Title: Catch me if you can
Chapter 2: Caught
Author: Wordless_angel
Email: Wordless_angel@hotmail.com
Spoilers: 411 on the DL; Cold Comfort; Blah Blah, Woof Woof, The Kidz are
Aiight.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are not mine and in no
way belong to me. No money is being made from this work and no offence is
meant to the creator.
Summary: Zack's gone and Jondy's dealing, until she hears that
announcement.
Jondy was thinner then she had been when she'd last seen Zack. Her hair was longer and her blue eyes were just a little bit more lost.
She had found another sleazy bar to work in. With another mediocre singer to entertain the usual drunks and with the usual friendly, stupid, male manager.
As far as Jondy was concerned, the fact that Zack hadn't made contact in almost five months confirmed her fears. Lydecker had got him. She had told the others what had happened, leaving out a few minor details. She had kept Zack's voice box up and running. Jondy knew someone had to look after her brothers and sisters. But on the whole, she'd let them stay where they were. She didn't want to make it hard for Zack to find them if he got out.
None of them had taken the news of Zack's capture well. Tinga had cried, Syl had gone very quiet, Krit had broken his fingers, twisting them around and Zane had sworn and sat down.
The television in the corner of the bar crackled and Jondy turned to look and choked.
Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video bulletin. This cable hack cannot be traced it cannot be stopped and it is the only free voice left in this city. This is a message to those known as X5. You've been compromised. You're in danger. You know what to do. I repeat you've been compromised. You know what to do. This message will repeat every hour on the hour until each of you has checked in.
Her barcode flashed cross the screen along with the others. Jondy didn't even bother to take of her apron. She grabbed the bag of clothes and Tryptophan she stashed in the bar for emergencies and made her way out. Her bike was parked in the alley down the back. Jondy put her foot down.
As she rode, Jondy kept her head low. She swore when she saw that they had extra guards on the sector passes.
Jondy had one choice.
"Sorry, baby." She whispered to her bike. Jondy went straight through. She bent low over the handlebars when she heard the shots. They didn't have much hope of hitting her but one came close.
Jondy sighed. Ahhh, the things she had to do. ((
Jondy stopped at the payphone when she was far enough away from San Francisco. She'd seen the hover drones and soldiers going in. And she wasn't stupid enough to stop until she was far, far away.
Jondy heard the beep and Zack's recorded message.
"Zack here. You better be in trouble or dying if your calling. And if it's Jondy, tell me where you are 'cause when I find you I'll kill you." Jondy smiled. She was notorious for calling Zack just to irritate him, always forgetting to tell him where she was or where she was going.
"Hi!" Jondy tried to sound bright but her stomach was jumping. Eyes Only had said to report. Someone who knew about them would also know Zack was gone. So Zack must have got out. "How's home? I'm off to find another low down bar to work in. Come and visit. I'm make tea." Jondy hung up. Normally, she didn't tell Zack where she was going just to annoy him but this time she had another concern. What if Manticore had changed Zack? She didn't want to hand herself over, although, if they managed to turn Zack, it probably wasn't a bad idea. With shaking hands, Jondy got back on her bike and headed in the direction of LA.
((
Los Angeles was bleak. And cold. And boring. Everyone was either drunk or dead. The pulse had effected here worse than most other parts, which made it ideal for a girl trying to disappear. But that wasn't exactly what Jondy wanted.
In LA she was Sharon. A vivacious blonde working at a bar with bright blue eyes and a scar on the back of her neck. There were no shortages of bars and after the last girl who worked here and ended up in the hospital, ehhem, Jondy got the job.
The bar was full when she heard the footsteps. She resisted the urge to hurl herself at him, knowing he would not be impressed. Jondy also needed to suss out the situation.
"I'm looking for Sharon. Have you seen her?" She didn't hear the answer, so someone must have pointed. Jondy heard the footsteps walk in her direction.
"Something for you?" Jondy didn't look up.
"I'm looking for a girl."
"Half the guys hear are looking for the same thing. The rest are looking for other guys." She felt, rather than saw him raise an eyebrow.
"Small, blue eyes, pain in the but."
"Sounds like fun."
"Try looking after her." "I'm sure she doesn't need looking after."
"I know she does." Jondy snorted.
"I'm sure. Sorry, can't say I've seen her. But if I do I'll give her a message."
"Tell her that if she doesn't show up at her apartment at 2:00, I'll kick her arse."
