Forgotten (The Forgotten Book 1)

by M. R. Forbes

  “I’m sorry, ma’am,” Hicks said. “I’m just doing my job. Do you mind if I come in and take a look around?”

  “Is there something wrong with your brain, Deputy Hicks?” Gene said. “I told you, he isn’t here. He hasn’t been here. Why are you wasting time here, anyway? Are you aware there’s a dead girl in the strand down there? Why don’t you go find whoever cut her throat?”

  Hayden winced at the words, knowing it was the wrong thing for her to say.

  “How do you know her throat was cut, ma’am?” Hicks said.

  “What do you mean?” Gene asked, suddenly defensive.

  “I’m guessing the lighting isn’t all that good up here. How do you know her throat was cut. What did you see?”

  “I didn’t see anything.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. I heard a scream, that’s all. When I looked, she was down there, dead.”

  “But you know it was her throat?”

  “It’s just a guess, Deputy. What does it matter?”

  “Can I come in?” Hicks asked.

  “No,” Gene said. “Answer my question.”

  “I need you to answer my question, ma’am,” Hicks said. “What exactly did you see? You can talk to me here, or we can talk at the Station.”

  “Leave her alone,” Sarah said. “Can’t you see she’s sick?”

  “Did you see anything, Miss Kaine?” Hicks asked.

  “Yes,” Sarah said. “From the bedroom window.”

  “Sarah!” Gene said.

  Hayden cursed under his breath. Was Sarah going to sell him out? He hadn’t expected that.

  “Can you show me, Miss Kaine?” Hicks asked.

  “Of course, Deputy.”

  “No, she can not,” Gene said. “This is my cube.”

  “It’s my cube, too,” Sarah said.

  “She’s right, ma’am. She’s over eighteen, which means she has full rights to the cube.”

  “Sarah, I’m going to beat your ass silly over this. I don’t want some nosy deputy snooping around my bedroom.”

  “Too bad,” Sarah said. “Come on in, Deputy.”

  Hayden could hear them moving through the cube. He slipped sideways, slowly withdrawing his stunner from its holster as they neared. The door opened, just enough that they could enter but not enough to push against him or reveal he was behind it. Was it intentional?

  “I was in here,” Sarah said. “Getting dressed.”

  “You get dressed in your mother’s bedroom?” Hicks asked.

  “We share the bed sometimes,” Sarah said. “Mommy gets cold because of her condition, and I try to keep her warm.”

  “Oh. Uh. Okay.”

  Hicks sounded disgusted. Hayden didn’t blame him. He hoped what she said wasn’t true.

  “I was right here, looking out the window into the strand. Come see, Deputy.”

  Hayden shifted to peer around the door. Hicks was beside Sarah, looking down into the strand. She glanced over at him and winked.

  “I saw someone with her,” Sarah continued. “A man. He was shorter than average. I saw. I saw.”

  “It’s okay, Miss Kaine,” Hicks said. “Take it slow.”

  Sarah started to sob again. “I knew Jane,” she said. “She was a good person.” She fell into Hicks’ chest, crying.

  “Miss Kaine,” Hicks said. “It’s okay, Miss Kaine.”

  “She’s dead,” Sarah said.

  Hayden couldn’t believe Sarah had it in her to be so manipulative. Then again, she was her mother’s daughter. He slipped around the door behind them and out into the living area.

  “Have her meet me on the fourth floor,” Hayden whispered to Gene.

  “How do you know I won’t turn you in as soon as you’re gone?”

  “Because I’ll only be on the fourth floor.” He eyed her threateningly. Her pale face managed to find a lighter shade.

  “You owe me two chits,” she said.

  “You’ll get them when I find Natalia. I swear.”

  “What happened to your wife, Sheriff?” She sounded genuinely concerned.

  “I don’t know,” he replied, his voice cracking. “That’s why I need Sarah’s help.”

  “Fourth floor,” Gene repeated. “Get out of here.”

