Ignite

by Tracy Lawson

  No.

  A voice came over a speaker on the wall. “Ready, Careen? Mrs. Catecher?”

  “Call me Jezz.”

  “And we’re live, in five … four …”

  No. Careen’s heart pounded in time with the word that echoed in her head. No. No. No.

  Her mother pinched her arm and whispered, “Sit up straight!” She arched her back to show off her bosom to its best advantage. “Smile, baby, and read the script.”

  No! Careen began to gasp for air. Too many eyes were watching her. She saw Madalyn’s icy gaze over the cameraman’s shoulder, and beside her … Kevin? She couldn’t tell from his expression what he was thinking. She felt faint at the thought of the millions of viewers watching at home.

  Her mother reached out and squeezed Careen’s wrist, above the fist that was clenched in her lap, but looked directly into the camera as she read her lines. “Sweetheart, I came here today to talk to you about responsibility. I didn’t raise you to be a terrorist or a criminal. You were a good little girl. Did someone trick you or force you to do the things you did? It’s all right to tell Mother. Was it a boy?”

  “No. It was me. Only me.” What is she trying to get me to say?

  Her mother beamed at the camera. “I’m so proud of you, baby—Careen—for taking responsibility for your actions. It’s not right to blame others for things you’ve done. We’re all responsible for our actions, aren’t we?”

  Careen sat in stony silence until her mother cleared her throat and nudged her in the ribs hard enough to make her gasp in pain. It was obvious she was trying to stick to the script, because when she got no response, she ad-libbed. “Don’t you have something you’d like to say to me?”

  Careen shook her head.

  “Yes, I think you do.” Her mother inclined her head toward the camera.

  She pulled out of her mother’s grasp, rebuttoned her blouse, and folded her arms across her chest in defiance. Her chin jutted out as she turned toward the camera and began to read. “Mom, today you’re getting the five-million-dollar reward offered by the OCSD for information leading to my capture. I want you to have it. You deserve a comfortable life, even if you have to live with the … shame of having a criminal for a daughter. My actions were not your responsibility. And I want to apologize—” She stopped and caught Madalyn’s eye. “Are you kidding? This is absolute BS! I’m not apologizing to her!”

  Madalyn pushed her way past the camera, and, just on the other side of the glass, mouthed, “Do it. Now.”

  Careen shook her head. Her mother turned toward her with bewildered doe eyes, moist with more unshed tears. Jezz Catecher was wearing her trademark what-did-I-do look, but Careen was immune to her mother’s attempts to manipulate.

  She wobbled in her high heels as she scrambled up from the sofa and pointed down at her mother as she shouted at Madalyn through the glass. “Get her away from me!” She rounded on her mother and spat out, “I wish it had been you who died instead of Daddy!”

  She yanked her arm away from her mother’s outstretched hand and hurried to the door. When it failed to yield, she tugged at the doorknob, screaming, pounding, all self-restraint gone. I don’t care. I don’t care what they do to me anymore. She stumbled backward as the security guard stepped into the room.

  Madalyn’s voice came over the monitor. “Take her to prison immediately.”

  The guard made a grab for Careen, but Jezz stepped between them, took Careen by the shoulders, and shook her like a rag doll.

  “Stop it! I can’t believe you’re acting like this on television!” Her mother fixed her with an urgent gaze. “I’m only doing this because I. Love. You. So. Much.”

  Careen wrenched herself free and shoved her mother with all her strength. Jezz fell against the security guard, knocking him off balance, and Careen dodged past them into the hall.

  “Stop her!” Madalyn’s shrill voice echoed over the speaker.

  Careen’s blood pounded as she ran, hampered by the heels and the tight skirt. She searched for a place to hide, wishing for a change of clothes. She couldn’t go back for a pair of jeans and a sweater. They’d passed a dressing room with lighted makeup mirrors and racks of clothing on their way to the studio, and she raced around the corner and ducked inside, concealed herself behind a rolling rack of clothing, and worked her way into the depths of the room. I need Fawn. Fawn will find me and help me.

