The Green Ones

Episode 4, Part 2

I’m puffing hard by the time I reach the central market. Zorrah has already located an empty table near a fruit stand. I clasp my hands behind my head and search for the boys. Olin jogs into the market with Neca right behind him, both of them several seconds behind me and Zorrah.

I’m not sure whether this is their idea of impressing us with chivalry, or if Neca is even weaker than I thought. Shaking my head, I decide to join Zorrah rather than wait on the boys. The market is buzzing, due to both the much-awaited cage match today and academy registration tomorrow.

The day before registration has become an unofficial holiday ending with a feast. Some families celebrate their anticipation of great honor, based on the hope their child becomes an ometeotl. Others celebrate the fact they aren’t losing a child that year. Still others consider the holiday a solemn affair, offering their final goodbyes.

For me and Olin, registration is a giant step closer to our future. Recovering my breath, I sit next to Zorrah. Until a few days ago, I had no one to say goodbye to. I’ve done nothing but face forward since my parent’s death. Now there’s Neca and the awkwardness of unpaid debt.

“Computers, knives and foot racing,” I smile at Zorrah. “Any other skills you wish to declare? Or will I have to wait and see?”

She shrugs and looks at the table. “I know a shortcut or two, that’s all.”

“Sure,” I wait for her to glance up at me. “Save that line for the boys. They might need it to massage their egos.”

She rolls her eyes. “I bet they think they let us win.”

“Boys.”

“Yes?” Neca strolls up to the table with his arm around Olin’s shoulder.

“Oh nothing, just making an observation.”

Neca and Olin eye us girls with suspicion before rightly deducing they shouldn’t pursue the matter further. Finally Neca locates the fruit stand Zorrah has already chosen. “I see we share the same tastes in fresh fruit. Platlali’s is the ripest in New Teo. Should I snag us another mango,” he focuses on me, “or perhaps a few kiwi?”

Olin makes a sound of disgust at the same time Zorrah squeaks for joy.

“Hmm, a mixed crowd. Olin, you better come with me. We’ll see what the boys can figure out.”

As they walk toward the stand, I stop myself from calculating the expense of three kiwi and the sapote I know Olin will choose. Neca can afford it, and he doesn’t have to worry about saving for the future. If he gets his way, there won’t even be a tomorrow. Instantly my mood sours again. Maybe I should let it go and enjoy the moment. It’s his life. After today I’ll never see him again. I know I shouldn’t care. And yet, I do.

Zorrah interrupts my sulking with a contented sigh.

I peek at her through the corner of my eye.

She’s staring after the boys, although I can’t tell whether it’s Neca or Olin who fascinates her more. “A centavo for your thoughts.”

“Huh?” She breaks her gaze, “Oh,” and promptly blushes. “It’s just that…you all live such interesting lives.” She gestures toward our surroundings, her eyes open wide as if it’s her first time to take in the colors and smells and sounds of the market. “What’s it like to live with so much freedom?”

“Freedom?” I furrow my brows.

With sudden intensity she places her hand over mine. “I’ve never even been outside the dome. The lab Centavo found me is the only place I have to myself, and even there I spend part of my time finishing my parents data-entry quota to keep them off my back.”

I shake my head. “I can’t speak for Neca, but Olin and I have spent most of our time scraping together enough to buy our way into the academy.” I snort. “Funny, none of that amounts to anything now. I suppose it kept us out of trouble, mostly.”

She leans in close. “Olin told me about the Shadows and how you went to,” she looks left and right, lowering her voice to a whisper, “Immortal City.”

I shrug. “It wasn’t everything I dreamed it would be.” The memory of Neca phasing me through the shield dome flicks a switch in me. I determine to accomplish a final goal before registration—saving Neca from himself.

“I can’t even imagine,” Zorrah waits for me to elaborate.

She could prove a valuable ally in hatching my scheme. Without much time until the boys return, I squeeze her hand. “Some other time.”

She deflates.

“First, I need to enlist your help for something really important.”

She perks up again.

“If I were to determine without a doubt that Neca isn’t recuperated enough to step into the cage tonight, would you help me save him?”

She stares at the table. “Well, I guess.” She looks up suddenly, “You don’t really think Yetic would try to kill him?”

“I don’t think he would be adverse to it. There’d be no recourse in the academy.”

Zorrah nods as the boys start back in our direction. “But if he passes the physical, how do you plan on—”

“Physical? Wait, what physical?” I pull her close.

“Standard procedure. Every fighter has to get one the day of a match. The doctor’s report is calculated into the odds.” She fumbles with her hands. “Not that I would know about any of that.”

The boys return with the fruit, ending the conversation. But Zorrah has already given me the key bit of information I lacked.

“Kiwi for the ladies,” Neca holds out a ripe kiwi in each hand. Zorrah and I politely accept. “Sapote for the boys. Everyone’s happy.”

Olin plops down next to Zorrah. “You and my sister,” he shakes his head while indicating the kiwi. “How do you get all those little seeds out of your teeth?”

Zorrah’s already skinned a section with her teeth and swallowed her first bite. “You suck em out, like this.” She bares her upper teeth. Biting down on her tongue, she creates a glorious sucking sound loud enough to draw the attention of people a table away.

At once the rest of us break out in watery-eye laughter. She stops, looking at us in confusion before realizing her faux pas. Shrugging, she takes another bite of the green fruit. After the rest of us recover, we all do the same.

Now that I have a plan in place, I’m able to enjoy the moment—fresh fruit on a warm summer day. Olin and I have been provided for. Registration is only a day away. He and Zorrah can be trusted to pick out uniforms. All I have to do is make sure Neca’s physical reports the truth—that the fight won’t be fair. After the masses get over their disappointment, someone will come up with an alternative. It won’t be the fight of the decade, but there won’t be any riots either.

On cue, Neca pushes back his chair. “Well, as much as I would love to spend the entire day with the three of you, I have some training and whatnot to get ready for the big fight. Maybe we could do a late lunch?” He bats his eyes at me.

Instead of consenting, I push my chair out and stand. “I’m coming with.”

“You don’t have to do that,” he straightens. “It’s just a bunch of signs to form. I mean forms to sign. You know, and some sweaty guy stuff.”

“I’m coming with.”

“There won’t be anything for you to do.”

“You mean other than gaze into your eyes and drool over your body?”

“Well, yeah.” He looks at the others. “There’s always that.”

I roll my eyes. He just can’t help himself. For some reason, I can’t either. “We could stand here arguing,” I shrug. “It won’t change anything except the time.”

“Suit yourself.” He extends his hand, but I refuse it. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”