by Ramona Finn
Shrugging a little, he nods. “Pretty much.” He hesitates, his eyes lingering on Skye, and then adds after a moment, “There’s not a lot more we can do. Except offer you a Mirror.”
My eyebrows raise. “A Mirror? What good will that do?”
He grins at me. “A lot more than anything else. A Mirror is a piece of tech that allows for the wearer to blend in. I told you that all of the people within the Norm have connections to the AI? That these connections are direct links? Well, if you don’t have one, you’ll be caught immediately. Since all Glitches have been removed, you guys don’t have one already.” He motions to Wolf, “And I’m willing to bet he’s never had one.”
Wolf grunts, but doesn’t sound too upset by this fact.
“A mirror will simulate that connection. So long as you’re wearing it, the other people within the Norm will think that you’re like them.”
I’m thoroughly impressed. I wouldn’t have guessed that these people would have had that kind of technology. I’m also a little embarrassed that I didn’t know about the connection to the AI—and that I didn’t think of something like this on my own.
I guess there is a benefit to being this close to the Norm, I think. There’s technology all around here, but in the Outside it’s limited. Our resources are limited. What we find is mostly from pieces of old, unused domes and from destroyed drones and scabs. There isn’t a wealth of changing, new technology, and certainly none we would have any chance of accessing.
“C’mon. I’ll take you to a changing room; then we can go over the layout of the Norm. And you,” he motions to Wolf, “we’ll get taken care of before anyone asks how you managed to burn your hands that badly.”
…
We get dressed in the white clothing provided. Skye and I take only a few minutes to get changed. The dresses fit perfectly, if a little snugly, but not uncomfortably so. Mine stops just above my knees, the skirt of it flaring out slightly. The top has a high collar that stops at the base of my neck and the sleeves are capped over the balls of my shoulders. I test out my mobility and find that I don’t have any real trouble moving around. I’ve traded in my boots for a pair of flats that are as white as my new dress.
I step out of the small room I used to dress in and look over to find that Skye is talking to Mech. She’s smiling and he is, too, his skin stretched and his scars gnarled and pink. I stare at them for a moment, wondering how they coexist so easily. I hate that I’m so put off by the way he looks. That his appearance affects me so negatively—especially since Skye’s reaction proves that it clearly doesn’t have to.
After a long moment of watching them, I straighten my shoulders and walk over to them. “Where’s Wolf?”
Mech takes a step back from Skye, then clears his throat. “Still dressing. We’ve had to try a couple of different sets of clothes on him. I told you; he’s a bigger man than most of the people in the Norm.”
I nod. “What about the Mirrors?”
Skye turns to me and offers me her hand. “Aren’t they pretty?”
I notice that she’s wearing a thin silver bracelet around her left wrist. It’s metallic and perfectly smooth. If I angle it right, I can see my own reflection and, in that moment I understand why it’s called a Mirror. “This is an impressive piece of technology,” I comment to Mech. As an afterthought, I add, “Assuming it works.”
He nods. “It does. We’ve been working on it ever since we ended up down here. More than a couple of ours died testing it out, but it’s good now. We haven’t had a problem with it.”
He offers me one and I put it on my wrist. A thread-thin wire connects it around the back, ensuring that it doesn’t slip off. I remind myself that Mech said it will work as long as we wear them.
I hope he’s right, I think to myself. We’re putting a lot of trust in him and his people. Not like we have a lot of choices.
As I finish putting it on, Wolf finally steps out. I glance over at him and have to force myself not to smile. He looks a little funny. He’s wearing white pants that are a little too tight around his thighs and a little too short at his ankles. The shoes are flat like mine and look a little ridiculous on his big feet. The shirt isn’t much better in fit, but it looks better. His muscles are well-defined beneath the tight fabric, his arms looking as though they’re trying to burst free of the sleeves.
“Not exactly what I’d keep in my wardrobe,” he mutters.
