When Night Falls (Regeneration Series Book 1) Read online

  On Dr. Ora’s other side, sitting ramrod straight, was Cindy, one of the ship’s resident commanding peacekeepers. She was in charge of the marshals, who were in charge of keeping and maintaining peace amongst the passengers.

  Three years ago, their job was probably the hardest thing in the world to do. People were breaking down all over the place. There were riots that destroyed Decks two and seven and several people were charged with murder. There were a lot of deaths that first month. It had gotten to the point where Marcus had to issue a curfew where people would get shot if they were found wandering the corridors. Those arrested were taken into holding in the boiler room to await trial, which was the worst punishment offered short of blasting them into space, which actually happened to those who committed sever crimes. The others were given a trial and punished accordingly.

  “Thank you all for coming,” Isabella began, long, slender fingers clasped together primly in front of her. “I have some wonderful news.” She paused as though for affect, grey eyes like slivers of ice danced from face to face. “We have located a habitable planet!”

  Her bright, red lips curved into, what was probably supposed to be a delighted smile, but only seemed cruel and malicious in Scarlett’s opinion as the room imploded with excitement. She watched and waited as people embraced and shouted their questions with all the kindness of an indulgent mother.

  Scarlett wasn’t sure what to feel. Relieved? Maybe. It would mean finally getting off the ship. Guilty? Yes, because her parents couldn’t be there. She was definitely sad. But there was something else, a numbness that seemed to be blocking any real enthusiasm from filtering through.

  Hunter, on the other hand, roared his elation and leapt to his feet, whacking palms with the boy in the row in front of them. Others were doing the same, leaping over chairs and down aisles to find their friends and share the news, as if they all hadn’t just heard it.

  Four rows up, one aisle over, Scarlett found her gaze captured by the only other person who hadn’t left their seat. An overwhelming sense of déjà vu poured over her; memories of that night three years ago when she’d met those same eyes while the theater exploded in a flurry of chaos. Only this time, the energy wasn’t hot with anger and terror. It was charged with exhilaration and adrenaline. They should have been happy. But Rolf looked no happier than she did, and she couldn’t figure out why.

  Hands shot up in the air like flags and waved for attention. Isabella looked over the crowd.

  “Yes?” she said, pointing to a hand at random.

  “How do we know it can sustain us?” a woman asked.

  “We don’t.” She ignored the gasps and hushed murmurs and plunged on. “Nothing is for certain until we arrive. Once there, we will send scouts down to investigate. The probe we sent was programmed to locate planets that were most like earth in atmosphere, density, and mass. It was also programmed to locate vegetation and water. The planet we’ve found has all those things. From what we can tell, it has everything earth did.”

  “Where is it?” the same woman asked.

  “It is located just on the other side of the sun, about three light years from where we are now,” Isabella replied. “We will reach it in a month’s time.”

  “How did we find it?” another woman shouted.

  Isabella smiled with no real kindness. “As you all know, Marcus was very adamant about finding us a home. Before his tragic death, he had several probes sent out. One of those probes came back this morning with positive results. Our crew has already rerouted our navigational system. We changed course about an hour ago and are on our way to the new location even as we speak.”

  “Do you foresee complications?” a man demanded from the crowd.

  Straight, white teeth flashed in a tight smile that said very clearly, idiot. “I don’t think anyone can foresee complications. But we will do our best to avert any that may come our way. In the meantime, we ask that everyone continue on as normal. Updates will be posted in your data links so be sure you check your messages frequently. If you have any questions, please see any of the ship’s commanding officers and they will inform you the best they can.”

  “Can you believe it?” Hunter slung his arm around Scarlett’s shoulders as they maneuvered their way out of the conference room ten minutes later. “We’re getting off this damn ship!”

  “Yeah,” she murmured distractedly, still unable to shake the knot in her gut.

  Hunter peered down at her, eyes narrowed. “What?”

  Scarlett shook her head. “Nothing. I’m just…” She took a deep breath, let it out slowly. She smiled sheepishly. “I guess I’m still in shock.”

  Appeased, he grinned down at her. “Think about it. No more recycled air. No more rules and regulations. Maybe there’s even other life forms on this planet, like us, but smarter.”

  “Smarter than you?” she teased, raising an eyebrow.

  He smirked. “Hey, we didn’t think we’d find another planet. I’m a full believer in miracles.”

  Rolling her eyes, she broke out from beneath his heavy arm. “I have to go. It’s my turn to clean our compartment. But I’ll meet you in the refectory for supper, okay?”

  Hunter nodded, taking a step backwards. “Okay, catch you later.” He started to jog away, when something occurred to him and he turned on his heels, still walking backwards. “Hey! Don’t worry about my room, okay? I’ll do it when I get back.”

  With a wave, they parted ways. Scarlett took the transporter to deck thirteen. The doors swept open and she marched out into the gleaming corridor of seashell white and ocean blue. Her feet scraped over worn carpet as she made her way through the maze of doors.

  The quarters she shared with Grams and Hunter lay at the far, west quadrant, tucked in an alcove with three other doors. It wouldn’t be that way for much longer. Once she and Hunter got their mentor status, they would be relocated to different sections of the ship to be with other harvesters, like her, or operators, like Hunter and Grams would get housed with the other singles over in the barrack. Scarlett was not looking forward to that day.

