Javier and Shah weren’t the only ones at risk, Dara knew. Her involvement in this whole thing could be uncovered. Careful as she’d been, she couldn’t rule out the possibility of having left physical evidence behind.
And why would the Creators care, in that case? Andersen must have assurances that the Authorities’ investigation will uncover other, more compelling evidence. Once they unravel whatever it is Shah has been involved with, they won’t care if they discover Andersen had me plant evidence. They’ll be too busy falling all over themselves thanking him to care.
The thought was no consolation. She could spend the rest of her life attempting to justify what she had done, but the bottom line was that she had knowingly committed a crime. She had put lives at risk. That it had been necessary for the greater good offered no comfort, and she was glad she felt that way. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she started reducing every casualty to an unfortunate consequence of her quest for change.
Chapter 33
At any second Dara expected to hear the heavy boots of the Authorities pursuing her, but the corridors were quiet. She felt reasonably assured that no one had seen her entering or leaving Shah’s apartment, but she knew she couldn’t count on her feelings. As surreptitiously as possible, she studied the few people wandering the thoroughfares, scanning their faces and trying to determine if she knew them. Was one of them spying for Andersen, pretending to be out for an evening stroll while watching for her, ready to report their findings to him? It was possible, though she did her best not to think about it.
Time slipped by, and she was aware of the loss of every excruciating second. She wanted to run straight to Javier’s apartment, but she forced herself to take a circuitous route, one that wouldn’t make it glaringly obvious what her destination was. The hope that she would chance upon him or Shah hadn’t faded, but she had no such luck. She jogged whenever she could, trying to make up for the time she was wasting in attempting to obscure her trail.
Reaching the corridor leading to his apartment at last, she surveyed her surroundings with a critical eye, ignoring her racing heart. She saw no one, and she kept her back to the apartment across from Javier’s, making sure not to stand directly under the light.
“Dara,” he said, his surprise plain as he opened the door. Seizing his arm, she hauled him out into the corridor, hoping his startled cry wouldn’t rouse the neighbors. Going into his apartment was too risky; Andersen might very well have it bugged.
“What the hell are you doing?” Javier asked, annoyance and confusion making his voice gruff.
Stepping closer to him, she tightened her grip on his arm and tugged, making him bend down toward her as she stood on her toes. “You have to warn Shah. Andersen is after her,” she hissed in his ear.
“What?”
“Lower your voice!” she growled, watching his eyes widen and his face drain of all color.
“What do you mean he’s going after her?”
“I don’t have time to explain. The Authorities are on their way. Tell her to get out, hide somewhere. You’d probably be wise to get out too. Andersen may be after you as well. Go.” She gave him a light shove toward his apartment door, and he sprang into action.
“Thank you,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at her.
With a curt nod, she hurried away from his apartment, taking several more detours before returning home. Her father was waiting for her in the living room, his face tense.
“Are you okay?” he asked, jumping up from the couch. “Letizia called on the unsecured line and—”
“She did? What did she say?”
“To be prepared, in case we need to go tonight.”
“Do you know if they’re sending someone?” Blind terror roared through her, making the edges of her vision go black, and her father steadied her as she swayed on her feet.
“I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything more. What’s happening, Dara? Please, tell me.”
“Andersen made me plant evidence against Shah, told me he was going to contact the Authorities.”
“What?” Her father’s voice was little more than a whisper, and his face turned ashen.
“I told Letizia about my meeting with him before I went, but she doesn’t know what he asked me to do. I wanted to be sure she was prepared, though.”
“Creators…” Joshua looked like he might be sick, and it was Dara’s turn to steady her father. “He made you plant evidence? What if you’re caught?” His face flushed suddenly, and his eyes flashed.
“No, Dad. We have to stay here, make sure we listen for the unsecured line. Are you ready to go or is there anything else you need to grab?”
“I’m ready. I packed an emergency bag, like you told me. I convinced myself I wouldn’t need it.” He barked out a humorless laugh, and she wrapped her arms around him.
“I’m so scared,” she whispered, a violent tremor running through her and making her cling to his neck like she had when she was a little girl.
“I am too.” He hugged her fiercely, and they stood holding onto one another for long minutes, both of them tense, listening for the tone of the unsecured line.
When it didn’t come, they paced the living room for the next hour. It was driving her crazy not to know what was going on, and she kept picking the line up and putting it back down as she debated calling Letizia. Her former master might be busy, and if Dara called her she would tie up the line, possibly make Letizia miss a critical call, so she forced herself to leave it alone.
Hours passed, and when her adrenaline wore off, she was so exhausted she had trouble remaining upright. Neither she nor her father was willing to go to bed, though, so they collapsed in the living room, Dara curled into a tight ball on a chair while her father sprawled over the couch. In the middle of the night the unsecured line rang, and she snapped awake, blood roaring in her ears.
“Today is a fine day to contribute, wouldn’t you agree?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“Dara, it’s me,” Letizia said sharply. “We can’t find Shah.”
“What? Did the Authorities get her?” Panic almost made her hyperventilate, and she dropped her head between her knees, fighting for control.
