Equinox (27 page)

Cassie stood over her, actually looking anxious. Pip and Dalton were at her feet, matching expressions of alarm on their faces.

“She’s okay. Her heart rate’s dropping,” Cassie said. “Christ, Rosie, what the hell?” She glared at her. “Everything was going well and then you did something.”

“You mean I tried to do something.” Rosie wriggled her arms. “Undo me.”

“Tried what?” Pip began to unstrap her.

“There was an index thing, a list of all the files. One of them was Pantheon, but when I tried to open it–”

“It rejected you,” Cassie said. She studied the computer tablet. “That makes sense. I saw this, but didn’t …” She trailed off, staring at the tablet.

“What?” Pip said.

Cassie looked at them, her eyes bright with realisation. “He time coded it,” she said. “It’s brilliant. The nano work is incredible.”

“What?” Dalton said, his tone impatient.

“You mean the information is on a time-release schedule?” Rosie said. Cassie nodded. “So even if I want to access it, I can’t.”

“Exactly.” Cassie said. “He must have wanted you to have the base information first, for obvious reasons, but the rest you’ll get access to over time.”

“How much time?” Pip said.

“Impossible to tell.” Cassie frowned at the tablet. “When she was exposed to that bomb, the magnetic pulse altered something in the programming, so we can’t predict what files will be accessible when, but this time coding tells us something really important. Riley put everything on a time delay for a reason. Firstly, to protect Rosie if anyone tried to force the information out of her.”

“Why not just kill her and pull it out?” Dalton said.

“Can’t.” Cassie shook her head. “The implant will selfdestruct. It needs her alive to function.”

“Lucky me,” Rosie said.

“It also means he must be planning to come back,” Cassie said.

Pip raised an eyebrow. “How do you figure that?”

“Because the information is released in some kind of order, probably of usefulness or importance. He must have been betting on Helios getting hold of Rosie at some point, so he put the info in her. It either becomes useful to her if she’s not caught, and a life-saving tool for her if she is.”

“As in they’re not going to kill me if I’m useful,” Rosie said. “But eventually the files run out.”

“Yes, but he knows how long that will take, and he would have planned to be back before that happens.”

“Unless he’s dead,” Dalton said. “What’s the whole time frame? Can you tell?”

“About eight months.”

“Eight months!” Pip said. “What was he thinking, that Helios would build her a nice cosy retreat and bring her cakes every day?”

“I don’t know,” Cassie said. “But he must have been desperate. He wouldn’t have done this for kicks.”

Rosie tended to agree with her, but Pip clamped his lips together like he was keeping himself from saying something he might regret.

“Let’s focus on what we know,” Dalton said. He turned to Rosie. “Did you see anything about the base?”

Rosie nodded. “They’re building a wormhole just like the UEC has been trying to do. Or at least they’re designing the prototype that will lead to an in-space build. They call it an Equinox Gate.”

“A what?” Cassie stared at her.

“It’s a nifty little number,” Pip said. “Bends space and time, allows travel across vast distances in an instant.”

“I know what a wormhole is,” Cassie snapped.

“No wonder they’re keeping it secret,” Dalton said. “If Helios have control of a wormhole, they can run – Jesus, everything. They’ll control access to Titan’s water, the outer planets, the Oceanus colony–”

“And to all future colonies,” Rosie said. “How much do you want to bet they have something to do with the UEC’s failure to make their own wormhole – and the
Leviathan
disaster.”

“They’re setting up a reason for the UEC to be forced to accept them running the gate,” Cassie said. “If Helios build it first, the way things are now, the UEC would have to agree to their terms of use.”

“So,” Pip said, “Helios is reaching for universal domination. Hands up anyone who’s surprised.”

They were all silent for a long moment.

“And I thought the base might be another happy little replica of the Enclave, complete with people dying to create a MalX cure,” Pip said. “Literally.”

“I’m sure they haven’t given up on using you for that,” Cassie said. “But maybe you’re just not as important as you think.”

“Oh, I’m hurt.” Pip glared at her.

“Stop it!” Rosie pushed up on her elbows. “Cassie, have you got another tablet? I can trace down the plans for the base.”

“Should be one in the other room.” Cassie was back to staring at her computer tablet.

