The Shining Wall

by Melissa Ferguson

  Alida raised her gaze. ‘Is that still a possibility?’

  ‘Yes, yes, I think so.’ Shuqba reached across the table and put her hand on Alida’s. She’d never been comfortable touching a Sapien before, even when they told her she could – even when it was Commander Rayne. With Alida it felt natural. ‘Are you sure this is what you want to do?’

  ‘No. It’s not what I wanna do, but I bloody well can’t look after her out here. They’ll be able to sort out her implant and get her the medicine she needs.’ Alida sighed. ‘I should’ve grown up in the city. I found out a few weeks ago that my own dad was a Citizen and would’ve kept me if my mum had let him. Imagine what I could’ve made of my life if I’d grown up in there.’

  ‘I think you’re doing the right thing.’ Shuqba hated that the right thing was splitting apart two people who loved each other, but she didn’t want Alida to feel any guilt or regret over an impossible choice.

  Shuqba withdrew her hand from Alida’s, pulled her OmniScreen out of her pocket and sent a message off to Commander Rayne.

  ‘It’s in motion. I’ll alert you as soon as I hear anything.’

  Alida nodded. They finished their chow in silence and opened the Medi-procedure gate when the medics were ready to begin.

  Two hours later the day was heating up and the line for implant fitting stretched into a blurry mirage in the distance. The androids were dispersing another group of anti-tekker protestors when Shuqba’s OmniScreen buzzed in her pocket. She scanned in the next Demi-Citizen and accepted the call from Commander Rayne.

  ‘Hello, Shuqba. Good work locating the item. We have a recipient ready and waiting. I’ll send you a Temp Text message. Read it immediately and memorise the details before the data degrades and disappears.’

  ‘Yes, Commander.’

  The commander signed off and the OmniScreen pinged as the TempText appeared. Graycie would begin a new life with a family in the city that very night.

  CHAPTER 27

  A river of Demi teenagers split around the van, peering through the windscreen and the tinted windows of a LeaderCorp vehicle out beyond no-man’s-land after midnight. Commander Rayne’s fingers hovered over the dashboard, poised to electrify the metal panels. One of the teens spat on Shuqba’s window as he passed.

  ‘Animals.’ Commander Rayne huffed and leaned back, merging with the dark bulk of her seat. She tapped her fingers against her thigh.

  ‘They shouldn’t be much longer,’ Shuqba said.

  ‘Good.’ The commander adjusted her position once again. ‘I’ve viewed your reports on the anti-tekker protests at the hub. Do you anticipate violence?’

  ‘I can’t be sure. They do seem quite fanatical. So far they’ve backed down when threatened with force.’

  ‘Drones have identified Rewilders mobilising in the burbs on the edges of the Demi-Settlements. Our intel suggests the antitekker protests are connected.’

  ‘Rewilders? I thought they were happily getting back to nature out in the wilds.’ Shuqba searched the shadows for Alida.

  ‘Yes, well, it seems they’ve become interested in the Demi-Settlements. We’re not quite sure why. If you hear anything, alert me.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am.’

  A loud knock came on the window of the commander’s side of the van. She flinched and reached for the dash.

  ‘No! It’s them.’

  ‘Oh.’ The commander composed herself.

  Alida stood by the window with Graycie clinging to the front of her. Shuqba’s heart constricted.

  ‘Open the door please, VIS,’ the commander said.

  ‘Of course,’ the Vehicle Intelligence System replied.

  The door slid open and Alida climbed into the back seat. The commander and Shuqba swivelled their seats to face her. Alida looked as though she were about to vomit.

  ‘So this is the child.’ Commander Rayne stroked sleeping Graycie’s hair.

  ‘Yes, her name’s Graycie.’ Alida cradled the girl in her lap.

  Commander Rayne smiled and leaned further forward into the sphere of the van’s interior light. ‘She’ll be well cared for. She’s going to an excellent family.’

  Alida swallowed and nodded. ‘I brought a couple of her toys.’ She put Graycie on the seat beside her. The little girl moaned and stirred awake. From her pockets Alida pulled a ragged panda bear and a small rocket with chipped paint. Graycie clutched them to her chest.

  ‘Is this my new mum?’ She stared wide-eyed at Commander Rayne.