"I'd say someone like you described wouldn't let you kick her arse."
"Try to stop me. Just make sure she's there" Jondy raised her hands in the air, still not looking up.
"Don't say I didn't warn you. If I see this girl. I'll let her know."
"Hrmph." Jondy heard. Then the footsteps walked away. Her apartment, 2:00, kick arse. Message delivered.
((
Nothing changed from apartment to apartment. They were all the same dumps. But this one had something to run home to.
Jondy knew he was there when she opened the door.
"I see, Sharon, go a hold of you." Jondy grinned.
"Very reliable, that girl. So wonderful she was available after the prior girl had a, a fall."
"I bet. Why didn't you tell me where you were?"
"If you're talking about the phone message, for two reasons. One, to piss you of. Two, just in case Manticore changed you."
"You really think they could."
"I really think they'd try. And it looks like they did a good job if we were all compromised."
"Not all of you. Just you, Tinga and Zane. But I couldn't remember where the others were."
"Ahh, flooding your mind with disinformation. Cool. I've always wanted to try that." Zack glared at her out of one eyes. "Okay, okay. So how did we get compromised?"
"I called Max."
"And you remembered her number how?" Zack avoided her gaze.
"I called Max. She came down for me and helped me to remember stuff. Except Lydecker was listening in the whole time. Max's friend."
"The one you hate?" Again, he ignored her.
"He posted the message. Tinga got caught, so we went down to help her out."
"Is she okay?"
"Yeh. She insisted on going back for her kid. But it should be about another three days before she gets back. She thinks I'm still in Canada."
"Why aren't you?"
"It's snowing. I hate snow." Jondy laughed. Zack sighed. "She'll get caught. I'll have to go back for her."
"Damn. You never rest."
"Not part of the job description."
"I'm getting that." Jondy was silent for a minute. "So what exactly are you doing here, Zack."
"Well, I'm happy to see you to."
"You're never happy to see me Zack. I only irritate you." Zack sighed.
"I needed to find out where you were and that you were okay."
"You could have just called."
"Bit hard when you don't leave a number. And don't have a phone for that matter."
"That escaped me."
"Hmmm. Get a phone Jondy. Then I won't have to come down all the time."
"I'll keep it in mind."
"No. Get it out of your mind and do it." Jondy snapped her heels together and stood up straight.
"Yes Sir, yes!" She yelled, smiling.
"Jondy."
"Okay, okay."
Jondy was thinner then she had been when she'd last seen Zack. Her hair was longer and her blue eyes were just a little bit more lost.
She had found another sleazy bar to work in. With another mediocre singer to entertain the usual drunks and with the usual friendly, stupid, male manager.
As far as Jondy was concerned, the fact that Zack hadn't made contact in almost five months confirmed her fears. Lydecker had got him. She had told the others what had happened, leaving out a few minor details. She had kept Zack's voice box up and running. Jondy knew someone had to look after her brothers and sisters. But on the whole, she'd let them stay where they were. She didn't want to make it hard for Zack to find them if he got out.
None of them had taken the news of Zack's capture well. Tinga had cried, Syl had gone very quiet, Krit had broken his fingers, twisting them around and Zane had sworn and sat down.
The television in the corner of the bar crackled and Jondy turned to look and choked.
Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video bulletin. This cable hack cannot be traced it cannot be stopped and it is the only free voice left in this city. This is a message to those known as X5. You've been compromised. You're in danger. You know what to do. I repeat you've been compromised. You know what to do. This message will repeat every hour on the hour until each of you has checked in.
Her barcode flashed cross the screen along with the others. Jondy didn't even bother to take of her apron. She grabbed the bag of clothes and Tryptophan she stashed in the bar for emergencies and made her way out. Her bike was parked in the alley down the back. Jondy put her foot down.
As she rode, Jondy kept her head low. She swore when she saw that they had extra guards on the sector passes.
Jondy had one choice.
"Sorry, baby." She whispered to her bike. Jondy went straight through. She bent low over the handlebars when she heard the shots. They didn't have much hope of hitting her but one came close.
Jondy sighed. Ahhh, the things she had to do. ((
Jondy stopped at the payphone when she was far enough away from San Francisco. She'd seen the hover drones and soldiers going in. And she wasn't stupid enough to stop until she was far, far away.
Jondy heard the beep and Zack's recorded message.
