A Sea of Purple Ink (2 page)

2

Reese slid down the side of the roof and dropped off the edge, still churning through the evidence. She landed with a soft thump on the dirt road.

Across the street, the house stood silent. Waiting. Then a faint sound came from inside, and something moved behind one of the stained windows.

Reese pulled back into a patch of shadow. She could see candlelight now. Vague shapes and patterns moved to and fro behind the broken shutters.
The police are searching the house. They haven’t found him yet.
Possible alternate plans flashed through her head in a steady stream. Reese took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
Time to work.
She let the mental calculations take over.

They’ll be watching the front. Access the back.
She dropped to a half crouch and darted across the street. Keeping just below the line of sight from the upper-story windows, she circled the building and slipped into the weed-ridden patch of grass.

The back wall of the house loomed above her, barely visible in the near-darkness. Reese squinted hard, identifying the location of each window. A floor plan of the house rose in her memory and aligned itself with the outer windows.
One, two, three across—
Her gaze locked on a small window halfway up the building.
If I were a vanisher, that’s where I’d hide.

Glass shattered inside the house with a tinkling crash.

Niela emerged from the gloom beside her. “Need any help?” she whispered.

“Get up there and get the vanisher out,” Reese ordered, pointing at the dark window. “Just drop him down here.”
Then we’ll have to hurry to make this work.
“Try not to let them see you. And if they have a reader, run.”

“Right.” Niela stared at the house for a moment. She flexed her shoulders, then gave Reese a sidelong look. “You had to mention readers, didn’t you?” Before Reese could reply, she raced up the wall.

Reese waited. The last dregs of daylight slipped away, leaving her in darkness.
If she can’t find him, I’ll have to go in through the back.
She focused on the night sounds and tried to pinpoint where the police were in the house.
Either way, that swimmer had better be at the shore when we get there.
She hated trusting the vanisher’s fate to an unknown accomplice, but she was running out of options.

Something heavy thumped to the ground a few feet away. Reese tensed as two figures approached, dark shadows in the greater darkness. Niela’s voice sounded first. “Got him. Now what?”

Reese held out her hand and felt a rough one clasp it.

“How did you find me?” a man’s voice said. His grip tightened on Reese’s hand. She could feel his pulse beating at breakneck speed. “The police have been after me all day. They’ll come after us. Hadn’t we better hide?”

Reese felt the man flinch as Niela took his other hand. “No. We’re getting you out of here.” She started off toward the next alleyway, pulling the others after her.
Twenty paces to the end of this road, then turn right… How fast would that be running?
She hesitated as the factors computed.

“You all right?” Niela whispered.

A torch flared in the lower window of the house.

“Run!” Reese hissed to the two trailing in her wake. “Don’t let them see you.” She took off at a fast pace, following the map routed out by memory in her head, a tangled passage through the labyrinth of narrow streets and byways that led to the sea.

They raced down alley after alley, into and out of flickering street lights, and once right past a sleeping watchman. All the while the smell of the sea grew stronger—and the smell of the fog.

Finally, out of breath once again, they staggered out onto the dark, pebbled beach. A sliver of moon showed over the horizon, touching the deep purple waters with patches of silver and black. An abandoned pier stretched out into the lapping waves, its silhouette tall against the narrow spit of land.

Reese halted beside one of the pier’s supporting beams. “Benson?” she called.
He had better still be here.
They had promised a high price to enlist the swimmer’s help, but sometimes even that wasn’t enough. Reese scanned the silver-tipped waves, keeping an ear out for any pursuers. Time was running out.

The vanisher beside her gave a nervous cough.

Reese turned to face him. “The police will be here soon. Do you have the list?”

“I, I had it,” he began, hesitating.

Reese’s heart sank.

“But when the police came, and you weren’t there… well, I didn’t want them to, you know…”

Frustration welled up inside Reese. No list of new contacts, and apparently no swimmer. She took a deep breath. “Then what can you tell me? Just give me a name and we’ll find them.”

