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Mike packed a bag. He glanced at the TriV, then
away. Creel came from the bathroom and went to the refrigerator
unit, opening it.
“Empty.”
A faint smile on his face, Mike said, “We're
gone. Boss is sending me . . . west.”
Creel's face dropped a full inch. “Gee. What
about the perp? I mean, he's here. We know it.”
“New boys coming in.” Mike zipped the bag
closed. “Bad boys. If they can't take him, that part of the
city is going to be blasted.”
Eyes wide, Creel's long neck gave a hard swallow.
“Micros?”
Mike stilled. He nodded. Putting on a coat, he took
the bag to the door.
“Apparently, there's a whole pack of them now.
Reports are it's better to lose them than have them go over to
the Emperor or Butalezi in Africa.”
“Geez.”
Mike walked out the door into a watery sunshine. He
stared up at the sky and started walking. A few blocks away, he
took out an unregistered unit and called a cab.
A pen opened into a knife. Mike pushed his sleeve
up and inserted the knife, prying out a small object. A stray
dog growled. He tossed it to the dog.
It was snapped up and swallowed. The dog ran away.
Mike had, perhaps, twenty-four hours before the chip killed the
dog.
The cab slid down and he jumped in. “Yes,
Lord?”
“Where can I rent a boat?”
“There's boats, and there's boats.” The
cabby glanced back.
“One for cash.”
The car eased down to a roof. Just beyond the
buildings the Bay glittered. Taking a slip of paper from the
driver, Mike jumped out and stepped away from a blast of fumes.
He went down to the docks and a small boat that was heading
south.
The song whispered and dogged him all the way to
the swamps of North Carolina, in the Province of Southlands,
North American Directorate.
Harrison gripped a gun. It was
dark now, and he adjusted a set of goggles, watching as foot
traffic on Sedgely died to nothing. He prowled around the
street, then with a stifled whimper, moved into the house.
The door creaked open under his hand. He slid in to
scurry through the kitchen to the narrow hall, then down that to
Sue's bedroom.
Carl snatched him up, slapping him against the wall
a few times. Harrison wilted.
Anna came out. Then the twins and Benny.
“That's the rat,” Ama said, smiling. “Break
his back and throw him out for his kin to feed on.”
Harrison wailed and pleaded. Carl growled a laugh.
Harrison screamed as his ribs bent in a bear hug.
“No, please. They want to kill my Susie.”
“Ain't your Susie,” Ama said. “Finish it,
ugly man.”
Anna shook her head, and Harrison tumbled to the
floor. A foot was planted on his neck.
“What?” she said. “Who wants to kill her?”
“I . . . I don't know--“
“Carl.”
As Carl reached for him, Harrison tried to scurry
away. Carl grabbed his leg and ripped him back.
“The Project. The Project. I have to save her
because this whole hood is going to be killed so they can kill
that beast, Benny.”
The twins crept out with their pinkies linked. One
pointed at Harrison, and his teeth sparked. He shrieked,
clutching his mouth.
“Girls.” Anna threw them a cold look. They
scowled back, but Harrison dropped to the floor with only some
minor burns.
“Wants to hurt our new sis.”
“He's a dead man.”
Anna shooed them back into the bedroom.
“Behave, or I'll tell God on you.”
Eyes wide, they lost the hate on their faces and
shrank away.
“We'll be good, Aunt Anna.”
“Swear.”
Anna scowled. “God knows if you're cheating.”
She loomed over them. “And tells me.”
The girls wailed and dived under the bed. Giggles
came from it.
One girl said, “Look, a new Bobo.”
The other said, “Hi, Bobo.”
A wisp of smoke came from under the bed.
Shuddering, Anna turned to Harrison.
©2004 StoriesByEmail.com
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