We follow the man to a house that is a ten-minute walk from the bridge, and up a short path to a house about the size of the one Gunner and I are staying in. Without saying much, he unlocks a side door and leads us into a kitchen area.
"Mayor Bennett recruited me and three other Surface Workers," he says after introducing himself as Greg Hanson. "Our job was to invoke Exit Protocol and open the main gate of the Bunker. Can I get you anything? Water, tea? Coffee?"
"What's coffee?" I ask, and he chuckles.
"Life," Greg replies as he reaches into a drawer and pulls out a tin can. "I'll make you both a cup. So, who sent you up here?"
"A reporter from the Night Hour News."
This makes Greg pause and stare at me for a moment.
"A script is given to every person who reports War News," he says as he continues moving around the kitchen. "Even after they were told the war was over. When a new Elite Mayor is sworn in, they are given a packet of information, updated with the previous mayor's actions and their final requests... John Bennett was the father-in-law to a very good friend. He didn't want to be Elite Mayor, but when he found out what was really going on, he was prepared to do whatever it took to release the people."
"Until he was murdered and it was framed as a suicide," Gunner adds, as he and I find seating on a pair of stools at the counter.
"John is dead?" Greg asks, looking at us with genuine surprise. "That must've happened while Barton and I were escaping."
"Barton? As in Frank Barton?"
"Yeah, he wanted to help because he has a family of dreamers. Why do you seem so surprised?"
I'm not just surprised, I'm going to cry.
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I'm in a complete daze as I stare at the door. There's nothing special about it, except for the sign overhead that reads: Welcome Home, Barton Family. I've relinquished the camera to Gunner. He's behind me, giving me a chance to absorb everything as Greg presses a little button on the door panel.
"Greg, is that you?" comes a gravelly, familiar voice. "I don't want coffee today."
"I brought something better," Greg says, smiling at me over his shoulder. "It's a partial peace offering for whooping your ass last week."
"Only partial?"
The door opens and the owner of the voice, a middle-aged man with gray hair, steps out in the signature Surface Worker uniform. Except he is not wearing a hard hat. He is looking at Greg but then his gaze falls on me. Recognition and relief are the emotions that cover his face.
"River," he says and a second later I'm wrapped in his warm embrace. "I'm so sorry."
My muscles grow limp; I can hardly hold my arms up to hug him back. All the while, my mind is reeling. My dad is alive, but I've thought he was dead for all these years. And Mama!
"You have a lot of explaining to do," I say as my voice gives away my feelings. "But for now..."
I pull away and look him in the eye.
"We need to figure out how to get everyone out of that Bunker."
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"Clarissa Delgado, huh?" Greg asks, crossing his arms as he leans against the wall. "I remember her name, but I think she was in a higher class than we were."
"She made a very public accusation," Gunner says from his place on the sofa opposite Dad and me. I think he's nervous. "They replaced her the following night, and somehow we were Alison's choice to help show everyone what is really going on... Of course, now I think it's because River has been the one asking the right questions."
"Once Alison uses her vocal and facial recognition software on my face," Dad says, hugging my shoulders. "Everything will fall into place. It's just a shame it didn't happen sooner... Right, Greg has all the right credentials to have Alison put out the announcements. The only thing we would have difficulty with is the security measure on the Elite Level. But perhaps the first priority should be all of our immediate family."
The thought of Dad bringing Mama and Phoenix up here makes me tear up. It's only been forty-something hours since I saw them. Gunner must sense my mood change because he gently pats the empty space on the sofa he currently holds hostage. I'm hesitant; sitting with your potential significant other in front of a family member you haven't seen in a long time is a little weird. How will Dad react to seeing me sit so close to Gunner?
I sigh and push up on my feet, bringing myself next to Gunner and holding his hand. Dad grunts to himself, watching the both of us.
"I suspected there might be something between you two," he says, tilting his head to the side as he turns a full glare at Gunner. "Westmore, right?"
"Yes, sir," Gunner replies; his body grows tense beside me."Your family was living among the Elites when I left."
"My mother moved us to Fifth Level three years ago. She and my father had disagreements; I lived between them for a while. Recently moved to my own place, cut off from my father because I didn't want to apply for the job he wanted."
Dad's expression changes. I steal a quick glance at Greg, wondering what he must be thinking because he seems to have similar thoughts to my dad. It's not Gunner they dislike, it's the name.
"Your father stayed behind to help Bennett get things started," Dad explains, shaking his head; he never looks away from Gunner. "He was supposed to join us the following week, bringing our families with him. When he didn't show, Greg waited by the Bunker entrance for a month. He never came up; he didn't even send us a message to say what had happened. Being the only person left with John Bennett, I question his involvement."
"Are you placing blame on my shoulders for his actions?" Gunner asks."I don't believe in punishing a child for the actions of their parents, but if you know something about your father that you're not saying-"
"He cut me off. I have not seen or spoken to him in months. I don't have anything to do with him anymore."
"Dad," I say, rising to my feet. "I understand you want answers, and so do we. But I will not let you interrogate Gunner for something he doesn't know. We have more filming to do; maybe we'll come back later."
I take Gunner by the hand, pulling him to his feet before leading the way to the door.
