The door at the top of the stairs opened and the three men looked up as Biyu’s voice echoed into the basement. She chattered excitedly with two unfamiliar voices. Táan made out four pairs of legs descending the steps. Douglas rose hastily from his seat. “Hey Beejee’, who’s that with you?”
“Don’t panic. It’s just Randall-from-upstairs and Dot of course… and somebody who wants to talk with you.” Biyu held her hands up as she reached the last step. “Now Douglas, before you freak out—he’s cool. We figured out how to get across the border… well, Dot figured it out, actually.” Biyu chatted with Randall as she led the party into the room. Dot followed behind, walking next to a tall man in a shiny jacket and matching ballcap.
“Biyu, you should have spoken to us first before bringing a stranger down here.”
“Relax Uncle Kim—this is Randall’s business partner and he’s made a deal to get you all down to New Seattle.”
Douglas scratched his beard, shaking his head. “Randall—dude… What’s the story here? We had an agreement: Nobody knows we’re here—remember?”
Randall waved off Douglas’s comment. “Everything’s fine, let me explain. Once you hear us out, you’ll agree in the end that it’s a smart plan.” He pulled over a couple folding chairs and motioned for everyone to take a seat. “Dot over there—she saw an opportunity and grabbed it. That’s one smart gal you’ve got on your side, Dr. Chen.”
Randall launched into his explanation, introducing the man in the satin jacket as Lance Turner; operator of a charter boat called Salish Sea Expeditions. Lance and Randall had partnered several years back to bring tourists from the States to Point Roberts for whale-watching and an overnight stays. Three times per week, Lance’s boat, the Salish Star, unloaded tour groups at Randall’s establishment for dining, gambling and accommodations. And because Point Roberts was part of the United States, the passengers weren’t required to clear through Customs. The vessel left its dock north of Old Seattle each morning and arrived in Point Roberts in time for a buffet dinner.
Lance cut in, saying, “The trouble is, lately we’ve been getting some lousy reviews. The customers want to see whales and there aren’t any around anymore, now that the salmon are gone.”
Biyu squirmed in her chair. “Ah—but that’s where Dot comes in! Y’see, she took me out in their kayak-thingy to see Saka, when Lance’s big boat comes by. Oh, you should have seen the passengers go crazy when they spotted her whale! I thought for a minute that the entire boat was going to tip right over—there were so many people on one side!”
Lance coughed to clear his throat. “Here’s the deal: I’m willing to take the three of you down to Old Seattle on the Salish Star if Dot can guarantee that her whale will accompany us. I’ll make a few calls and get some press down in Puget Sound to capture publicity photos of the whale in the foreground. It’ll be great for business.”
“No photographs!” Kim stated, “that’s not negotiable.”
Táan muttered, “Saka isn’t a pet, you know. It’s not like he’s going to do tricks on command.”
“No, no… We just want his presence, really. Look, it’s been a tough couple o’ decades for wildlife tours—I’m sick and tired of driving for days on end and not finding a damn thing—not even a harbor seal these days. Hell, the Salish Sea is just about barren… you all probably know that though. Dot, your whale would be a sight for sore eyes just by coming up for air.”
Kim looked at Táan who in turn, looked toward Dot. “Well Kij’, do think Saka would stay with us for the whole trip?” he asked. “That’s a big boat, and we’re talking 100 kilometers down to Puget Sound… Would Saka know you were onboard if he couldn’t communicate?”
Dot nodded her head slowly and moved her hand palm-downward in front of her. Táan pursed his lips and replied, “Hláa gudáng.”
Lance offered reassurance. “We’ve got a tender that can be launched off the side of the boat. I’ve already shown Dot how to use it. If you want to get closer to your whale, it’s all yours.” Clapping his hands together, he stood up. “Well folks, time and tides wait for no man as they say. I’m going to check in on my passengers and let you talk amongst yourselves. I hope we’ll have a deal when all’s said and done, but departure time is eleven-hundred sharp. I’ll show myself out.” He tipped his cap toward Dot before climbing the stairs. Randall excused himself and followed behind.
The companions sat together for several minutes without speaking. Each member of the party mulled over the new proposition until Douglas finally broke the silence. “This Lance guy seems legit—and I trust Randall completely… So, if you can get that orca of yours to play along, this might be your best chance.”