Pebbles rattled in the shadows below the pier. “You my contact?” a voice demanded. The voice was almost as rough as the beach rock. Reese flinched at the sound.

She swung around to face the approaching man. “Maybe,” she said. She let her right hand drift toward her gun as she reached into her vest pocket.
Broad shoulders. Big chest. He certainly looks like a swimmer.
“You asked for a full ring of rhydium,” she said, dangling the metal hoop. Moonlight caught it in a spark of silver fire. “Swim him across to the mainland, and it’s yours.” She motioned toward the newly-rescued fugitive.

The muscular swimmer swaggered out from beneath the pier shadow and held out a large hand. “I’ve been holding off on my own escape for three weeks now, and you think I’ll go quietly for that much money?”

Reese’s grip tightened on the metal ring. “Did you get a better offer?” she demanded. Her gaze darted over the man, sizing him up if it came to fighting. “You couldn’t accept anything from the police.” She watched anger spread across the swimmer’s face, and a sudden thought hit her. “The assassin. Did he pay you to wait for him?”

“No,” Benson growled. “Although I certainly admire him.” He shifted his weight from side to side, and his gaze traveled to the tiny hoop dangling from Reese’s fingers.

Reese swallowed hard.
So this assassin is the hero of the year, is he?
“You agreed to this much as payment when we found you,” she said. “Swim him to the mainland without any tricks, or we call off the deal and let you make your own way to freedom.” She rolled the ring between her fingers. “Without my help.”

He glared at her for a moment, then nodded sullenly.

Reese flicked the shining ring into the man’s hands and turned to the vanisher. “Can you give me anything at all?” she asked, as quietly as she could. “Some names from the list?” She looked him squarely in the eye.
If you can give me just one person…
Even as she waited she could feel the risk growing.
If the police followed us we have barely five minutes before they show up.

“Come on, come on,” Benson growled. “I’m not going to stick around here and risk getting caught by the police.”

The vanisher’s eyes slid away from Reese. He shook his head and glanced at the waiting swimmer.

The look spoke volumes to Reese.
They don’t trust each other.
“Never mind,” Reese said. A heavy weight settled on her chest.
It’s time to cut our losses.
She stepped back. “You’d better go before the police trail us down here.”

Niela tossed the vanisher a small sack. “Here’s the paint to cover up any purple stains when you get over there. Don’t lose it. There’s not much left, and it’s getting harder to find.”

The man nodded, tied the bag around his neck, and followed Benson out into the surf.

Reese watched while the fugitive positioned himself on the swimmer’s back. The dark-colored water was already leaving smears and stains on their skin.
One more person rescued and on their way to freedom.
And no new contacts. Reese’s jaw tightened. Over eight years of hunting and being hunted, and nothing had really changed. She was still hunting with a blindfold.

The burly swimmer struck out toward deeper water, sending ripples of foam across the sea, like diamonds on purple velvet. The rescued man turned toward the pier. One hand raised, as if in farewell, then he flickered out of sight, invisible.

I hope you find safety
, Reese thought. There were rumors of life being easier on the mainland. She had even heard that the king’s ban applied only to the island. But they were only rumors.

Another whiff of sickly-sweet air caught her attention.
The mists.
She glanced up at the night sky. Wisps and tendrils of violet shone in the moonlight, ready to mark whatever it brushed against.

“Time to run, Nie,” she said. “Here it comes.”

3

“You know,” Niela panted as she ran along beside Reese, her feet thudding on the narrow strip of dead grass, “there’s a reason for curfew.”

Reese glanced at her friend.
You’ve never blamed me for getting stained before.
The veiled accusation in Niela’s words stung.
She doesn’t mean it that way.
A corner of her mind latched onto the possibilities. Reese frowned and tried to override the suspicions. That was the trouble with her mind. Her gift. It saw things that others couldn’t.
She didn’t mean it
, she repeated to herself, driving it in with all the force she could. “I’ll get us back safely,” she said. “I always do.”

