A little ways outside of camp, Gabby finally let the excitement from the evening claim her and put her face into her hands, comfortable that the darkness would hide her trembling.
Everything about her plan felt crazy. Crazier than the time she and Mouse had assaulted the hovercraft tower and flown one back to camp. Crazier than her running back to Jaxon's place to save his daughter. Crazier than all of it put together. And she'd barely constructed the plan with much more than a cursory thought. The details had just fallen into place and she hadn't questioned it.
The plan was a bucket full of gut feeling, buffed with insanity. And it was hers.
Gabby shook her head, feeling the weight of what she'd done crashing down on her: she'd just kidnapped the Coder, or at least someone she thought was the Coder. If it wasn't, her friends would never listen to her again.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The temperature dropped sharply in the night, forcing Gabby to put on two sweaters and a pair of gloves. The air smelled like snow. Gabby crawled across the benches and threw a blanket on the Coder in his tarp cocoon, then she returned to her bench and tried to sleep.
As the morning approached, Gabby could see her nose had been right. The clouds appeared pregnant with snow, low and gray. Gabby signaled Celia to stop the Caterpillar. The Frags stomped around in the frozen grass, putting their hands in under their armpits and blowing out plumes of frozen air.
The last gasp of winter had blown in from the mountains. Gabby still couldn't see them, but the clouds hid the horizon in a smothering gray.
Gabby looked back behind them. They'd climbed the foothills during the night, traveling to a point Gabby had given Celia. Gabby had expected questions, but Michael's sister only shrugged when she saw the coordinates.
"Why'd we stop?" asked Milton, strutting along the ridge.
Mouse scrunched up her face at Milton. "Why are you still a slut?"
Milton made a hurt face. "Virus?" Then opened his hands in a 'so obvious' fashion before rolling his eyes.
Gabby cleared her throat. "I need to talk to you all before we go any further."
They looked at her gravely, everyone but Michael, who leaned against the Caterpillar and stared at the dirt.
"What gives, Gabs?" asked Milton.
Gabby checked back to the low foothills behind them. She could tell them something benign and have them head back down, dropping off the Coder when no one was looking. But that wouldn't save Zaela.
"Drogan, can you get that tarp I had you put in the back?"
Drogan retrieved it obediently. When he threw it on the frozen ground, Gabby cringed at the impact. She should have told him to be more careful.
"Unwrap it, please. But carefully, it's fragile."
Drogan followed her directions while the others looked to her expectantly. They clearly thought her behavior strange. As the tape was ripped off, Gabby pulled the gun from her pocket.
"Milton, can you please grab Mouse for a moment? I only need you to hold her until I explain something."
Milton took a step toward Mouse, but didn't touch her, holding his hands out above her shoulders. Mouse looked to the tarp and then back to Gabby. Realization slowly dawned on her face.
"I'm sorry," Gabby told Mouse. "This will make more sense once this is all done. Milton, please grab her."
Mouse appeared ready to bolt, but before she did, Michael was by her side, holding one arm. Milton stepped forward and grabbed the other. Drogan, sensing the mood of the Frags, was holding back tears, while Celia stood by passively.
As the tarp finally unrolled and the bound form appeared, they all looked to her, everyone but Mouse who was staring at the ground. Gabby could see the wheels turning.
"Why did you kidnap Damon? He helped us," said Milton.
Gabby shook her head. "That's not Damon and he wasn't helping us, he was keeping tabs on us and waiting for the opportune moment. He's the Coder. Mr. Johnson without the skin on."
"The opportune moment for what?" asked Milton incredulously. "If it was really the Coder, he would have been there with his goon squad, not all alone. I mean, Gabby, he gave you that gun."
"Ironic isn't it." Gabby motioned toward the Coder. "Drogan, can you help him with the tape on his mouth? His arms aren't working too well right now."
The Coder was clawing at the edge of the tape, trying to get his fingers to cooperate. When Drogan removed the tape, the Coder spit the rag out and gagged a few times.