“We would have to leave the baidarka behind,” Táan said.
“I’ll watch over it, don’t worry,” Biyu replied.
Táan glanced over at the scientist and said, “Kim, what do you say? You are the one who they are searching for.”
Kim leaned forward slowly and folded his hands under his chin. “If there is a place on the boat that I can hide—away from the crew and passengers—then I think we should accept this offer. It seems to me, that if Dot and Saka can make this arrangement work, it is our only chance.”
Biyu jumped out of her seat and ran to the door. “C’mon Dot—let’s go see Saka!”
The Salish Star’s tender bounced about in the surf as Biyu helped Kim stow the last of his gear inside the bench-seat. She handed him his briefcase, wrapped in layers of plastic. “Uncle Kim, promise me you’ll be careful, and… find my parents and Nai-nai, please.”
Kim clasped her hand in both of his. “Biyu, I will do all that I can to bring our family back together, I promise you.” He waved good-bye as Biyu backed away, the wavelets tugging at her ankles.
Further down the beach, Táan and Dot sorted their gear. Lightened of its burdens, the baidarka tipped lopsidedly in the sand beside them. Dot stood beside the faded hull and looked at the little vessel that had been their home and protection. Táan stowed the eagle and raven paddles in the forward cockpit then returned to Dot’s side. He wistfully smiled, muttering, “I’m going to miss this boat, she’s been good to us… Brought us a long way, didn’t she?” Dot placed her hand on the baidarka’s hull, running her finger along the sinew stitches of the deck seams. Standing, she found Táan’s hand and entwined her fingers with his. He whispered, “Don’t fret, Kij’. They’ll watch over her and we’ll be back to get next summer—you’ll see.”
They gathered their belongings and hiked toward the water. It was time to leave.
37 The Gambit
Shilshole Bay WA. Aug 25. 2033
47°41'04.5"N 122°24'27.8"W
Jun leaned against the shovel-loader and monitored the empty quay. He’d been waiting on the hillside for almost three hours as the Salish Star docked and unloaded. He saw her passengers board a tour bus and observed the crew and captain disembark as well. Nothing stirred on the pier below, even the street kids had abandoned the trash bins after stuffing their packs with discarded food and trinkets.
The gravel heap on top of the old park afforded Jun an exceptional surveillance position. He scanned the abandoned playground; half-submerged from the encroaching seawater. His gaze moved toward the breakwater—boulders from the gravel pit where he now he stood had been piled on top of the existing jetty—long since engulfed. Jun saw nothing out of the ordinary—that is, except for a remarkably large bird on a rock—staring right back at him. He seems as interested in me as I am him. Jun clicked the magnifying app on his mobile. You’re a big guy, aren’t you, fella? The bird looked intently at Jun, his eyes were like polished stone. Somewhat unnerved, Jun looked back to the Salish Star. A movement from the pier caught his attention and he crouched behind a boulder. Squinting, Jun could make out an attractive young woman walking down the ramp. He wondered why she remained onboard when the rest of the crew had departed. Something told him she might have an answer to the cryptic message
Douglas sent earlier telling him to “meet the Star at 1600” that afternoon. As he followed the girl’s movements, Jun ran through his options. Should I approach her—but then, what would I say?... ‘Hey, do you know where my fugitive uncle’s hiding?’ What if she raises an alarm? HighTower would be first on the scene, no doubt about that… His mind raced through various scenarios. A noise overhead startled Jun, as the large bird landed in front of him and shook its wings. “Shoo—get lost!” Jun muttered as loudly as he dared. With a single croak, the bird flapped away. “What in the hell…?” Jun whispered. Still crouched behind the rock, he watched the bird fly to the young woman. She seemed to anticipate its arrival, lifting her arm to receive it. “I’ll be damned,” Jun murmured. He saw the bird raise its beak toward the rocks and realized the girl was staring right at him. She made a small gesture with her hand and Jun sighed, Shit. Well, here goes nothing. He rose from his hiding spot and waved back.
