Rebel Heart

Rebel Heart

Michael HH Warren

© Michael ‘Double-H’ Warren 2016

www.michaelhhwarren.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the author. Brief excerpts may be cited in book reviews, provided the narrative quoted is verbatim and due credit is given by way of the book title and name of author.

Although this is a reality-based novel, it is a work of fiction nonetheless. Names, characters, businesses and most incidents and events are either the products of the Author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, genuine businesses or actual incidents and events is purely coincidental. Places, businesses, institutions, incidents and events evident and occurring in public domain source documents and resource repositories are true to life and therefore factual.

Cover design by Michael HH Warren & Konrad Schaffner

Book design by Leila Summers

Edited by Victoria Smith

Contents

Dedication

Authors Note

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Acknowledgements

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Kelly & Caden―my legacy for a better world.

This work celebrates the independent spirit, courage and entrepreneurialism that Generation Z embodies. As the world changes more rapidly, it’s to be expected that the challenges you face will be greater and more complex than those of your forefathers.

Thanks to the advances of technology, and your understanding of its potential, though, you are well equipped to face whatever the future may bring. I know you have the inner reserves to delve into unchartered territories and to take this world forward.

This work is a tribute to you.

Michael HH Warren

August 2016

Author’s Note

REBEL HEART is a story about young people, for young people. It is a story about power and empowerment; and an encouragement for Generation Z to question the status quo; to challenge the decisions that are made around them; to distinguish the good from the bad.

Historically it has been stated and recorded that Western society has not treated its children and young people well, but in the last 20 years our approach to parenting and rearing children has become more open-minded, more nurturing, and more supportive.

REBEL HEART celebrates the powerful voice that young people have, individually and as a collective, and constructs a context in which this power can be put to effective and beneficial use.

Michael HH Warren

August 2016

Chapter One

Born Famous

@ryan_hunter

The point is not to leave a better world for our children. It’s to leave better children for our world #PowerGate2025

The headlines screamed at her from every street pole the car drove past. No matter how low she hung her head, there was no escaping the corny puns and shocking statistics. Even if she didn’t live in a place where everything was everyone’s business, she wouldn’t be able to hide from this.

Although. She glanced at Madison. This was the only time in the history of being herself she didn’t envy her cousin. She couldn’t go any lower on the social ladder―but her cousin could. Madison sat a few seats ahead of her, flanked by a stylishly decorated Bella.

What had Uncle Harald done, she said to herself for the umpteenth time. It was more of a statement than a question, and something that she was starting to think she’d never understand.

When they arrived at the courthouse there was a group of angry people standing outside waving signs and placards. Most of them were calling for her Uncle to stand down and some of them called for a maximum sentence.

Reporters were swarming the steps leading up to the doors and they made a beeline for the girls as they were escorted out of the car.

She walked out into the sunshine during the lunch break a few hours later. Her head felt tight and tension was building up behind her left eyeball.

Audrey!

She spun around, dazzled by the bright light and surprised at the sound of her name.

Hey Madison. How are you holding up? She turned around to see her cousin standing behind her. It was a rhetorical question; Madison looked distraught. Her cousin gestured to a wooden bench and sat down.

Bella’s dad says there is new evidence, she whispered after a few moments of silence.

Audrey nodded. She had seen the expensive-looking lawyer pull her cousin aside before they started the morning session.

This is major—there is a lot more going on than anyone knows, her cousin continued.

Audrey knew her Uncle networked with a lot of important people. That was part and parcel of being the Mayor.

Yeah…the entire trial is about conspiracies. He was covering up a lot, Madison.

That’s not what I mean… she took a deep breath and then looked away as Bella approached with two bottles of water.

Anyway, I’ll see you later, she announced a little too loudly before getting up to intercept her friend.

Audrey looked on as the two girls walked away together. As she scanned the area outside the courthouse she locked eyes with a tall, olive-skinned guy. Slouchy. Everything about him said slouchy. Okay, designer slouchy. She watched him follow the crowd that was starting to move back inside. She inhaled.

***

Audrey was pulling her books out of her locker after the first bell went when she heard the sound of muffled giggling around her.

She looked around the side of her locker door to see the guy she had noticed the day before saunter past her and into her English class, followed by the heads of at least half of the girls in 9th grade. She smiled and shook her head.

As soon as the last bell of the day went, she grabbed her bag and started sprinting.

No running in the corridors! yelled the janitor as she flew past him. She pushed open the swing doors and jumped onto the grass outside. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, till her muscles were so hot she couldn’t feel them anymore.

