Nemecene: The Epoch of Redress (20 page)

"Expired program. Quick patch." Pass her the slip. "It was stuck to mine." Not a flinch. I'd better keep my voice down. "I think you're being tracked." Maybe she didn't hear me. "I think..."

"Shhh." She leans into me, grabs my sleeve tightly and points her eyebrows to her left. "The guy, three seats over with the black hair. Don't look!"

Well, it's a little late now. Crap. He's staring back. Act normal. Slowly look at someone else. Caroline. She's starting to tense up.

"Have you seen him before?" She pulls in closer to me, but I can barely hear her reply. She's not breathing. This is not good. "Caroline? You know him?"

"No. But wouldn't mind a piece though, yeah?"

Oh, the little punk. I fell right into that one. "You're bent." She's laughing now.

"We're going to have fun tonight."

"You mean
you're
going to have fun." I think I need a wipe.

"Oh, ride it, girl. You're in the big city now. After tonight, you'll be back for more. Trust me."

Trust? Right. You first.

"Why is the GHU so interested in you, Caroline?"

"My temperature often drops below optimal. They're always looking for viruses. Afraid of a spread." A mischievous smirk. "They haven't caught me yet." She and Stitch would get along I'm sure. "And you? How did you break out?"

"I can trust you?"

"Of course. The drop's coming up." Here we go.

She turns to me on the platform and giggles, then proceeds to muss my hair into an organized mess. "Thanks. Forgot the hat head syndrome."

"And..."

"This thing is a frequency thrower, and the bangle rubs them out, kind of like a noise maker and a scan jam." She doesn't need to know where I got them.

"Trip. You won't be needing them where we're going though. Best hide them." She's distracted. "Nice skirt. Looks like a VLine." She's checking the courtyard exits. Am I missing something? "And you've spent some time on the slick. I know a few regulars who are going to like you." She winks. Her legs are pretty strong as well. "Have you competed?"

"Been planing since the age of three. How about you?" My hair roots are stiffening.

"On and off. There's a rink on the west side by the transport station. You can't pass it."

"That's great! I've been missing the workout." And the freedom. It's like I leave the whole world behind and enter a new dimension where every part of me resonates in harmony with the universe. I used to dance for hours. Father had to drag me off. I hated him for that. I've never admitted this to Keet, but after the accident, I would go there to escape the voices and be with Mother. I miss that. I miss her.

"Just the workout?" She's smiling softly at me. Sigh. I wish I could talk to her. All these secrets. All this hurt bottled up inside. But I can't risk it. Hold it together. Rub the hair on my arms down. Take a deep breath. It's just your imagination.

"Let's daze."

"That's the spirit. Just through the east corridor. Follow close. We have to be quick." She's on edge. Pay attention.

It's a lot warmer here, being closer to the land. There's some mist forming on the ground. The cooling vents must be blocked, I can feel the heat rising up my skirt. It must be too hot to bear during the high sun. She's really blistering. Any faster and we'd be running. I am having second thoughts about this. I can't see where we're going. I really don't want a repeat of the arcade. Night flyers and a light. Good. She's stopped.

"Over there. There's an opening we can slip through." She
can't
be serious. That's the restricted sector and a living wall. I'm not a believer, but what if there is some shred of truth in the stories... All myths have some basis in fact, right?

"Wait!" Crap. She's gone. Footsteps. Panic. Ok. I've come this far.

"Grab my hand." Got it. Ugh! What's that smell? Gag. "You'll get used to it soon enough. It won't kill you unless you're boxed in. No pretty lavender in these waters." She's right. The channels are disgusting, and there's yellow soot everywhere.

Are those people? "There are actually people living here?" Why would anyone want to live here?

"If you want to call them that." She points to a group leaning out the shattered window of a tower, the scaffold half-rusted and dragging into the sludge. "They don't remember what being a person is. Most of them have been here too long. They're off the scan, so no one knows they're here, not even the GHU. It's freedom. Everybody is running from something. Or someone." And so is she, I sense.

