[Contributor 02] - Infiltrator (2013)

by Nicole Ciacchella

  “We’ll go out for twice as long tomorrow.” He pretended to wheedle with her, and she had to stare at the wall because she couldn’t deal with the terror she saw in his eyes.

  “And we’ll go out tonight.” Firm, that was how her voice sounded. No one would notice the way it had wavered. It was obvious only to her. She had to believe that.

  “Oh, all right. You know I can never argue with you when you’re being stubborn like this.” He sighed, expelling his breath with such force that she jumped.

  “Come on, let’s go. We could have been there and back by now.”

  They continued to argue lightly as they headed outside, then they dropped all pretense. Dara wanted to cling to her father’s hand, but that would seem odd, so she settled for sliding her arm through his, leaning on him more heavily than she’d intended.

  “I love you. Creators, I love you so much,” he whispered, sounding desperate.

  She fought back the tears that blurred her vision. “I love you too. It’s going to be okay, Dad. You’ll see. We’ll make it.”

  “Yes, we’ll make it.” He tried but failed to keep the apprehension from his voice, and she knew he was battling with all his might to convince himself.

  They set off at a brisk walk, scanning their surroundings as covertly as they could to ensure that no one was following them. Before they separated, Joshua grabbed his daughter’s hand and squeezed it with such force that she had to bite her lip to prevent herself from crying out in pain. He hurried off to double back to the corridor leading to Andersen’s apartment, and she rushed to meet Letizia.

  Dara longed to give in to the urge to run. The physical exertion might have helped burn off some of the adrenaline coursing through her, but it would raise eyebrows if anyone were to see her running through the corridors at this hour. She tried to make herself invisible, relieved that the corridors were deserted.

  Letizia waited around the corner from Andersen’s apartment, hiding in the shadows in an attempt to make herself part of the scenery. Joining her, Dara flicked her eyes back and forth, back and forth, watching for other Contributors.

  They didn’t speak until the appointed time arrived, then Letizia hissed through her teeth, “Now.”

  Walking in step, they strode over to Andersen’s apartment, entering as if they lived there. Dizziness overcame Dara as the door closed, and she had to brace herself against it for a few seconds, until the sensation passed and she felt steadier. Letizia hadn’t hesitated. By the time Dara gathered herself, Letizia was already in Andersen’s bedroom, opening the door to his closet and searching for the false wall noted in the schematics.

  “What if it’s not here?” Dara whispered, unsure if Letizia would be able to hear her. Breathing was unreasonably difficult, and she fought for control. She couldn’t lose it. She had made it through their transport breaking down in the wasteland last year. She would make it through this too.

  “It is,” Letizia said, her words little more than a breath. She tapped gently on the wall, and Dara could hear the hollow space behind it. Not bothering to be inconspicuous about it, Dara snatched Andersen’s clothing off the rod and dumped it on the floor in the corner of the room, taking care to leave an unobstructed path so that she and Letizia could beat a hasty retreat.

  Despite her steady fingers, Letizia’s face was so white in the wan light it seemed to glow. She pulled a small device from her pocket and attached it to the security pad on the door hidden deep in the closet’s recesses. They held their breath until they heard a faint click.

  “Whatever happens, thank you for everything you’ve done for me and my family,” Dara murmured as she held a bag open so that Letizia could dump the contents of the safe into it.

  “You’re the first friend I’ve had on the inside in ages, and I wish I hadn’t dragged you into all this.”

  “This isn’t exactly where I’d like to be right now, but if it wasn’t for you, my mother would be gone.”

  Biting her lip, Letizia didn’t look up, but she gave Dara a slight nod as she continued to empty the safe. “I’m glad you’re a part of my life.”

  “I’m glad you’re a part of mine.”

  “It’s empty.”

  “Let’s go.”

  They were midway to the door when Letizia’s communication device chirped, and for a split second they both froze, until Letizia shoved Dara, hard. “They’re coming. Run!”