A giggle escapes Skye’s lips and she quickly clamps a hand over her mouth. I see Mech sneak a glance at her and smile.
“It’s fine. We won’t be here long enough for it to matter, right?” I tell him, taking the third Mirror from Mech and walking it over to Wolf. I take his hand in mine and fasten the Mirror to his wrist. His skin is warm against mine, his pulse beating strong against my fingertips. Turning over his hand, I see that the skin there is smooth now and soft. Maybe even softer than it was before. Realizing that I’ve been caressing his hand, a blush starts creeping up my neck.
Letting his hand go, I step back. He frowns a little, but says nothing. I turn back to Mech. “You said you were going to go over the layout with us?”
…
Mech spends almost an hour going over the set-up of the Norm. He has digital maps, which means we can’t take any of them, but he lets us draw a quick, crude copy of one on a piece of fabric. I roll it up and tuck it into my dress.
“You can get back into the main part of the dome here,” he says, pointing for the fifth time to a large drain which filters down to where we are now. “But you’ll have to be careful. If anyone sees you exiting from there, they’ll know that you don’t belong—a Mirror won’t change that.”
We’ve been over this, but I don’t remind him of that. Skye looks increasingly nervous, and I hope his words bring her some reassurance. Wolf has been silently taking in everything, standing uncomfortably in his ill-fitting clothes. He watches, and I know he’s paying close attention, but he doesn’t offer anything specific, and I realize suddenly that Wolf has never been inside the Norm before.
“Once you’re in the surface area, stick to the roads. Don’t walk on the grass or cut corners. Everyone in the Norm always follows the sidewalks, okay?”
Skye nods, hanging on his every word. I nod also, though at this point I can tell he’s not talking to me. He’s talking to Skye.
“You’ll want to get to the main control center, which is here. City Hall.”
I know this already. I’ve been there before. It’s where I left Raj—where I hope to find him again. My worry isn’t getting there. I remember the path I took there well enough. Now that I blend in better this time, I’m even less worried about it. This should be easy. Instead, my worries lie elsewhere.
There are things I need to figure out from the AI. Things that I think she can answer—and that no one else could. But how do I ask them while Wolf and Skye are there? Wolf can’t hack into the system, but Skye can. She’ll be there with me, I know, and there’s no way I can ask her not to be. I don’t have a reason for that, and doing so will make me suspicious.
I don’t want them to not trust me.
“One last thing,” Mech says, addressing all of us again. “The Mirrors will work, but they’re only very basic masks when it comes right down to it. Masks that work well against someone who doesn’t know you. But if you run into anyone, and I mean anyone, that you knew before, they’ll pick you out. Avoid old friends. Avoid family. Avoid anyone who you would recognize in the street, because they are your biggest risk.”
We thank him. Skye seems a little upset about this new stipulation, but doesn’t argue. I’m nervous about it. After all, how can I avoid my family, my friends, when I don’t even remember them?
We go to the drainage exit.
We thank Mech one more time; he wishes us luck. Then we climb out into the Norm, hoping that somehow we can pull this off.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The path to City Hall is clear. I would rather take the most direct route,
but Mech made it clear that we’re to stick to the sidewalks. I don’t want to risk it, so even though it takes longer, I make a point of staying to the paths. More than that, I set an even, steady pace. I hope it matches that of the other Tech who live in the Norm.
We’re silent as we make our way. I notice that Skye’s eyes are constantly darting around, taking in the sights of the Norm. She’s missed this place; it’s written across her face. I frown, watching her. I don’t feel that way. In fact, my only memories of the Norm are those that I experienced with Raj.
There are several Techs walking around. When the first one starts walking towards us on the walkway, I tense, ready to fight or run if I have to. But the Tech barely even smiles and nods at us before continuing on his way. Something eases inside me. The Mirrors are working.
