Crashland by Sean Williams Read Free Book Online Page B

dupes or by anyone else.

[8]
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    SHE TUGGED OFF the jumpsuit and threw it into one corner of the stall. Then she turned on the shower, producing a powerful stream of hot water. There was soap, shampoo, and conditioner, even a pick for her hair. She used the soap thoroughly, checking every part of her for cuts or puncture wounds that might have come from the exploding dupe. Her elbow was loosening up under the patch the medic had given her, and her throat hadn’t even bruised. She felt surprisingly okay, physically, considering she had killed herself and watched her own dupe die in the last few hours.
    As she applied conditioner and worked steadfastly through the numerous tangles in her hair, she checked her infield for a message from Q. Still nothing. Using the same address, she bumped Q again, while she had the chance.
    â€œI feel awful about what I did, and I’m really sorry. Can you see why I had to do it? Wallace would’ve won if I hadn’t. Maybe more people died this way—I don’t know. But it’s better, isn’t it, to fix something than to leave it broken?”
    She sent the bump, too late realizing that she had inadvertently reiterated the argument behind Improvement. You can be Improved . Except having a big nose wasn’t the same thing as being broken, not by a long shot. Or living in a broken world.
    Clair’s mother, Allison, was in a PK station in Windham, their hometown. She answered practically the nanosecond Clair requested a chat.
    â€œYou’re safe! Thank everyone and everything. Where are you? When are you coming home?”
    Clair explained as best she could, hoping the shower would cover the sound of the siren. It was difficult to admit how little she knew about current events without sounding completely irresponsible. Allison wanted to know if her plan to enlist VIA had worked and if everything was going to be all right now, but what could Clair say?
    For the moment she tried to focus on the small and personal, rather than the whole world.
    â€œWhere’s Oz? Is he with you?”
    Allison shook her head. “He went back to the apartment to get some rest. The PKs have been deputizing volunteers in the old town hall. Everyone’s doing their best to band together, but no one really knows anyone else. He’s worried about riots if this goes on much longer.”
    â€œRiots in Windham?” Clair couldn’t imagine it. Windham barely qualified as anywhere. “Tell him to be careful, Mom.”
    â€œI have. He might be more inclined to if it comes from you. He’s worried about you too.”
    â€œI’m sorry.” Clair hesitated, caught on the tipping point of saying nothing and saying everything. “I love you, Mom.”
    â€œAnd I love you, dearest child of mine. Please be safe.”
    â€œI’m doing my best.”
    â€œPromise me.”
    â€œI promise. And, hey, ditto.”
    â€œDitto.” Clair could hear the smile in her mother’s voice, but it was on the surface only. Underneath was all worry.
    Devin bumped her as soon as she closed the chat. “Don’t be under any illusions that the PKs are acting out of the goodness of their hearts. They want something from you. That’s why you’re here.”
    â€œAre you spying on me?” she sent back.
    â€œPerfectly legally. I saw you call your mother. I guessed what you would talk about. It wasn’t hard.”
    Clair checked the list of people following her profile, and sure enough, there he was, along with LM Kingdon and all the others. He couldn’t see the content of private conversations at his level of privilege, but he was probably telling the truth about the rest.
    She thought briefly again about taking up the lawmaker’s offer, but decided that she should only get legal advice once she actually had something concrete to talk about on the matter of reactivation. No use tipping her hand too early, in case PK Forest was