NirSighted Chapter Twenty: A Backwards Ambush

The Kushya Bridge led directly into Branford-Tobar and, besides the Port of Gallahan (ostensibly closed now under the army's watch), was the only south-facing exit from the large city. In short, there was no way into Branford-Tobar that Albert couldn't have covered. As the three of them burst from the shack, a dark blotch appeared on the horizon.

Albert raised his gun, then seemed to get a grip; from his pocket he removed a meter and waved it in the direction of the blotch.

"Love-Bots?" Mal asked tersely.

Albert shook his head and replaced the meter. "Hardly."

The blotch drew closer, and it separated and dissipated into four several people.

"Look, sir!" Zoë said, a tinge of excitement in her voice. "It's them!"

It was indeed Nir, River, Kaylee, and Catie. As they drew closer, Mal could see that three of the girls wore baby-carrying packs, and that River was attached to Nir's pack by a thin strand of yellow rope.

"I have never been happier t' see ya, little 'un," Mal declared as Nir and the rest stopped in front of them, panting from the long journey.

"I see we've got the next generation t' worry 'bout," Albert said, his brow furrowing.

Nir smiled. "Gabriel Trickey, Rand Sage, and Tessa Grace… Cobb-Flavez." She drew in another deep breath and seemed to calm herself. "What's the situation, Captain Reynolds?"

"Well, uh," Mal said. He wasn't exactly sure himself.

Albert interrupted. "Nir, I want you t' take the babies up t' Callan's house. Y' remember where that is?" Upon Nir's nod, he continued, "Leave the babies with Callan and Miguel, then get back here. Well, not here. Come to the Council of Love-Bots, the outpost here. We're gonna need all three Readers."

"Where's Callan's?" Mal wanted to know.

"Right over the rise, down by the Lark Industrial Park," Albert informed him. "They can be back in ten minutes or less."

Nir nodded. "Let's go." She tugged at the rope holding River to her. "Miss Tam? Are you with me?"

"She hears," River said tiredly.

"Kaylee, ever' body all right?" Mal asked, looking into his mechanic's worried eyes.

"Not really, Cap'n. They're all shot up…" Her voice trailed off.

Albert took charge once again. "They'll be fine. I'll send word to Bean's patrol to check on them."

"That would be excellent," Nir said. "They're down in the hollow near the copse, about a mile from the Kushya Bridge." She took something from her pack and handed it to Albert. "You know what to do with this."

"I'll get word to them," Albert repeated, accepting the small object from Nir. "Go up to Callan's and hurry back. We'll meet you at the Council Outpost."

Nir, leading the way, hurried off into a side street and disappeared, Kaylee, Catie, and River following her.

"This way," Albert said, and they moved away from The Fox and Cricket and out into another side street. "The Council's located up on Marsh Rise."

"What're we gonna do at the Council?" Mal wanted to know.

"We're gonna try t' stop this," Albert replied fiercely.

"How?"

"Well, chances are, the P-56 circuit was thrown into overdrive mode by someone here on Irving-Keene," Albert answered. "Most likely the revolution started when you and your scientist hit atmo."

"What's all this got t' do with Dr. Burk?" Zoë asked.

Albert peered around the corner of a building and, having determined it safe, continued on, leading Mal and Zoë to Marsh Rise. "More likely than not, your dear Dr. Burk was the one who started this whole thing."

"But… he was on St. Florin's," Mal tried to protest.

"Doesn't matter," Albert said, striding boldly through an alley connecting two rows of buildings. "Dr. Burk designed the P-56 circuit; he was trying to get the legalization necessary to put into people."

"People?"

"Right, people." Albert stopped and saw the surprised looks on Mal and Zoë's faces. "You… didn't… know? No, I suppose you didn't. Dr. Burk, as innocent as he looked, was actually performing some serious experiments on children. He was trying to design a child who, genetically, felt no fear or pleasure or any emotion at all, or any pain. The idea was to create a perfect soldier. He wasn't successful, which is why I think he threw the circuits into overdrive. If he wasn't going to win, neither was anyone else. I guess he was all right with killing everyone on Irving-Keene."

"How could he have done that? We were in the black most o' the time."

Albert shrugged. They were approaching a building with an ornately carved door. "Dr. Burk has many contacts here on Irving-Keene; his wife lives here and so does his brother. Plus, he knows that Irving-Keene is the Love-Bot capital of the black. We're the only place that has seven Love-Bots for every one person."

They had stopped in front of the door. Albert gave it a mighty kick with his heavily-booted foot. A screen to the left of the door lit up, showing black and white fuzz. Albert kicked the door again. Noise emanated from the screen, but it was all unintelligible. Albert gave the door one more kick, then stopped, breathing heavily. "A little help, Malcolm?"

Mal stepped up and kicked the door in the same spot Albert had kicked it. The door crumpled inward.

"Thank you, Malcolm," Albert said. "Let us go inside."

They had barely entered the foyer when a noise was heard from behind them. Mal and Zoë whirled with their weapons drawn, but it was only the contingent of girls. "Easy, Captain Reynolds," Nir said gently.

The girls were no longer wearing the baby-carriers, which Mal saw to be a good sign.

"Did you leave them at Callan's?" Albert asked.

"We did as you said," Nir replied.

"Good. Then come with us, we're going to need you and the Readers."

They headed deeper into the Council of Love-Bots outpost. It was a large building with sumptuous furnishings in the front rooms, but those quickly gave way to utilitarian offices filled with tools, wires, and monitors.

"Nir…" Albert started, but when he turned around, he saw that the girl had already removed a meter from her pack and was waving it around. "This way," Nir said definitively.

They moved in the direction she pointed, going down a long hallway that eventually ended in a heavy steel door. "Okay," Nir said loudly to be heard over the noise her meter was making, "River and Catie and I will go in and see what we can do. Provide covering fire."

"Loud!" River said fervently.

"It's not loud yet, sweetie," Kaylee said, brushing River's long hair away from her sightless eyes.

"Will be," River whispered.

"Let's go," Nir said, stuffing the meter back into her pack. "If we're not back within twenty minutes, you call Bean, get the babies from Callan's, and get the heck out of here."

Mal wanted to know exactly what was coming, but he didn't have time. Albert threw his arms around Nir and gave her a hug, kissing her on the forehead. Mal noticed how old Albert looked at that moment, and how horribly young Nir appeared.

But he didn't time to protest or say anything else, because the door opened and the three Readers disappeared, leaving Albert, Mal, Zoë, and Kaylee alone in the darkening hallway.

"What now?" Zoë asked.

"What now?" Albert repeated. "We wait."