Chapter 17
Morning broke and the warm glow of a new day crept across the city like an incoming tide. Callen and Eve made their way through the waking suburb to the grounds of the University. Callen had a plan forming to get his message to as many people as possible, but he wasn’t certain it would work. They sat on benches in the middle of a walkway under more artificial trees. Around them, plastic shrubs, sprinkled with brightly woven flowers sat, always open and in bloom. The couple settled. They had a few hours to wait before students appeared in numbers. As they waited, they talked. Eve asked about many things she’d seen since her arrival. She asked again about Callen’s parents and their attitude towards him, about growing up in the city and the redundant plastic flora fashioned with no other possible use than aesthetic. They talked of their escape from Eve’s world; Ky’s attempts to stop them and Eve’s violent response, an act for which she was feeling increasingly guilty. Finally, they talked about Lien, how he must be coping at this moment. Then they spoke of their suspicions as to why Lien argued to let Callen go home.
Lien’s clouded motives unsettled Eve. She’d only ever thought of her father as a man of unquestionable scruples. Now, she doubted him. When Eve finally brought up the subject of Callen’s friends and her concerns about trusting them, Callen admitted he shared her fears. He knew his uncertainty about his friends, and his parent’s actions, didn’t speak well of his culture or those closest to him, but after all he’d been through he wasn’t feeling too patriotic.
He wanted to change this world. The news he brought of the world beyond the walls should challenge everything ever taught in the city. Hopefully, it would incite change that would bring more freedom of choice for everyone. He was sure once people heard and understood the truth of the Outlocked world they’d rise as one against the restrictive over-reach of the City’s authorities. He was confident they’d demand, at very least, what the Outlocked took for granted: the right to a family, the right to choose your future, the right to take risks and be judged on your skills and talent, and to do so on a level playing field.
The flow of students began to build. Callen and Eve sat people watching until Callen got to his feet and nodded to Eve; it was time. They walked quickly to the synthetic grass quadrangle at the centre of the University. Sitting on the slightly raised step separating the walkway from the perfect green landscape they paused. Eve felt uncomfortable in amongst the growing crowds. The elaborately planned space was laid out for movement. The students around them were young and boldly dressed. People meandered without purpose, strolled with a casual social focus and walked with intent in a race against no-one towards the lecture halls. The daily gathering of the most promising young minds of the city had begun, and every inch of the university was alive.
Callen looked at the hands of the floating clock held high on the far wall by nothing. He nodded again to Eve. They moved quickly, making their way past students who were locked in conversations of all sorts, waiting patiently for their next lectures. These were the leaders of tomorrow, being drilled to maintain the future status quo of the city. If Callen were to reach anyone, it would be here.
Callen and Eve walked the winding plastic tiled path. They followed other students and then veered off to climb a flight of stairs to the door of a nearby lecture hall. Callen opened the door and ushered Eve inside. From the back of the hall, there seemed a cavernous drop to the teaching floor. A sea of chairs stretched as if forming a descending hill to the Professor far below. Professor Klim taught philosophies and lifestyle. He was standing at the rostrum, writing on a plastic screen with a pressure pen, transferring his notes to be projected onto a compuboard that stood behind him. As he wrote, he spoke on his subject to an almost full lecture theatre. He glanced up, hardly pausing to study the stream of students still arriving. A floating screen showed images and timelines ready for discussion. Cameras hung on both sides of the hall recording the lecture for students confined to home studies. Callen and Eve took their seats.
A flash of light accompanied each late comer as they entered the slightly dim hall. There was a low murmur of indistinguishable conversation. Shuffling movement was everywhere as pressure pens were nibbled, juggled, or used as percussion instruments as the students focused on the one clear voice in the room, a voice being cabled live to tens of thousands of students connected through their home viewers.
“Propping up less developed countries was known as 'Lifeboat Economics',” Klim droned without a great deal of enthusiasm. “It didn’t work, and the 'lending twelve' countries graded every other country for wealth. That wealth was how they determined who remained in the lifeboat and who sank to the bottom of the economic ocean. Then, just short of two hundred years ago 'The Lifeboat Precedent', was adopted. This brave decision by our major cities led to them closing their doors to struggling rural areas.”
Callen stood and signalled for Eve to follow as he made his way down the stairs to the front of the room.
“With the advent of synthetic and genetically altered foods and building materials, rural areas were no longer asset positive.”
Callen and Eve came down the last steps to reach the level where Professor Klim stood. For the first time, he noticed them.
“Take a seat, please. If you can’t see something, you can download it from the course file.”
Callen ignored the direction and kept walking towards Klim. Eve followed close behind.
“Did you hear me?” Klim asked, his tone verging on annoyance. Callen lifted his jacket and showed Klim the gun sticking from his pants. Klim froze, staring at the antique looking pistol. Callen came close and spoke just loud enough for Klim to hear.
