by A. W. Cross
But the farther away from Joseph’s they got, the more Pine began to doubt their story. Their answers to her questions about their relationship with her owner had been vague enough to be truthful, but still oddly dissatisfying. And before she knew it, she had no idea where she was. Should she ask someone for help? Or keep trusting the two were who they claimed? As she agonized over the right choice, Tabby announced brightly, “This is our stop. Come on, love, this way.”
Swept away, Pine disembarked with them. What else could she do? She had no money and no way to get back, even if she could figure out how. Tabby had paid her train fare, had guided her in the right direction. As though she saw Pine’s misgiving, Tabby batted it away. “Don’t worry, Pine dear. We’ll have you back at Joseph’s before your bedtime.”
Todd laughed at that, a callous sound Pine detested.
“Right.” Todd rubbed his hands together. “Let’s stop here for a quick refreshment then carry on.” He indicated a shabby-looking tavern. Just beyond it, a pair of ornate gates soared, heralding the entrance to the market.
“I don’t need any refreshments,” Pine said. “I just want to get this over with.”
“Perhaps you don’t, but we do,” Todd said, his expression sharp.
Pine had no choice but to acquiesce.
“Don’t worry, we won’t be long,” Tabby comforted her. “One drink then we go.”
They sat in a booth near the front door. A waiter in a blue-checked shirt came over to take their order. He seemed to know Todd and Tabby but gave a Pine an appraising look.
“The usual?” he asked with a smirk. After they agreed, he turned to Pine. “And you?”
Had he not seen the tattoo on her wrist? Or was he just mocking her? Synadroids didn’t eat or drink—all the nourishment they needed to keep their copycat bodies functioning was injected every few months. Everyone knew that. She glared at him until he chuckled and walked away.
See, James? No respect for life that isn’t their own.
After they’d finished their drinks, Todd stood and stretched, grimacing as he did so. Without a word, he headed toward the back of the bar, where the waiter lounged against the grimy wall.
“Where is he going?” Every minute that passed was a torment.
“To the bathroom. Something you lucky synadroids don’t need to deal with.” Tabby strolled off toward the pay point of the bar, leaving Pine to follow.
To Pine’s relief, they left as soon as Tabby paid, Todd joining them outside. She blinked in the relative brightness and swarm of people, jostling against them as she struggled to keep up with the pair as they dodged expertly through the throng. The anxiety that had been swirling inside Pine bobbed and eddied, threatening to rise to a flood.
Pine clutched The Showman’s bag close to her chest. She’d never seen so many different people as were in the Field of Miracles, nor so many intriguing, exotic items. Spices, fabrics, clothing, ceramics, food, technology… Everything in the world must be here. It was like the shallows of her beloved ocean—the colors, the shine, the mysterious and glamorous creatures mingling in an enchanted landscape. She could barely tear herself away.
The district they were headed to was at the far end of the market. They made their way through the warren of vendors, but the deeper they went, the seedier the merchants became. It wasn’t what Pine had expected of the elite purveyors the couple had described.
And speaking of Todd and Tabby, where had they gone? She must’ve lost them in the crowd.
Just keep walking. You’ll find them…or they’ll find you.
The canopies of the stalls grew closer and closer together, blocking out the natural light. Customers became increasingly scarce, and those who remained kept their faces hidden, their movements through the arcade furtive.
I should turn back. Tell them I’ve changed my mind—
Strong hands reached out of the gloom, grabbed Pine’s arms, and wrenched them behind her back, trying to pin them together while a third scrabbled at the satchel on her shoulder.
“Stop!” Pine squirmed in her assailant’s grasp. “Let me go.” Anxiety morphed into a rush of adrenaline, and she managed to yank one arm free and strike the hooded aggressor hauling on her bag across the side of the head. The person stumbled, and a feminine voice let out a string of curses. Emboldened, Pine grabbed the hand holding her arm and twisted it. To the surprise of both Pine and her would-be captor, the hand was no match for Pine’s synadroid strength, and it rotated grotesquely on its wrist with a screech as she made the metal warp and buckle.
