She Bleeds for Us: The Galactic Consortium 3

Chapter 9

Gabriel stared at the men in anger. How could they keep him from his home, from his grandma?

Then his anger shifted, first to the protestors. They couldn't wait until school was out? They clearly hadn't thought about the kids that lived in that ghetto, trapped on the far side of the line.

His anger finally came to rest on yet another target. He looked at the sky. Why didn't she come? Surely if anyone could do it, she could. President Bundu was only an excuse. She was more powerful than he was. She could just ignore him and come anyway. Gabriel was sure of that.

"Still active in Guinea." That's what the men said. Princess Sarasvat and her people were still active in Guinea. Just not here.

Gabriel glanced back at the men. They were constructing barricades. They didn't seem to be going anywhere soon. He glanced towards the north. He knew were Guinea was, roughly.

His face set in defiance and he started walking downhill.

As he walked, the city around him changed. This end of town didn't have the great sand beaches that attracted rich tourist from other countries. Instead this was the industrial part of town with fishing and shipping businesses close to the sea. He could smell the rot of dead fish mixed with salt of the sea.

Men grumbled in low voices, shooting wary glances towards the hills where Gabriel had come from. Some sounded hopeful, questioning if they should join the protestors. Others were less charitable. "Just burn the whole eyesore. City be better for it."

Underneath the sound of the men's voice was the low roar of sea, constant in his ear. He turned to one side; he couldn't exactly walk across Tagrin Bay.

It took longer than he thought, but then again they had driven in Uncle Issa's taxi the last time he'd been this way. He passed the oil refinery on his right, a tall menacing complex on the edge of the bay.

Finally he came to the ferry road. Normally tourist swarmed here, but Holly had said that most foreigners had been sent out of the country. Had she? Or was she still up with the protestors?

He didn't know so he turned his attention back to the task at hand. Even though there weren't foreign tourist, there was still plenty of traffic. Which was good. Gabriel didn't have money for the ferry, if they would even let a kid his age on without an adult. So he paced around the gatehouse while the others paid their fee.

The walkway out to the dock was covered with a wire grate but Gabriel was skinny and when the guards were looking the other way he squeezed through.

One man gave him a suspicious look but didn't turn to tell the guard what Gabriel had done or get him in trouble. Not wanting to push his luck, Gabriel merged into the crowd and left the witness behind.

He fell into step behind a family with a half dozen kids, hoping that others would just think he was part of that family.

And just like that he was on the ferry, heading across the wide Targin Bay to the north and Guinea. He'd find the Princess and demand to know why she wasn't doing anything about the protests back in Freetown. He broke from the family and sat on the edge of the ferry boat, staring across the water and dreaming of his quest.