"See you later, Gran."
"Homework done?" she asked. "Tomorrow's a school day."
"I don't have much. I'll finish it when I get home. I promise."
"I'm holding you to that. Now go on, you two, so you can get back." She shooed us out the door. "And be careful."
"I'm always careful," I said.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Oberon, she's with me."
We goofed around while waiting for the elport. Wei demonstrated a headlock on me and then showed me how to break away if someone grabbed my arm. We were downstairs before I managed to free myself from her grasp by jerking through the thumb side of the hold. "Keep practicing," she said. "You'll get it eventually." I wasn't so sure of that.
Outside it was bleak and gray. The sky spat hard little balls of white that bounced off the concrete. Automatically, I scanned the street for Ed's green trannie. Nothing.
"I'm not ready for snow. I hate being cold." I pulled my gloves on. "Is your dad back from Amsterdam yet?"
"No-tonight. You want to walk or take a trans?"
"Let's walk. I need to toughen up to the weather." I was envious that the cold didn't seem to bother Wei at all.
We'd gone two blocks when the wind picked up and the sleet pellets turned to snow, soft and flat, falling faster and thicker. "Maybe we should take a trans," I said. "I can toughen up later."
We braced our backs against the wind gusts and waited for the number 33. I noticed a green trannie idling at the corner; I nudged Wei, nodding in its direction.
"Get in that doorway," she said. "I'll be right back."
I was so intent on watching her that I didn't notice that another green trannie had pulled up in the alley behind me until it was too late. Ed's hand was over my mouth and he'd twisted my arm behind my back before I knew what was happening. Wei turned around in time to see him force me into his transport.
Quick as she was, Ed was quicker. He pulled out into traffic before she could reach us. I pounded on the door, but it wouldn't open while we were moving-damn safety devices. I was trapped. I swallowed the urge to scream, forcing myself to turn and face him.
"Let me out," I demanded. No way would I let him know how scared I was. I'd seen the damage he'd done to Ginnie. I was sure he wouldn't hesitate to hurt me if it served his purpose. And at last I knew what his purpose was: Dee's baby book. He needed me to get that. My heart quailed, but my resolve stood firm.
"Not even going to say hello?" He smirked. "That's the least you could do-show some respect to the man who supported you for the last ten years."
"Supported me?" I couldn't disguise the sarcasm in my voice. "You never gave me anything at all."
"Well, I'll give you something now." He backhanded me across the mouth. The pain was sharp and sudden. I tasted blood. I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I felt a fury boil up inside me-ready to explode.
He watched me, his eyes hard and soulless. "And here's something for the knee you gave me last time we met." His closed fist slammed into my face.
I actually felt my brain rattle in my head and shooting pain spread from my hairline to my chin. Little silver dots floated in my line of vision and my rage turned to nausea. It took everything I had just to stay conscious, but I knew I had to if I was going to escape.
"I think we're even now," he said. "Let's get down to business. You have something I want. A book. I wasn't sure what until your blond girlfriend practically waved it under my nose the other night."
I thought my head would explode. How Ginnie survived all the times he'd done this to her, I didn't know. I murmured, no words, just sound.
"I'm not one for making deals, but I'm feeling generous today. I'm finally going to show them. All of them." He glanced into the rearview and gave a self-satisfied smile. "So, Nina, how do you like this: you give me the book, or I make sure you're chosen for FeLS. I heard your contract disappeared. Shame. And to make the deal even sweeter, while you're out there in training, Dee will have to come and live with me. No doubt she'll want to stay forever. That's how Cinderella girls are ... so I've heard."
"I ..." I stalled, pretending I was still dazed while I scanned the dash in front of me, looking for something I might use to get away. His trannie had a chiller, just like the one in Rita's. I wondered ...
Snow was falling faster now and the streets were getting slick. Even though trannies hover about a foot above the pavement, their tractor system relies on sonic contact between the vehicle and the ground; I'd learned that in Mechanical Science. I'd also learned that if a transport isn't winterized, you can be in for a slippery ride.
Ahead of us, directly in our path, three trannies had swerved to miss a transit that had stalled.
"Stupid-ass drivers!" Ed eased up on the accelerator, his attention leaving me for a moment and focusing on the road. That's when I saw my chance.
I pressed the chiller button and out burst a Sparkle-just like I'd hoped. I shook it, aimed, and popped the top-exploding the sweet, sticky liquid right into Ed's face.
"You goddamn little bitch!" He smacked both hands to his face, frantically wiping his eyes, trying to get the carbonated soda out of them. He spluttered and cursed, momentarily blinded.
Reaching over, I jerked the steering wheel, causing our trannie to plow into the back of a transit. His side of the transport crumpled and my door automatically flew open. I bolted, skidding and slipping on the snowy streets, not daring to look back. People jumped out of my way as I raced blindly on. My sides were splitting and my lungs screamed for air, but I kept on running. I didn't know how long I ran, but I didn't stop until my legs refused to go any farther.
