Page 97 of The Sovereign: Part One
“The same side.”Lev chuckled without humor, and his next words were stern.“I’m on Hyperion Proper’s side.Not The Citadel.Not The Vale.The side of human continuity and our way of life.I still believe in it, Isara.I just want to see us break free of the chains of Blight, tyranny, and war.”
“‘Let my people go’?”Maxim asked with a grin.
Lev matched his expression.“Precisely.”
“And Joss?”I prodded.
“My goal was to keep him away from you,” Lev said, the seriousness of his tone returning.“From both of you.Because if you had agreed to go to The Vale with Joss, it would have ended everything.”
Maxim spoke up.“Defineeverything.”
Lev didn’t blink.“Total containment failure.”He let the words settle.“I’ve spent over twenty years building a solution that doesn’t require flames and fallout.You, Isara, are the keystone.”
“Me?”I said, equal parts offended and stunned.
“You’re smarter than this!”He struck the desk with the tip of his finger—twice, and then a third time—as if he was driving the truth into it.“If you’d left, I’d have lost my only living test case.The Citadel would have flagged your departure, as they do with every Sovereign who defects.As you know by now, the freedom to choose The Vale is an illusion.Had they not bred and conditioned curiosity out of their citizens, more would see what’s all around them.The Vanguard and The Citadel designed this city so Sovereign would feel too unequipped, too afraid, to leave.Everydefection triggers an investigation.They’re constantly studying how to keep Sovereign inside these walls.Not just through beauty or cleanliness or safety, but through policy.Through social and credit scores.Every rule, every convenience, is crafted to convince them this is the life they chose.All of it is designed to keep Sovereign comfortable, compliant, and controlled.”He exhaled slowly, gaze steady on mine.“The investigation would’ve led them to Maxim.To me.And eventually, Joss’s entire movement and everyone he’d have left behind foryou.Sovereign and Vale-born.You leave with Joss, my work on Blight, Maxim, The Vale’s uprising… it all ends.”
“Is Joss aware of any of this?”Maxim asked, his tone low and unreadable.
Lev met his gaze.“Joss was never here by accident.But if he knew his proximity to Isara could compromise his entire mission, I’m confident he would’ve stayed far away from her.The irony is that we can’t tell him the very thing he needs to know.”
“That’s… rather tempting,” Maxim said.
I tilted my head toward him.“This is serious.”
The projection dimmed, then blinked out entirely.
“He’s not just the Veyr’s son,” Lev said.“He’s The Vale’s signal flare.If anything happens to him, we’ll be at war.”
Maxim leaned forward.“I can’t imagine The Citadel, with their Regs and Sentinels, are too concerned with The Vale’s pitchforks and shovels.Why haven’t they detained him already?”
“The Vale is better equipped than you think.Cignus Mercier and Moreau haven’t confirmed his true identity,” Lev replied.“They suspect all Vale-born of witnessing to Sovereign, but without proof, removing him would cause ripples they can’t afford, especially with the Vanguard still divided.Beyond that, Joss was trained well.He’s very, very good.They have no idea what he’s really capable of.”
“So they wait,” I said.“For him to make a mistake.”
Lev nodded.“And for now, he hasn’t.Not a trace.No communicators, no intercepted data.Whatever he’s doing, he’s doing it face-to-face, in person, analog.”
Maxim’s expression darkened.“What exactly is he capable of?”
“Another reason why you were designed to feel protective of her, Maxim.That instinct wasn’t incidental.I embedded it in part because Joss is not a passive threat.He’s a time bomb.It’s only a matter of time before The Citadel closes in around him.He’d never hurt Isara, of course, but when it happens—and it will—everyone close to him will be a potential target.”
I sat in the echo of his trailing words, trying to find my breath and failing.“What is your plan, Lev?”I asked.
He didn’t respond right away.He only watched me for a long moment, the burden of knowledge behind his eyes.“For now, carry on as if nothing’s changed.My algorithms are still ahead of The Citadel, and with regular maintenance, we will continue to shield you and all the data I’ve compiled.When the day comes when Maxim can no longer trace me in the system, you’ll have a fourteen-day window before the integrity of my safeguards begins to decay.Beyond that, exposure will be inevitable.”
He looked at me then, gaze fixed.
“Theywillcome.And when they do, you won’t have time to think.You’ll need to run.You’ll need multiple exit routes, a safe destination, and you’ll need to already know how to get there.”Lev’s eyes met Maxim’s then, and my accordant acknowledged his warning with a single nod.
I stood, and the men stood with me.“I’ll send you the results of tomorrow’s analysis.”
“No need,” Lev said.“I’ll know.It’s a mistake to contact me more than usual.”
“Understood.”I paused, pressing my lips together, trying to smooth the shaking in my voice.“I should’ve said this before but… thank you.For spending years protecting me before I even knew I needed it.For doing what no one else could… or would.”
Lev seemed to hesitate but spoke just as I turned to leave.
“Isara?”
