Runner

by Samantha Lau

  “We were expecting you sir, come this way.”

  Wei watched the guard start to walk away, but the other one still had a gun to Oren, who was now kneeling, staying still and with his arms raised not to set off the man.

  Oren gave him a little look but didn’t move.

  “Please come mister Zhao, it’s dangerous here,” the first guard said when he noticed he wasn’t being followed.

  And Wei still didn’t follow. He approached Oren and held out his hands to help him up. Oren took the help, going slow enough, still cautious not to upset the other guard.

  “Stop aiming at him,” Wei demanded. “He’s helped me get here.”

  “And he will be paid accordingly and sent back down.” The guard said soothingly. “Now please come, your parents are waiting.”

  Wei frowned when the man approached and winced as a gloved hand gripped his arm right over the wound, sending a small wave of heat through him. “Unhand me!”

  Oren tried to move to him again but was blocked by the guard aiming at him.

  “It’s okay,” Oren called, slowly lifting his hands defensively once more; Wei wasn’t quite sure who he was saying it to, him or the guards. “Ya go ‘head, go home. I’s goin’ with this nice man, eh? No problem.”

  The first guard let go of Wei and waited.

  Wei’s gaze lingered on Oren, on that soft smile that again did not reach his eyes.

  “’S okay bǎobǎo,” Oren insisted.

  Wei had the feeling if he fought this right now, Oren was going to try to help and there’d be unnecessary bloodshed.

  “Alright...” Wei nodded, giving Oren a last look before following the guard.

  Outside the room, Wei squinted as daylight hit him full force. It felt like months since he’d last seen direct sunlight, unencumbered by dark clouds. And yet... they were still far from the pristine white floors of his levels. The guard escorted him out to a terrace that should have been as lively with greenery as his own level, and yet was instead dry and devoid of anything.

  And it was no wonder why. As they neared the edge of the dome, a brief look out showed him the dark clouds were but at arm’s reach below them.

  The guard led him straight to a blue and white pod, the logo of the security forces marking the door. Wei looked back once again, catching a glimpse of the other guard and Oren as he was led at gunpoint still, headed to the building across the terrace. Wei didn’t know what was there; he’d never been this close to the clouds before. He’d thought it was all maintenance levels... apparently not.

  The guard indicated for him to get into the pod and Wei did without complaint, his mind on Oren and what would become of him.

  They flew up and up, and Wei closed his eyes, mind reeling.

  He must have drifted off at some point, for he was startled when the guard shook him awake and helped him out of the pod into the familiar terrace of his level. The sun was setting, and the area was strangely empty at this time of the day.

  The guard escorted him straight to his apartment.

  Wei hesitated, but then pressed his palm to the panel by the door. His eyes fell on the fake skin patch on his head, which was slowly coming off. The door slid open, and closed behind him once he’d stepped inside, gaze to the floor. Idly, he picked at the sticker to remove it and toss it aside. Where was Oren? Where could they have taken him? Jail? Of course he was relieved to be home, but-

  “Oh, we were so worried!”

  The female voice made him look up, in time to see a black-haired woman hurry to him. He tensed immediately, but all she did was wrap her arms around him in a tight hold.

  “Mother...?” Wei’s voice cracked.

  “Oh, Wei!” She called softly, rubbing his back.

  His father, a tall man with black eyes and hair that was graying on the sides, approached him too and patted his back.

  She pulled away at last and gave him a worried look.

  “Oh, look at you! You’re all dirty! And... is that blood?” She asked, sounding more curious than upset. “We should call you a doctor!”

  Wei observed her. There was no sign of worry in her eyes, no worry lines, no redness to their white, no streaks on her make up; but Wei thought she had probably made herself up, she wouldn’t have liked for anyone to see her in such disarray. One didn’t need to bawl their eyes out to show worry, but sometimes the lack of emotion his parents showed towards him made Wei doubtful of their love.

  “Ah! When we got that call saying those bad people had you...” she sighed deeply.

