Hex (10 page)

“I thought you always said there was no way the CPS could do that to you,” Kez pointed out.

“That's because they would
never
get me as far as one of their facilities,” she informed him coldly. “If the CPS did ever arrive to collect me, which I doubt would happen because I've taken precautions against it, they wouldn't get me more than ten meters. Their vehicles would shut down, their communicators wouldn't work, and either I'd escape or they'd kill me.” She shrugged. “It's as simple as that. And it's not a risk I'd be willing to take for
anyone.
”

“I suppose I can't blame you,” Wraith said slowly. “And, in this case, I do believe you.”

“Thank you,” Raven replied with exaggerated sarcasm.

“But we've still got to find a way into that facility,” Wraith added. “Even if we can't use you as bait.”

•  •  •

Ali was in her room when it happened. She was lying on her bed, feeling particularly bedraggled. Zircarda and Caitlin were still recovering from the excesses of the night before and Ali, even though she'd barely drunk anything, felt as if she had all the aftereffects. She lay on her stomach, staring across the room at the blank screen of her computer terminal. She hadn't used it in nearly a week.

The last time she had attempted to do so she had found herself slipping into the trance that had overtaken her once before while working at the terminal. Ali sighed. That first time had been almost wonderful, certainly the most exciting thing that had ever happened to her, and when she had realized what it had signified she had almost been pleased. Being a Hex seemed somehow special. It was not until the second time she had tried it that she had been scared. She shivered, remembering how it had felt to be caught and held against her will. Then the sudden outward flood of information that had overwhelmed her, the stranger's contempt coupled with the conviction that Ali would be caught and exterminated. That other essence had read her mind in a split second, but given nothing away itself.

The simple fact that someone existed who knew her secret had terrified Ali. Then, yesterday, she had met someone else who knew it, who had looked through her and with a glance turned her inside out. Ali buried her head in her arms, wishing with all her might that Elizabeth Black would go back to America, and even more fervently that the Hex gene had never even existed.

A faint noise, just on the edge of hearing, made her look up again, frowning. She listened intently, hearing nothing. But it had been a sound that she knew. Instinctively she glanced over at the terminal and suddenly knew what had caught her attention. It had been the sound of the computer powering up. She watched it with fixation, as if the sleek gray wall unit was a deadly snake. The screen was glowing, showing that it was on. But it was impossible for the terminal to switch itself on.

Then slowly, inexorably, letters began to march across the screen. Too far away for Ali to read them, but unmistakably letters. And yet no one had touched the keypad, none of this was possible. The letters came to a halt; a single sentence now glowed on the screen. The room suddenly seemed much colder and very dark. Ali crossed to the terminal, moving as if she was made of glass and a sudden movement might break her. The sentence faced her, starkly uncompromising.

>
come to apartment 103 immediately <

It was almost innocent. A simple request. But it had appeared almost supernaturally on the screen. And it was not a request. It was a demand. One that Ali did not dare refuse.

She picked up her synthetic woolen jacket and put it on, then she walked toward the door, like someone approaching their execution. She didn't even notice the terminal switching itself off behind her. She left the apartment with leaden footsteps, the door swishing shut behind her. Slowly she walked along the covered security-shielded walkways that would take her to her destination. She reached it in less than fifteen minutes. The outer door was identical to her own. Reaching out a heavy hand she touched the wall-plate. Three seconds later the door slid open. Someone had been waiting for her. Ali took a deep breath and stepped inside. Behind her the door slid shut again.

•  •  •

Raven smiled icily as the teenager entered the apartment. She was not happy about the course of action she had chosen. She didn't like revealing herself in this way, but betraying some of her Hex abilities had been necessary to intimidate Ali. She might have managed to maintain her disguise for a short while at Tarrell's glitzfest, but she had no expectation of sustaining that image without an added lever. Looking at the slim blonde girl, facing her across the room, Raven was conscious of feeling annoyed. Ali was slightly taller than her.

