“You’re such a sap Ari.” I raised my head as Eli walked over to me, eyebrows raised. I was feeding a squirrel some peanuts out of my hand, laughing every time his paw touched my palm.
“Why? Because I’m doing something nice?” I sprinkled some more peanuts in my hand, grinning as the little creature’s eyes widened and he began grabbing as many as he could hold. Eli shook his head, watching.
“He can fend for himself. He’s a wild animal Ari. Not meant for you to play with.” There was an undercurrent of something in his voice, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I turned back to the squirrel, loving the way his fluffy tail flicked to the side every now and then.
“It’s making him happy Eli. It’s hardly a crime.” I kept my eyes on the animal in front of me until I heard Eli sigh and walk away, his feet crunching across the grass. We agreed on most things, but we always seemed to come to blows when it came to animals. He saw them from a strictly biological point of view; he wanted to know why they acted the way they did. I wanted to help them. I finished the bag of peanuts, emptying the last few crumbs into my hand. When he was finished, the squirrel put both his paws in my palm, blinking up at me, his nose twitching. I laughed and shook my head.
“Sorry buddy, they’re all gone.” He seemed to consider me for a few more seconds then scampered away. I stood up, brushing leaves off my knees and turned back towards the house. Eli was stood at the kitchen window, frowning at me. I ignored him.
I woke from the dream as the train stuttered to a stop in a station. The carriage was a little busier now, a low hum of voices drifting across the seats. Immediately, I opened the backpack, suddenly afraid Pip wouldn’t be there. He was. He pulled his nose from under my jumper and blinked, disgruntled. I suppressed a smile at how human he seemed sometimes. It was just like the squirrel, in a way. I checked my phone, turning off the alarm that was about to sound. A couple of hours of sleep was better than nothing.
***
St Pancras International – Gare Du Nord: 3hrs 15 mins.
Up until this point, I’d managed to avoid most of the people by picking the most deserted carriage; because of the time of day, they’d not been very busy. But I didn’t have that option on the Eurostar. I’d also forgotten that I would have to go through security. In line for the bag scanner, I chewed my bottom lip, eyes darting. If I put my backpack through the scanner, Pip would be discovered in an instant. I needed a distraction. The security line was quite busy, so I was willing to bet that they would already be stressed. I just needed to add to the mix. As I neared the front of the queue, I made sure to increase my limp on my injured leg. Then, as I was motioned forward to put my stuff in a tray, I stumbled forward, crying out. Immediately, the attendant ran towards me.
“Ma’am? Ma’am are you okay?!” He crouched down in front of me. Since my leg really did hurt after hitting the floor, a few tears came easily. I gasped a couple of sobs for good effort,
“N-no I can’t walk, my leg…” I trailed off, glancing at my leg. He looked too, so I continued, “I have a recently stitched wound and I think it may have just split open.” His face went a little white as his head whipped around, looking for another member of staff. “Can you- could you take me to a seat?” I wheezed, wincing for effect. He nodded, helping me up. “Oh! My suitcase.” I glanced over to where I had abandoned it.
“It’s okay. We can have someone take that through security for you. If you’d just come this way…” he took my elbow and began to lead me to a seating area, away from the main area. I could see the route through security from here, a separate section that wasn’t in use today. As I lowered myself onto the seat he stepped back, “I’m going to get one of our members of staff who can help you. Just stay here.” He hurried off, talking quickly into his radio. As he disappeared, I opened my backpack, pulling Pip out. I had no idea if this would work, but I had no other option at this point. He’d understood me before. I placed him on the floor, hoping the member of staff didn’t come back.
“Run through there” I pointed to the empty security area, “And wait.” Pip looked over to the area and back at me.
Please understand me. I don’t know how you’ve done it before, but I really need you to do it now.
After a couple of seconds, he squeaked and darted under the chairs, just in time for two members of staff to round the corner. The guy who’d helped me over here was talking to an older female staff member who was holding a first aid kit. They both smiled as they stopped in front of me.
“I hear you’re having some issues with a wound on your leg?” her voice was kind, matching her smile and I felt bad for deceiving them. I nodded, wincing as she knelt down and felt my leg. As she rolled the leg of my jeans up, I took a deep breath and screamed. They both immediately crowded around me. From the corner of my eye I saw Pips fluffy tail disappear into the empty security area. A smile flickered across my face. The medic unwound the bandage on my leg, eyes widening as she took in the weeping wound. “That looks… pretty dramatic.” She finished, gingerly prodding the area. Some blood trickled out around the stitches. “I’ll give you something to numb the pain honey.” I nodded. The guy had turned away, his face incredibly pale. Soon enough I was rebandaged and helped through security, my backpack flying through with no issues. As soon as I was through, I veered to the right, finding the exit from the separate security area and slumping down by it. I pushed my backpack onto its side, making sure the flap was open and pretended to be engrossed in my phone. Less than a minute later, Pip scurried into the backpack. I left the bag open for a few more moments, making sure I didn’t make eye contact with the security guard who wandered past. Once he’d gone, I lifted my bag back up and closed the top, whispering to Pip through the ventilation,
“Well done, buddy.”
