Sold Away 2

Caden was gone when Greeley woke me with a woman at his side. She wasn't like the women I was used to seeing, wearing shapeless sacks and young faces with old eyes. She looked like a woman from television. Tall and modern with stylishly short purple hair and a perfect tan, complete with a chic modern gray dress and shoes.

"This is my wife, Trinity." Greeley introduced us. "This is Caden's new woman, who has no idea how to eat with a fork." He turned to me. "I usually don't take my wife to work, but you could use a feminine touch." Greeley winked. "I figured you'd need all the help you can get to be ready for dinner tonight."

The wall by his head blinked on and I saw Caden's face on an enormous TV screen. From the background I gathered he was riding the air rail in a personal electric car. "I forgot to tell you that we're having a social tonight. I wanted to introduce my new wife to society. Oh good, Trinity is there. She'll fix you up. Be nice to her okay?" And he was gone.

"He's just like a little boy showing off his new toy to his friends." Trinity's voice was light and cultured though slightly nasal. Affectionate amusement underlaid her disapproval. "How old are you child?"

"Fifteen." That's what my age was supposedly, but mills have a way of tweaking things like that. With the illegal hormone and growth simulators some girls reach sixteen fast. I'm pretty sure I'm fifteen however, the one time they tried to give my section illegal steroids it backfired and they lost a lot of people. It didn't go down in the records but was passed word of mouth whenever I switched hands, and I didn't have to take them again.

Her disapproval deepened into disbelief. She was too polite to say it, but I knew what she was thinking. 'No respectable woman is married until she is thirty and has a career. Well, I guess we can hardly call a girl born in a factory respectable.' My thoughts were interrupted when she drew close and with a ruined sound swept her hands over my cropped hair. Besides the dye and the sweep and I didn't see much difference between my short hair and her stylish hairdo, but obviously she did.

"Fortunately for you I'm a stylist. Otherwise I'm sure Caden's friends would think he's dating some trendy middle schooler, just without the facial tattoos and dyed teeth. Come on Jace, let's get her breakfast and get started."

What followed next was a whirlwind of activity. We went from place to place, skipping over the vast city on what I learned was Caden's private air rail. I took everything in with huge eyes, my face pressed to the glass. I'd seen the city on the news, but only went out on the yearly visits to the mill doctor, crammed on a bus with section Epsilon and some guards. We always rode down on the lowest level of the city, where the poor people traveled on subways or buses that still ran on fuel. There were 4 levels. First level was where Caden lived. Second to highest level the wealthy lived in, third level was for the commuters and disgruntled middle class and fourth was where the teeming poor lived. I knew the city army policed the two lowest levels the most, because of the riots and unrest that had been growing steadily for decades. The top level, the one exposed to the sky, was for the most powerful and influential, the elite of society, superstar level. I came from the third level.

We went shopping and bought clothes, did my hair, did my makeup all the while getting crash courses on etiquette. Finally Trinity gave up. "It's no use! What took me years in a finishing school I'm trying to shove down your throat in a few hours. At least you WILL look fabulous." It was getting dark in the city when I arrived back in Caden's room. In the dressing room I spun around slowly, not believing the princess in the mirrors was me! She'd colored over my freckled face with makeup, bemoaning my ghostly paleness.

"It'd be okay if you were TRYING to look like that, but anyone can see you were born and raised in a factory. Unless I..." and in an hour and a half I had burnished copper skin with a faint flush on the cheekbones, showing up delicately against my tan. She brought out the blue in my eyes with makeup that somehow coaxed a little green from around my irises. My cap of whiskey colored hair was masked with a flowing hairpiece of a slightly darker color and diamonds hung around my neck, decorated my forehead and the ears pierced when I was born. Trinity somehow managed to make me look older, prettier and sophisticated.

My dress was a metallic red-orange with a copper sheen that shimmered when I moved, my nails were long and fake and I had stilettos on my feet, for which Trinity spent an hour teaching me how to walk. When at long last she released me, the bedroom door opened and Caden came in. He was wearing a traditional three-piece suit with a vest the same blazing color as my dress. I turned eyes rimmed with midnight to him and his jaw dropped.

"Carly?" I nodded and saw his eyes brush over my face, linger on my bare, tawny shoulders and descend my tight bodice. I found my voice.

"It is I." I spun, the knee-high dress pouring over my thighs in liquid waves and dancing into flame as I whirl, suddenly ecstatic. I trip and fall. "And my name is Carlita." I inform him on my hands and knees. "Don't try to change it." Caden runs up laughing and pulls me to my feet, kissing me.

