“Why?”
“Because someone could find it.”
“Like Broken Man?”
“No. You need level nine clearance…oh!”
I smiled as Logan realized only a few Travas had the required security clearance.
“It’s still unwise to have such sensitive information listed,” Logan said.
“I agree, but I’d bet the higher Pop Cop officers feel rather confident about their security network, believing no one, especially noscrubcould breach it. So try not to bust their illusion.”
“Oh don’t worry, I’m like a?—”
“Ghost. I know.” Two Pop Cops headed in our direction. “I better go. I can’t miss anymore shifts, but I’ll stop by your barrack during one of my breaks.”
Logan nodded and returned to work. I left the recycling plant and hurried to find Emek. Only five hours remained in my off time and I was determined to locate Gateway.
Emek issued orders to a couple scrubs. When they left, I pushed a marker into his hands. “Sign, please.”
“Hold on, you still owe me five hours,” he said.
I met his gaze. “Cogon’s execution is in twenty-three hours. I don’t have time.”
Understanding softened his face; he signed the cuff. “Ever have a cuff before?”
“My first.”
“Put a little sheep’s oil on your wrist under the cuff before the Pop Cops remove it. Otherwise, the sucker tends to grab a hunk of skin when it’s cut off.”
“Thanks.” I strode from the solid-waste facility and headed to the right. My supervisor’s voice called from behind me. She wasn’t kidding about watching me. Suppressing a groan of annoyance, I turned.
My heart dropped into my stomach and ran laps. Lieutenant Commander Karla and three Pop Cops followed my supervisor. The LC’s smug expression and the irate fear on my supervisor’s face told me all I needed to know.
Without hesitating, I ran.
CHAPTER 16
My supervisor’sshrill voice called for me to stop. One of the Pop Cops threatened to shoot me, but LC Karla’s calm order to stun me made me run faster. I reached an intersection just as a sizzle slap sounded behind me. Diving into the hallway on my left, the pulse clipped my legs.
I rolled along the floor. A burning pain danced along my calves and left my muscles numb. Scrubs yelled and scattered. The corridor filled with noise and confusion. Regaining my feet proved difficult, I used my upper arms to balance on numb legs. The quickest of Karla’s Pop Cops reached the intersection.
Pushing scrubs out of his way, he aimed his gun at me. Without thinking, I grabbed a screwdriver from my belt and flung it at him. The tool knocked into his arm. His shot flew low, hitting me below the waist.
I fell over, landing on my back as a million needles jabbed through my uniform and into my thighs. The Pop Cop stepped closer, raising his stun gun again.
He was bumped from behind. Cursing, he turned to shoot the closest scrubs. I hurled my wire cutters at him. They grazed his head, so I lobbed my flashlight. A direct hit. His gun clatteredto the floor with a satisfying crack. Surprised, he stared at me a moment, then glanced over his shoulder.
His buddies should be arriving any second, but sounds of a commotion reached us from the other hall.
He hesitated. I rolled onto my stomach and pulled my body away from him—the benefits of having strong arm muscles. A heating vent beckoned from two meters away.
“Oh no you don’t,” he said.
Too much weight on me, I strained to a stop. He had latched onto my ankles.
“Don’t you want to help your boss? Sounds like she’s in trouble.” I transferred my weight to my left elbow, turning my body sideways and freeing my right arm.