Raven had never felt inferior to anyone. At nine years old she had forced people to respect her in order to survive. Her ability to do things far beyond the capabilities of other people meant that most of the time she considered herself superior to anyone else. As a person and as a Hex, Ali was beneath her contempt. But Ali was the spoiled daughter of a wealthy and influential man; Kez had told her all about the Gateshall clique before their visit to the Tarrell's apartment. For an instant, as Ali entered the room, Raven felt like a streetrat from the slums of Denver, and she had to force her hands not to curl into fists.

Ali's eyes were wide with apprehension as she looked at the younger girl. The sophisticated Elizabeth Black, whom Zircarda had been so jealous of, had melted away. In her place, dressed in black army gear, staring straight at her, was the stranger in the matrix. The veneer of deceptive artifice had cracked, revealing something rawer and much more dangerous. For the first time in her life Ali faced someone who had the power to destroy her and the will to do it. But strangely, she didn't shudder. She had passed beyond terror and her voice was level as she spoke.

“Who are you?”

Dark eyes flashed, something unpleasant glinting in their depths. But for once, their owner did not even consider dissembling.

“Call me Raven.”

“What do you want?” Ali held herself perfectly still, awaiting the answer. Before Raven could reply, the door opened.

Wraith and Kez stopped dead as they saw Ali. Raven hadn't expected them to be back so quickly. Now she resigned herself to the inevitable, as Wraith placed the two heavy duffel bags he was carrying on the floor, and turned to confront her.

“Raven?” he asked.

“Come in, Wraith,” she told him. “Both of you, you might as well hear this as well.”

“Hear what?” Kez asked, studying Ali curiously.

“Sit down,” Raven insisted, including Ali in the invitation, and seating herself where she could keep her eyes on the girl. “I think I might have found us a way into that lab.”

Kez's eyes widened incredulously, but Wraith was quicker to comprehend. He looked seriously at Ali who was sitting uneasily on the edge of a chair, before looking back at Raven.

“Does she know?” he asked.

“Do I know what?” Ali demanded. Now that she didn't have to face Raven alone she was becoming bolder and Raven realized it. In a moment she had seized the initiative again.

“I was just about to explain it to her,” she told Wraith. Then she fixed Ali with a level stare. “How long have you known you were a Hex?” she asked.

“Me?” Ali froze to her seat, but it was no more than she had expected, and she answered honestly, fixed in the headlight glare from Raven's eyes. “Only about a month.” She hesitated. “Are you going to turn me in?”

“No,” Wraith replied, unequivocally, earning himself a disapproving sideways glance from Raven.

“You're a Hex too, aren't you?” Ali said. “It was you I met in the network that time.”

“Yes, it was me.” Raven leaned back in her chair. “And I'm not going to turn you in, although everything I warned you about still holds true. I'm going to offer you a proposition. And you would be wise to accept it.”

“What kind of proposition?” Ali asked suspiciously. Strangely enough, the dark-eyed girl was beginning to remind her of Zircarda; she had the same look in her eyes that the leader of the Gateshall clique got when she was determined to do something.

“Let me explain,” Wraith intervened. “It's a long story.”

“Go on.” Ali waited.

“None of us are exactly what we seem to be,” Wraith began and Ali raised her eyebrows expectantly, hardly surprised. He smiled wryly and continued: “Raven and I are brother and sister. We, and Kez,” he glanced briefly at the boy, “have been searching for my other sister, Rachel. . . .”

As Wraith elaborated, Ali slowly began to relax. The story was one of the strangest she had ever heard, involving gangers, government organizations, secret laboratories, and covert plans. It was almost as implausible as a vidfilm, but somehow Ali believed it. The strangest part of all was Wraith's account of how they gained their information. Ali was fascinated by the idea of how Raven was able to control the network, but the younger girl volunteered no information and Ali was too intimidated by her stark stare to ask any questions. But Wraith's measured explanation, coupled with the fact that it didn't look as if she was going to be turned over to the CPS, was gradually calming her down. But when Wraith reached his conclusion her alarm returned.

“You want to use me as bait for the CPS?” she said in shock.

