Revolution 19

by Gregg Rosenblum

  Cass wrinkled her nose as they entered the living room. It was in even worse shape than the hallway. Farryn cleared space on the couch by pushing a jacket, a pair of shoes, and a dirty plate onto the floor. “Have a seat,” he said. “I just gotta run upstairs and grab my old man tracker.” He left the room.

  “What’s with the mess?” said Cass to Lexi. “Did he just have a party or something?”

  Lexi shook her head. “No. He’s a slob, and his father doesn’t care. Doesn’t even notice, really.”

  “What about his mom?” said Kevin.

  “Dead,” said Lexi quietly. “She …” Lexi cut herself off as Farryn walked back into the room. He sat down on a chair next to the couch and placed a small flat screen, about the size of his hand, onto the table. He looked around at the quiet room.

  “So serious,” he said. He tapped on the screen and looked at it a moment. “He’s still out at the warehouse. Miles away. We’re good.”

  Kevin leaned forward. “You’re tracking your father? How?”

  “Just a snip of code written into his comm. It feeds the location back. I can listen in with an audio bug, too, but that’s usually too depressing. Even tap into his vid if I want to, but all you’ll probably see is the inside of his pocket.”

  “Why not just use your comm?” said Kevin. “Wouldn’t it be easier to tap into the comm network directly? Why rig this?”

  “Easier, yes. But too obvious. The loop would look a bit too weird through my comm. The bots probably wouldn’t notice, with all the traffic streaming through, but this way I can spread the data packets around a bit more organically, you know what I mean? Make it seem a bit cleaner, just in case anything’s really digging.”

  Kevin picked up the tracking screen. “You’ve gotta show me what you did,” he said.

  “It’s not that hard, really,” said Farryn. “It’s just a matter of—”

  “Guys!” said Lexi, cutting him off. “Let’s stay focused here.”

  Farryn held his hands out and leaned back in his chair. “Focused on what?” he said. “I have no idea why you’re here.”

  “We need your help,” said Cass.

  “Yeah, obviously,” said Farryn. “That much I’ve figured out. What I’m waiting to hear is what you need, why you need it, and what’s in it for me.”

  “Dummy chips,” said Lexi. “I’ve heard rumors.”

  Farryn raised his eyebrows. “Yeah, I’ve got a few that I’ve been tinkering with,” he said. “But Doc’s never actually implanted one yet.”

  “These chips,” said Nick. “What will they do?”

  “Well, assuming Doc doesn’t kill you putting them in,” said Farryn, “you’ll be able to pass on the street, as long as they don’t go too deep into the identities I’ve rigged up. You’d green-light a quick scan, maybe even be able to get an infraction without calling up the Peteys if you’re lucky. Ride the trans. Get through a CP, except I wouldn’t necessarily trust it in the real high-security zones.”

  “So we could stop hiding,” said Nick. Cass could hear the excitement in his voice. She knew that all this sitting around and doing nothing was killing him. She had to admit she felt just the same. But could they trust Farryn? She ran her eyes over his messy brown hair, the light stubble on his cheeks. He caught her looking, and she quickly cut her gaze away.

  “Well, your brother and sister could,” said Lexi. “The chip wouldn’t change that bot-killing face of yours.”

  “Right,” said Nick. He leaned back heavily against the couch, looked down at his lap, and ran his hands through his hair. “Of course.”

  “All right, that’s the what,” said Farryn. “Let’s hear the why.”

  Cass pulled the portrait of her parents from her pocket, unfolded it, and set it on the table. She had kept it in her pocket the whole time they were in the City. Sometimes she stuck a hand in her pocket to feel the rough grains of the paper, reminding herself why they were here. “Our parents,” she said. “We need to help our parents. They’re being re-educated.”

  Farryn said nothing for a few moments, staring at Cass. “I bet you’ve done this move before, haven’t you? Pull out the picture of the parents, lay it on the table, sit there looking sad and pretty?”

  Cass didn’t say anything, feeling her cheeks blush. Kevin chuckled and tried to cover it with a cough. Cass felt a flare of anger. How dare they make a joke out of this when her parents’ lives were at stake?

  “All right, all right, noble cause, fighting the bots, freedom, all that good stuff, I get it,” said Farryn. “So, final question … What’s in it for me?”