  Chapter 47

  Panic exploded in Dara’s chest. Locking her fingers around Letizia’s wrist, she dragged her to the door, flinging them both through it. She paused for a few seconds to scan the corridor, straining to hear past the blood roaring in her ears. The corridor was silent, but that meant nothing; the Authorities wouldn’t want to alert them that they were on their tail.

  She caught a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye, on her left, and she shoved Letizia to the right. Giving up all attempts at stealth, they fled down the corridor, hearing a crackle behind them as an Authority radio came to life.

  “The park,” Letizia hissed in Dara’s ear. The statues would provide them with cover, and it might be possible to lose the Authority within the park’s winding paths. Dara nodded and they bolted for the park, their pounding footsteps making it difficult to listen for sounds of pursuit.

  As they tore into the main part of the park, Dara risked a glance over her shoulder, her heart plummeting as she caught sight of the three Authorities in pursuit. They would be surrounded. Dara felt herself crumble. Collapsing on the ground and sobbing was so tempting, but she had to keep moving, couldn’t give up. There was still a chance, however slim, that they could escape.

  The park was eerie at night, the statues looming in the semi-darkness, their features distorted by shadows. Dara clutched Letizia as they wove an irregular path, glancing back at regular intervals to try to find the Authorities. Their numbers diminished from three to two and then to one, and Dara knew they were trying to close the net, just as she’d feared.

  Letizia must have noticed too. She freed herself from Dara’s grasp and seized Dara’s upper arm, grabbing her with bruising force.

  So what? They’ll blend in with all the wounds the Authorities will inflict on me, she thought, and she had to choke down the hysterical laugh that rose in her throat.

  Yanking Dara behind a statue, Letizia paused for a second, her breathing remarkably silent, given how her chest was heaving. “We have to split up.”

  “No!” But Letizia was right. However much she hated the thought, it was their best chance.

  “I’ll distract them. Get the bag out.”

  “No!” Fumbling with the bag, Dara tried to open it. “I’ll take half of what’s here and you—”

  Letizia squeezed her arm so hard Dara gasped in pain, the words dying. “Go now.” The expression in Letizia’s eyes made Dara frantic, and they grappled for a few seconds.

  She can’t ask this of me! She can’t tell me to leave her behind!

  “We’re out of time. Go!” Dara stumbled as Letizia released her arm, then Letizia planted a hand in the middle of Dara’s back, giving her a hard shove that almost sent her to her knees.

  A nearby scrape told Dara the Authorities were circling around them. If she didn’t move, she’d get them both caught. The bag had to make it to Mal, or all of this would have been for nothing. Worse even than the thought of leaving Letizia behind was the thought of both of them being captured, sent down into the bowels of the dome, along with all the information they’d stolen.

  Tough choices. They had told her she would have to make tough choices, and she had thought she understood, but she’d been an idiot.

  Pulling in a shuddering breath that was half sob, Dara sprinted away from Letizia, zigzagging around the park, desperation making her feel as if she was flying. She heard Letizia shout, but she couldn’t pause, couldn’t look back.

  She’ll make it. Separating was smart. Separating gives us both a chance to get away, because it forces them to run in two direct
ions instead of one.

  The words played through her head over and over, an endless refrain of hope and terror. She wanted to cry, but tears would blur her vision, and she had to focus. The three Authorities who had followed them into the park wouldn’t be alone.

  She ran and ran, ignoring her burning lungs, her cramping legs. She hadn’t known she could run like that. Her vision narrowed, her eyes fixed on the path ahead of her, searching for obstacles. Her brain operated on autopilot, commanding her to turn this way and that without her giving it any conscious thought. Breaking away from the park, she strained her ears but heard nothing. She kept moving, kept running, all the while listening for signs of pursuit.

  Her father. She couldn’t lead them to her father. Once again, panic erupted, and she ducked around a corner, pressing her back to the wall as her head swiveled from side to side. Somewhere in the distance she could hear someone murmuring into a radio. More Authorities, but they weren’t close to her—yet. She didn’t see anyone. Her heart pounded with such force it was like a homing beacon, and she had the insane thought that the Authorities could use it to track her. Forcing herself to take several deep, silent breaths, she shifted the bag so that it was strapped securely across her body, then she began skulking down the corridor.