  ‘No,’ Alida said. ‘Officer Shuqba and this nice woman are going to take you into the city to meet your new family.’

  Graycie hid her face in Alida’s armpit. ‘I don’t wanna go. Maybe she’s a monster who eats children, dressed in a nice woman costume.’

  Alida kissed the top of her head. ‘I’ve told you before, monsters aren’t real.’

  ‘I wanna stay with you. Mum said family should stick together.’ Tears pooled in Graycie’s eyes.

  Alida hugged Graycie tightly. Indecision crossed her face. Shuqba wanted to yell out Stop! and tell them there was another way. But there wasn’t.

  ‘Hey.’ Commander Rayne pulled a chocolate bar out of her pocket. ‘Have you ever had one of these?’

  Graycie pouted but regarded the chocolate with interest. Commander Rayne passed it to her.

  ‘Your new family in the city will have all sorts of sweets and yummy things for you. And you’ll have your own bedroom filled with toys.’

  Graycie peeled away the chocolate wrapper, her tongue sticking out of one side of her mouth.

  ‘What else would you like?’ Commander Rayne asked.

  Graycie will have opportunities in the city. Opportunities DemiCitizens can only dream of. Shuqba let out a controlled breath.

  ‘A puppy. Alida and Mum never let me have a puppy.’ Graycie shoved the chocolate into her mouth.

  ‘Well, we don’t have dogs in the city. Although you could have a CuddlySynth. Have you heard of CuddlySynths?’

  Graycie’s eyes lit up. She had evidently heard about the realistic robot animals that Citizens kept instead of real pets. Alida twisted the bottom of her hooded top in her fingers and pressed her lips together.

  Shuqba reached over and touched one of Alida’s hands. ‘It’s going to be all right,’ she said softly.

  Alida and Graycie would lose each other; however, they would both have better lives. Alida wrinkled her nose and nodded. She was courageous and resourceful. She’d get through this.

  ‘You should leave now,’ Commander Rayne said to Alida. ‘Shuqba will have the authority to transfer your credits tomorrow.’

  Alida brushed a tear from her cheek and gave Graycie another kiss on her head. ‘When you’re some big-shot Citizen, come find me and I’ll clean your socks for you or something.’

  ‘Open the door, please, VIS.’ Commander Rayne enclosed Graycie tightly in her arms.

  The door slid open and Alida slipped away from Graycie’s grabbing hands and out of the van.

  ‘No! I wanna go with Alida. You can’t keep me. I’m not supposed to go with strangers.’ Graycie wriggled in Commander Rayne’s embrace.

  Alida ran down the middle of the road and away.

  Shuqba’s stomach fell. This was wrong. She wanted to grab Graycie from the commander and run after Alida. She swivelled her seat to the front. She couldn’t look at Graycie’s distressed little face.

  ‘Shh, sweetheart. Calm down. We’re going to look after you.’ Commander Rayne rocked the captive girl back and forth. ‘Let’s go.’

  By the time they were through the city gates Graycie had fallen asleep. Commander Rayne lay the child on the back seat and turned to the front.

  ‘How can she sleep now?’ Shuqba relinquished control of the van to the city system and looked over at Graycie.

  ‘There was a sedative in the chocolate.’

  ‘You drugged her?’ Shuqba tried to keep the accusation from her voice. Giving a sedative to a child without consent was sinis
ter. Graycie will be better off in the city and Alida will be better off too, she repeated to compose herself.

  Commander Rayne seemed unconcerned. ‘Standard procedure for this kind of adoption. It’s best if the child is calm when they first meet their new family. We don’t want the Citizens’ first impression of their new child to be of a feral little savage.’

  It was a relief to see Graycie calm. Being sedated would make the whole trauma a little easier. Although the welfare of the children was likely not a factor in standard procedure.

  The van glided through empty city streets. It was well past curfew. Even the long-haul truck drivers would be tucked up in bed or pulled over on the side of the highway somewhere, having missed the entry permit cut-off. Only someone with the authority of Commander Rayne could be on the streets after midnight.

  ‘There’ll be a tidy little bonus in this for you, Shuqba.’

  A rat crossed the road in front of them and was promptly scooped up by a cleaning bot.