As they turned the corner into Fisherman’s Road, the fog grew thicker.
It must be raining somewhere
. Reese slowed her pace.
It’s coming in too fast.

Niela gave her a sidelong look.

Reese turned away and focused. More and more thoughts rushed in. The noise in her head grew louder.
This isn’t a panic situation
, she reminded herself.
The worst that can happen is getting marked.
She shut down extra factors.
Save some of that computing strength for later.
Reese stretched a stiff shoulder, letting the options play as her ability worked.
What I wouldn’t give for a really good flyer right now.
She glanced up at the swirling mass—now thick enough to hide patches of the velvet sky. “How much shifting have you got left?” she asked.

“As much as you need,” Niela replied. She folded her arms and watched Reese through narrowed eyes.

I wish I were that confident.
“Enough for a sustained two-person? I don’t think we can run fast enough if I hang onto you.”

The self-assurance drained from Niela’s face, then sprang back. “I’ll sure give it a try,” she said. She checked her gun holsters, clapped her hands together, and dropped into a fighter’s stance.

Reese looked down the long street ahead. “All right.”
We’ll have to be careful.
She pointed at the row of old shops to their right. “We’ll run along there.” She pulled her black vest tight. “If you make a big enough gravity shift, the distortion around the field should push the mist away.” She eyed her friend.
I hope she’s not showing off.
“If it gets really bad we might have to spiral, so stick close.”

Niela flexed her arms. “‘Stick close’? You’re the one who’s going to have to do the sticking close.” The world suddenly tilted right.

Reese fought the urge to lean away from the tilt and crouched for a reverse angle. The disturbed fog began streaming away from them towards the storefronts.

“What I wouldn’t give for some rash right now,” Niela grunted, crouching.

Reese flinched at the word.
You swore off that drink years ago.
“Just focus.”

With a sickening lurch, the bottom of the world dropped out, and Reese plummeted sideways toward the near buildings. Calculations streamed through her mind and she landed on her feet. Over her head, a sky of buildings disappeared as the fog swirled toward it, lifting as if pushed away by a giant hand.

Reese ran across a storefront in the wake of her friend, keeping an eye on the dark mists above. One brush with those, and everyone would know they had been out after hours.

The gravity field flickered. Reese stumbled sideways as the street-wall beside them seemed to tilt inward. “What’s wrong?” she asked. She stopped and spread her arms, ready to fight for balance. The swaying surface made her knees tremble.

“Out of practice,” her friend whispered back. She took a few steps forward, away from Reese, and crouched to touch the roadway. “Hang on a minute while I catch my—”

Zing!
White flakes exploded from a brick in the wall, and a deep, concussive sound vibrated off the street.

Reese tensed.
That was a bullet.
Time seemed to slow as her inner speed increased. She jumped forward, mental factors analyzing at lightning speed. Her foot came up—
flake radius too small for a rebel-made bullet
—her knee bent—
shot came from behind us and slightly to the right
—her body glided forward—
the bullet penetrated the gravity shift to reach us
—as her foot descended, the factors fell in place.
Sniper police force in the building across from us. And it’s not just the police. The bullet got too close. They have a reader, and here come more bullets.

Her foot hit the ground and she drew her gun.

“Niela,” Reese shouted, pushing forward in a headlong sprint. “Time for the spiral!” Through the thickening swirl of mist, she saw the barrel of a rifle sliding out a window across the street.
Most of them will be in there.
With another leap, she reached Niela and wrapped an arm around her waist. A thunderous wave of vibration shot outward from the shifter as they jumped.

The world turned upside down. Reese’s stomach threatened to jump into her mouth. She clung to Niela as they dropped toward the occupied building. Mists swept across the cobblestones over Reese’s head, and her feet seemed to dangle toward the stars.

Bang bang bang bang.
The police fire, jostled by the gravity surge, careened across the road and shattered the storefront.

We’ll have to give them something to think about.
Reese swung herself backwards, still hanging onto Niela. Her friend’s feet came in contact with the new floor—the occupied building—and Reese sent three quick shots through the window. Glass shattered. A deep voice shouted a curse.

