Girl of Fire: The Expulsion Project Book One (A Science Fiction Dystopian Thriller)

by Norma Hinkens

  I give a curt nod and slip my hand inside my BodPak. My fist closes around a nugget of dargonite. “Do you have someplace private where we can complete the transaction?”

  He laughs. “Is your CipherSync on the hot list too?”

  “No.” I pull out my fist and open it a crack in front of him. “But this is.”

  His eyebrows rise into two stiff peaks. “Follow me.” He turns abruptly and leads me through the back of the pawn emporium and into an elevachute. We descend several floors into a basement of sorts and walk along a dark passageway to an unmarked doorway. Stefanov keys a combination into the control pad and gestures me inside. The door slides shut behind us with an ominous click. I’m trapped in another windowless room with a stranger for the second time in twenty-four hours. I only hope I’ve made the right decision this time. My heart keeps racing ahead of my brain, and I’ve not been as cautious as I should be.

  “Let me see that dargonite,” Stefanov says.

  I hand over the nugget and shift from one foot to the other while he examines it under a large magnifier and composition analyzer. “It’s the real deal,” he pronounces after a few minutes. He sinks down in a chair and holds the nugget out in front of him as if scarcely believing what he’s seeing. “Never held a nugget of dargonite before. Where did you steal this from?”

  I open my mouth to protest but catch myself just in time. Maybe it’s better he believes that for now. “Some place far from here. And it’s worth a lot more than two hundred thousand credits. So now that you’ve verified its authenticity, I need the name and address of a Minder who can get me the information I need.”

  Stefanov tightens his fingers around the nugget. “How much dargonite do you have?”

  I hesitate, reluctant to give away too much. “Enough to pay the Minder.”

  “Risky to offer him dargonite.” Stefanov pins me with a penetrating gaze. “And unnecessary. I can front the costs of bribing him with credits if you are willing to give me another nugget as collateral. I know people who would be very interested in paying market value for it.”

  I chew on my lip, mulling over the offer. It probably isn’t wise to alert a Minder, even if he is dirty, to the fact that I have dargonite in my possession. And I can’t entirely trust Doctor Azong to come through for us. I like the idea of Stefanov lining up a second potential buyer, but I don’t trust him either.

  “All right.” I push another nugget of dargonite toward him. “But I want to meet your buyer and be in on the negotiations.”

  Stefanov gets to his feet. “Meet me back here tomorrow night. Come alone.”

  “And the information on the Minder?”

  “His name’s Brivardo.” Stefanov consults his CipherSync. “I’ll transfer the contact information right away and let him know to expect you within the next hour or two.”

  I pull up my sleeve and set my CipherSync to receive mode.

  Stefanov eyes my device disparagingly. “Antiquated for someone flush with dargonite.”

  I glare at him. “I can’t shop with nuggets.”

  He holds his palms out apologetically. “I simply meant that we carry an excellent selection of newer models if you’re interested.”

  I consider it briefly, but it’s dicey buying something that Stefanov could potentially fit with a tracking device that would lead him straight to our ship. Once we unload the dargonite, we can upgrade everything, including our weapons, with state-of-the-art replacements. “Thanks, but after our deal goes down I intend to hit the high-end shopping district. I’m sure you understand.”

  Stefanov lets out a chortle. “Just don’t spend it so fast that you come crawling back to the pawn emporium trying to cash in your purchases.”

  Once he finishes transferring the credits and the contact information for the Minder, he takes me back upstairs and escorts me to the door. “If you’re late tomorrow night, the deal’s off. I get skittish easily.”

  “I’ll be here,” I say.

  I feel his eyes burning a hole in my back as I cross the street to the cafe where the others are waiting.

  Velkan half rises out of his seat, his eyes searching mine.

  “Well?” Ghil demands.

  “It’s complicated.” I pull up a chair. “And I’m parched from all that negotiating.”

  “Here, try this.” Buir pushes her drink across the table to me. “If you like it, I’ll order another one.”

  I take a sip and gasp. It’s sweet and velvety, but with a kick that sends a spark through me and sharpens my mind instantly.