  All too soon, she heard footsteps too heavy to be a woman’s. She cowered between the rows of clothing, fists pressed against her mouth, as she watched a pair of wing-tip shoes approaching. There was nowhere else to hide. The wing tips paused at the end of the aisle, and her gaze moved slowly upward.

  Pete Sheridan held a finger to his lips. He whispered, “Come with me.”

  Chapter 54

  8:15 PM

  Quadrant OP-439

  Lara hurried to retrieve her laptop from its secret hiding place in Tom’s office. She downloaded some files and sent them to Mitch, and was just closing the secret panel in the wainscoting when Tom came in.

  “You ready to leave for the night?”

  “Almost. I wanted to get my laptop.” He opened a cabinet. “I can’t recall where I left it.”

  “It’s probably long gone by now. The house has been searched more than once.”

  “Well, there was nothing incriminating stored on it. I wanted it more for composing than anything else; I can write longhand just as well, I suppose.” He grabbed two legal pads out of the cabinet and shut the door. “That meeting with the president went well. And Garrick’s a good man. He’s determined to make the murder charges against Madalyn stick. The door is open for us to influence the president, the chief QM, and Senator Renald. We have more power players on our side than Mitch and the Resistance. It’s time to go it alone.”

  “Tom, you do realize what you’re saying? Cutting ties with the Resistance and taking on the OCSD sounds like a foolish move. The OCSD sapped all the power from the three branches of government. Are they strong enough to take it back? Don’t you think it’d be better to stay the course with Mitch?”

  “Absolutely not. There’s something I didn’t tell you. I can’t, in good conscience, be a part of Mitch’s grandiose schemes of revolution any longer. The man is a psychopath.”

  “Everything we’re doing is dangerous, and changing allegiances now makes me nervous. Besides, we’ve got Jaycee here with us. I promised to look after her like she was my own child. I have responsibilities and ties to Mitch because of that.”

  “It might be best for Jaycee to keep her distance from him as well.”

  “Tom, really. No one’s a perfect parent. It’s clear he loves her very much.”

  “Lara, after what I’ve learned, I feel compelled to sever ties with Mitch and do everything I can to circumvent his plans. I didn’t want to burden you with this, but now I believe you need to know.”

  8:20 PM

  Quadrant DC-001

  Pete Sheridan helped Careen into a long overcoat. She buttoned it, and he pulled up the hood to conceal her face. She slipped on the oversized pair of sunglasses he offered her, and pulled them down her nose so she could peer over the top of the frames as he spoke to her.

  “Ever since the Tom Bailey interview aired, Sheila Roth wears this disguise when she comes and goes from the studio. She says it’s for her privacy, but personally, I think she’s terrified of being kidnapped by the Resistance and held for ransom.” He chuckled. “No one will look at us twice if we walk out together.”

  He took Careen by the arm and led her through another makeup area and out into a hallway on the opposite side of the soundstages. He glanced both ways and drew her into the stairwell.

  Pete was the Resistance’s spy at PeopleCam. Careen hesitated at the top of the stairs, uncertain whether to follow or turn back and face her punishment.

  Where could she go if she left her life in this opulent prison behind? She had no friends. The remaining supporters of the Resistance and even the
violence-eschewing CXD activists wanted her dead. Madalyn was right. She’s the only one with the power to protect me. The Link flashed at her wrist. Ironic. It’s supposed to keep me safe, but they’ll use it to track me down.

  Pete gave her arm a gentle tug. He was no different from her guard. Not really.

  They reached the ground floor, and he hurried her along a hallway until they came to a metal fire door. Careen put her hand on the doorknob and spoke in a whisper.

  “You’ll get in trouble for this. Take me back upstairs. Tell them you found me trying to leave the building and I’m very confused. Maybe Madalyn won’t send me to prison if I apologize to her and my mother.”

  Pete shook his head. “Young lady, don’t ever give up that easily.” He pushed her out into the darkness and locked the door behind her.

  8:25 PM

  Atari and Tommy, dressed in black from head to toe, waited in the van, which Atari had concealed in the deep shadows at the rear of the parking lot.