"Gabby," said Milton, "all this Zaela business is warping your head. You're seeing things." Milton turned to the Coder. "Are you Mr. Johnson? That creep-o that's been following us since we left the GSA?"
The Coder glanced from Milton to Michael to Mouse and back to Gabby. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"See, Gabby? You're grasping at straws. And why are you having us hold onto Mouse? She's our friend."
Gabby felt her control of the situation slowly slipping away. They were supposed to believe her. No matter how crazy it sounded. They were her friends. They'd followed her this far.
"She is our friend. Maybe." Gabby nodded toward the Coder. "Can't you see the resemblance? He cut his hair to confuse his look and that retro-fantasy look of his with the red eyes is just a skin. That's the real Coder underneath."
"But the Coder wasn't in Double Eagle," said Milton. "He was up north. Maybe he'd even gone back to the GSA. Gabby, this is crazy. We have to let him go. You're lucky you didn't kill him keeping him bound up in the tarp."
Gabby kicked the dirt and regretted it instantly when it didn't give. "Milton, why don't you believe me? It's him! Can't you see that? I can't explain why he was in town, except to get Mouse."
"Mouse?" asked Milton. "Now you're really not making sense. I thought you said he'd been after you all this time."
"I thought so, too."
Gabby threw her hands in the air and was about kick the ground again when Michael spoke.
"I don't know if that's the Coder, but the Coder was in Double Eagle. I saw him."
Relief flooded Gabby's heart.
"You did?" asked Milton. Mouse seemed to shrink beneath their grasp.
"When I was mute and Mouse had me go with her. We met up with the Damon and they spoke privately, keeping me away. I didn't realize his importance until now. I assume she brought me along since I couldn't communicate with anyone. You found us right after and I thought you'd figure it out, but then once we left Double Eagle, I was waiting for a time to tell you."
Milton eyed Mouse. "So you were working for the Coder after all?" Mouse shrunk further in their grasp and refused to answer.
"Not speaking is only making you look more guilty," said Milton and then he looked to Gabby, "though it still doesn't mean that Damon is the Coder."
"Wait," said Michael, "what I want to know is why did you betray us, Song? I thought you were our friend."
Mouse squeaked and shrunk again.
"She didn't betray us, exactly," said Gabby.
"What? Now you're really not making sense," said Milton.
Gabby paused before speaking. "She was just listening to a stronger bond...her father."
An audible gasp whipped through the Frags. Even Celia straightened slightly, indicating she'd grown interested in the conversation. Only Drogan hadn't gasped, appearing confused by the rapid exchange.
"It wasn't me he was after. He was trying to get her back. He just used us as a pretense to use his retrieval squad." Gabby held out her gun, pointing it at the Coder. "Song Ling. You know how hard I've been trying to get back to my friend Zaela."
Mouse nodded timidly.
"And you know how much I hate that Coder for what he did to us."
Mouse nodded again.
"Then know that I will frag him unless you admit to the others who he is."
Gabby waved her fingers and a huge red crosshairs appeared on Damon's chest. Mouse swallowed. She was trying not to look at the Coder.
"Song, I will frag him."
"
Gabby, this is crazy," muttered Milton.
Gabby leveled her aim, bringing the gun in line with the crosshairs. Mouse whimpered.
"Stop," said Damon. "It's okay. I'll admit it for her. I am the Coder and I am Damon Ling, Song's father."
Mouse broke free from Michael and Milton and ran into her father's arms. Damon hugged her with a fierce pride, keeping his eyes leveled at Gabby. Gabby put the gun down to her side and dismissed the crosshairs.
Milton's eyes went wide and a manic grin rose to his face. "Gabby! You can finally find out what happened to Zaela and the other losers! We can make him tell us!" Milton jiggled as he hopped on his stiletto heels.
Gabby blew a sigh out her lips. The white plume jetted out before dissolving into nothing. A few lonely snowflakes were making their way to the ground.
"I already know," said Gabby, "Jaxon told me."
Milton's expectant and giddy smile started to fade as looked into Gabby's reluctant face.
