The Mosaic Woman Read online

  The Mosaic Woman

  by Resa Nelson

  The Mosaic Woman

  Copyright © 2021 by Resa Nelson

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  Cover Art © 2021 by Eric Wilder

  First Edition May 2021

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the invention of the author, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, event, or locale is entirely coincidental.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Many thanks to my fellow authors, Carla Johnson and Tom Sweeney, who read this novel before publication and gave me excellent feedback.

  CHAPTER 1

  Descending from the sky to the island city of VainGlory in the arms of a drone taxi, Zuri’s grin shifted into a grimace when her feet touched ground and the drone released her.

  She adjusted her Slim Goggles, which wrapped around her head and across her eyes like sunglasses. They projected a small screen in front of her face, currently showing the retreating image of the drone taxi that had carried her in its rollercoaster harness for a short distance across the sea to this island, depositing her on a bullseye painted on the harbor.

  Beyond the dock where she now stood, streetlamps arched high above a maze of sidewalks winding through a myriad of fountains and greenery.

  One of the streetlamps turned as if looking at Zuri, and its recessed bulb turned on and cast its light in her direction.

  A moment of panic paralyzed Zuri.

  This is real. It’s truly happening.

  For the past ten years, all Zuri had wanted was fame, and VainGlory provided the fastest path to that goal. Fame meant happiness, something Zuri longed to find.

  But in this moment, Zuri felt the truth unfolding around her. Accepting the invitation to VainGlory required giving up all she’d ever known.

  The streetlamp swung its beam at the surrounding peers. Those other streetlamps followed their companion’s beam when it pointed back at Zuri. A heavy hum reverberated from them.

  Here, everything would be foreign and new. She’d be starting from the bottom, trying to navigate the hazards of making her way back to the top where she belonged.

  Zuri made an attempt to calm her nerves.

  I’m not losing everything. Just my earthy surroundings and route. The other things will stay the same.

  “Zuri?”

  She checked the display in front of her face at the sound of a woman’s voice, but Zuri saw no one.

  “That model doesn’t work here. You can see things, but you can’t see people. I won’t show up. You have to remove your goggles.”

  Zuri’s body trembled at the awful suggestion. Her panic escalated into terror. When Zuri spoke, her voice shook so hard that she didn’t recognize it. “Take them off? What if I don’t want to?”

  The invisible woman’s voice took a sharp tone. “You can’t enter VainGlory unless you do what I say. I’m your supervisor. Donna.” The woman paused. “If you don’t want to be supervised, it’s a one-way ticket back to where you came from.”

  Zuri thought she might not be ready for VainGlory yet. If she left, maybe she could come back another time. Maybe sometime next year. That would give her time to build up her courage.

  “If you leave,” Donna said, “you won’t be invited back. That means you’ll never achieve more than what you’ve already accomplished.”

  For the past ten years, Zuri had strived toward the goal of arriving in VainGlory and making her way to the top. Ten long years. If she gave up now, she’d never get anywhere. All the years she’d worked so hard would be for nothing.

  And it wouldn’t be only Zuri’s dream that would die.

  “All right,” Zuri said. She steeled her willpower with encouraging thoughts.

  Make it quick, like ripping off a bandage. You can do this.

  Zuri took off her Slim Goggles with a swift hand, folded them, and stuffed them in the satchel of essentials she’d brought. The harshness of daylight made her flinch.

  But Zuri sensed more than daylight. Dozens of streetlamps directed beams of light at her.

  Donna spun away from Zuri to face them. “Knock it off! She’s invited. She’s approved.”

  The beams dimmed and then went dark. The streetlamps turned back to their previous positions, no longer seeming to stare at Zuri.

  Donna turned back to face her.

  A wretched discomfort forced Zuri to look down at her feet, unable to bear the opportunity to look into the eyes of her new supervisor.