"Zack here. You better be in trouble or dying if your calling. And if it's Jondy, tell me where you are 'cause when I find you I'll kill you." Jondy smiled. She was notorious for calling Zack just to irritate him, always forgetting to tell him where she was or where she was going.
"Hi!" Jondy tried to sound bright but her stomach was jumping. Eyes Only had said to report. Someone who knew about them would also know Zack was gone. So Zack must have got out. "How's home? I'm off to find another low down bar to work in. Come and visit. I'm make tea." Jondy hung up. Normally, she didn't tell Zack where she was going just to annoy him but this time she had another concern. What if Manticore had changed Zack? She didn't want to hand herself over, although, if they managed to turn Zack, it probably wasn't a bad idea. With shaking hands, Jondy got back on her bike and headed in the direction of LA.
((
Los Angeles was bleak. And cold. And boring. Everyone was either drunk or dead. The pulse had effected here worse than most other parts, which made it ideal for a girl trying to disappear. But that wasn't exactly what Jondy wanted.
In LA she was Sharon. A vivacious blonde working at a bar with bright blue eyes and a scar on the back of her neck. There were no shortages of bars and after the last girl who worked here and ended up in the hospital, ehhem, Jondy got the job.
The bar was full when she heard the footsteps. She resisted the urge to hurl herself at him, knowing he would not be impressed. Jondy also needed to suss out the situation.
"I'm looking for Sharon. Have you seen her?" She didn't hear the answer, so someone must have pointed. Jondy heard the footsteps walk in her direction.
"Something for you?" Jondy didn't look up.
"I'm looking for a girl."
"Half the guys hear are looking for the same thing. The rest are looking for other guys." She felt, rather than saw him raise an eyebrow.
"Small, blue eyes, pain in the but."
"Sounds like fun."
"Try looking after her." "I'm sure she doesn't need looking after."
"I know she does." Jondy snorted.
"I'm sure. Sorry, can't say I've seen her. But if I do I'll give her a message."
"Tell her that if she doesn't show up at her apartment at 2:00, I'll kick her arse."
"I'd say someone like you described wouldn't let you kick her arse."
"Try to stop me. Just make sure she's there" Jondy raised her hands in the air, still not looking up.
"Don't say I didn't warn you. If I see this girl. I'll let her know."
"Hrmph." Jondy heard. Then the footsteps walked away. Her apartment, 2:00, kick arse. Message delivered.
((
Nothing changed from apartment to apartment. They were all the same dumps. But this one had something to run home to.
Jondy knew he was there when she opened the door.
"I see, Sharon, go a hold of you." Jondy grinned.
"Very reliable, that girl. So wonderful she was available after the prior girl had a, a fall."
"I bet. Why didn't you tell me where you were?"
"If you're talking about the phone message, for two reasons. One, to piss you of. Two, just in case Manticore changed you."
"You really think they could."
"I really think they'd try. And it looks like they did a good job if we were all compromised."
"Not all of you. Just you, Tinga and Zane. But I couldn't remember where the others were."
"Ahh, flooding your mind with disinformation. Cool. I've always wanted to try that." Zack glared at her out of one eyes. "Okay, okay. So how did we get compromised?"
"I called Max."
"And you remembered her number how?" Zack avoided her gaze.
"I called Max. She came down for me and helped me to remember stuff. Except Lydecker was listening in the whole time. Max's friend."
"The one you hate?" Again, he ignored her.
"He posted the message. Tinga got caught, so we went down to help her out."
"Is she okay?"
"Yeh. She insisted on going back for her kid. But it should be about another three days before she gets back. She thinks I'm still in Canada."
"Why aren't you?"
"It's snowing. I hate snow." Jondy laughed. Zack sighed. "She'll get caught. I'll have to go back for her."
"Damn. You never rest."
"Not part of the job description."
"I'm getting that." Jondy was silent for a minute. "So what exactly are you doing here, Zack."
"Well, I'm happy to see you to."
"You're never happy to see me Zack. I only irritate you." Zack sighed.
"I needed to find out where you were and that you were okay."
"You could have just called."
"Bit hard when you don't leave a number. And don't have a phone for that matter."
"That escaped me."
"Hmmm. Get a phone Jondy. Then I won't have to come down all the time."
"I'll keep it in mind."
"No. Get it out of your mind and do it." Jondy snapped her heels together and stood up straight.
"Yes Sir, yes!" She yelled, smiling.
"Jondy."
"Okay, okay."