Free Falling Sky by James Patrick Riser Page A

his tongue tasted like salt. “This entire city isn’t real. I don’t know what to do.”
    I’m Ian, his reflection replied, and I’m just telling you things you already know.
    â€œI’m Ian,” he repeated, “and I know what’s real.” The ransacked kitchen returned and Ian wiped the tears from the table. The reflection became obscured by the salty liquid. The boy straightened up and pulled his hood back over his head. “How long have you been standing there?”
    â€œLong enough to know that you talk to yourself.” Wasley stood at the kitchen’s doorway with his hands in his pockets.
    â€œWhere did they take my mom and dad?”
    â€œYour dad might still be at work, but I’m guessing Ellis has your mom.”
    â€œWhy?” Ian shoved his hands into the pocket of the sweater. His eyes burned and his throat ached.
    â€œTo see if you’ll turn us in. Ellis can’t really capture all of us unless he knows what we’re up to and where we’re based.”
    â€œI don’t even know where your little hideout is,” Ian replied.
    â€œHe doesn’t know that. If you decided to turn us in, I won’t blame you.” Wasley stepped forward. “Or you can work with us to free the entire city.”
    Ian nodded slowly. “I know what I want to do.” He walked passed Wasley into the living room and turned back. “Let’s free the city.”

Chapter Sixteen
    Over the next couple of days, the group made calls to members of the movement based in other cities, poured over blueprints and journals, and logged things into tablets as Ian became a resident of the hideout. They all slept in the same room: Ian on one side and Katsuni on the other. Prophet preferred to sleep sitting up against the wall next to the door. Wasley slept in the center, although Ian noticed he’d frequently wake up during the night and walk out. The nightmares continued with increased clarity. Once, he’d witnessed up Katsuni tossing and turning in her sleeping bag across the room.
    The night before the operation, Wasley didn’t come into the room and Prophet fell asleep in a chair with a book in his hand. Katsuni slept outside her sleeping bag and Ian sat up against the wall, looking at a tablet. The screen showed a brief history of Lamore Industries, but his eyes couldn’t focus on the actual words. He tossed it to the side, got up and found Wasley sitting at the round table in the next room.
    â€œWasley?”
    The man cleared his throat. “Yeah, Ian. What’s up?”
    â€œWhy weren’t you surprised or worried that Ellis kidnapped my mom? You said it like it was bound to happen or something. I would have asked earlier, but I felt so caught up in this movement. Things looked so hopeless and out of our hands, but now it feels like we have some control of things.”
    â€œI didn’t mean to sound that way.” Wasley’s words sounded like they had trouble getting past his lips. “But if I fall apart and lose my head, everyone might do the same. That’s why I lose so much sleep. I’m very sorry, Ian. I didn’t mean for things to end up this way, but you’re right, control seems to be returning to us at the moment.”
    Ian pulled up a chair next to Wasley and patted the man on the back. “I understand, but don’t worry. I know I need to be here now. If we save the city, we’ll save my mom as well. ”
    â€œHow do you know that?” Wasley asked weakly.
    â€œEveryone around me seems to be satisfied with the city, but I spent a lot of my time trying to find the flaws to remind me that we still live underground: the breaks in the sky; the symmetrical trees.” Ian ran a hand through his hair. “When they broke in and took my mom, I bet no one questioned them, just like it was easy for us to escape into that same crowd. I can’t explain it but I know that