Happy Birthday, Richard.

Nova shoved the stack of dusty papers from her mom’s jewelry box she found in the basement. She only had a minute, two at the most, if they were looking for her. She knew her fear was ridiculous, she hadn’t broken any laws yet with her 18th birthday still two days away. To be safe, she’d spent yesterday holed up in her house, while waiting to hear from Richard.

Inside the wooden jewelry box, she lifted out the tray and grabbed the silver, heart-shaped locket hidden beneath. It was tiny, no bigger than a dime, decorated with fine filagree. She stuffed it into the front pocket of her jeans and quickly shut the lid, replacing the stack of papers. She wasn’t leaving it behind.

At the top of the stairs, she pulled the cord beside the dangling bulb, extinguishing its weak glow, before shutting the door behind her. She tried to ignore the wheezing of the drones just outside her house as she grabbed the khaki duffel from her room. On the perimeter of her yard a small black drone hovered, its sensors beeping and flashing, before it darted across the street. If it found an Unchipped Adult (UA), elite canine forces wouldn’t be far behind. If caught, the punishment was death, one less mouth to feed. She prayed that Richard was safely hidden, just biding his time until the surveillance drone moved on in search of their next prey. He was supposed to pick her up before dawn, just hours before his 18th birthday, but he’d never shown.

If they were looking for him, it was probably too late. Instead of cowering in her house, terrified, she should’ve gone to find him. Why hadn’t she? He would have come for her. Now, a drone was in their sector, searching. She shoved her trembling hands in her pocket and felt the locket, the one her mother had worn around her neck every day up until last August, when she died from a freak workplace accident at only thirty-nine years old.

Her mom had burned to death, incinerated when a thousand-gallon tank of methane exploded, leveling nearly an entire block of manufacturing plants. It happened on the night shift, so only a skeleton crew were killed. Because no bodies were found, there’d been no autopsy or investigation. The fire had burned so hot that there was nothing left to bury. Nova was thankful that for some odd reason her mom had forgotten to put the locket on after her shower that morning. She’d left it on the vanity, next to the sink.

The drones weren’t moving on. This wasn’t just a random sweep. They were looking for a UA. The new statute, enacted this year, required that by the age of 18, every person, whether citizen or not, be implanted with an Identity Chip. Since then, the city has swarmed with surveillance drones, scanning every human heat signature for compliance. So, even though Nova was 17 for a few more days, her heart thumped in her chest, worried sick for her best friend whose eighteenth birthday was today, July 23rd, 2044.

Nova jumped and fell backwards onto the floor when her bedroom door flew open. “Nova, why are you still here?”

She wanted to hug him and never let go. “Dad! Richard never showed and now there’s a drone outside!”

With the number of police recruits steadily declining over the past five years, coupled with the corresponding increase in crime rates, technological strategies were employed to fight crime. Government promised that by tagging every adult and quadrupling drone surveillance, those who commit assault, robbery, identity theft, and even homicide, would be apprehended, imprisoned, and implanted. But Nova and Richard, and other underground freedom fighters, saw the implant as nothing more than government overreach, the chipping away of the little amount of privacy they still possessed.

For nearly a year, she and Richard had been planning for and preparing an escape to the mountains to join FA, the First Americans, a group of implantation resisters.

“Grab your gear and get into the garage, now!” Before she could respond, he was gone.

She zipped her bulging khaki duffel and dragged it across the bedroom floor. Then she heaved it onto her shoulder and shuffled through the living room when the garage door motor hummed.

When she opened the door, her dad’s back was to her. He was messing with something on his work bench.

“What are we doing?”

He turned towards her. “We’re getting Richard and getting out of here. Put your bag in the truck and get in.” In his hands was a long black gun, a type of rifle.

“Where’d you get that? If we’re caught with that, we’re dead!”

It was like he hadn’t heard her. He opened the driver’s door, pulled his seat forward, and slid the gun behind his seat, covering it with a shiny mylar blanket. Then he opened the center console and dropped two boxes of ammo inside. “Nova. Get in the truck, now. We have to go.”

She heard the buzzing of the drones just outside. Her heart hammered in her chest. Her voice quivered with adrenaline. “Where are we going? I’m not leaving without Richard.”

He threw the truck into reverse and looked at her. “We’re going to get him. Do you have your phone?” Her mellow Dad sounded like a drill sergeant.

Nova plucked it out of her jacket. “Yes, right here!” He snatched it from her hand and tossed it out the window and onto the bench.

He jerked back to her. “What about your Flex Watch? Is that on you?”

“Yes, but you can’t have it.” She moved her arm out of his reach. “I need it to contact Richard.”

He lowered his voice. “Nova, give it to me. They can track us with it.”

He was right. She yanked on the elastic band and handed it to him. He tossed it onto the bench, beside her phone.

“Anything else? Anything with a signal?”

Everything was happening too fast. “No, Dad. Nothing.” She had to trust him.

