Redemption

Redemption Part 34

The hexagon was packed. The demonstration from my first day here paled in comparison. People jammed together from one end to the other, a colorful array jostling in the sunlight. Some of them held handmade signs. From the open windows of the car, I could hear a constant roar from their collective voices.

"We won't be able to land in this crowd," said Sym. "Too bad we don't have our skyriders."

I checked my com. "It looks like... yes, he's on the edge."

"Maybe we can get to him there."

As we descended toward the hexagon opposite March Headquarters, I could make out what the crowd was chanting. It was also painted on some of the signs.

"Justice for Tune!"

A jolt shot through my heart.

Tune. The little girl who had been killed in the riot. Not by the crowd, but by us. By a rogue actor, someone worse than Aura, my cousin Ray. But he'd ordered something that should never have been allowed in the first place—Ms firing live lasers indiscriminately at human beings. As if these people didn't matter, just because they were in prison. But now they were showing they did matter, in incredible force. It looked like half of Q was here—which could be, as there were about 200,000 total. I didn't blame them in the least. I wanted justice for Tune. But Ray wouldn't be punished—at least, not in any way close to how a regular citizen would be punished if they killed someone, especially someone as innocent as a little girl.

The taxi settled down in an alley, which a few people spilled into. I didn't want to go into that crowd. Under any normal circumstances, I'd be flying above it. But Shock, Dazzle's cousin, wasn't very far into it. I doubted Dazzle would risk going into such a crowd, so maybe we should just wait on the side and follow him when he came out. We could track him with my com.

I felt a sort of sympathy with him. If he was here, that meant he cared, at least a little bit, and wasn't one of those Nobles who felt superior and stayed above it all. Maybe that's why he and Dazzle had broken up; he was too different from her. Maybe that meant he could be an ally instead of an adversary....

Sym and Sol climbed out and I was about to follow them to tell them my plan when my com pinged. Vy's symbol, a violet with a lightning bolt in the center. I touched it.

"Hey," said Vy, voice only. I could only just hear it above the crowd, so I shut the car's windows. "The crowd is getting pretty restless; we're thinking it's time to break it up. About the only diversion strong enough to do that is—well, you. Sorry about that. Probably the last time. You're risking yourself enough on the ground without throwing crazed fans into the mix. These people are...getting out of hand."

"They look pretty peaceful to me."

"Yes, well, it only takes one for the dam to break. We don't want another...incident."

"You mean, where the little girl was killed?"

"That was a regrettable accident and Ray is being punished. A little girl should've never been targeted—but she should never have been at such a demonstration in the first place. Who knows how many kids will get trampled if this crowd stampedes. Better get out there. Just the edge of the crowd will do, so enough people will see Lacy catch you and spread the news."

"We're kind of in the middle of something." I didn't relish the thought of getting caught by a fake Dazzle yet again.

"You can easily catch up with Shock later. Good idea, in theory, but we've been watching him ourselves and haven't seen anything suspicious. Beyond him participating in this riot. Won't hurt to have another pair of eyes, though."