The Collective by Eliza Green

Author:Eliza Green [Green, Eliza]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Eliza Green Books
Published: 2018-09-02T22:00:00+00:00

20

Carissa

Carissa stopped when she saw the Inventor hurrying across the courtyard. She was so used to seeing him in his workshop, stooped over some repair, surrounded by wolf parts and digging machines. She didn’t think he went anywhere other than home to his apartment.

Her heart fluttered in her chest when she saw him headed for the Learning Centre.

She ran to catch up with him. ‘Inventor, what are you doing up here?’

He slowed, flustered. ‘Miss. I didn’t see you there. The Collective needs to see me about something.’

Originals weren’t permitted inside the Learning Centre. She noticed his surprise, too—like when she’d told him about June.

Other Copies showed interest in their conversation. Carissa adopted an air of formality with the Inventor, an interaction that Quintus would see when they uploaded. ‘I need to speak to you. When will you return to the workshop?’

To her relief, the Inventor picked up on her cue. ‘Soon. Why don’t you drop by in a little while? I won’t be long, and I need to run some diagnostics on you.’

She nodded and held her chin up, dying to ask why Quintus had sent for him. ‘I will be there soon, Inventor.’

Carissa watched him go and walked round to the back of the centre, to an oak tree. Her orb was playful today, almost demanding. She indulged it with a game of chase and tried to keep up as it circled the tree. She followed when it broke off, dodging Copies, circling several tagging stations close by. She needed the distraction. What did Quintus want with her Inventor?

After an hour of play, Carissa commanded the orb to the pocket of her white dress. It nestled in the cocoon of fabric.

She had to see the Inventor. Had he spoken to Vanessa yet? Was he going to help her rescue June and the others? Would she leave the city before Quintus ordered her termination?

She returned to the courtyard, passing by several curious Copies. With a deep breath, she opened the door and descended into the part of the city avoided by most of the Copies.

An agitated Inventor was up high on a ladder attaching wolf parts to hooks affixed to girders in the ceiling.

Carissa’s presence drew his attention, and he started to climb down.

‘There you are! You took your time. I’ve got better things to do than wait for you.’

‘You didn’t say how long I should wait before coming to see you.’

‘It doesn’t matter. You’re here now.’ The Inventor strode past Carissa. At the entrance he turned. ‘Hurry.’

She followed him down a tunnel that led away from the stairs and deeper into the underground of the city. This part of the city wasn’t on her map, which included blank sections and dead-end passageways.

The occasional wall-mounted sconce brightened the way. The other Copies had a natural fear of dark spaces; the Inventor believed it to be a flaw in the copying process. The bright-white city created the illusion of space, a design intended to counter the Copies’ claustrophobia. The humans didn’t seem to have the same issues with the dark.

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