“I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to talk.”
Klim’s reaction was immediate as he unclipped his wireless microphone and handed it to Callen as he backed away from the rostrum in one movement. Eve stayed close to Callen. She was nervous and staring with uncertainty to the huge crowd staring back from above. Callen tested the microphone.
“Hello?”
It worked.
“My name is Callen Helfner. I’m a student here. When I was seven, they reassigned me. I ran away, hoping to find my original parents. I was attacked and stabbed. I escaped into a passage that led below the carriageway. My attacker chased me. He would have killed me, but I found a tunnel that led to the Outlocked land.”
Professor Klim’s eyes lit up with excitement. He thought this was a standard protest, a young person so fed up with the system of work, study performance demands or stifling regulations that he’d snapped and was making a stand, but this was something new and original.
“When I realised where I was, I tried to get back into the city, but I'd lost a lot of blood and fainted. They teach us any contact with the Outlocked means death, but the ones who saw me faint didn’t kill me, they saved me. They operated on me in one of their hospitals. When I returned, our doctors, counsellors, everyone said I'd dreamed it. They said I was left with scars because the doctor was inexperienced and I hadn’t told them about my injuries until too late.”
Callen took off his shirt and showed the scars on his chest and arm. The students began to suspect a hoax. Professor Klim was famous for provocative ways to expand the debate on the city and its social and economic history. This charade wouldn’t have been out of place. Klim moved to the camera control panel.
“What are you doing?” Callen asked curtly.
“Switching off the home viewers,” Klim replied.
“Don't. I want everyone to hear this.”
“They'll arrest you.”
“How long have I got?”
“I don’t know,” Klim said. “A few minutes maybe.”
Callen nodded.
“That’s enough,” he said as he put his shirt back on, ready to continue. Klim backed away from the panel.
“A week ago, I went outside the city a second time to prove I didn't dream that first experience.”
Audible laughter and comments
started coming from the students, first a trickle and then clear, direct abuse.
“Bullshit!” someone yelled under a muffled coughing sound. “Get a life”, followed another and, “What are you on?”
Each comment brought a wave of nervous laughter until all the students joined in the mocking. Callen knew he’d lost them and made a snap decision. He raised his voice.
“This is Eve. She's Outlocked. We’ve had sex without a simulator many times.”
Eve’s brow flashed upwards in shock and her mouth opened wide. She went red, embarrassed, as she stood facing the huge crowd who were all staring at her. She wanted to disappear.
“Don’t tell them that!” she whispered loudly through tight lips into Callen’s ear. The students heard every word. They were now dead silent. Eve looked at them and smiled with even more embarrassment. She edged towards the microphone on Callen’s shirt and spoke into it in a faltering voice.
“It’s only the normal number of times. Nothing crazy,” she said, trying to save her reputation. Callen almost laughed.
“Once is enough,” he explained. Eve was angry with him. Her expression made that clear. Again she reverted to a whisper, this time turning her back on the crowd watching to try and gain some privacy.
“Why tell them at all? It’s private! Between us!” She glanced over her shoulder to the crowd who were hanging on every word, mesmerised by a revelation that would have them both arrested.
“They weren’t listening to me,” Callen said pointing to the audience. The students were now sitting dead still, focused intently. Eve looked at the thousand faces. They looked back, transfixed, watching her every movement, waiting eagerly for whatever was coming next. A young woman near the back of the hall got to her feet. She was disgusted by what she’d heard and was off to do her duty.
“Sit down! No-one leaves until I’ve finished!” Callen screamed at her. The woman stopped where she stood. She slowly returned to her seat. Callen had everyone’s attention now. There was absolute silence in the room. He paused as he looked directly into the viewing camera’s focused and unblinking gaze. Then, in a strong, clear voice he spoke.
“Nothing they teach us about the Outlocked is true. These people have natural resources and organised communities. Their food is amazing and most importantly, every one of them is allowed a family. There’s no reason we can’t have the same. If we share our technology and they let us use their land to expand, there’s no reason we can’t all have better lives.” Callen paused. He took a moment to think through if there was anything he else he wanted to say. He made a mental note of the time passing.
“Don’t believe what they tell you about the Outlocked because none of it’s true.”
Callen indicated he was done by turning to Klim and nodding. Klim came to them quickly and ushered them to the side of the room.
“You can use this exit,” he said as he walked them to a door on the side of the hall. “Where will you go?” Klim asked as he unlocked the door.
“Not sure,” Callen said.
“Maybe home,” Eve added quickly.
“The Outlocked land?” Klim asked. Callen showed excitement.
“You believe us?” he asked hopefully. Klim nodded, he believed. He held out a crystal.
“Here,” Klim said holding it out to Callen. “It’s a master key. It opens every lock in the university. You’ll need to get lost for a while.”