Cyber Sparks by Robert Appleton

Author:Robert Appleton [Robert Appleton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781426894282
Publisher: Carina Press
Published: 2012-08-27T03:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Satto Vasir

On the one hand, we were free to land on the deserted stretch of road—Lenore and I could alight and make a run for it, we were both supremely fit and might gain some distance. On the other hand, where could we go? Despite the permanent bivouac of protestors’ tents lining the grassland parallel to the road, Pennsylvania Avenue wasn’t exactly an ideal place for hiding from police custody. The cruisers could monitor our every move from above.

My efforts to suppress the ups and downs of the past few days brought on a sudden, aching weariness. It was all too much. Years of pampered living had sapped my natural Ireton indomitability like the low gravity that, before the advent of artificial grav, had reduced the bone mass of space travelers by frightening degrees. I wasn’t that girl anymore, insuperable offspring of hardy colonists. I was a freaking fashion model. My limits were the margins of digital mag brochures.

I took my headset off, set it down on top of the dash.

“You gave it your best, Allie. Come on, this has to stop. We’ve gone far enough.” Lenore unbuckled our straps with trembling hands, muttering to herself.

“Yep.” Heat from the cruisers’ thrusters overhead oiled the myriad flashing lights with a wavery haze. “We gave it a shot. No regrets.”

“Just…Boris—I can’t believe he did that. I mean he didn’t even know us. Maybe he didn’t intend to, you know—”

“I’m sure he didn’t think he’d fall. It’s just…one of those things.”

She seared me with a scowl that burned right to my heart. “One of what things? Nothing that’s happened today has made any fucking sense.” First time I’d ever heard her use that word in anger. “I know I’m pretty easygoing, but for the love of Selene, what the hell is this all about?”

“Sorry.”

“Be sorry later.” She thumped my arm twice. Hard. “Rinko and Phyllis are dead, we’ve got the whole city wailing down on our heads, and all you can say is you’re—” A flurry of slaps assaulted me, forcing me to hide my face behind my arms.

“Jesus, Lenore! Stop it. That fucking hurts.”

The slaps hardened to pummeling punches. I didn’t know which was worse—being whaled on by my best friend or knowing that I deserved each and every hit. I should have reported Satto and his ravings to the authorities as soon as he’d violated my privacy that second time. Today’s events—well, I was at least an accomplice to the whole horrific spin-off.

But enough was enough.

Christ. She wouldn’t stop, so I saw red and let my guard down long enough to throw a stinging right at her jaw. The impact tore through my wrist. At first I thought I’d sprained it again. And for the second time that day, I’d laid out the love of my life. This time, though, for only a matter of seconds. She stirred, gave me a serious stink eye, then turned away, nursing her chin.

Prison would be a step up from this.

I lowered the cab

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