The Evaporation of Sofi Snow

by Mary Weber

  She tuned him out and leaned down to the comp running the life-form scanning through the FanFight program. She pressed Yes and then enabled its password restriction and shut it. The ho logram of the planet disappeared from over the table. “Once we reach the hall, let’s test the security coding to ensure the suits keep us undetectable to their feeds.” She passed Heller his handscreen. Then clenched her lips and slipped to the door.

  Sofi didn’t look back at her bedroom or Miguel’s jacket or the window-reflected room as the hatred and ice retook their place over her soul. She wasn’t soft. She was the better woman. The self-powered woman who took rather than bled.

  “We good?” Heller breathed beside her.

  She swallowed the vomit in her throat.

  She nodded. Better than good. Better than ever. Because for the first time since seeing Miguel two evenings ago, she was wholly focused on what she’d come for.

  38

  MIGUEL

  MIGUEL WATCHED THE TELE ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE council members as it continued to show calls for violence against the Delonese.

  In some ways it was nothing new. Resistance and fear had always been a part of humanity—and not just toward other species. Mostly toward themselves.

  At the same time, this instance stuck out to him. As it had more and more in recent months. As if to remind Miguel he used to believe in what they were doing when he’d first gone for office. The youngest ambassador in Earth’s history, running on the belief of today’s youth carrying the future with vitalidad and visión. And flirtations that reminded the older members what it was like to feel young again.

  But it was still the same platform—to keep the elite in power. Those with higher vision who could make the best decisions for the masses. He glanced at the people calling for blood, then at this room containing another species of elite, and he wasn’t so sure anymore. How was any of it different?

  “You’ll excuse our blunt talk, Ambassador.” The chairman’s voice echoed through the round room. “But this is what your people offer us in the same breath as requesting our help. This is the safety issue we face every day from your world.”

  He pointed at the tele just as the news flipped back to Nadine. She was holding up Corp 24’s Altered scanner. “And yet you manipulate us to expose ourselves to more hate by betraying confidences.”

  Nadine smiled widely and turned as the camera panned up to show the inside of the perfectly reconstructed Colinade. The fact they’d fixed it to look brand new was a feat in itself. That they’d done so in a day and a half was a miracle. The vid zoomed back to Nadine and, behind her, two rows of FanFight gamers and players—eight each—of the Corps still left in the game for tomorrow’s restart of the final rounds. Including their replacements in Corp 30.

  “We are here to offer our latest services in security. In a moment we will be scanning our Altered invention over each of these young men and women. At least”—she leaned in—“those who’ve agreed to it.”

  The vid pulled away to reveal CEO Hart, from Corp 13, and Corp 30’s Ms. Gaines standing to the side looking extremely unhappy.

  “Let’s question them, shall we?” Nadine said in an excitedly chipper tone. “CEO Hart, Ms. Gaines! It’s well known you’ve contended against this pain-free, life-protecting service. Can you share with us once again why? And why you’re here today?”

  CEO Hart snorted. “Lady—”

  “We formally oppose this development on the part of Corp 24,” Ms. Gaines injected. “On the simple fact that it’s an insulting invasion of privacy. Nothing more. We value our staff, our team, our players, and we—”

  “So you’re saying you won’t allow your people to be tested?” Nadine peeked at the camera.

  Gaines and Hart weren’t fools. They knew a corner when they saw one. “Oh, you can test them,” Gaines said. “But we will adamantly fight this being a common implementation in the future out of respect to our players and their basic genetic rights.”

  In the background, Corp 24’s medical staff had begun to run their scan tester over the players and gamers, one at a time.

  “And how about you both?” Nadine leaned toward Gaines and Hart. “Would you both be willing to undergo it?”

  Hart sputtered.

  “Anyone who thinks that guy’s been Delonese altered is an idiot,” Claudius murmured beside Miguel.

  The vid went suddenly mute and the Delonese chairman turned back to Miguel and his team. “You see? It is some of your Corps themselves, such as Corp 24, who inspire suspicion and violence. Not just against you, but us as well. I believe you’ll agree there seems to be one common thread.” The vid panned to Nadine’s face and, behind her, the giant ad for Corp 24.

  “Our suggestion at this council is that you take care of that specific Corporation first. By the roots.”

  Miguel stiffened his jaw and went to respond. But before he could say anything further, a shrill alarm sounded through the room.

  39

  SOFI

  SOFI FLIPPED THE SUITS ON AND DOUBLE-CHECKED HER screen’s connection with them. She turned up the invisibility function and watched Heller slowly fade from view. Not all the way, but enough to convince the eyes of anyone looking around that he was just a trick of light. Perfect. She did the same for hers, then waved the door open.

  They waited until the few Delonese down the hall turned a corner before exiting, then followed Heller’s screen map to the metal lift. His phantom hand scanned his handheld against it.

  Sofi held her breath until the lift bumped and dropped down three stories. She exhaled. The code had worked.

  “Told ya,” Heller whispered with a ghostly wink.

  At the bottom, the lift opened onto another hallway. Cripe. She glanced at Heller who swiped his screen and scanned it again. The metal box promptly flipped around and opened onto the outside world of snow and ice and freezing wind.