"Careful!" Trinity says sharply, "You'll ruin her makeup." Caden lifts me off the ground and squeezes me to tight against his chest.

"Ready to meet my friends?" He whispers huskily. "I've been working all day long and I am SO ready to party." I nod, my heart pounding so loudly I'm surprised he can't hear the beat.

The elevator stops somewhere in the middle of his house and when the doors slide open we walk out on a shallow stage into an eruption of cheers. I have never seen so many beautiful people together, except on the screen. They fill the room, sitting around a shining white marble table shaped like an enormous U. Around the walls I see floor to ceiling paintings, exquisite glassworks, and over it all wafts the aroma of freshly cooked food. We can see right back into the kitchen and for once I'm not straining to see that far ahead.

When Trinity found out about my poor eyesight she took me to one of Caden's personal physicians. Unlike the mill doctor this one wasn't hurried or rude, but lived in a clean room with lots of instruments and pictures. He examined me carefully and right then and there did a laser surgery that lasted maybe thirty seconds. Just like that I was able to see! Clearly. Without squinting or guessing, I could even see the edges of the little letters on his vision chart, but I couldn't tell him what they were. Trinity was a little put off to discover I also couldn't read. Her magic didn't extend that far.

Servants streamed from the open and immense kitchen to the inside of the U where they were setting up dishes that looked and smelled amazing! We descend to the apex of the U where there are two empty chairs, but before we sit down Caden reaches over and holds up a slim glass that Greeley fills from a dark green bottle.

"Champagne! A toast to my new wife...Carlita." Greeley hands me another flute of the liquid and we clink glasses, just like Trinity said I should do and I remembered to down it all before replacing it on the table. Then we went around the table to meet everyone, mostly men his age, but a few girls too. Their names run through my head and blend together. Jauden, Desiree, Tyfer, Efan, Bryke, River, Hyden, Carter, Free, Galette, CadenceBrooklynnShariaNuarcDeidricHarmonylatishavasonkaia. Names and faces mesh in a dizzying whirl of perfume and colored eyes, skin, stylish tattoos and flashing jewelry. Kisses rain on my cheeks, my hands, rings wink in the chandelier's multi-colored light. The one flute of champagne that burned its virgin trail down my throat combines with the over-stimulation to throw my brain for a whirl. I had my hand tight in Caden's when we returned to the seats.

"This is Tevaris." Caden said, introducing me to a handsome black man on my right. "Great buddy of mine."

"You just say that because I keep your system free of viruses. Keeping that Brutus away." He smiled, revealing diamond-capped teeth. I knew from the news that Brutus was a virus successful in infiltrating accounts, breaching and compromising security on almost every level of the government's massive bureaucracy. It was a huge problem.

Without asking me what I wanted Greeley poured me soup and I dipped into it. My eyes almost rolled back in my head at how delicious it was. After that I barely listened to Caden and Tevaris's discussion as I ate steadily, with Greeley attentively filling my plate and topping off my flute of champagne. Every once in a while I nodded or shook my head politely to ward off the yes or no questions Tevaris directed at me, probably to keep me included in the conversation. It was during the third course that I saw him studying me with sharp black eyes. My head swam lightly from the alcohol as I lifted my head and returned his gaze, and I was glad for the dark coloring that hid the flush beginning to warm up my cheeks. He had a bold forehead and swarthy features with some makeup to give them a glow and curling black, silver-blazed hair. I noticed with instant dislike his flashing earrings. The diamond capped teeth shone whenever he smiled, but he wasn't smiling just now as he scrutinized me.

"You know, when Caden said he'd found a wife I didn't believe him. I can't believe he picked you up at a mill." My flush deepened and my chin came up at his blunt perusal. He chucked it. "Who'd have thought a factory would churn out something so pretty?" He asked. His flattery fell flat on the face of too many years of being told I was ugly. Even done up the way I was the mill had been stocked with girls much prettier than I. Still with the way I was feeling now I might have believed him, if my time in captivity hadn't taught me to read faces for survival. I could tell by the way he looked and spoke that Trinity's disguise hadn't fooled him. He saw me just like she had, an unsophisticated factory brat in high-heeled copper shoes. Caden stopped chatting with the pretty green-haired girl on his left long enough to slip an arm around me and hug me close. I could tell he'd also had a few more sips of champagne.

"Stop flirtin' with my woman." He said. Tevaris kissed my hand and turned away to talk to someone on his right.

