Lost Souls by N E Riggs

Author:N E Riggs [Riggs, N E]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sci-fi adventure
Published: 2017-10-30T06:00:00+00:00

6

The Gateway to Law

“Was Odi able to get any more information out of Tresas?” David asked, sitting in the back of the van next to the gateway manipulator.

“No,” Seth said from the driver’s seat. “He didn’t hurt her much anymore, though.”

“That’s good,” David said, wondering what would happen to Tresas. Even if they got away with the attack – and he had his doubts about that – they still wouldn’t be able to let her go. He wondered if Odi planned to keep her prophesying until he finally killed her. He still had the scrap of paper with her prophecy in his pocket. He carried no weapons and felt naked. He’d lost his agitator capturing Tresas. He had an extra agitator at his apartment – he hadn’t given all his spares to the Core – but he hadn’t been home since before he kidnapped Tresas. Anyway, if Volk was right, an agitator wouldn’t be much good against a jiang shi. He’d feel better if he had one though.

Seth turned a corner and stopped the van in a small alleyway. He, David, and Saikee climbed out, carrying the manipulator carefully. “Here,” Saikee said, leading them to a corner between two short buildings. David saw no windows overlooking the alley, and nothing in the alley itself save two dumpsters. They placed the manipulator against the far wall, directly across from the street. It was early in the morning, just after dawn, and only the occasional car drove past the alley. Saikee knelt beside the manipulator for a few minutes, making sure all the settings were correct. Satisfied at last, she handed David the remote. “Wait up there,” she said, pointing to the building on the left, taller than the others. “The remote has a limited range.”

“Can jiang shi climb?” David asked. A fire escape clung to the side of the building, right up to the top.

“I don’t know,” Seth said, and Saikee shrugged.

David sighed, “Great.” Well, he’d see any jiang shi coming, at least. Hopefully there was another way to get down from the roof. Glancing the other way, he could see the Mitra Judiciary Building rising above the rest of the skyline, only a few blocks away. The jiang shi should have no trouble reaching it.

Seth took David’s wrist and checked his watch, comparing the time to his com pad. “The gateway is due in an hour. The manipulator’s set up so it won’t redirect any other gateways. Turn it on just before the gateway opens, at 8:11 by your watch. Call if there’s any trouble.” He and Saikee climbed back into the van and drove away.

“Right,” David said, wondering how he’d gotten the job of using the remote. If something went wrong, he’d be among the first the jiang shi grabbed. He stuffed the remote into his pocket and started to climb the fire escape. The metal creaked alarmingly, and at least once David thought the whole thing would come off the side of the building. He made it to

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