Chaotic as it was, Rebecca felt at home. She should have been afraid of all the people, but all she could think of was how happy she was that she wasn't alone, because if there was anything that prison taught her, being alone was punishment. So she washed, and shared her water, occasionally lending a hand as part of the community, each washing each other until they were all clean.
Combs were passed about. She took one and combed her short hair again wishing that it was long. Rebecca sighed for a moment before she realized that she
could
grow it long. Gone were her restrictions, evaporating with the end of prison and the commutation of her sentence. She'd been so busy rushing around, keeping one step ahead of her enemies and dealing with Velvet Dogma, that she'd forgotten that she had a future beyond that.
What would she do? Part of her knew that the answer to that most important question depended upon how successful Velvet Dogma was. Another sly part of her psyche reminded her that there wouldn't be a future if the Hei Xin caught up with her. How long had it been since they'd last come after her? Two days? Had it been that long? Maybe she'd lost them for good.
A thought hit her, making her stand up straight. She smiled bright and wide. The others stared at her like she was crazy and stifled giggles. Rebecca didn't care. She'd figured something out.
She hurried into the hut and over to the mattress. She kicked Andy lightly in the leg once, then twice. "Wake up sleepyhead."
"Unhh."
"Wake up."
"Unhh...not...wake..." was all he managed before he returned to a soft snore.
Exasperated, Rebecca grasped the edge of the mattress and heaved sending Andy to the hard earthen floor of the hut. She unceremoniously dumped the mattress on top of him, then sat on the chair.
"What the hell?" Andy fought with the mattress and the sheet, twisting beneath the mess as he fought to escape the cloying sheets. When he finally managed to free himself, he spied her laughing silently.
"Who made you the Wake-up Nazi?" he growled. "Doesn't anyone have respect for the sleeping these days?"
He managed to stand, then naked as the day he was born, he stormed out of the hut. Screams heralded his return as a split second later he leaped back inside and pulled the curtain over his very awake and anxious private part. His eyes were as wide as his face was red.
"Why didn't you tell me they were outside?" he demanded.
"I'm the Wake-up Nazi, not the Bathroom Nazi. Not my job."
She appraised him with raised eyebrows.
"But you could have—"
He grinned. "Wait a minute. You're enjoying this!"
"Immensely."
"Maybe I should go out there and give them a show."
"Maybe you should. Whatever you're going to do, hurry up about it. I'm hungry and I have an idea, and if I'm right, this will really help us get out of here."
"You have an idea?"
"Don't say it like it's never happened before, or I will throw you back outside."
She stood and edged towards him. She still had the towel from her washing and held it like she was ready to whip it.
"You wouldn't dare."
"You have no idea."
His gaze alternated between the wicked edge of the towel and her blue eyes. It didn't take long for him to surrender. He let go of the curtain and marched to where his clothes were stacked. "Let me get these on and I'll take you to breakfast. If we can find some coffee, then maybe I'll be coherent enough to listen to your idea."
Twenty minutes later, they were sitting on stools beside a small table, steaming cups of coffee in front of them. The slum was set up in neighborhoods, each meant to be self-sufficient without being competitive to the others. Huts had been converted to stores, a clinic, several restaurants and a black market cigarette shop where a spindly old man rolled the tobacco right out in the open. She'd marveled over this, remembering when they'd been outlawed during the Smoke Free America Celebration in 2016. Then again, she'd reminded herself, America didn't exist anymore either.
A boy of no more than ten brought a platter piled with pakora, rice and chutney for the middle of the table. The steam from the basket of freshly-made nan mingled with the steam from the coffee to create a mouth-watering aroma. Rebecca began to eat and explained what she'd discovered through mouthfuls.
"Remember when the Day Eaters saved us from the police?"
"Sure," Andy said, shoving a piece of nan heaped with chutney into his mouth. "They set off one of their EMP bombs, then spirited us underground."
"What did you say about the EMP bombs? What is it they did?"
"Jesus, this stuff is hot."
He began to fan his mouth with his hand, looking around for something other than hot coffee to staunch the pain. The more he looked, the less he found, until he almost panicked. He looked at her. "I need some water or I'm going to spontaneously combust."
"You didn't have to eat it like it was jelly."
The chutney was hot, but not insufferably so. She liked it in small quantities just fine.
"It's not jelly?"
Like a little angel, the boy suddenly delivered a mug of white liquid. Andy grabbed it and gulped it down. Only when it was gone did his eyes widen and his mouth tried to turn inside out.
"Gawd. That's awful. What was that?"
"Andy," whispered Rebecca. The last thing they needed to do was offend their hosts.
"I'm not kidding. It tasted like kitty litter."
He took a few tentative sips of coffee, then pushed both the platter and the cup towards Rebecca. "I'll stick with coffee. You can't mess up coffee."
Rebecca sighed. Sometimes he seemed so sophisticated, so learned in the ways of things. At others, like here in the slum, he was as much a fish out of water as she was. She found it both endearing and disappointing.
She asked her question again.
"The EMP Bombs fry any unshielded electronics within range."
That's what she thought he'd said. "What about the electronics in my organs? Did the EMP affect them?"
"Those are usually shielded, but you
were
right there in the blast zone."
He snapped his fingers. "Hey, if they were knocked out, then you're home free. The Hei Xin have no way to track you now."
He'd stolen her thunder, but that was okay. She smiled and nodded. "My thoughts exactly. Can we check to make sure?"
"I bet Darshan has the equipment for it. After breakfast-"
"What equipment of Darshan's are you wanting?" asked the small man as he approached their table. He still wore the maroon tunic from the night before, but it looked as new and as clean as the day it was made.
