We need a witness. Someone willing to put their ass on the line for us. It’s not going to be an easy sell.
Rekker will get nowhere with diplomacy. Sentinel police, hunters of the Empire, roam these streets, especially in the poorer districts. They look for females and mine defectors like us.
This is not a game.
Without warning, the automatic doors open. The radiant, pink light from the moon shines through the entrance of the garage.
I smell the rotten air and exhale, staring at Emma. “Welcome to the planet we will all die on,” I say, the first to walk into the landing bay.
I hand each of the alphas a pistol. It’s not much against the sentinels, but it might just save our lives.
“We need to get some clothes on her,” I say. “If someone notices we have brought a female with us, they will turn us in.”
“Or take her for themselves,” Vraik growls.
Rekker lunges a bag off the entrance hatch. He pulls out some common alpha garb. “Here,” he says, handing it to her. “You’ll need some clothes.”
“And don’t speak,” Vraik warns.
“What will happen to me if I do?” she asks.
My heart races. “You will be sent to the breeding facilities.”
“Why happens there?”
I sigh. “No one knows.”
Through a door, I lead them to a small hole in the gate that surrounds the old airfields. We duck through and continue walking into a dark alley. It’s been so long, but it still feels like yesterday.
Nothing has changed. The outer sector buildings are still run-down, half demolished by the Empire. The authoritarian regime has allowed automation to exceed the limits of poverty. Here, aliens lie dying on the streets.
On the other side, the grass is greener.
Yes, in the far distance, the center quadrants are full of new skyscrapers. The empire’s insignia shines above, the biggest hologram ever built.
I swallow, mouth dry. Now that I’m here, I can only hope to promise myself one thing. I will never enter that quadrant. Not even for the female.
We’ll find another way out of here.
A mile ahead of us is the Bounty District. We know an alpha with a bar there. If everything goes to plan, he’ll take us in for the night.
It’s the only place we can find safety before sunrise. After that, we’re out in the open at a time when facial recognition scanners will easily identify us.
“Akron’s spot shouldn’t be too far off,” I say, pointing at the neon haze in the distance.
“How do you know he’s still alive?” Vraik asks.
I tap against my forearm. A metal plate activates a screen. Red lights scroll before displaying Akron’s information.
“He’s still in the database,” I say.
“We’re all thinking the same thing, right?” Rekker asks.
Emma looks worried, but Vraik holds her wrists tightly.
“Do the ritual there,” I say.
Rekker nods.