by Pat Cadigan
“If it’s Vector, definitely,” Hugo said.
Ido alarmed him by bursting into hearty laughter. “But at the time you had no way of knowing he’d send someone to break into the clinic and steal the chip.”
“Uh…” Hugo tried hard not to squirm. It hadn’t exactly been a surprise either. “When I heard the cyborg got killed and someone stole the chip, I knew it had to be you. But then the clinic closed and your nurse said you had an accident—I thought Vector had—well, you know.”
“He wouldn’t dare,” Ido said. “Chiren doesn’t like him that much, and he can’t afford to lose her.”
“Uh,” Hugo said again, baffled.
“Never mind, Hugo. The more complicated matters of the heart are still some years ahead of you.”
Abruptly they heard the unmistakable sound of more trash falling from Zalem. Fortunately they were at a safe distance. It looked to Hugo like there were more large bulky items than usual. His gaze travelled up from the ground to the chute. Someday he’d never have to see this again. But the price for that was one million credits, as set by Vector, and the price was the price. Ido was a good man, but Vector was the only one who could make Hugo’s dream come true.
“I gotta go,” he told Ido. “See you later, Doc.”
* * *
Ido stared after Hugo as he made his way across the trash pile. It looked like he was heading towards the ruined cathedral. Did Hugo live near there?
He remembered what he’d been thinking only a few minutes earlier, about how Hugo was so lively and intelligent, and all it would take for him to have a brighter future was for Ido to care about him. Now it seemed like a silly wish-fulfilment fantasy, concocted by someone without a child of his own who was still trying to be a parent. Or maybe thought you could have a child without any of the real-life mess.
Like there was any real way to avoid the mess. Children didn’t just drop out of the sky. Trash dropped out of the sky, but never children.
And yet, Ido still felt hopeful—optimistic even. What the hell, he thought, why not? Why not be prepared for something good to happen? As every scientist knew, chance favoured the prepared mind. Something good might not happen tomorrow or next week or next month. But when it did, he’d be ready for it.
END
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My thanks to: my editor Ella Chappell, who made this experience so enjoyable; my son Rob Fenner, who introduced me to manga and anime, including Alita, back in the day, and his lovely and talented girlfriend, Justyna Burzynska, for being highly wonderful; all my friends, near and far, who have kept my spirits up for years; and the doctors and nurses at the Macmillan Cancer Centre in London, especially my oncologist, Dr McCormack. And while I’m at it, I love the NHS.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pat Cadigan is a science fiction, fantasy and horror writer, three-time winner of the Locus Award, twice-winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award and one-time winner of the Hugo Award. She wrote Lost in Space: Promised Land, novelisations of two episodes of The Twilight Zone, the Cellular novelisation, and the novelisation and sequel to Jason X. In addition to being the author of Alita: Battle Angel – Iron City, Pat is also author of the official movie novelisation.