  ‘I don’t care about the bonus. It was the right thing to do. For Alida and Graycie.’ If she said it out loud she might even convince herself.

  Shuqba felt the commander’s gaze on the side of her face. ‘You’ve become rather attached to these Demis.’

  ‘They’re good people. They can’t help the horrible lives they’ve ended up with.’

  The van moved through the central business district towards the upmarket residential quarter.

  ‘Yes. I expect you’re right. A lot of their deficiencies and flaws are genetic.’

  Shuqba cringed. She couldn’t believe she had once found Commander Rayne so wise. Why are the values that LeaderCorp finds troublesome or threatening, or simply has no use for, considered deficiencies and flaws? Karain had often asked. Karain had been right about so many things.

  The van pulled up out the front of a building. Concrete and glass stretched towards the sky, blocking out the light of the moon and stars. Commander Rayne shook Graycie awake.

  Graycie pressed her nose against the van window. ‘Alida?’ she murmured.

  ‘Hush now.’ The commander put her arm around the little girl’s shoulders.

  Shuqba got out first and held a hand out to Graycie.

  ‘Where’s Alida?’ Graycie took Shuqba’s hand and climbed out of the van.

  ‘Um. Alida’s not here right now.’ Shuqba didn’t want to tell her she wouldn’t see her sister for a long time, not in person anyway.

  When Graycie’s implant was fixed perhaps they could meet in one of the virtual spaces Citizens spoke of. Surely this separation didn’t have to be complete and permanent?

  Graycie yawned and leaned against Shuqba as they walked up to the building, clutching her toys against her chest with her free arm.

  ‘Thank you, Officer. I’ll take it from here.’ Commander Rayne took hold of Graycie’s wrist.

  Shuqba tried to disentangle herself. Graycie held her tighter. ‘No. Don’t leave me.’

  ‘The commander will look after you now.’ Shuqba kneeled in front of Graycie. ‘You’re going to meet the nice people who are going to be your new family.’

  ‘No. I want you to come too.’ Graycie threw her arms around Shuqba’s neck.

  ‘These buildings all have Neo detectors.’ Commander Rayne huffed. ‘I’m sorry, Graycie. Shuqba can’t come inside.’

  ‘Then I’ll scream.’ Graycie stifled a yawn and struggled to keep her eyes open, an angry scowl on her face. She held tight to Shuqba and glared at Commander Rayne.

  Commander Rayne stifled her own yawn. ‘Let’s get this done. I’ll sort it out with the concierge.’ She paused for a moment and her eyes glazed over. ‘She’s coming.’

  Shuqba would be meeting the couple adopting Graycie. Perhaps she’d get an idea of the quality of their character. She could tell Alida about them. That would be a comfort, to both of them. She had taken the commander’s word that these were nice people. However, wealth would be the only prerequisite for adoption, and possessing wealth didn’t make you a good individual. Sometimes it even made you the opposite.

  The concierge, a tall female with dark hair in a flawless bun, came to the door. Her lip curled at the sight of the dirty little Demi girl clinging to the leg of a Neo-Neandertal. She nodded briefly at Commander Rayne and ushered them in.

  The foyer was exactly what Shuqba had expected of a building housing high-level LeaderCorp employees: an air-filtering green wall on one side, and white marble, mirrors and intricately cut glass everywhere.

  They entered the elevator. Graycie wiped greasy fingers along the mirrored walls then leaned against Shuqba’s leg. Her breathing slowed and deepened. Shuqba had to nudge her awake when they reached their floor.

  A male with dimples and short brown hair answered the door of the apartment. His blue eyes went straight to Graycie and he grinned.

  ‘Hello, young lady.’ His eyes shifted from Graycie’s face to her arm wrapped around Shuqba and up to Shuqba’s face. His smile faltered.

  ‘I hope you don’t mind. This is the Security Force Officer who identified the child. Young Graycie feels comfortable with her, and as you can understand this is a frightening and unfamiliar situation.’

  ‘Right, right. Please come in.’ The male opened the door wide and stepped aside so they could enter. ‘Chloe is waiting in the lounge. She’ll be thrilled to meet you, young lady.’