“I’ll get it.” Dalton went out. Rosie swung her legs off the chair. It was fairly high and she had to jump down, but her legs buckled beneath her as she hit the floor. “Whoa!” She grabbed for the chair arm, but missed.

Pip caught her. “You keep confusing falling for me, with falling on me,” he said. “Maybe I should explain the difference.”

“Just help me up.” Rosie was too tired to think of a comeback. He lifted her back up on the chair with a weary groan.

“Think you can stay upright? I’m kind of beat.” He leaned on the seat next to her.

Cassie looked up from studying the tablet. “You might be a bit weak for a minute, Rosie, I forgot to say.” Rosie cut her an annoyed look, but she just shrugged. “Hey, I helped you, didn’t I?”

Dalton came back in. “Got one.” He brandished a scribing tablet and brought it to Rosie.

Rosie put the tablet on her lap and closed her eyes, concentrating on what she’d seen. With great surprise she found she was able to open the file on the base with only minor pain. She could see the details behind her closed lids.

“What is it?” Pip said.

She didn’t answer; she just started drawing. It took her ten minutes and four screens of the tablet’s memory, but she was able to transcribe the files exactly as she saw them. She’d never had much talent for art, but this was different. It was as if her brain was able to lead her hand to duplicate what she was seeing. By the end of it, she’d traced out a full map of the Helios base, including the security protocols that Riley had found, the number of staff, their names and positions.

“There’re more scientific staff than soldiers,” Dalton said as he scrolled through her notes.

“They probably think no one but Omgurri Council knows they’re there,” Pip said. “So, what’s our plan? I suggest heading to the base and destroying every goddamned thing we can get our hands on, so they can’t make anything more complicated than a soycurd cutter.”

“And just how are we going to do that with the grunts there, genius?” Cassie said.

“Haven’t you met my trusty friend fry-your-brains?” He pulled the pulse gun from the back of his waistband.

“You can’t take them all on with one gun, and I doubt you’re that good a shot.” Cassie’s tone was disgusted. “Why are you carrying that now, anyway?’

“Better to be safe than not. Besides, we’ve got two guns. Curtis has one.” Pip’s eyes glittered with a hard light that worried Rosie. The others might think he was joking about shooting the grunts, but she didn’t.

“Cassie’s right, Pip,” she said. “There’re only a few, but it’s still a few too many for us. We need a plan to get around them.”

“And I’d rather not go in guns blazing like some bad Immerse death wish pic,” Dalton said.

“What do you suggest then?” A muscle ticked in Pip’s jaw and he shoved the gun back in his waistband.

“We need stealth and surprise,” Cassie said. “Using Rosie’s plans, we should be able to find a way in – quietly.”

“Destroying what they’re building is a good idea though,” Rosie said. “If we can stop them building the gate, it might make them decide to leave.”

“Makes sense.” Dalton rubbed his eyes, blinking several times, then stifled a yawn.

“But how can–” Rosie had to clamp a hand over her mouth. Soon they were all yawning except for Cassie, who seemed immune.

“I don’t think we’re going to come up with anything effective without some sleep,” Dalton said.

“I’m with Captain Sensible.” Pip pulled the disposable com from his pocket. “It’s nearly nine. If we sleep till four am, that gives us time to come up with something then start making our way to the base. If we decide to do that.”

Rosie could barely keep her head up now, but it was clear from the looks on everyone else’s face that they all agreed.

“Can you walk?” Pip asked her.

“She’ll be fine now,” Cassie said. “Why don’t you boys go ahead? Rosie can give me a hand packing up. That’s code for girl talk, in case you missed it.”

Dalton and Pip looked at each other. Dalton was the first to shrug. “See you back there then,” he said and headed for the door. Pip followed him out.

Rosie slid off the chair to face Cassie. Her legs were steady enough now, but she was still way too tired to put up with any more of Cassie’s crap. “So what?” she said. “Is this about Riley?”

Cassie stepped closer. “No.” Her dark brown eyes regarded her with an intensity that felt out of place. “I didn’t want to say this with the boys around. Couldn’t put up with Pip’s drama act when he heard. It’s your implant.” She paused and licked her lips, a quick nervous flick. “This type of cortex implant, the one my brother put in you, was designed by Helios.”

Rosie straightened up. “What?”