  “What is this stuff?” I ask, peering into the glass.

  “Elektra Chai,” Buir says. “Full of revitalizing ions.”

  “If you think that’s good, you should try my Molten Mocha for a volcanic energy surge.” Velkan tilts his mug and peers into it. “Actually, only the dregs are left. You’ll need to order your own.” He grins at me, tossing his hair over his shoulder. “I can vouch for it.”

  Ghil waves a dismissive hand. “Forget those fancy-pants drinks. Order yourself a Propulsion Expresso. You’ll be fully charged for three straight days.”

  I shake my head. “All right, I’ll try one of each. Now let me bring you up to speed on what happened in the pawn emporium.”

  “Go ahead,” Ghil says, entering my order on the digital interface at our table.

  “The owner is a man called Stefanov. He says he sold a bracelet just like mine a few months back. Problem is, it showed up on a hot list of stolen items so he doesn’t have an address for the owner.”

  Velkan groans. “We actually get a lead and then it goes nowhere.”

  “Not so fast,” I say. “The person who reported it stolen had to log an address in the Syndicate database for the Minders’ investigation.”

  “No! Absolutely not.” Ghil pulls self-consciously at the cap covering his ears and forehead. “We’re not involving Minders.” He glances over his shoulder and then turns back to me. “I’m a fugitive here, remember?”

  “Stefanov gave me the name of a Minder who can be bribed,” I say. “And he loaded my CipherSync with credits. I’ll handle the negotiations. You don’t have to show your face.”

  A refreshment drone delivers my drinks to the table. I take a sip of the Molten Mocha first and gasp, giddy with the sensations on my tongue and darting through my bloodstream.

  “I don’t know,” Ghil says. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about crooks, it’s that if you can buy them, so can everyone else. What if this Minder sells us out?”

  “The Syndicate isn’t paying him much if he’s supplementing his income with crime. He’ll go with the highest bidder,” I say. “And that would be us.”

  Ghil takes a swig of his expresso and lets out a guttural sigh. “Let’s hope you’re right about him not ratting us out. If the Syndicate finds out you tried to bribe a Minder, we’ll be on the next ship to the penal colonies.”

  I lean across the table. “They’re not going to find out. No one can resist the lure of dargonite.”

  Ghil throws me a disgruntled look. “Well, you’re about to put that theory to the test.”

  Velkan turns to me. “I’ll go with you to the Minder Depot.”

  I shake my head. “Stefanov told his contact I would be alone. I don’t want him getting spooked and backing out.”

  “Send me the depot address.” Ghil taps on his CipherSync.

  Velkan furrows his brow. “If you’re not back in two hours, I’m coming after you.”

  I transfer the address to Ghil’s CipherSync and then take a quick swig of my Propulsion Expresso. My eyes bulge. Every nerve ending tingles and heat rushes through my limbs. “How do you drink that stuff, Ghil?” I gasp.

  He shakes his head and reaches for the mug. “Swirl and swallow. Nothing to it.”

  “In that case, you can have mine too.” I get to my feet. “See you all back on board.”

  I hail a LevCab and read out the address Stefanov gave me. An electronic voice repeats my destination and
then the LevCab elevates above the city streets and proceeds along a laser lit path tunneling through oval openings in high rise buildings thousands of feet tall. Fifteen minutes later, we pull up outside a smoked glass building wrapped in the Syndicate flaming planet insignia. I swallow hard and walk purposefully through the foreboding entry. I smile with relief at the human behind the counter. Interesting that they don’t employ androids for the position. Probably too much risk of someone overriding their chips and infiltrating the Minder Depot. “I’m here to see Minder Brivardo,” I say, eying the woman’s name tag, Minder Clerk Daphnist.

  “Do you have an appointment?” she asks.

  “No, it’s a personal matter. I was hoping he could spare me a few minutes.”

  A faintly irritated expression comes over the clerk’s face. “I’m afraid you’ll need to make an appointment.”

  “Tell him Stefanov sent me.”