  “Doing the right thing,” said Cass, almost spitting out the words. “Does that mean anything to you?”

  Farryn shrugged. “Not really.” He picked up her drawing and studied it.

  “Give that back!” said Cass, standing up.

  “Wait,” said Farryn, holding up a finger. He studied the picture a few more moments, then handed it to Cass. “You drew that?”

  Cass carefully folded the picture and slipped it back into her pocket. She felt calmer, having it tucked back away where she could feel it. “Yes,” she said.

  “It’s good,” said Farryn. “It’s really good.”

  Cass began to blush again. She turned away from Farryn, this time angry with herself.

  “Okay, I’ve got an idea,” said Farryn. “The bots aren’t big on art. It’s illegal, actually. You can’t buy it above ground. So Cass, make me something. Maybe something big. With paint if you can get it. I’ll be able to sell it under the street.”

  “Under the street?”

  “You know, black market. Quiet. Big profits. Like alcohol. Citizens want to drink at home, not just at the bot-sanctioned bars at the bot-sanctioned hours, and they’ll pay nicely for the privilege.” Farryn shrugged.

  “And you want to do the same with my art?” said Cass. “Make a nice little inconspicuous profit?”

  “Exactly,” said Farryn. “Maybe something that can go in a bedroom? How about a nice nude? Maybe a self-portrait?” He raised his eyebrows.

  Cass grabbed a piece of paper from the floor, then looked around. “Something to draw with?” she said.

  “No,” said Farryn. “I wasn’t thinking right now …”

  Cass grimaced, and dipped her finger in a dirty glass half-full of orange liquid that sat on the table. She began to trace an image on the paper, dipping her finger a few more times into the glass as she worked. She stood and handed the paper to Farryn. The image was a crude stick figure, with a cartoon dialogue bubble that said “NO.”

  Farryn laughed. “I love it,” he said. “But I don’t think even I could sell this one. I’ll just keep it as your I.O.U. to me.”

  “Yeah, well you can take that I.O.U. and shove it—”

  “Cass, come on!” said Lexi. “It’s the easiest way. He’s not going to help out of the kindness of his heart, that’s for sure.”

  Cass hesitated, swallowing her anger, finding a measure of calmness. Lexi was right, of course. She gave a small nod.

  “All right, it’s settled,” Lexi said. “Cass paints something. Farryn, you’ll get Cass and Kevin set up with Doc and the chips?”

  “Yeah, sure, what the hell,” he said. “Should be able to make it happen fast. The chips are useless anyway unless one of us gets our real implants removed, and that’s not happening any time soon. So this is good, actually. You guys are the perfect guinea pigs.”

  Nick suddenly stood, grabbed Farryn’s shirt with his good arm, and pulled him out of his chair.

  “Nick!” yelled Cass.

  Nick ignored her. “Is it safe?” he said to Farryn. “Will this Doc hurt my brother and sister?”

  Cass grabbed Nick’s wrist. “Let him go,” she said. It wouldn’t do them any good if Nick beat up Farryn. Nick ignored her, continuing to hold Farryn tightly, bunching Farryn’s shirt up around his neck.

  “Doc’s never done it before,” said Farryn. “But he said it would be real e
asy, just slipping it under the skin and anchoring it so it wouldn’t move. He even said he could coat it to avoid infection. They should be fine.”

  “They’d better be,” said Nick. He let Farryn go.

  Farryn straightened his shirt and turned to Lexi. “This one’s a real charmer,” he said.

  “Yeah, well, he is wanted for violent rebellion,” said Lexi. She patted Farryn on the shoulder. “Come on, Farryn, you’re fine. Give Doc a call.”

  “Right now?”

  “We’re not exactly on vacation here,” said Cass. She realized the sarcasm probably wasn’t helpful. “Please,” she added, sincerely.

  Farryn pulled out his comm. “Give me a minute,” he said.

  “Don’t say too much over the comm,” Lexi warned.

  “Don’t worry,” said Farryn. “I can scramble the line for short bursts. Bots won’t pick it up as long as I don’t hold the signal open very long. And Doc understands when I need to talk fast.”

  “Scramble the line?” said Kevin. “How …”

  Cass shoved Kevin on the shoulder. “Not now,” she said.

