He turned and drew me back against a shop window. ‘How about we get out of this crowd and grab a coffee?’
I shrugged. Coffee didn’t really thrill me. ‘I guess.’ I was slightly dazed.
‘Not coffee then. Something else.’
I never knew what it would be like being in amongst so many people. I felt like I was sleep walking. He tugged me along, weaving through the crowd and led me to the back of a reasonably dark café. He spoke to the table. ‘One fresh-brewed, organic, water-decaffeinated, espresso with hot fluffy milk on the side and a cold, original Coke with five cubes of Plutonian ice.’
The table hummed. Alwin looked at me. ‘It’s not really Plutonian ice but it makes your drink fizz and it’s very cold. Believe me it will take your breath away.’
I wasn’t quite gaping at him, just stunned really. I didn’t know what a Coke was. A chute opened and a steaming cup of coffee floated out, along with a tall glass with dark liquid in it. Little bubbles spat liquid onto the tabletop. I eyed it warily. It looked like coffee to me.
‘Go on,’ he said. ‘It won’t bite. Trust me.’
‘I don’t trust you,’ I said and meant it. I could tell I hurt him. He looked down and sipped his coffee and didn’t try to make conversation or look at me. I hoped he felt as bad as he had made me feel but I doubted it. Nothing could shake him. He was Mr Know It All, Mr Perfect, Mr Handsome and Mr I’m So Experienced and You’re Such a Child.
I picked up the glass and touched my lips to the rim, hesitating. The glass was cold and the effervescence tickled my nose. With a mental shrug, I took a huge sip and nearly gagged. It burnt the back of my throat as the taste exploded on my tongue. Gasping, I put it down and flicked my gaze to Alwin. He was ignoring me. I casually looked around the café, hiding my distress. No one seemed to be looking at us so I tried some more of the Coke, not to be outdone by him. The second taste was better. It was sweet and refreshing. By the time, I finished it, I had really enjoyed it.
‘Thanks,’ I said to Alwin. His eyes met mine but his face was clenched with worry.
‘No problems. Time to meet the parents.’
I bounded off my seat and followed him out. We had to walk a ways, impeded by the crowd, to take the hotel wing lift. At this end of the main promenade the clothes became less varied and the people more hurried. Simple ship suits in dull shades matched the worn expressions of the people here.
When I asked Alwin about it, he said, ‘Meet the workers.’
‘Oh.’ We must have missed a lift because we entered a service lift full of the workers we’d seen in the promenade. These people did stare at us. Our clothing made us stick out.
Alwin smiled at their scrutiny and said, ‘Audition.’ They turned away and ignored us. I was yanking on his arm but he ignored me. I had no idea what he was playing at.
When the lift spilled its contents, Alwin dragged me behind a dormant auto-luggage trolley. ‘Rae, listen. We don’t have much time.’
‘What are you doing? What audition?’ I demanded, hands on hips, exposing my slave garments. ‘Why are we coming in this way?’
A burly security guard came round the corner, before I even had time to register it, Alwin grabbed me and smothered my mouth with his, snaking his arms around me and crushing me against him. I tried to struggle and gave up as his kiss began to affect me. The guard’s step slowed. I could almost feel his gaze burn through my back. Then he sped up and kept walking. When he was gone Alwin released me. My cheeks were burning and Alwin looked flushed too.
‘Sorry.’ He smiled at me.
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling back. ‘Is that what you wanted to say?’
‘No, just escaping notice. If anyone asks you are auditioning for the show. Now, I want you to stay here while I go to the main desk and pick up the security key for the Gayens’ private suite. Then we are going up using the service elevator again. We will get out on the floor below and float up through the emergency chute.’
‘Why? I thought these people were my parents. Should I be afraid of them?’
‘No, I don’t think so. I want to be careful. You never know.’
A bad feeling crept up my spine. ‘You’re not telling me everything, Alwin.’
‘Let’s just say I’m overly cautious. It comes with the job. Now I’m off. If the security guard comes back tell him I’m taking a leak. Don’t move from this spot.’
