Syn cocked her head again. The Ecology was here? Had they come for her? Had Huck gone for help? She had forgotten about him until just that moment. And why was Neci acting kind again? Her mood switches were disturbing, and Syn felt that the kindness would switch into murderous rage in a flash.
Neci turned back to Syn and held out her arms, “I know we had a rough night, but I want you to know that I value your sport. You play a good game. Well done!” Syn stayed locked in place. Neci wrapped her arms around the quiet girl and squeezed tightly. “When it’s over, it’s over,” Neci chimed. Then she followed it up with a simple command. “We are all traveling together, despite whatever the machines want.”
Syn wanted to see the Ecology outside. Were her friends there? Had Arquella and Bear come with them? Despite their oddities, the Ecology was the brightest moment of joy she had experienced on this side. The Ecology had accepted her. They had been kind. They welcomed her and embraced her. Syn found herself inching closer and closer to the wall. A thin bit of gray light peaked through the umber boards that braced the metallic wall. She peered through the slot. The sight took her breath away.
Outstretched before the walls, pouring down the hillside and wrapping up the surrounding dunes was the largest array of bots she had seen. There were harvest-bots, service bots, several large jellyfish floating above the mass, cleaning bots scurrying across the ground, medics, farmers, repairman. She spotted several that looked like Arquella. One of them likely was Arquella, but she couldn’t tell. There were the micro-bots, no larger than a mouse, whipping in and out of the others. Yet, in the mass of bots, she did not see the Barlgharel. There was not even another sewer bot that she could confuse for him.
Syn felt a pang of hope. She spoke, “They came for me.” She glanced back at the Sisters. The Crimson Queen stood in front, her shoulders squared and undeterred.
Syn turned and eyed the mass of bots, all shouting, “Expected. Expected,” in unison. A tear rolled down her blood-stained cheek. They had come for her. They had conquered their fear of the desert and Zondon Almighty and the Crimson Queen herself. For her.
At that moment, Syn realized she wanted to be back with the Ecology. There was no question. But she didn’t want it to be all or nothing. There was still Kerwen and Pigeon, and she had begun to love them—they were becoming true sisters more than just in name. She didn’t want to have to choose between the two camps. Yet, she found herself shouting, “I’m here!”
The sounds outside turned raucous. The voice boomed, “We see her now! Give us the Expected. Release her.”
Above the wall, above her, looking down, although far away, floated a single ball—much smaller than Arquella, but Syn was familiar with the type: eye-bots, just like the crimson one she had rescued from the crater. They were the first on most any scene in her Disc, analyzing and helping to coordinate the other bots to respond. Here they were informers. She stared at it. Huck? No, it didn’t move like him.
Kerwen picked up a rock and threw it over the wall. It clinked against something, and she smiled broadly.
Neci screeched, “Get her away from there!”
Taji yanked Syn back from the wall and grunted, “Why do they want the little piece of dirt anyway?”
Ignoring the question, Neci whispered to Kerwen, “Is all ready?”
Kerwen nodded. “I have three loaded and ready. We can leave and go to the seventeenth without delay. It’s working fine. I used it a few days back, and it’s a straight shot to the needle.”
Syn wore a puzzled response. The seventeenth Jacob lift must be several kilometers away. They’d pass at least one other Jacob between here and there.
Kerwen caught Syn’s puzzled look and answered her unasked question, “The machines won’t think we’d go further than we have to. Just can’t think like that. Little morons will check out the closer Jacobs. Or the settlements.”
“We’re leaving?” Syn asked, “They won’t hurt us. Just let me…”
“Get her. Shut her up,” Neci barked.
The two burlys were on her, pulling her back from the wall.
Neci turned and marched away as the crowd of bots outside began to slam themselves against the walls. Neci spoke, “All. We’re leaving. Now.” She pointed at Pigeon. “Make sure the grav plates are secure on her companion.” She then stabbed a finger at Taji, “And you grab… The Expected.” She spoke the phrase with a sneer.
Pigeon dashed off into the dark corridors, fast as a blur.
“You’re not buying that load, are you?” Taji asked, punching a meaty paw into Syn’s arm.
Syn struggled in the grasp of the burly, kicking and punching at him. She shouted, “Let go!” It definitely wasn’t Admiral—the grip was cruel.
Neci laughed. “If we get through the gate, I’ll call her Messiah.”
The burly didn’t relax. It tromped after Neci, holding the struggling Syn close. His grip was nearly unbreakable. Still, she continued to kick and hit at him.
After a trek through the maze to the far side of Zondon Almighty, through the careening, tight passages, they came to an open room with three floats, loaded with gear. Pigeon was already there, a bag floating ahead of her, held in place between her hands. The shape of Blip was discernible through the burlap. Pigeon had been fast. She had darted to the far edge of the small city and then back here while they took a direct route.
Pigeon never wore a smug look. There was no haughtiness. Yet, Syn detected something of pride in her stance now. Perhaps her legs were a bit straighter. Maybe she stood a bit taller and did not hunch her shoulders. Had Syn’s reversal against Neci changed the girl’s mood? Did Pigeon feel she had beaten Neci somehow?
Neci didn’t even spare a glance at the tiny girl. She began to speak, “We need to move fa…”
She was interrupted by a massive boom. An explosion reverberated through all of Zondon, shaking the ground below their feet and causing the walls to rattle. A second later, the sound of crashing metal reached them.
Kerwen exclaimed, “They’ve broken the wall!”
“Morons,” Taji said, spitting on the ground. “Stupid machines.”
Neci instead sat down on one of the floats and propped her legs up on the running board.
The burly planted Syn down on another hover bike and held her down with two brawny hands on her shoulders. She shrugged and stopped struggling. “Fine,” she grunted. The vehicle jostled but righted itself quickly with the weight. A sense of satisfaction rushed over Syn. At least the technology was consistent. The hover bikes were the same here as they were in her world. At this realization, she smiled as she turned to face Neci.
Neci spoke, “Horrible little machines. And they want you.”
“Why do you hate them so much?” Syn asked.
Neci smiled, “They’re useless. Can’t get them to do anything. Can’t threaten. Can’t control. These…” she nodded at the golem, “Are so much easier to lead.”
“Of course you can’t control them!” Syn shouted, “They’re living!”
“They’re machines. They’re stupid. Someone’s controlling them,” Taji offered.
Neci shook her head. “They are the eyes and ears of the bitch above.”
“So is she controlling them now? Does she want Syn?” Kerwen asked.
Was Olorun truly alive? Was she a thinking machine like Blip and the Barlgharel? Syn wanted to ask. Syn started to ask. She’d love to compare notes, to get to the bottom of this. And right now, Neci seemed to be interested, to be kind. But then Pigeon’s final words last night ran through her mind. She’s wicked. Twisted. The carnage of the workshop flashed in her memory. In response to Neci, Syn said, “So who twisted you?”