Species Traitor: A Science Fiction Dystopian Novel by Kate Mary (universal ebook reader .TXT) 📗

I shook my head, uncertain and confused. “How has he managed to do all that? Anara said he was able to create new identities for the half-humans living outside the walls, but how could Roderick have gotten such a high-profile job?”

“It’s more than just creating new identities,” Finn said. “He creates an entire family history. Dead parents, medical backgrounds, and even a fake degree. Most of the half-Veilorians living outside the District are doing better than the humans.” Finn shrugged like he didn’t know what else to say. “The chip’s technology comes from us, Ava. We know how to manipulate it better than humans.”

“But Roderick was born on Earth.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Finn said. “To us, technology is like another language. One we were all born understanding. I can’t explain it any other way.”

Like so many times before, I found myself wondering how different things could have been if only we’d worked with the Veilorians instead of against them.

“Things could have been so much better,” I murmured aloud.

“What did you say?” Finn asked.

“Nothing.” I shook my head, returning my focus to my brother and the other half-humans living in Polis, and what Finn’s part in all this was. “I already know you use the secret exit to bring in goods. You told me that even if you didn’t say you were the one doing it. What else?”

Finn’s brows pulled together. “What do you mean?”

“Information,” I said almost impatiently. “When we were hiding in the alley on Landing Day, you said you had a hunch that the people had come into the city looking for half-humans. You were lying, and I knew it.”

“You could tell I was lying?” A ghost of a smile pulled up his lips.

“It was pretty obvious,” I said.

Finn’s smile grew a little. “I guess I shouldn’t gamble.”

“Definitely not,” I agreed.

“To answer your question, yes. Sometimes I get information from the outside, and I’d been told people might storm the District looking for halflings, so I was expecting it. Just not that day.” He shook his head. “If I’d known, I would have gotten everyone out of there sooner. Believe me. But the information made it seem like it wouldn’t be during the Landing Day celebration because there was too much extra security. Obviously, it was wrong.”

“Obviously,” I agreed.

“Anyway, I didn’t see Roderick that day, but the intel had come directly from the mayor’s office. That was before Veronica Waters was elected, though. There hasn’t been much information since then.”

“I know you haven’t seen Roderick in a few months, but do the other half-Veilorians still come around, or do you think it’s possible Mayor Waters found out about them?”

I hated thinking my brother was being held by that sadistic woman. Even if I hadn’t met him, he was mine by blood and part of my father. The real father who’d loved and wanted me, not the one my mom had created with her lies.

“She doesn’t know,” Finn said with a certainty that made me relax. “She would have said something about it when she tortured me.”

My hand moved to his leg unbidden as I remembered how bruised and bloodied he’d been that day.

“I’m okay,” he said in a soft voice. “I’m all healed. Not a single scar, remember?”

“I know.”

My gaze swept over him anyway, as if I was trying to reassure myself he was in one piece and in front of me, stopping on the small scar below his right ear. I’d noticed it on Landing Day, when Finn was leading me away from the square. A group of humans had come onto the street in front of us, and he’d used his body to shield me. We’d been so close, the closest we’d been at that point, and I’d looked up and seen the scar. It was only an inch long, but it seemed huge considering every other millimeter of his skin was totally unmarred. The injury must have been bad if it left a mark.

“Where’d you get this?” I asked, running my finger over the scar.

Finn stiffened, hesitating, then shook his head. “I should have told you a long time ago, I guess. Back when we first met.” His mouth pulled down in the corners. “At the time, I told myself it didn’t matter to me who you dated, then it was over and you were mine, and I didn’t want to think about you being with him.”

“Dean,” I said, suddenly remembering all the moments when the two men had acted like they had history, as well as the story about his sister. “Your friend, the one who dated the human. It was Dean’s sister, wasn’t it?”

“It was.” Finn let out a long sigh. “Kiara was the first human I got to know, and she was a nice girl. Funny and smart. I didn’t want to meet her, but Raif liked her so much, and we’d been friends forever, so I gave in. She was easy to like. Then she died, and so did Raif.”

For a moment, I couldn’t respond. Finn had already told me this story, but he hadn’t mentioned the part about his friend dying as well. What had he said? That his friend had been devastated and blamed himself for Kiara’s death.

“Did Raif kill himself, too?” I asked.

“No.” Finn’s gaze held mine. “Dean killed him.”

My mouth literally dropped open. All the hate and evil I’d seen in Dean since we broke up, and I was still too shocked to respond.

“After Kiara killed herself, he came into the District looking for Raif,” Finn said. “Dean ambushed him. It’s the only way to describe it. He’d strapped a knife to his ankle so he could smuggle it in, and he hid near a bar we liked to frequent. He and Raif had met once, so Dean knew what he looked like. He jumped out of the shadows the second we turned the corner and stabbed Raif in the stomach.” Finn expression contorted, looking painful. “I’d never