Chapter 5:
The Centre, 1982
Bobby was completely out of breath and had skinned both his knees by the time he caught up with the boy. He had followed the boy down through the vents, through so many sub levels he lost count. The boy stayed just far enough ahead to avoid Bobby's grasp, but Bobby had the distinct impression that the boy was slowing down, letting him follow, taking him somewhere specific. Finally they stood, not three feet apart, Bobby breathing heavily, the boy apparently yet to break a sweat.
"Look," Bobby said between gasps, "I'm sorry I yelled at you. But I haven't seen anyone in months. Who are you?"
The boy squatted down, diverting his eyes coyly.
"I'm Bobby," Bobby finally said, exasperated. "Now you tell me your name."
"Angelo," said the boy, smiling but still not looking at Bobby. He pointed to the duct at which they had stopped. Bobby sighed and knelt beside Angelo, peering down, following Angelo's finger.
A thin boy with dark eyes and painfully pale skin was slouching in the corner of a cell identical to Bobby's, slinking back and forth like a caged cat. Kyle. Bobby had participated in SIMs with him on one or two occasions. He had never found Kyle's cell before – it had been a 15 minute run through the vents from Bobby's cell. From their limited contact Bobby had tentatively deduced that Kyle was a complete fucking psycho. But that wasn't who Angelo was pointing at.
"Kyle, this is Emma."
Raines' voice. What the fuck. Sure enough, he could see the top of Emma's dark head. He could almost feel the tension in her thin shoulders as she stood before Kyle, poised as if ready for a blow. She had some sense at least; nothing good was going to come of this.
"Emma will be involved in your next SIM." No one spoke. Kyle's eyes glinted. Fucking psychopath. He was practically growling.
"Come, Emma." Raines again. "The SIM will begin tonight. I will return for you then."
Fucking weird. Who the fuck was this girl? And the SIM… the last time Bobby did a SIM with Kyle he wound up with a broken wrist, a black eye, and a week's starvation rations from Raines for retaliating. Bobby looked away as Angelo tugged on his sleeve.
"What?" Angelo pulled Bobby to his feet and led him away from the duct.
"Emma," Angelo repeated.
"Yeah, Emma, now what about her? Who is she?"
"Emma …sad. Emma…quiet." Angelo's face was a study in despair.
"Who are you, fucking Tarzan?" Bobby was perplexed, and therefore, irritated. "Sad and quiet. What else? Why is she here? Why is Raines making us do a SIM with her?" Angelo shook his head sadly. He was starting to cry.
"That good, huh. Well, Angelo, you mind taking me back to my cell? I'd rather not have Raines pissed before the SIM even starts."
Angelo brushed past Bobby and started heading back up through the system, faster than before. Bobby struggled to keep up, now not only running, but climbing back up through the sub levels.
By the time they arrived back at the correct floor, Bobby was out of breath again. He was about to kneel and slip back through the vent into his cell when Angelo grabbed his wrist. Bobby noticed Angelo's eyes for the first time – they were a curious blue, so light they were practically transparent, the color of water. They were locked on his, searching his face, desperate.
"What now?"
Angelo closed the distance between them and hugged Bobby hard around the middle. He held him for a moment, then stepped back with the same, sad expression. Then he turned around and sped back through the vents.
"What?" Bobby hissed. What the fuck. Fucking weird-ass day. Boy meets girl. Vampire touches girl inappropriately in front of boy. Boy startles boy. Boy follows boy through air conditioning. Boy eavesdrops on boy, girl, and vampire. Boy confuses boy. Boy hugs boy. Boy confuses boy. What fucking next?