Redemption

Redemption Part 29

The sun, sinking past the silhouetted buildings, shimmered in the haze of Desolation. I felt a little better, out in the air, but something trembled inside me.

I'd seen three people die today. I'd only seen death in holos before, and that mostly fake. And I'd seen a man tortured and been beaten up myself...

Sol looked about as shaken as I felt, and even Sym's face was weary and solemn with a hint of desperation in her eyes.

One more task. And then we could go home.

With all my heart, I wished it were my real home in the Spire. But at least I'd be able to see Sabra at the Savannahs'. After we gave the secret to Dusk, we'd still have to use his secret to look for Dazzle. But we could do that tomorrow.

Sym called a taxi and in a few minutes, one landed on the road. When Lacy tried to get in, the taxi said, "Capacity full. Please take another vehicle." She inched her way into the cab before the doors slid shut, but the taxi wouldn't take off. "Capacity full. Warning. Please take another vehicle."

"Sometimes it does that," said Lacy. "Usually when there are two or more of us. Don't worry. I'll just fly."

Lacy followed us as we lifted off the ground. I ordered the taxi to take us to Dusk's headquarters and we flew over the city, glittering with a million fragments of sun.

I checked Essim's data. It had quite a few details about Hale's plans of attack. He intended to hit multiple targets. Even to me, it didn't seem all that sophisticated, and I doubted Hale would succeed in the face of Dusk's superior might. But it was good information, and I didn't think Dusk would reject it.

A sick feeling clutched my stomach. I should be happy. But I hated the thought of getting closer to Dazzle.

It's for Sym and Sol, I told myself. And my freedom, too.

"Something's wrong," said Sym.

"What is it?" I said.

"We're still in Hale's district."

"The taxi must be malfunctioning," said Sol. "We'd better get another one."

"I hate the idea of stopping in Hale's territory, especially with the information we have. Let's try rerouting it first."

"Taxi," I said. "Take us to Dusk's headquarters."

The taxi kept following the yellow point on the map on its dashboard.

"You don't think—he knows?" said Sym.

"Who knows?"

"We were in Hale's territory, after all. Taxis are owned by the syndicates."

"And he's taking us to his headquarters...." A chill spread through me.

"That's not where it's taking us," said Sol, pointing at the map.

"Where?" said Sym.

Sol paled. "It looks like...home."

"You mean—your home?"

"The Sojourner district. Where Hale's territory and ours overlaps."

"Why would it take us there?"

"I...don't know...." He looked out the window. "Where's Lacy?"

"What?" I said.

"I don't see her."

"Maybe she's invisible. Usually she notifies me first. She wouldn't abandon us. And nothing can stop an M." Although...something could. I had incapacitated Peri, after all... But that usually would make more Ms arrive, unless you disabled their warning system.... And only a March could do that.