  Hayden slipped out of the door and into the hallway. It was empty. Law didn’t have enough officers to be everywhere at once, and the increasing body count was sure to be putting pressure on their resources.

  “Miss Kaine,” he heard Hicks say. “Can you describe the man you saw? Anything can help.”

  “It was hard to see-”

  Hayden hurried away from the cube, back to the stairwell. He went down two floors, staying hidden while he waited.

  He heard the stairwell door open a few minutes later. He kept his gun ready, crouching near the door facing the risers. He heard the feet coming down, boots echoing on the metal grating, but the steps were too light to be Hicks’.

  “Don’t shoot, Sheriff,” Sarah said, turning the corner and seeing him there.

  Hayden lowered the stunner. “Sarah. Is Hicks gone?”

  She smiled. “Yup.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I didn’t do it for you, Sheriff. I did it for the chits.”

  Hayden holstered the stunner, releasing a light sight. Of course, she did. He felt a twinge of sympathy for her. He couldn’t imagine what it must be like to be so mistreated she didn’t even know it.

  He wished he could do more for her, but only one thing mattered now.

  “You’ll get them. All I need you to do is come down to the southern blocks with me and help me find the guy who propositioned you last night. The one you called Skillet.”

  “Are you really running from your own Law?” Sarah asked.

  “Not by choice,” Hayden replied. “It’s a long story, and you’re better off not to get too involved.”

  “Pozz that, Sheriff.”

  “Pozz?”

  She smiled. “You don’t know any modern slang, do you? Pozz, like, I agree, or I understand. That sort of thing.”

  “Pozz that.”

  She smiled. “Exactly.”

  “Skillet,” he repeated. “Southern blocks. We’ll take the strands as much as we can.”

  “What about the murdering creep?” she asked, trembling slightly at the idea of going into the strands.

  “If he shows up, I’ll take care of him.”

  “Do you think he knows what happened to your wife?”

  “If he does, he’ll talk,” Hayden replied, voice sharp. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

  “I’m glad I’m not on your bad side, Sheriff.”

  17

  It was difficult, but not impossible, to travel from the north end of Metro to the south staying mostly to the strands. They had to cross the splits when moving between block quads, leaving Hayden exposed eight times as they traveled back toward Francis’ cube and the buildings around it.

  Having Sarah with him during those crossings was massively helpful at first, as she provided a lookout while he skirted the shadows and dashed across the wider lanes to the closest strands. The deeper south they went, the harder it started to become. Malcolm had guessed he would be heading that way, though it was unclear if the Governor had determined whether it was to disappear or to find someone who knew Francis.

  Malcolm knew the truth, at least part of it, whatever that truth happened to be. He wanted to bury any suggestion that there could be anything outside of Metro’s walls. He wanted to suppress the notion that the hatches beyond the perimeter could be opened and that they might have some semblance of control over their destiny.

  Hayden understood why, to an extent. To prevent panic. To keep the residents under control. To protect them. That was the Governor’s job. That had been his job, too. But what was he trying to protect them from?

  “There’s a Law Officer two strands down,” Sarah said, returning to him from a quick walk down the split. “I can distract
him for you.”

  “There are too many people out here,” Hayden said, noticing a lot of younger residents walking the split, all of them headed east.

  “They won’t bother you, Sheriff,” Sarah said. “They’re heading to the Dox.”

  “Dox?”

  “It’s a club,” she said. “A meeting place for singles. You’re married; you must have been to one before?”

  “The Dox is new? I haven’t kept up with the Socialization Office’s efforts.”

  She paled. “Oh. I probably shouldn’t have said anything. The Dox isn’t sanctioned.”

  “Meaning it’s an illegal gathering?”

  “Technically.”

  “There’s nothing technical about it.” He shook his head. “How come I didn’t know about this?”

  “When was the last time you came this far south before today, Sheriff?”

  “I have Deputies assigned to the southern blocks.”

  “Fresh recruits, right?” Sarah said. “Maybe they’ve been keeping secrets from you.”

  “It seems like everyone’s keeping secrets around here.”

