Persona (The Island Book 2) Read online

Hearing a voice up ahead, I watch as Ben switches the device on. He glances over his shoulder and we duck down for a moment, but after a few seconds it's clear that he has no idea we're here.

  “Island to base,” he says calmly, “this is the island calling. Do we have a line?”

  Almost immediately, a voice replies to him through the device. I can't make out what the voice is saying, but it's shocking to realize that someone is able to communicate with the rest of the world. That's a fundamental betrayal of one of the island's core principles.

  “Everything's going according to plan,” Ben continues after a moment. “We've identified another of these little clusters, and we've determined that it needs to be dealt with. The process is underway now.”

  The voice briefly buzzes from the device.

  “I understand,” Ben says once the voice has stopped, “but Harold has his way of doing things. You know he likes to take his time and...” He pauses for a moment, as if he's struggling to find the right words. “He likes to enjoy his work, Don't worry, though, he'll get the job done. After that, we'll look for more clusters, but so far we see no indications of any more. If they crop up, though, we'll get rid of them as usual.”

  The voice replies, but I still can't make out what it's saying.

  “She was identified,” Ben continues. “She's absent right now, but Harold's confident she'll return soon. We were expecting her to try something last night, but maybe she's playing the longer game. Everything'll get done eventually, though. It's just a matter of letting Harold play it all out. I hate to admit it, but he does know what he's doing and -”

  Suddenly he looks this way, and Deckard and I have to duck down. I'm sure we didn't make a noise and that he can't have seen us, but for a few anxious seconds we wait for him to say something.

  “It's fine,” he adds finally. “I'm just getting jumpy. I told Harold we should've dealt with her when we had the chance, but I think there's something he's not telling us. If I didn't know better...” His voice trails off again. “I'm probably just getting jumpy. I'm sure Harold isn't hiding anything.”

  The voice replies for a few seconds, but the burst of sound is still impossible to make out from this distance.

  “There's another problem,” Ben continues. “We've lost contact with Walter. When we're done here, we'll have to go and make sure he's okay.”

  The voice says something unintelligible.

  “Okay,” Ben mutters with a sigh, “but tell Logan not to stress. Next time I report, it'll be to confirm termination. Should be about three days. Over.”

  We wait, but after a moment Ben can be heard making his way back through the forest. Peering around the side of the ridge, I see that he's heading back toward Steadfall, which means he must have finished his report for today. My first instinct is to run after him and make him tell me everything, but I manage to hold back.

  “They're going to destroy the town,” Deckard says after a moment. “Based on what I heard yesterday as well, I think Harold and his two friends are agents who work to destroy any communities that form on the island. Or clusters, as they call them. For some reason, the government really doesn't want people to set up towns out here. They want the place to remain completely lawless and wild.”

  “But they weren't supposed to interfere,” I reply, still shocked by what I heard just now.

  “And you trusted them to stick to their word?”

  I turn to him. “The whole basis of the island is that this is the one place on the planet where they leave everyone alone! That's how it's set up, that's what it's for!”

  “And they decided to change the rules,” he replies. “Obviously at some point, they realized they couldn't keep their fingers out of the pie. If you ask me, it's most likely some form of fear. They're worried that the island could actually become something important, something that could cause them trouble. So they've sent these three assholes to keep the place in check. Steadfall clearly isn't the first town they've attacked like this.”

  “Maybe Iris was right, then,” I mutter. “She believed the stories about another town on the island. I thought she was losing her mind, but she was actually onto something.”

  “I doubt that other town is still standing,” he points out, getting to his feet. “Right now, we have to work out how to deal with Harold and his friends. We can't just go storming back to town and start telling everyone what we overheard. We'll be ridiculed and driven out, maybe even killed.”

  “Not if we take the device as proof,” I reply.

  “It still might not be enough. We have to be smart about this.”

  Stepping around the ridge, I make my way over to the spot where Ben was using the device. It takes a moment, but I manage to pull the damn thing out from the gap in a nearby tree-root, and sure enough I find that it's some kind of long-range satellite-based system. Taking care not to accidentally turn it on, I examine the box for a few seconds before turning to Deckard as he comes closer.

  “This shouldn't be here,” I say firmly. “There should be no means of communicating with the outside world.”

  “If you destroy it,” he replies, “they'll quickly realize that it's been discovered. Just put it back for now while we work out what to do.”

  Staring at the device, I feel an overwhelming urge to turn it on and tell those assholes on the mainland exactly what I think of their tricks. At the same time, I know I'd just be shouting into the wind, that the person on the other end of the line would simply make a note of my comments and then pass that note through the chains of command. Even though it pains me, I reach down and slip the device back into place so that Ben'll never know it was moved. I swear, though, I'll come back and smash the damn thing to pieces when all of this is over.

  “Now what?” I ask, turning to Deckard. “Is it time to go drag Harold and the others out of town and make them pay for what they've done?”

  “You heard what Ben said,” he replies. “It'll be another few days before they're finished, and they're already expecting you to show up. Fortunately, I think I've got a plan that'll help us regain control.”

