“Oh yeah? Which gangs have you been working with?”
Shit.I think of saying that’s classified, but why would it be? “The Lopez cousins for a bit, and also the Midnight Crows.”
“The Crows are still around? Haven’t heard about them in a while. Didn’t the Defenders get them a few months back?” He shrugs. “Might have been someone else. Show me your tat.”
I turn around and lift my shirt.
“You should think of getting it worked on a bit, especially the skulls. Look for Larry on West Third.”
I lower my shirt and turn around. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“And remember to put your horse in one of the stables. You’ll get a fine if he shits on the street.”
Last time I was here, horse shit was more common than people. “Thanks for the warning.”
I climb back on my horse and ride into town, allowing myself to exhale only once I can no longer hear the guards behind me. Up ahead are the city’s impressive skyscrapers, though most of Denver is made up of small neighborhoods and simple private houses. A few miles to my right, I notice high antennas. They’re easy to miss with all the trees surrounding the compound, and I don’t recall seeing them before. I wonder if they are what is stopping Helena from spying on Denver.
“Are you okay?” I ask once I’m sure there’s nobody close by.
“Are you talking to me or the horse?” the woman’s voice in my necklace replies.
“I’m talking to you.”
“I’m fine. Please allow me to conserve my energy.”
I want to ask her to let the others know I’ve made it through the gate, but I choose to wait until I reach my house. It’s almost night, but not all streetlights are working. People are drinkingand smoking in front of their single-story houses; some are waving their weapons like toys. I have my own weapons, but I’m not going to wave them around like an idiot.
I don’t make eye contact with anyone, my grip tight on the reins until I come across a stable. I pay for a week in advance and leave my horse behind, hoping I can trust them to keep him alive. The house Zac set up for me should be a few blocks from the stable, but the way feels longer with the bags I have to carry. When I finally reach the small house, it’s fully dark outside, and the streetlights don’t seem to work. I fumble for the lock with my key, relieved when the door opens. I turn on the light in the living room. There isn’t much in the way of furniture, but the place seems relatively clean. I feel more at ease seeing iron bars on each of the windows, and there are more locks on the door from the inside. I drop the bags on the floor and call, “Hello? Is anyone here?”
I hear nothing back, but I still check the rest of the house carefully. There’s only a single bedroom and a small bathroom. Once I’m positive I’m truly alone, I sit on the couch, causing the old springs to creak. The floor is covered with a dusty carpet decorated with stains, but I’ve stayed in worse places. At least the roof seems intact.
I remove my necklace and hold the vial pendant in front of my face. “Can you please send a message to the others?”
“Yes.”
“Please tell them that I made it to the house safely. I’ll explore tomorrow and try to find out about Caden. And… tell them that I miss them.”
“I conveyed your message.”
“Thank you.” I place the necklace around my neck, then reach for my bag to take out some food. I eat while watching the stains on the carpet, listening to gunshots in the distance, though they’re likely coming from idiots with nothing better to do. I just hope a bullet won’t fly through my window by mistake. When I’m about to finish eating, the woman in the vial pendant says, “Your friends are relieved that you are safe. Timothy the spider misses you too, and River says you are brave and handsome.”
I’m glad that the connection is working from this distance, or this whole plan would have gotten a lot riskier. I walk to the bathroom and wait for the water in the shower to turn from brown to clear, then I step under the stream and wash the long day from my skin. I wonder if Caden is far from here and whether he’s kept in a dark cell or somewhere nicer.
I take comfort from knowing he’s closer to me than he has been since they kidnapped him, but it won’t matter unless I find him. As I fall asleep in the lumpy bed, I can still hear gunshots in the distance.
*
I wish they’d turn down the music so I can eavesdrop on nearby conversations. I sit close to the bar, holding a glass of beer I have no intention of drinking. All around me, people drink and take drugs while shouting and cursing. I hate every second I spend here, but I can’t think of a better way to pick up local gossip.
It’s been three days since I got to Denver, and I’ve spent most of that time trying to blend in and absorb information. Yesterday morning, I rode my horse to where I had seen the high antennas. As I expected, the area was heavily guarded like a military base,making me more convinced of the strategic importance of the compound.
After more than an hour of trying to eavesdrop, I order something to eat. The bearded bartender starts making small talk, and I play along and answer his questions, even when he’s asking whether I was born here or chose to become a Raider.
“So it was your parents who got you in with the Raiders? No shit. Where are they now?”
“Dead and buried.” Although maybe not buried since the Defenders who rescued me left them and the rest of my old gang for wild animals to feast on.
“Is there anything interesting to do tonight?” I ask.
