Artificial Absolutes (Jane Colt Book 1) Page 19

  Jane’s eyes widened. “Stop!”

  Fedora, who had also been staring, jabbed his finger onto the touchscreen. The footage displayed the two weird-ass boxy things Eaglewing had seen on the Net, except the pictures were a lot clearer. The view fizzled out, replaced by a plain blue screen.

  Fedora swiped his figure across the frozen slate. “Fuck! Those bastards! Anyone got something sharp?”

  Jane pulled a pin from her hair. “What happened?”

  Fedora accepted the pin. “No Name got me.”

  “Are you sure it was them?”

  Fedora stuck one of the hairpin’s prongs in a tiny hole on the slate’s edge, forcing the device to reboot. “Yeah. Madam Wrath’s guys woulda left a scary message, and they’re the only ones who police the systems here. Plus, they wouldn’t’ve caught us so fast.”

  Jane bit her lip. “Did you see where those machines were?”

  Eaglewing returned to his barstool. “The cam was in one of the big warehouses on the float’s lowest level, in the storage sector.”

  Jane pulled her own slate out of her pocket. Eaglewing wondered how it fit in those tight purple shorts of hers.

  He heard a cry and looked back. A bunch of people tried to get the attention of a man sprawled at one of the virtu-game consoles. The man stared up with empty eyes.

  “Freaking addicts. I don’t get how anyone can get stuck in there. It’s just a game.” Eaglewing turned to Jane. “So, how’d you know about No Name? You don’t seem like the type to hang around Netcrew forums.”

  Jane tapped her slate. “I read. I heard they’re like independent cyberpolice, except they’ve also been doing strange things like faking documents and hiding information. Any idea what’s going on there?”

  Eaglewing peered at her slate. She was messaging someone. “The Collective thinks they’re into some kinda AI shit. Fedora and I tried trackin’ ’em, but they keep dodgin’ our wares. It’s like they never stay on the same drive for more than a minute.”

  Fedora gave up on his slate and threw it on the ground. “Fuckers. They’ve been kinda quiet lately. Until they fried me. Still, were we fast or what?”

  “Yeah, thanks, guys, you were great.” Jane smiled, but she looked worried. “Well, it’s been fun, but I’ve gotta find those things before they disappear again.” She got up and walked across the dance floor toward the exit.

  Eaglewing jumped off his barstool and followed. “Hey, wait a sec. They’re not goin’ anywhere! Someone left ’em in storage! You’ve got some time.”

  Fedora rushed to catch up. “You know, in one of the ancient languages, ‘Jane’ means ‘God is gracious.’ I think God has been most gracious by bringing you here. Won’t you grace us more with your presence?”

  Eaglewing smacked his own face, cringing at his buddy’s lameness. “What the fuck was that? You tryin’ to scare her away?”

  Jane stopped. “Listen, guys, I’m grateful for your help, I really am. But I have to go now.”

  Eaglewing realized what her game had been. “You played us!”

  “I’m really sorry… I just… I had to find them.”

  Eaglewing wanted to be mad at her, but she looked so guilty with that pout of hers, and her big eyes were so full of worry, more like fear. He was mad at himself for being mad at her. “Hey, no worries, I get it. You’re in some kinda trouble, aren’t you? Don’t be scared. We’ve all gotten in over our heads at some point. Tell me what’s goin’ on.”

  Fedora nodded. “Yeah, we can help.”

  “I don’t think you can, but I appreciate the offer.” Jane checked something on her slate, then folded it and stuck it in her pocket. “Maybe I can stay a bit longer, since it’ll take him a while to get here…”

  One of the galaxy’s hottest club songs boomed through the speakers. Colorful lights swept across the dance floor, some of them spotlighting the Furis on the stripper poles.

  An eager smile spread across Jane’s face. “I freaking love this song!”

  She rocked out as though possessed by the music. Eaglewing cheered her on, pumping his fists to the beat. Fedora bobbed his head in an attempt to dance. Jane seemed to shake away whatever had made her so anxious, escaping into the haze of swirling lights and pounding music.