“It's our best chance of finding Rachel.” Wraith began but Ali didn't let him finish.

“No chance,” she told him, standing up to leave. “I'm not doing this.” She shook her head. “I'm sorry, Wraith. But I doubt your sister's even alive. The CPS kill people, and I don't want to be one of them.”

“Don't be so hasty,” Raven snapped. “You might regret it.”

“Are you threatening me?” Ali asked, and Raven smiled.

“No,” Wraith said quietly. “If you're unwilling to help us, we won't force you. But please give it more consideration.”

“I can't,” Ali told him. “I'm sorry.” With that she turned and left the apartment without looking back.

Wraith watched her go with troubled gray eyes, but he didn't try to stop her. As the door swished shut behind Ali, Raven hissed with annoyance.

“I could have made her do it,” she told him.

“She's only a child, Raven,” he said sternly. “I refuse to allow you to manipulate her. This is our problem, not hers.” For a moment he looked as if he might say something more, but he changed his mind and left the room without adding anything.

Raven and Kez looked at each other: Outmaneuvered, Raven didn't seem to know what to say, and Kez didn't feel in a mood to say anything. Wraith had been scrupulously honest in telling his story to Ali—too honest, Kez felt. The ganger hadn't neglected to mention how Kez had joined their group and he hadn't missed the expression of contempt that crossed Ali's face.

“So much for your idea,” he said eventually.

“It was your idea to start off with,” Raven reminded him. “I simply provided an alternative Hex.”

“Do you know anyone else we could use?” Kez asked.

“What do you think I am?” Raven frowned. “A detective agency? I only found her out by accident when she was fooling around in the net.” She drummed her fingers on the side of her chair with irritation.

“You don't like her very much, huh?” Kez asked.

“She's almost as brainless as she looks,” Raven said. Then she gave him a considering look. “Somehow I doubt you'll be seeing much more of that clique she belongs to.”

“I don't want to,” Kez said angrily. But he was angry with Wraith, rather than Raven. “Let's get out of here,” he said impulsively. “Your cover's been blown now, anyway.”

“You're right,” Raven agreed. “I'm sick and tired of this whole business. If Wraith doesn't like my ideas that's his problem.”

“Are you going to give up?” Kez asked.

“Why not?” Raven shrugged. “Anything's got to be more interesting than this.”

Kez hesitated. He was angry with Wraith, and Raven's disenchantment with his way of operating was infectious. But he couldn't help remembering how Wraith had looked when he had thought Rachel was dead, and now that he had got involved with the ganger's search, Kez felt reluctant to abandon it so easily. Raven was waiting for him to reply and Kez wanted to be able to agree and just take off with her, despite the fact that he didn't trust her anymore. But he couldn't do it.

“I think we should stick with Wraith,” he said reluctantly.

“Wraith can't be helped,” Raven told him scornfully. “He's obsessed with ethics—it's like a disease.”

“Do you think we could persuade Ali to agree to help us?”

“I could,” she shrugged. “But it's no use if Wraith negates everything I say.”

“Then we'll have to go around him,” Kez told her.

“Oh?” Raven waited curiously, and taking a deep breath, Kez made his suggestion:

“Tell Ali the CPS are already after her,” he said. “Then she'd have no reason not to join us. With her inside that lab, we could find Rachel and break them both out. Without us, she'd be stuck there forever.”

“As long as she lived,” Raven interjected. “We'd have to make sure she got sent to the lab. Otherwise she's no use to us.”

“You seemed pretty sure she would be,” Kez reminded her.

“I still am,” Raven said. “But there's an element of chance in everything.” She thought for a moment, then nodded decisively. “We'll do it. But not yet. I have to make the discovery accidentally.”

“Why?” Kez looked suspicious and Raven sighed with annoyance.

“Because Wraith has to be the one to tell her,” she informed him. “You saw the way she behaved. She trusts him, and she'll believe whatever he tells her.”

“That means we've got to convince Wraith too,” Kez said doubtfully. Raven shrugged.