‘Sure.’ I folded my arms and glared at his back. He strode smoothly down the corridor and headed for the reception desk. A maid shuffled past. She looked through me. I stared at the ceiling and counted the air filters. I nearly stumbled when the auto-luggage trolley I was leaning on powered up and sped away.
I was left standing in the corridor with no camouflage, counting of the seconds until Alwin’s return. I was going mad with waiting. I started to edge down the corridor. When I checked over my shoulder the security guard was heading back my way. I was almost to the corner when a hand latched onto mine. I was tugged forward and crashed into Alwin. He held up a gold security key. ‘We’re all set.’
Alwin pushed and shoved me into every doorway and storeroom as we made our way back to the service lift. We were in sight of it when he dragged me into a large rack full of freshly laundered clothing. He squeezed in next to me.
‘What are you doing? Have you gone nuts?’ I hissed to him.
‘I don’t want to be noticed,’ he said peering out through the legs of a fluoro orange jumpsuit.
‘Well you’re doing a good job of being noticed. Nothing attracts the attention more than skulking about.’
He smiled at me, pushing the sleeve of someone’s gown out of his face. ‘What would you know?’ he whispered tightly.
‘I saw it on a vid once—more than once. Anyway, it only takes common sense.’
‘Really? You have that in kilos, I imagine.’
‘Well it beats you kissing me every time someone comes by. It’s becoming tedious.’
He looked shocked, then his eyebrow drew down. ‘You’re not being nice. We have to be careful. You have no idea what type of security big money buys. Do you want to actually see your parents or not.’
‘Well, of course, I do.’
‘Come on then.’ He stuck his head out of the rack and did a quick sweep of the corridor. The lift chimed. He bolted out of the clothing rack and drew me at a sprint into the lift.
He played with the controls and keyed an express ride to level 154. I leaned back against the lift, tapping my feet nervously on the floor. Alwin paced, though this time it was three paces left and three paces right. When the door chimed and slid open, four maids stepped in, paused in their chatting as we exited, and stared at us.
He took my elbow, looked down his nose at them and strode purposely out as if he was a guest caught in the wrong lift. The doors slid shut over the cackle of the maids’ laughter.
He let go of me and prowled through the corridor. I hurried along after him, thinking his behaviour was attracting more attention than it was avoiding. But he wasn’t going to listen to me.
He found the emergency chute. It wouldn’t open. ‘Now what?’ I said as he leaned back against it to wipe sweat from his brow.
‘It won’t open.’
‘Really. Never would have guessed it. Why don’t we take the lift like normal people? I’m sure someone’s seen us and called security already.’
His eyes met mine. ‘You don’t have much faith in me do you?’
‘I do, a lot of faith, I just think your methods are a bit over the top.’ I sighed. He wasn’t paying attention to me. He was looking all the walls up and down. Next he was running his hands over them. I leaned back against the wall and stared at the ceiling. I thought it would be nice to count the air filters.
‘Alwin.’
‘Rae, I’m busy.’
‘Yeah I know but look at this.’
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him look up. Above us, there was an access chute.
‘Great work.’ H
e jumped up and went up, not so slowly, to push against the panel. Of course he rebounded back to land and roll on the floor. I walked over and peered up into the chute.
‘Yep looks like it would join up with your emergency chute.’
‘Yes,’ he said, adjusting his suit. ‘It’s for rescuing people, spying on them and other covert operations. I don’t think I’ll be staying at this hotel.’
‘Sure you wouldn’t. Hey what are you doing?’ He’d grabbed me, face pressed to my abdomen and lifted me off the floor.
‘I’m giving you a shove.’
‘Put me down, Mr Anton.’ He let me slide down the length of him and frowned at me.
Hands on hips, I glared at him. ‘If I can do one thing it’s leap in this gravity. Stand back.’ I pushed against the floor and arrowed upwards. My fingertips felt the edge of the chute and I levered myself in.
Dusting off my hands, I peered down at him with a lifted eyebrow. ‘Well, what are you waiting for?’ I reached down to help him up.
He shook his head, muttered to himself and was beside me in a jiff. He slid the chute cover back and edged along the narrow tube. My hair started floating up and crawling became a little awkward. The attraction field had minimal effect up in the ceiling.