It took several minutes for Jun to scramble down the hillside, but he managed to climb or slide down most of the way until, at last, he dusted himself off and approached the girl. Offering his hand, he introduced himself. The young woman smiled but said nothing, handing Jun a folded slip of paper. The bird climbed up her arm and positioned itself on her shoulder. Before he’d finished unfolding the paper, Jun recognized his uncle’s hasty script, he read the note aloud, translating from Mandarin as he spoke: “My dear nephew, I apologize for what your family has suffered on my account. It’s true, I am alive and am anxious to see you. Please trust this woman—her name is Dot—she helped bring me here. We must try to end the nightmare that HighTower has begun. Stay safe, I will greet you in person very soon. With respect, Kim Chen.”
“It’s true? My uncle is here… with you?” The bird snatched the paper out of Jun’s fingers and flew toward the water with the note in his beak. Jun looked at Dot with alarm but she waved her hands in a gesture that clearly meant, “Don’t worry.” She pointed to his mobile and held out her hand. Jun gave her the device and swiped its screen, it displayed the current time. She pointed at the hour and held up both hands, displayed seven fingers, then pointed back to the screen. “OK, seven o’clock?” Jun asked. She shook her head. It dawned on him that she hadn’t spoken since their initial encounter. “Wait a sec… Dot, are you… mute—can you not speak?” Again, she shook her head. Jun nodded and replied, “No problem, I understand you well enough. So, you’re holding up seven fingers and it’s just after five o’clock now… Are you telling me, ‘seven plus five’… Twelve o’clock. You want me to be here at midnight?” Dot smiled, nodding enthusiastically. Monk landed on a nearby trash bin and made a series of clacking noises. Jun noticed how Dot reacted, paying careful attention to the sounds the bird made. Dot looked around and nodded once, signaling that their meeting was over. She pulled an envelope out of her pocket and placed it in Jun’s hand, then turned, walking back to the Salish Star.
Jun returned to his hiding place on the hill. He tore open the envelope and found two photographs inside it: the first was of Biyu, smiling for the camera as she stood beside Uncle Kim on a beach. The second was a picture of Douglas, surrounded by his electronics—his hair characteristically unkempt. Next to him was the large bird, holding a scrap of paper in his beak on which Douglas had scrawled the word “Nevermore.” Jun laughed heartily for some time before tucking the photos into his pocket.
Dusk settled at last and although the old city was largely deserted, the staccato sound of fireworks drifted from across Lake Washington as New Seattle celebrated the first manned-landing on Mars. Huddled inside the cramped cab, Jun stared at the night sky and listened to the far-off pops and crackles, pondering what would become of earth when its people moved on to new planets. Who will they leave behind once everything’s used up? He drew a star in the fine layer of dust covering the window and waited for the clock to strike twelve. His stomach growled and he chided himself for not bringing anything to eat. To pass the time, he skimmed through the newsfeed on his burner. Most of the headlines were of the astronauts on Mars, however he soon found a story about a gala on Raj Kaleka’s mega-yacht. Jun watched a video of the tycoon speaking about his “Floating Cities Project”, the guest list for the huge event included international dignitaries and celebrities. Food and entertainers were being shipped from across the globe to Kaleka’s yacht for the grand event. Jun read the date. August 27th? That’s just two days from now! He sat up and said aloud, “Holy shit. This is it—this is our chance.” Texting a message to Douglas, he wrote, “Find me a way onto Kaleka’s boat for the gala on 8/27. I’ll take care of the rest.” He scoured the news for further information and then placed the burner on the dash as he began to form his plan.
Midnight arrived and Jun clambered out of the cab. He took a lightweight jacket out of his pack and wrapped it around his shoulders as he negotiated his descent down the gravelly slope. A landslide might call unwanted attention to the isolated docks at this late hour. He landed on the pavement and looked both ways before crossing the narrow street. The concrete wall dividing the street from the boarding ramp was shrouded in darkness. This is as good a place as any to hide for now. Jun crouched in the shadows, bowed his head and waited.
Several minutes passed, a dog howled in the distance, Jun began to shiver; whether from the cold or expectation, he wasn’t sure. He wished that his uncle would arrive soon and he could get away from the exposed streets. At last, he heard voices from the other side of the wall, footsteps approached. Jun drew a nervous breath, stepped out from the shadows and was met by broad-shouldered young man—roughly the same age as himself. Unsure whether to run or defend himself, Jun opted to stand his ground. “Uh, I—I’m waiting for my uncle, do you know…?”