  The clerk tightens her lips and then activates her CipherSync. “Minder Brivardo, there’s a woman here to see you without an appointment. She says Stefanov sent her.” She listens for a few seconds. Her brow furrows. “Yes, absolutely.”

  The clerk gets to her feet and buzzes me through the security door. “Follow me, please.”

  She leads me down a corridor and gestures me into a brightly lit office at the rear of the building. “Wait here. Minder Brivardo will be with you shortly.”

  Minutes later, a spindly man with an overly-chiseled jaw that doesn’t match his paltry physique pads into the room.

  I get to my feet and he motions to me impatiently. “Sit. Sit. What can I do for you?”

  I smile coyly at him. “Thank you for seeing me Minder Brivardo.”

  “Stefanov sent you?” He peers at me expectantly.

  I nod. “I need some information.”

  He taps the tips of his fingers together, his eyes darting around the room. “What kind of information?”

  I pull my chain. “A bracelet like this was reported stolen a few months ago.” I pause, and let out a heavy sigh. “It belonged to an old friend of mine. We lost contact a long time ago. I would do anything to find her again. When I saw the bracelet on the hot list, I knew right—”

  Minder Brivardo makes an irritating clucking sound. “Save your spiel. I don’t care why you want the information. I keep telling Stefanov this isn’t worth it anymore for the pittance he pays me. I take a huge risk every time I access confidential files. The Syndicate sent a record number of people to the penal colonies on the outer rim last month. And for lesser crimes than selling personal information. I can’t help you.”

  “Forget Stefanov.” I look him straight in the eye. “I can afford to compensate you well.”

  His eyes gleam with an interest that wasn’t there a moment earlier. “How well?”

  “Five hundred thousand credits.”

  He snatches up a tissue from a dispenser on his desk and mops his forehead.

  I lean forward in my chair. “Or one million credits if I walk out with the information now.”

  24

  A charged silence fills the room. I can tell by the quiver of Minder Brivardo’s nostrils that he’s processing the enormity of what I offered him, and weighing it against the risks involved. It doesn’t take him long to come to a decision.

  “Wait here.” He gets to his feet. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  As the minutes drag by without any sign of him returning, a thread of unease weaves its way into my thoughts. What if he turns me in after all? What if Stefanov misjudged his allegiance to the Syndicate? Or maybe Stefanov gets a cut for turning over criminals to him. My heart begins to race. Just when I’ve convinced myself I should leave before I’m arrested, the door slides open.

  Minder Brivardo slips inside and the door closes again behind him. He beckons impatiently with his fingers. “Turn on your CipherSync. I have an address.”

  I activate receive mode. “Is it far from here?”

  He hefts a brow upward. “Might as well be on the next planet. You won’t get near it without security clearance.”

  I frown. “Why’s that?”

  “Your friend lives in the Syndicate military quadrant.”

  I run a hand through my hair digesting this new information. This is a complication I didn’t anticipate. And one I have no idea how to address.

  “And before you ask about falsified military clearance,” Minder Brivardo says, raising one hand up to me. “I don’t touch that. You’re on your own.” He peers at his CipherSync and then looks up, eyes gleaming. “The address information went through. You can transfer the credits now.”

  I nod and tap the screen on my CipherSync to activate the transfer.

  Minder Brivardo wets his lips and stares hungrily at his own CipherSync. Moments later, a voracious smile spreads across his face. “Excellent. The address I gave you will disappear from your tablet after an hour. And remember, this conversation never happened.”

  I smile across at him. “So long as you remember that if your information is bad, I’ll be back to pick up this conversation where we left off. Beginning with the part where you told me you’ll be sent to a penal colony if the Syndicate finds out you’re siphoning information out of their system and selling it to the highest bidder.”

  Minder Brivardo pales. “You need to leave now.”

  I incline my head slightly. “Thank you for your time. It was most enlightening.” I exit the room, leaving a jittery-looking Brivardo to wonder if Stefanov really sent me at all.

  By the time I arrive back at the Zebulux, the deep, orange glow of evening has settled over the ship and pinpricks of starlight dot the sky. I make my way inside and close up the cargo bay before heading upstairs to the dining room.

