The Tomorrow Series Fanfiction: Who Will Lead Us? - Chapter 4
This is the third chapter in a fanfiction of The Tomorrow Series by theun4givables.
Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
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Savin pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he stood in front of the Council room door. He knew he should go inside, but he didn't want to. Dealing with Mitchel felt like too much. He sighed, realizing it could be up to him to try and prevent this disaster, even if he didn't feel much hope. Not after Jazz had left.
Trying to calm the shaking in his hands, Savin entered the room. He was the last to do so; the rest of the Council was already seated, including, of course, Mitchel.
“How nice of you to join us, Savin,” Mitchel drawled.
“So sorry, Emperor,” he muttered as he took his seat.
Savin's chest tightened when he looked at everyone else in the room. He couldn't keep his hands steady, so he placed them under the table.
Mitchel smiled at the Council, though his eyes hardened when they fell upon Savin. “As you are all aware, we have a very important vote today. Do we do the right thing and reinstate the Natural Born laws or do we give into sentimentality? It's up to you, of course.”
The Council's attention focused on Mitchel, who positively basked in it. Tension strained the air.
The Emperor said, “So, let's have a show of hands, shall we? All of you who are for my proposal, raise your hands to show your support of Second Earth's Empire. Anyone who is weak and foolish enough to disagree, keep your hands down.” He looked at Savin.
Savin pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and waited. Regan's and Stephen's hands shot up into the air almost immediately. Samantha remained with her hands in her lap, eyes stony as she looked at Mitchel. Alexandra's hands stayed beneath the table. Savin wanted to sigh with relief when Alexandra slowly raised her arm above her head.
His chest tightened and his hands shook. Regan. Stephen. Alexandra. That was three “yes” votes. A majority, because Jazz wasn't here.
Savin said, “Emperor? I would - like to point out that if Councilman Callahan were here, he would vote 'no' on your proposal.”
Samantha nodded, her eyes still hard. “I agree. If he were present, he would certainly vote against reinstating the Natural Born laws.”
Mitchel only smiled. “But he's not here, is he? If Councilman Callahan wanted his voice heard, he would be here with us, right now. As everyone can see, he's not. Obviously he didn't care much about this vote. With his absence, we have a majority. My proposal to reinstate the NB laws passes.”
Savin's stomach sank. His hands shook the worst they had all day, and his chest grew painfully tight. This - this couldn't be happening. But it was. Mitchel's smirk was proof enough of that. The way his eyes glinted told Savin this was reality, not a nightmare he could wake from.
If only he had tried harder to convince Jazz to stay and attend the meeting.
He barely heard Mitchel when he said all Council members would have to do genetic testing at the Palace hospital to make sure none of them were secretly hiding the Factor in their DNA. Of course, the Emperor wouldn't want any NBs on his Council. Savin thought it was an excessive precaution, but he didn't have the mental energy to object.
The rest of the meeting passed both so quickly Savin couldn't remember anything and so slowly he felt he might explode from sitting there. Eventually, it was over. The rest of the Council exited, leaving him alone in the room with Mitchel.
“I'm sure your wife will be most interested to hear the news about my proposal, yes? I know this issue hits close to home for her due to her, ah, unconventional lifestyle choice,” Mitchel drawled.
“I don't need to talk to you about my family,” Savin muttered.
Mitchel said, “But you would want them safe and happy, wouldn't you? Despite your ah -- extracurricular activities, you do care about them, don't you?”
“I'm going to the hospital now.” If Savin didn't leave right then and there, he would punch Mitchel in the face.
Savin turned around and headed out of the Council room, both fuming and terrified. What - what was Mitchel going to do to Danni and Mari?
* * *
Sighing, Savin endured getting his blood drawn for the pointless genetic testing. Mitchel seemed desperately inclined to waste the Empire's time and money. Savin had some time before his shift at the hospital started and before his results would be ready. He knew this was the time to talk to Mari about things, as much as he didn't want to.
