Insight

by Teyla Branton

  “Well?” the newcomer asked. “Did she agree to help?”

  “No. She’s not a psychic,” said Detective Martin. “She verified that. But we both knew she wasn’t before we came here. You’re going to have to trust that we’re doing everything we can.”

  “But my wife knows someone whose kid lied about cutting a hole in their new playpen, and this woman told her who did it.” The burly man’s eyes went past the detective to focus on me. His hair was too short to be out of place, but his eyes were wild and his clothing askew. Need radiated from him as strongly as any spoken plea. “You’re Autumn Rain, right? Can you really read emotions on objects?”

  Just like that my annoyance at the detective vanished. I’d go a long way to help this man. “Yes, I can.”

  “Then please help me. My Alice needs you. She’s only ten. Just a baby. We have to find her.”

  Before I could answer, Detective Martin said, “Please go back to your car, Mr. Craigwell. I know you’re desperate, but whatever you’ve heard, this woman won’t bring your daughter back.”

  “It’s been three days,” Mr. Craigwell said, tears welling in his eyes. “You have no leads. If it were your daughter, wouldn’t you try everything?” His big shoulders convulsed.

  The detective looked at me and then back at Mr. Craigwell. I knew he hated what he believed I represented, but he wasn’t immune to the father’s suffering.

  “Okay, Miss Rain,” Detective Martin said, turning to me, his voice gruff and angry. “What do you need?”

  “How did she go missing?” I said. “I mean, were there any physical objects present? If she was taken from her home or school, I might be able to pick up imprints there.”

  The father was shaking his head before I’d finished speaking. “No, it was her birthday. We gave her a new bicycle and she was so excited that she left the party and went for a ride around the block. My wife told her to wait, that she had guests, but she wouldn’t listen.” He rubbed a tear from his cheek. “Can’t blame her. She’s been wanting this bike for a while. And she was only going around the block. But she didn’t come back.” His face crumpled and he started to sob.

  Detective Martin and I stood there helplessly staring at each other and Mr. Craigwell. Finally, the detective moved toward him, placing a hand on the larger man’s back.

  The touch seemed to ground Mr. Craigwell, and with a deep gasp, he reined in his emotion. “They found the bicycle, but not her.”

  “Did you say bicycle?” said another voice.

  We all turned to see Jake, coming from the double doors that joined my store with his Herb Shoppe. We covered for each other on slow days and shared two part-time employees, both of whom were over on his side now. Monday afternoons were always slow for me.

  I wondered how long he’d been listening. His dark face was framed by even darker dreadlocks, or locs, rather, barely thicker than pencils. He looked both strong and sympathetic. I met him around the counter near the other men, where his arm brushed mine, letting me know he had my back.

  “Mr. Craigwell’s daughter is missing,” I explained. “They found her bicycle.”

  Jake nodded. “I heard about it on the news. I’m so sorry, Mr. Craigwell.”

  “Thank you,” Mr. Craigwell said. To Detective Martin, he added, “Can we show her the bike?”

  The detective sent a searing stare in my direction. “All right.”

  The reply took too long for politeness, and what he really meant was “If we must.” I wondered why he didn’t outright refuse, if he thought I was such a fraud.

  “I’ll pay you whatever you ask,” Mr. Craigwell said. “More if you come right now.”

  “Autumn never charges to help people,” Jake told Mr. Craigwell, “though I encourage those who are satisfied to buy an antique.”

  “Of course you do.” Detective Martin’s smirk was all knowing.

  Jake took a step toward the detective, the muscles in his chest straining against his snug T-shirt. “Look, do you have a problem? From what I can see, you’re the one who walked into this store asking for help, not the other way around.”

  Detective Martin’s hand lifted to his side, where I suspected he kept a gun beneath his blazer. “Take it easy.”

  I put a hand on Jake’s shoulder. “The detective is just doing his job.” I went back behind the counter and grabbed my bag, and also my jacket because it was chilly, even for the middle of May. “Jake, if you’ll keep an eye on my store?” Regular customers knew they could come in through Jake’s shop when mine wasn’t open, and new customers could read the sign.

