Cynetic Wolf

Not another inspection. Ugh. I fought to stay straight-faced, doing my best not to look at Pavel as he winced, hand going to the scars snaking across his back.

The Education Department liked to show up unannounced and cause trouble. It was the government’s way of keeping animotes less advanced. They didn’t want us learning anything that could cause problems, only things core to the jobs they needed us to do.

So recent history wasn’t taught; no advanced math or science either. Sure, we studied the classics and knew the basics of the Bioplague and The Experiments, but most of that was from parents and rumors. Too controversial and radical, at least for animote students.

The air speaker blared, a voice exploding everywhere at once. “RETURN TO YOUR CLASSROOMS! WALK SINGLE FILE. NO TALKING, NO EATING, NO DRINKING. SIT DOWN, DO NOT SPEAK. READ UNTIL YOU RECEIVE ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS. TEACHERS, REPORT TO YOUR ASSIGNED EXAMINATION ROOMS FOR QUESTIONING!”

We rose without a word, hurrying, no one daring to be last. We’d seen what happened to Pavel a month ago.

Back in the cramped room, we sat with our heads down, books open, all fifty of us. You could have heard a pin drop; the silence was deafening. I’d started my manufacturing homework when the door opened. Next to me, a sharp intake of breath. That was Myrtha, the teacher’s pet—always on her best behavior, best grades in class. I couldn’t stand her.

“Attention, everyone.” Ms. Hetly stood, taut arms crossed her little body, a dull red sweater over her shoulder. She brushed a shaking hand through her auburn hair and tried to put on a smile. “We’ll be having a visitor today, so be on your best behavior.”

She swallowed, eyes flittering around the room. I didn’t know if anyone else noticed little things like that, but I always did.

A man stepped in. He was tall, tan and what Elly would call handsome. Slicked-back blond hair and a comic book square jaw spoke of engineered enhancer heritage and his shoulders said he could handle himself in a fight.

We locked eyes, and I felt something emanating from him. A cold indifference, maybe? No, that wasn’t it. He looked away and it hit me. Scorn.

He sauntered to Ms. Hetly’s desk and made himself comfortable, a smug superiority plastered across his perfect face. Jerk.

Keep your head down, Raek.

Ms. Hetly turned. “Open your books to page ninety-seven. I hope you all did your homework.”

Books clattered and pages flipped. Not a peep. I snuck a glance at the enhancer but couldn’t see what he was doing. He was typing away at a shimmering, 3D holographic display and looked bored.

Really? I felt a tinge of envy. If our school had more funding, we wouldn’t be stuck with these old-fashioned, out-of-date paper books for half our halfass classes. But who was I kidding?

Grandpa explained it once, “If animotes had access to the same information and tech and upgrades as elites, think we’d be happy as laborers and underlings? Course not, and we’d catch up. That’s dangerous for them elites. Information’s power, boy. Never forget that.”

I was just glad we could access the internet again. The sixties must have been horrible...

Ms. Hetly glanced at the newcomer. “Pavel, read the first problem and choose a partner to solve it with.”

Two rows over, Pavel stood, quivering. Poor guy. His big eyes flicked between Ms. Hetly and the newcomer before tapping Myrtha on the shoulder. Good choice. She went rigid, like she might cry or hide behind those huge ears of hers.

The two walked to the front of the silent room. I was safe, at least for now...

“Analyze the following,” Pavel read, enunciating each word. He didn’t look up, far from his usual cool. “You’re working in a verticalized solar cell facility following the clean energy collapse. Which of the following…”

I got distracted and before I knew it, they’d finished a three-tiered sorting system with some notes about increased worker hours. They turned to Ms. Hetly, eyes wide.

The man was pounding away at his keys, staring steely-eyed at the three of them.

“Well done. You can go back to your seats,” Ms. Hetly murmured, her voice a few octaves above normal.

The enhancer lifted a threatening finger. “One second.” He took a full two minutes to finish a note before turning his attention to Pavel. Pavel shuffled his feet and looked at the floor.

“How do you like school?” he asked.

“I like it well enough.” Pavel bit his lower lip, still staring at his feet.

“Well enough? What do you want to be when you graduate? And look at me, boy, when I’m talking to you!”

A bolt shot through Pavel, the jerk of marionette strings pulling him straight, his feet back, chest out. He looked at the man. “I’d like to be an engineer, sir.”

“An engineer, huh?” The man smirked. “That requires university. Your kind doesn’t do higher education.”

“I know, sir. I thought, I could learn it on my own and try to apply, convince ’em. You know?” Pavel said in an excited voice.

“No, I don’t know,” the inspector replied icily. The man’s hard eyes narrowed further. “Can you spell it out for me? Which part of the law did you think you could convince ’em to break?”

“Um, well, I didn’t—”

“I think what Pavel is trying to say, sir,” Ms. Hetly cut in, “is that he has big dreams and wants to contribute to society. Right, Pavel?”

“Yes, ma’am. Yes, sir. That’s—that’s what I meant.” Pavel looked away, flushing.

“I don’t buy it. Remember your place.” The enhancer sneered. “You’re dismissed, all of you. Get out!” He turned to Ms. Hetly. “Not you, Pelly. You stay here with me.”

His voice gave me chills as we rushed for the door.