Page 108 of Tapeworld Induction

“Yes, ma’am.”

The woman in the room left in a hurry. Dylan listened to her footsteps disappearing down the corridor but still waited a full minute before shifting herself out from under the desk. She got up and made sure the lemon-yellow shift dress wasn’t crumpled or dirty. Strange thing to worry about right now, but it was a little bit of normality that kept Dylan from completely freaking out. She was sneaking around in a tech CEO’s office, while said CEO was demoing scary tech downstairs!

“You heard all that, Zak?” She kept her voice low.

“Yes! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She wasn’t. Her hands were shaking and her heart was beating fast, threatening to jump out of her throat.

“I think Talia’s got a visual,” he said. “Someone just came down the stairs.”

“I didn’t get a look at her.”

“Muscular woman talking with Astrid now, according to Talia. Head of security, from the looks of it. I think I might know who she is.”

Shit. Dylan didn’t fancy an entanglement with her…

She exited into the corridor and found the stairs, tiptoeing her way down, head bobbing left and right, checking for danger.

Suddenly, she heard gasps and noises from the crowd.

“Oh, fuck,” Isaak said. “The guy with the Sleeper on, his mouth’s foaming.”

Just as she was coming up on the art gallery display room, she looked at the group chat, seeing Talia’s messages.

@talia: Dude’s mouth is foaming.

@talia: Astrid’s carrying him back off-stage.

Astrid’s voice echoed down the corridor towards her. “He’ll wake up fine in an hour, enjoying the full effects of an eight-hour sleep!”

The crowd reacted with rapturous applause, roaring right on cue.

As Dylan entered the crowded space, she caught sight of her right away. In a corner on the other side of the room, eyes already on Dylan, was a gorgeous woman built like a brick wall. Astrid’s head of security. Surely she spent all her free time at the gym lifting weights. The sinews of her muscles were bulging out of her black tank top and leggings, which were both made of the same fabric as a high-street tuxedo. She looked like an Oscar presenter in a weightlifting competition.

She started making her way towards Dylan.

38

Fine Dusting

Isaak

Coiled wire wound down the side of the taxi seat. There was a lingering smell of takeaway mixed with aftershave. Ancient chewing gum lined the recesses of the seat cushions. Whoever Sacha had rented the converted black cab from was still using it as transportation for hire. A lamp-post in front of the vehicle illuminated the street.

He was scanning the photos Dylan had sent – mostly pictures of Astrid herself, but also the street sign. Cardinal Row, City of London. Running a search on his phone, he quickly found there was no Cardinal Row in London, not on any maps at least. This was just the kind of thing Astrid would do. Security through obfuscation.

Cardinal Row isn’t a place IRL. It’s a tape-space.

There was no time to waste. Astrid and Jewel were distracted. If they were going to check this place out, now was the best chance they’d have. So he rushed, like he always did. Like in the London Lazarus days. It wasn’t what they planned. Talia and Dylan were still in there, witnessing Astrid torture some poor fuck named Nicholas, with a full audience of depraved rich fucks.

But they were on their way out. If he didn’t do this now, they might not have a chance. He stuck the wad of tape to his temple, Cardinal Row in his mind.

He rubbed his index finger and thumb together. The lamp-post outside went out. Around him was darkness.

Turning the car headlights to full beam, all he could see ahead was empty road.

“The fuck?”