Emily Wilson
Stories
6
Chapters
1,139
Words
357.3 K
Comments
0
Reading
1 d, 5 h
-
“Weaver,” the voice had a slight digital twang at the edges, to the point that I thought it was Bakuda for a second, even if the two voices were entirely different. I lowered my book. Defiant stood in the doorway to my cell, flanked by two of the prison guards. I swung my feet to the ground, simultaneously sitting up. “If you’d asked me a few weeks ago, I’m not sure I would have believed that I’d actually be happy to see you.” “You’ll be coming back,” he warned me. “This is a…-
167 •
-
-
“Okay,” Daiichi said. His Japanese was easy, a lazy drawl. He paused at the top of the flight of stairs, sneering a touch as he waited for his followers to ascend. “If you don’t hurry, they’ll be gone by the time we get there.” There were grumbles from the others. “Why isn’t there an elevator?” Ren whined. Of all of them, he was the heaviest, the black jacket of his school uniform straining across his shoulders. He’d dyed his hair blond, but hadn’t yet found a good style to wear it.…
-
167 •
-
-
“… The broadcast ended. A hush took hold of everyone present, a silence that deepened when someone muted the television. The spell was broken by one of the kids. Ephraim. “She’s going to be a hero?” “She’s going to try,” Forrest answered. Charlotte looked around at the collected residents of the Boardwalk. It was customary, now, to have a block party every third night of the week. A mass-barbecue, a bonfire on the beach, or some other big meal that would bring everyone together.…
-
167 •
-
-
Dragon’s craft closed the distance to the rooftop’s edge, using precise adjustments to almost freeze in mid-air as it hovered. It was gentle and graceful in comparison to Defiant’s squat, durable Not that the aesthetics of Dragon’s work was really a priority right this moment. “A mistake,” I said. “We know how she operates,” Defiant said. “Dragon, Miss Militia and I have each worked directly under Alexandria at some point. It’s something of an unofficial policy to have anyone…
-
167 •
-
-
The word hit me before I was fully conscious, as though my brain had grasped the idea before I even had half of a brain functioning. My father, gone. My lawyer was gone as well. Not such a big surprise. I’d gone all out, held little back, and I’d given no apparent justification. To them, to my dad especially, I would have looked like a monster. Fitting, because I’d been one. I was one. Was that a label that was affixed to me permanently, now? My mind was wandering more than it should have. My head…
-
167 •
-
-
I watched my dad’s expression change. “I don’t understand.” “Like I said,” Tagg said, “Peace of mind.” “Let’s get started,” Alexandria said. “I believe I’m fully up to speed, unless Director Tagg has agreed to any deals or made any concessions.” “Sadly, he hasn’t,” my lawyer said. “This is common knowledge?” my dad murmured to me. “Since roughly ten days ago,” I said, not taking my eyes off the woman. She was looking at me like Tattletale sometimes did. It…
-
167 •
-
-
The door slammed shut as the last of the heroes departed. They joined the PRT uniforms and Wards who had gathered just in front of the elevator, leaving me and my lawyer to talk in private. It should have been quieter, but things got “This is more or less what we expected…” Mr. Calle was saying. “Call him. And let me know when he arrives.” Director Tagg, talking about my dad. “She wanted to defect,” Clockblocker told the waiting Wards. “Join Defiant and Dragon, go hunt the…
-
167 •
-
-
Miss Militia handed me a phone and uncuffed one hand from the table. I dialed the number I’d memorized and waited while she and Director Tagg watched. “ “It’s time,” I said. “I’m at the PRT headquarters, second basement floor.” “ “My territory?” “ “Okay,” I said. “Big guy? Beard?” “ I thought for a second. “Tell her ‘fly in a paper box.'” He didn’t cover the mouthpiece of his phone as he spoke the phrase. There was a pause, then Mr. Calle spoke into the…
-
167 •
-
-
I remained where I was, hands folded on the back of my head, kneeling, while the PRT officers bellowed at me, almost incoherent, impossible to obey as they gave me contradictory orders. Down on the ground, stand up, throw any weapons to the side, do They were afraid to approach, too, apparently. Maybe word had gotten out about what happened to Armsmaster when he’d gotten ahold of me at the fundraiser. They each stopped about ten feet from me, forming a loose ring. I’d thought they might have hit me…
-
167 •
-
-
How did the others do it? They entered into a room and people Sabah walked through her territory, a black, bipedal unicorn just behind her. She had muscle, but the stares she got were hard ones, challenging. Was it that she’d inherited territory that Bitch had controlled, once? Territory where people had been afraid to go outside for fear of being attacked by dogs? She’d tried to make it clear she wasn’t that kind of leader, had tried to emulate Not even a thank-you. She couldn’t shake the…
-
167 •
-
- Previous 1 … 51 52 53 … 114 Next