“No one else wanted you,” he smirks.
She scoffs, throws a pair of socks at his head, and walks off.
“What do you think has changed?” I ask as I walk to the door, mostly curious if anyone sees anything salvageable about our world.
“We no longer think we need each other because of all the tech, so we don’t value human connection the way we once did. We used to team up based on complementary skill sets. That’s how we survived.
“Find your family and stick by them, and life will get better. Even when it’s shitty, you’ll endure because you’re together.”
I hold the door for Radar and have to agree with the man. My stress might be higher at times because I’m concerned for Radar, but I know he’s watching my back too.
We walk through the gates and into the market. Aphria’s place is my first stop. She’s got her medical supply booth set up outside her storefront on the Main Street.
We pass several other booths on the way to hers, some regular sellers, a few new ones.
A tall man in a cloak bumps into me. I push away from him on instinct and get an eerie vibe, something I can’t shake as I hurry away.
“What?” he asks. “I promise if you come with me, I’ll show you all the ways I can solve your problems.”
“No, thanks.”
He cups his crotch in front of everyone, and I put it together.He’s as bad as Falgus and Reji.
When Radar sees Aphria, he trots a little faster.
She’s a lithe woman with long white hair always held back by a barrette, who often smells like antiseptic and bleached cotton.
“Tessi!” She motions us into her shop and sends her teenage son out front to manage the booth. “Please, tell me you have what we need.”
I retrieve the crushed chunk of palladium from my bag and set it on the counter.
“Ooh. A good one this time.” She leans back and looks skyward like she’s thanking someone above her. “Mines have been producing less in recent years. Makes prices go up. I just can’t afford that.”
Of course she can’t.She runs an underground medical facility that saves lives but would be immediately shut down if the government found out about it. If the government can’t control it, then it’s not allowed to exist. At least, not in our cruddy little place of Halfhaven.
As she weighs the metal in the back, Radar sits down, facing the door, leaning against my leg, like he always does.
She pays me the same rate per gram as last time. Then reaches out and sets a hand over the credit chip before I can pick it up.
I frantically look around, waiting for someone to jump out and cart us off to jail. It wouldn’t be the first time police have posed as merchants to hunt down those of us who either trade in illegal goods or who can track illegal goods. Then they try to force us to work for them for free. I just didn’t expect it to be Aphria.
“Tessi. You can’t walk around in public with those claw marks on your shoulder.”
“What?”
She darts her eyes to my left shoulder. “What attacked you?”
“Myndrous.”
Her eyes widen for a barely visible second. “How many did you see?”
“Four. One chased me. Out by the towers of death.”
She glances outside, then pulls out a handful of medical supplies from under her counter. “Set your bag down.”
“I only do that when I sleep.”
Aphria frowns at me. “Then move the strap.”
