The Artful (Shadows of the City) by Wilbert Stanton Read Free Book Online Page B

shining gems. He turned a couple of useless street thugs into skilled professionals. But now Preach was gone, we were officially on our own.
    Dodger walked ahead, not saying a word. I had to hustle to keep up. A couple times Gia faltered, still visibly dazed from the knock to the face. I tried helping her walk by wrapping my arm around her shoulders, only to have her jerk away. She’d apologize after noticing my hurt expression and offered false assurances she was okay.
    This was the type of girl she was. She would never let anyone in, always insistent on taking care of herself. She wanted to make a show of not needing anyone. I wondered what kind of hardships she had gone through to make her so untrusting. I must have gotten lost in my musing. Before I realized it, we emerged from the underground maze. The moonlight yanked me back to reality. We ascended the stairs.
    “Who were those guys?” Gia asked.
    “What do you mean?” I was confused by her question. “You never saw Suits before? They run Manhattan.”
    She hesitated for a moment, stumbling on her words. “I know that. I mean Stan in particular, jerk.”
    “They were a pain in my ass.” Dodger surveyed the area. “We need to find Smith. He could be anywhere.”

    A shadow fell upon the earth, and, for a moment, I thought the world had ended. And I was okay with that. It would have been peaceful, clearly more preferable than what followed. I gazed in amazement at the airship above us, one of the smaller models, unmanned, rumored to run by remote control―an Empire drone made for spying. A simple balloon, rudder, and undercarriage meant to hold equipment. Speakers hung low on the side.
Would they follow us until we returned
?
    “Let’s get going. We should try the Runts and shake the eyes in the skies,” I said, indicating the hovering airship. “Peter might have something for you to take, might know something about what they injected you with.”
    “The kid’s a genius, but there’s no way he can figure out what they put into me without actually seeing the stuff. But I agree they might be our best bet for information,” Dodger said.
    “Who are the Runts?” Gia asked, trying to keep up behind us.
    Dodger and I both looked at her in confusion.
    “You don’t know much about what goes on out here, huh?” I asked.
    “Yeah, you’re as dense at a Tower Baby.” Dodger said, knocking on her head for good measure.
    “Shut it! I just have better things to do then play in your little clubs!”
    “The Runts run Central Park. It’s usually not a safe place to go strolling, but we are tight with Peter, he’s their fearless leader. He’s kinda a kid prodigy, grew up in a library, and knows mostly everything there is to know.” I looked at Dodge. “Hopefully, he knows what they stuck Dodge with.”
    Central Park was a journey made in silence. Dodger was keeping to himself, probably on the verge of panicking. Gia walked alongside me, lost in her own thoughts. She would glance at Dodger time and time again, unsteady looks of curiosity. I wondered what it was about him that was so appealing to her.
    It sent waves of jealousy through me. I wanted her to look at me like that. I wanted to be the mysterious enigma who rattled her with questions.
    Dodger was always so good with the girls… well, no, he wasn’t good at all with them. But, coincidentally, that’s what worked. His inability to filter, saying the first thing that came to mind, no matter how offensive, was no different than honey to a bee when it came to the ladies. Me, on the other hand, I always found myself fumbling over words and fighting back terror when it came to talking to girls
    The shadows of night crept about, promising cool air and comfort. As the weather became more friendly, we began seeing more people about. They were scavengers, hobbling from one broken corner to the next, like rats trying to find anything to nibble, or something that could be bartered for food. A girl with matted