Upgraded

by Gideon Mills

  “Love you too, Mother.”

  Keres spun on the spot and left the apartment.

  36

  Talking to William

  There was no chance Marcus was going to waste any time on this. They needed to set the new plan into motion.

  “So what is it you think we should do?” Marcus asked.

  If he had his way, they would go get Amita and leave Detroit. Maybe go to Philly or Chicago. They were the safest cities he could think of.

  “Talk to William Mara,” Jonathan said. “Then have you and a few others go to Chicago.”

  Marcus liked the way that sounded. “Great.”

  “There you will see about finding others to help us.”

  That was going to be just as risky as staying here. Actively seeking help to stop Keres was a very dangerous thing to do.

  “So be it,” Marcus said. “Let’s get this done, so we can get Amita and the rest of us to safety.”

  Marcus was with Ihor as they made contact with William. This was a big risk for all of them. William was such a wild card, and Marcus knew it. He hoped the man was serious about helping them.

  Making the call had been hard, since William didn’t always answer his phone when he didn’t know who it was. After the tenth attempt, Marcus had been able to talk to him.

  They arranged to meet in person since that was the best way to make sure that Keres wasn’t listening.

  Ihor made their phones secure, but William’s most surely wasn’t. That was yet another risk they had right now. Keres might have several Security Force members waiting for them all at the location.

  Marcus’s heart thudded in his chest as they made their way to the location. This time they took a car. One that Ihor made look like it was driving itself, but in reality Ihor was in control.

  On the fourth level, not too far from the elevator that led to the fifth, they pulled over and sat in the car. It was a bar, and one that catered to people who thought they were slumming it when they left the fifth level. It was almost comical.

  Ten minutes later, the door opened and William sat in the front seat.

  “Good to see you,” the bearded man said. He really had a stately look to him.

  “Same,” Marcus said.

  “They really did a number on you,” William said. “I’m sorry. I told you Jamie was a dick.”

  Marcus laughed. William had always joked about Jamison being a sadist pig. Looks like he was right.

  “What do you want?” William asked.

  They laid out all they thought was necessary.

  “Let me get this straight, you want me to make up with my dear aunt, and report to your mom.”

  Marcus nodded.

  “Fuck me running,” William said. “No promises, but if it helps Amita and you, I’m game.”

  Marcus was happy to hear it.

  “Thank you.”

  Back at the hideout, Marcus made the arrangements to leave the city. They wouldn’t be able to take a lot with them. But it would have to do. This was important, and they had to figure this all out.

  Ihor was going to stay here. “When will we join up?”

  “You know the plan,” he said. “It’s been in place for a while, well most of it.”

  Marcus knew that, but that didn’t change the fact he wanted his friend to join them.

  “I’ll see you soon,” Ihor said. “I promise.”

  Marcus knew that, but would have liked to have more people with him when they joined Amita. Just to make sure they were safe, but sometimes less was more. That was hard to accept, but Marcus knew that Ihor and the rest of the Resistance had been doing this a lot. Marcus had to trust them and follow their lead.

  The preparing didn’t take as long as Marcus feared. Thankfully they were ready to leave in no time at all. Now it was a matter of getting the info to Amita.

  37

  Going on the Run

  Amita was still in her apartment hours later, stunned by what took place. The woman who claimed to be her mother had threatened her life. No sane person would do such a thing. Amita was right in her initial assessment of Keres. Her mother was no longer entirely human. The men and women who protected her, the Security Force, weren’t human either but in a completely different way

  The young woman closed her eyes. This place was no longer safe, and she had no way to find Marcus and the others. Her best option would be to leave the city. Marcus was supposed to call today, but that was a few hours away. Amita didn’t want to risk it.

  After going to her room, she found a bag to pack the clothes that had been provided for her. As she did so, Amita felt guilty and sick to her stomach. These were paid for by the person who had just threatened her life. Who had said she was going to lock Amita away for the rest of her life.

  Here Amita was, packing to take them with her as she went on the lam. Amita laughed at the thought of being on the run. Not long ago, she thought she would never leave her awful job and her life would never change.

  Now, Amita’s life was continually changing. There was never a dull moment in it as she fought against her evil, vile mother. Keres was out to get her friends and her for trying to expose her.

  If Amita could draw Keres’s attention to her, that might just allow them to succeed. Keres had a horde of people under her control, some that would be able to track Amita down. Amita didn’t really stand a chance.

  Amita took all the practical clothes and a few that weren’t. Since moving in, she had started to realize that she loved wearing dresses and skirts. They made her happy, and Amita noticed Marcus would stare at her when she wore them. He had enjoyed them as much as Amita did.

  In her place, there wasn’t a lot of food, but Amita made sure to bring along what she could. It should last a few days. Hopefully, Amita would be gone and free by then.

  Before she left, she took her phone and called the number that Cynthia called her on. It went straight to voicemail.

  “Keres threatened me. Said she was going to lock me up if I don’t tell them where you are. I’m leaving the city as soon as possible. I’ll be at the arranged meeting point until tonight.”

