And he left Nazirah, curled on the floor, topick up the pieces.

#

The old bus turns sharply onto the prisongrounds, jolting Nazirah back to the present. Nazirah notices thelarge woman staring suspiciously and shifts uncomfortably in herhalf-seat. Nazirah tries to conceal her face more with theheadscarf, praying the woman won’t recognize her.

Niko wasn’t entirely correct in hisassumption that Nazirah would go unnoticed. Sure, she is small, buteveryone in the country knows her. The camera crews and reportersthat showed up at their parents’ funeral saw to that. Nazirah’sface, wide eyed and grieving, was plastered on every newspaper andtelevision in the country for weeks. She was portrayed as theyoung, orphaned intermix, daughter of dangerous anarchists … theliving consequence of territories interacting.

All the while, Chancellor Gabirel Morgenpreached from his Median pulpit. He spread vicious lies andpropaganda about Riva and Kasimir, calling them rebel parasitesthat had to be dealt with to ensure the continuing peace ofRenatus. He needed a scapegoat to pin the rebellion on. And herparents, interracially married with intermix children, scum of theearth and leeching the country’s resources for their own welfare,were perfect targets. It was a warning to everyone in thecountry.

Don’t challenge the authority of Mediah, orthis could be you.

The Chancellor’s only son, Adamek, part-timeplayboy, part-time soldier, was touted as a war hero. Alreadyinfamous, training to eventually take his father’s place ingovernment, Adamek was no stranger to slaughtering citizens in thename of justice. And now, he bravely took matters into his ownhands, putting an end to the Nation threat once and for all.

How or why Adamek Morgen, Medi, son of theChancellor, renowned sociopath, had turned himself over to therebellion … Nazirah has no idea. As far as the rest of the countryknows, he is still in Mediah, killing and whoring and doingwhatever it is he normally does. Even though Nazirah’s brain tellsher Nikolaus is an idiot, her heart cannot believe he’s dumb enoughto trust Adamek without substantial proof. But Nazirah doesn’t knowwhat that proof could be, and she frankly doesn’t care. All sheknows is that Adamek will walk. And she is helping him do it.

The large woman nonchalantly reaches herheavy, hennaed hand out and gives Nazirah’s own a reassuringsqueeze. Shocked, Nazirah glances at her, but her expression isunreadable. The woman addresses one of her children, the eldestdaughter. The girl stares curiously at Nazirah and slowly offersher one golden bangle. Nazirah looks between the two of them,hesitating for a moment before accepting the token.

“Thank you.”

Nazirah slips the bangle on her wrist,hoping they understand. The girl looks at her happily and returnsto playing with her brothers. The gift is exactly something Rivawould have made a younger Nazirah do, and the moment isbittersweet.

They are waved through several guardedgates, electrified and barbed. The bus finally passes the lastcheckpoint, braking in front of the prison entrance.

Stepping outside, Nazirah feels nauseous,even though she hasn’t eaten in almost a day. Lunch with Cato is adistant memory. Nazirah didn’t see him last night, like she plannedto. She just sobbed in Niko’s office alone for a long time,eventually dragging herself to bed two hours before she had to wakeup again.

Nazirah stares at the looming fortress,stomach in knots. She searches for the woman who sat next to her,but she’s already gone. Nazirah gathers her courage and follows agroup of visitors through the gates of hell.

Nazirah looks around, trying to figure outwhat happens next. Nikolaus told her to seek out Solomon, the chiefof security who also happens to be a rebel spy. But Nazirah has noidea how to find him.

Luckily, she doesn’t have to wonder forlong. A tall, muscled man, with closely cropped hair and severalearrings in each ear, walks stiffly up to her. He scans her face.Nazirah is unsure if she should speak and reveal herself, so sheremains quiet. The man inclines his head slightly and walks away.Nazirah considers the potential ramifications for only a moment,before chasing after him.

He walks through a heavy iron door, notbothering to hold it for her. By the time Nazirah manages to wrestit open, he is already turning a corner down the hallway. Nazirahsprints after him, trying to keep up, because she would rather bewith this complete stranger than get lost in the prison alone. Shecatches up, panting, as he begins climbing a staircase. Nazirahnotes gratefully that his strides have slowed.

“Excuse me, Solomon…”

He gives Nazirah a sharplook as they exit the staircase, cutting her off. Apparently,Solomon is not a big talker. They walk through another corridor andhe finally stands in front of a single door. Here goes everything, Nazirahthinks, as she enters the room.

The person standing before her is definitelynot Adamek Morgen. For starters, he’s a full head shorter thanNazirah. He has light brown skin, sparkling eyes, a huge smile, anda miniature red fez on his head.

He is also literally hopping withexcitement.

“Oh, Miss Nation!” The small man clasps hishands around one of hers, shaking it enthusiastically. “What anunexpected delight to see you here this afternoon! I was expectingyour surly brother to walk through my door, and instead I get thislotus flower!”

“Uh … thank you,” Nazirah replies. “Not tobe rude, sir, but who are you?”

The man does not look insulted in the least.He extends his small frame forward into a bow so deep his nosenearly brushes the floor. “Solomon Salaahi, at your service,” hetells her with a flourish.

“You’re Solomon?”

“Expecting someone taller?” Solomon smilesknowingly, as Nazirah’s face flushes in embarrassment. “Pleasefollow me,” he says, leading her through another door.

The next room is circular, with securitymonitors of every prison cell lining the walls. In the center ofthe room, there is a large circuit panel, with hundreds of gadgetsand buttons. The blinking neon lights make Nazirah dizzy. Solomonwaves his hands emphatically as he walks, clearly proud of hislife’s work.

“This is my office and home away from home,”he says richly, “otherwise known as the control room.” Solomon hopsonto a small chair, cranking a lever in the side. Slowly, he risesup to meet Nazirah’s height. Beads of sweat form on his brow fromthe exertion.

“It’s very … interesting,” Nazirah says,looking around.

“Thank you kindly,” Solomon says. He ismomentarily distracted as his sleeve catches in the armrest. “Asyou can … obviously tell … this is an extremely sensitive matterrequiring immediate action. We thank you for coming here on suchshort notice, even though the journey is long and tiresome. I trustyou have found the Deathlands charming though, yes? Are they notsomething?”

‘Charming’ isn’t exactly the word Nazirahwould use. Her face is still itching from all the dust. “It’sdefinitely something,” she mutters. And then, honestly, “It’scaptivating.”

“Wonderful!” Solomon claps his handstogether. “I will let you get to it, then. Have no fear, MissNation. My trusty servant Olag here will escort you to Mr. Morgen’sinterrogation room.” Solomon indicates the surly man who broughtNazirah here, now standing quietly to one side of the room. “Histongue was cut out as a child, so he does not speak, but he isfiercely loyal. He will be in the room with you the entire time.And I,” he taps a video monitor emphatically, “will be watching tomake sure you have no … difficulties.” He clears his throat.

“Got it,” Nazirah says queasily. “Thank you,Solomon, but I would rather see him alone.”

Solomon is clearly intrigued and sayssomething to Olag in Deathlandic. Olag nods and opens the doorbeside him, this time holding it for Nazirah. “You are much morelike your brother than you let on,” Solomon says. “Olag will takeyou to see Mr. Morgen now, and will wait for you outside of theroom. The rest is up to you. Good luck.”