  Farryn left the room, and they waited a few more moments in chilly silence. “It’s on,” he said a minute later. “Doc said he’ll do the surgery in the garage. Back here, tonight at eleven.” His eyes flicked from Kevin’s, holding on Cass. “Be ready.”

  CHAPTER 17

  THAT NIGHT, WITH MR. AND MRS. TANNER ASLEEP, ALL FOUR OF THEM quietly gathered in the living room. “We’ll have to move fast,” whispered Lexi. “A bot this time of night will probably scan for chips automatically, so we’d be seriously scrapped. And neighborhood watch would be bad news, too.... They can’t do chip scans, obviously, but they’ll definitely want to know what a group of kids is doing out so late on a school night, and they’ll probably comm us in.” She cleared her throat, looking uncomfortable. “Nick, I really do think you should just stay here.”

  “I’m going,” said Nick. He had the beginning of a plan. It was a little bit crazy, but he knew what he needed to do.

  “They’ll be fine,” said Lexi. “And more of us on the street makes us more suspicious.”

  “I said I’m going,” said Nick. He wasn’t going to be talked out of it.

  Lexi shrugged. “Okay, then.”

  It was a clear, comfortable night. The streets were empty. They moved quickly, a fast walk that was just shy of a jog.

  A sphere bot bobbed into view from around the corner a few blocks ahead, murky in the thin light of the lightstrip poles. Lexi cursed and ducked to the right into an alley, and everyone else quickly followed.

  They waited, crouched down against the wall. Nobody spoke. Cass had her eyes shut. Kevin rolled the small piece he had taken from the scoot back and forth in his palm. Nick had his hands clasped together and was staring at his feet. It was time. This was his chance, not just to protect Lexi and Kevin and Cass but to do the right thing. He just had to find the courage.

  Lexi took a quick peek around the wall. “Still there,” she said. “But not coming this way. We might need to give up for tonight and head back home …”

  Nick took a deep breath, let it out, then stood and smiled. “Kevin, Cass, I love you. Be safe.” They looked at him in confusion. “Lexi, take care of my brother and sister.”

  “Nick, what the hell are you talking about?” whispered Cass.

  “Get the chips,” said Nick. “Blend in. Keep an eye out for me and Mom and Dad. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Nick …” said Kevin.

  Nick stepped out into the street and began walking toward the sphere bot. He could hear his brother and sister’s urgent whispers behind him, but he just kept moving, willing them to be quiet.

  For half a block it almost seemed as if he’d miss the bot, which had begun floating away. He almost laughed at the thought of chasing after the bot, but his heart was pounding so hard and his vision was tunneling and he couldn’t feel his feet, and all he could do was keep walking. Finally the bot spun and rushed toward Nick. He stopped and held his hands up.

  “CITIZEN,” said the bot, “PLEASE HALT WHILE I …” The bot began flashing red. “YOU ARE LACKING AN IDENTIFICATION IMPLANT, AND YOU ARE WANTED FOR VIOLENT REBELLION.”

  Nick sat down in the street, crossed his legs, and put his hands in his lap. He squinted; the bright red light hurt his eye. “You got me, you bastard,” he said. “I want to be re-educated.”

  The bot continued to hover in a tight circle around Nick, still flashing red, repeating over and over, “DO NOT MOVE. YOU WILL BE PEACEFULLY DETAINED.”

  “I heard you,” said Nick. “Come on already.”

  Nick heard the approaching rumble of a Petey, and his stomach knotted and he felt queasy. Then two Peteys rolled into view. He thought he heard a girl’s voice scream his name—Cass or Lexi, he wasn’t sure—and he had to fight the urge to look back. “Be quiet,” he muttered. He stood and held up his hands again.

  The Peteys rolled closer and closer, and Nick couldn’t believe, up close, the size of them. He was shocked to realize that now he felt no fear—the moment was so impossible, so unbelievable, it was like he was just watching it happen and wasn’t really there. He studied the Peteys. They had to be eight feet tall and five feet wide. Their dull gray metal radiated warmth that prickled Nick’s cheeks, and they smelled, just vaguely, of oil. Their faces were the same dull metal as the rest of their bodies, flat and featureless except for two rectangular openings where eyes would be. He stared at them, and they stared back, and inside the eye slits he could just make out black lenses, flickering back and forth, up and down.