  Letizia is fine. She got away. She’s fine. She’ll beat me to the rendezvous point. We’ll get away from the Authorities. She’s fine.

  Running was out of the question. She had to creep along slowly, keep herself hidden in the shadows. It was a good thing they’d done this during second shift, when the Creators kept the lights low. She wasn’t far from the edge of the dome, and it seemed like the darkness of the wasteland was slinking toward her, a black hole that would engulf her.

  She didn’t take a direct route. Though she saw and heard no signs of anyone else, other than the faint noises of Authorities in the distance, she was terrified they were tailing her. Time seemed to slow and race at the same time. She felt as if she’d been creeping forever, as if she’d keep creeping forever. All the while she was aware that time was ticking away, that if she didn’t get to the rendezvous point soon, Raj would be forced to leave with her father and she’d never get out.

  Sick with fear, she inched closer to her destination. Her breath came so fast she was almost hyperventilating, and no matter how much she tried to regulate it, she couldn’t make it slow. It didn’t matter. Keeping quiet was more important, so she concentrated on taking her quick, gasping breaths as noiselessly as possible.

  At last she saw it, so close. Letizia was nowhere to be seen, but that didn’t mean a thing. She could be inside already. Even now she was staring at her watch, her foot tapping as she waited for Dara to get to them. Attempting to hold back her tears required a heroic amount of effort, and a couple slipped free, tracing frigid paths down her overheated cheeks.

  She stumbled to the access panel, dimly noticing that it was open a crack. The crack widened at her approach, and Raj stood gesturing to her, urging her to hurry.

  “There you are!” he whispered, his voice a mixture of relief and terror. He pulled her inside, and she let herself be moved like a doll, let him prop her against the wall as the fear in his eyes grew. “Where’s Letizia?”

  “I don’t know.” A sob ripped through her throat, and she gave herself over to it, burying her face in her hands.

  Chapter 48

  Raj spoke, but she couldn’t hear the words. She had worked so hard, for so long, to hold herself together that she simply didn’t have the strength for it anymore. A small spark of hope still burned within her, waiting for Letizia to come barreling through the access panel, but she knew it was a fruitless hope. Letizia was gone. In her heart, she knew Letizia was gone.

  “Dara,” he said, his voice sharp. He put his hands on her shoulders, gave her a gentle shake, and it was enough to make her focus on him. “We have to move now. We can’t wait any longer.” She wanted to scream at him, but there was such agony on his face that it killed the desire.

  She tried, she did, but her legs weren’t much use, and he let out a frustrated noise as he tugged her arm around his shoulders and hauled her away. They wound through the access corridor, and she could swear she heard everything that was happening on the other side of the steel wall, as if it was as thin and insubstantial as paper. Her thoughts looped and swirled, and she stumbled over her own feet. The bag still dangling from her shoulder became so heavy she thought it would drag her down through the floor, into the secret chambers of the dome, where she’d find Letizia. It amazed her that Raj could still move, that the bag didn’t make his knees buckle, make him sprawl to the ground.

  They weren’t safe yet, she understood that. He was sweating, the exertion of supporting her weight taking its toll, but it was more than that. He was afraid too. She could sense it as surely as if it was her own emotion. If she wasn’t so burned out, so overloaded, she would probably be afraid too, but she couldn’t muster the energy for it.

  “Is she hurt?” a frantic voice asked as they emerged into the transport bay.

  “It’s shock,” Raj said with a grunt, transferring her weight from himself to her father. Joshua was the one who had spoken, his voice so high with fear she hadn’t recognized it.

  “Dara, can you hear me? Are you all right?” he asked, taking her face in both of his hands, staring at her with frenzied eyes.

  “Dad,” she somehow managed to mumble.

  “Where’s Letizia?” a third voice asked. Ricky. It was Ricky, and she sucked in a quick breath as a memory surfaced, Ricky teasing Letizia about how he’d marry her if Ballasts and Cores were allowed to get married. From the look on his face, it hadn’t entirely been a joke.

