“We have to follow those footprints,” I said.
“Okay. Just keep behind things so if anyone looks in they won’t see you.” Wei took over, leading the way through the lobby. First behind the front desk, then a large sofa, an oversize table, and other pieces of furniture. Eventually, we made it to the other side. We followed the footprints to a door near the elport, which opened onto a stairway.
“The building is only ten stories high,” I said. “Come on.”
The stairwell was as black as the Chicago River at night. If we hadn’t had our PAVs, it would have taken a lot longer to get to the roof. The door at the top of the stairs wasn’t locked, but it was a bit harder to open than the one in the basement. It took both Wei and me ramming ourselves against it, but it finally gave way. A drift of snow on the other side had been the problem. When we walked out onto the roof, I checked my PAV—still no signal, still DZ. Of course, like Gran had said, this used to be a B.O.S.S. building; they’d have it rigged to keep it a DZ, and keep out any kind of surveillance.
“There are no footprints,” Wei said. “The snow has covered everything.”
“Ginnie left something up here. I’m sure of it. We just have to figure out where.”
“I’ll take this side,” Wei said. “You take the other.”
I walked over to the edge of the roof. Streetlights were coming on everywhere and Lincoln Park twinkled like a fairyland. I stopped for a moment and looked out over the skyline and the city. This was the view Ginnie’d loved, and I understood why. I went and got Wei; she had to see it, too. When we got back to where I had been standing, my foot caught on something. I knelt down and felt around. My pulse quickened. “There’s something here.”
I swiped the snow aside and there was a metal cover. I snatched at it with my fingers, nearly tearing them to shreds. It had no intention of giving way. “I need something to pry with.”
Wei searched the roof and eventually returned with a rusty length of metal. “Here, try this.”
I worked it under the cover and tried to lever it with all my strength. I felt a few wet flakes of snow—we had to hurry. At the same moment as the piece of metal broke, there was a pop and the cover opened.
I shined my PAV into the hole. Inside, wrapped in all-guard, was a packet. Wei and I sat down in the snow and I opened it. There was a note in Ginnie’s handwriting and three chips. The note said, Here’s the proof. FeLS is a cover for sex trafficking. I know you can stop this…
I didn’t read any further because the heavy wet flakes of snow started coming down harder. I wrapped everything back up and stuffed the packet in my jeans.
“Let’s go,” I said. “We’ve got to get this to my father. Do you think your father’s been in touch with him lately?”
“I hope so.” Wei went back into the building first. “Be careful on the steps,” she said. “My shoes tracked in some snow and it’s slippery.”
She wasn’t kidding. My foot nearly skidded off the first step. I grabbed onto the banister to keep from falling and felt the metal give under my weight.
We hurried down the stairs as quickly as we could, Wei in the lead. I’d just rounded a corner when I heard a thump in front of me.
“Wei?” I hissed. No answer.
“Wei?” I stepped carefully down the flight of stairs. Wei was lying at the bottom of the landing.
“Wei, are you okay?” Nothing.
Skivs! I put my hand on her neck, felt her pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief. She was still alive, but my PAV light wasn’t bright enough for me to see how badly she was injured. I wasn’t strong enough to carry her. Besides, I was afraid to move her. What if she’d broken something? I started to call Sal before I remembered we were in a DZ. I tried to calm myself and think of what to do next, but my heart was near pounding out of my chest.
“Wei…” I tried waking her again. Still nothing, not even a moan. I didn’t want to leave her, but I had to get help. “Wei, I’ll be back.”
I didn’t even think about anyone seeing me as I crossed the lobby. When I got to the kitchen, I heard a noise and froze. Prickles rose on my arms. Then I heard someone say, “Damn cheap piece of shit! Fucking worthless!”
Ed! For a second I was paralyzed. Then a voice in my head screamed, Move! I ran to the hallway door and tried turning the lock, but it was rusted fast. I could feel the panic rising up through my body. Think, Nina, think. I looked for a chair to shove under the doorknob, but there weren’t any. Grabbing a small table, I flipped it over and thrust it against the door. Then I threw some other debris on top of that. Enough to maybe buy me a second or two.
Not daring to turn my PAV light on, I stumbled around the room, tripping over several things. Somehow managing to keep my balance, I fumbled around and grabbed a metal pipe from the floor and ran to one of the counters. Scrambling up on top of it, I tried to reach a window. If I could break one, I could scream for help or climb out. No sooner had I stood up than the countertop gave way beneath me and I tumbled to the floor. I heard the doorknob rattle. I stood stock-still, not even daring to breathe.
“I know you’re in there, Nina.”
My heart was going to beat right out of my chest. The table scraped along the floor as the door slowly opened. Ed was getting in.
“Dead zone, isn’t it? How nice—no one will ever know we’re here. Maybe you and I can have some fun.”
The sick AV images of his vids popped into my mind. I choked back my terror and ducked behind one of the counters, the metal pipe still in my hand.
“Might as well show yourself, Nina.” Ed’s voice echoed through the ruins. “There’s no way out of here except through me.” He grunted and I heard a dull thud, and next thing, the door was completely open. The table tumbled onto its side. “You think some junk is going to keep me out of here? You can’t escape me, Nina.”
I heard him scuffling through the pile of debris I’d thrown in front of the door. Every inch of me wanted to scream, to run, to do something… but I waited, clenching the pipe tighter and tighter until my hands hurt.
“Don’t be stupid like your blond friend. Would you believe, she actually thought I was taking her for her physical. It didn’t take much for her to tell me where you were.”
Sandy. The only friend of mine that Ed knew was Sandy…
“As soon as she said ‘Wells,’ I knew you’d be here. You know, your mother had a thing for this building, too. Or so I heard.”
Panic burbled inside of me as his voice grew louder.
“Come on, Nina, don’t you want to know what happened to your friend? I could tell you all the details. She had those sex-teen ways down pat, but you know, she really was a virgin. Bonus for me.”
I pressed my lips together to keep from screaming.
He kept on, like we were having some kind of normal conversation. “You one, too? Or has that scrawny boyfriend of yours already gotten into your pants? Doesn’t matter to me. I’ll enjoy myself either way.”
Nausea gripped me. I swallowed down a bit of vomit.
“You know, Nina, we’ve got some business to take care of before the fun begins.” He waved the light randomly around the room and I heard him trip over a pile of rubble. “Goddamn cheap LED!” Dust swirled like a whirlwind in its faint beam. “There are only so many places you can hide in here, Nina. I am going to find you.”
One of the cabinet doors creaked as he opened it. “You in there?” He slammed it shut. A second later, it clattered onto the floor.
Every muscle in my body ached. Panic clawed at my insides, trying to get out. What if Wei came to and walked in on this? I shut my mind to all of the crazy thoughts.