  One of the Peteys reached a giant arm out toward Nick, and he suddenly felt a rush of panic, realized This is happening, and without thinking he turned to run, but then the Petey’s arm touched his shoulder. He saw a flash of light and felt an instant of horrible, unbelievable pain, and then it all went black.

  CHAPTER 18

  NICK CRUMPLED TO THE GROUND, LASED BY THE PETEY. CASS SCREAMED, and Lexi clamped her hand over her mouth. Reflexively Cass bit her on the finger. Kevin jumped up as if to run into the street, and Lexi grabbed his shirt with her other hand. She held on and slowed him down long enough for Cass to grab him around the shoulders and pull him back against the wall. Kevin struggled, but Lexi and Cass held on tight. Cass wasn’t about to let go. Letting Kevin run into the street would mean losing both her brothers.

  “Let go!” he said. “Let me go!”

  “Shut up!” said Lexi. “Both of you, shut up and calm down! He made his decision.” Her finger was bleeding where Cass had bit her. “Don’t ruin it by getting us caught.”

  Kevin stopped struggling. Lexi let go of him, but Cass continued to hold on, now more to prop herself up than to restrain him. She felt tears coming down her cheeks.

  “What the hell did he do?” said Kevin.

  “He’s an idiot,” said Lexi. “A brave, noble idiot.”

  “I don’t understand,” said Kevin. “How could he just give up? How could he leave us?”

  “He didn’t,” said Cass, wiping away tears. “He’s trying to get inside the re-education center. He’s trying to save them.”

  “Idiot,” repeated Lexi.

  “He’s going to get killed,” said Kevin. He pushed Cass away from him and sat down, back against the wall.

  “Or maybe he’ll find a way to save Mom and Dad,” said Cass. Reflexively her hand reached into her pocket and touched the drawing of her parents’ faces. She didn’t really believe it, but saying it out loud might make it possible.

  Lexi sucked on her bleeding finger and shook it, grimacing. “You actually bit me,” she said.

  Cass said nothing, in no mood to apologize. She peeked around the corner of the wall. Nick’s body was limp and looked almost pitifully small in the arms of one of the giant Peteys. Kevin put his face in his hands and stared at his knees. Cass kept watching, silently, as the Peteys rolled away with Nick. They turned a corner and disappeared from view. She felt numb. �
��He’s gone,” she said.

  “All right, let’s go,” said Lexi.

  “Go where?” said Kevin.

  “What do you mean, where?” said Lexi. “Farryn and Doc are waiting for us. We’re late.”

  “What, we’re just supposed to pretend that my brother wasn’t just dragged away by the bots?” Kevin was flushed and had a wild look in his eyes.

  “No,” said Lexi, “we’re supposed to sit here in this alley and do absolutely nothing, because I’m sure that’s what Nick would want.”

  “Kevin,” Cass said gently, “Lexi’s right. We have to move on with our part of the plan.”

  “I know she’s right,” said Kevin. He sighed and shot one more angry look at Lexi. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

  They made it to Farryn’s house a few minutes later. Farryn let them in, frowning, holding up his comm and projecting the time onto the wall in bold white letters. “You’re late,” he said.

  “Shut up, Farryn,” said Lexi.

  Farryn shrugged. He smiled at Cass. “Hey, artist, do you have my payment?”

  Cass pushed past Farryn without saying anything or looking at him.

  “Hey, I’m just saying,” said Farryn, “I’m delivering my end of the bargain, and I’m hoping that once you guys get the dummy chips you’re not going to skip out on me …”

  “You’ll get your damned artwork, okay?” said Cass. “Just drop it!”

  “Whoa there,” said Farryn, holding up his hands. “Hey, where’s the big friendly one? You know, the guy who had me in the choke hold?”

  Nobody spoke.

  “What, he’s not coming? Probably safer that way, actually …”

  “They got him,” said Kevin. “He let the bots catch him so he could get into re-education. They lased him and they took him away, and now it’s just us.”

  Farryn’s grin disappeared. “Oh, man, I’m sorry,” he said. “That’s terrible.” He reached out and touched Cass’s arm. “I’m really sorry,” he said.