Joan Undone

Chapter 32

My phone wakes me the next morning, pinging me with a message from Lexi.

Come to Strand Studios. The time for action has come.

I ease away from Nic's sleeping form and hurry to the bathroom to get ready. It's better for me to risk this meeting alone. Harriet may disagree with me, but I want Strand on our team, at least for a few more weeks.

The main room of the Bunker is quiet. Tupac is monitoring Marie's tablet in case any serious trouble is detected.

"Our buddy Crew hijacked the video feed for the Emerald City News this morning," he says. "He's taking credit for hacking the vice president's pacemaker and stopping his heart. He says it's the first of many assassinations to come until Throwbacks and the Evolved are treated as equals in the eyes of the law."

"It will take decades for that to happen, no matter how much Crew scares the Evolved," I whisper.

Tupac's tone is grim as his eyes return to the screen. "Then a lot more people are going to die."

He doesn't notice when I grab a Taser and a laser pen and slip out the door.

The world above the Lab is eerily quiet for rush hour on a Wednesday morning, either because the governor is taking measures to keep people off the streets for their safety, or because the nation is mourning the death of the vice president.

I take the Evolved public bus to Strand's headquarters after guiltily covering my lavaliere. It's too dangerous to be on the streets as a Throwback right now.

Almost every block has stores with broken windows from the looting that even the National Guard hasn't been able to stomp out. Uniformed officers patrol with assault rifles. The few people who brave the streets hurry, staring at their feet. My city is almost unrecognizable.

Strand's headquarters loom out my window, and I scurry off the bus. No one stops me as I slip in through the Throwback entrance to Strand's studios. For the first time, the lots are empty.

Unease makes the hair on my neck rise. It would be easy for Lexi to have me tortured and killed right here, and no one would know. Maybe sneaking away without telling anyone at the Bunker where I'm going wasn't my wisest move.

The set from my first visit with Lexi is lit up, and she waits in one of the chairs.

I take a seat across from her. "Am I secretly being filmed this time, too?"

"The time for a vid will come soon. But this conversation is private."

As if her word is trustworthy. But, for once, I keep my snarky remark to myself.

Lexi leans closer to me, and her dark eyes meet mine. "The assassination of the vice president and the tumult in Seattle is cutting into Strand's profits."

"And people are dying," I add.

She tilts her head, examining me. "It is time for Strand to show that we have this situation in hand, before the government infringes on our control over the Throwback community. We will take down the Chrysalis in a grand show, and publicly execute the leader, Crew Beaker."

"I'm glad that you're finally ready to help us take down the Chrysalis. I've spoken with the governor, and she is putting the might of the Seattle police force behind us as well."

"That will not get the job done. Nor can your team do this alone," she says. "I will provide fifty men and women to raid the Chrysalis."

Fifty men of Lexi's choosing. Who follow her orders. My resolve to work with her almost wavers, until I remember that there are no other options.