“Yeah, I know,” she said. “They just invade every part of your life, don’t they? But look–” She smoothed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I was able to adjust the implant to help you access it, but I couldn’t do anything about the way it’s triggering your pain receptors. You’re still going to get the headaches. Sorry, but they are complicated things. It’s still functioning and you’ll be able to access the data, but over time it’s going to start breaking down.”

“What are you telling me?” Rosie’s heart was thumping scarily fast.

“Basically, the older it gets, the higher the risk some stray nano could affect your sight – or even other parts of your brain.”

“Are you saying I could go blind?”

“Yes, or it could affect your motor functions, or worst case it could kill you.” She swallowed. “But that’s really worst case. It might just disintegrate and dissolve harmlessly. I can’t tell for sure, but I just thought you should know. Thought you’d want to. I know I would.”

Rosie stared at her. This could not be happening. Sweat trickled down her ribs. Cassie was watching her, not quite calm, but not upset either. Maybe she would make a good doctor. Zero drama-queen mode here.

“But they aren’t made to be taken out,” Rosie said. “They’re permanent.”

“Generally.” Cassie bobbed a little nod. “But that’s because most people don’t have the skills. Helios have better doctors and tech than anyone, better even than here in Gondwana. I think they could get it out.”

“Think?” Rosie heard her voice go high and struggled to get a hold of it.

Cassie folded her arms. “I don’t …” She bit her lip. “If my brother had known this could happen, he would never have done this to you. You know that, don’t you? I mean, he’s an obsessive, one-eyed crusader, but he wouldn’t–”

“Stop, don’t say any more.” Rosie swayed away from the chair. “I need to get some sleep.”
And when I wake up in the morning this will all be a dream
. She put one foot in front of the other in the direction of the door.

“You don’t know how to get back to the house,” Cassie said.

“I’ve got a pretty good sense of direction.” Rosie kept going, pushing open the door.

Cassie was snuffling softly in her sleep. Rosie propped herself up on an elbow to check the time display on the wall.

3.25 am. She lay back down and closed her eyes, willing oblivion to take her. Had she even been asleep? She was in a trundle bed on the floor, which was comfortable enough, but she couldn’t stop Cassie’s words going around and around in her head. She could go blind. The implant could kill her.

She opened her eyes. It was no use. She sighed and sat up. Her headache was gone, but she wondered how long for. She only had two threads of stim left and they seemed the only thing that took the edge off. She pushed back the covers and got up.

She wasn’t the only one awake. Pip was at the kitchen bench, bent over the drawing she’d made from the implant, his faded T-shirt stretching across his shoulders. She paused at the top of the stairs and considered retreating, but he glanced up and saw her reflection in the dark windows. She went down the stairs and across the lounge to join him.

“Morning,” he said quietly.

“Hardly.” She pushed her loose hair back from her face, suddenly very conscious it was a mess. “Um, is there any water?”

“In the cooler.”

She went around the bench and rummaged inside until she found a half-full jug. She filled a glass and took a few sips. He’d gone back to the tablet. All the stools were on his side of the bench and she went around and climbed on one, moving it slightly away so he had no chance of catching her morning breath.

It was quiet and still. The hush of early morning filled every corner and there was no sound from outside: no rain, no birds, no wind. Pip kept reading the tablet, not saying a thing. She was wondering if maybe she should just go back upstairs, when she noticed he hadn’t scrolled the page at all. She tried to look unobtrusively at his profile.

He needed a shave. There was a shadow of fine dark stubble just visible on his jaw. His thick black hair was ruffled up at the back of his head, short strands falling across his forehead. She liked it better than the dreadlocks, and she liked the way his features fit together. The way the gentle curve of his nose met his lips. His unfairly long, dark eyelashes that flickered up and down as he read, over those blue, blue eyes – that were now looking at her. She jumped, jolting her water glass.

“What?” he said.

“Why aren’t you reading?”

“I was.” He laid the tablet on the bench.

“Didn’t look like it.”

“Maybe I’m just a slow reader.”

“So what do you think?” she said. “Any ideas?”

“A few.” He stared at the benchtop, tapping a finger lightly for a second as if he was thinking. Then he swivelled on his stool, bumping his knees against hers. “Like what did Cassie say to you last night? You seemed upset when you came in.”