With Civil Hearts and Hands: A DHB Story

Chapter 13: Moonlight

Samuel shrugged out of his jacket, hanging it up on the rack beside his door, then slipped out of his shoes. He breathed a small sigh, pushing away the desperate need for a restful stasis. He hadn't had one of those in months, with everything else going on. Too many things gnawed at him.

As he walked entered the living room of his small apartment in the aboveground sector of Zion, he felt a small sense of unease. It was dark in the apartment, and Samuel's night vision module had yet to activate.

"Hello, Samuel." A voice sounded from behind him.

Samuel whirled around, raising his arms defensively in front of him as he noticed a figure leaning against the wall, positioned so that they were out of sight when Samuel entered.

"You're being followed, you know." The figure clicked his tongue in disapproval. "You really ought to be more careful."

Samuel narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

"Oh, no one important." The figure peeled away from the wall, stepping toward Samuel. "Just an...interested party. The Elk sends his regards, by the way."

Samuel's thirium pump plummeted at the name. "What are you doing here?" he hissed. "You could blow my cover!"

"Don't worry, little rat." The figure held up a white object. "I already took care of the problem." He tossed the object.

Reflexively, Samuel caught it. As he stared into the empty eye sockets of an android head, his thirium pump jolted, respiratory system malfunctioning, and he dropped it. He stumbled backward, crashing into a side table.

"Are you insane?!" Samuel pointed to the head. "When she finds out he's dead, Jinx is going to know something's up. I know they already suspect me of being involved with the missing androids, so this is going to make me look even worse!" He ran his fingers through his hair, feeling his stress levels rise as he began pacing. "She's going to tell Clara, and they're going to kick me out. Then the Elk is going to kill me!" He glared at the figure, voice loud and harsh. "And then he's going to kill you for exposing me like this!"

The figure folded his arms across his chest, apparently not understanding the gravity of their situation. Then he burst into quiet laughter. "Oh, relax Sammy. Don't take everything so seriously." He quieted, voice casual. "It was a joke. That's one of the androids you so generously connected us with in the first round. The one following you is fine. They just decided to take a little...nap. Nothing they'll remember when they wake up. Your cover is fine, and no one knows I'm here. After all, the Elk would hate to lose such a...valuable asset."

Samuel breathed a small sigh of relief, feeling his stress levels drop marginally. "Then what are you doing here?"

"I need information." The figure crossed the room, settling onto Samuel's couch. He propped his feet up, carelessly smudging dirt onto the fabric.

Samuel stifled the irritation budding in his chest. "Information about what?"

"Not what. Who." The figure folded his arms across his chest. "There's a woman here, a human woman. Dr. Clara Hayes. I believe you're familiar with her. What do you know?"

"I'm sure you have access to the Elk's information." He couldn't keep the scorn out of his voice. "Why don't you just look there?"

The figure chuckled, tilting his head. "Oh my dear Sammy. You think I haven't? Do your own search, and tell me what you find."

Samuel bristled at the condescension, clenching his jaw. He didn't bother running a search, knowing it wouldn't be helpful. Clara was quite adept at censoring any publicly available information around her, but surely the Elk would have more, right?