Threader by Rebekah Turner Read Free Book Online Page B

found you.’
    â€˜It’s not like that.’
    â€˜My ticker nearly gave out when a couple of jokers showed up at my door, wanting to talk about you,’ he says. ‘I thought either you’d been picked up and clipped, or run over by a cycle gang.’
    â€˜I’m just fine.’
    â€˜The hell you are. The Helios Academy, eh? I’ve seen their adverts. Nothing but glorified recruitment centres for slimy, no good corps.’ He smacked a fist into an open palm with a growl. ‘You don’t want nothing to do with these guys, Josie. Trust me. One corp is as bad as another. The only thing they think of is how to profit. And every employee is expendable.’
    â€˜It’s going to be fine, Bobby,’ I try.
    He struggles to get out of the bed and begins searching for his shoes. ‘You think they’ll give you that Citizenship you’ve always wanted? Sure, they might. Or maybe they’ll just shove you in a cage and do tests.’
    I swallow, then blurt out, ‘They didn’t find me. I reached out to Helios, asking about recruitment.’
    Bobby freezes, his eyes sliding to me. ‘Why would you do something like that?’
    â€˜Did you know James was a talent?’ I change the subject, watching Bobby’s face for any indication he’s surprised. But he doesn’t even flinch.
    My throat constricts and tears threaten. ‘Did you know both he and Alice graduated from Helios and used to work for Galloway Industries?’
    Bobby sits back on the bed, shoulders slumping. ‘No. I knew they worked for a corp, but I didn’t know much else.’
    I blink back tears. ‘Why wouldn’t he tell me about it? Why keep it a secret?’
    One of Bobby’s shoulders lifts, then drops again. ‘I’m sorry, Josie. I don’t have the answers you want. All I know is that James wanted you safe. I raised you and did what I thought was right.’
    A silence falls as we both search for some common ground. The only thing I’m sure of, is that I can’t waste this opportunity. This is my chance and I’m going to take it.
    â€˜I’m going to stay.’ A hint of desperation leaks into my voice. Despite reeling from the revelation about my parents, I want Bobby to understand and approve of my decision. And I really don’t want to tell him about getting busted back home by the cops.
    â€˜All the money in the world isn’t worth giving up your freedom,’ Bobby says darkly.
    â€˜If I graduate, I can get a Citizenship.’ I bend and pull his shoes out from under the bed and hand them to him. ‘You could close the shop and retire.’
    Bobby stares at the battered boots in his hands. ‘James felt the same way I do. That corps can’t be trusted. I learnt my lesson with the war, and losing my leg. I think James lost something more. Something went wrong for them, somewhere along the line, and they had to disappear.’
    I knew my parents were hermits, but Bobby never talked about why. For the longest time, I’d never realised there was anything odd about living in the middle of the woods, isolated from everyone else.
    Bobby’s craggy face is distressed as he pulls on his shoes. I’ve never seen him so upset with me, not even when I got my second strike.
    â€˜I’m not a child, Bobby,’ I say softly.
    He glares at me, offended. ‘I know you’re not.’ He struggles to stand, short of breath. ‘But we’re leaving. Right now.’
    The door behind me opens and a nurse storms in, looking angry. ‘Your stats are going off the chart. Get back in that bed this instant.’
    Bobby blinks at her, then sees the medical bracelet around his wrist. ‘Get your leash off me.’ He tries to wrench it off while the monitor beeps louder, faster.
    â€˜Get back in that bed. Right. Now.’ The nurse’s jaw is set and she looks ready to tackle him if he doesn’t