Fallout by James K. Decker

Author:James K. Decker [Decker, James K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2014-02-04T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

“Shit,” I breathed. I took out my phone and pulled up the flashlight app. In the dim light, my eyes began to adjust and I looked around. I laughed a little. “Holy shit, it worked.”

“Where are we?” Nix asked, looking down the row of rusted machines.

“Out in the rim somewhere,” I told him. “It’s where I hide things.”

He nodded, not asking for any further explanation. “How do we get out?”

“This way.”

I led him back to the green door, past the box I’d stashed, and squeezed through the gap. He followed, slipping into the corridor in a single, fluid motion while I retrieved the twistkey from my tablet.

“Let me go first,” I told him. “Security is probably watching the place from the outside to see if I come back, but they could have someone waiting inside.”

I put the key in the gate’s socket and turned it. The concrete wall shimmered, and then disappeared to reveal the inside of my closet. My stuff had been disturbed, a shoebox of pictures dumped out onto the floor and my duffel bag emptied, but it didn’t look like they’d found the gate. I pushed the hanging clothes aside and crept through, moving into the closet and then stopping with my ear toward the door. I didn’t hear anyone on the other side.

I turned the knob, and opened the door a crack so I could peek in. I didn’t see anyone. The apartment sounded empty.

“Okay,” I whispered back to Nix. “Come on.”

I opened the door and stepped into my bedroom. As Nix came in behind me, I crossed to the opposite door and tiptoed out into the hall to check the other rooms.

“We’re alone,” I told him. “For now. Come on, over here.”

I patted the sofa, and Nix shambled over, his hunger pangs seeming to grow worse by the second. He dropped down onto it, sounding heavier than he looked.

“Lie down,” I told him, crouching beside him so I could ease him onto his back. When he’d gotten comfortable, I removed one of the rations from the bag.

Has anyone seen or heard from Alexei? I sent out over the 3i. I had him with me in Baishan Park last night, but he ditched some time before I woke up.

Nothing, Vamp sent back. Sorry. I can scan the eyebot data and look for any hits on him.

I haven’t heard from him, Dragan said. How long’s he been gone?

I’m not sure what time of night he bailed, but—

He’s with me, Dao-Ming sent.

Dragan, I asked, can you pick him up? Or should I—

I think this is the safest place for him, Dao-Ming said. For the time being.

They’ve got me stationed in Xinzhongzi, Dragan said. Dao-Ming can watch him.

I didn’t say anything. There wasn’t much I could say without spilling everything. I didn’t like the idea of Alexei being with Dao-Ming anymore, but at least he was off the street. Whatever else she might be, she wouldn’t let anything happen to him.

Is that okay? Dragan asked.

Yeah, I said. Of course.

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