Genesis Girl (Blank Slate #1) - Jennifer Bardsley Page 0,60
it’s okay to be curious. He’ll let me explore as much as I want, and he won’t judge me either.
“Show me more,” I whisper.
“I’d love to show you more,” Ethan murmurs. “I’ve been waiting for you to say that for a long time.” He grabs a blanket from the corner of the couch and pulls it over our laps.
We’re snuggled there, the two of us, and I feel warm and safe. But I know what I’m about to do is dirty.
With his free hand, Ethan scrolls through the screen, and I finally see what The Lighthouse is all about.
Fatima’s disappearance is a top story, but there’s nothing about Fatima being pregnant. Most of the site is dedicated to Vestal history. Barbelo’s early writings are there, plus news feeds going back five decades. There are property records from Tabula Rasa and tax records from every Harvest. It’s like somebody has been researching us forever.
“They know about the Archives,” says Ethan, pulling up the video. “A former senator spilled everything. But nobody believes him! Other bloggers are saying The Lighthouse is making things up.”
“Why don’t they believe the senator?”
“Because politicians are coming forward and icing him out, saying he’s crazy.” Ethan answers. He points to the headlines, so I can see the names.
“But those are all people who use the Archives too!” I remember a lot of them. Senior year at Tabula Rasa is spent on Archive duty, at least part of the time.
“That’s not the worst part” Ethan crinkles his eyebrows and he pulls up another page. “Amy’s come forward with a tell-all.”
“Amy?” I don’t bother to pretend. Ethan knows about how Amy and I used to be best friends. So when I see her face on the screen, I don’t try to hide it. I let my anger show through.
“She’s told all about us, Blanca, including Headmaster Russell and his logical consequences.”
But I don’t need Ethan to explain. I can read the story for myself right there. former vestal claims headmaster whipped students on a regular basis.
“Amy left when she was ten.” I curl my fist so tight the nails pierce skin. “How much can she know?”
“Enough that her parents have asked for police protection. They’re afraid she’ll go missing too.”
“I don’t understand. How long has this website been running?”
“It’s new.” Ethan scrolls through more pages. “It started about a month or two after our graduation. It’s giving Veritas Rex some competition.”
Seth. The name explodes in my brain, but I don’t dare to speak the word aloud. “Show me Veritas Rex.”
“That’s where things get interesting.” Ethan flicks his hand. Seth’s lion-headed cobra bursts onto the screen. But there’s nothing about my conversation with Headmaster Russell from today.
That Virus tricked me! He didn’t upload me to Veritas Rex after all. But what’s up there instead is worse.
It’s a grainy, black-and-white picture from an old-fashioned newspaper. There’s a little girl from almost fifty years ago. She’s got a heart-shaped face.
“It’s Ms. Lydia!” I reach out to touch the picture. My hand falls through the virtual screen, distorting the image.
“She was one of the original Vestals,” Ethan says. “She’s ancient.”
“That’s not possible—” I start to say, but then I stop myself. Sometimes I’ve thought Ms. Lydia was forty, or perhaps older than Cal. At other times she seemed much younger, like she was in her thirties. I really have no idea how old she is. But then I think harder. Her contract was for twenty-five years, and she was harvested at eighteen. That means Ms. Lydia is at least forty-three.
“Do you realize what this means?” Ethan takes off his fake eyeglasses.
“No,” I whisper, confused.
“It means Ms. Lydia knows Barbelo!”
“But how did Seth—I mean, how did Veritas Rex find that out?”
“Who’s Seth?” asks Ethan.
“Nobody important.” I examine my cuff. “Just my purchaser’s son.”
“Oh,” says Ethan. He puts his glasses back on.
That’s when I get it, clear as day. Headmaster Russell’s right, like always. Ms. Lydia is in danger. She’s been in danger all along. And it’s my fault!
Seth’s been pumping me for information about the Vestals so he could plaster it all over the Internet! Was Cal in on this too?
It wouldn’t be the first time I was bait.
“Do you understand now?” Ethan asks me. “We’ve been lied to our whole lives.”
“What do you mean?” I shiver underneath the blanket.
“The Internet isn’t evil. It doesn’t rip relationships apart.” Ethan pages back over to the picture of Amy. “Look. With one click, you could reconnect with your old friend.”