Pine had a moment of savage victory before her legs were kicked out from under her. She hit the ground hard, narrowly missing landing on her precious cargo. Two figures cast their shadows over her, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. Pine dug her fingers into the asphalt and hauled herself forward as she tried to get clear of the attackers and scramble to her feet. She had little experience with fighting, but she knew she had to keep moving.
A heavy foot slammed into the small of her back, pinning her to the ground, while another kicked the bag away from her grasp. “Grab it,” the owner of the foot hissed, and the other blocked Pine’s view of the bag as they stooped to pick it up.
“No!” Pine yelled again, and the boot lifted from her back and connected with her skull. The blow dazed her, but not enough to stop her from using her sudden freedom to lunge after the other attacker, who’d thrown the bag over their shoulder and was already a dozen steps away down the narrow corridor.
Pine tackled the fleeing thief, and they fell in a tangle onto the ground. Disorientated, Pine fumbled through layers of fabric, searching for her satchel. Both her and the prostrate attacker saw the bag at the same time, just a few feet away.
“Todd, the bag,” screamed the cloaked thief.
Todd? Pine’s surprise lasted only a second before her rage kicked in. She should’ve known. She was so stupid. Why else would two humans be so kind to a naïve synadroid they’d just met? They had no intention of helping her; they never had. They’d probably never even heard of Joseph. All they’d wanted to do was get her alone and rob her. And they’d picked their location perfectly—an unfamiliar place where everyone looked the other way and their prize could be sold to the highest bidder immediately. Well, they weren’t going to get away with it.
As Pine crawled toward the bag, trying to reach it before Todd did, Tabby’s hand closed around her ankle. The older woman was surprisingly strong, and Pine’s chin smashed into the concrete as she slipped. Screaming in frustration, she kicked her leg, trying to break free of the other woman’s grasp.
Todd pushed his hood back and grinned at Pine as he bent and retrieved the now-scuffed bag from the ground with his human hand. His archaic cyborg hand was twisted at the wrist, the fingers brushing uselessly against his forearm. His grin turned into a snarl, and he came and stood over Pine, brandishing his damaged limb in her face. “You’ll pay for this.”
The sliver of sky still visible over Pine’s head went dark. Todd’s face contorted first in confusion then fear as a much larger figure straddled Pine and grasped him around the throat.
James. He had come for her.
“Pine, run.” His voice was deadly calm, his face impassive; he didn’t even glance at her. Tabby lay on the ground behind him, out cold.
Pine scrambled to her feet and lurched away then spun and snatched the bag out of Todd’s frozen fingers. “James, I don’t— Where do I—”
“Forward, out the back of the market. Don’t stop, don’t look back. There’s a massive oak tree in an abandoned lot a mile beyond.” The muscle in his jaw jumped. “Wait for me there.”
With that, he drew his fist back and blocked out the sun.
When James saw Pine on the ground, the broken fingernails on her outstretched hand, his anger at her duplicity evaporated and a tsunami of wrath unlike anything he’d ever known surged inside him.
How dare they lay hands on her?
He’d been searching for her fo
r hours. After she’d escaped into the theater, James had tried to follow her, but his way had been blocked by the sudden materialization of a colossal bouncer, who’d ignored his explanations and entreaties with a bored stare. Harlequin’s coworkers, their mission accomplished, had wandered off, the lure of paying customers much more interesting.
James had paced outside, seething, lecturing Pine in his head and trying to think of some way, any way, to get it through her metal skull that his refusal hadn’t been about controlling her, but about protecting her. She didn’t know what kind of establishment this was. After half an hour passed, his frustration turned to concern. I knew this place was trouble.
But when patrons began to arrive for the early performance, James saw his chance.
