The Free City

by Marius Pitigoi

  “Great.”

  How does the state allow this kind of business? It wasn’t possible they didn’t know. It was bad enough when bracelets turned red of those considered to be in groups. Even in upscale areas, surveillance cameras were still present—as many as in the lower-end areas. This was definitely a group. And everyone wore bracelets here, too.

  “I’m a businessman,” said Krugar. “I like money.”

  Was it possible that Krugar was siding with the state? That way he could keep things under control, providing “baits” only for whom he wanted to. On the other hand, he earned money this way. And the state had to make money. Scruples were not important here.

  “If I’m to win,” said Krugar, “I want to win a lot, and if I’m to lose, I want to lose only a little. I can’t make a profit on you. You don’t have any money. So I’d rather you don’t make me lose any at all.”

  Dylan started to understand what Krugar wanted him to say, but he didn’t like it at all. It’s hard to negotiate when you don’t have anything to put at stake.

  “If you agree to play the bait, you’ll will do it for free.”

  Really? He expected it would be a difficult negotiation, but this was ridiculous. There essentially was no offer. Once taken into account the high risk, it sounded like a loss to him.

  “In that case, I have nothing to gain. Why would I even agree?”

  Krugar wasn’t smiling anymore. He was frowning as he looked at Dylan. Contempt was written all over his face. He barely beckoned to Sarah Sanchez and she approached him. She drew his electroshock gun and fired at Dylan.

  It took Dylan some time to come to himself. He was dazed. It was the first time he had been shot with an electroshock gun. He fell from the armchair, and after he barely was able to get himself up, he sat down again. Krugar no longer had that scornful look. One would even say that Dylan’s spasms had calmed him down a bit.

  “I don’t like to be taken for a fool,” said Krugar quite calmly

  Dylan was barely coming to his senses. Sarah Sanchez was still standing there, gun in hand. Should he try to run away? It would be hard. Besides the three in the room, others could be in the house. And the island also had guards. The security company would catch him before he reached the bridge. He tried to figure out what had gone wrong. What made Krugar react that way?

  “What did you think would happen? You would play the bait and your pursuers wouldn’t find you? You thought you would get rid of your pursuers and keep the money also? Do you really think I’m going to save you from those who are coming after you for free? Do you know how much that costs? You should thank me that I don’t charge you for this. Don’t even think to ask me for money. So I’ll ask you once again—for the last time. Do you want to play the bait on my terms?”

  His terms? But what were his terms, his rules? What else did this involve? The thing with the money was clear, he won’t get anything, but what else is there? On the other hand, Krugar was right. As long as Dylan played the bait, he didn’t have to worry about those who were chasing him. But he didn’t know what the risks were. What if he went from smoke into smother? The negotiation didn’t start well, and now it was too late to fix it. He looked at Krugar, fixing his gaze on him. Dylan tried to look as tough as possible.

  “I’m on.”

  Krugar grinned. So did the rest of them. They belonged to the same team. Dylan also grinned. Krugar burst into laughter. He had no relish for it, but Dylan forced himself to laugh, too. He had no idea what he was in for.

  “I knew you’re a good boy,” said Krugar.

  Krugar stood up. Robert Gomez did the same. The message was clear, so Dylan also stood up, too. Krugar approached him and grabbed his cheek with his thumb and index finger and shook it gently, as if it Dylan were a small child. Then he slapped him lightly. Krugar looked him in the eye all this while.

  “Now, get lost.”

  Robert Gomez stood up and held out his hand. “Thanks, boss.”

  What was he thanking him for? But maybe that was the ritual of this gang. So Dylan did the same.

  “Thanks, boss,” said Dylan.

  That made Krugar grin again. When he left, Dylan threw a mischievous glance at Sarah Sanchez. She was neither smiling nor seemed tense. She came after them to show them out. Robert Gomez was the first to get out. While he was leaving, Dylan turned to Sarah Sanchez.

