Equinox (18 page)

“This way.” He headed towards a dark alley. Metal scraped behind them as the grunts flung off the manhole cover.

The alley was narrow and filled with refuse, but Helios were closing in.

“We won’t make it,” Dalton said.

“Here.” Pip swerved towards an overflowing dumpster. Next to it, behind a two-metre stack of broken crates, was a narrow door leading into a building. It had no handle. Pip stuck the gun in the back of his pants and wrenched at the edge of the steel, uttering a groan.

“A hand, Curtis.”

Dalton grabbed a plank from one of the broken crates and together they levered the door open enough to get through.

Pip slid sideways through the gap. Rosie and Dalton followed and they pushed it shut just as the sound of heavy boots rang in the alley.

The three of them froze, staring at each other. Outside, the thud of boots stopped. Rosie met Pip’s wide-eyed gaze. He’d lifted the gun again. She copied him, both of them holding their guns ready. Rosie’s leg muscles trembled, aching to run, but she forced herself to stay still. Then, miraculously, there was a short sharp command and the operatives moved off, running away up the alley.

For a heartbeat, no one moved. Then Rosie exhaled. “Close.” She handed the gun to Dalton. The thought of shooting someone again made her unsteady. He took it without comment, but Pip frowned.

“Rosie–”

She cut him off. “They could come back. We should find another way out.” It was very dim in the dirty, dank room and she couldn’t see much.

“There’s a door over there.” Dalton gestured to the back.

“Let’s go then,” Pip said tensely. He kept his gun out and led the way.

The door opened into a much larger room that smelled like a colony of dogs had been living in it. Big holes in the ceiling let in enough light to see another door that seemed like an exit. They crossed the dirty floor in tense silence.

“Pip,” Rosie said. “Stop. We need to talk.”

He halted so suddenly she had to pull up sharply. “We sure do.” His bright blue gaze settled on her. “What’s going on? What are you doing with him?” He flicked a glance at Dalton. He still held the gun in his right hand, pointed down, and his stare wasn’t exactly friendly.

“Riley’s gone,” she said.

“Helios got him?” Tension filled every line of Pip’s body.

“No, I don’t think so. He just disappeared.”

Pip swore softly and shook his head. “I knew it. His goddamned contingencies. What happened?”

“Aunt Essie and I got caught by a small bomb he left for Helios.” Pip frowned. “But it’s all right,” she said, before he could speak. “We saw it in time and got out. Aunt Essie was hurt, but she’s okay. Some grunts turned up, but we got away. I called Dalton and he picked us up in his boat.”

“Man of the hour, eh, Curtis?” said Pip.

“Something like that.” Dalton was still looking at Rosie. In his eyes was the knowledge of all she’d left out, what had really happened on the riverbank. But she couldn’t tell Pip about that, not now.

“There’s more.” She looked at Pip, avoiding Dalton’s eye. “Riley put an implant in me earlier. He said it was to track me, but–”

“Wait, he did what?”

“I think there’s information on it,” she said. “I keep getting flashes.” She told him what she’d seen in Dalton’s kitchen, the string of disjointed words.

“So you think Riley left a message on the implant for you to go north and that he’s gone there as well?”

“Possibly,” Dalton said.

“If he has, I think I would have heard,” said Pip. “Still, it’s a start.” He was examining Rosie, as if he knew she hadn’t told him everything. It was making her nervous. She didn’t want to tell him how the implant hurt her, didn’t want him thinking she was weak. Anyway, maybe it would stop.

Dalton moved a step closer as if picking up on her anxiety and put a hand on her shoulder. “So what’s the plan?” he said to Pip.

“We go north,” Pip said. “I’ll get us out. Same way as I always come in.”

“And how’s that?” Dalton asked. Pip didn’t answer.

Rosie’s insides flipped as Pip’s eyes shifted with cool speculation from Dalton’s hand to her face. “The bullet train.”

“But aren’t all tickets for that ident controlled?” Dalton said.

“Who said I ever bought a ticket?” Pip’s smile was condescending. “Money doesn’t buy everything – but I guess you’ve never had to find that out.”

