Mathematics Of Eternity: Joe Ballen, Book One by David M. Kelly

Author:David M. Kelly [Kelly, David M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nemesis Press
Published: 2017-02-27T22:00:00+00:00

Twenty-One

We worked our way through the jumble of buildings down gray alleys with stained concrete walls and garbage-encrusted pavement. It was getting late, though not late enough to justify the emptiness we encountered and I had the feeling we were being watched by countless eyes from the dark shadows thrown by the scant lighting.

Turning left at the remnants of a crumbling church, we entered a narrow alley barely wide enough for the both of us. Someone had piled stacks of garbage on either side, forcing us to walk single file most of the way.

"I don't like this," Tana whispered. She was shivering, and I didn't think it was from the cold wind.

I could hear scratching from the piles of garbage. I hoped it was only rats. "I don't either, but we don't have any choice."

My nose wrinkled at the smells in the smoky air. Mixed in with the acrid stench of urine, vomit and some kind of burning oil was something that reminded me of cheap hot-dogs, but I doubted it was anything so palatable. The floor beneath us squished as we moved and I really didn't want to look too closely to see what we were stepping in.

Above us, the gaps between buildings were connected haphazardly by makeshift raised walkways, as if the residents were trying to create their own version of the more luxurious elevated corridors downtown. Though here the packing case and plastic structures looked barely able to hold the weight of even a single person.

The rusting steel door at the end of the alley was thick enough to act as an airlock. The pitted surface made it looked disused, but there were signs of fresh oil on the heavy hinges. I lifted my hand to bang on the door, but as I did, it opened a few centimeters. A voice sounded from inside.

"Ballen?"

"Yes. Logan sent me."

"Prove it." The voice sounded unnatural and metallic. "What tribe is he?"

Thankfully I'd heard that from him at least a thousand times, how his tribe had originally lived North of Vancouver, but after the second coming of the great Thunderbird they'd been forced to move east like so many.

"Logan is Coast Salish."

"Which coast?"

"West, of course."

"Wrong! There is no West Coast anymore." There was a harsh metallic laugh. "But you're right. You can come in."

I stepped up to the door, and Tana closed in behind me.

"You can come in. Logan's invite is only good for one person."

I looked back at Tana and saw the fear in her eyes. "I can't leave her out here. Who knows what might happen?"

"It's your dime, bub. I don't care either way." The door started to close.

"It's dangerous. You know that," I said.

"Life always is. She ain't coming in. She'll be safe if she stays by the door. No one will touch her on my ground."

Tana drew herself up. "Go on. I'll be okay."

I pulled out the StubGun and handed it to her. "Just in case."

"I'm making you personally responsible," I said to the guy behind the door.

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