we won’t worry about the cameras, but keep an eye out for people and stay hidden if you see anyone. There’s no way to tell if they’re friendly or not, but we can’t afford to risk it. If anyone recognizes us, if they blow our cover, our trip suddenly becomes ten times as dangerous. Does everyone understand?”
They nodded.
Vince wrapped the scarf around his face and pulled his hood up. “Good, then let’s go.”
TWELVE
VINCE, CHARLOTTE, AND Alan briskly walked along the side of the road. Izzy sat upon Charlotte’s shoulders.
“You know the way, right?” Alan asked. He felt the need to whisper even though no one was in sight.
“Maybe,” Charlotte said.
“Maybe? You’re telling me we don’t know where we’re going?”
“We know the general direction. That should be enough.”
“Why in the world don’t you know the way? This is your home, isn’t it?”
“The Spire is my home. It was my home. The day I went on that mission with you was the first time I left the Spire in fifty years, maybe more. I’ve studied maps, but the City is massive. I only know the major roads. You know, the ones we’re trying to avoid.”
Alan threw his arms up. “Well, I’ve lost all hope. We’re going to get lost in this maze and end up on the opposite side of the City. Then again, that might not be such a bad thing. As far as I’m concerned, the further away from that thing, the better.”
Vince shook his head. “We must go back. Someone has to stop Simon. He’s too unpredictable to have such power.”
Alan dismissively waved his hand. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry. I was just joking. I’m looking forward to seeing the old labs. Ah, the memories.”
Voices came from around the corner, two people in deep conversation. The four of them dashed to the nearest wall and pressed their bodies flat against the cold concrete, hidden in shadow.
The two strangers stopped in the middle of the intersection, chatting away.
“What do you think those signs mean?” said the voice of a man.
A woman answered. “You mean the wanted signs?”
“Yeah, it doesn’t make sense. Why would a girl so young have a bounty on her head?”
“She’s important to someone. Or at least Simon seems to think so.”
“Simon is a weird guy. Do you think it’s for, you know…”
“No. He’s a crazy son of a bitch, but he’s not like that. Knowing him, he’ll probably hand her a gun and tell her to shoot some poor labbie.”
“You think there are still some around? Labbies I mean.”
“I’m sure of it. He must be holding them captive.”
“Why wouldn’t he just kill them?” the man asked.
“If he kills them, he loses his leverage. His power.”
“Leverage for what? Greene’s dead. He’s already won.”
“I don’t know,” the woman answered. “Maybe he knows someone’s coming.”
“Or maybe he’s just a sick bastard.”
“That is also very likely.” She paused for a moment. “You know what, you’re probably right. Why does he ever do anything? Because he’s one sick bastard.”
“I can get on board with that.”
“Oh, we’re late.”
“Let’s get going then. Don’t want to miss the ceremony. It’s important. We need to honor the ones we’ve lost.
“Do you know where we’re going?”
“Yeah, this way.”
The strangers moved down the street, away from the four of them pressed against the wall. “What was that about?” Alan asked.
“Wanted posters of a girl?” Charlotte said. “Could it be Izzy? Could he somehow know Greene’s secret?”
Vince looked up at another camera, staring at them from up high. “You said there are cameras everywhere. He must have seen her on the monitors.”
“Even if that’s true, the cameras don’t have microphones. The only way he could hear us is through a portable microphone. There’s no way he knows she’s his daughter. To him, she’s just a random girl who decided to tag along.”
“Well he wants her for some reason,” Alan said. “Where
They nodded.
Vince wrapped the scarf around his face and pulled his hood up. “Good, then let’s go.”
TWELVE
VINCE, CHARLOTTE, AND Alan briskly walked along the side of the road. Izzy sat upon Charlotte’s shoulders.
“You know the way, right?” Alan asked. He felt the need to whisper even though no one was in sight.
“Maybe,” Charlotte said.
“Maybe? You’re telling me we don’t know where we’re going?”
“We know the general direction. That should be enough.”
“Why in the world don’t you know the way? This is your home, isn’t it?”
“The Spire is my home. It was my home. The day I went on that mission with you was the first time I left the Spire in fifty years, maybe more. I’ve studied maps, but the City is massive. I only know the major roads. You know, the ones we’re trying to avoid.”
Alan threw his arms up. “Well, I’ve lost all hope. We’re going to get lost in this maze and end up on the opposite side of the City. Then again, that might not be such a bad thing. As far as I’m concerned, the further away from that thing, the better.”
Vince shook his head. “We must go back. Someone has to stop Simon. He’s too unpredictable to have such power.”
Alan dismissively waved his hand. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry. I was just joking. I’m looking forward to seeing the old labs. Ah, the memories.”
Voices came from around the corner, two people in deep conversation. The four of them dashed to the nearest wall and pressed their bodies flat against the cold concrete, hidden in shadow.
The two strangers stopped in the middle of the intersection, chatting away.
“What do you think those signs mean?” said the voice of a man.
A woman answered. “You mean the wanted signs?”
“Yeah, it doesn’t make sense. Why would a girl so young have a bounty on her head?”
“She’s important to someone. Or at least Simon seems to think so.”
“Simon is a weird guy. Do you think it’s for, you know…”
“No. He’s a crazy son of a bitch, but he’s not like that. Knowing him, he’ll probably hand her a gun and tell her to shoot some poor labbie.”
“You think there are still some around? Labbies I mean.”
“I’m sure of it. He must be holding them captive.”
“Why wouldn’t he just kill them?” the man asked.
“If he kills them, he loses his leverage. His power.”
“Leverage for what? Greene’s dead. He’s already won.”
“I don’t know,” the woman answered. “Maybe he knows someone’s coming.”
“Or maybe he’s just a sick bastard.”
“That is also very likely.” She paused for a moment. “You know what, you’re probably right. Why does he ever do anything? Because he’s one sick bastard.”
“I can get on board with that.”
“Oh, we’re late.”
“Let’s get going then. Don’t want to miss the ceremony. It’s important. We need to honor the ones we’ve lost.
“Do you know where we’re going?”
“Yeah, this way.”
The strangers moved down the street, away from the four of them pressed against the wall. “What was that about?” Alan asked.
“Wanted posters of a girl?” Charlotte said. “Could it be Izzy? Could he somehow know Greene’s secret?”
Vince looked up at another camera, staring at them from up high. “You said there are cameras everywhere. He must have seen her on the monitors.”
“Even if that’s true, the cameras don’t have microphones. The only way he could hear us is through a portable microphone. There’s no way he knows she’s his daughter. To him, she’s just a random girl who decided to tag along.”
“Well he wants her for some reason,” Alan said. “Where
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