Dalton folded his arms. “If that’s supposed to insult me, you’ll have to try harder. I’ve heard that one about a thousand times. Tell me, Pip, what’s your problem with me? Or do you want me to guess? Because I think I have a pretty good idea.”

Pip’s gaze hardened. He took a step towards him and Rosie’s nerves snapped.

“Stop it.” She pushed between them. “We’ve just got out of being shot and now you want to have a go at each other? In case all that testosterone has fried your brains, we’ve got a real enemy on our tail. Helios – remember them?” They both stared at her in surprise. “We have to get out of here. Fast. If you can manage to get over yourselves, that is.” She turned to Pip. “How do we get on the bullet train without tickets?”

His eyes were still bright with anger, but he said, “I usually sneak on in one of the freight cartons.”

“Aren’t they sealed?” Dalton spoke stiffly. “How do you breathe?”

“Breathers.”

“Have you got one?” Rosie said.

He hesitated. “Yeah. One.”

Rosie resisted the urge to swear at him. “So how exactly do Dalton and I breathe?”

“Two people can share one,” he said quietly. “I wasn’t planning on there being three.”

“Thanks,” Dalton said.

“We’re not leaving him behind,” Rosie said to Pip. “Don’t even argue about it.” She rubbed a hand across her forehead. A dull ache was starting and she was trying her best to ignore it. The bullet train was their best way of getting north. It ran straight up the coast to Capricornia, the border town between Senate lands and Gondwana Nation.

“Helios might expect us to head north,” Dalton said. “There’s sure to be grunts looking out for us.”

“All the more reason to take the train,” Pip said. “They’ll think we won’t risk it.”

“Yeah, but how?” Rosie said.

“There is one way,” Pip said slowly. “There’s always a Senate car on the train, for any officials who want to travel – and officials never pay. All they need is a key stylus to get on. It bypasses everything.”

“A stylus?” Rosie asked.

“I’ve seen them,” Dalton said. “High-end tech. Unhackable.”

Pip snorted. “So they say. But if we can get one of those, we’ll be home free. Sort of.”

“So we just need to mug a Senate official,” Rosie said.

A smile played at the corners of Pip’s mouth. “Easy. There’s always one hanging around the bullet station.”

Rosie sighed, but it was all they had. “What time does the train leave?”

“Nine thirty every night.”

It was around midday now, so they had hours to wait – and hide.

“My boat,” Dalton said as if he was reading her mind. “It’s easier to hide on the water than anywhere in the city. The bullet station’s on the north coast side of the river anyway. If we get a com, I can contact the AI on board, program it to go to a dock. Helios shouldn’t pick it up, the boat’s registered to a false name.” At Pip’s raised eyebrows, he said, “My dad calls it creative accounting.”

“Banks docks would be the best,” Pip said.

“Okay then.” Rosie winced as the ache in her skull increased. “So we should get– Ow!” She dropped her head in her hands as a streak of pain from the implant came, followed by a blurred sequence of numbers.

“Rosie?” Dalton reached for her but she swatted his hand away.

“I’m okay.”

The pain spiked and a recurring stream of numbers and words spiralled behind her eyelids, making her dizzy. Her knees buckled and Pip caught her.

“What’s going on?” He sounded angry and panicked.

“It’s the implant,” she heard Dalton say. “It’s been malfunctioning.”

“That son of a bitch. Rosie?”

Both Pip’s arms were around her now, her head lolling back against his shoulder. She tried to speak, but felt like she was going to throw up. An unending stream of numbers kept repeating behind her eyes. Then there was that high-pitched whine and the pain vanished with the words and numbers. It had lasted maybe fifteen seconds, but it left her shaking.

She opened her eyes. Dalton was staring at her with deep concern and she could feel Pip’s heart beating fast against her shoulder blades.

“What the hell did he do to you?” Pip sounded scared.

“I’m fine,” Rosie said. Now the pain was gone she was left annoyed and embarrassed at her collapse. And very aware Pip was still holding her. It felt good and confusing, and also weird with Dalton watching. “You can let go.” She pushed out of his arms, stepping away. He released her, but it felt reluctant.

