You’re easier to control that way.”
“Who are they?”
“I’m not entirely sure, although I’m certain GenCorp is involved,” I said, and that was honest enough. “But I think it’s worth finding out.” I headed back over to the laptop and checked the screen—the timer was gone, and the Magic 8 ball read Done! After pulling the thumb drive free, I took a deep breath. Here came the part I wasn’t supposed to do, the part that was completely against the deal I’d made with Maggot.
“I’ll help you, if you want. You deserve better than the life they’ve given you, Craig. There might be something that could really change things for you in here. But first I have to take the drive and those straws and get back to the red zone as fast as possible, because if I don’t, Maggot’s going to kill Raul. If I live through that, we can talk again.”
“I could take the information now,” Craig pointed out, looking at the thumb drive longingly.
So he could, but I couldn’t let him think that. “You won’t be able to decrypt the files. This has to go back to the hacker it came from for that, and I have to deliver it personally.”
“So you’ve gotta get away,” Craig said slowly. “But you’ll contact me later?”
“If I get through the rest of the day alive,” I emphasized.
“You will.” His faith in me was pleasant. “You’re too goddamn tricky to die.” Huh, not so pleasant after all.
Craig glanced back at the tunnel he’d bashed through the building. “You can’t go that way, people will be coming. I’ll take you to the other side.”
“You shouldn’t be seen helping me, though,” I said. “In fact . . . shit. We’re probably already on camera, aren’t we?”
Craig glanced at the ceiling. “GenCorp actually doesn’t have internal surveillance, and I think now I know why. Come on.” He proceeded to back up, then ran at the far wall. He crashed straight through it like tissue paper. “Hurry up!”
“There’s a hallway, like, ten feet to the right!” I yelled.
“Hallways are for people who aren’t Freight Train!”
“How about for people like me, then?” I muttered, following gingerly. I wasn’t at all sure I’d make it outside without catching a piece of masonry on my head, but less than thirty seconds later we were standing at a side door that would let me outside.
“How are you going to explain that damage?” I asked, gesturing behind us.
Craig smiled. “I’ll tell them you mind-controlled me or something. It’ll make you seem tough.”
“Oh, for the last time, it’s not really mind control.” Or at least, he didn’t need to know any better.
“Maybe it kinda is, since I’m not arresting you,” Craig said, more soberly now. “Eddie . . . I’ve . . . I’ve got to know. I’ve got to know what’s going on. Why they haven’t made things better for me.” He kept glancing down at my hand, the one that had touched his chest, and I knew what he was feeling. After all, I could have so easily ended up like him—if I hadn’t learned to control my power, I might have been in his shoes, so close to what I wanted but never able to grasp it. Craig didn’t deserve that kind of pain.
“I’ll do my best.” And I would, though there was no telling whether that would be enough. “You’d better go.” I grabbed his hand and held on, the force field making my skin tingle. He wouldn’t be able to feel me now, but I needed to make the gesture. “Thank you.”
Craig smiled faintly. “Yeah, yeah. Rescue your boyfriend already.” I let go, and he turned and charged off down the hall. I took a second to secure the thumb drive in my pocket, and another few seconds to open the Chap stick tube and rub its contents all over my head and neck. I might as well stack the deck in my favor. It was funny: I’d barely been able to force myself to use it this morning, and now I was practically bathing in it, no hesitation left in me. Raul would be so pleased. Then I
“Who are they?”
“I’m not entirely sure, although I’m certain GenCorp is involved,” I said, and that was honest enough. “But I think it’s worth finding out.” I headed back over to the laptop and checked the screen—the timer was gone, and the Magic 8 ball read Done! After pulling the thumb drive free, I took a deep breath. Here came the part I wasn’t supposed to do, the part that was completely against the deal I’d made with Maggot.
“I’ll help you, if you want. You deserve better than the life they’ve given you, Craig. There might be something that could really change things for you in here. But first I have to take the drive and those straws and get back to the red zone as fast as possible, because if I don’t, Maggot’s going to kill Raul. If I live through that, we can talk again.”
“I could take the information now,” Craig pointed out, looking at the thumb drive longingly.
So he could, but I couldn’t let him think that. “You won’t be able to decrypt the files. This has to go back to the hacker it came from for that, and I have to deliver it personally.”
“So you’ve gotta get away,” Craig said slowly. “But you’ll contact me later?”
“If I get through the rest of the day alive,” I emphasized.
“You will.” His faith in me was pleasant. “You’re too goddamn tricky to die.” Huh, not so pleasant after all.
Craig glanced back at the tunnel he’d bashed through the building. “You can’t go that way, people will be coming. I’ll take you to the other side.”
“You shouldn’t be seen helping me, though,” I said. “In fact . . . shit. We’re probably already on camera, aren’t we?”
Craig glanced at the ceiling. “GenCorp actually doesn’t have internal surveillance, and I think now I know why. Come on.” He proceeded to back up, then ran at the far wall. He crashed straight through it like tissue paper. “Hurry up!”
“There’s a hallway, like, ten feet to the right!” I yelled.
“Hallways are for people who aren’t Freight Train!”
“How about for people like me, then?” I muttered, following gingerly. I wasn’t at all sure I’d make it outside without catching a piece of masonry on my head, but less than thirty seconds later we were standing at a side door that would let me outside.
“How are you going to explain that damage?” I asked, gesturing behind us.
Craig smiled. “I’ll tell them you mind-controlled me or something. It’ll make you seem tough.”
“Oh, for the last time, it’s not really mind control.” Or at least, he didn’t need to know any better.
“Maybe it kinda is, since I’m not arresting you,” Craig said, more soberly now. “Eddie . . . I’ve . . . I’ve got to know. I’ve got to know what’s going on. Why they haven’t made things better for me.” He kept glancing down at my hand, the one that had touched his chest, and I knew what he was feeling. After all, I could have so easily ended up like him—if I hadn’t learned to control my power, I might have been in his shoes, so close to what I wanted but never able to grasp it. Craig didn’t deserve that kind of pain.
“I’ll do my best.” And I would, though there was no telling whether that would be enough. “You’d better go.” I grabbed his hand and held on, the force field making my skin tingle. He wouldn’t be able to feel me now, but I needed to make the gesture. “Thank you.”
Craig smiled faintly. “Yeah, yeah. Rescue your boyfriend already.” I let go, and he turned and charged off down the hall. I took a second to secure the thumb drive in my pocket, and another few seconds to open the Chap stick tube and rub its contents all over my head and neck. I might as well stack the deck in my favor. It was funny: I’d barely been able to force myself to use it this morning, and now I was practically bathing in it, no hesitation left in me. Raul would be so pleased. Then I
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