Now to hope the whole plan didn’t fall to pieces at the other end.
***
Gare de l’Est – Karlsruhe Hbf: 2hrs 30 mins
I felt human for the first time in days. After the Eurostar had arrived in Gare Du Nord, luckily with no one sat next to me, I found a cheap hotel for the night. I’d bought some water and food and shoved the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door. As soon as it was locked, I’d let Pip out. He jumped onto my lap, nudging my hand to get me to stroke his head. After that he’d scampered around the room, darting under the bed and back out. I sat in the middle, grinning as he jumped over my legs. He didn’t seem any worse for wear after our escapades. I, on the other hand, was exhausted. I fed him some tinned fish, wrinkling my nose at the smell, and gave him a bowl of water before climbing into the bed, asleep almost before my head hit the pillow.
When I’d managed to get my eyes open some six hours later, I found Pip curled up at the end of the bed, head resting on my feet. He jumped up as soon as I did, chattering non-stop. My mind drifted back to St Pancras, and countless times before that, where he’d seemed to understand me perfectly. In his notes back in Kincraig, I’d read that he had evolved advanced communication skills, but they hadn’t written anything else down. Curious, I sat down in front of him, waiting until he was calm, watching me closely.
“Pip.” His head tilted, “Go to the backpack.” He turned and walked over to where the backpack was laying, strewn on its side. “Go into the backpack.” Immediately he disappeared inside it. I watched in amazement. I didn’t know whether it was the genetic modifications or the training my brother had been doing with him, but he understood everything I was saying. I called him back out and he hurried over to me, jumping into my lap. We stayed like that until I realised we had a train to catch in half an hour and it was still a ten-minute walk to the new station. I powered to the station, glad my leg was still pleasantly numb and, for possibly the first time in my life, found the platform with time to spare.
The train itself was smaller than the previous ones, with spacious seats. I’d grabbed the first pair I’d seen, nerves beginning to curl in my stomach as I realised I would be in Freiburg today. Maybe even find Eli today.
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***
Karlsruhe Hbf – Freiburg: 1hr
The final train before Freiburg.
I sat down, barely able to stay still. All of the seats in this train seemed to be blocks of four. I picked the one furthest away from the doors, hoping no one would sit this far down the carriage. Unfortunately, about half way through the journey, a pair of trainers appeared next to me. I looked up to see a middle-aged man in a suit with bushy eyebrows staring at me. He motioned to the seat across from me and I nodded; I couldn’t really say no. I tried to close the flap of the bag, clicking the buckle into place without really looking. He placed his shoulder bag on the window seat and folded himself into the chair, his feet almost touching mine. I tucked my knees in, praying that Pip would stay quiet, like he’d done for most of the journey. As the train pulled away from the station, the clicking noise of the tracks disguising most of the background noise in the carriages, I relaxed my shoulders. I only had half an hour to go. After avoiding security and sneaking an otter around stations in four different countries, I couldn’t let this all go to pot now.
The train moved along smoothly for the next 15 minutes. I pulled my notebook out, doodling in the margins of one of the pages. I could see the man look up every now and then to study me, but he never said anything. As we were approaching the final station before my stop, I began to put everything away, securing the various pockets. The train pulled into the penultimate station, but instead of the smooth glide to a stop that had accompanied every previous station, it juddered, sending my backpack flying forwards. I flung my hands out to stop it, feeling Pip scrabble against the sides as the sharp motion threw him about. As he was forced back against the seat, he let out a quiet squeak. I froze, holding my breath. The man looked at me, one eyebrow raised in confusion. His hands were on his own bag, saving it from falling to the floor. I shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. Pip stayed silent now, the train at a standstill. After a couple of seconds of heavy scrutiny, the man looked away. I removed my hands from around my backpack, letting it settle back into the seat, but I couldn’t relax. For the last ten minutes of the journey, I was on edge. I could see his eyes flick to the backpack every minute or so, eyebrows furrowed as he studied it. As soon as the train announced Freiburg I stood up, carefully manoeuvring my backpack onto my back and grabbing my suitcase, beginning the walk down the train to the doors. When I’d reached them, I looked back. He hadn’t moved, but he was still watching me. I turned away, my hand clenched around the handle of my suitcase. As soon as the doors opened, I jumped off the train, not looking back until I walked out of the station and into the afternoon sun. Then, and only then, did I let myself smile.
I’d made it. I was here and I was one step closer to finding Eli.
