“Since you destroyed the air plant, there are a number of air filters blocking the ducts. I need my tools to get through them. Unless you want me to climb down and bypass all of them. It would take up more time.” I shrugged.
“No. Bubba Boom, make sure she does not have any weapons in there.”
Damn. I unhooked my belt and gave it to him.
He inspected the various pockets. Handing it back to me, he said, “Looks good to me.”
I hooked it around my waist, suppressing a relieved grin. He knew exactly what a few of my special gadgets did, yet he’d kept quiet. An excellent sign.
The Outsiders had the stairway blocked so no one could go to the upper level. I’d assumed they guarded the other stairs and the lift as well. I hoped Takia and Hana had found a way to bypass them.
As we climbed to level four and walked down the deserted corridors, I asked Ponife how they managed to convince everyone to leave.
“A trick,” he said. “We asked them to come along on a…tour of the great Expanse. To see their world beyond the white metal walls. To go inside the vehicle to see the Outside.”
“It’s an effective trick.” I tried to meet Bubba Boom’s gaze. He ignored me.
“Fosord’s idea. We also avoid them begging to bring personal belongings along. There is no space for frivolous things.”
“Are food and water included as frivolous things?” I asked.
“No. But there won’t be enough. However, our ancestors did not have enough either and they survived.”
“How?”
“Survival was the reward for the bravest, the smartest and the strongest. All the others died quickly.”
He avoided answering my question, but from his comment, I could guess it hadn’t been pretty.
All the living quarters had been emptied by now. The Outsiders corralled those they found in Sector H4 and the few holdouts in the main Control Room. I started my sweep in Sector F4. Ponife and Bubba Boom stayed close, but couldn’t be with me the entire time.
I spotted Takia and Hana in one of the apartments and the tightness in my throat eased. Takia slouched on the couch while Hana paced. I caught a snippet of their conversation as I passed above them.
“...sure this is a good idea?” Hana asked.
“Doesn’t matter,” Takia said. “This is our only idea.”
Hurrying to the room where they had kept Logan, I dropped from the vent and searched for those little Video Cameras. None in the living room. I glanced at the clock. Ponife would grow suspicious if I took too much time. I checked the washroom and the bedroom. Nothing.
My whole plan hinged on finding them. I never claimed it was a stellar plan. It was the best I could devise in two hours. These thoughts weren’t helping. I stood in the center of the room and put myself in Logan’s place. Where would he hide his most prized device? His most fragile device. His smallest creation.
I returned to the bedroom and picked up his pillow. Stripped of its case, it had been tossed into a corner. Examining the edges, I found new loose thread. I ripped the seam open and dug inside the pillow. Four video cameras were nestled in the stuffing.
I tucked them into my tool belt and raced to where Takia and Hana waited. They both jumped in surprise when I swung down between them. I gave two cameras to each woman.
“If you can, place two of these on the wall of the port without calling attention to yourself. Aim them at the transport ship.” I showed them how to activate them. Holding my receiver to my ear and the microphone up to my mouth, I hailed Sloan and recited the frequencies to him.
“What about the other two?” Takia asked.
“Place them inside the ship at locations where we would see what it’s like.” Their confused expression didn’t reassure me. I tried again. “Think of it this way. If you wanted to show an Outsider what’s it like in here, you would place one of these in the dining room. It’s crowded and noisy and busy there. Understand?”
“Yes,” Hana said.
“Ready?” I asked them.
They shared a look and nodded. I escorted them from the room and found Ponife and Bubba Boom. Ponife clutched my X in a tight fist, but he relaxed as soon as he saw the women. He called for an escort and soon one of Hank’s men arrived to take them up to the port.
As I searched the remaining rooms, I checked in with my team, receiving progress reports. Not too bad so far. Domotor’s curt reply indicated Logan’s computer expertise would be helpful. I told him to ask Sloan if he knew of anyone. Jacy had probably recruited an expert once Logan disappeared.
At one point Bubba Boom and I lagged behind Ponife. He touched my shoulder, stopping me as Ponife disappeared around a corner.
Leaning in close, he asked, “Is it a coincidence Hana and Takia had been missed by the Outsiders?”
I studied his expression. Trustworthy or not? Based on his actions this last week, I decided to trust him. “No.”
“You have a plan?”
“Yes.”
“It won’t work,” he said.
“Why not?”
“You don’t know enough about them.”
“Then tell me.”
“There’s too much.” He jerked back as Ponife peered around the comer.
“What is problem?”
“I’m dizzy. The air is too thin up here,” I said, placing my hand on the wall as if to steady myself.
“It will be thinner in the transport,” Ponife said. “You will get used to it. Unless…”