  Atari’s phone rang, and played a song Tommy had never heard before.

  Every breath you take, every move you make, every claim you stake, every smile you fake, I’ll be watching you.

  “Dude—that’s a creepy ringtone.”

  “It’s Madalyn—right on cue.” Atari had the phone on speaker, and her shrill, panicked voice filled the space around them.

  “Quick! Enable the Link! Careen’s disappeared somewhere inside the building!”

  Atari grinned at Tommy before he spoke with affected surprise. “What? Right now? I’m sorry, Madam Director, but I can’t make any guarantees as to the Link’s accuracy if the subject is inside a building.”

  “Just do it!”

  Atari picked up the tablet and swiped over to the Link’s login page. A few keystrokes later, Madalyn exclaimed, “Find her! Where is she?”

  “I’m monitoring it now. If she tries to leave the building, the outside sensors will pick up her signal. Putting you on hold until I know more.” He punched a key on his phone, cutting off her protest in midsentence.

  Atari set the phone on the dashboard and turned his attention to the tablet. “I jammed all the security cameras inside the building and substituted a loop of old footage. She won’t be seen on any of the monitors.”

  He looked at the clock on the van’s dashboard. “It’s showtime.” He picked up the phone and reconnected with Madalyn.

  “I’ve picked up her signal. She just exited the west side of the building.”

  Atari held the phone at arm’s length as Madalyn shouted, “Send security after her! Kevin! Get my coat!”

  He disconnected the call and held out his fist for a congratulatory bump. Tommy returned it but appeared hesitant. “Isn’t it a little early to be celebrating? We don’t have her yet.”

  “No worries. I got this.” He put the van in gear and coasted around the perimeter of the building without turning on the headlights.

  8:28 PM

  Kevin followed Madalyn onto the elevator and held her coat. She fidgeted as they descended to the lobby.

  “What a disaster! Good thing it wasn’t really live.”

  Kevin nodded, though personally he thought it was a shame the viewing audience would never see what had just happened.

  “Stall her. Slow her down.” Mitch spoke in his ear.

  As soon as the door slid open, she hurried out. Kevin fumbled with her coat and let her arm miss the sleeve twice as he helped her into it.

  “Okay, you’re clear. Let her go.”

  She dashed across the lobby and outside. Kevin kept his expression sober as he summoned another elevator.

  Pete Sheridan was already in the car. The door slid closed, and both men spoke at the same time. “She’s gone.”

  8:29 PM

  The van rolled in a slow arc across the parking lot; Tommy and Atari pulled ski masks over their faces. Atari coasted to a stop and pointed around the side of the building. Tommy slipped out the passenger door and took off into the darkness.

  As he rounded the corner, a woman in a long coat stepped out of the building. He closed the distance between them so quickly that she didn’t notice his approach until he was almost upon her. She cried out once in surprise and struck at him ineffectively, wobbling in her high heels. He wrestled her into submission, turning her back to him and locking his arms around her to pin hers to her sides. Her knees buckled, but she still fought to wriggle out of his grasp as he half-dragged her toward the waiting van. He felt his grip beginning to slip as they struggled, and she clamped her teeth on his forearm, just above his wrist.

  It hurt like crazy, but he didn’t dare yell out loud. He shook her loose, and while she was off balance, he picked her up, slung her over his shoulder, and carried her the rest of the way to the van.

  Atari rolled down the driver’s side window and hissed, “Quit messing around! Let’s go!”

  Tommy whispered back, “Shut up, you idiot! What do you think I’m trying to do?” He deposited his captive in the van and scrambled in after her. Atari hit the gas before he had time to close the door.

  She scuttled backward until she was pressed into the far corner, still looking around for some means of escape. He pulled off his ski mask and crawled toward her on his hands and knees.

  “Hey, it’s me. Take it easy.”

  Careen gasped; her mouth twisted like she was going to cry. “Tommy?”