  “I’ll remember you!”

  She remained as indifferent as before. She slammed the door in his face.

  After a few steps, he asked Robert Gomez, “Can you explain to me why I was shot?”

  “Krugar cannot take a joke. He thought you wanted to steal from him.”

  “What could I steal from him?”

  “Money.”

  “But that wasn’t our agreement. I thought you said something about ten thousand dollars. Why didn’t you tell me that wasn’t on the table anymore?”

  “Why didn’t you ask him all these questions?”

  “Because you’re the one I talked to in the beginning.”

  “Look. Krugar’s the boss. He makes the rules.”

  Dylan had to get used to this. But it all felt very odd. They find the man sleeping on the couch, and then he gives the order to shoot Dylan without batting an eyelid. What was next? He had to think carefully what he had gotten himself into. For now, he was happy he was wearing different bracelets and that these were green.

  But what was his new identity? Who was he the bait for, and why? Who did these bracelets belong to? He was told it was better that he not know any specific information.

  “And you know what?” said Robert Gomez. “The hunters are here and ready to send you to glory. Except they can’t find you anymore. Isn’t that good enough for you? For as long as you work with us, they cannot lay their hands on you. Leave it at that.”

  Okay. That was clear to everyone.

  “Well, fine, but how long will it take?”

  “As much as might take.”

  Dylan didn’t say anything else. On the way back, he admired once again the opulence of the island. It was clear that Krugar was flush with money. And their technical resources were out of the ordinary. Had Dylan chosen the right side? Were there others in New Hope with whom he could partner in case things didn’t go well? Time was running out; he wouldn’t be able to find anyone else now.

  “And now, what?” asked Dylan.

  “Nothing for now. We wait for the boss’s orders,” said Robert Gomez.

  “Are we going back home?”

  “You’ll stay at my place.”

  “I‘m afraid that is not possible. My girlfriend is coming and I have to stay with her.”

  Robert Gomez thought for a while. He primed his face, then rubbed his hands.

  “We’ll take her with us.” Okay… So now he was a prisoner. But this could have some advantages. He wouldn’t get into trouble so easily. The good news was he had a bodyguard. But what about his gun?

  “Shouldn’t I have a gun?”

  “Yes. I’ll get you one.”

  “Aren’t they personalized? I thought they had a fingerprint input.”

  “Don’t worry about that.”

  The subway train came every ten minutes. Once inside, he sensed the difference in the air, which he had recently become so used to in New Hope. The air itself was different on the isle. It smelled more “green.” If back on the isle, people were relaxed and chasing fun, here in New Hope they were careful and on guard. That was the rule for survival in New Hope—always be prepared.

  The exception to the rule was the notorious drunkards. The state even offered them a type of brandy for free. It was a beverage whose concentrations varied between 25 and 30 percent. Stronger than wine, but weaker than whiskey. You could drink a quart each day. Alcoholics had nothing of value, so they didn’t care if they were attacked by thieves.

  When they reached station 12H4, he already felt at home. He knew the place. It made sense that Robert Gomez lived in his neighborhood since Dyla
n had met him at the area’s market.

  “Wouldn’t it be more likely to come across those who are looking for me in this area? My home is not very far from here.”

  “I don’t think so. They follow the GPS signal. On top of that, we won’t be leaving the studio for a while.”

  They reached Lydia’s location and Dylan knocked at the door. Nothing.

  “Of course she won’t open the door. Call out to her.”

  “Lydia, it’s me, Dylan.”

  “Louder.”

  “Lydia, if you’re in, please, open up. It’s me, Dylan.”

  The door opened. Lydia jumped into his arms. At last, they were together again.

  Chapter 11

  What do you mean? I’ve spent $200,000, even more, and now I have to spend at least that much again? Mr. Patrick Morris, this is unacceptable.”

  “I understand your frustration,” said Patrick Morris. “We are just as frustrated. We’ve been trying to negotiate with Krugar. There is no doubt he’s been hiding Dylan Smith somewhere. We hope he’ll knock something off the price. This has never happened to us before.”