  “Good,” Donna said, nodding her approval at seeing Zuri no longer wearing her Slim Goggles. “That sense of shock you’re feeling right now is something everyone goes through when they come to VainGlory for the first time. It’s normal.”

  Zuri intended to speak in a strong and confident tone, surprised to hear herself mumble. “It is?”

  Zuri heard slow footsteps coming toward her. Frightened at the sound, she took a stumbling step back, keeping her gaze on the ground.

  The footsteps halted. “It’s very normal. But everything I’m asking you to do this morning is necessary. It’s how you transition. It’s unnerving. Everyone says it feels unnatural. But it’s necessary.”

  Zuri tried to speak, but she mumbled again, this time saying no words that even she could recognize.

  “Ultimately,” Donna said, “you’re the one who will benefit. If you do as I say, I can get you off to a strong start as early as today. But first you need to look at me.”

  Do it quick.

  Zuri clung to her satchel as if it had the power to protect her from lions. Then she looked up at Donna, who wore no goggles at all. Dressed in slim black pants, a simple white shirt, and a black coat with a dozen pewter button closures, she conjured the sensibility of a military officer. The woman’s eyes appeared dark and stern, and they gazed with too much intensity at Zuri.

  Unnerved, Zuri used a trick she’d learned long ago. She shifted her own gaze to land on Donna’s throat. That way, Zuri could avoid her supervisor’s eyes while appearing to look directly at her face.

  “Good.” Donna pointed at slim poles around them that stretched skyward. “That’s why your goggles don’t work. The city has a privacy wall.”

  “I don’t see a wall.”

  “That’s what we call it. It’s more of an invisible shield that blocks unauthorized transmissions from coming in and going out. For example, have you seen much of VainGlory before coming here?”

  Zuri considered the question. She’d seen plenty of the people who lived here but little of the city itself. “No.”

  “That’s why. Because of the privacy wall. Your goggles are unauthorized. We’ll provide a replacement. One that’s authorized.” Donna spread her arms wide. “Welcome to VainGlory. Where fame is the name of the game.”

  Relieved at the unspoken invitation to look away from Donna, Zuri started at the sight that had been right in front of her all this time.

  At the edge of the bullseye where Zuri had landed stood a marble walkway surrounded by canals filled with clean azure water, stretching far ahead and to either side. As if on cue, dozens of fountains erupted alongside the canals.

  “Walk with me,” Donna said. “I’ll give you a basic tour. When we’re done, you need to make a decision, so pay attention.” She turned her back on Zuri and walked forward.

  Zuri hurried to catch up and walk alongside her new supervisor, while keeping her attention on their surroundings. As long as she didn’t have to look at anyone, Zuri could carry on a conversation.

  Streetlamps lining the marble walkway turned to aim at Zuri. In unison, they beamed streams of yellow light at her. The streetlamps hummed angrily.

  Zuri and her supervisor faltered to a halt.

  “Stop t
hat!” Donna shouted at the streetlamps. “I already told you she’s supposed to be here.”

  When they failed to respond, she flattened one hand and swiped it against the air in front of her. “The city isn’t recognizing a new recruit because she has just arrived. She hasn’t been to the Welcome Center yet. Take care of it.”

  Moments later, the streetlamps shuddered. The yellow beams of light died out, and the streetlamps turned away from Zuri as if in shame.

  Catching a glimpse, Zuri noticed camera lenses mounted on top of each light.

  “That’s more like it,” Donna muttered. “The city didn’t recognize you. All it had to go on was your identity chip. The city thought you were an unauthorized intruder. Safety is a top priority in VainGlory. Our citizens count on it. Most people leave their doors unlocked and the keys to their boats in the ignition. That’s how safe the city is.”

  Zuri couldn’t help but rub the fleshy web between her thumb and forefinger where her identity chip had been implanted when she reached the legal age of 12. Like everyone else, she rarely thought about it.