Crouched in an alley behind a stack of wooden crates, I called Wei.
"Where are you?" she cried. "I'm with Sal and Derek. We didn't know what to do to find you."
"I. Got. Away." My breath came quick, shallow and painful. "I don't know where I am. On the south side somewhere ... I think."
I strained to see through the swirling snow, looking for anything that might be familiar. I saw a transit sign outside the alley. It was for the number 47 line.
"I'll get to Union Station," I said. "Meet me there."
I skulked in the doorway of a nearby building, not venturing out into the open until I heard the transit approach. As I scanned my pass, the driver gave me a funny look. The trans lurched forward and I stumbled down the aisle. A woman put a package she was holding down on the empty seat beside her as I approached, so I took the seat behind her, sliding over by the window. The pain in my face had settled into a dull throbbing. I hesitated before touching my lip; it was swollen and crusted with blood. I automatically reached up to brush the hair out of my eye. A little cry escaped when I bumped my cheek. The woman in front of me half turned in my direction. I put my head down to avoid her glance.
I skimmed my fingers along my cheek-I could tell it was swollen, too. No wonder the driver and the woman had stared; I bet I looked awful. By pulling the collar of my jacket up and letting my hair fall over my face, I was able to partially conceal my injuries. I didn't want to draw any more attention to myself than I already had.
The few people brave enough to be out were merely dark apparitions in the driving snowstorm. It took an eternity to get to Union Station. The familiarity of the worn marble floors and wooden benches was somehow reassuring. I sat down, facing the front, waiting for my friends.
When they finally got there, I tried to keep Sal from seeing my face. But it didn't work.
"What-?" He lifted up my hair. Then he spun around and slammed his fist into a wooden pillar.
We all heard the familiar whir of a security cam changing direction, to focus on the disturbance he'd made.
"Control yourself," Wei whispered to him. "We don't need any cops showing up."
"I'll kill him," he muttered between clenched teeth.
"Sal ... don't." I laid a hand on his arm. "I'm okay."
"Okay?" he practically shouted, pointing at my face. "That is not okay!" He looked at Wei. "Do something." Then back at me. "Does it hurt?"
"Of course it hurts, pigeon brain," Wei said, exasperated. "Come on." She took my arm. "Let's get out of view of that thing and get you cleaned up. Don't do anything stupid," she said to Sal. "Wait right here. Derek-watch him."
"I'll kill him," Sal repeated under his breath. "When I find him, I'll kill him."
"You'll do no such thing," Wei said. "We need to talk to my parents. They'll know what to do, and who to go to in order to get it done."
Derek, who'd been standing there staring at me the whole time, finally spoke. "We'll go outside. Sal needs to cool off. And, Nina ... red is not your color."
I thought about smiling, but even the thought hurt.
Wei dragged me off to the bathroom. Nothing could've prepared me for my reflection. I hardly recognized the girl staring back at me. My lips were swollen, way beyond collagen-pumped, and bloody. My entire left cheek was as big as an orange and bright red to boot. I had to touch it to make sure it was really me.
Wei dabbed at the blood from around my lips.
"Ouch!"
"Sorry." She continued cleaning my face with wet tissues. "I'm trying to be careful."
A couple of white-haired ladies entered and peered at us suspiciously. I wondered if they were security-you could never tell.
"My friend slipped and fell on the steps outside," Wei said. "Looks awful, doesn't it?"
They obviously weren't security or we would've been questioned on the spot. Wei's explanation brought out the grandmother in both of them. One dug around in her purse and offered up a couple of Band-Aids. The other handed me a bottle of OTC pain meds.
"Keep them, dearie." She gently patted my hand. "I have plenty more at home. Government issue, don't you know." She winked at me.
We thanked them and they left. But not before making dire predictions about how much worse I would look and feel in the morning.
Wei doctored up my lip with the Band-Aids and I swallowed a couple of the pills.
She stood back, surveying her handiwork. "That looks a little better. I can't do anything for the bruising, though. That's going to take a major makeup job or some of Mom's concoctions."
"Great story about me falling on the slick steps. I think Gran will buy it, too. I can be a real klutz sometimes. I can't tell her what really happened. I don't want her worrying about me every time I leave the house."
"No, I'll be the one doing that now." Wei's hands were firmly set on her hips.
"Oh ... you want me to check in with you before I go anywhere?" I mimicked holding my PAV receiver. "Wei, this is Nina, I'm leaving for school. Wei, this is Nina, I'm going to the store for Gran. Wei, this is Nina, I'm going to the bathroom. Oh, wait-that's not outside, is it?"
We both started laughing, which wasn't too bright on my part. "Ouch, ouch!" I grabbed at my face, tears trickling down my cheeks. "I really can't laugh."
We finished up and went outside where the guys were waiting.