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Asher

  “What the -”

  Stopping suddenly, Carly seems shocked to see Deckard stepping out from behind a tree.

  “I thought...” She pauses. “I thought you'd left! I thought you were going away!”

  “I still am,” he tells her. “When I've sorted out the mess here.”

  “Deckard -”

  “Look behind you,” he adds.

  She turns, startled, and her eyes widen with shock as soon as she sees me. She takes a step back, then another, until she bumps into Deckard.

  “I'm not allowed to talk to you,” she stammers, as if the mere sight of me is filling her with panic. “Asher, please -”

  “How many people are sick now?” I ask.

  “Asher -”

  “How many?”

  She pauses for a moment. “Eight,” she admits finally. “It's spreading slowly, but it is spreading. We can't work out how or why, or where it came from, but Harold used to be a doctor. He says he'll figure something out. For now he's just put more people on a shift to re-fit the canopies, so we have something to protect against the cold weather.”

  “That won't do anything to help,” I reply, before realizing that maybe that's the point. “The canopies are causing the problem in the first place.”

  She frowns. “Huh?”

  “I just worked it out,” I continue, turning to Deckard. “Think about it, what happened when Harold and the others arrived in town? I asked them to hand over their canopies, the same as I ask every new arrival. And those canopies went straight to Emma and Mary so they could be re-used.”

  “Emma and Mary were the first to get sick,” he points out.

  “Exactly,” I reply, turning back to Carly. “I don't know how, but Harold knew about the canopy rule. They must have been watching us for a while, doing their homework. They must have made sure their
canopies were infected somehow. Maybe he and the others took something to make themselves immune and -”

  “You're wrong,” Carly says suddenly, interrupting me. “Harold's the best thing that ever happened to Steadfall. I don't mean that in a bad way, Asher, but he's really taking control. He's reorganizing things, and he makes the kind of tough decisions that you always screwed up.” She hesitates, as if she's on the verge of turning and running. “He also told us that we should kill you on sight if you try to interfere. Asher, please don't try to come back to town, you won't survive. Just go!”

  “The sickness is part of a plan,” I tell her. “They're trying to destroy Steadfall.”

  She shakes her head.

  “It's so obvious!” I hiss. “Why can't you see it?”

  “Harold told us you might start making crazy accusations,” she replies. “I shouldn't say this, Asher, but he suggested you might be losing your mind.”

  “I bet he did,” I mutter darkly.

  “We've all heard the way you talk in your sleep,” she continues. “Your dreams and nightmares...”

  “I don't have dreams or nightmares!” I spit back at her. “You don't know what you're talking about!”

  “Then who's Phillips?” she asks. “Who's Mads?”

  I open my mouth to reply, but I don't understand where she could have heard those names.

  “Everyone knows how you are,” she continues. “At night, you talk almost constantly while you're asleep. Sometimes one of us goes to the door to your hut and listens, but most of what you say doesn't make sense. You talk about places and people from your old life.”

  “That's not true,” I reply, turning to Deckard. “Is it?”

  He hesitates, and I can immediately see the answer in his eyes.

  “Why did no-one tell me?” I ask.

  “What good would that have done?” he replies. “Sorry, Asher, but she's right about that. You might not remember them, but you clearly have nightmares almost every night.”

  “That doesn't have anything to do with the situation right now,” I stammer, even though I feel as if I'm on the back foot. “Harold is part of a group that's planning to destroy Steadfall,” I continue, turning back to Carly. “He, Ben and Leanne are in contact with the mainland and -”

  She shakes her head.

  “They are!” I hiss, stepping toward her. “Ask Deckard!”

  “It's true,” Deckard says calmly. “I've overheard them myself.”

  Carly turns to him, and I can see that this time she understands. Apparently people trust Deckard way more than they trust me, which is nice to know.

  “There seems to be some kind of organized program,” he continues, “designed to prevent the growth of communities and towns on the island. Any time a location becomes too big, too well-planned, it gets torn down. Harold and his friends are in regular communication with someone on the mainland, most likely part of the government, and Steadfall is not the first community that they've targeted. Based on what I've overheard lately, I think at least three other towns have been destroyed in the past.”

  “Why?” Carly asks, clearly shocked. “Why would they do that? The government said they wouldn't interfere with the island!”

  “They were lying,” I tell her. “They're addicted to the idea of control. The thought of leaving the island untouched probably makes their skin crawl, so they've sent a little gang to keep us under their thumb.”

  “But everything Harold said -”

  “He was right about me,” I continue, surprising myself. “I was making mistakes.” I glance at Deckard. “You were right, too. I should have accepted more help and delegated responsibility, I shouldn't have tried to take the burden of the entire town on my shoulders. I was irrational, but that's a separate issue right now. We need to focus on Harold and his plans, and we need to work out exactly how he's planning to bring Steadfall down. The diseased canopies have clearly caused fear to spread, but from what Ben was saying when we overheard him, it sounds as if Harold has something else in mind. He's the ring-leader, he has to be stopped.”

  “He's been talking a lot about threats from the outside,” Carly explains, as if she's slowly coming around to the idea. “He says we need to bolster our defenses.”

