by T. C. Edge
Then again, I’m not so sure about Rycard. His hatred of the Consortium and their latest doctrine is palpable, a fair enough state of affairs given they’ve taken one of his eyes and permanently damaged the right side of his handsome face.
He’s even taken to calling himself a ‘half-Hawk’ a somewhat derogatory nickname used to describe Hawks, like him, who only have good use of one eye.
However, if he learns of my mission once he’s with the Nameless, that’s fine by me. For now, I’d rather not muddy the water.
Answering his question, I inform him that Zander is ready for my order.
“I spoke with him last night,” I say. “He’s ready, as long as you are.”
He sucks in a deep breath. I can tell that this is difficult for him, leaving his home, his job, everything he’s even known. And while it’s all been forced upon him, it remains a difficult step to take.
Peering through his increasingly narrow left eye, he stares at me with a pain across his visage.
“Do you think this is the right thing to do, Brie? Are we making the right choice?”
I feel strangely honoured for him to ask me that. Me, of all people, who’s been similarly dragged from the life she knows and had her entire world ripped from beneath her feet. I’m winging this like anyone, and still don’t consider myself as a good person to give advice.
“You don’t have a choice, Rycard,” is all I say. “Not if you want to keep your family together.”
“But Maddox…what sort of life will he have out there,” he says, casting his eyes to the wall and the city of Outer Haven beyond. “I have no choice, and nor does Sophie. But our son...he could stay. He could be raised in safety here. What sort of life will he have, growing up running and hiding and living in the shadows?”
“A free life,” I say, stepping forward. “A free life, Rycard, that he won’t get here. And a life with you and Sophie. A life with his parents.”
He nods, my words helping to strengthen him again. All he really is, beneath the pained grimace, is a man who wants to see his son safe. I know he’ll give his own life to see that happen, and Sophie would too. But truly, with war looming, nowhere in this city is going to be safe.
Nowhere.
“You’re right,” he whispers, still staring through the window, casting away the doubts from his mind. “So what happens now?”
“We stick to the plan,” I say. “Go and meet Sophie across in Outer Haven, and take her to the northern quarter. I’ll tell my brother to meet you in the market in district 2. He’ll know who you are by the bandage on your head. From there, he’ll get you to safety.”
It’s a simple plan, but one that comes with little risk. Aside from the threat of Con-Cops and Stalkers around the northern quarter, they should be largely inconspicuous. Right now, the eyes of the city are on Inner Haven, and the High Tower in particular. There may be no better time to escape than now, before the Consortium offer their retaliation.
And you can be sure that, right now, they’re up there plotting their next assault.
“You’ve done a lot for us, Brie,” Rycard says. “I won’t forget this. If I can help you at any point, I will.”
“Help Sophie,” I say. “This will be more difficult for her. That’s all I want in return.”
He does a little bow, and a reflective smile graces his mouth.
“You’re a good person,” he says, “and a good friend. I hope that your reason for being here, whatever it is, pays off for you. Just be careful, Brie. The High Tower is nothing but a nest of snakes. If you turn your back for even a moment, they’ll strike you down.”
And don’t I know it…
He steps in, and gives me a brief hug, before moving over to collect the only luggage he’ll take with him, nothing but a single backpack filled with the most essential of items.
He’ll be fine, I know he will. In fact, he might just fit in quite well down there, joining the fight, battling against those who wronged him. But it’s really Sophie I worry about, so sweet and soft as she is. There’s a stoicism to her that I’ve seen, and yet living down there in the darkness and the dirt will take some getting used to.
But as long as she’s with Maddox, and Rycard, that’s all that matters.
With a smile and a nod, the half-Hawk departs, leaving me alone in his apartment.
And in the quiet, I once more shut my eyes, call for Zander, and hear my brother’s voice echoing back.
Northern quarter, I tell him. The market in district 2. Look for a man with a bandage across his right eye, and a brunette woman with a baby. I’m counting on you, Zander.
I’ll see them to the underlands, Brie, he assures me, his words tight. That’s all I can promise.
What do you mean? I ask, a tension filling me.
I mean that, right now, no one is properly safe here. You have to act fast, sister. The Consortium are closing in…
But the assassination of Commander Fenby…won’t it slow them?
His telepathic voice is a growl now. Nothing will slow them, he says. A new attack is imminent, and their slaves are crawling around the north. Your friends better get to me quickly, and before nightfall. Otherwise, it may be too late…
They’re coming, I say, my breath caught in my lungs. They’re coming now, Zander…
Good. I’ll be waiting, but you need to focus on your part. The door is opening for you, Brie. And now it’s your time to walk through it. You have to find a way, dear sister. And you have to do it fast…
As his words echo in the darkness of my mind, I feel a pulse of adrenaline filling my veins. And then, slowly, his voice fades away, the connection lost.
I call his name again, but he’s gone. Gone to meet Sophie and Rycard. Gone to help my friends.
Gone to save them, just as he did Drum.
And as he said, it’s my time now. My time to act, to focus only on my mission. And so, in that lonely apartment, with only the sound of my beating heart to break the silence, I grit my teeth, narrow my eyes, and march straight for the door.