We reached the emergency tunnel and Alwin grabbed the rails and somersaulted out and up. ‘Smart ass,’ I mumbled under my breath.
I crawled out, hands firmly on the rails. ‘Come on, don’t be shy.’ Alwin was doing slow body spins. It was okay for him he had a suit on with leggings that clung tight to his legs. I was wearing floaty bits that I was having a hard time controlling at present. My cloak billowed out behind me.
‘No, after you.’ I was sure he was having fun at my expense. I had to stop every few rungs and tug the slave clothes down. I caught him eyeing my legs and thighs a few times. ‘If you don’t mind, I’d like some consideration.’
‘Nice legs,’ he said.
I bounced off the wall and shot straight for him. ‘Not that kind of consideration.’ He grabbed me and we tumbled together. I didn’t like the free gravity. The Coke was threatening to reappear. I must have looked green because he slowed the spin and grabbed the rail. His other hand held me tightly, more than was necessary.
‘Sorry.’
I felt very warm, floating there with him holding me like that. It was as if time stood still.
With a few more tugs of his arm we were at level 155. Funnily enough it was easy to open it from this side. Alwin added this to his list of the hotel’s defects. ‘I definitely prefer the Hyatt,’ he said, as we stepped onto the gold-burnished hallway.
Chapter Sixteen
Gayens’ Private Suite
The door to the Gayens’ private suite slid open with a luxurious swoosh. Alwin ducked in, eyes darting to every corner and then dragged me in after him.
I couldn’t stop shaking as I took in the huge main room. It looked bigger than the whole of Alwin’s ship. Pale, soft floor coverings went right up to the huge floor-to-ceiling view port. Large sofas, a piano, a whole wall-sized entertainment unit with screen dominated the far wall. We stepped down in the sunken lounge and faced the row of doors on one side. Alwin dropped my hand and tried each one, three on one side and two on the other side of the entertainment unit.
‘Locked,’ he said, running his hand over his head. With a glance at me, he stared out the view port.
‘What do we do now?’ I asked, moving up behind him. He was nervous. I could tell. I wished he would confide in me.
‘Wait and hope for the best. It’s the best I can do. Sorry.’
‘I don’t believe that. You’re way too smart. You’re planning something.’
‘I wish I was, Rae. But I really don’t know what will happen next. I’m completely stumped. I’ve tried to figure it out but I just can’t make sense of it.’
‘And a good thing, too,’ said a familiar male voice.
We both swung round to face Stroder pointing a gun at us. I stared at him, astounded, at first, then puzzled. He looked identical to Stroder but he was in much better shape. His hair was clean and trim and dark. His face looked fairly young compared to Stroder, but it was the same man.
‘Dad? Stroder?’ Those eyes stared at me without warmth. Alwin stepped in front of me, so I peered around him.
‘No, Rae, be careful.’ He tried to push me back. To the man with the gun, he said, ‘Mr Gayens, I presume.’ There was something akin to triumph in his voice.
Those cold eyes shifted to Alwin. Gayens sneered. ‘I’ll deal with you later, meddler. But first I have to get rid of her.’ The gun lifted higher, straight for Alwin. I stepped back and into my father’s line of sight.
‘You’re my Dad? But you look like Stroder. Please tell me what’s going on.’ My brain was seriously overloaded.
‘Oh, I think I get it now,’ Alwin said, squaring his shoulders, seemingly unperturbed by Gayens’ gun.
‘Shut up twerp or you’ll get it before she does.’
‘One of you is a clone. I’m thinking Captain Stroder was your clone.’
‘So what. There wasn’t a law against it at the time. Bloody stupid bastard he was, traitorous, stinking pirate. Who’d have thought my clone would turn out like that blackmailing brigand.’
The gun moved to me again. I couldn’t speak. Alwin edged closer to me, keeping his eye on Gayens at the same time. I could tell he was ready to jump Gayens at any moment. His muscles were tensed and his jaws clenched so tight I could hear his teeth grinding.
‘How did he blackmail you, Gayens? Was it with Rae?’ Alwin looked at me, concern evident in his dark eyes.
‘Rae? Her? Bastard was supposed to kill her for me. But he chose to keep her and blackmailed me instead.’
