Passion shone from Logan’s eyes, but I wasn’t a sucker. “You two are either working for the Pop Cops or delusional.” I stood to go.
“This isn’t proof enough?” Logan held the toy mouse up.
“Yes. Proof you’re working with the Pop Cops.”
Logan opened his mouth to speak, but Anne-Jade shot him a look. “Fine,” she said. “Think what you want, but you owe us one for covering for Cog.”
“I don’t?—”
She ignored me. “In the supply closet in Sector H1, is a small cleaning device.”
“Anne-Jade, if she doesn’t trust us, we shouldn’t trust her,” Logan said.
She frowned at him. “Someone has to make the first step.” Returning her attention to me, she said, “Do you know the one?”
“Zippy?” He was a quarter the size of the regular trolls, and made to fit into tight pipes.
“Youhave names for the cleaning devices, and you callusdelusional?” She tapped her chest to emphasize her point. “If you hold down its…Zippy’s on button for ten seconds, it not only cleans dirt, but will suck up all evidence of your presence in a place where you shouldn’t be.”
I’ve heard more believable fairy tales. “How can Zippy suck up the evidence?”
Logan perked up. “Motion detectors emit pulses?—”
“She doesn’t need to hear a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo.” Anne-Jade snapped at him. “It comes down to trust,Trella. You take Zippy out for a spin, and then let us know what else we can do to help you.”
They wove through the crowded cafeteria, taking their “toy” with them. The harsh clamor of multiple voices seemed louder than before. I suffered the noise as long as I could before leaving the room. I had a few hours to find a place to sleep before I reported for my next work shift.
My thoughts replayed the encounter with the Tech Nos. If I was found associating with them or using illegal technology, I would be kill-zapped in an instant. I didn’t doubt I would be caught. I just wanted to… What? Find Gateway first?
I huffed in derision for such mushy thoughts. The end result would probably be exposing the whole endeavor as a hoax. Instead of wasting time, I concentrated on the next task, letting no emotions cloud my judgment. If Zippy works, then it made retrieving Broken Man’s port a whole lot easier. And if it didn’t? Then I hoped I could outrun the Pop Cops again.
During my shift, I planned how best to approach LC Karla’s office. I overrode the speed control on the cleaning troll and increased the pace. If I finished all my scheduled ducts early, I would sleep for a few hours before sneaking to level four.
“What do you want to know?” Jacy asked in a low voice. The scrub leaned against a column of bunks, appearing relaxed, but tension rolled off him. Two of his buddies hovered nearby. They kept watch, insuring our conversation wouldn’t be overheard by the Pop Cops. Bluelight lit the scrub’s barrack in Sector D1, and the snores and heavy breathing of sleeping people filled the room. The musty smell of dirty socks mixed with sleep-breath, creating a rank odor. No wonder I slept in the pipes.
“I need to know Lieutenant Commander Karla’s schedule,” I said.
We were a poorly lit corner. Rows and rows of bunks, reaching from top to bottom filled the room. Three beds per column. One meter of head room per bed. The wooden dividers between them contained two drawers. One for the possessions of the first shift scrub who slept there and the other for the second’s.
Right now the row we occupied was half empty. Most scrubs had finished their shift at hour thirty and were in the cafeteria.
“Why do you need her schedule?” Jacy’s dark brown bangs hung over his eyes. He studied me through the gaps.
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does.” He straightened.
He had grown since our time together in the care facility. Now a half-meter taller than me, I tilted my head to meet his gaze. If he tried one of his old tricks, I already knew the location of the closest ceiling vent. The design of the bunks made it easy for me to scale them if I needed to escape.
“Lieutenant Commander Karla’s been causing a lot of trouble for us. I don’t want to upset her any further. In fact, she asked me about you.”
A stream of cold fear shot down my back. Jacy dealt with information. His group of five always knew where the Pop Cops were. They warned their clients of surprise inspections and raids. Even though the scrubs worked hard, they found time to engage in a number of illegal activities.
“What did you tell her?”
“I had a kill-zapper at my chest so my memories are a little fuzzy. Perhaps if you tell me why the LC’s interested in you, it’ll help me remember.”
His expression remained guarded and I guessed the bastard already knew but wanted to confirm his suspicions.