18
With the morning still yet to pass into afternoon, I set straight back out for the High Tower, journeying once more on foot from the boundary of Inner Haven right to its core.
The constant temperature here, due to the underfloor heating, is welcome today. Above, a heavy swamp of dark clouds have begun to gather, bringing to my mind the threat of rain that, so far, I haven’t encountered here.
The crack of thunder alerts me to the gathering storm, a heavy, grumbling boom that reverberates through my body and catches me off-guard. The sound is enough to make me jump, my eyes spreading straight to the sky as the first drops of rain begin to tap on my shoulders.
Despite the pristine nature of these streets, their uniformity and tidiness, I know the danger of acid rain is just as real here as over in Outer Haven. In fact, the odd smell of chemicals that constantly abounds is, partially at least, likely to be down to the anti-toxic spray that coats the buildings and streets at night to prevent any corrosion.
As I hurry my way along, I recall what Sophie told me about the place during her lessons back at the transition house for girls looking to marry up. During the slideshow about living in Inner Haven, she pointed out that, just like in Outer Haven, there are acid rain shelters here too.
My mind turns to them as I go, the rain beginning to fall a little more heavily. Immediately, however, sensors pick it up and large awnings begin to spread from the sides of buildings, offering cover to those caught on the streets. Again, it’s similar to the system of protection across the wall where I grew up, although these particular canopies look to be in better order.
Moving undercover, I note that the patrols of City Guards don’t bother to do the same. Their armoured uniforms give them plenty of protection as it is, not a single inch of skin uncovered and at risk of assault.
Reaching out as the rain falls, I test the toxicity and realise that this shower is more lethal than I’d have expected, my skin im
mediately prickling as the acid water spreads across it.
Given the setup of the streets, however, I’m able to continue on my way undercover, with only the smallest of gaps between awnings to navigate. As I work my way inwards, cutting along the side streets that criss-cross the Spiral as it swirls around the city, I reach something of a dead end.
Ahead, a long stretch of open space extends before the next protective umbrella across the wide road. Looking up, I see the sky growing ever darker as the storm begins to thrash, a violence imbuing it as the winds whips in, bringing some rain with it.
By now, the streets have cleared, most people escaping to the greater safety provided by the underground shelters. Despite wishing to get back as soon as possible, I consider that I should probably do the same, waiting for the storm to pass, or at least ease, before heading home.
The arrival of a couple of City Guards cements that plan, their advice the same.
“Best get undercover, Miss,” one says. “Here, we’ll escort you.”
Leading me back a couple of blocks, they deposit me into an underground shelter, where I join a few other residents of Inner Haven foolish enough to be caught unawares by the storm. Unsurprisingly, most are wearing blue.
The next few hours filter by as I wait for the rain to subside, stuck in the bright, warm, shelter with a flock of frightened women, most of them Unenhanced. It’s frustrating, given the fact that time seems to be running so short. And yet, really, until I find Rebecca alone, there’s not much for me to be getting on with.
I’m just hoping that, when I get back to the High Tower, I’ll discover that everything is mostly back in order, and that her working hours haven’t shifted somehow. This evening, if all goes well, I’ll be able to sneak out and find her on the communal levels, get inside her mind, and extract the information I need.
That is, if she actually has it. This remains a speculative stage of my and Adryan’s plan, but one that has to pay off.
It just has to.
The storm, however, brings other concerns to mind regarding Sophie and Rycard’s escape. With the streets clearing, it’ll be more difficult for them to blend in, and more difficult, perhaps, for my brother to get them to safety. I just have to hope that everything’s gone well, and that they get to the underlands before they run into any Con-Cops or worse.
Really, everything relies on hope right now, and I don’t like it. So little seems to be in my hands, with various outside forces playing their part in my success. I just wish I could take more control of this situation.
But, frustrating as it is, I have to just go with it. And slowly but surely, as the rain begins to ease a little, I make my break for it. Leaving the flock behind, I reach the streets once more and continue my step home. It’s still raining, although not quite as badly as it was. If I have to suffer a few minor burns, so be it.
I do note, however, that the break above looks to be temporary. The skies are slightly lighter for now, but away to the south, where the clouds appear to be coming from, a fresh assault looks to be incoming.
In a race with the clouds, therefore, I relegate etiquette to the rear of my mind and begin to run. Outside of the gym and fitness level, such a thing would be considered quite irregular. But, right now, no one can see me, and no one will likely care.
So, as quickly as I can manage, I gallop under the cover of the canopies lining the streets and make my way back towards the Inner Spiral. As the base of the High Tower comes into view, I find the security cordon still in full operation. With my clothes now growing damp and my skin beginning to tingle, I rush across the final stretch, slowing my step as I arrive at the security barrier.
There, several City Guards turn on me with raised weapons, shouting for me to stop. I slide to a halt under the rain and quickly raise my arms.
“Who are you?!” shouts one guard.