Unpleasant as it would be, he needed to warn Mari about their daughter. Danni was in extreme danger because of her birth status, and Savin would do anything to make sure his daughter was safe. Luckily, he spotted Mari in the doctor's lounge.
Savin muttered, his voice urgent, “Hey, Mari, I need to talk to you in the on call room, now.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, now you want to talk to me?”
“I don't have time to play games. This is about Danni.” Savin only hoped nobody was listening.
He wanted to speak to her in the on call room rather than in the doctor's lounge because it offered better, though incomplete, privacy. Mari, fortunately, listened to Savin and followed him into the small room.
Once inside, Mari put a hand on her hip. “So, what's this about? I don't really have time for you right now, seeing as you never had time for me.”
“Mitchel got the NB laws reinstated. He knows Danni's Natural Born. You need to get her and run, now,” Savin said.
“You expect me to believe anything you say, Savin? Really?” Mari muttered.
Savin hissed, “This isn't a fucking joke, Mari. Our daughter is in danger, and, whatever you think about me, I do care about her.”
“But not about me? Have you ever cared about me? Or did you only marry me for Danni? Because 'staying together for the kids' is always such a fabulous idea,” she spat.
“Now's not the time, okay? Our daughter is in danger, and you need to get her and run if you don't want the both of you to be killed,” Savin pleaded.
He needed her to believe.
Savin could see the hurt and anger in Mari's eyes. She stared at him, apparently trying to figure out if he told the truth. After a long, tense moment, she sagged. “You're telling the truth, aren't you? The NB laws are really back?”
“They are,” Savin said. “And so you need to go now.” It was getting more and more dangerous every second Mari stayed in the hospital.
She nodded. “I guess this is goodbye, Savin. I can't say I'll miss you.”
Without another word, she turned on her heel and left. By the time Savin managed to say, “I'll miss you, Mari,” she was clearly out of hearing range.
Savin tried to ignore how his eyes stung. He didn't know when he would see his wife again, and the last thing she had said was that she wouldn't miss him. Despite all the mistakes he had made with Mari, Savin did care about her. That wasn't how he wanted to leave things, but he didn't have a choice, did he?
* * *
“Perry, do you have my results?” Savin asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He just wanted to get this pointlessness over with. Worry about Danni and Mari ate at him and made it hard to concentrate on anything.
Much to Savin's surprise, the tech closed the door to the small lab. He raised an eyebrow at her; surely that wasn't normal or necessary? It wasn't like Savin was going to spend much time in here. And why was Perry being so twitchy? Something felt - off.
“Dr. Bates, I - I do have your results,” she whispered.
“May I see them, please?” Savin muttered.
Perry handed him the paper, not looking him in the eye. His stomach twisted as he started examining the paper. Nothing seemed amiss, though there wasn't any reason to think something would be. Savin kept reading along until - that couldn't possibly be right.
The paper said he had the Factor.
“You see it, don't you?” Perry said. “It's for real; I ran the labs twice, to be sure. Look - I have to report these results, and you, directly to Emperor Foraker. You've got to get out of here now. I'll look the other way, but you need to go.”
Savin's heart hammered in his chest. This - this couldn't be happening, but the sinking feeling in his gut told him it was. The look on Perry's face said this was no joke. His hands shook as he handed the paper back to the tech.
His mind raced, and he struggled to get it under control. This - how could it be real? Even though everything said it was real, how could it be?
“Go!” Perry hissed.
Savin went, his chest so tight he could barely breathe.
He didn't look at anybody as he exited the Palace hospital. Once beyond the Palace itself, he forced his heart to stop racing long enough to call Mari and tell her to wait for him. He ducked behind a building near his apartment and dialed her number.
Hands still shaking and chest still tight, Savin listened to the phone ring. And ring. And ring. Why wasn't Mari picking up? Did - did something happen to her? No, he couldn't let himself believe that.
When the phone went to voicemail, his heart sank. Savin left her a message anyway, hoping she would get it in time.