  A purple spotlight landed on her. She laughed. She grabbed a pole, hooked her knee against it, and spun to the ground. “Wheeeee!”

  “Jane?” A tall man in a black T-shirt approached with a look of horror. Eaglewing thought he looked familiar but couldn’t figure out why.

  Jane got up. “Devin! That was fast. How’d you get in here?”

  Devin pulled her away from the pole. “What the hell are you doing? Where the hell are your clothes?” He opened the bag he carried on his shoulder, pulled out a black jacket, and tried to wrap it around her.

  Jane pushed him away. “Oh you’re one to talk. You’re the one who tore your shirt off like a freaking meathead!”

  Devin gave her a stern look. “Put the jacket on. You look like a child prostitute!”

  She placed her hands on her hips. “I can dress as I please, and there’s nothing you can do about it!”

  Eaglewing boldly stepped up to Devin. “Who the fuck are you?” Probably a jealous ex.

  Devin looked down at him. “Who are you?”

  He suddenly seemed very tall. Eaglewing backed away nervously.

  Jane rubbed her forearm. “It’s okay, Devin. This is Dave. He and Saul here were helping me out.”

  Fedora huffed. “Uh, that’s Eaglewing and Fedora to you.”

  Jane gave him an apologetic smile. “Right, sorry.”

  Fedora slumped his shoulders. “He your boyfriend?”

  “Yes,” Jane said in a breathy voice. She clung to Devin’s arm and made a kissy face.

  Devin pried her off, and she giggled. “Knock it off, Pony. I’m her brother.”

  Eaglewing regarded Jane, then Devin. I see the resemblance. Same straight nose, same wavy hair, except Jane had much more of it.

  Devin wrapped his jacket around Jane again, and she accepted it with a sigh. “What’re you doing in this hellhole? I told you to stay in the ship!”

  Jane pulled the jacket on. “Good thing I didn’t, because Eaglewing and Fedora here found the machines we’re looking for.”

  “That’s right!” Eaglewing said. “They’re in a warehouse in the storage sector. The big kind, like the ones used by the arms dealers.”

  Devin looked impressed with Jane, and she gloated.

  Fedora rounded his mouth into a surprised O. “Whoa! I know you! You’re Bl—”

  “You have me confused with someone else,” Devin interrupted.

  Black Knight? No way! No wonder he looks so familiar.

  Gambler was right for once. The rumors of Black Knight’s return were true. Maybe hitting on his sister wasn’t such a good idea.

  And shit, he hasn’t told her who he is. Smart.

  Devin pressed the edges of his bag together to close it. “How’d you two find the machines?”

  Fedora looked awed. “Hacked into the security cams, but my slate got fried before I could get a closer look. I’m pretty sure it was No Name.”

  Devin grabbed Jane’s arm. “We have to go. Now.” He walked quickly toward the exit, pulling her along.

  “Thanks, guys!” Jane called over her shoulder.

  Fedora started to follow. “Hey, wait up!”

  Eaglewing grabbed his arm. “Let ’em go.”

  Fedora stopped and stared after Jane. “We coulda helped or something!”

  “Maybe, but we oughta stay outta it. You don’t mess with the mercs.”

  Fedora frowned. After a moment, he muttered, “Yeah, you’re right.”

  Eaglewing returned to his spo
t at the bar. Guess that’s the last time I’ll see her. Damn. She was really cute.

  Fedora sat down beside him and looked sullenly at Jane’s untouched drink.

  Eaglewing shrugged. “Meh, plenty of stars in the night.”

  “True that.” Fedora picked up his beer.

  Eaglewing picked up his own and clinked glasses with his pal.

  Jane walked down a grimy corridor lined with bars, whorehouses, and other hives of debauchery. Her brother kept her close, glaring at any drunk who glanced at her the wrong way. One particularly rude man got a threatening gun in the face.