"They sell the losers to the Southlands. Or at least used to, until the GSA found out they were turning them into soldiers to attack."
Damon nodded apologetically. "She's right. Not long after your Final Raid, we suspended the program."
Gabby's heart fluttered. "Does that mean Zaela wasn't sold?"
Damon shook his head. "She was one of the last ones."
"What are they doing with them?" asked Milton.
"Those are the kids we fought in Double Eagle," said Gabby. "Some of them could have come from Neversoft High."
"And more than that," said Damon. "They're doing something else with them. Using certain kids like beacons to warp reality around them. We've been trying to get our people in close enough to find out more, but they keep disappearing."
Gabby snapped her finger. "Yes. That's what was happening. When I went closer to the Southlands army, I sensed a strange program emanating from the army. My vision beyond a few hundred meters had started to get fuzzy. I thought it'd been a way to hide their troop movements. I left as soon as I came in contact with it."
"You were smart to move. It's a way to hide their troops and more," said Damon, "but we don't know much more than that."
"So the Southlands will attack the GSA?" she asked.
"Yes," said Damon, "and we'll probably lose."
"Win or lose, my friends will die. On both sides," said Gabby.
Milton had his hand on his hip staring incredulously at Song. "So let me get this straight, you used us to help your father get us?"
Mouse stamped her foot. "No! I was helping my father earn points for his job!" Her eyes threw darts at Milton. "And then I was helping Gabby find Zaela. I never betrayed."
"Wait!" Gabby shouted before Milton could respond. "It doesn't matter. We're all here now and Damon's going to go back soon."
"You're letting them go?" said both Milton and Michael at the same time.
"No," said Gabby, but when she opened her mouth to explain, nothing came out. They stared at her while she struggled to form the words.
"She's going with him," said Celia suddenly. "She's going to be a Coder."
"That can't be true," said Milton. "Not after all this."
Gabby nodded. "I am. It's the one way I can get Zaela back. The Coders can sneak me into the Southlands."
"Are you crazy?" asked Milton.
"Probably."
Michael gave her a wounded look. His normally blue eyes reflected the gray clouds above. Snowflakes were scattered in his hair. The snow was coming down in bunches.
"I can't believe you're going back there with him and that traitor? I don't care about their reasons," said Milton. "And you're crazy to trust them."
"Mouse isn't going back," said Gabby. "And I don't trust them. She's staying here with you while I go with him. She's my insurance that they don't just make me disappear for dragging them halfway across the Freelands."
Milton nodded with hesitant approval. "What should we do?"
"Take the Caterpillar and rejoin the others. Go to the Blood Farm and tell Ben about the Southlands. They need to rally the Freelands to oppose. If the GSA falls, they'll have free rein to roll through the Freelands," she explained.
Gabby checked the time. "We have to go. The retrieval squad is coming soon and you guys need to be gone."
Damon squinted at her. "How'd you know they were coming?"
Gabby shook her head. "Come on, it wasn't that hard."
Damon frowned.
"You'd better say your last goodbyes. I have your backpack in the back. I'll get mine and then we can go." Gabby glanced up at the sky. "I hope they find us soon before the snow comes down much harder."
Damon began speaking quietly to his daughter while the others milled about, clearly not sure what to do. Gabby grabbed the two packs and threw one to Damon. Then she handed the gun to Milton.
"Keep her safe," said Gabby, glancing at Mouse. "She's my ticket home."
Milton shook his head. "This is insanity." She gave him a hug and thankfully he hadn't optimized his sense-web to make it feel like a large breasted woman. She squeezed the blotchy faced boy beneath the image and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Good luck."
Then she moved to Drogan. "Bye, big guy."
Drogan had tears in his eyes. "Bye-bye, Gabby-umbrella."
The hug made her gasp for breath but it was worth it. Then she moved to Celia and gave the pale waif a half-hug, barely touching shoulders. Celia didn't respond.
Michael stood directly behind her. The others began to climb into the Caterpillar, giving Michael and Gabby a little space. Even Damon and Song had moved away.
