A response from Slovitz isn’t likely to make any difference, so Nikki is surprised but hardly elated to be woken by the sound of an incoming audio request. However, when she opens her eyes, her lens informs her that the contact is not from the elusive scientist: far more surprisingly, it’s from Candace.
“Hey,” she responds quietly, mindful of Amber’s fitfully sleeping form alongside.
“Nikki. It’s so good to hear your voice. I didn’t really expect you’d answer.”
“Yeah, you’re lucky I did. Got so many well-wishers to respond to, gonna take a while to get through them all.”
There is a pause, long enough for Nikki to worry that Candace has disconnected. Then she speaks again, and her words are a balm.
“You okay? I mean, you know. Are you …?”
“I know.”
It’s not the Song of Solomon, but it’s not Yoram’s “where are you?” and that means something.
“This thing at Habitek …” Candace says, like she doesn’t know what to ask but she’s dreading the answer anyway.
Nikki glances at the scrolling feeds. The story is out: six dead. They haven’t named the victims or a suspect, but she knows it’s only a matter of time.
“Yeah, they’re gonna pin that shit on me too.”
“You need to get off this wheel, Nikki.”
It’s not like she hasn’t thought about it. Unfortunately, the reason it would help is also the reason it’s not an option: nobody would be looking for her on W2 because she has no way of getting there.
“That would mean going up a spoke and along the Axle, which I can’t possibly do without being seen. I’d have to pass through like six access checkpoints, and they’ll all be guarded.”
“I was talking about a shuttle.”
“Nah, that door’s closed too. Yoram’s thrown me to the wolves. His entire smuggling network is burned to me now. If I were to arrange a rendezvous with one of his pilots, I’d expect the Seguridad to be waiting for me at the dock.”
“I know a guy,” Candace says, though she sounds tentative, conflicted. “A pilot. Bjorn. Been seeing him for a couple months.”
“You kept that quiet.”
“Well, that’s the whole thing: he’s pretty straight. He doesn’t know what I do on the side. Doesn’t know anything about our world. Bjorn’s a very Wheel Two kind of guy.”
“So you don’t think he’d go for it? Why are you telling me? You think we could fool him somehow?”
“I could get him to do anything. I’m a great lay, remember?”
“How could I forget?”
“The fact he’s so straight should work in your favour. Any pilot bent enough to smuggle you is also gonna be bent enough to sell you out. Whereas a guy like Bjorn, once he realises what he’s caught up in, he isn’t going to tell anybody in case he loses his contract.”
And now Nikki sees the true catch.
“At which point he’s never going to trust you again, and your relationship is over.”
“Maybe not over—I’m pretty good at smoothing things out—but never the same again, for sure.”
“You don’t owe me something like this, Candace. In fact, you don’t owe me anything. So I can’t ask you.”
“You’re not asking, Nikki. I’m offering. Because not everybody hates you as much as you do.”