“Excuse me, ma’am, have you seen a synadroid? She’s got black hair…” He described Pine to a woman wrapped from head to toe in luxurious white furs. When she shook her head, he moved on to the next. “How about you, sir? Have you—”
“Please stop bothering the customers.” The bouncer smiled at him through gritted teeth.
“Get me Harlequin and I will.” James raised himself to his full height, nearly a foot more than that of the hard man.
“I’ve already told you, I’m not—”
A man in an elegant brocade smoking jacket attempted to sidle through the doors behind them. “Sir, what about you? She’d be your type—”
The man tried to step past James, while surreptitiously glancing around him. The Red Dove had a reputation for being discreet and selective about its patrons. The Showman didn’t even advertise—visiting a synadroid bordello was still a gray area, and not one that most clients wanted to draw attention to.
Two guests approaching saw the disturbance and turned on their heels and walked away, exactly like James had hoped; his plan was working. Their retreat didn’t go unnoticed by the bouncer.
“Look—”
“Get. Me. Harlequin. Now. Unless you want me to take this from awkward to spectacle?” James raised an eyebrow. “I was a lieutenant. I’ve got a very good set of lungs.” It was a bluff. His lungs had been irreparably damaged by toxic smoke and ash, but the thug didn’t need to know that.
The doorman’s face twitched as he weighed his options. His head tilted as though a disembodied voice had whispered in his ear. “No, sir— Yes, but— Yes, sir.” He glared at James then lifted the lapel of his blazer to his mouth and spoke furiously into it.
Two minutes later, Harlequin came through the doors. She smiled sheepishly when she saw James.
“Harlequin, is there someone named Pine with you? This young man here is looking for her. And he won’t leave until he finds her.” His face was stony.
“No. I saw her come out of The Showman’s office then she was talking to a couple. After that, I’m not sure. Fantasia needed my help, and—”
“What did this couple look like?” If she wasn’t still in The Red Dove, the situation was far worse than he’d thought.
“Like a couple. They were older…the woman wore a sight-visor and the man had a metal arm. At least I think it was an arm. I’ve never seen one without skin on it.” She shuddered delicately.
“Damn,” James swore and glared at doorman. “You let them in here?” He knew the pair she was talking about all too well. They were notorious swindlers and cheats, and yet always seemed to be one step ahead of the law. But what interest could they possibly have in Pine? Synadroid-trafficking was too big a fish for them. “Do you have any idea what they wanted with her?”
“It’s not my habit to interrogate our customers,” the doorman said stiffly.
James ignored him. “If she’s with them, she’s in trouble.” They might not hurt her, but they’d happily turn a blind eye for the right price. He paused before the door, his mind in turmoil.
Why in the world would she have gone with them? She couldn’t stand humans at the best of times, and to go off with two strangers, knowing he was waiting outside? She’s willful and angry with me, but she’s not stupid. They must’ve offered her something important. But what could be that important to her?
Then it hit him. Was she trying to escape? He wouldn’t put it past her.
“The Showman gave her something.” A frown creased Harlequin’s painted face.
“What? What did he give her?”
“I don’t know. Some kind of equipment. I saw it when she dropped it and—
James was already half a block away. He knew exactly where she was. Where else would someone go if they were dodgy as hell and had a bagful of expensive tech?
Unease broiled in the pit of his stomach. The Field was definitely not a safe place for Pine. If she thought going there would help her escape, she was mistaken. He had to find her, before the wrong person did.
I’m coming, Pine. I’m coming for you. He didn’t dare think about what might happen if he didn’t make it in time.
***
But he had. Barely.
As Pine took off running, the bag of precious components flying behind her, James tightened his grip around Todd’s throat. This man had hurt Pine. Now James was going to hurt him.
“What are you doing?” the captive man clawed at James’s hands as he tried to break free. “This has nothing to do with you.”
