22. Freedom
Freedom
Dylan
They walked silently back through Oldton on their way to the tube, careful to avoid the attention of any of the night-dwellers, partygoers, and revellers.
No, they were not interested in any party-poppers or haymaker pills, the effects of which had been proven detrimental to the brain. Not Dylan’s cup of tea at all.
When they’d taped out, Sacha had asked them how it went, and Isaak told him most of what had happened.
He’d had no clue what the black spots could be either, which made sense, considering he hadn’t visited the Tapeworld for the last six months.
Isaak didn’t mention the Gunkatana, but he did tell Sacha about the Third Kingdom technocrest on the object they’d found.
Why he didn’t tell him, she didn’t know.
Must have been to do with that woman’s picture…
They’d left pretty quickly after that. It was clear Sacha wasn’t really comfortable with the whole thing – he and Isaak had argued just before they taped in – and Dylan couldn’t blame him. She felt bad for pulling him back into this world he’d clearly worked very hard to stay away from.
It was only when they were both aboard the monorail that she dared to finally ask Isaak the question burning her up inside.
“Do you know that woman in the photo?”
“No.”
She didn’t believe him. He answered too quickly, too brusquely, and he looked away when he said it.
“Isaak, I need to be able to trust you. You didn’t tell him about the Gunkatana. Why?”
His eyes went wide in warning and he looked around the carriage, trying to see if anyone had heard her. “We can’t let anyone hear us talking about it.”
Her earlier butterflies had turned into a cloud of worry and upset. “No one gives a shit what we’re talking about,” she said. “It’s just late-night revellers in here, all at least half drunk.” She shook her head. “Please just answer me!”
The tension bled from his jaw and he let out a long breath, shoulders dropping. “Fine. I didn’t tell him because… I don’t want him to interfere. I don’t want to have him running more tests on the Gunkatana. I don’t want to risk anyone else finding out about it.”
She sighed. “That’s your right. You stole it, and you’re free to do with it what you want. I think he’d want to help us, though.”
Isaak pinched the bridge his nose. “I know… It’s just easier this way.”
“And how the hell did those black things know where to find us?”
“When I ran the diagnostics on the katana, something must have pinged back home. Back to the Third King.”
“The Book Kingdom…” she said, shaking her head. Shit. “So they set those things on us?”
“Maybe.”
He paused and looked out the window. The train sped along above ground, buildings, vehicles, and roads all a blur outside the chrome-framed windows.
“I’m sorry,” he said, eyes still on the cityscape.
“For what?”
“Giving you the tape.”
“No, I…” She paused. “It’s not all fun and games, but I’ve loved being able to explore it with you.”
“I never wanted you to be in danger.”
Her heart quickened. She didn’t know what to say to that. It meant he cared.
“This is your stop, right?” he said, breaking the spell.
“Oh shit.” She jumped up with a start and rushed to the door. Just as she was about to leave, her heart racing, chest tight, she turned back and planted a kiss on his cheek, then rushed out just before the doors of the carriage closed.
She looked back as the train propelled its way out of the station. Isaak looked dumbfounded, fingers held to his face where she’d kissed him. His eyes transfixed on her with the silly expression she loved.
Dylan waited until the train rounded the bend in the track and disappeared behind a building before turning away to leave the station. She gave a quick glance down at her dress, expecting to find the blood stains from her fall earlier, but then she remembered: that was in the Tapeworld.
She’d wanted so badly to press him on the photo.
But they’d been through so much today. Pulled into his heist, escaping mechanical wolves, meeting a fucking talking sword, Miss Kitty disappearing, and then being chased by the black spheres.
Not to mention it looked like he was finally going to kiss her, and then didn’t.
So, no, she didn’t press him about the photo.
But she thought they’d both earned some respite.
The walk home was uneventful, but was late at night, and despite the government’s best intentions and a supposed increase in police numbers, it was still dangerous for a lone woman to walk down any road at night.
She avoided darker roads, taking the longer way home on purpose, the occasional sound of the train coming and going on the above-ground rail lines her only company.
At least the black spots couldn’t get out here.
They could have been an automated defence system, triggered by the Gunkatana’s analysis.
Or perhaps someone had been watching them since it was stolen…
Could it really have been the Book? Her illusion of freedom within the Tapeworld was slowly unravelling.
That place was supposed to be an escape from the perennial surveillance of the real world.
As she walked through the gate into her building, a word crossed her mind: Rebellion.
Like her parents and countless others all those years back.
Rebellion. She opened the door to her flat.
Rebellion. Scrolling her flip vidphone until she found her dad’s avatar and called him.
Rebellion. Oh, hello, bit late isn’t it, is everything okay?
Rebellion. Dad went to make himself a cup of tea, trying to not wake up her mum. Rebellion.
“Dad?”
He took a longer sip of his tea before replying. “Yeah?”
She strained to get the words out. “How was it?”
He paused, like he guessed what she wanted to talk about. “How was what?”
She went for the jugular. “How was the rebellion?”
Her father’s eyes darted around on his side of the video call, not sure where to settle. “You know already. It was a mess.”
“But… specifically? For you and mum?”
“It’s late, darling—”
“Please. I’d like to know.”
His expression went serious, more serious than before – all hope of a gentle late-night chat with his daughter now gone. “Your mother should be involved in this conversation. It’s not fair to her. And it’s not fair to me. I feel ambushed. Let’s sleep and maybe someday soon…”
“Someday soon what?” she said, accustomed to plans evaporating.
“Someday soon, we’ll see.”
Dylan grunted.
“Goodnight, sweetie,” her dad said, getting up to take his mug to the kitchen.
“G’night, Dad.”
Dylan disconnected the call.
She kicked off her Dr. Martens and placed them next to the wardrobe. The jacket she hung on a coat hanger and put back on the rack inside it.
After brushing her teeth, Dylan changed to her pyjamas and lay on the bed, staring up at the hanging geometrical decorations. Her body was exhausted, but her mind was racing. What had her parents experienced all those years back? What was the Tapeworld really? What did the Book want with it?
I’ll have to fight for it. Mum and Dad won’t get it, but they should. They did the same. They fought for what’s right.
In the blue-dark of night, she felt like she could almost make out the shine of the tape through the fabric of her bag. She nearly got up, thinking to jack back in and look for answers. Then the image of the black spots came into her head. She closed her eyes, trying to forget all of it.
Her phone vibrated.
@isaak: i’m home. hope you are too? sleep well xx
She smiled, a warm feeling nestling on her chest.
@dylan: I am. you too xx
It was just two Xs, not a real kiss, and not uncommon between friends. But it made her happy.