“No. We had eyes on her, but she left the location before the team could get to her. They’re searching for her.”
“She must be hiding somewhere. I told Javier to warn her.”
“You did what?” Letizia’s frigid tone seemed to stab through the phone and sink into Dara’s ear like a needle. “You’d better hope we find her before the Authorities do. I have to go.”
“Wait, Letizia, what happened to Javier?”
“He and his family are out.”
“Thank the Creators.” Dara sagged with relief. “What about us?”
“Stay where you are. Mal doesn’t think you’re at risk right now.”
“Thanks, Letizia. I—” Her former master disconnected without another word, and Dara broke out in a cold sweat. She couldn’t bring herself to regret having warned Javier and telling him to warn Shah, but it hadn’t occurred to her that doing so might make it more difficult for the Free Thinkers to get her out.
“What’s going on?” Joshua asked, his voice rough with urgency. She gave him a recap of her conversation with Letizia, and his relief was palpable. “We should still be prepared, just in case.”
“Just in case,” she echoed in agreement.
“Will you be okay, Dara? Will you be able to make it through tomorrow?”
“I don’t have much choice, do I?” Her throat closed, making it impossible to swallow.
Chapter 34
“Jasmine Shah has disappeared,” Andersen said, his voice grating on Dara’s ears. He had summoned her to his apartment first thing. She was a wreck, her head and body aching, her nerves scraped raw. She lifted a hand to her head, coaxing a loose strand of hair back into the sleek knot she’d spent far too much time perfecting, determined not to appear as disheveled as she felt. Discreetly, she dabb
ed at her ear, surprised when her fingers didn’t come away bloody.
“Disappeared?” she asked, hoping her voice didn’t sound as odd to him as it did to her.
“She’s nowhere to be found. The Authorities have searched all night, but it’s beginning to look as though they won’t find her. She must have fled the dome sometime during the night.”
“Wh—what does that mean, sir?”
Andersen’s eyes gleamed at the sound of her unsteady question. “Don’t worry, Dara. No one knows you were in her apartment last night. I vouched for you and told the Authorities I walked you home after our meeting. I assure you, you have nothing to fear. After all, you’re not the criminal, are you? Shah is. She may have slipped through Magnum’s fingers, but her disappearance speaks clearly of her guilt, as does the disappearance of Mr. Gutierrez.”
“What? Javier is gone too?” she asked, widening her eyes and pretending she hadn’t known.
“He is indeed. Two teams of Authorities are searching his home and Shah’s. I understand they’ve already found some very suspicious things.”
“Evidence that Shah was plotting against Magnum?” She had to be careful when she posed the question. His information truly did surprise her. Though it had been obvious that Shah was working hard to discredit Andersen’s project, Dara hadn’t for one second believed that Shah or Javier was plotting against Magnum. Could she have been so off base?
“Evidence of illegal activities, though I don’t know their exact nature. One thing is clear: both Jasmine Shah and Javier Gutierrez committed serious crimes against Magnum. Disappearing was the only smart thing either of them ever did. As a matter of routine, the Authorities may wish to speak to you about what you saw in Shah’s reports. I’m certain you’ll give them the information they need.”
“Of—of course,” Dara stammered. Why hadn’t it occurred to her that she would have to speak to the Authorities again? Dread settled in her stomach like a lead weight as she thought of the last time she’d had to talk to the Authorities, the day her mother had been extracted. She wondered if she’d have to speak with her old friend Head Investigator Manning again. The thought made her sick. She’d been lucky to get away with lying to Manning once. She was afraid she wouldn’t be as lucky a second time.
“The Authorities can be intimidating, but you’ve no reason to look so frightened. You’ve done nothing wrong. Trust me.”
“I do trust you, sir.” Meeting his gaze, she stared directly at him. He fixed his unblinking eyes on her for several uncomfortable seconds before he nodded.
“I’ll escort you to headquarters now. My meeting begins in less than thirty minutes, and we need to go over the presentation.”
“Yes, sir.”
Walking next to him was torment. His face was smug, his lips turned up in a satisfied smirk, and he exuded a palpable glow of well-being as he greeted everyone they passed. She wanted to slam her bag into the back of his head. She had thought it wasn’t possible to hate Andersen any more than she already did, but she’d been wrong. His obvious relish of the abuse he heaped on her had been awful enough, but the pride he took in believing he’d bent and twisted a naive girl to his will filled her with loathing. No trace of remorse marred his face, and she could almost hear him congratulating himself on his many successes: manipulating her into breaking the law, orchestrating the downfall of his enemies, and seducing the Creators with the promise of his project. He was a menace who needed to be stopped, and she was more determined than ever to be the one who brought him down.
The Authorities did come to see her later in the afternoon, taking her into a conference room to speak to her privately. They had spent the last several hours questioning other members of the engineering department, so she had plenty of time to compose herself before it was her turn. Sweet relief flooded her as she faced a nameless underling of Head Investigator Manning, who Dara gathered was still busy searching for the missing Shah and Gutierrez. The Authority asked a few preliminary questions, but when all he got from her were the same insignificant replies he’d probably heard fifteen times over, he let her go back to her terminal.