As we make our way, I think about how I’m going to make this work. I need time on my own with the AI. How can I get it if Skye and Wolf are in the room with me? And how will I find Raj? Is there a chance that he’s still there in the Control Room, being held hostage?
Though that sounds like a terrible thing, I hope it’s the truth. That means he’ll be right there. That we can save him without having to try and find him here amidst this uncertain place.
When we reach City Hall, I pause outside the back door that Raj and I used before. Wolf and Skye stop beside me.
“Let’s go,” Wolf says, and moves to open the door.
“No!” I shout, stopping him.
He raises his eyebrows at me, surprised by my outburst. “We don’t have time to waste. Someone’s going to figure out we don’t belong here pretty fast.”
Skye nods in agreement.
I realize that if I don’t do something now, they’ll go in with me. I need time alone with the AI to get my answers, but there’s something else making me hesitate to let them come with me. Raj was left behind here, I think. I don’t want the same thing to happen to them.
Taking a deep breath, I say, “You two need to stay here.”
At this, Wolf shakes his head. “No. We’re going in with you. We’ve come this far and—”
“I have to do this part alone. You can’t come with me,” I insist, pleading in my voice. I can’t let him come with me. I can’t.
He shakes his head. “You’re crazy if you think I’m going to let you go in there alone. We do this together.”
I bite my lip and realize that he will go in with me—unless I come up with a legitimate reason that he can’t. “You don’t understand; I have to do this alone.” He opens his mouth to argue, clearly frustrated with me, but I hurry on to tell my quick, white lie. A lie to protect them both. “There isn’t enough room in there for all of us. In fact, I barely had room to fit myself in there last time. That’s why Raj and I got separated.”
I almost wince as that last part falls from my lips. I didn’t really mean to say it, but I admit now that it gives my story truth. Wolf still doesn’t look happy about it, but I can see that he’s beginning to cave. He doesn’t like it, but he’s a practical person. He knows that sometimes things just have to happen like this.
Something in my chest eases.
“Then why don’t I go?” Skye volunteers.
I shoot her a quick look, almost having forgotten she has been here the whole time. I begin to shake my head, willing her to back down, but she doesn’t.
“It makes the most sense. I’m smaller than you and I’ve got your gear still.” She pulls the screen from the pocket of her white uniform. The rest is covered up discreetly, enough that I’ve all but forgotten it was there at all. “I’ve got the best chance, right?”
There’s a hint of uncertainty in her tone and I pounce on it. “No. You’re not familiar enough with the gear.” Sort of true. She never has liked it and this is the first time she’s really used it before. “Besides, I’ve been in there before. I’m the best candidate.”
Skye frowns. “But Raj—”
I shake my head. “If he’s there, I’ll bring him back. If he’s not…” I trail off, thinking of how this might all be for nothing. Just a bad plan from start to finish. Taking a quick breath, I nod. “If he’s not, then I’ll hack in and figure out where the AI has him.” If he’s alive, I think grimly.
Wolf still looks unhappy, but he must have decided that we’re wasting too much time. “You have fifteen minutes. After that, I’ll get in. Even if I have to start tearing down walls to do it,” he tells me fiercely, and I don’t doubt that he’ll try to do just that.
Fifteen minutes. It’s not a lot of time, but it should be enough. I hope it’s enough.
Smiling at him, I nod and reach for the door. Before I can open it, he grabs my arm and spins me around. He pulls me against him. My eyes widen in surprise. Then he leans down and presses his mouth to mine. The kiss is quick, but urgent. It’s not a goodbye, but a promise to come back. That he’ll be here when I do.
He nods at me then, and I’m still breathless. My limbs feel weak for a moment, but I force myself to go to the door. I drink in Wolf’s features once more, and then I go inside.
…
I’m expecting drones, scabs, some form of resistance. But I encounter none. The hallway is cool, the walls a deep blue lightened only by the strip of optics lining the edges of the space. I move quickly to the door that waits for me.
