She had at least found a coat with a hood in the cupboard, and it sat easily over her clothing. It hid most of the wear and tear, stopping just below her knees.
She checked the mirror, decided it was as good as it was going to get, and turned to the door.
When it opened before she could hit the button beside it, she took a step back in surprise.
Fortunately the laz was primed and in her hand.
She shot the two Cores guards as they stepped in, using a side to side motion with the Caruson weapon.
They were already most of the way into the room—they had leaped forward when they saw her—and so when they fell, the door was just able to close behind their boots.
If she’d guessed Ethan had been found before, now she knew for certain, with guards out looking for her.
She scooped up both laz that had fallen to the floor, sticking them under her stolen jacket in the waistband of her pants, and then stepped out of the room.
Someone was coming toward her from the left, so she turned right and strode back toward the launch bay, the coat billowing around her.
She couldn’t think of a better place to hide.
As soon as she was inside, she moved behind the stack of crates she and Ethan had used as a hiding place before, and drew the coat around her, tucking it under her thighs as she crouched down.
There was a misaligned pillar of boxes in the row she was hiding behind, creating a gap that allowed a thin line of sight into the bay.
She hadn’t noticed anyone in the bay when she’d entered, but she’d only just settled into her hiding place when someone stepped out from the runner, and she suppressed a shiver at how close she’d come to being seen.
The bay doors opened, and two guards stepped in, both armed, and called to the person who was walking from the runner toward them.
“See anyone?”
“No.” It was a woman, and she was carrying some equipment in her hand. “You chasing someone?”
“Jint and Falre are both down, and their laz are gone. It’s probably the other prisoner. She’s hiding somewhere.” One of the two guards slowly turned in place, laz at waist height.
“Why do you think they snuck onboard the runner at all?” the woman asked.
“Would you like to be trapped with the Caruso?” the other guard asked. He was looking as well, but his laz was still by his side.
“Good point. Still, they could have just given themselves up.” The woman shrugged and moved past the men. “I’ve done my check, they didn’t damage or disable the runner while they were in there.”
She left the bay and the two guards stood quietly for a moment, waiting.
They would wait a long time. Velda was not going to be caught.
We will make sure of it, the silver balls told her.
Sometimes it’s not possible to escape, Velda reminded them.Ethan was caught, and I’m sure he tried his best to stay free.
They were quiet after that. She had the feeling they were considering her words carefully.
The two guards decided to move together, rather than split up, which was a huge advantage for her. Velda sidled around the stack of boxes as they moved in her direction.
She managed to keep out of sight, and ended up in a far corner of the bay, hidden behind even more boxes.
She looked up, and saw there was a way to get to the top.
It would be useful to rest up there, she decided, and also, most people didn’t look up.
She climbed the crates carefully and then pulled herself onto her stomach, wriggling forward until her whole body was lying across the boxes on the top of the stack.
