Retrospect

Twenty-five

   My lungs were burning when Miles, Ana, and I reached the outer part of the section. The skyscrapers sat close to a body of water that was churning due to the machines just below the surface, creating the electricity that powered the city. I was pretty sure the river I'd escaped down fed into this larger pool and I stared down into the water uneasily. Good thing I'd found my way out of the river in time, because it'd be the end for any poor soul who fell in here.

   "Can we stop for a second?" Ana asked in irritation, bending over and coughing violently.

   Miles nodded and gazed out at the water, looking completely unfazed from our cold run that had felt like it'd taken days.

   I paced around, full of squeezing cramps in my legs. My left arm wasn't making anything any better either. It was still bent at an odd angle and it made me grimace every time I looked at it. "Did we lose the officers?" I said between breaths.

   Miles looked back down through the maze of streets. "I think so," he mumbled, though he didn't look too sure, putting up his hood again and facing the water. Once Ana's coughing fit subsided, she put her hands on her hips. "I can't believe Alvin did that. And Rich? Really?" She asked, looking to me for confirmation, to know if it was really true.

   I nodded and wrapped my arms around myself, trying to block out the bitter, freezing air. "He wanted the reward for turning me in," I told her, remembering Rich's low, snarky voice in my ear.

   "Wow," Ana said. "Yeah, Alvin did the same thing. He and Rich must have talked about doing that before." The thought made me feel queasy. They could've been planning on bringing me to the officers this whole time, even when I was in the room with them.

   A moment of silence passed between all of us. It was hard to think about everything that had happened today, especially when Murl and Reeves were still in the heart of the chaos. Or worse. I hoped I would see them rounding a corner, heading in our direction with the wounded Murl soon enough.

   Miles sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. I paused and watched him, making sure he didn't notice me. I could tell since he'd gone quiet that he was concerned about his cousin and the gray-eyed man too, even though he didn't admit it aloud. Suddenly, his eyes flicked up, meeting mine, and instantly he turned to pacing again. My heart skipped a beat. I avoided looking at him for the next hour.

• • •

   The sun was balancing on the horizon, the glittering lights of the city fading on as night rolled in. The hum of the machines underneath the water was still audible and the honks of air taxis were rarely heard in the distance. People weren't walking around as much in this part of the section, and the stars were already tiny, flickering pinpricks in the darkening, indigo sky.

   All of this would have made for a peaceful evening if only Murl and Reeves were here too. I couldn't exactly tell how much time had gone by since we'd escaped the officers, but the vibrant orange, sinking sun gave me an idea. It was taking way too long for them to get here.

   I was sitting on the smooth ground with my legs crossed, close to the edge of the water. The heat of the sun warmed my skin and it was a nice break from the cold that had been chasing me down these past few days. I tried not to wonder if Murl and Reeves were still alive. I liked to tell myself they were, like how I did with my parents.

   Luckily, I was able to stay calm about the situation, but Miles was a whole other story. He wouldn't stay still.

   "Hey," Ana called to him as he paced around, "sit down, would you? You don't want to look insane."

   Miles rolled his eyes and huffed. "Easy for you to say," he muttered.

   "Oh c'mon, Miles! It's not like Reeves and Murl don't have brains!" Ana argued, watching him spin around again to walk the other way. "They're probably having a nice dinner with some Sera girls in a penthouse somewhere," she joked.