Gabby took one look at Michael and then lunged forward, hitting his lips with hers and squeezing him to her body, trying to smoother him with her arms and legs. He kissed back, hard, pressing his hands into her back, frantically and full of aching need.
They kissed for long immeasurable moments, letting the warmth build up between them until Gabby thought she might burst. Then the little clock in her head began ticking and she remembered the retrieval squad.
His eyes were great big blue moons, floating in her sky. She backed away slowly. Gabby watched as a snowflake got trapped in his eyelash.
"I...I..." he stuttered.
"I know," she said.
His eyes curled in question. "You do?"
"Yeah. Mouse told me."
Michael glanced at Mouse on the Caterpillar. He appeared confused.
"I'm so sorry, Michael. It was wrong what they did to her. Shortened her life like that."
"What? No. That's not right," he said.
They held each other at arm's length. "It's not? She's not dying?"
"No," said Michael. "Celia's not dying."
Relief flooded through her. "Oh good. But then why'd Mouse tell me that?"
Michael shook his head. "It's not Celia who's dying."
The words were a spear that impaled her and lifted her into the air. Gabby felt her lips part as if they were someone else's. Gabby stepped back to keep from falling. Michael caught her arm but he felt distant and blurry.
The snow was coming heavier now. Great big flakes were hurling themselves to the ground. Michael blinked one away.
Memories of another time in the snow came flooding back. Wrestling in the snow on the farmhouse. Michael coughing so hard he spit blood into the snow.
Then she saw him heroically running to the gun tower as they tried to escape the GSA. He was trying to die then, she saw it now reflected in the truth of his dying.
All the signs were there. She should have known. Giving blood at the Blood Farm. It'd never been for Celia. Then Gabby realized why Celia was so cold to her. Michael was helping some girl get her friend back, when she was losing her brother. But she'd never said a word.
Another truth dawned on her. "You didn't leave the GSA for her. She left it for you. You've been dying this whole time."
Michael shook his head. "If I'd gotten treatment I would have failed LifeGame. So instead we escaped. It was Celia's idea."
Gabby put her fingertips to her lips. She'd always felt Celia was unfairly judging her. But now she knew. She'd been right all along.
"Come on, Gabriella DeCorte, the Coders await," said the cool mocking voice she knew so well. Damon had reverted to his skin, red eyes and all. Mouse had returned to the Caterpillar, her face was buried in her hands.
Michael squeezed her arm.
"Hold on..." She wanted to say, 'Hold on for me' but the words felt so shallow. Why hold on for her? It was his life.
Michael kissed her, slow and sweet, then pushed her away, leaving her gasping for breath. He turned and walked back to the Caterpillar, shoulders hunched. He coughed once as he climbed on.
The massive vehicle rumbled to life, black smoke spitting from its pipes. She watched as it drove by. The Frags met her gaze with their own. Her arms felt too heavy to wave.
As the machine dipped over the edge of the ridge, Milton yelled out, "We won't forget you!"
Gabby ran to catch up with Damon who'd started trudging up the hill with his backpack slung over his shoulder. He glanced at her, red eyes almost sympathetic.
When three vehicles burst through the trees a little while later, Damon stopped. "Are you ready for this?"
Gabby paused, letting the thoughts of her friends well up inside her. Her lips tingled with the memory of Michael's kiss. Her ribs ached in fondness for Drogan's hugs. She smiled at Milton's sexual innuendos and Celia's mechanical insects waving their wings at her when the girl controlling them couldn't. She even missed the slender arms of Mouse's wrapped around her when they'd flown the hovercraft.
She missed the Frags already. They'd escaped from the GSA and followed her through the Freelands, even when she'd tried to leave them. They'd been there for her when she needed them, saving Gabby from her headlong rushes into danger.
And now they were gone, headed north to the Blood Farm, where she hoped they would be safe. But Gabby would need their thoughts, their energy, their memory for the next phase.
"I'm ready," she said, meeting Damon's questioning gaze as the three vehicles resplendent in the GSA's colors encircled them. "And I'm going to get Zaela back."
Frags Page 18
