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He listed a price that was at least several months' salary for someone like Mark. He didn't look shocked, however; it seemed he was ready for that price.
The trouble started when he tried to transfer the credits over.
“This isn't right,” Mark said, shaking his head. “It's saying there have been too many suspicious purchases under my name in the last day, and they’re blocking my account for my protection.”
“You haven't bought anything in the last day. You've been at home.”
We exchanged a glance. The officers had gone to his house to look for me. They must have done something to deactivate his account.
Shit. What if they’d done the same to mine? All the money Krxare had transferred over would be useless.
“Let me try,” I offered, holding out my arm. I held my breath as I waited.
Please work!
The money transferred without a problem. I was now the proud owner of a refurbished hover bike I couldn't ride.
“You better go get that chip looked at,” said the shopkeeper. “A few years ago, mine started saying I was dead. I had to go down to that goddamn office five times to show them I was alive.”
I doubted going down to the office was a good thing to do for Mark at the moment, but I kept that to myself. Mark assured him he’d get it checked out and climbed on the hoverbike. He motioned me to get on as the shopkeeper handed me a pair of helmets that looked homemade.
I eyed them suspiciously. Better strange-looking homemade helmets than none at all. Shrugging, I handed one to Mark and put the smaller one on, tightening the strap under my chin. I climbed onto the back, and we were off. I breathed a sigh of relief to know that we were putting distance between us and the officers.
Our first stop was a small diner at the edge of the colony. We needed a place to sit down and continue our search, though we knew they’d find us there eventually and we’d need to run again. We followed the same lead that had gotten us the information yesterday, and this time, we located the general area of the Vokirens Chris might be trading with.
That was progress.
Just in time too. A black transport pulled up out front; the officers had found us. Luckily, I’d prepaid our bill. We were out the back door and on our way to the wilds before they even got out of their vehicle.
We got to the Vokiren village just as they were about to roast Chris over the flames, quite literally. So maybe the part about them being cannibals was true after all, but only for those considered enemies.
From what I gathered, this tribe had lost a lot of people due to the actions of the human colony. They’d immediately assumed Chris was a spy or someone sent to poison their water, which apparently had happened once before.
Without a translator, Chris hadn't been able to understand a single thing the chief—this tribe didn't have a matriarch—had said.
With my implant, I understood everything the chief said, but I wasn't able to communicate what I needed. Fortunately, they recognized the fabrics I wore as those made from another Vokiren tribe. The colors were different, unique to that particular group, but the weaving and knitting techniques were the same.
The clothing, combined with the formal greeting I’d learned from Azala, meant they were much more open to listening to me. The chief turned downright friendly after I pulled out a few glittering gems from my bag, especially since his very-pregnant mate had expressed her desire for a gem for every kit she carried.
Apparently,push presentswere a thing for the Vokiren.
“What the hell, Clara!” Mark exclaimed, earning him several spears pointed his way. He put his hands up to show surrender, then said softer, “You’ve been carrying those around the whole time? Those are worth a fortune.”
“I’ve been saving them for just such an occasion. You never know when you’ll have to trade precious gems for your brother’s life.”
Three gems and some creative sign language later, I finally got them to release Chris from the not-yet-burning pyre. Then the three of us got out of their land as quickly as we could, before the chief could change his mind.
“Holy shit, Clara. I thought that was the end,” Chris said, climbing off his own hover bike. He patted himself as if making sure he was still whole. Then he gave me a huge hug, lifting me off my feet. “You came just in time, brat. If you hadn’t shown up when you did, I’d already be dead.”
Any doubts I’d had about coming back to find him faded away. Chris was my brother, and his life was worth it.
Chris released me and exchanged an old-fashioned fist bump with Mark. The two were such geeks; no one gave cringey fist bumps anymore. “How’d you two find me, anyway?”
“You might be good with technology, but I know a lot of people,” Mark said. “You left just in time; they came looking for you the next day, and I don’t think those officers were going to take no for an answer.”
“Those officers are after us right now,” I reminded them, waving my chipped arm in the air.
I glanced over at Chris's arm, which was bandaged up. He looked back at mine with disgust.