  The others are gathered around the table finishing a meal, which I can tell by a fleeting glance was definitely not one of Ghil’s concoctions.

  “Did you get the address?” Buir asks.

  “Yes.” I sink heavily down on the bench next to Velkan.

  “What’s wrong?” He frowns at me.

  I rub my face wearily. “The address is in the Syndicate military quadrant. We can’t get in there without security clearance.”

  Ghil shakes his head. “We aren’t even going to try. The Supreme Leader lives in the military quadrant. It’s the most heavily fortified area on Aristozonex.”

  “So now what?” Buir asks.

  “Maybe we can’t get in,” I say. “But the inhabitants have to come out at some point.”

  “What good does that do us?” Velkan asks. “We don’t know who we’re looking for.”

  “Actually, we do.” I look around at the others. “Stefanov told me there was a name engraved on the bracelet, Ayma.”

  Ghil throws me a skeptical look. “Brilliant, all we have to do is accost everyone leaving the military quadrant and ask them if they’re Ayma.” He throws up his hands in disgust.

  “We won’t be accosting anyone,” I say. “We’ll figure it out by a process of elimination.”

  “And how does that work exactly?” Ghil grumbles.

  “For starters, Ayma is likely a female name because it ends in the letter “A,” like my name. My guess is she’s around my age, as she has a bracelet just like mine and Velkan’s—and if that’s the case, she attends the EduPlex. That’s where we need to go to find her.”

  Velkan folds his arms across his chest and considers it. “Might be worth a try. We have nothing better to do anyway while we’re waiting on Doctor Azong or Stefanov to find us a buyer.”

  “We don’t all need to go to the EduPlex,” I say. “I don’t want to scare her off. You and Ghil can stay here in case Doctor Azong or Stefanov try to make contact. I’ll take Buir with me.”

  Ghil shrugs. “I’m too old to pass myself off as a student anyway.”

  I give a sheepish grin. “Maybe with a little dermal sculpting …”

  He laughs and gets to his feet. “I’m off to bed. Tomorrow’s a big day.” He winks as he disappears out the d
oor. “Got to look good for our buyers.”

  Early the next morning, Buir and I hail a LevCab and direct it to take us to the EduPlex. There are already a few teenagers milling around on the sloping lawn outside the imposing glass building by the time we get there. To my dismay, they are wearing a uniform of electric blue jumpsuits with the EduPlex insignia across the back. “We won’t be able to go inside unless we can find some way to blend in,” I say to Buir.

  “Maybe we won’t need to,” she replies. “Let’s ask those students if they know anyone called Ayma.”

  I half-raise my hand to splay it in greeting before I catch myself. Instead, I walk casually over and plaster on a smile. “Do any of you know Ayma, by chance?” I ask them. “She left her CipherSync at a cafe around the corner.”

  The students exchange a loaded look. The taller one raises a skeptical brow at me. “One of her security detail would have picked it up if she’d left something behind. Can’t be hers.”

  “So you do know her?” I ask, trying to temper my excitement.

  The teenager narrows his eyes at me. “Everyone knows Ayma.”

  “We’re visiting traders,” Buir pipes up. She smiles coyly at the teenager. “The address on the CipherSync is in the military quadrant.”

  The teenager gives a quick shrug. “Yeah, that’s where she lives. She should be pulling up here anytime.” He points to the curb. “Over there, she has a reserved spot.”

  Right on cue, a sleek, charcoal LevAuto hovers around the corner and settles silently into the designated spot. A tall olive-skinned man steps out, scans the area, and then adjusts his CipherSync before communicating something to another party. The side door slides upward and into the roof of the car. A girl around my age steps out, her glistening ebony ponytail swinging to and fro. Her eyes scour the grassy banks in front of the EduPlex. A moment later, her face lights up and she waves at a blonde girl who jumps up and walks toward her.

  I take a breath and step between them. “Ayma,” I begin.

  Powerful arms grip my shoulders and haul me to one side. “Who are you?” the olive-skinned man demands. “I’ve never seen you here before.”