Clearly, running is so completely rare here that they think me some sort of threat, even though it’s obvious I’m just trying to escape the poison rain.
“I live in the High Tower,” I shout. “Please…let me get undercover.”
Now with no protection from the rain – which, again, seems to be coming down harder – my clothes grow quickly wet and my exposed hands and face start to sting. The guards deliberate for a moment before calling me forward beneath the shade of a temporary tent set up to block out the rain.
“OK, what’s your name,” asks the guard as I escape the deluge.
The rest maintain a close eye on me, weapons primed.
“Brie Shaw,” I answer, glancing at them anxiously.
He quickly turns to the communications and security interface on his inner forearm and confirms my identity.
“I am sorry, Mrs Shaw. As you’ll know, things are quite tense right now. I’ll escort you to the High Tower.”
Hoisting open an umbrella, the guard, who appears to be a Hawk, takes me up the steps and across the large platform on which the High Tower sits. Reaching the doors, he suggests that I ‘don’t leave the building until things are safe’, before returning to his post.
Entering back into the building, I look straight at the front desk and see Rebecca in her usual spot, managing her many affairs. From the side, another guard quickly arrives and hands me a small towel.
“Here you go, Miss,” he says. “It’ll help with the sting.”
Thanking the man, I start drying my hair and face and hands, and feel immediate relief from the sizzling sensation that was starting to get quite painful. By the looks of things, they keep these towels on hand at the doors to help dry, and sooth, anyone caught out in the rain.
Once I’m done, I hand the towel back to the guard with a thank you. He smiles and nods and then tosses the towel into a bin, ready to be washed and prepared for future use.
With my clothes still wet, however, a chill sets to my bones, and my thoughts turn quickly to the option of a nice warm shower. Despite the warmth generated around the streets and in the building itself, the rain remains biting cold. Checking the time, I note that it’s now moving swiftly towards evening, the delay out in the storm eating up a large part of my day.
Walking towards the centre of the foyer, I pass along a smile to Rebecca, taking a final look at my next target.
Later, Becky, I think to myself. I’ll be seeing you later…
Then, I begin working towards the lifts, the many dozens of them continually pressing up and down through the building as they deliver the many worker ants to their posts. Moving to the one I tend to take, which delivers me closest to home up on level 51, I step forward and wait for it to open.
It does so immediately, sensing my presence, the doors providing me passage inside. Stepping in, I stretch out a shivering, damp hand towards the scanner and, just as I set it into the contraption to be read, sense another presence arrive.
Lifting my eyes to the door, my calm is undone.
Black eyes look upon me. A rigid form looms. And from thin lips, ice cold words spread forward.
“Mrs Shaw,” comes Agent Woolf’s voice. “I’ve been hoping to run into you.”
19
The atmosphere in the lift has turned as cold as a long dead corpse. A mist of freezing air seems to spread from Woolf’s mouth as her words come, sending a new chill right through me.
I try to raise a smile but am entirely unable to do so. Instead, my voice comes out as flat as hers.
“Agent Woolf,” I say. “What a surprise…”
With my hand still lingering in the scanner, my security permissions are granted. The lift doors close, shutting me in with the last woman I ever want to be alone with.
Immediately, I’m on edge, and have to muster my concentration and focus.
Don’t look at her for long, Brie, I warn myself. Don’t let her see into your mind.
For a couple of long seconds, I give no order to the lift. Then, Agent Woolf suggests I assign a floor.
“Were you going somewhere, Brie?” she asks.
“I was,
um, going home actually.”
It’s both true and the best place I can think of. Any of the communal floors will, of course, be accessible to her too. She’ll only follow me there, and no doubt begin some new interrogation. The level where I live, however, is surely off-limits for her.
The look that graces her face, however, suggests it’s exactly what she wanted to hear.
“OK then,” she says. “Go ahead.”
I take a gulp. I have no choice.
“Level 51,” I say.
The lift begins to rise immediately, shooting up through the building. I dart my eyes down to my watch and note that Adryan might well have finished work by now.
Please be at home, Adryan. Save me from this witch.
Keeping my eyes away from her, I wait for her to speak. She doesn’t. She just looks at me, standing staring as we journey half way up the High Tower.
“Are you…heading home, Agent Woolf?” I ask, refusing to link eyes and needing to break the tension.
“Oh no, not yet. I thought I’d join you in yours first.”
“But…do you have clearance for my floor?”
“I have clearance everywhere,” she drones, a light flashing in her black eyes.
At that moment, the lifts pulls to a stop, and the electronic voice calls out ‘level 51’. The doors slide open and I step out. Agent Woolf follows right behind.
Oh God…what do I do? How do I get rid of her?!
With absolutely no answers, and no other choice, I move towards my apartment door, set my hand to the scanner, and wait for the lock to click. When it does so, I step in, my eyes widening in hope as I search down the corridor for some sight of my husband.
Still following a step behind, and in total silence, Agent Woolf stalks me. I let the tension fill my expression for a second, before drawing up a more calm complexion as I reach the main living space and turn back to her.
“Would you like a drink, Agent Woolf?” I ask.