  “But who the hell is this Krugar?”

  “He’s a very influential person in New Hope. He owns the technology to replace the bracelets. We believe the state’s been helping him; otherwise, he couldn’t have accessed the security codes.”

  “Even so, I’ve been told you intend to remove the bracelets,” said Gabriel Hall. “That’s suicide. There would be a price for your head and you’ll be hunted by anyone in need of money. That they’ll be able to identify you by the way you walk, by your voice, by your fingerprints. What do you have to say about that?”

  “As I’ve told you,” said Patrick Morris, “as far as we know Krugar is the only one in New Hope who can replace the bracelets. Nobody else knows how.”

  “So why doesn’t the state intervene? Why does it allow it?”

  “The state denies all of this. Let’s not forget it has not yet been proven the bracelets are replaceable. On the contrary, the state claims their untraced removal is impossible. Technically, the bracelets can be broken by anyone, that is not the problem, but Krugar can reprogram the bracelets in such a way that you could be identified as someone else. And this violates one of the main principles New Hope was built on. If the story went public, it would mean initiating the greatest scandal we’ve had in the last fifty years. Krugar is more like a legend. We haven’t had any actual contact with him so far.”

  “So how did you find out about him?”

  “Krugar contacted us. I told you we found it extremely suspicious that there was no variation in the GPS coordinates. We sent our boys out there again to try and figure out what was going on. They were contacted.”

  Gabriel Hall was sitting on the couch, holding his head with both hands. He was struggling to understand what was happening. He was promised everything would go smoothly. He was promised revenge. He was promised everything. He had already spent a great deal of money to make that happen. And now he was being told that he had to double that money spent or he goes home empty-handed.

  Frustration replaced his need for satisfaction. If he paid more, what would be next? Even more? Were they trying to sponge him? The problem was he had already paid them the money. There was no way he would ever retrieve any of it. All he could do now was to threaten to go public when he returned home and ruin the reputation of the company. Maybe by saying that, he could make a deal with them and retrieve part of his money.

  But then again, that wasn’t his goal. He wanted that scumbag dead, Dylan Smith.

  Patrick Morris understood the news was not very pleasant and that Gabriel needed time to process it. Patrick had another ace up his sleeve, but decided to wait a few moments and give him more time to think. Gabriel Hall rubbed his hands and stood up. He went outside to breathe in some fresh air. Patrick Morris went after him.

  “Mr. Gabriel Hall, I understand your frustration. Again, we are just as frustrated as you are. Unfortunately, it’s how things are. I am certain the final price will be lower. And, if it’s any consolation, Krugar is willing to give us Dylan’s girlfriend also.”

  Did that change the situation in any way? She had been present that night as well, and maybe she was the one who had provoked Dylan. Although the prosecutors had not charged her and she passed all the lie detector tests, Gabriel couldn’t be certain that she was totally innocent. And she had started the fight. They argued because of her. He had not considered punishing her—until then. But here she was, being brought to him on a silver platter. Yes. It seemed the black was shifting to gray. Looking to the horizon, he could almost see them both tied up before him. Gradually, he came up with a diabolical plan.

  “How come she’s here?”

  “They’re very close. They were probably about to get married. I think they decided to spend the rest of their days in New Hope. To be together.”

  “I’m going to be straight about this, Patrick,” said Gabriel. “I don’t like at all that I have to pay this much extra money. On the contrary, you should be ashamed of yourselves. You made a promise. But I came here for a purpose, so that is why I am going to give you that $100,000, provided that you hand them both over to me. But not a cent more!”

  “The difference is significant… we can’t make any promises. Krugar is a moneygrubber and it will be difficult to convince him. We can’t negotiate with him directly. But I assure you, we’ll do our best.”

