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Chapter 9: Tess

The meds work quickly through Seven's system, and within half an hour he's asleep. I may or may not have given him a high dosage. I don't know what to do with him, and he's a liability. Right now it's safer to have him drugged and asleep than awake. I don't know if he recognizes me from when I ran into him. I was disguised, except for my eyes, but this is the smartest kid in the country, so I don't expect my costume to hold up. That, and the fact that I never told him why he wasn't at the hospital.

I leave the building while he's asleep. I stashed him in a quarantined sector. There actually isn't a lot of trash here, even though the Patrium warns against it. Occasionally, they'll dump something they don't want out here, but it's hardly ever toxic. It's too dangerous to keep toxic substances within reach of the public, people like me use it for their destructive tendencies.

Right now, he's on the second floor of a dilapidated concrete skyscraper. I would've liked to have him up on a higher floor and away from street view, but it was a miracle I even got him up there. I walk down the middle of the abandoned street without fear. There's no reason to hide myself here. No one comes here too often, and those that do know to stay away from me. As I walk towards the nearest slum sector, I let my mind wander to what I'm supposed to do with Seven. I can't keep him around for too long; he'll start to see through my lies. I could keep him drugged, but medicine is hard to come by. Also, that's just sleazy. I may be a criminal, but I do have honor. I could just take my stuff and leave him in that building. He'd be alright. He might get a little hungry, but he could get out after a few days and find his way home. After some deliberation between the worst parts of myself, I decide that I'll help him recover and then take him as close to his house as I can as soon as he is able to walk.

I enter the slum sector, and I stick to the fringes of the crowd. I pass a run down cafe with one foot out of business and swipe some food off the plates. I pass a junkie, and as I go by I slip my hands in his pockets and pull out a few different types of pills. These will replace the ones I've wasted on Seven; they look real enough.

When I get back to the hideout, Seven is still asleep. I nibble on some of the food I stole, but I save most of it for him. The more nutrients he gets, the faster he'll recover, and the faster he'll be gone.

Seven stirs, and I walk over and hand him the food. He pushes himself into a sitting position, and I sit on the edge of the cot, as far away from him as possible. I don't bother making small talk while he eats, it's never been my strong suit. I never played well with others. Instead, I stare at the tree poking its head through the hole in the floor and think.

Seven finishes his food. "Is this all you?" he asks, gesturing to the room on the second floor filled with my things. I nod.

"Do you live here alone?" he asks.

"Yeah," I say, "I was never very good at making and keeping friends."

"Ah, I see." He says. "Me neither."

I give him a soft smile. So the Patrium's foremost raging douchebag can empathize, how cute.

"So, I was thinking I'll give you a few more days to get back on your feet, and then I'll help you find your way home. Sound good?" I say. A strange look crosses his face.

"Yeah, that's fine." He says. It sounds like it's anything but fine, but I couldn't care less. He can't stay here, and I'm sure his life is nothing but charmed. How bad could it be for him back home?

"So... what do you do around here for fun?" He asks, and I struggle to find an answer. I can't really say blow stuff up. Besides that, I don't do much besides scavenge for supplies.

Finally, I settle on "survive." His good natured smile slowly falls from his lips.

I've decided that I've had enough of him and his questions. Better cut him off now before he starts asking questions with answers that will get me in trouble. I get up from the cot and move to climb down the tree.

"Stay here," I say, "and, no matter what you hear, don't leave." I slide down the tree and walk out of the building.