MAD

chvpter 33

...

"You crazy fucking bitch." Elias laughs, tipping his head back and exclaiming like he don' know what he's gon' do with me. 

Thai grins, scratching her cheek like she's not sure what to make of my practical joke. 

Trent glowers at me, though I notice when he looks at his food to conceal the corner of his mouth lifting. 

"Look. If you try get to Lake Darling it puts us all at risk. Even if you, manage, to make it, the army will pluck you. You'll lead them to us." I fail to sugar quote or quantify. 

"What are my chances if I go?" He grates.

"Even if you somehow survive the REDZONE and get to Holder's Bay or a farming reserve to secure transport back to Lake Darling, you're still fücked because of the army," Scorpius remarks, watching narrowly.

"Why?" Blu spits, stupid as ever.

"We're fugitives. Wanted." Thai tries to explain, neutralizing the brittle tension.

"You say that like they're gon' send a troop after us." 

Uh... exactly. 

"The army got your identities in its database—all it takes is for one of yous to look at a camera and they'll ID your iris—one look and it'll flag in their system. Any army camera... any, any security drone or tech linked to their system. You's didn't get off scot free when we entered the REDZONE, you's are in this for life." Scorpius's tone isn't teasing, nor is his gaze condescending. He's speaking from experience and the truth in his words rings like a gong.

"How do you know?" Trent murmurs.

"The army got me once," His voice darkens, "Trick got me out. I been a drifter since cause I know how shīt-nasty them soldiers are..." truthfully, that's why he started pulling jobs on CITE.K. When the army forced him underground, he had to abandon his job, his life. He was studying computer science.

I look down, unable to meet Thai or Elias's gaze. Scorpius's mother is a very powerful person, but she butted heads with the army and they took Scor as collateral. It's why he ran away... every time we go to Holder's Bay he comes up with an elaborate plan to avoid her, but this time feels different. What with the guns, we might have to lean on her for support. Maddon Voytah. Manic Queen. Scor don' talk much good of her.

"Trick?" Thai snaps, her perceptive gaze pinning to him when she realises just how influential his position in the Voytek's was.

Scor nods stiffly.

"Alright, say we go Holders. What options do we have?" Elias tries to catch my eye. I know his silent question— "What about Ibis?"

"His kid, right?" Scorpius asks me, "I'll figure it out, should be on the army database, you reckon?" He shrugs, asking my advice, and I nod.

"Will logging in flag our location?" I shift to lean on my knees, and they fall silent as they listen to our deliberation.

Scor scratches his chin, nodding like he'd forgotten to consider the prospect. "You reckon they've got a trip wire on his profile?"

"They know he's important to us." I shrug, "It's easy for them to do... just route a report of anyone who accesses Ibis's data... they see some random Private from a different base they'll figure it's weird, check where the IP is..."

Scor whistles, "Yeah. Fuck, we need Dexo's VPN, aye?"

I drop my hand, looking at the ash at my feet when my stomach clenches. "How long till then?"