  As they continued walking, Donna gestured toward the fountains and maze of canals. “This is the water garden. It surrounds the city. A perimeter, of sorts.” She held up a warning hand. “And before you ask, the city has plenty of options for getting around, from drone taxis to fast-tracks. Of course, most residents rarely leave home, because they don’t have to. We are walking by choice. I want you to take in what you see. Drink it in. You’ll need to remember it.”

  Normally, Zuri would have blanched at the suggestion of walking. But she understood Donna’s intent. The water garden filled Zuri with wonder and delight. The water from the canals smelled as fresh as summer rain. The fountains danced a dizzying array of movements, intricate and surprising.

  As they walked, the canal alongside them widened. Several dolphins leapt out of it, twisting and turning in the air. Zuri cried out in surprise when a whale leapt into the wake the dolphins left behind. She darted a few steps ahead to avoid getting splashed.

  Where the water garden ended, a more conventional garden began. Walking in silence, Zuri drank in the ever-changing scents of sweet flowers and freshly-mown grass. Slender trees delineated the boundaries, and their leaves rustled in the gentle wind. Like colorful spokes of a wheel, a group of long and triangular flower beds brimmed with crimson tulips, sunshine daffodils, and purple snapdragons.

  “It’s so perfect,” Zuri said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “This is the Animated Garden. It’s all engineered.” Donna called out to the garden, “Tulips! Come to attention!”

  Like soldiers, all the crimson tulips straightened their stems and petals so that they looked perfectly uniform.

  Stunned, Zuri said, “Are they real flowers?”

  “In a manner of speaking. Just don’t try to pick any of them.” Donna stopped and leaned down to pick up a small stone from the marble gravel lining the pathway. She tossed it toward a snapdragon, whose blossoms bared sparkling dagger-like teeth and lunged toward the pebble as it sailed past them.

  Zuri jumped in surprise.

  “It’s a mechanism built in by the jewelers,” Donna said. “The snaps have diamond teeth. The peonies and chrysanthemums have rubies and emeralds at their centers. They’re meant to provide beauty to all. Theft is frowned upon. And usually prevented.”

  Although Zuri wanted to pepper Donna with questions, she remembered her supervisor’s advice.

  Everything I’m asking you to do this morning is necessary. When we’re done, you need to make a decision, so pay attention.

  Trellises supporting ivy and white blossoms walked upright through the animated park, pausing when they encountered each other to band together and form geometric shapes. Large bumblebees and hummingbirds flitted through the air. One bird with a flashing red throat approached Zuri and hovered in front of her face.

  “She’s with me,” Donna said to the hummingbird. “Be on your way.”

  Taking a closer look at the bird, Zuri noticed its metallic feathers before it zipped away with a rustling noise. “It’s a robot.”

  Donna nodded. “The bees, too.” She pointed ahead. “You might have noticed that the gardens are laid out like the outer rings of a target with the city as its center. The next ring is the Carnival of Animals.”

  Following Donna’s pointing finger, Zuri caught her breath in wonder. Where the animated garden ended, lush green lawns began. A safari park revealed an array of transparent animals that roamed and appeared to graze on the grass.

  “They’re made of crystal,” Donna said.

  The animals glistened in the sunlight, and Zuri spotted no more than one of each. An elephant rubbed up against a tree, which cracked under its life-size height and weight. A tiger stalked through a stretch of tall, waving grass while eyeing an antelope that appeared to drink from a quartz pond. A koala snuggled among the branches of a tall tree. Encased in a large glass cube edged with frost, a polar bear stretched across a mound of snow.

  A sudden movement caught Zuri’s attention, and her jaw dropped in astonishment. “Is that a unicorn?”

  A single-horned horse pawed the ground on top of a slight rise.

  “It is,” Donna said. “There’s also a Pegasus, a centaur, and a dragon. I hear there’s a gargoyle due to arrive next week.” She pointed above the unicorn. “They prefer their space, but that bridge allows you to walk among them.”