He said, “Hey Mari? Something happened; I found out I was an NB and have to go on the run, too. I'm coming right now. Wait for me, okay? I'll be there soon. Gotta go.” He hung up the phone, trying not to panic at the lack of response.
Savin couldn't shake his growing dread as he got to their apartment building. When he entered the elevator and punched in the number for his floor, his chest tightened even more. After an interminable ride, he left the elevator, hoping Mari would still be there. Turning the corner in the hallway, he saw his wife and child were, indeed, still there.
As were the police.
Mari hugged a wailing Danni to her chest as she faced across from three heavily armed police officers. Savin froze in shock, not believing what he saw.
One officer said, “Just hand over the Natural Born, ma'am, and nobody gets hurt.”
“Nobody gets hurt? You'll kill my Danni!” Mari cried.
“You are in violation of the law,” the officer warned.
Mari glared at the officer, hate and despair shining in her eyes. “And you're in violation of common human decency. I won't give my baby to you!”
The officer moved his hand to his gun. “If you don't hand it over now, we'll be forced to take action.”
Her eyes widened. “It? You're calling my baby an 'it?' I'll never give Danni to you!” Mari shrieked.
Savin couldn't look away, not even as the officer raised his gun and pointed it at his wife and child.
Mari hugged Dani even tighter. She murmured, “If this is the sort of world the Empire's become, it's better for you this way.”
The officer fired. Two shots, one right after the other. Savin watched as Mari and Danni fell to the ground, lifeless.
Still, he stood there. His heart pounded in his chest. That - that didn't happen.
Savin couldn't move until the officer muttered to the others, “Let's get outta here.” Realizing he was moments from being caught spurred him into action, and he raced down the stairwell, afraid that any second now, someone would catch him. Blood rushed through Savin's head as his feet pounded the ground.
He ran out of his apartment, despair threatening to overwhelm him. Danni? Mari? Gone. They were gone.
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written for the hc_bingo prompt "Loss of Job/Income" & writerverse Table of Doom - Table Alpha #14. Genre: Dystopian
Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
---------
Savin pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he stood in front of the Council room door. He knew he should go inside, but he didn't want to. Dealing with Mitchel felt like too much. He sighed, realizing it could be up to him to try and prevent this disaster, even if he didn't feel much hope. Not after Jazz had left.
Trying to calm the shaking in his hands, Savin entered the room. He was the last to do so; the rest of the Council was already seated, including, of course, Mitchel.
“How nice of you to join us, Savin,” Mitchel drawled.
“So sorry, Emperor,” he muttered as he took his seat.
Savin's chest tightened when he looked at everyone else in the room. He couldn't keep his hands steady, so he placed them under the table.
Mitchel smiled at the Council, though his eyes hardened when they fell upon Savin. “As you are all aware, we have a very important vote today. Do we do the right thing and reinstate the Natural Born laws or do we give into sentimentality? It's up to you, of course.”
The Council's attention focused on Mitchel, who positively basked in it. Tension strained the air.
The Emperor said, “So, let's have a show of hands, shall we? All of you who are for my proposal, raise your hands to show your support of Second Earth's Empire. Anyone who is weak and foolish enough to disagree, keep your hands down.” He looked at Savin.
Savin pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and waited. Regan's and Stephen's hands shot up into the air almost immediately. Samantha remained with her hands in her lap, eyes stony as she looked at Mitchel. Alexandra's hands stayed beneath the table. Savin wanted to sigh with relief when Alexandra slowly raised her arm above her head.
His chest tightened and his hands shook. Regan. Stephen. Alexandra. That was three “yes” votes. A majority, because Jazz wasn't here.
Savin said, “Emperor? I would - like to point out that if Councilman Callahan were here, he would vote 'no' on your proposal.”
Samantha nodded, her eyes still hard. “I agree. If he were present, he would certainly vote against reinstating the Natural Born laws.”