  What Gabriel Hall did not know was that Krugar only asked for $100,000. The rest had been charged by the Johnson & Howard’s Co. Maybe the company expected Gabriel’s obvious reaction or maybe they just wanted to make more money—sponge off of Gabriel.

  They kept Gabriel in the dark for another day, on the pretext that negotiations were in progress. They saw Gabriel was implacable, and unwilling to pay out any more money. The following day, after breakfast, Patrick Morris knocked on Gabriel Hall’s door. He opened and invited him in.

  “Mr. Gabriel Hall, I have very good news. We managed to convince Krugar to accept. This can all end today.”

  “Yeah, I was starting to lose patience. How will we proceed?”

  “Well, you’ll first need to retrieve the $100,000. We’ll put it in a bag and head to the location specified by Krugar. Dylan and his girlfriend will be there. We’ll hand him the bag of money and he’ll deliver Dylan and Lydia.”

  “What if it’s a trick?”

  “I can assure you it’s not. In any case, we’ll all go with you, prepared for anything.”

  Gabriel Hall went to the station to withdraw the money. He had not even considered the huge commission taken up front by the state, which increased the final amount. But he made a promise; he couldn’t back down. This whole business had almost drained his resources. All the plans he made for retirement had gone to hell. He had to finish what he started, no matter what.

  Chapter 12

  For Dylan, the two-day break had been a blessing. They never left the room where Robert Gomez hid them. On the other hand, he was trying to make their “vacation” as pleasant as possible. He brought them good food—or in any case, better than what could be gotten for free at the station—water, and even a bottle of wine. He left them alone in the room for hours, respecting their privacy. He locked the door and let them know when he was expected to return. They never even considered breaking through the door and running away. First of all, they wouldn’t have been able to break it, and in the end, where would they even go? They made love as often as they could, like two teenagers who knew their parents would be home soon. Dylan even made jokes about it:

  “We better use protection so you don’t end up pregnant. You know you can’t have kids here. The government does not allow it. If you get pregnant, you’ll have to go back.”

  “By the way, what happens to women who are not here willingly, but get pregnant?”

  “The child is taken away from them and they are sterilized. That’s why those who aren’t here willingly
usually choose to have their tubes tied. Especially since the procedure is free.”

  “Do you think I should do that?”

  “No, no way. Complications may occur, or unwanted side effects in case you change your mind. And what if we decide to have kids?”

  “But that would mean leaving you all alone here. Especially while the child is little, I wouldn’t be able to come here anymore. And you could only meet the child after he or she turned twenty-one. What kind of family would we be? But we can’t think of that now. Maybe, with time, things will change.”

  Lydia was a very optimistic person. She kept telling him that she felt everything would turn out all right. What she actually felt was that everything was fine for the moment, but she refused to think further than the present. What did it even entail to be bait? Would they get through this all right? Those were questions neither of them asked. They were both satisfied they had each other and they did not find it suspicious that nobody told them anything about their mission.

  The next morning the door opened and Robert Gomez came in. Dylan was awake. The bed in the apartment, which had seemed to him so scanty before, became unexpectedly comfortable, now that he shared it with Lydia. He did nothing all day but look at her. Admire her. Those were magical moments, as he realized how lucky he was for having met such a woman. He was certain that his lover was just as amazing as she had been before, but he hadn’t been able to see it as clearly as he did now.

  Robert Gomez brought a bag of food and two bottles of drinking water. He placed them in a corner next to the rest of the provisions. He checked some of the bags and bottles and removed the empty ones. He took a few cigarettes out of his pocket and placed them on the table. He winked at Dylan, but did not bother to say anything. He looked around quite tensely. Everything seemed fine. He walked out of the room, leaving Dylan in his daydream. However, the noises woke Lydia up.

  After they finished eating, Lydia placed a 3-D image projector on the table. She had brought a documentary film that she was keen on showing him as soon as possible. She found it extraordinary, especially since she was such a dedicated animal lover. It concerned the “Small Talk” experiment.