  “What call?” Wei asked, sitting by the table because his legs felt too weak, thanking his father when the man pushed a plate of food and a clean glass of water towards him. Oh... clean water! He reached for it, gulping it down.

  “Those terrorists called saying they had you as hostage, demanding ridiculous things.” His father said, shaking his head. Wei wondered what those ‘ridiculous things’ were, but did not ask just yet. “We had to get you back, of course...” the man hesitated.

  Having downed all of the water, Wei slammed the glass down on the table without really meaning to.

  His father winced, then gently squeezed his shoulder. “We had to cover this up, you understand, we couldn’t let people know someone took our boy. So... we sought someone to help down there, and told everyone you had come down with a fever and couldn’t attend the ceremony.”

  “I don’t... follow.” Wei stated, staring at him blankly. Maybe it was the exhaustion making him slow. Maybe it was just the stress getting to him.

  His father let go of that shoulder to come sit across him, leaning in, “You understand Wei, this must be kept secret, the world can’t know about what’s below the clouds.”

  Wei frowned. “Why not? Did you know how bad it was down there? Did you-” his frown deepened. If they were covering it up... did that mean something bad was going to happen to Oren? He stood up. “Where is Oren? You’re not trying to ‘cover him up’, are you?”

  His parents shared a look, taken aback by his reaction.

  “Who is Oren?” His mother asked, then, before he had a chance to answer, said, “Oh! Yes, we were told you came up with someone... Is that the name of the boy who helped you?” She tried to reach for his hands. “He’ll be sent back down with his pay, of course, honey. Don’t worry.”

  He pursed his lips. “Don’t worry? He was hurt, badly. He was hurt helping me. He should see a doctor, at the very least, and I want to see him before he’s sent away.”

  “Wei, please,” his mother said, “there’s no further need to associate with his likes.”

  “Mother,” Wei took a deeper breath, tried to calm his heartbeat down, “Father. I’m tired, I’m dirty, and I’m hurting. You want me to keep this little... adventure I went through a secret. I’m fairly sure it wouldn’t sit well with the rest of Taizhou to know I was kidnapped by people who shouldn’t exist.” He stated, tightening his lips.

  His father nodded emphatically. His mother looked on with a small frown, quiet.

  “Then you will bring me Oren, and you will allow him to be my guest for however long I see fit.”

  “We can’t just have someone like him roaming around...” his father started.

  “You can, and you will, because otherwise I might forget I’m supposed to be careful about what I say and to whom.”

  “But son,” his father continued.

  “I feel safer with him around.” Wei stated.

  His father opened his mouth to complain but it was his mother who surprised him by agreeing. “Very well, but until we find an excuse for his... being, he must not leave your apartment.”

  Wei didn’t like the prohibition, but for the time being it would have to do. He nodded once, meekly. “Thank you.”

  His father got up, hard gaze on him. “It seems you’ve learned some new skills during your time down there.” He went to his wife, pressing a hand to the small of her back to guide her to the door. She gave a little look back but said nothing.

/>   “We’ll send for the doctor. We’ll keep undercover guards around just in case anyone tries anything again. For now, just rest, son.”

  Wei’s shoulders sagged the moment they were out the door. It was all too much... Had Oren been paid to protect him? Was that the only reason he’d risked himself for him? Worry ate away at him, not only at the man’s reasons, but also at where he could be now. He could only hope he hadn’t been sent back yet, or that something worse hadn’t happened. He didn’t know if he could trust people here, even his parents, not to put a bullet through him.

  He rubbed his face and turned to the food, stomach grumbling. His last meal had been... how long ago? It seemed like forever since he’d eaten that foul looking meal at Oren’s place. He poured himself another glass of water, settled down and tried to eat and drink slowly, wondering with each bite if Oren was alive, if he was treated, if he might have been given something to eat and drink as well.

