Free The Grower's Gift (Progeny of Time #1) by Vanna Smythe Page A

face Rober. "You have nature like this and you let us live in the dried up Badlands? My whole town could fit there with so much to spare."
    It was a good thing Giles held her back. She was ready to claw Rober's eyes out.
    Rober stared at her, looking puzzled at her sudden anger. She pointed furiously at the windows again.
    He seemed to figure it out then, because he strode to the window where he pressed a few buttons on a panel behind the curtain. The meadow disappeared, replaced by the view of tall buildings, rising high into the air, glimmering neon pink, yellow, orange, even white. The sky visible around them wasn't black, but a dark green, signs flashing across it. A hovercraft zoomed by the window, leaving an orange streak of light behind it. There was not even a blade of grass to be seen, let alone a tree or a hill.
    Rober pointed out the window. "This is Neo York. No rolling hills, no meadows. Unless you press this," he showed her on the panel, and the meadow was back. "I'm sorry. I wish I could do something to change all that."
    "So do I. That's why I came here, so I can learn my gift and heal Earth," Maya said.
    Rober stared at her with his mouth open.  
    "She doesn't know if it's possible," Giles interjected.  
    Maya cast him an angry look. "I know I can do it."
    Rober walked over to them from the window. "How does your gift work? Can you fix the weather?"
    Maya turned to glare at him. Was he making fun of her? Yet, there was no trace of a smile on his lips, and his eyes were fixed on hers, hopeful for an answer.
    "No, not the weather. I can make things grow. From shoot to a ripe plant it a few hours," she explained. "I know I can do more. It's why I want to go to the school for the gifted."
    Rober sat down on the sofa and laced his fingers together. "Your gift sounds amazing. I'd never considered enlisting the gifted, but it would make so much sense. Especially if there were more that could do what you can do."
    Maya stared at him, not sure what he meant.  
    "Sit, tell me what you think," he urged her. "Do you know anyone else who can do what you can do?"
    Maya sat down on the edge of the sofa across from Rober. "No. My dad told me of a woman, but she died before I was born, I think. Other than her, I don't know of any others."
    Giles sat down beside Maya, his thigh pressing against hers. Rober leaned back and studied them. "I think the atmosphere is the real problem. Unless that's fixed there is no hope."
    "The air is safe enough to breathe. Safer than it was a hundred years ago, even," Maya said. "I think the real problem is the water. It doesn't circulate the way it's supposed to."
    Rober studied her intently. "You think it's that simple? You may have a point. I'll have to look it up."
    "What's all this to you anyway?" Maya asked. "You have everything here."
    "I could never reconcile all this with the millions stuck out there in the Badlands." Rober sat up, his eyes flashing. "More needs to be done to fix the planet. I'm sure the technology exists already. All that's missing is someone who will use it for good. And I mean to try."
    "Are you serious? Why haven't they done anything yet then?" Maya took off her backpack and leaned closer to Rober.
    "The general opinion is that the Earth can't support so many people anymore. It's why the ruling families of the Ring have closed it off to refugees. Basically they're waiting for most of the population to die out."
    "I figured as much," Maya whispered. Hearing it confessed so plainly made the room spin around her. "I'd love to help you in any way I can."
    "I'll need all the help I can get. There are not many who agree with my plans," Rober said.
    Giles cleared his throat. "You know, we should get some sleep. Maybe you two can continue this conversation tomorrow."
    Rober shot to his feet. "Right, I have to get up early too. I'll show you how to get some food before I go."
    He walked them to the kitchen and explained how to get food by choosing from a scrolling menu