  Devin kept the gun in his hand after the man stumbled off. “Now will you tell me why you’re dressed like this?”

  “It’s my Hellfire Furis costume. That’s how I got past the bouncer bot: I went into the club as a performer.” Jane described how she’d looked for a back way into the club and seen Van Dinh slapping an unconscious girl while yelling at his assistant to find him another. “I went to tell him to stop hitting her, and he asked if I wanted a job. I saw my way in, so I said ‘sure’ and nicked Mandi’s outfit. We sang all my favorites.” She smiled as she recalled the joy of being able to, just for a moment, forget the craziness of the past few days.

  Devin’s expression relaxed. “Had fun?”

  “It was awesome. Okay, your turn. How’d you get in?”

  “They mistook me for someone else and let me through.”

  Jane narrowed her eyes. “Do you really expect me to believe that?” I don’t get what’s so secret about conning your way into a club.

  Devin stopped at one of the doors that led to the float’s public transportation system. He opened his bag and dropped the gun inside, then grabbed a card and swiped it against a square scanner. The doors parted, revealing a box-like transport.

  Devin stepped inside. “C’mon.” He punched a code into the control panel. “Hold onto something.”

  Jane entered and grabbed a handrail. The doors closed. She was about to ask how he knew his way around so well when the transport zoomed forward. She forgot her question as she clung to the bar, struggling to remain upright.

  A few dizzying turns and a terrifyingly long drop later, the transport stopped.

  Jane kept her grip on the handrail as the doors opened. The ground seemed to sway beneath her. Her head ached as if someone had jammed a pole through her forehead, and her face tingled with cold. Ugh. This is no time to be motion sick.

  She stepped out of the transport. A group of Wrath Guards stood at the end of the corridor.

  One of them pointed at Devin. “Hey, there he is!”

  Devin pushed Jane back into the transport as the Wrath Guards fired, along with the float’s internal defense guns. He reached into his bag and grabbed the odd spherical device she’d seen previously.

  She covered her ears as a high-pitched electric squeal ripped through the air. An invisible force knocked her into the back wall of the transport. The lights cut out.

  A few seconds later, a neon green luminance broke the blackness. Devin had a glow-torch, a cylindrical light powered by phosphorescent chemicals. He pulled Jane into the corner behind him. She pressed her back against the wall, unable to see anything but the vague green light.

  A series of unusually loud and sharp bangs rang out. Each shot seemed to jam a new pole into her head. She squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t tell which shots were fired by the thugs and which by her brother. A minute later, she heard shouts from the corridor, followed by the sound of running.

  “Jane, let’s go.”

  Jane opened her eyes. “What was that?”

  Devin stepped out of the transport. “I could see them, they couldn’t see me, and they were smart enough to run.”

  She stood. “That’s not what I meant! What was that blast?”

  “Portable electromagnetic pulse bomb. Knocked out power to the whole sector, and probably some of the neighboring ones.” He walked briskly down the corridor.

  Jane rushed to catch up. “Where the hell did you get something like that?”

  “Had it on me.”

  “You expect me to believe you happened to be carrying it around in your freaking office bag? Liar! Why can’t you just tell me?”

  Devin stopped at an intersection, swept his glow-torch, and proceeded down the corridor to the right. “Let me know if you hear anyone coming. Looks like Madam Wrath put a hit out on me. Either she has a hell of a grudge over the trouble I caused last time, or No Name’s pretending to be her. Do you remember anything specific about the warehouse?”

  “Only that there were a bunch of machine bits around. Wait, you’ve been here before?” Jane was more annoyed than frustrated when Devin didn’t respond. Guess I should be used to it. Jerk!

  Under ordinary circumstances, she would have harangued him about keeping secrets from her when she told him everything. Walking down a dark corridor while keeping an eye out for armed thugs hardly counted as ordinary circumstances, so she kept her rant to herself.

  She jogged to keep up with Devin’s hurried pace. Each step took more effort than the one before. Her aching head felt strangely heavy. What’s with me? It’s just a little speed-walking! I’m probably sleep-deprived and dehydrated.