  Done with his meal, he took off the dirty clothes and stopped in front of the full view mirror. He looked terrible. His hair was a mess, he was dirty, purple and greenish bruises all over his body. He touched his face and winced. He touched a shoulder and grimaced at the color it was taking. He removed the bandage on his arm. The bullet wound seemed to be healing, but it still hurt.

  Sighing deeply, he ran some water and took a much-deserved shower. The warm water soothed his aching muscles, and the feeling of those drops washing away all the grime and dirt had an almost relaxing effect.

  The doorbell rang when he was just stepping out. Wrapping a towel around his form, he went to the door and pressed the panel to the side. A screen lit on to show the bald head of his family doctor. He opened the door for him.

  How long would it take for his parents to fulfil their promise to bring Oren? He was so, so tired...

  Half an hour later, with needs sated and wounds tended to, Wei put on his pajamas and laid down in bed. He tried to stay awake, to wait for Oren, but his eyelids felt heavy and soon sleep overtook him. It came easier than he expected, washing him straight to the depths.

  He woke with a start to a heavy sound. He wasn’t sure what the sound had been, he just knew it’d brought him to awareness. The room was dark. Where was he?

  “Lights!” he called at once, heart beating fast, hands shaking though his mind told him he was safe.

  And he was safe, the apartment was empty. His apartment, he reassured himself, looking around. A brief glance out through the window, to the dark sky beyond, confirmed that it was still night-time. He wasn’t sure exactly what time he’d come back at, or how long he’d been asleep – it could have been an hour or an entire day. All he knew was that now it was night and Oren had still not been brought to him.

  As if on cue, the doorbell rang again, making him jump out of bed. He hurried to the door and again pressed the panel to activate the outside camera. Flanked by two civilian-clad guards – there was no doubt with the way they were standing that they were guards – was Oren, wearing a cream jacket with a hood pulled over his head. Clearly, his parents had not wanted him to be noticed.

  Wei quickly opened the door and pulled Oren in, letting it slide closed again without a word to the guards, leaving them outside.

  “Oren, are you alright?”

  “Yeah,” Oren fidgeted, looking around.

  “Did a doctor see you? Did they do something to you? Come,” he gently pulled him to a chair. “Sit, tell me.”

  Chapter 11

  Oren watched Wei until he and his escort had disappeared past the door, then his attention turned fully back to the man pointing a gun at him. It was only one guy, Oren could have taken him over – or at least tried to – but what was he going to do if he managed? This place, he didn’t know it. He didn’t even know how to locate Wei if he got away. Go back down the maintenance shaft? He could have risked it, but he had no idea what awaited him if he returned to the checkpoint level. He might not even be able to get past it at all. If he could, come off at a different level? It was impossible, the entire building belonged to Sky City, police and employees were crawling all over it. Besides, he didn’t want to leave Wei on his own. He wasn’t so sure his parents were without blame.

  The guard rose a hand to his ear, but the gun was still firmly trained on Oren.

  “Zhao is safe.” A pause, “No sign. Got a hitcher with him though. Please advise.” A longer pause. “Copy.”

  The guard waved the gun towards the end of the corridor, indicating he should head towards the light.

  Oren eyed the corridor, hesitated, but then headed in that direction. The guy with the gun followed.

  As soon as he crossed the threshold, Oren stopped and cringed, pupils contracting. His hands came up to cover his eyes. The sunlight was too strong here, he’d never seen such brightness, but he could not stop to repair on it. The tip of the gun nudged his back.

  “Move it.”

  “’S too bright, can’t see,” Oren said, and he wasn’t lying. All he could see through his fingers was blurry whiteness, light reflecting off every surface and overwhelming his senses. His eyes hurt.

  “Just go straight.” Came the order.

  Not wanting to piss off the man with the gun, particularly when he was now at a clear disadvantage, Oren walked on, steps unsteady. He’d hoped to catch a last glimpse of Wei, but as things were, he could only squint and try to look through his fingers to make sure he wasn’t walking into a wall. The walk across the day-lit area felt like an eternity, but at last they crossed a threshold and were indoors again. It was barely respite to Oren – the lights were still a bit too bright here, but at least he could lower his hands now.