  After hanging up, Amita tossed the phone to the side. The Mara Corp definitely could use it to track her and her movements. They might be even able to hear her, or track who Amita called, and that was a scary thought. She sure hoped the latter wasn’t possible. Luckily, they had at least talked about something like this and had set up a place for her to go wait for a person to find her. It was out of the city, to the west.

  Getting there might be an issue since Amita couldn’t really drive. The cars on the first level had all been altered to not be auto-drive. The Resistance didn’t trust the auto-drive, and Amita didn’t blame them.

  Most of the cars on the street level were hidden cars that belonged to the Resistance. People who lived there just couldn’t afford a car with the peanuts the Mara Corp paid its street level employees. No vehicles for any of them.

  Amita exited her apartment. Walking the whole way to the street level was possible. She had done it before. Well, almost. Marcus had stopped her before she had gone to the elevator to the bottom level. This time, Amita had no choice in the matter.

  With her bag packed and slung on her back, Amita started to the elevator on the third level that would take her to level two. Then, from there, she would go to the special entry point for the street level. It would be a long and tedious walk.

  Hours later, Amita reached the entry point for the street level. Her regular leg was fatigued and ready for a rest. A break was going to have to wait. Time was important. Keres could be watching her. At least, once she arrived on the street level, it would be tougher to follow her. Anyone who that didn’t live there stood out like a black swan among the bevy.

  After taking one last breath of fresh air, Amita boarded the elevator and rode it down. When she had lived on the street level, Amita knew it was dirty and smelled. It wasn’t until she moved to the third level that Amita realized how much
it did. Her first visit back, Amita had nearly puked because the smell had overwhelmed her. It had made her stomach curdle and her eyes water. The place was the most disgusting place she had ever seen. Leaving the place helped to truly comprehend how nasty it was.

  Now, Amita dreaded going down there. Just the thought of seeing it again and now realizing that Amita was leaving the city behind. Even though she had told herself that she would be back to free it, it still felt like she was abandoning it. That she had failed it and was running with her tail between her legs. Amita’s failure frustrated her and depressed her a bit.

  Amita stepped off the elevator and a wave of nausea hit her. She breathed through her mouth to avoid the smell, but that didn’t help. The air even tasted terrible as she went.

  Ihor had told Amita of a few locations where cars were hidden. Without hesitating, Amita walked to the closest one. Getting out of this stench was the first priority, then to the meeting place. She hoped that Marcus would be there and that they would be together again. Amita missed him so much. Needed him to be with her. To make this better. She could survive without him, but it wouldn’t be the same. Marcus made her happy. He made things better. Amita wanted that while she ran for her life.

  The car was just a few blocks from the elevator, thankfully. The last part of her journey on her legs was done. She opened it, tossed her bag in, and shut the door. When the car sealed, the stench dissipated. Finally, she was able to breathe better. She hadn’t realized how bad her breathing had been until she came back. Here, it was labored and tough, unlike when Amita was on the upper levels where the air was clean and filtered better. It helped that the streets were cleaned by the droids. The robots did a great job, and that meant the atmosphere was better.

  The car started right up. This would be only the second time Amita had ever driven one. The first had been when she had escaped the mine where Marcus had been captured.

  Amita inhaled deeply and said a silent prayer. The last thing she needed was to get in a car accident, especially since they were so rare that it would draw attention for sure. The Security Force would be there and arrest her on the spot.

  As Amita drove the beat-up, old rust bucket of a car, she scanned behind her. If they were following her, they were doing an excellent job of avoiding detection. Amita remembered the times with Ihor and the Resistance while driving around. They would go in circles and travel on the same street a few times. As much as she wanted to just leave the city, Amita decided to take this tactic. Driving wasn’t her strength and she wasn’t confident in her abilities, but this was the best tactic.

  It wouldn’t be a surprise if the people who lived here saw Amita and thought she was crazy. That rare car was going by again. She must be lost. They would have to be wondering why Amita didn’t stop to ask for directions. Her biggest fear was them telling the Security Force what she was doing. If they came searching for her, she was a goner.

  At least, by the time Amita left the city, she saw no signs that any cars were following her. None were operating on the street level. No man was running behind her either. Security Force members were capable of keeping up with cars. When both legs had been upgraded, a person would run fast. Amita could run pretty fast, and she had only one leg modified. Both would be insane.

  How fast they ran, she wasn’t sure, but undoubtedly, they would be able to keep up with her driving. Amita was too scared to have a lead foot. Maybe if she drove on a more regular basis, she would, but for now, she went slow and steady.

  When Amita reached the meeting point, it had been hours and hours since she had spoken to Keres. It was well past midday and her video call with Marcus. They would have surely noticed she was gone by this point.

  At the rendezvous location, she was alone. Her heart sank. It had been a long shot for Marcus to beat her here if he came at all. They might not want to risk the exposure. Marcus would want to, but she feared the others wouldn’t let him.

  If they didn’t let him come, they would have their reasons. Out here, the air was bad but breathable, unlike in the direction of the mine which was really polluted. So much so, that a mask was required.