"Nina, are you all right? I will make sure he regrets he ever laid a hand on you ..." Sal said. I knew he would, if he had the chance. I even fantasized for a second that he, or someone, would "take care" of Ed.
"So much for a day at the zoo," Wei said.
"I need to get home." The pain pills hadn't kicked in yet, and I was exhausted, plus I was feeling nauseous again. "Ed wanted the book. The accident looked bad, but if he was able to get to the apartment ..." Images of Ed terrorizing Gran and Pops came to me and my stomach churned. I ran back to the restroom, making it just in time before throwing up. I fought the vision of Pops trying to defend Gran and Dee against Ed. Pops wouldn't stand a chance.
Wei'd followed me in. "Come on, Nina. We'll get you home. Ed's trannie slid into a transit, right?"
I nodded.
"Even if Ed wasn't hurt, he'd be tied up with CTA investigators for hours."
We went back outside to where the guys were.
"I've got practice with Riley. We've got another show coming up at Soma. I think we were a hit the other night," Derek said. "If you need me, though, I'll call him. We can do it later."
"I'll be fine." It was getting painful to talk. "But don't say 'hit' again." I tried to smile, but that hurt, too.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Derek said. "Wei and I can take you home. You need protection."
"You guys go on." Sal put his arm around my shoulder. "I'll make sure Nina gets there safely." I could get used to this kind of attention from him, but not under these circumstances.
When we got back to the apartment, instead of taking me right upstairs, Sal pulled me into the emergency stairwell.
"You've got to be careful, Nina. I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you." He wrapped me in his arms.
"Stop." I pulled back. When I saw his confusion, I quickly added, "You were crushing my face, it hurts."
He moved my hair aside and barely brushed his lips across my cheek. "I would never hurt you." He traced a finger lightly around the reddening on my face. "He will pay for this. I should have been there to protect you. I shouldn't have let you be alone."
"Sal, I wasn't alone, I was with Wei. It was my fault." I ran my hands up and around his neck, pulling him closer to me. "You can't exactly move in. And I'll be fine. I won't be that careless again."
"I'll pick you up in the morning. It's not that far out of my way." That wasn't true-but I knew he would be there. And that he would be there every day until he was sure I was safe. I kissed him-I didn't care that it hurt. He took the elport up with me, not leaving until I was inside the apartment.
Gran didn't believe my slipped-on-the-snow story. She removed the Band-Aids, washed the cuts with hydrogen peroxide, which really stung, and put a spray-on protectant over them.
"That should help." She leaned on the bathroom doorjamb. "You want to tell me what really happened?"
"I was careless," I said. "But I'm okay."
She pointed to my wounds. "I wouldn't call that okay."
"Gran, I'm almost sixteen. I have to be able to take care of myself. And I'm learning." One more lie wouldn't hurt. "Wei's teaching me some of her martial arts moves. This won't happen again."
Cold packs helped with the swelling, but it was impossible to sleep on the side of my face where Ed had hit me. Banged-up face or not, I tossed around, replaying the day's events. Ed knew my FeLS contract was missing, so I was right, he had been behind the break-in. Even if he wasn't the Chooser at my school, he still had the authority to have me chosen. And the minute I left, he'd take Dee. The book was at the center of all of this. I couldn't keep it safe any longer. And that meant finding my father, as soon as possible.
Despite the pain, I felt sleep overtaking me. Before I drifted off, I thought that even if Ed had my contract, the FeLS agency had to have a record that Ginnie'd bought out my contract. Gran would call them in the morning. That would be one less thing for me to worry about.
XXXV.
Sandy called first thing next morning. "So what time are you coming this weekend? I can't wait to celebrate my birthday with you! I have my appointment for my tattoo already, and I know exactly what I'm going to wear-"
"Sandy-I ... I can't come see you this weekend. I fell last night, landed right on my face."
"But, Nina, it's my birthday!"
"I'm sorry, it's really bad." I winced, and gently touched my cheek. "Here, I'll send you a digi so you can see. It hurts like you wouldn't believe"
I heard her fumbling with her PAV. "Nina! What'd you do? Skivs, you can't go out looking like this! Anyway, I'm coming to town next time Derek plays." She gushed on about how great he was. "Oh, yeah, and Mike called. I said I'd go help him at the zoo when I'm in town. It sounds like fun. Besides, I won't have to worry about losing my virginity to him, and I've gotta stay virginal for FeLS. Do you have any idea how hard it's going to be? Guys are already betting on who'll be my first."
She rambled on this way for about five minutes, until I couldn't take it anymore. "I gotta get ready for school," I mumbled, clicking off.
Things were becoming way more complicated than I wanted them to be. I didn't see how I could keep Sandy and Wei from clashing over Derek. And I sure didn't want Sandy to lead Mike on; that would be so unfair. I wasn't sure I could handle relationship drama on top of everything else, but I figured I'd come up with some kind of plan. After all, these were my friends.