“What did you see this time?” Dalton asked.

Rosie took in a breath. “I’m not sure.” She stopped to wipe her forehead. Gross, she was sweating. “Numbers, lots of numbers.”

“Can you repeat them?”

“Um, yeah.” She recited the numbers she’d seen and Pip made a surprised sound.

“That’s the GPS coordinates for the Helios base.”

“There were also a few words.” Rosie struggled to remember them. “Panthea, or panther? I’m not sure. And Equinox Gate.”

Pip frowned like he was trying remember something.

“What is it?” she asked, but he only shook his head.

“Don’t know. Let me think about it.”

“He must have dumped all his research in you.” Dalton touched her shoulder. “How’s your head; is the pain worse?”

It was, but Rosie didn’t want to admit it. She thought about the stims stashed in her bra, but didn’t want to take any with the boys there. “It’s the same,” she said. Pip was watching her with that look he got when he thought she was lying.

“Once we get to Gondwana we can get the tech to fix it, right?” she said. “I’ll be fine.”

Pip’s lips were set in a thin line and his blue eyes looked midnight dark. “There’s a good medic facility at Worla Range, where I stay. Should have the tech, but Rosie, those implants–”

“Yeah, I know. They’re permanent.” She turned away, tired and fed up with everything. “Come on, we can’t hang around here.”

They emerged from the shed into a narrow side street and made it to the Banks docks without any trouble.

The riverfront was teeming with people. The long busy road that ran alongside the docks was crowded with bars, gaming parlours and shops. Rosie led them to an eatery wedged between a noisy bar and beauty palace. It had an open front where they could watch the street. They found a table in the corner.

“I’ll get a disposable com,” Pip said and disappeared into the crowd outside.

The faux-wood tabletop was sticky under her hands and Rosie’s insides were knotted so hard, she felt ill. Dalton’s shirt was ripped along one side and dried blood decorated the hem.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she said to him.

“It’s nothing.” He fingered the fabric. “Guess I better clean up though.” Other people were glancing at him. He went to the bathroom and Rosie watched the line of screens above the food counter showing continuous news waves. The sound was muted so as not to interfere with the booming rain of chino funk coming from the walls – which did nothing to help her head. Silent vision of the Oceanus mission failing ran on one channel and the steadily increasing MalX death count ticked in the corner of another. A particularly animated wave reader was gesticulating wildly while behind her a team of suited disease control agents stormed a shuttle stop.

“So, about Pip,” Dalton said, sitting back down. “Riley mentioned he used to be Helios.”

Rosie knew where this was going. “Yes, but you don’t need to worry, he’d be the last one to betray us.”

Dalton didn’t look appeased. He was about to say something else when a waitress appeared at their table. Her age was impossible to tell and a calculating spark of interest entered her eyes when she spotted Dalton. She swayed towards him. “Can I get you two anything?”

“Thanks, but we’re not ready,” Rosie said before he could open his mouth.

The waitress’s expression soured. “This isn’t a rest stop.”

“We’ll ping you when we decide.” Rosie splayed a hand over the interactive menu on the tabletop.

“Five minutes,” the waitress practically spat at her, then walked away.

“I could have charmed something out of her for free, you know,” Dalton said.

“I’m not hungry. Besides, the food here is toxic.” Actually, it wasn’t that bad, but the thought of eating so soon after the implant incident made Rosie feel sick.

Dalton was quiet again for a minute. Then he said, “So why do Helios want Pip back so badly? Riley never said, but it seems like he put a lot of effort into keeping Pip out of Helios’s hands.”

Rosie glanced around. The surveillance inside was broken and no one was paying them any attention. She studied Dalton. He looked tired, on edge, his golden hair dusty and mussed, but his clear steady gaze made her feel safe, like she could trust him with anything. And he’d put himself in jeopardy to save her. He deserved the truth. “He’s immune to the MalX,” she said, barely above a whisper. “A result of their project.” Dalton raised his eyebrows and she hurried on. “If they get him, they’ll turn him into a lab rat. A vaccine would be worth–”