Chapter 7 #2
My thoughts replayed the encounter with the Tech Nos. If I was found associating with them or using illegal technology, I would be kill-zapped in an instant. I didn’t doubt I would be caught. I just wanted to… What? Find Gateway first?
I huffed in derision for such mushy thoughts.
The end result would probably be exposing the whole endeavor as a hoax.
Instead of wasting time, I concentrated on the next task, letting no emotions cloud my judgment.
If Zippy works, then it made retrieving Broken Man’s port a whole lot easier.
And if it didn’t? Then I hoped I could outrun the Pop Cops again.
During my shift, I planned how best to approach LC Karla’s office. I overrode the speed control on the cleaning troll and increased the pace. If I finished all my scheduled ducts early, I would sleep for a few hours before sneaking to level four.
“What do you want to know?” Jacy asked in a low voice.
The scrub leaned against a column of bunks, appearing relaxed, but tension rolled off him.
Two of his buddies hovered nearby. They kept watch, insuring our conversation wouldn’t be overheard by the Pop Cops.
Bluelight lit the scrub’s barrack in Sector D1, and the snores and heavy breathing of sleeping people filled the room.
The musty smell of dirty socks mixed with sleep-breath, creating a rank odor. No wonder I slept in the pipes.
“I need to know Lieutenant Commander Karla’s schedule,” I said.
We were a poorly lit corner. Rows and rows of bunks, reaching from top to bottom filled the room.
Three beds per column. One meter of head room per bed.
The wooden dividers between them contained two drawers.
One for the possessions of the first shift scrub who slept there and the other for the second’s.
Right now the row we occupied was half empty. Most scrubs had finished their shift at hour thirty and were in the cafeteria.
“Why do you need her schedule?” Jacy’s dark brown bangs hung over his eyes. He studied me through the gaps.
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does.” He straightened.
He had grown since our time together in the care facility. Now a half-meter taller than me, I tilted my head to meet his gaze. If he tried one of his old tricks, I already knew the location of the closest ceiling vent. The design of the bunks made it easy for me to scale them if I needed to escape.
“Lieutenant Commander Karla’s been causing a lot of trouble for us. I don’t want to upset her any further. In fact, she asked me about you.”
A stream of cold fear shot down my back. Jacy dealt with information. His group of five always knew where the Pop Cops were. They warned their clients of surprise inspections and raids. Even though the scrubs worked hard, they found time to engage in a number of illegal activities.
“What did you tell her?”
“I had a kill-zapper at my chest so my memories are a little fuzzy. Perhaps if you tell me why the LC’s interested in you, it’ll help me remember.”
His expression remained guarded and I guessed the bastard already knew but wanted to confirm his suspicions.
“You’ll live longer if you don’t know.” Ha. I managed to surprise him. “Are you going to tell me Karla’s schedule or not?”
“And what do I receive in exchange?”
Typical scrub. Nothing without a price. “I’ll act as a look-out for you. One time only.”
He laughed. “I have a ton of people willing to watch for us.”
“From air duct seventy-two?”
His smirk died. “You can get in there without an upper’s help?”
I nodded. Number seventy-two crossed over a few highly sensitive areas, including the control center and Pop Cop headquarters. The uppers didn’t want a disgruntled scrub near them. The two scrubs allowed in the shaft always had a Pop Cop escort.
Energized, he paced. “Can you install a listening device in seventy-two for me instead?”
“That’s illegal. How did you—?” Tech Nos. I didn’t need to know more. “You want me to put it where the cleaning trolls won’t suck it up?”
“Yes.”
I considered. “It’s more dangerous than acting as look-out. It’s worth two requests—Karla’s schedule and what you told her about me.”
“Deal.”
His response was too quick. I should have negotiated for more.
“I’ll have her agenda in an hour.” His posture relaxed, but concern lingered in his eyes. “I told the LC the truth.”
My stomach dropped as if I had just fallen off a pipe. “And?”
He huffed. “Same old Trell, giving nothing away. Not even for your fellow care mate.”
“The mate who bullied and tormented me? I guess you would find it odd I don’t hold any fond feelings over our time together.”
He waved my comment away. “You were cold from the start. We tried to bully and torment you just to get a reaction from you.” Jacy bent close and lowered his voice.
“I told her all about it. How you escape into the ducts to be alone. No friends. No interest in associating with your fellow scrubs. But I neglected to inform her about your Queen of the Pipes title.”
