Page 3 of Raven

Archer straightens and studies me with renewed interest. People like us don’t mix in this life unless bound by business or shady deals.

He narrows his drunk eyes on me, sniffling from what is probably a several-days-long coke binge.

“Then I need to place another order,” Archer drawls. “A bit tricky, but if you want to be on my jet, I’m sure you’ll manage.”

“When do I not?” I hold back a triumphant smile.

“The jet leaves from the Staton Airfield this Friday at noon. You get me what I need, and you are in.”

I have several days to get him something even his Secretary of Defense daddy could not possibly get for fear of a scandal.

“Thanks, Archer. I’ll be in touch.”

I turn to leave when his voice stops me.

“Why?”

I turn to lock eyes with him. “Why what?”

“Why do you want to go to Zion?” He lifts his chin. “It’s not about the party. I know you are not into that scene. You don’t do drugs or drink, really. You don’t have any interest in my crew. It’s probably not one of the girls either since you just broke up with the mayor’s daughter.”

His gaze pries into me. Another thing I like about Archer—straightforwardness and the ability to see through people despite his well-known arrogance. In a different life, we could’ve been friends.

I smile coldly. “Research.”

He suddenly breaks out in laughter and starts walking away. “Whatever you say, man,” he murmurs without turning around.

He didn’t believe me, but after two years of doing business, he trusts me.

I know I’m in.

And if my gut feeling is right, this trip will change my life.

2

MADDY

ZION ISLAND / PRESENT DAY

While back in the day, the biggest celebrations were birthdays, graduations, and national holidays, right now we are celebrating Zion Island surviving yet another confrontation. Archer and Kat’s kidnapping by the local thugs was no joke. It’s the rich versus the poor, the elite versus the local thugs, the luxury Ayana Resort versus the local town, Port Mrei, and the slums, Ashlands.

The Bangkok restaurant is booming with music and laughter. The Ayana resort, which houses over a hundred of the richest offspring in the world, is covered in lights like a Christmas tree. It’s the opening of the Thai food restaurant that Archer bought for Kat. They are celebrating their freedom and love.

I certainly envy them. They don’t have to hide who they are from others.

Unlike me.

When you steal an identity and are afraid to be discovered, you become someone else. Maddy-me is a far cry from Milena-me, but I’m not sure I miss my old self all that much.

I grab some food from the open buffet, then say hi to the people I know. Guff, Owen, Zach, Ya-Ya, Ty. And of course, Kai and Callie. Also, some of the Ayana residents. The once hostile camps are slowly reconciling—the Outcasts from the Eastside and the Elites from Ayana.

Good. It’s time for peace.

No matter how many friends I acquire, I still feel alone. Maddy-me has friends, while Milena-me is in hiding. It’s weird, this forced psychological personality split. No one knows what I used to be like.

The few days of that spring break two years ago were the most fun I’d had in years. Patrick turned out to be a sweetheart, and spending hours at the pool, on someone’s yacht, dancing and drinking until sunrise without having to report to my bodyguards and Dad felt like a dream.

Until the night our phones exploded with missile attack alerts. Over a hundred nukes went off all across the world, destroying everything we knew. That night, the electricity went out. So did cell service. Local thugs from town attacked. Patrick was killed. So were several others. A hundred of us spent two days fighting off the attack, then tried to contact home, only to find out that the world had gone into lockdown.

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