  She got out and waited. The air was thick but not too bad. It surprised her that she was able to make it here. That she didn’t get in a wreck and made decent time. Not too bad for a second-time driver.

  Out here, in what at one point in time was Metro Detroit or the suburbs of the city, many of the buildings had crumbled to the ground. A few remained, and she was at one of them. It didn’t appear to be the safest, but Amita was only supposed to be here for a night. She went inside for the little protection it provided.

  The sun continued across the sky as she waited. Amita wished she had been able to take her phone with her so she could reach out to Marcus or anyone else. She’d love to talk to Samantha. Amita hated that she might not get to say goodbye to her friend. They had barely gotten to speak before Amita had gone back to her new life and Sam had been stuck hiding with the others.

  Sam and Amita had done a few video calls, but for the most part, they couldn’t talk too much, and she spent most of her time with Marcus. Part of her now felt terrible about that. Sam hadn’t deserved what she had lived through.

  When Sam had told Amita what happened to her, Amita had wanted to find the Security Force member and teach him a lesson. Not that they would ever learn the member who had done it, but they did know Jameson.

  Amita loathed Marcus’s brother. He needed to be taught a lesson, and Amita hoped that she would be the one to give it. He was the worst person around outside of Keres. Both of them angered her so much with the disrespect they showed people. Something had to be done. Keres and Jameson needed to be educated. It didn’t need to be Amita that gave them the lecture, but she sure would enjoy being the one.

  By the time Amita heard a car, the sky was nearly dark. She crouched down by the window of the dilapidated building she was in. The interior had been home to many different animals over the years, but currently, she was the only inhabitant. That was a blessing. When Amita had lived on the street level, she had shared her humble abode with rodents. That hadn’t been the best experience of her life. Most of her things were ruined shortly after getting them.

  The car stopped, and two people exited. At first, Amita wasn’t sure if it was who she wanted. The low light and the dust the vehicle had kicked up made it difficult to see. Once the air around the car was clear, Amita grinned at her two favorite people in the whole world.

  Marcus and Sam walked to the house Amita was in. Both were hesitant and checked the surrounding area. They spotted Amita’s car that was off to the side, hidden from the front, and smiled. Amita could tell they were talking to each other. They reached the house, and Amita could hear them.

  “She’s here,” Marcus said. Sam nodded.

  “I am,” Amita replied.

  Both of them jumped, and Amita exposed herself in the window. Doing that made both jerk back in shock. Amita had managed to scare her friends twice in a matter of seconds. It was a rather good time.

  Sam and Marcus entered the house, and Marcus walked to Amita and hugged her. Feeling him in her arms, she cried. His body pressed against hers, warm and hard. Amita’s hands explored his body and his hers.

  All that existed was Marcus. Looking deep into his eyes, Amita lost herself. Her love leaned down to her, and they kissed long and deep, like they had never kissed before. It consumed her. Nothing like it had ever happened in her life.

  By the time they separated, Amita was lightheaded and a little dizzy.

  “Oh my god,” Sam said. “Get a room.”

  Amita giggled. In her passion for Marcus, Amita had forgotten that Sam was even here. Thankfully, Sam had said something. Amita was about to strip down and make love here and now. Amita needed him in every way possible. That would have been super embarrassing.

  “Sorry,” Amita said with a giant smile and hugged Sam. Amita just couldn’t control herself. Even though Amita was on the run, she was h
appy. Never happier.

  “I love you,” Marcus said.

  “And I you.”

  “You two are so googly.” Sam stood off the side. “We have to leave soon.”

  “Really?” Amita asked. “I thought we were staying here for the night.”

  “Can’t,” Marcus said. “As a whole, we decided it best to leave the city and go west to Chicago.”

  That both excited Amita and terrified her at the same time. Leaving Detroit and the surrounding area had been a dream of hers once, but now, Amita didn’t want to depart. Staying and fighting for the people felt more important.

  “Do we have to?” Amita asked.

  “If you want to remove Keres,” Marcus said.

  “Okay,” Amita said.

  Grabbing her pack, they headed out of the house to join the rest of the Resistance who were fleeing the city. Not all of the Resistance was leaving but most was. A few remained behind to keep an eye on Keres and the research facility or, as Amita liked to think of it, the shop of horrors. They left her car since it was old and nearing the end of its use.

  38

  Traveling

  Marcus sat behind the wheel of the car. Sam had never driven before and Amita only twice now, and technically, she didn’t have a license to operate. Amita wasn’t alone in that area. Most people didn’t. With the cars driving themselves, people didn’t need to know how to operate cars. In Marcus’s own family, his brother and father didn’t have licenses. His mother did, not that she used it much.

  After his rescue, when Marcus woke up to see his mother . . . that had been a shock. It had scared him half to death when she had walked into the room. Marcus hadn’t expected her to care that much about him. Sure, in her own controlling and demanding way she had showed she did, but this was different. Marcus’s mother had actually helped save Marcus and had stood up to Keres. She had been part of the rescue mission with Amita, Ihor, and Nickolas, in the thick of it, and she didn’t seem to have any remorse.