“There’s a switch inside the glove box. When I tell you to, flip it. It blocks our GPS signal. Wait till I tell you.”

She nodded, “Okay. Got it.” She opened the glove box and peered inside, rummaging behind gloves and random papers. “I feel it.”

Then he backed out of the garage and headed down the street, the door closing automatically behind them.

She jerked her head towards him and whispered, “Where are we going? Richard’s the other way.”

“We’re going out to breakfast, to Kelly’s Kitchen, your mother’s favorite place. I owe you a graduation breakfast. You’ll have to trust me.” He put a finger to his lips and shot Nova a message with his eyes.

They parked behind the restaurant and walked silently around to the front. Her dad held the door open and winked as she passed by. She half-expected to see Richard sitting at a table, smiling at her, but every table except one was empty. A sour faced older couple looked up as they entered. Nova looked away, back at her dad, lifting her eyebrows. His face was blank, almost frozen. She followed him to a table at the rear of the small café, just outside the swinging kitchen door, and sat.

A female voice from behind made her jump. “The usual?” She turned to find an old woman, probably in her 80’s, dressed in a pair of grey slacks and a white blouse. Her name tag read, “Molly”.

“Yes, please, Molly, and we’re in a bit of a hurry.” He smiled at her. “Nova and I have a big day planned.”

Molly didn’t return the smile but turned and hurried away. Her dad stretched his arm across the table. “I hope you don’t mind me ordering for you. You’ll have to trust that I know what’s good in this place. I’ve been coming here every Saturday for the past year.” His eyes were serious, taking her in.

She nodded, mute, and laid her hand on top of his. She had no idea how to respond. She’d trusted this man her entire life and wasn’t going to stop now. He had a plan, a plan for both Richard and her. She was sure of it. “Thanks, Dad. I trust you.”

Molly brought two plates of pancakes and bacon and set the bill upside down on the table. “When you’re ready, I’ll be your cashier, “ she said, resting her hand on his shoulder. “It’s been a pleasure serving you. I pray you have a safe trip.”

Nova looked at the waitress. “Trip?” She blanched and left.

Her dad turned the bill over, read it, and slid it inside his wallet. Nova wasn’t halfway through her breakfast when he said, “We need to go. Now.”

When he stood and pushed his chair in, her heart launched like a rocket. She dropped her fork and did the same, following him through the swinging door, straight through the kitchen, and out the Emergency Exit, where the truck awaited.

As soon as they climbed in, he said, “Flip the switch.”

She did as he asked, no questions. They’d driven less than a block when something pounded from behind them. Nova jumped, every nerve sparking. “What is that?”

Her dad turned towards her and smiled. “It’s Richard.”

Her heart soared. “Richard?? Her voice broke and tears streamed down her cheeks. “It’s Richard?”

“Yes, and we have a long drive ahead of us. He’s going to have to stay back there until we reach our destination, just to be safe. The truck bed is lined with a temperature shield, so he’ll be invisible to the drones.”

“You’ve had this planned? You and Richard?”

“This was a backup plan. There’s something else you should know.”

Nova felt her stomach drop. The last thing she needed right then was another surprise. They were leaving town, Richard was hunkered down in the bed of their truck, and her dad had turned into some sort of secret agent.

“What?” She held her breath, waiting.

He was looking in his rearview mirror. “Hold on. A drone is tailing us. Flip the GPS back on. Hurry.”

Nova, flipped open the glove box and shoved her hand inside, jamming the switch on in one swift movement, her eyes glued to her side mirror. Her other hand went to the locket hidden in her pocket, rubbing it between her thumb and forefinger. Mom, send your spirit, send them away.

Her dad exhaled loudly. “It’s gone. We’ll wait until we’re outside town to turn it off. We’re lucky they didn’t stop us. That could’ve been bad.”

Nova took the necklace out of her pocket and kissed the locket. “Thanks, Mom.”

Her dad’s head jerked towards her. “What? What’s that?” He was staring at the necklace in her hand.

“It’s Moms. I took it from her jewelry box. I couldn’t leave it.” Then she slid her nail in the seam and popped it open. Inside was a picture of her dad and herself, her mom’s two loves. Nova stared at it for a moment and then fastened the necklace around her neck. “I couldn’t leave her behind. I hope you’re not mad.”

He was smiling. “I’m not mad, Nova. Not at all. Your mother will be happy to have it back.”

He wasn’t making sense, but she didn’t want to upset him. She knew how hard the past year had been, how much he’d missed his soul mate. “Good. Can I keep it?”

“You’ll have to ask your mother. It’s hers.” He was staring straight ahead, looking sane, but his words scared her. Was he losing it?

“Dad, how far are we going? Maybe I should drive.” Maybe with a little rest he could collect himself…clear his mind.

“It’s a long drive, Nova. We won’t be returning to our house…ever. We’re going to join your mom. Switch off the GPS.”