  At the door, she let the data printer scan her hand before being allowed entry. She hurried through the miniature-sized rec area to the trio of doors across the room. Like most fourth class residences, the quarters were furnished with a simple projection center-table trapped between a loveseat and a sofa in mute brown and a holographic imaging system mounted to the far wall. The circular chamber held nothing else. No personal touches despite their three year long residency because none of them had thought to bring anything personal onboard with them. The trip was only supposed to last for six months. They were supposed to be home with their families at the end of that time.

  Ignoring memories of the cluttered walls back home, of all the photos her mother had deemed so important they hang, she stalked to the door on the left. The hatch swept upward with a soft whoosh and she stepped into her dimly lit sleeping quarters. She didn’t bother with lights as she padded her way across the cramped little space.

  The rooms were just large enough to fit a queen-sized bed against the far wall, twin end tables on either side and a chair in one corner, next to the pull out wardrobe. Most of the place was consumed by the bed, leaving just enough space to maneuver around the bulky piece of furniture; but it wasn’t as if she had a whole lot of stuff anyway. Her entire world was in the wardrobe and littering the floor.

  Quickly, she gathered the discarded bits of clothes she’d tossed around in her haste to get dressed that morning and stuffed them down the laundry chute. Someone below, would get them, wash, dry, and fold them, then send them back up in an airtight seal with her name on it.

  Then, she hurried into gram’s room. There wasn’t much to pick up there, except for the large, rectangular box sitting on top of the neatly made bed.

  Now, normally, she would have just walked away, but her name was on top in her grandmother’s curly handwriting, along with a message.

  “Happy birthday!” it re
ad.

  Her first present in three years. True, she never expected anything, not after what happened and things being the way they were, but she couldn’t help the little tickle of excitement that coursed along her spine.

  She was across the room in a flash, pushing back the lid and flicking away pink tissue. She hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath until her lungs hurt and she had to release it in a rush.

  Inside, folded in the neat way only her grandmother knew how, was the dress Scarlett had been dreaming about for the better part of three years.

  It used to be on the faceless mannequin behind the bay window of DeMew’s, one of the ship’s boutique shops. It was the first thing Scarlett had seen when they’d boarded the ship and she made periodic stops every day to see if anyone had bought it. Then, the year before, just after everything went to hell, it was gone. She’d been devastated. But there it was, with a note pinned to the bodice.

  “I love you.”

  Grams. She’d bought the dress.

  Tears stung her eyes as she looped the straps between her fingers and drew the shimmering material out of the box.

  In the soft cabin lights, the silver threads sewn throughout the poppy-red material glittered. The beads across the bodice sparkled. She bit her lip to keep from squealing as an unbridled surge of emotion whipped through her.

  Hastily, before she fell too far into the glowing chasm of delirious excitement, she folded the dress neatly back into the box and hurried to finish her chores—her mind never once straying too far from the gift.

  After a hurried sweep of the air-vac over the carpets and a quick turn of the sofa cushions, Scarlett was back, dress in hand as she tore into the bathroom for a quick shower.

  The washroom consisted of a wash basin tucked into one corner, a toilet next to it and a cylinder tube that was the shower. Otherwise it was as sparsely kept as the rest of the apartment. Scarlett quickly dumped her things on the counter, stripped and released the hatch on the shower. The glass door swung open and she stepped inside. No sooner had it shut behind her when the sensors beneath her feet activated and she was dosed with pure, scalding water.

  “Drop temp!” she shouted, leaping out of the stream before her skin could get peeled off. “Seventy-five!”

  As the water temperature dropped, Scarlett made a mental note to strangle Hunter. He did that every morning, jacking up the temperature in the shower to impossible conditions and then leaving it for the next unsuspecting victim.

  The dress fit perfectly!

  The straps looped around the back of her neck and the waist cinched just beneath her breasts, circling her ribs so the sheer skirt floated around her thighs. She hadn’t been sure the color would be right for her, what with her red hair, but with a few small adjustments, a handful of micro pins, and several singe marks from the heat strips, she had her hair curled and pinned in an elaborate updo at the back of her head. She didn’t have any shoes that matched, but she slipped on her black flats and considered it a success.

  Until she was outside the refectory.

  She was a lot overdressed, she realized, biting down hard on her bottom lip as heat crept up her body. Everyone else was still in their uniforms. The odd person was in their casual wear, but no one was wearing a dress like hers. No one was wearing a dress period. It clearly hadn’t been a smart choice, but where else would she wear it? There weren’t many causes for celebration, although perhaps finding a planet was cause for one. Nevertheless, did she want that much attention?

  “Scarlett?”

  Scarlett yelped as though she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t and whipped around.

  Rolf’s brown eyes met hers, unnaturally dark as he traced every inch of her. Thick lashes concealed his gaze a moment as he dropped to admire her legs.