  “Bloody heck!” Heller yanked the slim-suit up over his mouth.

  Sofi smirked and sucked in the cold. It felt good. Felt real.

  Felt safe.

  She scanned the area in front of them. The white, flat expanse was dotted here and there with fifteen-foot-tall metal posts that, from the limited map, acted as sensors that triggered vid interaction. Other than that, the giant yard was a winterland of ice and simplicity beneath a gray cloud-covered sky and a backdrop of those low foothills and perfectly aligned trees and the giant moon taking up a quarter of the horizon. Just ahead of her and Heller sat six rows of three barrack-type houses each. Exactly as they’d seen from the window. According to the dots on the screen, the humans were located four rows down and three back.

  “Guess they don’t get many guests,” Heller purred. “Note the lack of guards. No wonder they were so lively the other night.”

  Sofi kept her mouth shut. There wasn’t just a lack of guards.

  There was a serious lack of anybody.

  The uneasiness flooded back in, growing in her chest, nudging a silent alarm that this was too easy. She tipped her head and they ran a straight, thin line between the two closest sensor poles and rounded the corner of the first barrack.

  “Dang tall Delonese.”

  She glanced over to see Heller trying to inch up to peer inside the high windows. Except they were four feet above him. She ignored him and slid down the side, then waited for him to check the map for the next sensor poles.

  She went to move again when a couple Delonese came around the corner. She jerked her hand against Heller to stay back. The visitors were striding slowly across the barracks in front of them and heading toward the far end.

  “So what do you think is the issue with their low population?” Heller whispered against her neck after they’d moved far enough away. “They breed but can’t make reproduction happen? Or are they monitored to keep their birthing rates low?” His breathing came short behind his mouth mask as his tone took on a creepy inflection. “Or what if they’re like worms and can self-propagate?”

 
She shook her head.

  “Maybe I could write a book.” He pretended to stream a mini sign in front of his face. “Sex Lives of the Very Few but Beautiful, Bad-Taste-in-Food Aliens Among Us.”

  Her eyes scowled even as her lips cracked a smile. “Heller,” she hissed. “I swear, if you get us caught because you’re talking about their breeding abilities—”

  “Just saying.”

  She beckoned him and they passed the second barrack, then a third, and suddenly they were rounding the corner of the one holding the humans. Holding her brother possibly. Hopefully.

  She paused at the wall as Heller nodded toward the single tall door down at the end.

  She inhaled and suddenly her stomach was butterflies and her spine a bleeding, shaking mess.

  What if Shilo wasn’t there? What if he was?

  Why would they have taken him anyway? Why would they take kids, let alone any humans, against their will? What was their need?

  The next second Heller was slipping past her and slinking up to the door. He waited for her to catch up, then scanned his handheld against it.

  She heard a slight click.

  The door slid up.

  And they stepped into the silent space.

  Sofi’s breath stopped.

  40

  MIGUEL

  THE MEETING HALL WAS ALIVE WITH VOICES. AS IF THE BLARING alarm had flipped the switch on the Delonese’s emotions and they were instantly wired with intense feelings and opinions. Even with the thing shut off moments after it’d begun, the noise in the room had continued to climb.

  It didn’t slip past Miguel that none of the visitors were looking at them anymore, nor seeming to acknowledge they were there at all. As if they’d ceased to exist.

  He looked back at Claudius, then Alis and Danya. “Do you know what that alarm meant?” he asked the latter.

  Danya frowned. “No, but it sure triggered them.”

  “You think?” Alis looked at her. “These are your people, and you can’t tell what’s going on?”

  Danya shook her head. “Just because I’m Delonese doesn’t mean I’m still privy to all their workings. And unfortunately in this case, I’m as lost as you. I can read their expressions and comments, but they’re acting as if even I’m not here. I can ask, but they’ll not respond.”

  “What does that mean?” Miguel asked.

  “It means that, for whatever reason, they’re choosing not to trust me right now.”

  “Was it a security breach perhaps?” He gave her a piercing look. Had they discovered Heller and Sofi’s hacking?

  She was watching the room. “No. The chip I gave you for that was flawlessly secure. This has to do with the Corp and Games. I’m guessing with the Altered scanner and Corp 24, specifically.”

  Miguel froze as Claudius and Alis both stared at Danya.

  A second later she nodded toward the chairman who’d raised his hand for silence as he looked right at them.

  “Ambassadors and Ambassadors, it seems an issue has come up regarding boy Heller and girl Sofi. As you yourselves made us aware, they are being sought by a number of members on Earth.”

  He paused. “However, it seems Earth has taken Corp 30’s warning regarding girl Sofi and raised the alert to high level. Meaning the UW has classified her as a danger. Due to that, our systems have taken the caution and reclassified them as well.”

  The chairman peered around the stadium room before he licked his lips and directed his gaze back to Miguel and Claudius. “Considering they have been flagged in Earth’s system as being a viable threat, and as you yourself said, we would be best suited to observe them and discover the truth. We will need to detain you and your friends here. Indefinitely. Until this situation is cleared up. And in the meantime, we will take them for questioning and begin running a series of tests on them.”

