heard it."
Zia didn't want to stay and find out.
She dropped to a knee and held Frida's shoulders, "We need to go! Come on, This will be fun, okay?"
The girl nodded and she strapped her into the harness around her chest. Thanking the universe Frida was so light, Zia clicked her way down the wall. The blaring alarm poured from the house, polluting the night with its cries.
I hope I'm doing the right thing.