  The dress wasn’t short, falling just mid-thigh, but the way he was caressing the exposed flesh with dangerously hungry eyes, made Scarlett feel naked, tingly, and aching to do something reckless like throw herself at him and … then, Kiera shifted and Scarlett realized the other girl had been standing there the whole time, clinging to Rolf’s arm like an overgrown, blonde monkey. She felt her heart drop down to her ankles. She mentally slapped herself for the momentary lapse of insanity.

  “Don’t you look pretty!” Kiera cooed in her little girl’s voice. “Kind of like this doll my daddy gave me once. I was so heartbroken when its face was crushed under my foot.”

  Not sure if she was supposed to take that as a compliment, an insult, or a threat, Scarlett said nothing.

  The girl didn’t seem to need a response as she plowed on. “Not many people can pull off red, not when they already have red hair. It’s tacky.”

  An insult, Scarlett decided.

  “Well, one can say the same with orange and purple,” Scarlett said evenly, casting a pointed glance at the streaks winding like snakes through Kiera’s long locks. “Tacky.”

  Kiera’s smile was sharp, but she turned her gaze up adoringly to Rolf. “Can we go in now? I’m bored.”

  Rolf, who had been watching Scarlett throughout the whole exchange, bit his bottom lip as he gave her one final once over before nodding.

  “We’ll see you inside!” Kiera giggled, wiggling her tiny fingers as they stalked past.

  Scarlet heard her teeth creak beneath the tight clench of her jaw. Her nails gouged little half-moons into her sweaty palm. She closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down and count backwards from ten. But she was still seething when she opened her eyes. She still wanted to march after them, grab all that pretty, genetically manufactured blonde hair and yank her bald. It amazed her that the only person in the whole galaxy that could bring out the vicious side of her was Kiera. She normally wasn’t so blood thirsty. But she knew she’d lose no sleep if something bad were to befall the girl.

  Chapter Three

  “Can’t we stay in?” Scarlett grumbled, scrambling to keep up with Hunter’s long strides.

  “What kind of friend would I be if I let you stay home, watching reruns of Pretty Candles—”

  “Sixteen Candles!” she corrected, knowing he knew, but was deliberately saying it wrong to get a rise out of her.

  He continued as though she hadn’t spoken, “And crocheting like your grandmother on your seventeenth birthday? You need some fun before you’re a boring adult.”

  “That is fun!” she protested.

  “If you’re, like, ninety.”

  She ignored the jab. “I don’t like the bright lights, or the loud music, or the smell. I think the smell is the worst.”

  “It’s sweat and sex! What’s not to like?”

  “Um, the sweat and sex part?”

  “That’s the best part. Besides,” he grinned down at her, “you need to show off that new dress.”

  They reached the wide, double doors leading into the all-ages club. The soundproof lock kept the music from spilling across the corridor; and it may have been her imagination, but she could have sworn it still pounded against the door, making it vibrate. Already, the stench of too many human bodies festering and brewing together clung in the air. It was steeped with an overpowering stench of too much perfume, sex and … urine?

  Hunter clapped his hands together, then rubbed them with glee. Scarlett frowned at his enthusiasm.

  “Ready?”

  “No.”

  He threw open the doors, breaking the seal keeping them from drowning in a solid sea of hot sound. It punched into them with a force that sent her back on her heels. She tasted every crash of bass and roaring scream as the subs pounded from all corners of the room. She touched her ears to make sure they weren’t bleeding.

  Pulsating halos of light crashed through swaying shadows, painting them brilliant hues of indigo and hot pink. Fog rose through the air like embodied spirits reaching for freedom.

  Scarlett was overcome with the surge of adrenaline that seemed to waft through the room like the drug delirium was being filtered through the vents, twisting into
her system and shaking away any reservations she may have had. It was known to happen. Just because the world no longer existed didn’t mean people didn’t enjoy their drugs and there was always people who made sure that was one thing they didn’t run out of.

  “Come on!” Hunter had to shout over the pounding base to be heard. He grabbed her arm and pulled her inside. The doors slipped seamlessly together again, trapping them in the madness.

  Releasing her hand, Hunter did a shimmy - wiggling his hips, shaking his shoulders, and waving his arms like wet noodles. He twirled and smoothly glided toe-over-heel backwards into the crowd, who seemed to part as if expecting him.

  Scarlett giggled, pressing her fingers to her lips. He motioned her over with a beckoning finger and took her hand when she got close enough to grab. With flawless maneuvering, he spun her under his arm, making the skirt of her dress flare out around her legs. Scarlett laughed, head rushing deliciously.

  Time melted together, becoming one massive blur of faces, bright lights, and thumping music. She couldn’t count the number of songs they danced to, but she was drenched in sweat, her sides ached, and the heavy blanket of smells had her pulling away from Hunter’s hold.

  “I need air!” she shouted straight in his ear, fanning a hand in front of her face in indication.

  “I’ll wait for you here!” he said back, pointing to the ground.

  Scarlett nodded, turning to cut a path through the grinding figures around them. Somehow, at some point, they had made their way from the outer edges of the floor to dead center, surrounding themselves with a wall of people that didn’t like being told to move. But she elbowed, ducked, and shouldered her way through, stumbling free at last on the other side. She followed the flashing red sign over the oxygen chamber and slipped through the door.