  “Maybe I should come with you.” Jake was still glaring at the detective.

  “I’ll be all right.” Reading imprints hadn’t hurt me yet, though when negative ones were strong, I felt exhausted afterwards.

  “We’ll have her back within the hour,” Detective Martin said.

  “You’re right, I’m sure.” I gave the detective my best smile, which seemed to deflate him a little. I couldn’t help adding, “I appreciate your confidence.”

  His face flushed and he looked ready to tell me exactly where I could stick his confidence, when Mr. Craigwell spoke. “Thank you, Miss Rain. You don’t know what this means to me.”

  I met the man’s gaze. “I just hope I’m able to help.”

  He nodded as we walked out the door together. Jake locked the door behind us, concern on his face. He’d been my best friend even before Winter died, and if he didn’t treat me like a little sister, I would have told him by now how I felt about him.

  “You come with me, Miss Rain,” Detective Martin said. “Mr. Craigwell will follow us in his car.”

  “Sure.” I guess he didn’t want me filling Mr. Craigwell’s head with nonsense or hitting him up to buy my antiques.

  Mr. Craigwell headed for the gray compact sedan next to the curb, while the detective led the way to an unmarked white Mustang. I wondered if he’d put me in the back like a suspect, but he reached for the front passenger door of his vehicle.

  And stopped, staring at the ground.

  I followed his gaze, only to find him staring at my bare feet that poked out from the bottom of my broomstick dress.

  “Did you forget something?” he asked.

  “No.”

  His gaze lifted to mine, and for the first time I saw the hint of a smile. “You sure about that?”

  “I’m sure.” I wasn’t about to justify my lifestyle choice to him. I hadn’t worn shoes for most of my thirty-two years, and wasn’t going to begin making exceptions now.

  “Okay.” He opened the door and let me inside.

  He waited until we were in traffic to say, “I don’t want you upsetting Mr. Craigwell. When we get there, do your thing, but please don’t lead him on.”

  I wanted to choke the man. “I’m not in the habit of leading anyone on.”

  “I mean it.” He took a hand from the steering wheel and pulled a wallet from his inner blazer pocket. Opening the wallet on his leg, he pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and extended it to me. “I’ll give you another hundred once you tell him you didn’t find anything.”

  “And if I do find something?”

  He snorted. “Right.”

  I took the bill.

  As he gave me another of his smirks, I pushed the button to crack my window and let the bill slip through the opening.

  He cursed and slammed on his brakes. “Are you crazy?”

  “You apparently think so.”

  He pulled over and glanced back, as if debating whether or not to go after the bill, which had been run over by several cars before being caught in the wind and vanishing. Too bad because I really did need the money.

  He leaned toward me menacingly. “I know your kind, those who prey upon people in need. I swear, I’ll put you in jail before I let you take advantage of the Craigwells. You should take the remaining hundred while you still can. Maybe you can get yourself some shoes.”

  “You’ll have to put me in jail to silence
me,” I retorted. “If you have nothing to hide, you shouldn’t be telling me what to say. Nobody tells me what to say.”

  “Are you implying that I’m a crooked cop?” His flushed expression was almost comical.

  “Hey, you’re the one trying to bribe me. If there isn’t an imprint on the bicycle. I’ll tell him so. And if there’s one. I’ll tell him that too.”

  We sat there, gazes locked in a contest of wills that was strangely exhilarating. At least for me. For his part, he was probably thinking of ways to strangle me and toss my body into the Willamette River. Or at least into jail.

  I bit my bottom lip, and his eyes dipped, following the motion. No way that could mean what it usually meant when a man looked at me that way. The tension between us increased until I gestured toward the road.

  “Well, are we going or not? I’m sure Mr. Craigwell is wondering what happened.”

  Detective Martin glanced out the back window, noting Mr. Craigwell’s car. “Fine.” He pulled into traffic.

  At least I’d get a chance to help little Alice. I only hoped we weren’t too late.