"Hey, Darshan. Good morning, please come join us."
Andy stood and grabbed a chair from a nearby table, placing it between his and Rebecca's.
"I'll be thanking you for this. I've had many good breakfasts here. Very many yes."
He turned to Rebecca. "How was your evening? Did you have much washing?"
"Yes."
She couldn't help but giggle. The cadence of his speech matched that of Marathi, but the words were pure English, if a little odd now and then. "I enjoyed the washing very much. Please thank the ladies for me."
Darshan smiled brilliantly and nodded. "And you Mr. Andy, did you enjoy the much drinking?"
Andy eyed Rebecca and smiled half-heartedly. "I did enjoy it. Thank you, Darshan."
"Then the hospitality is working. We have much good hospitality in the slum. Maybe you remember us one day. Now what is it you'll be wanting from Darshan?"
"We need a Levy Monitor. I need to see if her chips are still functioning. Do you have one we could use for a few minutes?"
Darshan looked sadly at his hands. "I'm very much in the being sorry for you, Mr. Andy. I don't have this thing that you are wanting. That is one of the things that the government is being very serious about."
He glanced up. "But I know where you can be finding one, at the official entrance to the slum. You could pass by and then see if it is in the working, yes?"
"Risky," said Andy more to himself than anyone else.
"We might have to take the chance," Rebecca said.
"Maybe. They're almost ready for you at the cave," he said, eyeing Darshan. "We might have to split up."
"Why?"
"Panchet— I can't leave him like this."
That's right. Panchet had gone missing. Rebecca had liked the quirky little man. Without his help they'd have never come this far. She did feel a certain debt.
Darshan suddenly shrieked. "Oh Yes. This is being one of the great slum days!"
He grabbed the cup that the white liquid had come in and sniffed it. "Wonderful. So wonderful. You are so lucky to have had this, Mr. Andy. I am in the hoping that they have some more for poor Darshan."
He raised his voice and rattled off a long string of Marathi, which was answered by a man from the depths of the hut. Darshan shrieked again.
"This is not one of the great slum days. This is the greatest slum days. Noni is having one more cup for Darshan."
He clapped his hands together and smiled gigantically.
Andy's mouth had almost turned inside out again, his eyes reevaluating Darshan and his wish to drink the vile stuff. Rebecca thought the whole thing was great comedy and ached to see Andy's reaction when Darshan chugged his down.
Taking small careful steps, the little boy brought out a mug filled to the brim. Darshan took it from him, sipped carefully, then nodded maniacally.
"This is being the greatest slum day."
"How can you drink that stuff?" Andy managed to ask.
"I have been in the wanting of this for too long."
Darshan took another sip and smacked his lips appreciatively.
"Okay, I can't stand it any longer," said Rebecca. "Darshan, please tell us what it is that you're drinking."
"This is one of the most rare of things to be drinking. Very difficult to find because it is only being ready certain times a year. How do you say, it comes from the place of kitties?" He rubbed his stomach
Rebecca and Andy looked at each other for a moment of confusion, then looked at Darshan. "What did you say?" she asked.
"It comes from the place of kitties. You know..."
He gestured towards his breasts and groin.
Darshan's explanation did nothing to improve the vagueness of his original statement.
Andy stared at him as if he was speaking in tongues. "What are you talking about, Darshan?"
Rebecca held up her hand. "Wait, I think I get it. It comes from the belly of a mother cat? Is it...cat milk?"
"You've gotta be kidding me," Andy whispered.
"Oh, yes. Like a cow but in the being of smaller. It takes much patience to be in this cat milking business and Noni is one of the best."
Rebecca couldn't help but laugh as she looked at Andy. His tongue seemed like it was trying to crawl out of his face. She could have sworn he was crying, but she was too busy laughing hysterically to pay attention.
B
y late afternoon they were almost ready to go. Rebecca enjoyed the feel and freedom of the new clothes she'd been given. She straightened the Nehru collar, then adjusted the pack she carried over her shoulder. They'd given her another change of clothes, as well as a set of handmade combs and a collection of tiny plastic bottles filled with scented oils. The simple one pocket flowered cotton bag hung from her shoulder by a length of braided hemp. She realized that it contained all of her earthly possessions. Looking around at the inhabitants of the slum, she become conscious of the fact that she was the poorest of them all.
Andy, Darshan and herself had spent several hours huddled behind closed doors hatching plan after plan. Darshan used his own POD to access the ID. Andy didn't want to bring any attention to himself right now. He had no doubt his ID persona had been flagged and would be traced if he uploaded, so the less he was on the grid, the better.
At first they'd decided that Rebecca would take the first shuttle east so she could get to the Mammoth Cave complex. Andy would stay behind to organize the gravBoarders for a rescue attempt…that is, as soon as they found where Panchet was being held.
But they scratched that plan when Rebecca absolutely refused to leave without Andy. She just didn't want him out of her sight for too long, so she'd thrown in with Andy in his attempt to save Panchet. She liked the strange little troll and didn't want to see him hurt. Andy was even now speaking with the gravBoarders through Darshan, trying to gain their cooperation and at the same time learn what they knew.
But this was a give and take. Rebecca would help Andy, but he had to help her too. She'd decided that there were two loose ends that she had to tie up—her grandma and Thelma Jones. She knew that Andy wouldn't want her to go, but she'd made her decision and there was nothing that he could do to stop her. Rebecca needed to be sure that the last two people that she knew were all right before she left Los Angeles forever.