  “Yeah.” He pulled her toward him, a hand on either side of her face. His kiss was charged with a mixture of desire, relief, and a healthy shot of adrenaline, and they were both breathing hard when he released her. She drew a sobbing breath, and he gripped her shoulders. “You knew we wouldn’t give up until we got to you, right?”

  She nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. He kissed her again, and she trembled in his grasp.

  Atari called from the driver’s seat, “Hey, I’m averting my eyes and everything, but you two might want to hold onto something besides each other.” He hit the gas and turned the wheel hard to the left.

  8:35 PM

  The van hurtled through the streets of the capital, in and out of darkness punctuated by the yellow glow of the street lamps, pursued by an impressive number of vehicles containing OCSD security guards and quadrant marshals.

  The driver negotiated tight corners and ignored the traffic signals, forcing the pursuers to abandon caution as well. DC-001, with all its government workers, had more cars on the roads per capita than any other quadrant in the country. Horns blared as the van and its pursuers flew through an intersection, and one of the OCSD cars collided with a hapless motorist.

  The GPS on the dashboard indicated just a few more blocks until they’d be out of the quadrant. There was no guarantee the pursuers would give up once the van hit the open freeway, but there was also no question that this was the only way to permanently free Careen. Tires squealed as the driver skidded around the last corner; the entrance ramp was in sight.

  “Our blessed lady of acceleration, don’t fail me now.”

  The driver chuckled and floored it, so focused on the goal that a QM vehicle went unnoticed until it made a kamikaze move and T-boned the van’s passenger side. They sliced across several lanes, and though the van’s driver tried desperately to spin out of the skid, both vehicles came to rest in the ditch on the far side of the road, bringing the chase to a halt.

  The guards and marshals piled out of their vehicles, guns drawn, and approached the van. “Hands where we can see them!”

  The driver rolled down the window and held up both hands.

  “Out of the van!”

  Jezz Catecher opened the door, a mischievous grin on her face.

  Chapter 55

  8:37 PM

  Tommy braced himself against the side of the van and sheltered Careen in his arms while Atari negotiated a sharp right turn and hit the gas. Horns blared, and he slammed on the brakes and wrenched the wheel to the left. Tommy heard the whoosh whoosh whoosh of cars passing them by as Atari slowed down, changed la
nes, and made three left turns, reducing his speed each time.

  Once Atari quit slamming them against the walls with his crazy turns, Tommy could feel Careen’s trembling cease, but every muscle in her body remained taut, poised to bolt. The dim glow from the street lamps disappeared when Atari turned the van into the parking garage. As they spiraled down into the blackness, she pushed away from him and huddled against the far wall, curling her knees into her chest. She didn’t move when Atari opened the sliding door. He played the flashlight over them both.

  “Come on, Princess. Welcome to the tower.” He reached out a hand to her, but she shrank away, her eyes huge, like a frightened animal’s.

  “Back off, okay?” Tommy crawled over to the doorway and drew Careen toward him. “Let’s go.”

  Together they steadied her as she stepped out. Tommy slid the passenger door closed, and Careen exclaimed at the familiar symbol on the door.

  “This is a quadrant marshal van?”

  “Well, not exactly. Not anymore. They’re so careless with their toys.” Atari pulled off his ski mask with a flourish, and he leered at her as he taunted her with the flashlight, the beam illuminating her body from head to toe in an appraising sweep of her figure. She balled up her fist and swung at him, then tried to dodge past Tommy as Atari groaned, dropped the flashlight, and brought both hands up to his face.

  Tommy grabbed her around the waist to stop her flight, and still she fought his grasp. He pulled her close and locked his arms around her. “You’re safe here,” he whispered in her ear. “I swear. Count on it.” Then his voice turned teasing. “You wore me out back there. Don’t make me carry you again.”

  She stopped struggling, and after a moment, he opened his arms and let her right herself, but he kept a firm grip on her shoulder as he guided her to the elevator.

  Behind him, Atari muttered, “She hits harder than your old man. I think she broke my nose. If I were you, I’d stick to the sim version of her. Lots less trouble than the real thing.”