  END OF PREVIEW. To purchase First Touch (Imprints Book 0) for FREE, please click here. You can also continue to the next section to learn more about the author and her books. Remember you will receive bonus books for FREE by signing up to hear about new releases on the author’s website.

  Glossary of Terms

  Birth order – permission to have a child. You must first submit a birth application to be awarded one of these. The application process takes three months with a six-month waiting period between rejected applications. This means couples can apply every nine months until they have two children.

  Blues, or enforcer blues – the black, bulletproof uniforms worn by enforcers with built-in iTeev connectors and heating/cooling units.

  Breakdown – total economic collapse and nuclear warfare that occurred in what was formerly known as America in 2198. Sometimes used as a curse.

  Breathers – gas masks.

  Brew – a stimulating drink made from the guardana plant grown in Colony 2. There are two versions, a rich, tasty brew that comes from the leaves and a bitter drink derived from the stems that has the same kick.

  C-lodges (capitalized) – Commonwealth lodges owned by the CORE.

  Cash credits – plastic card encoded with different credit (money) amounts.

  Chotks – an expensive, light-colored alcoholic drink that is slightly sweet.

  CivID – identification that must be carried by all CORE citizens. CivIDs constantly emit a signal that can be easily picked up by surveillance cameras. There are blockers sold on the black market to mask this signal. A CivID allows access to the sky trains.

  Clean spots – used to obscure online Teev activities. Use is directly against CORE law.

  Cleaners – Boxy, Teev-driven, automated cleaning machines that are roughly sixty square centimeters in circumference and one hundred and twenty centimeters tall. Used to vacuum and clean the floors in many large buildings. Often people who have been medically enhanced will follow these cleaners to help them navigate any difficult objects, but the job is basically nonessential. Because of this, the term “walk with the cleaners” is both a reference to a mental condition and as a comment on a person’s low intelligence.

  Clipper – derogative nickname for an enforcer.

  Clud – a mild curse.

  Colonies – settlements created to support the poor, needy, and displaced after Breakdown. There are six colonies, three in Estlantic and three in Dallastar, and each is assigned to a primary industry, except Colony 6. In Estlantic: Colony 1, farming and forestry; Colony 2, farming and fishing; Colony 3, mining and metals. In Dallastar: Colony 4, oils and plastics; Colony 5 (also known as the Sty), cattle and livestock; Colony 6 (see below).

  Commontongue (capitalized) – language of the CORE.

  Coop, or Colony 6 – as in chicken coop. They create raw textiles, metals, or plastics from materials created by the other colonies. Located southwest of Amarillo City in Dallastar Territory.

  CORE Elite – wealthy people who lead the government of the CORE. These include the Director (overall ruler), Controller (over all enforcers), Administrator (finances and city affairs), Regulator (controls population and gives out birth orders) and all their highest advisors and underlings.

  CORE Identification Unit, or CIU – an enforcer unit that specializes on discovering the identities of criminals. Serves all of Estlantic.

  CORE, or Commonwealth Objective for Reform and Efficiency – name of the country and government of Estlantic and Dallastar territories, short for. Often used as an exclamation in sentences like “Thank CORE.”

  Credits – money, method of exchange, normally transferred via iTeev or Teev feed.

  Crew – gangs in the Coop.

  Dallastar – smaller territory of the CORE, located in the mid-south of the continent and borders Fringer territory.

  Data square – a tiny, thin, square, flash drive.

  Desolation zones – areas affected by nuclear fallout during Breakdown.

  Ditch digger – a person who does dirty work for someone powerful

  Empty zones – rubble-filled areas destroyed during Breakdown and not yet inhabited or reclaimed.

  Enforce weapons – weapons used by enforcers, pre-Breakdown tech that uses fingerprint identity to enable the weapons.

  Enforcer – Police officer. Usually called enforcers. Besides their normal job hours, they must log three to six hours of physical efficiency training per week, depending on their location.

