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We stand at the top of a hill, looking down on Martinsberg.
It’s a much larger city than Haprin, sprawling through the valley into every possible bit of land. There are farms visible on the near side, and I wonder if the farmers have started planting their crops yet.
“That’s it,” I say, pointing to the east. “The new tech facility is the tall glass building.”
“How are we going to reach it?”
“I was thinking maybe we’d just walk in and see what happens.”
“Is that a good idea?”
“Do you have a better one?” I reach up and stroke her face. “If we’re captured, the first thing they’ll want to do is contact Errol Spat, Anna Jarvis, and Merle Hudson. Those are the people we want to see.”
“We both look like we recently jumped out of an exploding helicopter,” Riley says. “What if they just kill us?”
“I don’t think they will,” I say. “It’s a technical facility, not a military one. Considering Carson intelligence knew about our plan to attack and abduct Spat, I’d guess they would also know about my escape. You are likely considered a hostage.”
“How is that?”
“Isaac said as much to me right before we were shot down.”
“I didn’t realize you had communicated with him.”
“He was on the monorail below us as we approached the wall. He thinks they messed with my head when I was captured, which isn’t so far from the truth.”
“He thought you’d kidnapped me?”
“Yes, and that’s for the best. I’m only concerned that Carson Alliance may also believe that and consider you hostile. Approaching them out in the open might alleviate concerns they have about you.”
“I’m not much of a threat,” she says with a shake of her head. “You are the one that could infiltrate and hurt them.”
“They hoped I would come back. They might even be expecting me to show up here.”
“You can’t be sure.”
“I could only be sure if I had made an appointment,” I tell her. “As it is, the simplest answer seems to be the best. Occam’s razor and all.”
Riley gives me a small smile, but I don’t think she’s actually happy about anything.
“Incorporating the Occam’s razor principle is built into your programming,” she says. “Walking to the front door does seem to have the fewest assumptions. Let’s do it.”
We make our way around the edge of Martinsberg, keeping to mostly unpopulated areas. We do look rough; Riley is right about that. As we get closer to the center of the city, we encounter more people on the streets. Several of them glance at us sideways, but no one speaks to us or tries to stop us.
We turn onto the main street leading to the tech facility, and the huge glass building looms at the end of the street, towering above everything around it. A bright blue sign above the line of doors simply reads “Carson Alliance.”
Several dozen people walk up and down the stairs from the main entrance, and we merge with the crowd. Inside the doors is a large lobby with a fountain. Right in front of us is the entrance to the rest of the building, blocked by security guards. We head toward the desk near the secured entrance.
“Shall I do the talking?” Riley asks.
“Yeah, probably. I’m not sure I know what to say.”
We stop in front of the guard at the desk. He looks up at both of us, his eyes narrowed.
“Can I assist you?” he asks.
“I need to speak with Anna Jarvis,” Riley tells him. “Please tell her that Riley Grace would like to see her.”
“Is she expecting you?”