Honestly I don't remember much of that night, only that it was the best in my life. I couldn't stop eating even when I was full. I struggled to remember how and when to use all the utensils and dinner features, but as the toasts rang out and the flutes of champagne were refilled 3, 4, 5 times I started only using a fork, ignoring the tines and chopsticks. As the night wore on I felt everyone's attention on me lessen and the level of noise increase.

"So man, you should let us take you out for a bachelor party. I mean we all had one when we got married, you should too." Tevaris said.

Caden, his eyes bright with fancy liquors chuckled and shrugged. "I'm pretty busy."

Tevaris and the other guys nearby affirmed they also were very busy, but all seemed to really want to take Caden out. They laughed and winked at me as my world spun. Suddenly I found Greeley at my elbow.

"Madam." He said and steered me up by the elbow. When I stumbled he picked me up and carried me to the elevator like a small child.

Upstairs Trinity was there yet again with an anxious look in her eyes. "How did it go?" She wanted to know. While I laughed and prattled she undressed me, helped me shower off the fake skin color and forced a glass of water on me. "You'll appreciate it in the morning." She said dryly and I found myself tucked into Caden's bed. "Good night sweetheart. I'm going on paid vacation for the next week, in Mexico. I won't be seeing you for a while." She murmured as I surrendered under sleep's heavy hand. The last words I heard were Greeley's to his wife. "I wish I could go too, sweetheart. Caden urged me to go, but I just don't feel right leaving them together like this. Maybe the last few days..."

In the wee hours of the morning I woke up desperately needing to pee. Caden still wasn't there when I returned from the bathroom. Just as I was lying back down he came in, shuffled off his clothes and lumbered to the bed. I felt the mattress give as he lay down. He fell asleep instantly, his tuxedo on the floor just one foot away from the laundry bot that would have withdrawn into the wall and dumped it down the laundry shoot. I gazed at his naked body outlined in the moonlight and I reached over to stroke his skin. Warmth emanated from his body to my hand. One summer-blue eye opened and Caden reached up to curl his fingers around mine before he fell asleep again. Warmth and affection spread inside me, as well as desire.

I turned my face into my pillow. I had felt desire before, crushed on tv stars and maybe a handler or two, but this was the first time it was in my power to do something about it. I struggled internally with myself for a moment before relaxing. Tomorrow.
***
Someone's hand was sliding down my body. Half asleep I stirred and moaned as my mother's face and touch slid away and became Caden's.

"Hey sweetheart."

"Your breath stinks."

"And I have a pounding headache." He groaned and pushed the covers aside to stand up. I stayed in bed, enjoying the masculine lines of his long, hard body as he zombie-walked across the room and into the shower cubicle. "Ohhhhh my head." Thanks to the water Trinity had pumped into me I just had a tiny headache in addition to feeling queasy inside. 'Funny.' I thought to myself, snuggling back into the blankets as I ran my thoughts over last night. 'Here I am waking up from a party while all the others ended up...God knows where. Now I belong to a man who practically owned all of us. Everyone I'd ever known, handlers, section Epsilon, 'brothers', 'sisters'... mother...' I bolted upright, eyes wide open. Hope nearly choked off my breath as I scrambled out of the bed and headed towards the shower. I paused. What would he think if I just walked in on him? I decided to wait.

Caden came out fully clothed in dark blue, groomed and smelling good to find me sitting on a chair facing the dressing room door, still in my silky pink pajamas. Standing in front of me, he bent down to stare into my eyes. "How's my breath now, Car-li-ta?" It was fresh and sweet, smelled like some kind of fruit. I'd had it once, and wrinkled my forehead to remember.

"Straw-strawberries?" He put his ringed forefinger under my chin and tilted it up, so I let him kiss me. I knew from the way he did it that he wanted me, that I could have him any time I chose...but I was still scared. The thought of him stripping me and entering me was too much, I wasn't ready for it. Furthermore the knowledge that he could take me any time he got tired of waiting scared the freak out of me. I tried not to think of it, hoped he wouldn't get tired of the game we seemed to be playing. He was too close, his face right next to mine like that, his eyes staring into mine. The tight feeling came back to my chest and squeezed with a greater force than before. Instead of using that moment to put my request I pushed him away.

"You want me to go?" Caden asked. I nodded, still unable to meet his searching eyes. "I'll let you take a shower then." He said and pivoted away from me towards the door. Halfway across the floor he heard me padding after him and turned expectantly.

"Could you find my mother?" I asked softly. "I would really like to see her." I was on edge while he considered. "I would do anything!" I blurted, involuntarily stepping closer to where he stood, waiting.