  “Diversion,” Dara said, exerting herself. It hurt to talk, hurt to move, hurt to think, hurt to be conscious. She would have liked nothing more than to close her eyes and forget everything, but she couldn’t leave her father, Ricky, and Raj hanging like that. They deserved to know what had happened. Raj cared about Letizia, maybe even more than Dara did, considering he’d known her longer.

  “The Authorities chased us. I had the bag. She created a diversion.” Pushing the words from her lips was an almost insurmountable challenge, and she was exhausted when she finished.

  A million unasked questions hung in the air, but her explanation had been sufficient for the time being. All three men had gone pale, their eyes so wide the whites stood out clearly in the transport bay’s gloom.

  “We have to go. They’ll go to lockdown any second,” Ricky said, grabbing Raj’s shoulder.

  Exchanging a glance with Joshua, Raj grabbed Dara’s right arm, looping it around his shoulder, while Joshua took her left. Together they pulled her into Ricky’s transport while Ricky jumped into the driver’s seat, flicking switches so rapidly his fingers were a blur.

  Dumping her in the back, Raj ran to the passenger side, diving in beside Ricky. Joshua threw himself into the seat next to Dara, pulling her close and holding her crushed up against him. She could feel him shaking, and he was murmuring something under his breath. It took her a moment to realize he was repeating her name and her mother’s over and over, as if reminding himself that they were both safe, for the moment.

  “Keep an eye out. I need you to watch for tails,” Ricky said, his voice taut with tension.

  He didn’t need to remind Raj, who was already scanning every direction. “Do you have—”

  “Under the seat.”

  Joshua took in a breath as if about to ask a question, but then he seemed to think the better of it. Dara didn’t say anything.

  The only conversation during the ride consisted of Ricky asking Raj every so often if he’d spotted anything, to which Raj responded that he hadn’t. It seemed they were going to make it away without incident, but then Raj let out a shout, and she glanced over her shoulder to see a patrol on the horizon.

  “They’ll catch us,” Joshua whispered, clutching her more tightly.

  “No, they won’t,” Raj said
, his voice steely. He conferred with Ricky in low tones, then the transport suddenly jerked to the right, sending her flying into her father, who grunted as he hit the wall.

  “Hang on,” Ricky called back to them.

  Whipping his head around, Raj looked at Dara and Joshua. “We’re going to abandon the transport, go the rest of the way on foot.”

  “What if they see us?” Joshua asked.

  “Then we’ll lie low until we can move again. We have emergency supplies. We can’t risk them finding another bunker.”

  “It was me, wasn’t it?” she whispered. “I tipped them off somehow.”

  “No, it wasn’t you.” His face softening, Raj fixed his gaze on her. “I don’t know what happened, but it wasn’t you.”

  “I left her.” The words fell from Dara’s lips like shards of broken glass, shredding her from the inside out.

  “No, you didn’t.” His voice fierce, Raj reached over the seat and grabbed one of her hands. “They took her from us.” Something in his tone made her shiver. His words should have offered some consolation, but they didn’t.

  Another sharp swerve almost sent Raj over the seat, and he gripped Dara’s hand for one last second before he turned around, ducking to rummage under the seat. Ricky swerved a few more times, and they lost sight of the Magnum patrol.

  “Jump!” he shouted, throwing open his door. The transport slowed slightly, just enough so that they could jump out without killing themselves, but not enough to prevent her from slamming into the ground. She cried out as she rolled, the jagged terrain biting into her, ripping through her sleeve, the side of her shirt, the knee of her pants.

  “Run!” Raj yelled, grabbing her arm and yanking her up from the ground. Ricky and her father were hot on their heels, the four of them dashing into the ruins, hiding behind the steel beams. She peeked around the corner and saw their transport careening away, its lights growing fainter. A few seconds later the Magnum transport followed; it seemed their decoy had worked. Her knees incapable of supporting her weight any longer, Dara crumpled to the ground, barely able to feel the cold, rusty steel of the collapsed beam jabbing into her back.