  The apartment was swathed in pearlescent pinks and brilliant blues. Fragile-looking sculptures balanced on shelves and pedestals. The walls were hung with enormous old paintings of the landscapes and farms of times gone by. The whole set-up was unsuited to the carefree play and stomach-churning hygiene habits of a small child. Shuqba hoped they wouldn’t discipline Graycie harshly when she inevitably destroyed one of these precious objects.

  ‘I think we can find a prettier name for you than Graycie. Don’t you think?’ The male ruffled Graycie’s hair and she shrank against Shuqba.

  In the lounge a female on a plush silver couch wrung her hands. She looked nervously at Graycie. ‘Hello,’ she said softly. ‘This must all be very strange and scary for you. Your new father and I are so thrilled to have you with us.’

  Graycie sniffed and tightened her grip on Shuqba’s leg.

  ‘How about Officer Shuqba gets the child settled in her room while we discuss particulars?’

  The male nodded and pointed to a hall on the right. ‘Her room is the first on the left.’

  Shuqba steered Graycie towards the bedroom. The trio in the lounge whispered behind her and she heard Commander Rayne say, ‘You have nothing to be concerned about. I have complete confidence in Officer Shuqba.’

  Perhaps they were worried she was going to peel some of the valuable fittings off the walls, or that she would take a bio-break in their hallway. It didn’t matter how civilized she acted or how many rules she followed, Sapiens would always treat her like an animal. As long as they didn’t treat Graycie the same way.

  The bedroom was like a rainbow explosion. ‘Wow, this is the most amazing room I’ve ever seen,’ Shuqba said.

  A forest filled with fairies and mushrooms covered two of the walls. Another was lined with shelves of games and toys, all brightly coloured and perfectly whole, unlike Graycie’s panda and rocket. The couple had spared no expense. That had to be a positive indication.

  Graycie clutched her own toys tighter. She yawned and lay down, eyelids drooping. ‘Will you stay with me and take me home if I don’t like it here?’

  ‘I can’t stay, Graycie.’ Shuqba stroked the girl’s forehead, wishing she could be present for a while, to safeguard her, like she had at Ferrassie’s Neo Control interrogation.

  ‘But I’m scared. What if there are monsters hiding under the bed or in that cupboard?’

  ‘I’m certain there are no monsters, but I’ll give the room a thorough check. Remember, these are nice people and they’re going to take good care of you. How about I give you my contact number? Then if you have any trouble you can get in touch
with me and I’ll do my best to help you. There wouldn’t be much she could do, however, it was worth any comfort she could give right at that moment.

  Graycie nodded, streaking dust against the pastel green pillow. The couple would wish they’d given her a bath before letting her into the pristine bedroom.

  Shuqba found a junior OmniScreen on one of the toy shelves and saved her contact ID to it. ‘Have you ever used an OmniScreen before? Graycie?’

  Graycie was asleep, unable to fight the sedative any longer. Shuqba tiptoed out to the lounge where Commander Rayne was finishing her conversation with the new parents.

  ‘She’s asleep,’ Shuqba said.

  The father grabbed the mother’s hand and they made loves truck kitten eyes at each other. Either they were putting on a show for the commander or they were genuinely delighted to have Graycie there. Shuqba had to trust it was the latter.

  ‘Thank you so much.’

  ‘You’re welcome. We’ll be on our way.’

  Shuqba followed Commander Rayne down to the van.

  ‘That was great.’ Commander Rayne beamed. ‘You find us some more children like that and I may be able to retire early and you’ll have a lovely amount of spending credits.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am.’ All the wealth in the world couldn’t fill the empty hole inside Shuqba where her belief in justice and LeaderCorp had once been.

  CHAPTER 28

  For the first time in years Alida lay in bed without having to tell Graycie to shove over. She couldn’t get her last glimpse of Graycie out of her mind. Picturing that look of betrayal and grief added a bead of misery to her already very long string. When Graycie was older she’d understand. When she clocked all the benefits of being a full Citizen she might even be grateful. She’d realise Alida hadn’t sent her away because she stopped loving her, but because she loved her too much.

  Alida sat up. She kept picking at the itchy scab of a thought. Maybe she’d sent Graycie away to make her own life better. Maybe everything she’d done had been pure selfishness. And for the dosh.