“Oh, but it does,” James replied coldly. “That synadroid you were beating? She belongs to Joseph Polendina.” When the man didn’t react, James squeezed harder. “But you knew that, didn’t you?” Why bring her here? What had they planned to do with her once they’d stolen her goods? Ransom her? Joseph wasn’t rich. So it had to be something worse. His hand continued to close like a vise.
Todd gasped, a wet rattle in his chest. Careful, James. Don’t go too far. Or you’ll be no help to Pine. James shook him once then threw him to the ground. A consummate coward, Todd stayed down.
James glared over his shoulder at Tabby’s prone body. “This isn’t the end. For either of you.” He stalked away in the direction he’d told Pine to run, determined to find her and get her to safety.
His world went dark.
***
James woke up on the outskirts of the market. His head throbbed, and when he raised his fingers to the back of it, they came away slippery with blood. More was caked on the side of his face, and one of his molars was loose.
He sat up and groaned as the world swam before his eyes. What the hell happened? He’d been tracking Pine when something had rushed at him. A person. A man wearing a blue-checked shirt.
Pine. No. No. No. I have to find her.
How much time had passed? Judging by the lengthening shadows, he’d been out for nearly an hour. James needed to find her before it got dark. He staggered as he climbed to his feet, his head pulsing violently.
He could only hope they hadn’t caught up to her. And that she’d listened to him for once and gone to the tree like she was supposed to. He’d start there. After that, well—
She’ll be there. Don’t think about it, just go.
It took him less than ten minutes to skirt the market at a full run and find the empty lot he’d directed her to. He was almost afraid to look. What he would do if she wasn’t there?
But she was.
Hanging by a noose from the lowest branch of the tree, her body twisting slowly in the air.
No, no, no.
Her head was bowed, her eyes closed. She’d been badly beaten, large scraps of skin torn from her face and limbs. Ugly horseflies landed on her exposed flesh before flying away, disinterested in her bloodless offering.
James nearly vomited.
No human could’ve survived what they’d done to her.
But Pine’s not human.
She might still be alive. She had to be. He sprinted to her and wrapped his arms around her body, trying to lift her and slacken the noose.
What are you doing? It’s not like she needs to breathe. The damage is done.
But still he held on. Maybe she could feel him, would know she was safe now.
“Pine?”
She didn’t answer. That doesn’t mean anything. She may have shut herself down. James swore. There was no way to tell if she was alive. They’d given synadroids emotions, so why couldn’t they have gone the whole mile and made them breathe as well?
I’ll be having a word with Joseph about that oversight.
The thought was giddy, wild. He needed to calm down and focus. It wasn’t like him to be so frenetic; his years of training had made sure of that.
Breathe and focus. You’re not going to help her this way.
He took a shuddering breath and examined the rope they’d used to lynch her. It was made of thick fiber—there was no way he’d be able to untie her.
I’ve got nothing on me. He’d rushed after her without a second thought, totally unprepared. A laugh that was more of a yell burst from his lips. He’d been in such a hurry that he hadn’t even called Joseph.
Joseph.
The thought of Joseph was like a steadying hand. One foot in front of the other. He had to be going out of his mind by now. What was this going to do to the old man? Keeping one arm around her, James yanked his transcomm from his pocket, willing the dark screen to give him the answer. When it lit up, nearly a dozen missed alerts from Joseph scrolled across the display. James was about to hit reply when he had a better idea.
He tightened his arm around Pine’s waist. Please let her feel it. Let her know I’m here, that I’ve come for her.
He lifted his transcomm to his mouth and spoke into it.
“Private line, 1883. Blue Fairy.”
Pine floated, her arms adrift, her body weightless. Hair caressed her face as she spun slowly in place, cocooned in the weight of her beloved water.
Home at last.
A shadow passed over her head, plunging her into a murky gloom.
It must be a boat. Maybe a cruise ship.
Something dark coiled around her legs and began to pull her down. She tried to draw her legs to her chest, but whatever held her fast tightened its grip.