  A pair of wide metal doors stood at the end of the corridor. They looked eerie and supernatural in green light, reminding Jane of gateways to the underworld she’d seen in fantasy holodramas.

  Devin stopped and opened his bag. He pulled out a small handgun, the kind that used bullets. His bomb must have disabled all machines, including laser guns.

  No wonder those shots were so piercing.

  He handed her the glow-torch. “I picked up some supplies while you were partying. Aim the light at the door.”

  “Okay.” Jane held the light steady as Devin regarded the crack between the two doors. He fired first at the bottom, then at three points in the middle, then at the top.

  After flicking the gun’s safety switch, he dropped the weapon in his bag. “All right, we should be able to pry it open. This warehouse is the only one not controlled by the arms dealers, so I figured the machines would be here. I hope I’m right.”

  He pulled at one of the doors. His unsolicited explanation had raised more questions for Jane than it had answered. How does he know that? Aren’t arms dealers super-secretive? The thought of finding the machines and maybe Adam kept her from asking.

  Jane put the glow-torch under her chin so she could have both hands free to help Devin with the door. Straining her arms sharpened the pain on her forearm from where the chemical had splashed.

  Something snapped. The door slid open. Jane stumbled backward. She dropped the glow-torch as she grabbed her brother for support. Adam’s gotta be in there.

  She snatched the light and slipped through the opening. All she could see in the mostly empty warehouse were a few boxes and a bunch of robots, most of which lay in pieces. In the center, isolated from the rest, sat two familiar machines, deactivated, with their appendages and wheels folded. Jane wanted to grab Devin’s gun and blast them to hell.

  Then she noticed what they guarded: a box about the size of a coffin attached to a complex-looking cylindrical-shaped machine. Her heart jumped, and she ran to it.

  The box’s control panels were dark. A set of thick cords wound around its center. Jane grabbed one and tugged with all her strength.

  Devin pulled out the handgun. “Back up.”

  He crouched by the box and fired at the cords. The bullet tore through them, chopping them in half. Jane shoved the glow-torch at him. Cold air blasted her face as she ripped off the lid.

  Inside, Adam lay with his eyes closed. Several round pads adhered to his face, connected to wires radiating from his head. Needles protruded from his neck and arms, attached to opaque tubes snaking
into the box’s walls.

  Chapter 12

  Time to Go

  Jane wanted to yank those creepy needles away from Adam, but for all she knew, doing so could make his comatose state permanent. She had no idea how a stasis box worked. Did blowing the power mess with whatever kept him suspended? Clueless, she examined the box’s machinery. How the hell am I supposed to wake him?

  “Jane!”

  Jane looked over at Devin, who opened one of the other boxes in the warehouse.

  Devin went through the box’s contents. “Jam the door with something.”

  “But—”

  “Your friend’s drugged.” He moved to the next box. “The power could return any second and trap us here.”

  Jane tore herself from Adam’s side. She searched the darkness for something she could use. Her gaze fell on a headless, cube-shaped robot body. She heard a bang and whirled. Devin aimed the handgun at one of the warehouse’s internal defense guns and fired again.

  Good idea.

  Jane pushed back the sleeves of her too-big jacket, shoved the machine body toward the warehouse’s double doors, and rammed it into the gap.

  The lights came back on, making everything insanely bright. A deafening alarm shrieked.

  A quick series of blasts. Jane spun frantically. Devin aimed his laser gun at a pile of deep blue machinery.

  He reached into the pile and grabbed something. “They reactivated.”

  Jane wished she’d had her chance at revenge even though the machines were only instruments. “Should’ve been me.”

  Devin shot something beside her. “Fucking machines!”

  He blasted the other robots, taking them out with a deadly precision that reminded Jane of all her questions. After he finished, he approached and gave her the handgun. “In case things get ugly. There are only ten shots left, so don’t use it unless you must.”