She loved the burning sensation the air made in her lungs, reminding her that she was alive. She loved the temperature and pressure of the air on her face, through her hair, in her eyes. And the heaving feeling in her chest that made her feel as though she would lift off the earth any second.

***

When she burst into the kitchen Madison and Bella were looking at something on a laptop.

My, my, aren’t we sweaty, Bella smiled smugly.

Ugh, Audrey, take a shower. That is so gross. Madison turned her back to her.

Audrey ignored them and opened the fridge.

What are you looking at? She gulped down ice cold water and had to catch her breath.

Wait a minute. She looked at her cousin’s sweat pants. Didn’t you guys go to school today?

Aud, Madison said dramatically, There is major trouble going down that is way more important than school right now.

Such as?

Such as, maybe the captain of the football team’s spreading rumors that your cuz put out on Friday, Bella chipped in.

"Such as, Madison glared at her friend, Maybe this isn’t Daddy’s fault. Maybe he’s been framed."

She paused dramatically. Daddy is just the Mayor. He doesn’t have business interests in this. But others do.

She turned the laptop screen around to face Audrey.

FullBright Technologies Audrey said aloud. So what?

They specialize in nuclear power solutions. They’ve just opened new headquarters here. And Daddy’s lawyer says their tactics are pretty disruptive.

What Rowan Fulbright wants, he gets. Bella chipped in again.

She always looks like she’s about to take a selfie, thought Audrey. She thought back to earlier that morning when they were hit with a barrage of flash lights and interview questions. Bella had reveled in the attention and most of her shots had probably come out picture perfect, thought Audrey. She snapped out of it.

Hmm, I’m going to finish my homework.

Audrey slipped past them and took the stairs two-at-a-time to her room before her cousin could interrupt. She pressed the door closed and exhaled.

***

Audrey loved the Internet. Whatever she didn’t know, the Internet could tell her. Her mom had instilled a love for learning in her way before they came to the United States. Her mother had been a teacher and she had given Audrey a good head start on her path to knowledge.

She opened her Mac and started typing away. When her cousin had introduced the topic, her ears had pricked up. Her great, great, great grandfather had pioneered hydro power in Norway in the 19th century and she had always taken an interest in power generation. Because he had been on her father’s side of the family, she hadn’t heard much information first hand, but she had felt proud of what she had read.

As she searched she saw how nuclear power generators were playing up the environmental and health hazards of coal stations as they lobbied for support and funding from the private and public sectors. But hey, next to coal stations there were lots of things that would look good. It wasn’t really a difficult argument to win.

What the District Attorney had claimed was that Uncle Harald had knowingly allowed the coal utility to continue to operate, even though a medical assessment classified it as a health hazard for people living in a 30-mile radius.

Sure this was a pretty opportunistic time for FullBright Technologies to enter the market but this investigation went back at least five years, which was way before they were in the picture.

Audrey logged onto her social media feed and scrolled through it.

#PowerGate2025 Have your say - Contact @ryan_hunter

Even those who didn’t have opinions were being encouraged to air them. She sighed. There were already calls for her Uncle to step down and the trial wasn’t even halfway through. But, what if there was something to what her cousin had told her?

@ryan_hunter, she typed, Will #PowerGate2025 Go Nuclear?

***

Just before she was about to turn into English class the next morning, the dark haired guy she had seen the day before sided up to her. She was a little surprised but kept walking. No one at school really spoke to her and she liked it that way.

Hey, so you’re Audrey, he said softly.

I am. Thank you for reminding me. She stopped walking and looked at him. This was an all-new low if it was an attempt at a pick-up line.

You’re new.

Yeah. Zane.

C’mon Zane. We’re late.

***

When the bell went for recess he followed her into the sunshine.

So, where are you from? she asked.

We just relocated from Minnesota. My dad just transferred.

Ah, my dad transferred out of here long ago, she said before realizing that her attempt at a joke had fallen flat.

So what do you do for fun around here? he asked a little awkwardly.

Well, there’s a rad forest behind Wolf Creek … her voice trailed off as she glanced at her phone.

@geekgirl- Got something to share? Part of the nucleus?

***

After school they followed the river down to the forest. The water was rushing over smooth pebbles and glistening in the afternoon sun.

Milkweed and violets were popping up all around the river, splashing it with color.

The forest canopy looked exquisite in the afternoon sun, Audrey thought. It was