Gravity lurched again and Niela stumbled.

A brick wall seemed to fly at Reese’s face. White light burst in her eyes, and, beneath the pain, the analyzation ran on.
Not a concussion. Thirty-degree angle. Bit my tongue.
Reese shook her head, trying to clear it. “Niela?” She could feel her friend gasping for air.
If she runs out of strength, we’re going to fall.

“Take them out,” Niela gasped, “I can’t—”

Bang.

Reese’s vision cleared. A grappling hook was boomeranging out from the window behind them, swinging around towards Niela as it caught in her gravity field.
We’ve got to get away. Take it up and over.
Reese gripped Niela tighter and shoved off toward the roof of the building, carrying the shifter with her.

The hook hit bare stone and caught in a spray of sparks.

Reese felt her leg scrape against the peak of the roof. They skidded down the opposite side and plunged over the side. Reese’s stomach lurched. “Let go,” she yelled in Niela’s ear. “Just drop.”

They hit the pavement with a hard smack.

Pain splintered through Reese’s head. She scrambled to her feet, fighting back the extraneous thoughts.
The police will be out that back door any moment.
Her gaze locked on Niela. Her friend was angry. Very angry. The shifter pushed herself upright, staring hard at the occupied building.
She’s not thinking straight.
Reese stepped forward. “Niela—”

Niela ducked her head and clenched her fists. A whirling sensation swept over Reese as gravity began to change. The encroaching mists blew outward in a swirling mass. And then the floor dropped out of the universe.

Reese hurtled downward, the now-vertical street shooting upward beside them in a hissing stream.

“Slow down!” Reese shouted into the wind. “You’ll hurt yourself!”

A tall building loomed up below. The gravity altered and they fell down an alleyway.
Baker’s Street already? She can’t possibly keep us in suspension all the way to the tavern. She’ll kill herself.
Reese fought to keep from retching. They fell around another corner, and the speed of their descent slowed.

Tendrils of mist swirled back in through gaps in the field. Reese twisted and turned, dodging the clinging color as they continued to fall.

The field flickered and the street suddenly became the floor again. Reese landed on her feet. Beside her, Niela crumpled to the cobblestones.

No.
Reese darted forward, mouth dry.
We’re just three blocks from safety.
An abandoned school loomed above them in the dark, its grey walls turning black in the mist.

Reese rolled her friend onto her back. “Niela?” she asked. “Are you all right?” The shifter didn’t respond. Frantic calculations screamed past Reese’s eyes.
Still alive, very weak. We’ll have to—

A light footstep sounded on the pavement behind them. “What happened?”

“Keller!” Reese stood up. “You’re just in time.” She motioned toward Niela. “Get her inside quick.”

The old man’s hair gleamed white in the moonlight. As he stooped beside the shifter, Reese saw a fresh burn mark on his forehead. “What about you?” Keller asked, hoisting Niela in his scrawny arms.

“I’ll be fine,” Reese replied.
Get her out of here before any police show up.
Regardless of being out after curfew, if the reader caught one look at them, he’d know they had abilities.

Keller grunted under the shifter’s weight, then shot upward into the sky. For a moment, his dim shadow fluttered along the street, then disappeared.

Reese let out a long breath.
That takes care of them.
She started down the long street, ducking and weaving between the swirling tendrils of mist.

By the time she reached the tavern’s back door, more fog had rolled in. Thick clouds of purple mist blew between Reese and the doorway, massing a few feet above the pavement.
Crawl under it. Crawl under it, crawl under it.
Reese bounced on the balls of her feet, trying to judge the distance. Her head ached from the strain of the day.
Go. Now.

She threw herself flat and rolled into the door. Her elbow smacked the wood with a hollow thud. She lay there, watching the fog roll by inches over her head.
Now what?
she asked herself.
There’s no way I can reach the doorknob without—

The knob creaked and the door swung inward.

Reese slid over the sill and tumbled down the short flight of steps.