Chapter 16
My supervisor’s shrill voice called for me to stop. One of the Pop Cops threatened to shoot me, but LC Karla’s calm order to stun me made me run faster. I reached an intersection just as a sizzle slap sounded behind me. Diving into the hallway on my left, the pulse clipped my legs.
I rolled along the floor. A burning pain danced along my calves and left my muscles numb.
Scrubs yelled and scattered. The corridor filled with noise and confusion.
Regaining my feet proved difficult, I used my upper arms to balance on numb legs.
The quickest of Karla’s Pop Cops reached the intersection.
Pushing scrubs out of his way, he aimed his gun at me. Without thinking, I grabbed a screwdriver from my belt and flung it at him. The tool knocked into his arm. His shot flew low, hitting me below the waist.
I fell over, landing on my back as a million needles jabbed through my uniform and into my thighs. The Pop Cop stepped closer, raising his stun gun again.
He was bumped from behind. Cursing, he turned to shoot the closest scrubs. I hurled my wire cutters at him. They grazed his head, so I lobbed my flashlight. A direct hit. His gun clattered to the floor with a satisfying crack. Surprised, he stared at me a moment, then glanced over his shoulder.
His buddies should be arriving any second, but sounds of a commotion reached us from the other hall.
He hesitated. I rolled onto my stomach and pulled my body away from him—the benefits of having strong arm muscles. A heating vent beckoned from two meters away.
“Oh no you don’t,” he said.
Too much weight on me, I strained to a stop. He had latched onto my ankles.
“Don’t you want to help your boss? Sounds like she’s in trouble.” I transferred my weight to my left elbow, turning my body sideways and freeing my right arm.
He paused. Karla’s voice boomed through the sounds of panicked scrubs, ordering them to get out of her way. The sizzle slap of a stun gun increased the noise level.
“She can handle a couple of scrubs. You should worry about yourself.” He reached for his handcuffs with his right hand. “You’re under arrest for—”
I stabbed my needle-nose pliers into his left forearm. He yelled and let go. I continued, gaining another meter closer to the vent before he lunged for me. I managed to roll away, but he snaked an arm around my waist, pinning me down. He grinned as I searched for another tool.
“You’re out, but I’m not.” He pulled a knife.
The ruckus in the other hallway spilled into ours. The LC was caught in the middle of stampeding scrubs. It would have been comical if I didn’t have an armed Pop Cop wrapped around me.
Taking advantage of the distraction, I grabbed the comb from my belt.
I poked the teeth into his eyes as the crowd reached us.
He let go of me, and I lost track of him as we were stepped on, kicked, and crushed.
The comb was knocked from my hand, but at that moment, I didn’t care as I closed the distance to the heating vent.
Removing the cover, I wormed inside and replaced the metal grate.
I pulled my aching body through the semi-dark shaft until my arms shook with exhaustion. Laying my head down, I listened as the clamor from the hall died and the angry voice of LC Karla echoed.
Only a few of her words were coherent, but two stood out.
Injured and blood. Then the grating sound of a metal cutter vibrated.
I turned my head. In the faint light, a thin black trail shone.
I wasn’t in pain, the lower half of my body remained numb.
Running my hands along my skin, I stopped when my fingers encountered wetness.
The Pop Cop’s knife had sliced a gash near my hip. I couldn’t tell how deep, but I needed to staunch the blood. The rumble of the cutter stopped and a bright light glowed behind me.
The slide step rasp of a person in the shaft reached me. I continued, but I still left a blood trail. When I arrived at an intersection, I tore a part of my coveralls and made a make-shift bandage which was soaked in no time, alarming me.
Not much more I could do, so I kept moving. If LC Karla knew about me, she must know about the others. I wondered what tipped her off. Concentrating on losing my tail, I glanced over my shoulder. I no longer left a smear of blood. Good. Next I needed to figure out where I was.
The light had changed from weak gray to blue.
Bunks were visible through the slats. I had reached the scrubs’ barracks.
Trying not to make a sound, I removed a vent cover and slipped out of the shaft.
I replaced the cover and peered around. It was hour seventy-six and most of the bunks were occupied with sleeping scrubs.