  “Welcome to Metro, Sheriff,” Sarah said. “Pozz?”

  He nodded. Maybe Gene was right. Maybe he had seen the city through his own filters for too long. “Pozz. There’s an Exchange in the same direction. I could use a change of clothes.”

  He pulled on his collar. He still stood out way too much in the dirty uniform. He wasn’t sure his deputies would even recognize him in street clothes. He hardly ever wore them.

  “I don’t have anything to exchange,” Sarah said. “Unless you want me to go naked? Besides, they’ll know I’m not married. I can’t pick up men’s clothes.”

  “Tell them you’re making a run for me,” Hayden said.

  “At a southern Exchange?”

  “The fact that it’s unexpected will make them less suspicious, not more.”

  “The transaction will show up in the daily reports. What if the Governor sees it?”

  “How do you know about the daily reports?”

  “Mom was in Administration,” Sarah said. “I’m going into Admin, too.”

  “Right. Yes, he’ll probably see it, but that won’t be for at least six hours. I don’t intend to be idle for very long.”

  She sighed. “Okay, Sheriff. Hang tight here. I’ll be right back.”

  She wandered off in the direction of the Exchange, leaving Hayden to wait. He hated standing around in the shadows of the strands, leaning on someone else to help him. He hated leaving Natalia’s fate in the hands of a nineteen-year-old prostitute.

  That wasn’t fair. Sarah was a good kid. Her mother was the monster.

  Besides, what other options did he have?

  Like the rest of the residents of Metro, none.

  Hayden faded further back into the strand when a Law Officer passed the corner. Deputy Shanks. He was a large, dark-skinned, muscular officer. Fresh out of training and eager to make a name for himself. He turned his head to peer into the strand, forcing Hayden to squeeze himself under one of the conduits next to a non-operational light. He could see the man’s small eyes tracking along the strand.

  Could Shanks see him? He should have gone with Sarah’s suggestion. Let her distract him. She was probably good at that.

  He stared at the Deputy, lowering himself further to the ground. It was still damp from last night’s precipitation, the porous synthetic stone floor slowly collecting and filtering the water before returning it back to the elementals. It soaked through his shirt to his chest, making him cold. He didn’t dare move, even if Shanks had spotted him. If he wasn’t careful, he could rupture the conduits and create a major problem for the blocks around him.

  A dozen heartbeats passed. Shanks’ eyes were locked on the strand, the Deputy barely bothering to blink. Then he took a cautious step forward, reaching for his sidearm. He tapped his chin on his badge.

  “Lahish, this is Shanks,” he said. Hayden could hear his deep voice across the distance even though he was whispering. “I’m at Twenty-two dash fifteen dash one. Can you sweep across from dash five, real slow?”

  It was an odd request, and if Shanks did see him, it was an unnecessary one, especially considering the other activity in Metro. They were shorthanded as it was, and the big man certainly wouldn’t need help subduing him.

  Then again, maybe he would.

  “I’m on my way,” Lahish replied. “Entering the strand now, coming your direction.”

  Lahish must have been nearby, sweeping the entrances to the strands. Shanks started moving, entering the strand. He took slow, deliberate steps, as if he was trying to stay as quiet as he could.

  One step. Two. Three. He drew his stunner from its holster. His eyes stayed locked forward, and he leveled the weapon, clutching it in his right hand and balancing it with his left. Four steps. Five. Six. He reached Hayden, standing beside him. It was clear he wasn’t the target of his attention.

  Hayden turned his head, trying to see. Shanks stepped past him. He could hear Lahish’s footsteps a little further off.

  He wasn’t sure what happened next, even though he was looking right at it. The darkness of a dead light against the intersecting block moved, shooting forward toward Shank, taking him by surprise. He cried out, firing his stunner and hitting something ahead of him. The attacker shrieked loudly, an ugly sound, before pouncing on the Deputy.

