31 //
Run and fight. These are the two things that keep me alive. It’s important to use them in that order. Running works best as the first line of defense from goondas, guardians, and general trouble. Fighting is effective only if I can’t outrun them. Hiding, though, is my last resort. Most recently I hid from a C.O.R.E soldier and in Synch’s closet. Nothing good comes from hiding. I should have fought on both accounts.
“I’m sorry,” he says, but I’m not sure what he’s apologizing for.
The three people pull us from the elevator and toss us against the wall. The woman looks like an Uplander, probably upper management, not fancy enough to be super-rich, but employed by them, nonetheless. The other two are just guards, hounds, good as dead as I calculate their height and weight, and lack of martial abilities. When they put the restraints on my wrists, they tighten them until my skin bruises. I can’t show all my cards yet. If I fight now, Synch could get hurt.
Synch says, “Geena, just let her go. She didn’t do this. I came of my own volition.”
The woman strokes his cheek. “Why, Riza? Why’d you do it? Your mother gave you everything. Most would’ve killed for your place. Why’d you go and steal from Solace and trade with trash?”
One man holds him. They don’t know about my replacement. Even though I tore the gloves punching a wall, the chrome is still nicely covered by the shadows.
“She’s not trash.”
“Do you even know what’s on the data packet you gave her?” Geena asks.
“I’m getting tired of your talk. Just get on with it,” I say with a smile. The guard makes a move to grab me, but I dodge him and laugh.
“Kill the Downlander scum and leave her body somewhere visible, somewhere the cameras will see. You, bring him. We’re going on a ride to Ahimsa.”
“No,” Synch says.
The woman hisses, “We’ve been looking for you, Riza. What a pain you’re turning out to be. But no, you have to be alive, and hanging out with a Downlander kachara. Your mummy can’t be without you, so we’ve got to take you to Ahimsa and clear you of all this nonsense. So much extra work. Would have been so much easier if we could have pulled your body from the sea.”
“She’s not garbage, you fake, mindless woman. When was the last time you had a thought on your own? The funny thing is, you don’t even know,” he spits his words at her as she pushes me forward through the crowd.
The woman signals to the others and puts a hood over Synch’s head. They’re going to get rid of both of us. Quickly, they load him into a transport and leave me with the other guard in the shadows. I catch the code on the transport and memorize it. 48594. 48594. I repeat to myself over and over again.
Where’d they come from, so fast? They must be following him, following us. He said his mother would be looking. He’s right. I’m so careless. Distracted. Was this what Khan was afraid of? Did he set me up for failure here? They aren’t heading toward Central and Solace. The transport is moving towards the Narrows.
Nothing good will come of this.
But before that, I can’t let Synch throw his life away. Not for them.
“I can make this quick, girl,” the idiot guard says, turning me around to face him. “Or I can make this painful.”
I shatter the restraints with a tug, relishing the shock in his eyes when he realizes I am not some meek little girl. “I vote for painful.”
He takes a step back.
I move into first offensive position, one leg in front of the other, fists ahead, balanced and ready. “You first.” I wink.
The goonda looks confused, but takes the shot. His top-heavy, body-builder’s form tosses fists over hips and before he sees what’s happening, I kneel and bring my elbow out, arm bent, and let my hook fly at his leg with all my power. He collapses like fractured glass.
“My leg! You broke it!” he screams.
So weak. What a killer. Muscles without skills. I almost feel sorry for him. But then he takes out a handgun, an M50, an illegal weapon for sure, and aims it right at my face.
One punch to his chest, and he’s gone. I’ve got no choice. Maybe he’ll survive, maybe not. He’s not my concern. The gun goes flying into the water. Dhat. Would have been handy.
I run fast, my lungs cut with the wind. Jumping over curbs, around transport rickshaws, and through people. I push, shove, and run. I nab a small transport as the driver helps his fare to the curb. I’ve lost their position, but follow their direction.
Speeding down the road, I’m already about a quarter kilometer behind the transport, but I know the way better than they do. I swerve around and take one, two, three alleyways, and spot their vehicle about twenty yards ahead.
Something inside me is wild. Even though I have the coordinates, and I can get away back to my team and regroup for our next mission to the island containment and get Taru, I’m frozen. Something consumes me that I’ve never felt before.
I have to get him back, no matter the cost.
What I feel is strange. Obligation?
I made a promise to him to keep him alive. And I keep my promises.