Max read all night. She actually did fall asleep, right on the kitchen floor, which surprised her. She awoke, startled when she heard the door open and close. It was Kendra and Original Cindy.
"You comin' to work today, boo? Or do you want Original Cindy to cover yo' ass?"
"Yeah, I'm coming."
"Well, you look like hell. But if you say so."
"Yeah, I'm coming. Just a sec," she said over her shoulder as she headed for the closet.
Max slid out of her clothes from the night before and pulled on a grey t-shirt and khaki cargo pants. She cinched up the drawstring, laced up her shoes, and snagged her bicycle.
+++
The next few days passed uneventfully. Work. Crash. Occasionally mooch food off Logan. Home. Read, sometimes sleep. Max finished the book. It was good, she decided. She tossed it in her bag, mentally scheduling an impromptu drop-in on Logan after work to return it and possibly snag some dinner.
+++
"Hot run!" shouted Normal. "Thirty-third and Blue Sage!" He reached the package out toward Max. She shook her head.
"Nope."
"Max, I pay you to work. Now work. I'm not your babysitter. Now, bip, bip, bip." he said, tapping his watch with one hand while thrusting the package out toward her again. Max sighed, accepted the package, and dropped it into her bag.
She finished the run and dropped the forms back at JamPony.
"Hot run! Max?"
"No, Normal. No."
She mounted her bike and sped up the ramp before Normal could say anything else.
Max arrived at Fogel Towers and chained her bike to a post. She went up to Logan's floor. The door was ajar. She could hear Logan talking inside.
"No. I don't know. I'm working on it."
"Logan…"
Max almost jumped back in surprise. It was the voice! It was the girl from Gosland's. The informant.
"Logan, come on. You haven't found any of them? Not Zack? Not Zane? How about Jondy?"
"I had some leads, but they fell flat."
"What about Max?"
Max recoiled to hear her name. The girl knew her. The girl was looking for her.
"No. I don't know where she is. I've got a contact, though. She might be in, uh, Phoenix, but I don't know for sure."
"Logan…I have to know. I have to find them. They think I'm dead."
"I know. I know this important. But you have to be patient, Eva."
+++
Max's breath stopped. Eva? Manticore Eva? Her mind reeled, then it all clicked. That was it. The voice. It was EVA! Older, more mature, but it was Eva. Her first instinct was to turn and leave. Eva. She had to see her. She crept into the apartment.
Logan was sitting at his computers. The girl paced back and forth. She was short and muscular. Her hair was dark red and pulled partially back with a rubber band. It skimmed her shoulders. Her eyes were wide. She was wearing jeans, a green T-shirt, a grey jacket, and running shoes. She stopped and stared at the ceiling, rolled her head across her shoulders, and pulled her hair up with her hands. Max could see the barcode. Eva dropped her hair, cracked her knuckles and resumed her pacing.
"I just can't wait anymore. I can't."
"Eva…"
"I'm not going to be in Seattle much longer. I've got to get back."
"I know. I'll keep you posted."
Eva stooped and picked up a bag from the ground and slung it over her shoulders. She headed for the door. Max ducked off into the kitchen.
Eva called over her shoulder, "I probably won't be by again before I leave. I'll call you when I get back."