  “That's just to get you all on his side,” I tell her. “He must be planning some kind of endgame.”

  “He's set up a kind of police force,” she continues. “Just four or five members, but he's given them a lot of power over everyone else. They report to him, of course, but apart from that they have free reign over the entire town.”

  “He's starting to divide the community,” Deckard suggests.

  “But why would he do it like this?” Carly asks. “If what you're suggesting is true, why wouldn't he just kill everyone and get it over with?”

  “Because he enjoys his work,” I tell her. “That's what Ben was saying earlier, anyway. Harold seems to get a kick out of slowly tightening the screw, and I guess he figures there's no risk involved. If everything goes wrong, he probably has a back-up plan to kill everyone quickly enough.”

  I wait for Carly to reply, but she seems lost in thought, as if she's still struggling to believe that I'm right.

  “What we need you to do,” Deckard says firmly, taking a step toward her, “is be our eyes and ears in the town. We don't have long to come up with the rest of the plan, but it's vital that we know what Harold is telling everyone. Carly, can you come back out tonight and give us an update? As soon as the sun has gone down, meet us right here, near the caves, and tell us everything you know.”

  She still seems unable to answer, as if she's torn.

  “Please, Carly,” I add. “Even if you don't trust me, you have to trust Deckard.”

  “I suppose so,” she says cautiously.

  “So you'll help us?” I ask.

  She hesitates for a moment longer, and then slowly she nods, albeit with a hint of uncertainty.

  “You should hurry back to town,” Deckard tells her. “Keep your ears open and take note of anything that seems even slightly out of place. Then come back and meet us later, and let us know exactly how things are developing. My guess is that he'll be starting to put his plans into action soon.”

  “Okay,” she says, taking a step back. “I... I mean, I'll try...”

  “And Carly...” He pauses. “It goes without saying that you mustn't tell anyone about this. We have no idea who we can trust in Steadfall right now, so keep this arrangement to yourself. Can you do that?”

  She nods, although she still seems extremely nervous, as if she's not entirely convinced.

  “Now go,” he adds. “There's no time to lose.”

  As she turns and hurries away, I can't help feeling as if this plan isn't going to work. Of all the people in Steadfall I'd choose to help out with something like this, Carly is pretty low down on the list. When I glance at Deckard, I swear I can see doubt in his eyes too.

  “Do you really think we can rely on her?” I ask.

  “I think there are three possible outcomes,” he replies. “The first is that she'll do what we've asked, and we'll learn more about what Harold's planning. The second is that she'll betray us and lead them straight to us. And the third is that she'll try to help, but she'll be utterly conspicuous and she'll lead them to us by accident. We have to be ready for all three eventualities. We need a plan for each of those eventualities.”

  “What kind of plan?”

  “For one thing,” he continues, “why do you think I specified that she should meet us right here?”

  “I don't know,” I reply. “Maybe -”

  Suddenly I realize what he means, and I turn to look at the nearby caves.

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Asher

  “She's late,” I whisper, as we sit several hours later in the mouth of the largest cave, watching the moonlit clearing where we're supposed to meet Carly. “Maybe they found out what she was doing and they killed her.”

  “It's poss
ible,” Deckard replies, “but I'd say it's more likely that she simply had trouble getting away. You know how -”

  “There!” I hiss, spotting movement in the distance. Sure enough, a figure is heading this way through the forest, and a moment later I see that it's definitely Carly. She looks terrified, constantly glancing over her shoulder, as if she's worried she's being followed. “I think she's alone.”

  “We can't be sure of that,” he mutters darkly. “Do you remember the plan?”

  I nod. “I still think I should be the one to go down and talk to her,” I tell him. “Let me take the risk.”

  “I think she'll be more talkative if it's me,” he replies, getting to his feet. “No offense, Asher, but there's a danger you'll just spook her, and she seems to trust me a little more. Remember to give me a signal if you see any sign that she's got company.”

  “Be careful,” I whisper, watching as he makes his way down the sloping incline that leads away from the caves and down toward the clearing. Looking toward the forest, I keep my eye out for any sign that Carly has been followed, although so far it looks as if she came alone. A moment later, I hear her and Deckard talking, although from this distance it's not easy to make out exactly what they're saying. Carly sounds agitated, though, and nervous, as if she's got bad news.

  For the next few minutes, nothing changes. Deckard and Carly continue to discuss the situation, and I remain in place, constantly watching the dark tree-line in case there's any hint of movement. Finally, however, I see Deckard heading back this way, while Carly remains loitering in the clearing below. As Deckard gets closer, I get to my feet, waiting for him to let me know the latest news.

  “She says more people are sick,” he says as soon as he's close enough. “It's up to ten cases now.”

  “But do -”

  “And she didn't betray us,” he continues, interrupting me, “or at least, not on purpose. I believe her when she says she kept her mouth shut. She's nervous, though. Hell, she's almost rattling, it's hard to believe that no-one in town noticed her acting like that.”

  Looking past him, I watch as Carly heads back toward the tree-line.