  He saw a pair of long, black blades reach out and clutch at Shanks’ shoulders, tearing deep into the flesh as it used him to springboard off and dart away, seemingly unslowed by the stunning round. Shank roared in pain, falling to his knees as the dark shape vanished down the connecting strand.

  “Shank,” Lahish said, reaching him. Blood was pouring from both his arms.

  Hayden shifted, pulling himself out of his hiding place hand over hand along the ground. Lahish saw him, walking over to him.

  “Sheriff?” the Deputy said.

  Hayden cleared the delicate utility system, rolling over and looking up at Lahish. “Deputy,” he said. Lahish pointed his stunner at him. Hayden held out his hand. “Help me up.”

  “Sir?”

  “Damn it, Deputy. Shanks is injured, and whoever just cut him like that is getting away. You know whoever is killing people is more dangerous than I am. Help me up.”

  Lahish didn’t hesitate. He grabbed Hayden’s hand, pulling him to his feet.

  “Get Shanks to Medical,” Hayden said. “I’m going after him.”

  He didn’t wait for a reply. He started running again, following the dark shape down the strand. He could only hope Sarah was smart enough not to wander far from the block.

  He raced through the strands, just barely able to make out the dark form ahead of him, dressed all in black and nearly disappearing whenever they crossed a dead portion of the alley’s lighting. The target reached the intersection first, turning left and vanishing. Hayden pushed himself a little harder, forcing as much effort from his legs as he could get. He made it to the intersection, turning to look. The dark shape vanished to the right.

  Hayden didn’t follow. He knew the layout of these strands, even if he hadn’t walked them in years. They didn’t change. They would never change. He kept going forward, finally taking a second to wonder what he was doing. Shanks had hit his quarry with a stunner, and they had barely flinched. What was he going to do, shoot them again before it was his throat that got cut?

  It didn’t matter. If there was even the smallest chance catching up might help him find Natalia, then he had to catch up. He couldn’t beat them in a foot race, but unless the dark shape was Bradshaw, there was no way they could navigate the strands as efficiently.

  He crossed one junction to the next, taking a seemingly circuitous route between the blocks. He slowed as he neared the last of the intersections, drawing his stunner and dropping to a knee.

  He didn’t hear anything coming. He barely had time to react to the perpetrator as they whipped around the corner, coming rig
ht at him. He squeezed the trigger, firing three rounds into the dark shape, watching in horror as the electric discharge illuminated it.

  A sharp hiss sounded as the target leaped sideways, catching the edge of a block and lifting itself upward. Hayden stared at it, still in shock as long, dark claws dug into the synthcrete and carried it away.

  His heart was racing, struggling to make sense of what he had just seen. It was nothing human; he was sure of that much. It had come from the other side of the secure hatch. He was sure of that, too.

  It had gotten into Metro, and it was slaughtering the residents with impunity. He had fired three stunners into it, and it didn’t seem to care.

  That wasn’t the worst part.

  What if there were more of the things on the other side of the hatch?

  Was this thing his proof that Natalia was dead?

  He slumped on his knees, lowering his head into his hands. Did Malcolm know what was out there? Did he know Natalia was gone and he couldn’t get her back? Was that why he needed someone to blame for her disappearance?

  The creature was killing people, but it wasn’t eating them. It was leaving them where they died, moving on without a second thought or a moment of hesitation. Was it killing for sport, or did it have another reason?

  It didn’t matter.

  He pushed himself up, holstering his weapon again. He refused to believe that Natalia was gone. Not until he saw her body. He didn’t and wouldn’t accept it. He was going to find a way to the other side. He was going to find her.

  One way or another.

  18

  It took Hayden nearly twenty minutes to circle back to where he had left Sarah. He played it extra safe; concerned Malcolm might leave one of the deputies to keep an eye on the area. Maybe the Governor would have if Shanks hadn’t been hurt, but he was losing Law Officers at a quickening pace.

  That Malcolm might be hoping the monster had killed him was tough for Hayden to swallow. They had never been friends, but they had a mutual respect for one another and a shared appreciation for Natalia.

  How quickly things had changed.