Mitchel only smiled. “But he's not here, is he? If Councilman Callahan wanted his voice heard, he would be here with us, right now. As everyone can see, he's not. Obviously he didn't care much about this vote. With his absence, we have a majority. My proposal to reinstate the NB laws passes.”
Savin's stomach sank. His hands shook the worst they had all day, and his chest grew painfully tight. This - this couldn't be happening. But it was. Mitchel's smirk was proof enough of that. The way his eyes glinted told Savin this was reality, not a nightmare he could wake from.
If only he had tried harder to convince Jazz to stay and attend the meeting.
He barely heard Mitchel when he said all Council members would have to do genetic testing at the Palace hospital to make sure none of them were secretly hiding the Factor in their DNA. Of course, the Emperor wouldn't want any NBs on his Council. Savin thought it was an excessive precaution, but he didn't have the mental energy to object.
The rest of the meeting passed both so quickly Savin couldn't remember anything and so slowly he felt he might explode from sitting there. Eventually, it was over. The rest of the Council exited, leaving him alone in the room with Mitchel.
“I'm sure your wife will be most interested to hear the news about my proposal, yes? I know this issue hits close to home for her due to her, ah, unconventional lifestyle choice,” Mitchel drawled.
“I don't need to talk to you about my family,” Savin muttered.
Mitchel said, “But you would want them safe and happy, wouldn't you? Despite your ah -- extracurricular activities, you do care about them, don't you?”
“I'm going to the hospital now.” If Savin didn't leave right then and there, he would punch Mitchel in the face.
Savin turned around and headed out of the Council room, both fuming and terrified. What - what was Mitchel going to do to Danni and Mari?
* * *
Sighing, Savin endured getting his blood drawn for the pointless genetic testing. Mitchel seemed desperately inclined to waste the Empire's time and money. Savin had some time before his shift at the hospital started and before his results would be ready. He knew this was the time to talk to Mari about things, as much as he didn't want to.
Unpleasant as it would be, he needed to warn Mari about their daughter. Danni was in extreme danger because of her birth status, and Savin would do anything to make sure his daughter was safe. Luckily, he spotted Mari in the doctor's lounge.
Savin muttered, his voice urgent, “Hey, Mari, I need to talk to you in the on call room, now.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, now you want to talk to me?”
“I don't have time to play games. This is about Danni.” Savin only hoped nobody was listening.
He wanted to speak to her in the on call room rather than in the doctor's lounge because it offered better, though incomplete, privacy. Mari, fortunately, listened to Savin and followed him into the small room.
Once inside, Mari put a hand on her hip. “So, what's this about? I don't really have time for you right now, seeing as you never had time for me.”
“Mitchel got the NB laws reinstated. He knows Danni's Natural Born. You need to get her and run, now,” Savin said.
“You expect me to believe anything you say, Savin? Really?” Mari muttered.
Savin hissed, “This isn't a fucking joke, Mari. Our daughter is in danger, and, whatever you think about me, I do care about her.”
“But not about me? Have you ever cared about me? Or did you only marry me for Danni? Because 'staying together for the kids' is always such a fabulous idea,” she spat.
“Now's not the time, okay? Our daughter is in danger, and you need to get her and run if you don't want the both of you to be killed,” Savin pleaded.
He needed her to believe.
Savin could see the hurt and anger in Mari's eyes. She stared at him, apparently trying to figure out if he told the truth. After a long, tense moment, she sagged. “You're telling the truth, aren't you? The NB laws are really back?”
“They are,” Savin said. “And so you need to go now.” It was getting more and more dangerous every second Mari stayed in the hospital.
She nodded. “I guess this is goodbye, Savin. I can't say I'll miss you.”
Without another word, she turned on her heel and left. By the time Savin managed to say, “I'll miss you, Mari,” she was clearly out of hearing range.
Savin tried to ignore how his eyes stung. He didn't know when he would see his wife again, and the last thing she had said was that she wouldn't miss him. Despite all the mistakes he had made with Mari, Savin did care about her. That wasn't how he wanted to leave things, but he didn't have a choice, did he?
