Julia Karr - Truth

I padded on to the kitchen, thinking how I might never be the person to help Dee figure out life. She’d have to learn it like me—the hard way. I didn’t like that. Not at all. But maybe, just maybe, she would be a top-tier chef and her life would be easier. I had to find some bright side to look at, or I’d be lost in the dark forever.

Derek, Mike, and I were in our usual booth at Mickey’s having lunch. Just like a normal day. Normal. That was how it had to look. Perfectly normal.

“So Nina, you coming to Soma with Wei this Friday?” Derek asked.

“Yeah, it’ll be fun. You’re coming, too, Mike?”

He nodded, his mouth full of fries.

“Hey, have you heard from Sal? Our homeroom teacher said she thought he’d transferred schools. Do you know anything about that?”

I nearly choked on my Sparkle. “I hadn’t heard that. I thought he was just, you know… away.”

“Yeah, me, too. But she said that Mrs. Marchant told her he was gone. Did you…”

I knew he wanted to ask if I had known. And I hadn’t. He’d left. The last thing I wanted was to leave Derek and Mike this way, but I couldn’t sit there anymore not knowing what had happened to Sal. I snarfed down the remainder of my lunch. “I’ve got to check on something,” I said. I hurried back to school to find Mrs. Marchant.

I hadn’t seen Mrs. Marchant since the writ hearing. She looked up when the secretary let me into her office. “Miss Oberon. To what do I owe this pleasure? Most students come here only because of infractions.”

“Mrs. Marchant, it’s about Sal Davis,” I said. “Is it true that he transferred?”

She scrutinized me before saying, “He’s your boyfriend, correct?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And he’s told you nothing?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Then I’m afraid I can’t either. School policy aside, Miss Oberon, if Sal wanted you to know what he was doing, I’m sure he would have told you before he left.”

That was not the reply I’d expected, not from Mrs. Marchant. “I guess… I mean, I know you’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have bothered you.”

“No problem. I’m always happy to have students visit.”

“Thank you.”

I had the doorknob in hand and was struggling to keep my tears at bay when she said, “Often people don’t divulge their plans in order to keep others safe. Don’t you agree?”

My heart leaped. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Carry on, Miss Oberon.”

Closing the door behind me, I let out a sigh of relief. At least he was still alive. I hadn’t even realized how scared I was for him until just now. I’d barely admitted to myself the possibility that he could be hurt or killed on one of his missions.

The closer it got to my last class, the more worried I became about Fassbinder. He’d said he would meet me after school. Did that mean he’d be outside waiting? Was he going to call? Would he show up at the house? I fretted the entire fifty minutes of Language and Lit.

Miss Gray motioned to me as the bell rang. I was torn between being the good obedient student and getting outside. I bolted, leaving her standing there, shocked at my behavior. At least I wouldn’t have to explain tomorrow.

When I got outside, Wei was waiting. And so was Fassbinder.

She gave me a thumbs-up and slipped around the side of the building, off to set her end of the plan in motion. I took a breath and then marched down the steps to Fassbinder and his waiting trannie.

The driver opened the door, and I slid onto the backseat. Fassbinder sat next to me, practically hidden in the shadows.

“Well?” he asked.

“It’s all here.” I held out an envelope. “What about my grandfather?”

He opened the envelope and perused the contents. “Assuming this is what Mr. Lessig wants, you’ll be hearing from him,” he said. “You’re going to work at the Art Institute now?”

“Yes, and I’ll be late if I don’t hurry. May I go?”

“Mr. Lessig insisted that I be cordial to you. A task I hardly relish. However, since I’m meeting Mr. Lessig at the Palmer, I am going in your direction. Would you care for a ride?”

“No.” I let myself out of the trannie and took off to the transit stop. I couldn’t be late to pick up Joan.

Two transfers later, I was in front of my old apartment building. Rushing down to the riverfront, I saw Joan waiting, alone. We huddled in an alley, and she changed into Ginnie’s clothes. “How’d you get rid of your friends?” I asked.

“I told them I was turning myself in. Svette wanted to take me down there herself and get the money. But one of the others knocked her out and told me to run. Said she wouldn’t be a part of taking money for my life.” She turned her sad eyes to me. “Tell me it’s going to be all right, Nina. I’m so scared.”

I squeezed her hands tightly. “You will be fine. No one will hurt you ever again. Now”—I helped her up—“let’s go do this.”

When we got to the Institute, I ran my handsert through the employee entry gate while Joan exchanged the token for a visitor’s pass. That hurdle crossed, we made our way to the elports. Tuesday was Free Day, and the lobby was jammed with people. I hoped that would work in our favor. Spotting Paulette and Mag, I gave a quick jerk of my head to them. Mag winked in acknowledgment, then pulled Paulette back into the crowd.

Joan and I got into the elport and took it to the floor where I worked with Martin. It was twenty to four.

I led Joan to the storeroom. “You stay right here. I’ll be back in six minutes.”

I hurried through the tunnels to the roof. Three minutes there. Unlock the door. Three minutes back.

When I stepped into the storeroom again, I could see that leaving Joan alone in an enclosed room had not been a good idea. She was pacing, rubbing the back of her neck with her hands.

“They’re going to hurt me.” Her eyes darted around the room. “They’re coming for me again, aren’t they? Why don’t you do something?”

“Joan, it’s all right,” I said. “No one is here but you and me. No one is ever going to hurt you again.” I kept speaking softly to her, trying to reassure her of what we were doing. It took me way too long to pull her back to reality.

Finally, I opened the doorway to the tunnels, and in walked Brie and Dorrie.

“What’s wrong?” Brie attitude was all business. She took in the situation. “Joan?”

Joan hung her head. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“Joan, it’s okay. It’s all right.” I reassured her again.

“I know. I know.” She turned to Brie. “I freaked out.” She gazed up at us. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. We’ve got plenty of time, if we leave now.”

“Nina—” The tone of Dorrie’s voice scared me. “There’s been a change in plans,” Dorrie said. “Japan isn’t—”

A knock on the storeroom door stopped us in our tracks.

“Go. I’ll get rid of whoever it is,” I whispered, motioning Brie and Dorrie to hide behind a pile of packing boxes. Joan was officially logged in as my visitor, so it’d be odd if she disappeared as well, but I couldn’t risk anyone finding her. I pushed her to follow Brie and Dorrie behind the boxes. I went to the door and looked through the viewer. It was a security guard. I cracked the door open. “I’m sorry, Martin’s not here today, can I—”

“You’ve got a visitor.” The guard stepped aside to reveal Kasimir Lessig standing there.

“Miss Oberon,” he said. “Not looking nearly as appealing as when we last met. Worrying adds years and wrinkles, you know.” He patted my cheek and sauntered past me into the room.