  Enforcer divisions – like police precincts. There are ten in Estlantic and five in Dallastar, with subdivisions. Some important divisions are Amarillo Enforcer Division (AED), New York Enforcer Division (NYD), Headquarters Enforcer Division (HED).

  Enhancement, or enhancing – a medical procedure where lasers are used on aggressive centers of the brain. Worse than a lobotomy.

  Estlantic – largest territory of the CORE, located on the east coast of the continent.

  Freedom Fountain, or the Fountain – a fountain erected in the plaza outside CORE buildings in Amarillo City to celebrate the CORE’s victory against fringers during the fight for Amarillo City. Famous in all of the CORE, and almost revered in Dallastar.

  Fringers – people who separated from those who created the CORE after Breakdown. Viewed as crazy and dangerous rebels suffering from nuclear radiation, fringers still fight to undermine the CORE. There are different bands of fringers living in various empty zones. A large band of fringers, population unknown, inhabit Newcali on the west coast. People in the CORE often use fringer as a derogatory term, such as “half-witted fringer.”

  Gathering limit – public and private gatherings are limited to twenty citizens, unless a permit is acquired from the city manager.

  Handspeak (capitalized) – sign language

  Holos – holographs; pre-Breakdown technology used by Teevs and iTeevs.

  Hover, or hover car, or hovercraft – a small personal flying ship, a technology believed to have been lost after Breakdown.

  Hypo – a small cylinder used to inject medications. A hypo can hold several doses and can be used on different people without fear of cross-contamination. Certain colors of hypos are often used to hold a specific medicine, so they can be found and used quickly. Common ones are blue for a painkiller, red for a stimulant, and white for a sedative.

  Image receptors – a nearly indestructible, reusable screen the thickness of a paper. Receptors are pre-Breakdown tech that are now only available within the enforcer divisions or by CORE Elite. Images can be loaded into the receptors.

  iTeev – a portable Teev (see Teev description below) that can be held in the hand or used over the eyes like glasses to communicate or view holo feeds anywhere, even outdoors, without the use of holo emitters. Normally activated and used by direct touch on the foldable screen, through hand signals, or verbal commands. Limited eye movement controls are also support
ed but rarely used by the general population. Has a mini earbud connected with a thin wire that can pull out of a compartment for more private communication when used over the eyes.

  Juke – a recreational hallucinogen, an addictive drug that was originally discovered as a byproduct of viribus, the experimental drug used in Colony 6. Outlawed in all of the CORE. Provides thirty or more minutes of rush or high followed by exhaustion or unconsciousness unless a counter agent is used. Juke enhances the development of abilities found in Colony 6, and also speeds up onset of the madness. Often sold in a black hypo marked with a white J.

  Jukehead – a juke addict. Sometimes also called a “cotton-headed juke addict” or a “warthog-faced jukehead,” which are mild curses.

  Level – nursery or school grade that corresponds exactly with a child’s age. When a child graduates, they “level out.”

  Lumper – a person who ventures into the empty zones or edges of the desolation zones and is stupid enough to get taken by fringers (or presumed taken). This has evolved into Terms like “I lumping hate you” or “I don’t give a lump.”

  Magglue – glue for metals, contains magnetic nanites.

  Marriage band – a wedding band that can’t be removed until the marriage is broken. Not mandated by the CORE but growing popular among the residents. Breaking a union isn’t against the law, unless you have a child under eighteen, but couples must receive permission. Affairs by those in valid unions are punishable by huge fines and even psychological reconditioning when minors are involved.

  Nanobots – used to be common for fixing ailments pre-Breakdown. More rare now. A similar tech is used in Nuface therapy.

  Nanoparticles – the less effective little brother of nanobots. Nanoparticles can fix internal wounds if injected near the damage, but it’s mostly hit and miss since the CORE has lost the technology to program them.

  Newcali – A territory that is home to a large group of fringers who live outside CORE control. Located on the west coast of the continent. Little is known about the territory’s size or population, but the people are powerful enough to have resisted CORE attempts of takeover. They allow free study and invention. After leaving Colony 6, Dani Balak became associated with them and now considers them her people.