  Miguel frowned. ¿Qué? “And what would that entail exactly? These tests?”

  “I can assure you our probes are of the utmost delicacy. Designed to cut and extract only the specific information needed. Your friends will remain mostly as they were.”

  “What?” Miguel said far too loudly.

  Danya was shaking her head. “This isn’t good. Something’s not right. Miguel, they can’t—”

  “You may leave for your room now. However, we will ask you not to interfere with our med staff when they come shortly to take boy Heller and girl Sofi.”

  “Like heck they will.” Claudius stood up.

  41

  SOFI

  SOFI CHOKED. SHE LOOKED AT THE SCREEN AGAIN. THE BLUE lights were there. The red lights were there. It even showed the two guards still walking outside through the compound. It showed the red lights gathered in this room, right in front of where she was standing.

  Except . . .

  Except the room was completely empty, barren of furniture, of clothing, of anything.

  “I don’t understand,” Heller said. “Did we miss something?”

  She shook her head. “It’s got to be a misreading.”

  “How?”

  She was striding around the large room now. Feeling through it to ensure it wasn’t a trick of the mind or some kind of tech abilities like the suit she was wearing. She searched harder. Waved her arms around wider—in every corner, along every wall and floor edge.

  No, no, no. This is impossible.

  Her breath came short. Her throat started burning, as if her chest were catching fire.

  This couldn’t be. They were supposed to find him. The sensors said they’d find him here.

  The burning in her throat reached up to her eyes, and within seconds her gaze was blurring as her hopes dropped from her fingers to dash on the metal flooring beneath her.

  “Sof, I’m looking at the map and we’re in the right place. Maybe it was an old scan after all. Or maybe you coded it wrong,” he added hesitantly.

  “I don’t know. But it’s got to be wrong. Maybe we’re seeing residual heat signatures.”

  “Like maybe they were here and just got moved?” He frowned.

  “I don’t know,” she snapped. “I don’t know how, Heller. I don’t know the answer. I just know it’s got to be wrong.”

  At least he was wise enough to keep his mouth shut.

  She flipped around. “What do the other barracks show?”

  “What, you want to go search each one?”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  He put a hand out against her chest. “Okay, that is a bad idea. That’s how you’re going to get us caught. If we haven’t been already and that’s why there’re no humans here.”

  “Does it show any other red dots on any of the rest of the map?”

  “Just those of Miguel and Claudius and them. They’re all blurred together in the main building. And our red dots are missing, but that’s cuz of the suits.”

  She nodded and walked the room again. And tried not to throw up.

  “I say we go back—”

  “I’m going next door.”

  “You’re what?”

  “I’m going to check the two buildings on each side of this. How many Delonese are in them?”

  “Four in one. Two in the other. But, Sof—”

  She ignored him and slipped out to run the few yards to the next barrack over. She made sure her suit was at max discreetness, then scanned the door with her screen. And slid her head in far enough to peer inside.

  Empty. Completely.

  She walked the room the same way she had with the previous one, but unless the Delonese could actually vanish and become air, they weren’t here.

  She repeated it with the third barrack, this time as Heller followed, knowing before she even opened the door that she would find the same.

  Sofi stepped out and stared at Heller’s vaporous face.

  He grimaced. “What now?”

  She gritted her teeth and looked back toward the main building and their room three stories up. “We go back to the room and wait for me to kill Miguel.”

 
; 42

  MIGUEL

  MIGUEL WAS STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUITE WHEN THE door slid up and Sofi and Heller slipped in. All dressed in black. Faces pink from the frozen winterland air.

  He crossed his arms and waited for them to speak. To explain. To say anything about where they’d been or why he’d come back to an empty room and thought for five brief seconds they’d already been taken. Except their comps were still there, and the Delonese who’d accompanied him had stopped in the hall to say he’d send an extraction team for the human friends shortly.

  “Nice of you to join us,” Alis said from behind Miguel.

  Heller glanced up, scowled, and turned for the bathroom as Sofi tramped straight to her bedroom without a look or word in their direction.

  “What the—? Hey,” Alis said. “We’re talking to you guys.” Her anger practically sizzled through the air while Danya and Claudius sipped tea together and paced.

  Miguel ignored the ambassadors and followed Sofi to her room and ducked under the door just as it dropped shut, leaving the two of them alone.

  “I’d strongly suggest you not be here right now,” Sofi said, not looking at him. She unzipped the upper back portion of her slim-suit with one hand, then her thermal beneath, while tossing her handscreen on the bed with the other.

  “I’ll leave after you tell me what the heck you were just doing.”

  “Exactly what we came here for. Or what I came here for. Forgive me if that’s directly opposed to your plans.”

  “Me? What plans? You mean the plans to keep you both alive and from starting an interplanetary war while you’re out doing gad knows what to piss off Earth?”

  “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.” She stripped off both suits and left them on the floor at her feet.

  His eyes immediately sought out the ceiling. He swallowed. Trying to keep his gaze above her head—trying to keep his tone steady and the roiling anger in check against the fear weighing on his shoulders. “Sofi, I need to know—where were you and why’d Earth just flag you as a class-one threat?”