  Zuri stared into the blank air above the unicorn until the outline of a bridge shimmered into view. “Is it made of crystal, too?”

  “Partly. When people walk across it, they look like they’re floating on air.”

  Zuri choked back tears of joy. All her life, she’d heard rumors of VainGlory, but she never dared believe them because images of the city were considered contraband. The few she’d seen showed little more than faces of its famous residents. What she’d seen since her arrival proved to be far more wondrous than anything she’d ever imagined.

  A woman’s petrified scream pierced the silence.

  Zuri looked all around but saw no one. “Who was that?”

  The unicorn whinnied in dismay.

  Thrashing sounds churned from the large canal a short distance away in the water garden through which they had walked.

  Zuri turned back to look. Dolphins leapt high in the air like salmon swimming upstream. A creature twice their size vaulted out of the water and snatched one dolphin in its jaws, crammed with rows of sharp teeth. Blood sprayed in a fountain from the shrieking dolphin’s body before it disappeared under water with its attacker.

  Zuri’s heart raced. “What was that? What’s happening?”

  Donna spoke in a nonchalant tone. “Just a glitch. They happen from time to time. Nothing to be concerned about.”

  A small domed building of polished granite loomed ahead, and Donna led Zuri to its entrance. An engraved brass plate next to the door read “Welcome, New Residents.”

  Even when Donna spoke, Zuri kept her focus on the building.

  “This is where we part ways. Inside, they’ll fit you with a Personal Bubble and a DPA.”

  “DPA?”

  “Digital Personal Assistant. From now on, our contact will be strictly through your Bubble.”

  Despite Zuri’s success in avoiding looking at her new supervisor’s face, their conversation had been the longest in-person interaction Zuri had experienced during the past ten years. It exhausted her. Knowing she wouldn’t have to go through this again gave her relief.

  “Once they get you sorted out,” Donna continued, “I’ll take you to your new home and tell you about your first assignment.”

  Zuri walked into the Welcome Center, filled with the desperation of having been disconnected from her Slim Goggles for such a long time. Her hands trembled, and her throat felt dry. She clung to her satchel as if it were a security blanket, knowing her goggles rested safely inside should that desperation get the best of her.

  Soo
n, Zuri told herself. It won’t be long until you’re connected to the world again, and then everything will be alright.

  * * *

  Donna watched Zuri walk into the Welcome Center until the door shut behind the young woman. “I need to speak to Franklin Buckingham,” Donna said.

  Like the movers and shakers of VainGlory, she rejected most kinds of direct connection to the world, whether the outside world or the insular world of this city. Her one concession was calls.

  Her earpiece buzzed moments later. Answering with a flick of her head, she said, “Donna here.”

  Silence weighed on the other end for a brief moment. Then a familiar male voice spoke. “She’s here?”

  “She’s here.”

  “Any problems?”

  “Nothing of significance. A scream. Probably someone creating something for the Murder Channel. And then one of the sharks got loose.”

  Silence weighed heavier. “How did she respond?”

  “Like you’d expect. But when I sent her to the Welcome Center, she forgot what she’d just seen and heard. You know how they are.”

  Franklin Buckingham sighed with relief on the other end of the call. “They get used to constant interruptions. It’s normal for them.”

  Donna smiled. “So is forgetting. If you want to make them forget, all you have to do is interrupt and point them in a new direction.” Knowing her place and her responsibility to Franklin Buckingham, she said, “How soon do you need her?”

  “That’s unclear at the moment. Possibly as early as next week. Or it could be sometime in the next few months. I won’t know until the tests are done.”

  “Understood. I’ll make sure she’s ready when you are.” The click in her ear let Donna know he’d hung up.

  She dreaded the necessity of monitoring the new girl for the next few days or weeks or however long it took. Donna took little joy in knowing she had ways to do so without resorting to the use of a Bubble or other noxious device.

  But what had to be done had to be done.

  More thrashing sounds erupted from the distant water garden.