“We have to pawn her…”
The memories collided and spun. The pawnshop dealer saying she could be sold for pleasure training, if her father wanted a larger pawn.
Her father, looking at her upturned face. His lips twisting away in disgust and fear as the shopkeeper said, “She’d eat well, anyway.”
Had he said no to her going to a pleasure training camp just because he was angry that she would eat and they likely wouldn’t?
Everything spun again, and she was running form the rats in the tunnels, dragging Yori along with her. Then she was on the training field for her tryout, her whole body rigid with fear. Not fear of the large and vicious opponent that the Capo who had caught her above had set upon her out of a need for revenge for having his power thwarted either, but a fear of failing that tryout and being sent back below to die of starvation and exhaustion and without ever knowing what it felt like to live above.
She was sneaking through the below, her hands filled with stolen nutro-loafs, the nutrient-rich and dense loafs sold to the below because real food—fruit and bread and cheese and meat and potatoes—were only allowed to those above. The stolen loaves had been atop a crate of potatoes and onions and carrots.
The faces of the hungry peering at her as she slipped by, tucking potatoes into hands eagerly outstretched and loaves into shaking ones. Making love to Yori, his building memory boxes within her mind to help hold all of their secrets.
Talon.
Talon and everything she had ever known with him.
Her eyes fluttered open.
She was covered in gore and blood. Her fingers slid on the floor, and she had to crawl, she could not stand. There was a long ringing in her ears, and her head ached furiously. Her stomach rolled as she crawled past what was left of Yori.
Talon?
Where was he?
She did not know, and she could not see him either. Her knees finally took her upward but not upright. She swayed, her eyes blinking as she tried to focus. Her feet found the floor, and she leveled herself up, her eyes blinking.
Caleb and Harlon rushed in. They were shouting at her, but she could not understand what they were saying. Her lips moved. They formed Talon’s name. Harlon ran to one side of the room. She staggered behind him, her arms outstretched. Her mouth hung open, and her feet took shambling steps that landed her near his limp and unmoving body.
Tears washed down her face, and she found herself on her knees again. Her hands rolled his body toward her. His eyes were closed, and blood was spilling from his scalp. She gathered his body into her arms and wept her tears down upon his face.
She shouted, “Oh, don’t you die on me now!”
Her words choked off as his eyes opened. He said, “I told you I’d come back.”
A sharp laugh burst from her mouth even as tears ran down her face. “You did. I love you.”
“I love you.” His fingers rose. “Good thing I got behind that blast just far enough not to die, I guess. Since you’d probably kill me yourself if I hadn’t.”
Harlon spoke, “We have to get moving.”
Jessica looked up at them. Tears kept running down her face. “Why did he do it? Why?”
“I think he did it so they couldn’t interrogate him,” Talon said as he sat up. “The Federation, I mean. The ones who are not traitors have to know what is happening here now. The plot’s been uncovered. Whoever he was loyal to, he was loyal to a fault.”
Jessica stood. She said, “We have to go help these people here.”
Talon managed to stand. He said, in a weary voice. “I need a vaca-cycle.”
Jessica hugged him. His body rested against hers, and she gulped out, “When we are done here, we are taking the longest vaca-cycle ever known.”
He whispered, “I am going to hold you to that one.”
Then they drew their weapons and headed out of the house.