* * *
“Perry, do you have my results?” Savin asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He just wanted to get this pointlessness over with. Worry about Danni and Mari ate at him and made it hard to concentrate on anything.
Much to Savin's surprise, the tech closed the door to the small lab. He raised an eyebrow at her; surely that wasn't normal or necessary? It wasn't like Savin was going to spend much time in here. And why was Perry being so twitchy? Something felt - off.
“Dr. Bates, I - I do have your results,” she whispered.
“May I see them, please?” Savin muttered.
Perry handed him the paper, not looking him in the eye. His stomach twisted as he started examining the paper. Nothing seemed amiss, though there wasn't any reason to think something would be. Savin kept reading along until - that couldn't possibly be right.
The paper said he had the Factor.
“You see it, don't you?” Perry said. “It's for real; I ran the labs twice, to be sure. Look - I have to report these results, and you, directly to Emperor Foraker. You've got to get out of here now. I'll look the other way, but you need to go.”
Savin's heart hammered in his chest. This - this couldn't be happening, but the sinking feeling in his gut told him it was. The look on Perry's face said this was no joke. His hands shook as he handed the paper back to the tech.
His mind raced, and he struggled to get it under control. This - how could it be real? Even though everything said it was real, how could it be?
“Go!” Perry hissed.
Savin went, his chest so tight he could barely breathe.
He didn't look at anybody as he exited the Palace hospital. Once beyond the Palace itself, he forced his heart to stop racing long enough to call Mari and tell her to wait for him. He ducked behind a building near his apartment and dialed her number.
Hands still shaking and chest still tight, Savin listened to the phone ring. And ring. And ring. Why wasn't Mari picking up? Did - did something happen to her? No, he couldn't let himself believe that.
When the phone went to voicemail, his heart sank. Savin left her a message anyway, hoping she would get it in time.
He said, “Hey Mari? Something happened; I found out I was an NB and have to go on the run, too. I'm coming right now. Wait for me, okay? I'll be there soon. Gotta go.” He hung up the phone, trying not to panic at the lack of response.
Savin couldn't shake his growing dread as he got to their apartment building. When he entered the elevator and punched in the number for his floor, his chest tightened even more. After an interminable ride, he left the elevator, hoping Mari would still be there. Turning the corner in the hallway, he saw his wife and child were, indeed, still there.
As were the police.
Mari hugged a wailing Danni to her chest as she faced across from three heavily armed police officers. Savin froze in shock, not believing what he saw.
One officer said, “Just hand over the Natural Born, ma'am, and nobody gets hurt.”
“Nobody gets hurt? You'll kill my Danni!” Mari cried.
“You are in violation of the law,” the officer warned.
Mari glared at the officer, hate and despair shining in her eyes. “And you're in violation of common human decency. I won't give my baby to you!”
The officer moved his hand to his gun. “If you don't hand it over now, we'll be forced to take action.”
Her eyes widened. “It? You're calling my baby an 'it?' I'll never give Danni to you!” Mari shrieked.
Savin couldn't look away, not even as the officer raised his gun and pointed it at his wife and child.
Mari hugged Dani even tighter. She murmured, “If this is the sort of world the Empire's become, it's better for you this way.”
The officer fired. Two shots, one right after the other. Savin watched as Mari and Danni fell to the ground, lifeless.
Still, he stood there. His heart pounded in his chest. That - that didn't happen.
Savin couldn't move until the officer muttered to the others, “Let's get outta here.” Realizing he was moments from being caught spurred him into action, and he raced down the stairwell, afraid that any second now, someone would catch him. Blood rushed through Savin's head as his feet pounded the ground.
He ran out of his apartment, despair threatening to overwhelm him. Danni? Mari? Gone. They were gone.
---------
written for the hc_bingo prompt "Loss of Job/Income" & writerverse Table of Doom - Table Alpha #14. Genre: Dystopian