My palms begin to sweat, but I put my right hand flat against the panel outside the door anyway. In seconds, the door is open. Still there is no one. Nothing to stop me.
It makes me nervous, but I keep going.
The room is wide and there are panels—new and well maintained—surrounding me as I step inside. The door shuts quickly behind me, making me jump. But there’s still nothing here.
And there’s definitely no Raj.
I think about just turning around and beginning to search for him house by house, but what good would that do? The Norm is huge. I would never find him that way.
My eyes drift to the panel. If I hack in, maybe I can search for his location…
I head to the panel along the far wall near a large viewing screen. I place my hand over it and hack in. In the virtual world, I search for Raj. I have questions for the AI, too, but Raj has to my priority. As I begin my search, I expect to have guards come at me; scabs, drones, the AI herself. But even inside the mainframe, there’s nothing stopping me.
A frown tugs at my lips. Something isn’t right. But I have to keep going. I summon the screen in the virtual world and begin sifting through my search.
The first thing that pops up looks only half finished and it doesn’t look like it’s part of the AI at all. It’s a programming code, but its purpose isn’t clear and I’m not sure why it’s associated with Raj.
Until I get about halfway through.
It’s a virus.
A virus that will be able to wipe out the AI’s main programming. Raj must have been working on it when he was captured! Hope flares up within me instantly. He must be alive then! Or at least he was when he started the virus… I consider just finishing right then and there. It would solve our problems, right? Destroy the AI, save the Rogues. But my hands hover over the screen as a dark thought occurs to me.
What if destroying the AI’s programming will destroy everyone linked to that program?
All of the Tech, just dead… because of me.
Unable to decide if it’s worth the risk—after all, there’s no guarantee that the virus will do that—I decide to put the virus on hold. Just until I finish my search for Raj, I promise myself. Then I’ll decide whether or not the virus is dangerous to the Tech. And whether I can live with myself if it is.
As I’m searching, a screen pops up. It shows the control room where I’m currently standing. It’s eerie to see my body linked to the panel while knowing that I’m also here, in the virtual world. But it’s not half as startling as the other figure standing in the room with me.
“Raj?”
I break the connection instantly and jerk away from the panel, swiv
eling towards the door. And there he is. Alive, well, and smiling at me.
“Raj?” My voice is small. My heart hammers in my chest, beating blood to my ears until the noise is so loud I can’t focus on anything else. Just my hammering heart and Raj.
He smiles at me and I throw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. A sob escapes my lips and I start to apologize. I say I’m sorry over and over again. It’s all I can say. His arms come around me, too, and he shushes me.
“It’s okay,” he murmurs. “I’m not mad. You did the right thing. It’s okay.”
“I’m so sorry,” I say again.
“Don’t be.”
I finally pull away, tears staining my cheeks. It’s so incredibly good to see him, but I finally admit to myself that something isn’t quite right. He’s dressed like a Tech, the clothing fitting him perfectly. Like it’s been made for him. I don’t know why that worries me, but it does.
“How—?”
He shakes his head. “Not here. We don’t have time to explain. The scabs will be here soon and we need to get out before they get here.”
I nod, remembering that Wolf and Skye are still outside waiting. “Let’s get out of here.”
We race back down the hall and burst out the door and into the open. I expect Skye and Wolf to be standing right there, but instead the area is empty. They’re gone. Shaking my head, I say out loud, “Where are they?”
Raj takes my hand and starts pulling me along. “I’m sure they’re fine. We have to move.”
He continues to hold my hand, leading me away from City Hall. I glance back once more, looking for Skye and Wolf, but there’s nothing. No trace of them. Does the AI have them?
“We have to find Skye and Wolf!” I tell Raj, jerking back from his grip. “I won’t leave without them.” Not like I left you, I don’t say.
He frowns, thinking things through. We don’t have a lot of time for this, but he takes just a little to consider me. Finally, he nods. “Okay. If the AI has them, I know where to look.”
