The Voting Machine

Flowing Water

We passed under a sidewalk grill and I caught a glimpse of the moon overhead. Suddenly I heard a strange vibration in my ear, a mechanical humming as if a metal leech had planted itself somewhere inside my mind. A shadow cut its figure across the moon, like an airplane only slower. The natural flow of time had been replaced with something strange and artificial.

Abdul was breathing heavily. "I am not going to make it, Temo," he whispered.

"Yes you are," I said. "You have to."

"I had a vision back there when I was lying on the floor. I saw the end of my life. I need you to protect my daughter when I am gone."

"Stop it. You'll be fine."

We traveled on through the darkness for another thirty minutes when we suddenly heard it break the silence. A new sound. First a splash. Then a trickle. Then a stream that grew into a river, its current accelerating towards us.

"Water in the tunnel," I shouted. "It's coming from behind."

"It hasn't rained in months," Abdul said.

"Someone must have switched the valves to drain one of the outer basins," Teresa said. "They know were down here. They're trying to flood us out." The raging swell grew louder and more violent, preparing to catch us and devour us. Abdul tried to keep up as we dashed west towards the Tropicana basin. Several times he stumbled and we had to pick him up.

"Temo, you need to listen to me: find my daughter and tell her to contact Jamaal. He can follow the money trail. Give the evidence to the press, give it to Stevens, give to our legal charities. Spread Shiro's secrets far and wide. That's our only hope."

We turned through a corner in the storm drain and found a ladder leading above the overspill canal. Teresa climbed up first and held out a hand for Abdul. I grabbed his hips and tried to thrust him higher on the rungs of the ladder. His body was limp, too heavy for us to lift.

"I can't make it, Temo," he said. "You need get out of here."

"Just raise your arms and hold on to Teresa," I said, propping his frame against the ladder.

"I can't grip. My arms are numb," he said, his eyes dizzy and bewildered.

The water rushed ever closer through the chamber. The roar was deafening as it hurtled through the curves of the drain, overpowering everything in its wake. If we didn't get above the overspill, it would sweep us away like a tsunami, smashing our bodies against the concrete walls of the passageway as it plowed forward to the basin.

"Please Abdul." I was still crouching under him in a squat position on the floor of the tunnel, trying to figure out a way to raise him up.

"We're running out of time," Teresa shouted from the top of the ladder above the overspill.

"Temo, you're going to die if you don't climb up," Abdul gasped. "You've got to go."

"I can't leave you here to die," I said.

"It's OK, Temo. I've been preparing my whole life for this moment. The angels have been writing every single thing I ever did. And now they'll write this final act. So they can pull my soul from my body. And I hope it pulls smooth like flowing water."

The wave crashed into us, pinning me to the ladder. My lungs flooded as I clung to the rungs for dear life. The swell tried with all its might to wrestle me away but my limbs were snared in the ladder. I punched through the water, clawing my way upwards until one hand reached the air above the drain. Teresa grabbed me and pulled with all her strength. I raised my leg to the top rung and kicked hard, bucking the rushing current until I finally emerged into the night air and promptly collapsed on the concrete.

She rolled my body over and I spit the water out of my lungs. We listened to the rush below until it finally subsided, spilling out into the basin. Shahabi was long gone. I was too battered to even shed a tear.

"We did all we could," Teresa said.

"He wanted us to keep going," I said. "Let's move. Once the sun is out we'll have less cover." 

Suddenly, we heard phone pulsing from inside Teresa's jacket. We'd both forgotten about the cell that she removed from Polk's body. The screen read "Stevens".

"It's the Special-Agent-in- Charge," I said, grabbing it out of her hands.

"Don't answer the phone," she warned.

But I did.

"Marguerite?" I heard him say.

"She's not here, Agent Stevens," I replied.

"Temo?" He was stunned.

"Were you aware your agents are out torturing and murdering people?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Even if you are telling the truth, that's no excuse. I trusted you. You promised me I wasn't a suspect. You promised me I'd get a fair shake."

"You will."

"Bullshit."

"I am going to find you. And if you killed my agents, so help me God I will bury you."

"I am going to show you who's really behind this, Stevens. Pay attention. I'm going to find Shiro for you. And when I do I expect you to clear my name."

I threw the phone through the grate and it vanished underwater.