  Down the corridor, to where two more guards awaited to escort him into an elevator. The ride wasn’t long, and Oren was pushed out onto another corridor, and then another. They passed a few other people – guards, for they were wearing the same uniforms as these men – and he was finally led to a room that had all the looks of a jail: there was absolutely nothing in it except for a hard bench, wide enough and long enough for him to sleep on, but without even a mattress on top, and a small privacy screen behind which was a toilet.

  One of the men pushed him in and the door slid closed behind him. Oren turned, slamming his hands against the door.

  “Oy, wait!”

  Shit. His gaze sought for a panel or something to open the door with, but of course, there was none.

  “Dammit.”

  He brought his hands up to his hair, fingers running through it as he looked around. There was nothing to this room. The walls were a mild gray, the lights were bright, there was no other furniture around, no windows. He tried to spot cameras; he saw none, and his enhanced eye was no help finding them in its current state, but he was sure there had to be some.

  What had he gotten himself into?

  He kicked the door in frustration, looked back up at the corners of the ceiling, where he thought the cameras might be. “Yo! Where’s Wei? Let me out!”

  Of course, nothing happened. He tried screaming to the walls to be let out until he grew tired of it, then sat heavily on the bench, rubbing his face and running his hands through his hair.

  ***

  As soon as they left their son’s apartment, Zhao Gui led his wife to a pod that took them straight to the lower levels.

  “I detest this place,” his wife, Biyu, complained, looking in disgust at the clouds below.

  “We won’t be long, dear.” Gui promised.

  The pod parked on a plain terrace with no greenery. They came inside the door, crossed it with quick steps to get inside the building. A man dressed fully in a white uniform greeted them. “Sir, madam.”

  Gui nodded. His wife called a soft, “Deputy.”

  “We have him in containment,” the deputy police signaled for them to follow, taking the couple to a wide room full of screens. He pointed at one in particular, the image that of Oren in his cell, the orange haired man laying on the bench, an arm across his face.

&nb
sp; “Has he said anything?” Biyu asked.

  “Just cursed at the world, madam. We were waiting on you to interrogate.”

  She snorted.

  “You’ve not hurt him, have you?” Gui asked. He didn’t like those ground dogs; those disgusting rénzhā made his skin crawl, with their markings and their grime. Imperfect beings scampering in the darkness below, backstabbing each other. They had their uses sometimes, of course, but the furthest away they were from the rénzhā, the better. Yet this one had helped his son, and, for whatever reason, Wei seemed to feel indebted to him. And now their sweet little boy was blackmailing them into letting this filth roam free in Taizhou.

  Not a chance. “We should send him back.” He said, willing to spare this dog’s life for his boy, so long as he stayed away.

  Biyu gave him an exasperated look. “Of course we should! Those fèirénzhā don’t belong here. But... let Wei have his moment first. God knows why he wants that filth near him, but if it’ll ease his mind...” She sighed.

  Gui clicked his tongue. “This is ridiculous.”

  “If he got this far, this rénzhā can’t be stupid.” Biyu said. “He’ll realize on his own that he doesn’t belong here. Gui, this one dog doesn’t matter.” She turned to him, resting a hand on her husband’s chest. “We’ll let Wei have him for a little while, and then send him back where he belongs. What’s important right now is to keep Wei safe and... I hate to admit it, but this dog might even be of help.”

  Reluctantly, Gui agreed. “Maybe.” He turned his attention to the deputy, who had been waiting for further instructions. “I’ll question him myself.”

  Biyu grimaced, but she pulled back to let the deputy escort her husband to that cell. She remained in the security room, watching the screen.

  The door to the cell slid open, and Gui stepped inside. It slid close again behind him, locking. The orange haired rénzhā sat up at once, hands grasping the edge of the bench, those ridiculous mismatched eyes fixed on him. It made Gui feel disgusted just to be in this dog’s presence. He didn’t know how his son had managed to stand being down there.