My legs remained numb, which, by the amount of blood pouring from the gash, was a good thing. I swam across the barrack to another vent on the opposite side. This one would take me to Domotor’s hide out. Once inside the shaft, I rested. My arm muscles burned with fatigue.
The trip to Domotor’s room seemed unending. By the time I reached his vent, I didn’t have the energy to remove the cover.
“Domotor,” I called. No answer. I yelled louder.
“Trella? Where are you?” he asked.
“In the heating duct.”
He rolled into view. “What’s the matter?” He bent over and yanked the cover off.
I stayed in the duct. “LC Karla tried to arrest me. She knows.”
“How much does she know?”
“I didn’t hang around to find out.”
Concern and fear filled his expression but not surprise. He had come from the right side of the room. “What have you been doing?” I asked.
Guilt flashed before he covered it. “Cleaning.”
“You haven’t tried to access those files?”
His gaze dropped to the floor. All the answer I needed. “Domotor, I told you to wait!”
“I was careful. There has to be another reason Karla’s after you,” he shot back.
“I doubt she’d bring along three Pop Cops if she wanted to follow up about my reprimand.”
“You were reprimanded?” His voice held an accusatory tone.
“For failure to finish my shift. Which is pretty damn good, considering all the extra curricular activity I’ve been doing for you.
” This wasn’t productive. I drew a breath.
“If she knows where you are, she’ll try and cut through the door.
At least you’ll have a warning. Once you’re in custody, hold out for as long as you can before naming anyone.
Give her Cog’s and Roddie’s name and then mine. Hopefully, she’ll be happy with us.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Warn my friends.”
It was a good plan. Warn Logan and Anne-Jade then find Riley. However, the numbness wore off. Happy to have the use of my legs, I switched from the heating system to the air shafts. But the sizzling pain shooting from my hip created a big problem.
After climbing to level two, I knew I wouldn’t be able to find Logan. Lightheaded and weak, I laid in the shaft, wishing for one of those pocket communicators the Pop Cops carried. A sudden memory flashed and I checked my tool belt.
Yes! I still carried the two listening devices Jacy had given me. Palming one, I toggled the on switch. I was supposed to plant it in air duct seventy-two, but hadn’t gotten the opportunity. I chuckled wildly, thinking I could only break one rule at a time.
I wasn’t sure if Jacy or his buddies would be monitoring the devices or even listening, but it was worth the effort.
Moving the device close to my mouth, I whispered, “Jacy, remember when you said to let you know if I needed anything? Well, I need your help.” I paused, collecting my thoughts.
To tell Jacy Logan’s name could result in more danger for Logan.
All Domotor knew about Logan was his physical description.
My head spun and I realized I might not be conscious for too long. Better to tell Jacy than pass out.
I asked Jacy to warn Logan. “I also need you to borrow all the metal cutters, chisels, and crowbars in the lower levels and hide them. The Pop Cops are going to want to cut a hole and the longer it takes them to complete this task, the better. Anything you can do to make the Pop Cops’ life difficult would be appreciated.
” I flipped off the device and returned it to my tool belt.
After the wave of dizziness passed, I decided to try and climb to the fourth level and warn Riley. Even if he wasn’t in our room, I would leave him a note. And then what?
I planned my next task. I could hide from the Pop Cops, but eventually they’ll know about Gateway from Domotor. I had to get there first and open it. And then? No clue.
My progress slowed and I gasped for breath. Focusing all my energy into moving, my world shrank to pushing forward one foot at a time, to pulling with one arm then the other. Black and white dots swirled in my vision and I bit my lip to keep conscious.
A single goal propelled me forward, and the last thing I remembered was the relieved sensation of falling.
Sharpness jabbed my arm. I tried to jerk away, but my arm was stuck. My whole body ached and a hammer kept striking the back of my head. I retreated to the darkness, leaving all those annoyances behind.
The pricking and pulling around my hip demanded attention. I opened my eyes, but shut them against the harsh daylight. Two people stood over me.
“She’s waking. Quick, more thiopental!”
Another painful prick to my arm, and fire raced through my veins. I welcomed the return of darkness.
Foggy thoughts floated sluggishly. Pain radiated from my hip, but only spiked when I moved, which proved difficult to do. My right arm was trapped. Squinting, I braced for the bright daylight, but sighed in relief. Soft bluelight glowed in the room.