Caden looked down, head and shoulders taller than me. "Anything?"

I was afraid to speak, afraid of the emotion trembling below my words. So I just nodded. His grin was quick and boyish.

"Good. I'll find her. Get showered and let's get breakfast together."

We ate breakfast together. Every once in a while he'd do something odd like put his hand on my knee or close in to nuzzle my shoulder. I tended to veer away from these advances, afraid to let him get too intimate. Yet, when he ignored me and ate breakfast I would find myself peaking at him, doing some leaning of my own. Then he went upstairs and an electronic voice directed me to the swimming pool where I found a brand new swimsuit in the locker room and a trainer to teach me how to swim. We found out pretty quick I was afraid of water, but after an hour of coaxing he got me in and I discovered I kind of liked it. Kicking out at something so cool and giving and something that you're immersed in is kind of cathartic. After that I wandered through the rooms some, the whirring machines sensitive to my approach and moving out of my way as they cleaned. I lingered in each room on the way back to the elevator, marveling at all the technology and different droids that the house employed before going back up to Caden's room.

He sat on a chair, fingers flying over his computer. He was trying to track her down for me. Or was it for what I would give him? I looked down at my body and slowly wrapped my arms around myself, remembering the fragile girl in the mirror I'd promised to keep safe. How would she feel about this when all of it was over? Caden looked up.

"Sorry it's taking so long, I have to move my searching to more secure connections. Ah and I had to take care of some stuff. I'm moving my accounts to more secure servers because of Brutus. You know him right?"

"He's a cyber criminal whose been trying to start a war, taking over the country with his network of cyber terrorists." I rattled off from memory. "He's making a lot of web transactions unsafe, causes multiple account break-ins, system failures and acts of terror to make us helpless. He's been working around the clock to gain info on secret governmental profiles he thinks are detrimental and when he does he spreads it to the masses. This is so the people won't trust their government or turn to it when war breaks loose. He claims he wants us to know how corrupt our system is." I remembered the attractive news reporter's look of disdain. I didn't know then that the media was strictly regulated.

"Don't you believe it is corrupt, Carlita?" He asked, pausing his search. I look down at the floor. What do I know? Just what I've lived. Where I lived it would have been impossible to turn to the government anyway, it didn't exist where I was concerned, and I certainly hadn't existed to it.

"I believe any government that can allow human mills is wrong." I say, meeting his gaze once more. "That includes anyone who owns them too."

He grinned. "It's a good thing I don't own any then." He stated humorously and turned back to his work.

I remembered the riots I'd watched on the tv. "Brutus helps incite riots though, and they get people in a lot of trouble. I think they're saying he's got an underground army and has been building one for years." Caden shrugged dismissively.

"Our militia can take his miscreants. The people don't trust us. There." He drew up a picture. "Ramona Alvarez. Your mother?" Heart in my throat I came over to the screen and gazed. Brown eyes in the middle-aged face of an unsmiling blonde woman stared back. The sharp angles of her face disqualified it for beauty, and yet it was attractive nonetheless. I wasn't sure how. Gingerly I reached up and felt those same angles on my face. Under the pic was a number and section and the name of the mill she'd been in, Caden read them to me. I didn't remember the mill but then I'd moved through several in my lifetime. I didn't recognize the woman. She was my mother, and yet I could not perceive within me the connection I felt when I drew up that one distant, dim and oh so precious memory of her.

"She's got your nose, chin, mouth and hair color. I'd say that's her. That mill was liquidated five years ago, but if I dig a little deeper..." His fingers moved lightly over the computer's flat, razor thin face. "She was bought by one of the handlers two years before that. They're in Tibet right now."

"Tibet?"

He glanced over at me. "I keep forgetting how little you know. Tibet is a safety zone where there are settlements and colonies that are a little behind in things. They still require snail mail and stuff, but are rapidly blooming into some of the fastest growing, cleanest places to live. You know like, Northern Canada, Siberia, the Sahara, places that a century ago were virtually uninhabitable. Anyway he must've really loved her, to buy a breeder. She must've been almost thirty when they took this picture. They're mostly used up by that age, not too pretty anymore."

I felt a surge of wrath well up at his tone. That was my mother he was talking about. I was unable to keep the tremor of anger out of my voice when I turned away from him. "What would you know?" 'You're just a stuck up, rich boy playing with his father's money.' I thought. "You disgust me." Before I could keep the words in my mouth they were out. I heard him rise behind me and stood very still.