“If you want to know why, then have a seat.” He swept his arm wide.
Curiosity was a lethal trait. Scrubs learned in the care facility not to ask too many questions or challenge what you were taught. To accept and agree meant more privileges, less punishments and a decent work assignment. A few learned this lesson quicker than others. A few still hadn’t accepted it.
My Care Mother followed the Pop Cops’ rules, but she lacked the inner conviction. She punished because she had to, not because she agreed with the rules. If one of us found a loop-hole, she honored it and applauded our inventiveness.
Unfortunately, my talents in creative explanations had been limited. And the faded scars crisscrossing my body reminded me I should squelch all curiosity. Should didn’t mean I would. I settled on the couch next to Zippy.
Riley pointed to the little cleaning troll. “Is that what you used to keep the motion detectors silent?”
“I’m not answering anything until you tell me why you want to help me.”
He swallowed his first comment, drew a deep breath and said, “After meeting you the first time, I searched for more information about life in the lower levels. My interest triggered a warning. Good thing I was still in training, the warning was sent to my trainer who’s also my father instead of the Controllers.” He touched his left arm. Blood still welled from a number of cuts.
“What happens when the Controllers are alerted?”
A wince flashed across his face. “You don’t want to know.”
“Yes I do. You’re an upper. How bad can it be?”
He paused. “Interesting. The ignorance goes both ways.” Balanced on the couch’s arm rest, his gaze slid past my shoulder. “Makes sense, though. The Trava family wouldn’t want uppers and lowers to unite.” Riley’s focus returned to me.
“Nor would we. You uppers think we’re filthy livestock bred for one purpose. To work.”
“I see the propaganda has worked. You believe the Pop Cops.”
I jumped to my feet. “I’m not like those sheep. I don’t listen to all that bull.”
“Really?” He raised one eyebrow in a mocking sneer. “Where did you acquire your vast knowledge of life in the upper levels?”
“In the care facility.”
“Which are run by the Pop Cops.” Smugness replaced his scorn.
I preferred the sneer. “So your purpose in inviting me here was to prove I’m an ignorant scrub?”
“No.” The word ground out as if it originated deep within him. He held up both hands in a stopping motion. “I’m trying to understand why you automatically assumed I’m a spoiled brat. And I wanted you to think about where you’ve gotten your information. It’s either from the Pop Cops or from the computer system which is run by the Controllers. Both can’t be trusted.”
“Gee, thanks for that little nugget of advice. I wondered how I survived all these weeks without it.” I headed to the ladder. What a waste of time.
“Wait.” He grabbed my arm.
I yanked a screwdriver from my tool belt. He let go.
“Please listen,” he said to my back. “This isn’t going the way I thought it would. When my father asked why I was so interested in the scrubs, I told him?—”
I rounded on him. “I knew this was a trap! Is your father waiting outside with a troop of Pop Cops?”
“No.” This time the word growled. Riley’s hands shook as if he fought to keep from grabbing me again. “I told him I wanted to help the scrubs, to do something…anything to ease their horrid living conditions.”
“Really?” Disbelief tainted my voice.
“Yes.” He practically shouted the word.
“Why?”
“Because of what you told me when you…er…visited last week. Before you dropped in, I thought scrubs were…” His arms moved in a vague all-encompassing gesture. “Were like your little device there, but bigger. We’re taught nothing more about scrubs than they clean and work. We’re threatened to be exiled to the lower levels if we do anything really bad. It’s implied that if we survive, the rest of our weeks would be filled with hard physical labor.” He held a hand up, stopping me from contradicting him. “Look. There are no pictures in our training computers. Truthfully, I hadn’t really thought about who lives in the lower levels at all. But there you stood, a real human being. My age, with…” He dropped his arms, slapping his hands against his legs. “Never mind, you wouldn’t believe me. My father said there was nothing I could do to help. He was right until Domotor went missing and I caught you in LC Karla’s office.”
“Caught?” I feigned innocence—all I could manage. His speech rolled around in my mind, and I couldn’t quite grasp the significance. “Don’t you mean found?”