Part Three
Germany
Chapter 12
I left the hotel room with a backwards glance at Pip who was curled up on one of the single beds; I’d told him to stay quiet and stay put and in response he’d gone to sleep, which I guess fulfilled both of those criteria. The hallway was deserted, the drab carpeting softening the impact of my boots as I clomped along. I’d managed to snag a quick nap before heading back out since I didn’t know how long it was going to be until I got to sleep again. The reception clerk nodded at me on my way out and I smiled a hello. Hopefully they would respect the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign, otherwise they were going to get a fluffy surprise.
Once outside, I marvelled again at the town I’d found myself in. The streets underfoot were cobbled, shining with the light mist of rain that was falling. Everywhere I looked I felt like I’d fallen into a fairy tale; the houses painted in baby blues, delicate pinks, sunny yellows and deep reds overlooked by trickling fountains. Spires reached up into the watercolour sky, decorated with grinning gargoyles. Every so often the bubble would be broken by a tram quietly making its way through the old streets, slicing apart the crowds of people. If you looked above the houses and the churches, it seemed as though Freiburg was nestled into a mountain side, the lush green of endless trees circling the town. I couldn’t help but wander for the first few minutes, my eyes drawn to each new thing, as I navigated my way down the streets. I stopped by the edge of a canal, leaning over the wrought iron fencing. Around me buildings painted the landscape, ivy climbing and snaking its way across brickwork. It was impossible to equate this beautiful town with GAI. Sighing, I stepped back from the canal, pulling up the map I’d saved on my phone.
The town itself was almost directly in the valley of two mountains on its Eastern side. Initially I’d panicked about where to start my search, since GAI could have gone in any direction from the centre of Freiburg, but once I’d pulled up the satellite imagery, I was almost positive they would have headed out to the East. The North and the West only had small smatterings of trees, bordered by more towns and villages and the South, although it led into mountain and woodland eventually, it was a fair trek from Freiburg itself, so I’d decided to concentrate my search on the Eastern side. There was a major road feeding through the two mountains and a couple of small towns on the edges of the woodland. Deciding I should just get started, I made my way through the streets of Freiburg, passing through the botanical garden until I got to the first trail, Waltersbergweg. I’d been trying to think like an evil company of scientists, and I figured they would want some kind of running water source near the lab, as well as the cover of a lot of trees. Almost parallel to the trail was a creek, Glasbach, the first of many creeks in the area I’d decided to start with.
Securing my backpack onto my shoulder, I set off on the trail. The ground underfoot was soft, the drizzle pervading through the dense canopy of trees. All around me I could hear animals and birds, rustling in leaves and scurrying in the undergrowth. Every so often, I would stop, and the noise seemed to stop with me. The forest itself was huge, the sunlight filtering through to leaves of the trees in dappled waves, warming the air around me. I could barely see through the foliage, keeping my eyes fixed on the trail instead. When the tree cover broke, every now and then, I could hear the trickle of what I hoped was Glasbach. I didn’t really know what I was looking for as I trudged further and further into the Black Forest; some kind of indication that a lot of people had been in one place, I guess. Eventually the trail ran out. Up ahead I could see an indent in the trees, clearly made by hikers who’d decided to go off road. I grabbed my bug spray out of my bag and quickly sprayed myself. The last thing I wanted was to get bitten. I tucked my jeans into my socks to try and avoid any ticks and set off into the treeline. This impromptu trail was definitely not going to be easy. Leaves and sticks crunched underfoot as I clambered over some fallen tree trunks and shimmied round rocks. The small compass I’d picked up in Scotland was keeping me in a vaguely straight line but, besides the knowledge that I was heading in a vaguely NE direction, I was lost.
How am I ever going to find this lab? It’s useless. It could be anywhere, like literally anywhere. I’d have as much luck blindly throwing a rock.
I kicked a small rock, half wondering if I should actually pick it up and throw it. The deeper I got into the forest, the damper it became, the air clinging to me in droplets, my hair stuck to my forehead like a soggy crown. I lost track of how long I’d been walking, just trudging on hoping that somewhere up ahead I would find another trail or people. After what felt like hours, the forest seemed to thin a bit again, opening up so I could breathe without getting pine needles up my nose.
Maybe this means there’s another trail coming up.
I ploughed forwards, somehow finding some enthusiasm, even though most of my body was aching. I’d applied a fair amount of numbing cream to my leg before setting out this morning, which meant it was the only part of me that wasn’t aching. After a few more minutes of walking, I started to hear voices drifting through the bark of the trees. I picked up the pace, tripping over tree roots and moving low hanging branches out of my way. The crush of trees suddenly opened up completely, a clear path leading to what appeared t
o be a field. At the very least, I needed to sit down. Sweating, I broke through the tree line and out into the open space, stopping short as I realised that I’d reached some kind of picnic area. A few people looked up as I appeared, but most continued eating, their chattering filling the air of the small space with ease. In the centre of the groups of people was a huge tower that broke through the tops of the trees. It seemed to be made of metal, an internal stairway exposed through the white painted structure. At the top I could see a family, a small child jumping up to point at something in the distance.
Under Loch and Key Page 18