“Why? It’s just a taunt.” Even Broken Man knew about it.
“Really? You spend hours in the pipes. You must know every nook and cranny of Inside. If I searched for a missing prophet and had exhausted every known area, I would turn to the Queen of the Pipes for guidance.” He paused, giving me time to understand.
“She already suspects you’re involved, telling her about your title would give her a reason to arrest you. ”
“But you could have earned a better post.”
He shrugged. “I did it for old time’s sake. Besides, if you’re hiding Broken Man, that means you actually care for another person and there’s hope for you yet. Meet me here in one hour.” He strode away with his friends at his heels.
I spent the time sifting through all of Jacy’s comments. He had been wrong about me. I had friends in the care facility after Cog left. Before I was picked on and teased—the victim of multiple pranks and nasty rumors. At least one or two girls. I just couldn’t remember their names.
When I matched LC’s Karla’s work schedule to mine, I would have a single two hour window between hours thirty-eight and forty to search her office.
The heating ducts would be my best bet to enter Karla’s office.
Low to the ground, the vents opened into every room Inside.
Although, they were small. Zippy and I just fit.
They also snaked between the rooms. One of the drawbacks to using the heating system was, there were no connections between levels.
Since the power plant spanned all four levels, each level had its very own network of ducts.
The other limitation was the heating system couldn’t be accessed from the Gap.
I needed to ascend to the fourth level, then enter the heating system. Aiming for the abandoned storeroom, I hoped Riley wouldn’t be there. As I moved through the air shafts with Zippy tied to my tool belt, my thoughts turned to the young upper I had surprised.
Riley’s comments replayed in my mind. He used the storeroom to escape assignments and avoid having to pledge loyalty to the Travas. Perhaps his life wasn’t as easy as I had thought.
I slowed down when I reached my destination.
Peering through the air vent, I scanned the room below with care.
The furniture had been re-arranged again, but no one was there.
The green and brown couch was now located right below the hole, and a metal step ladder leaned against the side wall.
Riley must have moved it for me. I smiled, but then dismissed the notion.
An upper caring about a scrub? No way. And I wouldn’t believe it.
Stick with the plan, I chanted under my breath.
Hanging from the air duct, I dropped onto the couch. I waited a moment. When no one rushed into the room, I slipped into the tight heating vent. Pressing Zippy’s on button, I counted to ten. He hummed and chugged along the duct as I pulled my body by my elbows and pushed with my feet.
I hoped any noise I made would be dismissed as the regular cleaning. Even if he didn’t work, having Zippy along would help my cover if I was caught.
By the time we drew near LC’s Karla’s office, sweat soaked my uniform and my arms ached. Switching Zippy to neutral, I examined the room through the vent’s cover.
From my limited vantage point, a large desk dominated the space. I counted three computer monitors. On the wall opposite the vent, hung a variety of weapons and handcuffs. My heart stuttered for a few beats, before settling into a fast pace.
Again, I waited and listened for sound. LC Karla was supposed to be off duty, but Jacy warned me it wasn’t completely reliable.
I wiped slick hands on my uniform, unscrewed the cover and pulled it slowly into the vent. According to Broken Man, the Pop Cops motion sensors would be in the four corners of the room for maximum coverage.
Nothing else left to do, I pushed Zippy through the opening and held my breath, preparing to flee. He rolled a couple feet and stopped. His hum transformed into a low chug. When the alarm failed to sound and no Pop Cops burst through the door, I eased from the vent.
I searched the desk and opened all the drawers as quick and as quiet as possible. Karla’s office also contained a long work table, a couch and a bench with chains and cuffs. A sudden vision of me secured to the bench while the LC questioned me jumped into my mind.
Shelves filled with RATSSs decorated another wall. I ignored their mechanical stare, yet prepared to dive back into the heating vent if one moved.
My desperation increased. No sign of Broken Man’s port anywhere. Closing my eyes for a moment, I drew in a few deep breaths. Think. Where would you put his port? I scanned the room once more. A gray closet in the corner drew my attention.
My joy when the closet’s door swung wide disappeared in a heartbeat.
A metal mesh gate covered shelves filled with various items—evidence, probably—and was locked.
A small keypad had been installed on the lock’s outer plate.
None of the tools in my belt would be able to bypass the bolt. I would need a code to open the gate.
The third shelf down held a row of ports. Broken Man’s must be among them, sitting mere inches from me. So close.
“Don’t move,” a voice ordered from behind me.