‘So you’re the one,’ Alwin said, the company auditor again. He seemed happy to solve that riddle. ‘The payments to Stroder. It won’t look good you know—financing pirates.’
Alwin was very close to me. I could feel the heat radiating from his body. He was going to shield me. That made me feel so uneasy. Why did he have to do that? I wanted to be angry at him for rejecting me but now he had to be noble and make me feel guilty for being angry.
‘Don’t worry “wonder” brat,’ Gayens said to Alwin. ‘I’ve got the money to cover it up, to buy my way out.’
‘I get it now,’ Alwin replied, nodding his head. ‘The Clone’s Rights Act of 2044 meant Stroder got a new identity and a substitute gen record. That’s why he didn’t match up as Rae biological father.’
‘Shut up. I know you, recognise you. Your family is washed up aren’t they? Used to be up there with the rest of us elite, but not anymore. There will be no help for you when you’re charged with her murder.’
‘No,’ I shouted and darted in front of Alwin. ‘You can’t do it to him. If you want me dead you have to kill me.’
Alwin sighed audibly. ‘Rae.’
Gayens laughed. ‘I intend to,’ he said. ‘But I won’t take the rap. You should have been dealt with a long time ago. You’ve outlived your usefulness. You’re nothing but a pathetic scrap of genetic material.’
Gayens was sweating and his fingers moved nervously on the gun. He wasn’t used to this, I thought. I’d seen cold-blooded pirates before, seen how they acted. They weren’t like Gayens. He was an amateur.
‘You’re saying she’s a clone?’ Alwin’s bellow nearly parted my hair.
Gayens hacked out a laugh. ‘Oh, yes, just that. She’s is evidence I want destroyed, nothing more.’
That jarred me. ‘I’m a…clone?’ I was flabbergasted. I couldn’t speak for spluttering. What did that mean for me? Was I less than a person? A thing, property? How I wished I’d paid attention to what Alwin had said about the riot. I don’t know what the outcome was. Oh yes, he said something about an Act.
‘No.’ Alwin shouted back, standing up to Gayens. ‘You’re a liar and a cheat. I know she’s not a clone. I did the gen scan. She had no flag on her DNA.’
Gayens fro
wned, then laughed again. His eyes began to water. ‘I didn’t put a flag on her. You can’t tell if she’s the original or not. No one can.’
‘Why would you do that? You made a clone of yourself and your daughter. Is your wife an original or a copy?’
That made Gayens step forward and jerk his gun at Alwin again. ‘Damn straight the bitch is herself. She found her clone and destroyed it before I animated it. But I’d already made Rae’s replacement by then. She never knew.’
‘Replacement?’ I choked. My head was swimming. I was having a real identity crisis.
‘Yes, he made a replacement after the kidnap, hence, the news codex reporting you had returned. He did it for the money.’
‘Oh you know so much whiz kid,’ Gayens snarled, baring his teeth. ‘But I know all about you, Alwin Anton. How sure are you that your own parents didn’t have you manipulated in vitro? Clever kid, sporty, almost perfect. No way you’re a pure breed.’
‘But it’s not about me, Gayens. It’s about the money. Your wife has all the money. Clones rioted and kidnapped your daughter. You hid the fact and replaced her. Only Stroder’s a dirty, betraying bastard just like you. He didn’t get rid of her to save your skin. He milked you for all he could get. I’m not surprised your clone turned out that way.’
Gayens struck Alwin across the face with the gun. My scream was cut off when Alwin fell sideways leaving me exposed. He lay on the floor dazed.
I looked around for a way out. My eyes flew forward as Gayens’ gun pressed against my forehead.
‘I just have to squeeze,’ he said, though his hand was shaking.
‘Why Dad?’ My tears started to fall. ‘Please, don’t kill me…Daddy,’ I said brokenly.
‘You’re in the way, honey. Sorry.’ His finger squeezed.
Chapter Seventeen
Real Clone
‘I’d back off if I were you, Carl,’ said a firm, feminine voice, from behind Gayens.
He stilled. Casting a look of hatred at me, he stepped back and lowered the gun. He didn’t surrender it, but he turned slowly to face the woman.
Rayessa and the Space Pirates Page 8