Threader
Page 26
‘Hey.’ Cora’s voice is in my helmet, strained but determined. ‘Hold on tight. My first time as a tow truck, so you’re probably in for a rough landing.’
Then she’s heading back to the lightpath, pulling us with her, the grapple winching us in. Light bursts over my vision, temporarily blinding me, and then we’re back in the lightpath, skimming the surface. Blake holds me tight as we travel through the tunnel. There’s no fear in me now. I only feel relief that Blake is in my arms again. After all, I’m a Ryder and I know I can handle anything, especially with friends at my back.
Three months later …
‘Ready?’
Turning, I spy Cora coming up behind me. I push off the wall I’ve been slouching against.
‘Ready,’ I tell her.
‘She’s coming up now.’
Cora ducks away just as Wendell walks past, and I hurry to catch up with the techie. When I come alongside her with a broad grin, irritation crosses her face before smoothing out when she recognises me. With the newfound success I’d found with Aaron, Wendell is still being super nice, even though her fight with Eckhart has left her with a permanent cybernetic brace around her neck and right arm.
What the techie doesn’t know is that my talents have locked again with Blake. But something is different this time and I’m able to thread with Aaron for short bursts, though not as strongly as before. But after the trauma of what Eckhart put us through, no one has pushed me, least of all Aaron, who blames himself for everything.
‘I just wanted to show you something,’ I tell her.
Wendell stops and gives me a tight smile. ‘I’m in a bit of a hurry, Josie.’
‘I won’t be long. I heard you had some more issues with the Skymmer android and I had an idea.’ I pull out my slate, expand the screen and open the program Darsh installed. Instantly, a high-pitched whine pierces the air. Wendell winces as I make pretence to quickly turn it off.
‘Sorry, sorry,’ I say, acting flustered. ‘Guess I haven’t worked out all the kinks yet.’
‘Josie.’ Wendell sighs. ‘I really have to go. Why don’t you leave all the technical work to Aaron and myself.’
‘Okay, sorry. Maybe I’ll get it fixed and show you later.’
Something closely resembling warmth fills Wendell’s face. ‘Message me after dinner, Josie. I’ll be happy to have another look at it then.’
‘Thanks,’ I say, and wave her off with a smile.
Watching Wendell disappear into Central, the tiny comms link Darsh gave me chirps in my ear.
‘No alteration in her heat signature,’ Darsh says.
‘And I didn’t see anything from my angle,’ Cora adds into the conversation. Looking back, I spy her lowering the binoculars.
‘She’s clean.’ Blake comes alongside me, and one of his hands cups my back. ‘She isn’t infected.’
‘I’ll put her on the probably not list,’ Darsh says. ‘But just for the record, I’ll feel better when we confirm the tests actually work. After all, we don’t know if Eckhart was telling the truth about others being infected.’
‘Well, all this detective work is making me hungry,’ Cora says. ‘I’m getting lunch. Who’s with me?’
‘I’ll pass,’ I tell her. ‘I had a late breakfast.’
Cora mutters something about me being kept up all night and I ignore her. So does Blake, though his thumb begins to stroke the small of my back.
‘Give me ten minutes,’ Darsh tells Cora. ‘I’ll meet you out the front.’
I wave as Cora heads off, then look at Blake, who’s taking the comms link out of his ear with an amused look.
‘What are you laughing at?’ I ask as we start walking.
He entwines his fingers around mine. ‘Are those two dating yet?’
‘Nearly there,’ I tell him. ‘Don’t pick on them. They’ll find their way.’
‘Right.’ Blake leans over to kiss the top of my head and butterflies twist my stomach. Smiling, I pull away as I scroll through our list, detailing everyone who had a connection with the Ciliary Gate project. So far, we’ve struck three people off the list, or at least, temporarily, as we still have no clear idea of how to pinpoint anyone who might be infected like Eckhart was.
In the aftermath of the gate collapsing in on itself, everyone at Helios pinned the blame on Director Eckhart for clandestinely authorising the revival of the dangerous project. Aaron and I were cleared of any wrongdoing, especially after my revelation that Eckhart had been a threader and was manipulating everyone around him. When Bobby found out what had happened after his successful heart operation, he’d nearly stormed Helios with his ex-Ranger buddies. I managed to talk him down, with promises of extra visits home. Then, I told my friends about what Eckhart had told me—that there were others like him. After we examined what was left of the security footage of that fateful night and confirmed Eckhart’s reaction to the high-pitched alarms, Darsh created the high frequency program with the theory it would cause a reaction in someone infected. Now, after our third negative testing, I’m starting to worry if Eckhart’s reaction had been something else entirely.
I pack away the slate and take Blake’s hand as we walk along, a cool wind whipping past us. Reports are a cold front is moving across the country, bringing with it acid rain and sub-zero temperatures. And though Blake assures me the abrupt change in weather shouldn’t last long, I’m already sad to see the clear skies begin to disappear.
‘What do you want to do?’ Blake glances down at me. ‘We’ve got the whole morning to ourselves.’
I smile at him. ‘I’m fine with just walking for now.’
Blake arches an eyebrow, but continues to stroll with me along Helios’s grounds. Another wind breezes by us, ruffling my hair, and I tuck stray strands behind my ears, replaying Wendell’s reaction in my head. Darsh’s program isn’t perfect and we aren’t even sure Eckhart had been speaking the truth. So far, we haven’t managed to find anyone who’s infected. But this is just the start. I’ve glimpsed the ageless enemy that James and Alice fled from, and I’m not going to ever stop looking.
ABOUT REBEKAH TURNER
Rebekah Turner was born in sunny Queensland, Australia, but has lived all across the country, including stints in Bundaberg, Townsville, Adelaide and Melbourne. With a degree in graphic design and a raging coffee addiction, Rebekah escaped the corporate world to now freelance in between sensible adult jobs. She rides a scooter called Skittles, owns two dogs who don’t get walked enough, and can never seem to find a blue pen when she wants one. She’s a dedicated movie gal, with a special affection for old sci-fi and action movies.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My eternal gratitude to Dion, who taught me I could dream an impossible dream. A massive thanks also to Charlotte Nash, Rebecca Freeborn, Jo Mackay, Laurie Ormond, Tara Goedjen, Julia Knapman, Kim Wilkins and the Sisters of the Pen - you all rock, ladies!
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First Published 2016
ISBN 9781760374433
THREADER
©2016 by Rebekah Turner
Australian Copyright 2016
New Zealand Copyright 2016
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