She leads me towards a narrow beam wedged into the side of a small structure a few buildings away and starts walking across. I should be used to this by now. Ok. Here it goes.

"You ever been in one of these?"

"What is it?" All I see is a door.

She pushes a button and the door opens. "An ancient lift. It works on a cable system, so it's a bit slow. Jump in."

Surprise! The back wall is glass. Look at all that junk. Everything is just suspended and there are things moving around in there. It must be the currents. There can't be anything living in there. Eek! What the…

"You see them sometimes, floating around, the ones that haven't been swept. Most of them still decomposing. It's a slow process in these waters; there are no scavengers except for bacteria."

"What happened here?"

"Explosions, I think. It happened before either of us were born. The newer ones like that one." Jumpers! "Yeah. They say they were workers hired to clean up and seal the buildings again. No one can trace us in here, you see. We're too far down. No one can find us if something happens." Well, that's not very comforting.

The lift opens onto a long hallway leading to another door. I follow her through and just stand there in disbelief. I don't know what I am looking at. There's a ledge, then a ditch with two steel beams running through and into tunnels at either end. Is it some sort of transport system?

"It's called a subway. We're under the ocean floor. This one is safe, but not all of them are. An air vent goes up more than three hundred meters to the surface. Hop down. We need to walk to the next station."

How am I going to explain this to Keet? I wonder if Stitch knows about this. Or should I say Zafarian. I'm sure he does. I regret not telling them.

"Through here, Eli. Shhh. Let them pass."

Who? Heart, stop pounding. Hands, hold steady. Just close your eyes. No. Open them. Figures. Scream time.

"Eek! Eli, you little—"

"What are you doing here, Keet?"

Stitch is really rolling in it. "Pica trip, chum. Priceless." Hehehe. "You're head. Healed already?"

"I gave Eli a bioskin this morning. Works fast, eh?" Keet and I lock eyes. We'll need to talk about that later.

"You
know
these people, Eli? They've been following us since Almedina Square."

"I
thought
you were a bit preoccupied. That's my cousin, Keet, and our friend, Stitch."

"Trip. I'm Caroline." She's giving Keet the standard cheek to cheek lowland greeting. Hmmm. Holding the back of his head? She's flirting with him. "The juicy one."

Keet is actually blushing. Catch her.

She's dizzy. "I'm fine, just leaned over too far." Right. I don't believe that one. "And Stitch you said?" She's in for a treat. "Crazed!" Hehehe. That hair will do it every time.

Oh please! Stand on your legs, boy! She's not
that
mesmerizing. "Boys!" My giggly friend turns serious on me now. How I'd like to know what her voices are telling her.

"Ok. Just act like you've been here before, yeah? And there shouldn't be any scuffs." She's staring straight at Stitch. "Just ahead. Through that red door. I'll have to make up some story to get you guys in, so just let me do the talking, yeah?"

"I'm trip with that."

That's some huge door. It's so cold here. Caroline's the only one not shivering.

"You get used to it." Stitch is not looking good at all. His hair is out of control. Loosen up. The door's opening. This is it. You wanted a party. "Way, Banique." She is quite the charmer.

"Sweet sweet sweet Caroline. Lend me that soft cheek of yours. You break my heart." He's looking at Keet and Stitch and being quite dramatic.

"Eli, Keet, Stitch. You trip, Banique?"

I do believe this guy is in love with her. How does she do it? "Oh, the shards! Be good." He hands her four small tubes and she puts them in a hidden pocket.

"Always." She winks at him and strokes his shoulder as she slinks by. Impressive. We're in, but she's looking concerned. Keet gets the up-down. "Keet, take a look around." Finally! He might listen to her. "You need help in the style department. Stitch? Can you do something about that?" I'm going to bust.

"Da Ya. To the bang-o, bud." I can't wait to see what Stitch is going to come up with.