The knowledge that Javier and his family were safe comforted her, but she still didn’t know what had become of Shah, and she found herself wringing her hands at the thought. Andersen had mentioned that Shah had obtained additional project data, which increased Dara’s anxiety. Despite all the lies and misinformation Andersen had fed her, she felt certain that this bit was the truth. Why else would he have escalated things against Shah so quickly? Whatever knowledge Shah had must be important, and Dara hoped against hope that the Free Thinkers had managed to find her. They might not yet realize her value, but Dara would ensure they did. Shah’s knowledge could prove crucial, and it was imperative The Free Thinkers persuaded her to share it.
This line of thought was too dangerous in Dara’s current setting, though. It increased her agitation, and along with her hand-wringing, she’d also begun chewing on her lip. She couldn’t afford such physical manifestations of her stress, especially not now. She threw herself into her work, trying to forget that Jasmine Shah had ever existed. At least with Shah and Javier out of the dome, she could stop worrying about what Andersen might do to them and focus instead on what he himself was doing.
They were a distraction, and don’t forget that with them out of the way, Andersen is free to focus all his attention on you. He knows how much hold he has over you, now that he’s made you a criminal. He has you right where he wants you, and he’s going to try to exploit his power. You’re the weakest link, the one obstacle that might hinder his progress, and he knows it.
Nothing short of superhuman strength could have held back the shiver this thought provoked.
Chapter 35
Dara didn’t leave the dome for training on her free day. It was too risky in light of everything that had happened. She and Letizia kept their distance from one another as well, though Dara suspected her former master did this as much because she was furious with Dara as because she was trying to protect them both. At some point she would have to face Letizia’s fury—and probably Mal’s as well—but she couldn’t worry about that now. Her thoughts were too consumed with making sure she stayed one step ahead of Andersen.
Tension was thick at home, both she and her father tiptoeing around the apartment as if walking on eggshells. Joshua had tucked their emergency bags back in their hiding space, and she wasn’t the only one whose eyes were drawn to the spot as if by a magnetic pull. Several times she caught her father unconsciously staring in that direction.
“Accounting is in an uproar,” he told her at breakfast. “The Authorities have taken up residence in the department, tearing Shah’s desk apart and sifting through every last file on the server.”
“It surprises me they’re being so obvious about it.”
“It doesn’t surprise me. They want to make an example of her. They want to raise everyone’s ire, focus that collective rage on her. It’ll inspire feelings of allegiance to Magnum, a sense of betrayal that becomes not just professional but personal.” He scowled as he spoke, his voice filled with bitterness.
“You’ve seen it happen before.”
“I have. And it’ll happen again, and again, and again. This needs to stop.” Dropping his fork, he massaged his forehead, his eyes falling closed.
“You don’t have to stay. You can leave anytime you want. Mal promised me he’d find a place for you. You could go see Mom. I know she’d like that.”
Her father’s eyes were full of tears when he looked up at her. “You have no idea how much I’d love to see your mother, how anxious I am to get out of this dome, but I can’t go yet. I can’t leave you here to deal with this on your own. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do to help, but at least I’m here. Leaving means giving up, and I will never give up on you.”
“You wouldn’t be giving up on me, Dad. I can’t stand seeing the strain this has put you under. I want you to be happy.”
&nbs
p; “You think I don’t want the same thing for you? You’re my daughter, Dara. I won’t abandon you in this shark tank. How could I ever live with myself if I did? I want to protect you. I need to protect you. I have to protect you.”
She didn’t know what else to say. Wouldn’t she have felt the same if she were in his shoes? Neither of them could walk away from their own sense of responsibility. She couldn’t blame herself if her father chose not to leave, not really, but his sole reason for staying was her refusal to leave. Causing him so much stress wasn’t easy to live with, but Dara couldn’t leave, not when she was so close to figuring things out.
“Once I find out what’s going on with Andersen, we’re leaving, both of us,” she said.
“I’ll go then, but not before. I won’t abandon another member of my family.”
She nodded. There was nothing more to be said on the subject. “Do you think they’ll find anything?”
“They already have. In the past, when I’ve seen this happen, the Authorities were content with a single crumb of evidence, but they seem to be sweeping up every last one of Jasmine’s crumbs. Whatever transgressions past Contributors committed must have been very minor in comparison. Jasmine had to have been involved in something big for them to be tearing the accounting department apart like they are.”
“I thought you said they always make a show.”
“They do, but this time it’s different. They’re not going through the motions. I’ve seen it often enough to know when it’s all an act, and this time it’s more than an act.”
“What do you think she could have been doing? Could there be any truth to what Andersen claimed?” A small kernel of hope sprang up in Dara. It wouldn’t absolve her of her guilt if it turned out there was something to Andersen’s accusations. Nothing could change the fact that she had planted evidence. But if Shah had been attempting to sabotage Magnum, her lack of innocence would go a long way toward assuaging Dara’s guilt over destroying her life.
[Contributor 02] - Infiltrator (2013) Page 14