“Nǐ hǎo!” Kim Chen’s voice rang out from the darkness. Táan moved aside and Jun recognized his uncle’s face—older and more weathered than he remembered. He grabbed Kim around his shoulders and the two men swayed back and forth as they embraced. Kim muttered, “It’s been too long since I’ve seen you, wài shēng. I’m saddened that we meet in these conditions.”
“Uncle Kim, we have much to talk about—but not right here. I don’t think we are safe, exposed like this. Let’s get back to the ID and I’ll explain—and you have quite a lot to tell me, no doubt.” Jun said, handing his uncle a crumpled cap with a long bill.
“Wait—there are three of us here.” Kim gestured to the young man that had approached Jun initially. “This is Táan. And you’ve already met Dot.” Kim placed his hand on the young woman’s shoulder and said, “She saved my life, wài shēng.”
Jun looked at the silent girl with renewed interest. There were many stories to be told once they were at the safe house. He shook Táan’s hand and bowed toward Dot, “Please, everyone—follow me. I’ll get us all back to the ID.”
“What’s this ‘ID’?” Táan asked.
“Ah, yes—sorry, it’s the local’s name for the ‘International District’ in the old city… I have a flat there. We’ll need to hike for a little way, but there’s a shuttle that still runs at this hour. It can get us downtown.”
Dot looked at Kim with a skeptical expression. He realized instantly what she was asking. “Nephew, won’t there be cameras on these shuttles?”
Jun shook his head, “Don’t worry, ARGUS cameras aren’t installed in this part of town. Old Seattle’s still living in pre-quake times, Uncle.” Jun led the way out of the terminal and turned as they crossed the street, saying, “As long as you’re no longer chipped, it will be OK. Keep that hat on always—ARGUS will be everywhere once we’re in the ID.
Táan leaned over to Kim as they walked, “What are you guys talking about?”
“He is referring to the ARGUS surveillance system,” Kim replied as they followed his nephew up the hill. “It’s a facial recognition program developed by the military a few decades ago. They used to call it DARPA back in the early 2000’s. The police use it to track criminals and the bigger countries use it to
monitor their borders.”
Dot’s head jerked up as Kim spoke. She lagged behind as the group continued, looking over her shoulder. “Hey, Kijii—better keep up. We can’t get separated in the city,” Táan called. Frowning, Dot hoisted her pack and jogged across the street. A tunnel loomed in front of them and Jun leapt across a drainage ditch, picking his way through weeds and garbage as he made for the entrance. The others trudged up the embankment behind him and disappeared under a crumbling trestle. Monk flew ahead, opting instead for the treetops.
Biometric Surveillance Unit. New Seattle Aug 26. 2033
47°41'33 31"N 122°20'08.8"W
A persistent blip on the scanner monitor drew the desk sergeant’s attention. A grainy image flashed onto the screen, the directions underneath it read, “High Value Individual: Classified. Notify HSA.” The sergeant called over to his senior colleague, “Sir, we just got a hit on an HVI down at the old Shilshole pier.”
“Acknowledged, transmit the information over to HighTower. I’ll get one of our teams to check it out.” The senior officer tapped his earpiece. “Dispatch? This is BSU West. Yeah, we got a BOLO at Shilshole Bay in the old city. Unit tango-alpha-foxtrot. Suspect is one, Chen, Kim: Asian male. Age, 34; height, 5’11’; 185 pounds. Classified as a high value target—pursue, but do not engage. HSA notified. Transmitting coordinates. Over.” The senior officer clicked the screen and the image vanished, replaced by the words, “Transmission complete.”
International District. Old Seattle. August 26. 2033
47°33'44.5"N 121°59'27.5"W
The automated shuttle rumbled down Fourth Avenue South—the only straight stretch of road that remained undamaged from the quake’s destruction. Jun stood in the middle of the aisle, keeping a close watch on both entrances. Dot sat on the bench next to Kim, her cheek pressed onto the cool glass as she stared at the city lights. Táan stood in the aisle behind them, gripping the handrails overhead.
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