"He has a language of his own, your friend." She has no idea. "He shouldn't be here."

Well, I certainly didn't invite him or Keet. Who is she looking at? In the corner, that man. I've felt his eyes on us since we walked in.

"Who is he? In the corner."

"The Pramam's advisor."

"Whoa! For real?"

Yeah. She's serious. "He's a regular. How do you think this place exists? Want to meet him?"

"No, thanks." Crap. I have to get out of here.

"It pays to have a friend in the Ministry, yeah?" All I can do is shake my head. She must smell the fear. I want to go now. "Ease, girl. I was scared the first time too. Next time." She waves at him and blows him a kiss.

Someone's coming over. And the advisor keeps staring at us from the corner.

"Way, Caroline. Who's your new friend?"

"Mine. Now trip out." Wow! That was rude. "You'll want to stay away from that one, he has poor control. You'll need to build up to him."

I'm confused. "What exactly is this place?" The music is earthy. The rhythms are good, and everyone seems into it, in a trance-like way.

"Sit with me. Feel the energy. Close your eyes, it helps get you connected. Do you feel it? This is the world they don't want you to see. It's pure sensation. That's why he comes here. Do you feel him?"

What's happening to me? I'm feeling so...everything is so… My heartbeat… I'm so hungry, thirsty, I want to just...take a piece out of someone. Stop it! They're pumping something in here. Open your eyes. I'm burning up all of a sudden. It's just so hot in here. What's happening? What's everyone staring at?

"Caroline? What?"

"Stay here."

Why are they taking so long? Here they come. Hurry up, boys. They're getting distracted. What's Caroline doing? The other girls don't look too happy. She sure means business. She's doing the up-down on Keet again.

"Good job, Stitch! Have a seat." I wish I had a flash of this. "Everybody just…stay calm." She's keeping Stitch especially close to her.

Ooo, I think Keet is jealous. Have to use this one later. Yes.

It's the creepy officials! I can't let them recognize me. What are they doing here? We're jam. They're trotting over to talk to the advisor. Everyone is afraid of them, they're sweating. I'm soaked. Keet's sensing something too. I need some answers.

"Caroline?"

"They won't touch us. Not while he's here. We're safe." She looks over at Stitch. "But he's not. We should go." What does she mean by that?

"We just arrived, Eli, I like it here, it's pumped." I don't believe it. The pup is hyped for the daze while Stitch is hanging low.

They're looking over. Oh no. They're heading this way.

"Now!" Caroline's right. She waves to Banique and we make for the back while he intercepts their pursuit.

"I thought you said we were safe, Caroline."

"Well, maybe there's something you need to share, Eli?" She pulls out the tubes Banique gave her and hands one to each of us. "Here. Put these masks on. No time for questions."

Keet is glaring at me. I'm the one who should be angry. If it weren't for him and Stitch, we wouldn't be stuck skulking around these shafts in the dark. Or maybe it's me, skipping off campus. Good. There's a partially lit opening. A way out?

"Don't look up. I'll go last. Keet, you first. Stitch, you're next. Lock your arms in the rungs if you feel dizzy. We'll support you. Then you, Eli. Slow and steady on my count. Keet, stop at nine hundred. They can't follow us in here, but they'll be waiting for you at the Victory Bridge."

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. And again. Deep. And let it all out. You can do this. Don't think, just move.

"Here. Put your wet clothes over there. Stitch, grab those sheets."

I'm drenched. Where am I? There's Sparky. We're in Keet's room. "Where's Caroline?"

"She kept west once we reached under the central corridor. Dry off your hair with this. You two can sneak back to campus in the fog. Your decoy good for the night, Stitch?"

"Yeah. Trip. It'll scan right, but Eli…"

"They can't scan my room." It's time to trust him.

"What? And what just happened down there, chum? Did you see the bodies?"

Keet's quiet. His eyes are searching mine for answers. But I have none.

Day 30: Late Evening