Divided Worlds Trilogy 01 - Disconnect by Imran Siddiq

have contact devices there?”
    He shook it for five seconds.
    Rosa’s voice returned to its gentle tone on the last shake. “Any better?”
    “Yes.”
    “Where were you? I called twice before.”
    Her questioning shook Zachary’s squatted posture. His brow relaxed with a tingling sensation, forcing him to smile. He had demoted their meeting to being the one time that they’d speak together; yet, here they were, speaking again.
    “I was busy,” replied Zachary.
    “ Scavenging ?” stressed Rosa.
    “I was with –” There was no need for her to know about the recruit. “There were others near me, and I didn’t want them to see it.”
    Static masked her comment. He shook the Intercom again.
    “You didn’t answer my question,” whined Rosa.
    “What question?” His jaw dropped.
    “Why have you still got the Raptor?” Rosa giggled. “I thought you’d be desperate to sell it.”
    “I am,” he replied, asserting belief. “I’ll do it later. I didn’t want to hand it over before I’d spent a day in the Wastelands. They’d get suspicious. Ask questions.”
    “Shrewd move.”
    A fearful thought jerked Zachary. What if the Raptor vibrated at the moment he placed it into Shekhar’s scrawny hands? “You mustn’t call me again.”
    “I know. I won’t. I just had to, because …” her tone dipped, “I shouldn’t have given you the Raptor. It was a mistake. I know I can’t have it back, so don’t shout at me. But my parents, they’ll know something isn’t right.” Her words quickened. “I had two Raptors. I didn’t tell them that my first was stolen. I just replaced it with my backup. When I tell them that I’ve lost one, they’ll tell me to use the other. But I can’t, because you’ve got it. They’re going to be so mad at me. They will want to know why I didn’t tell them.”
    “I don’t understand why they would care? You can get another. You’re an Overworlder. You’ve got money.”
    “It’s not that simple. Mother never wanted me to get a Raptor in the first place. She never saw the point in them. It’s not like I have friends or anybody to call. After a while, Father gave in, but he always warned me to be careful. I had strict instructions about using it, and I’ve broken every single one of them.”
    “How are you calling me?”
    “I’m using my mother’s now. I’ll have to wipe this call afterwards.”
    Zachary scowled. “Lie to them. Tell them that the first one stopped working. You dropped it, and the battery cell broke. And when they ask about the second, say it didn’t work. I’ve heard people say that things can burn out if they’ve never been activated. You know, past its use-by-date. Say your bot checked the Raptor and it’s a dud. Will your bot lie for you?”
    “Course she will. And her name’s Alice.” The speakers sounded like her teeth were chattering. “I think that could work.”
    Zachary smiled. “Remember, it’s only an Intercom. It’s not alive. It’s an object. If your parents do find out about it being stolen, won’t they be glad that you’re safe?”
    Rosa sighed. “You’re right. God knows what the thieves are doing with the one they stole.”
    “Don’t worry about it. My droid broke it into pieces.”
    “What?”
    The sharp tone cut him deep. Zachary rolled his eyes wondering why he spoke to her. He didn’t owe her an explanation. One press and the Raptor would shut off. The choke that Rosa’s silence caused didn’t loosen. “You won’t believe this.”
    “Try me,” came her flat voice.
    “I found it in the drop, yesterday.”
    “The drop?”
    “Drops come from the ceiling that would be your underground, or something like that. That’s how things end up in Underworld. They get dropped here.” Zachary considered that explanation would suffice. “Your Intercom was in a metal box. There was a Harmon bracelet inside with the Intercom.” He imagined two narrowed eyes cursing him. “I swear that I had nothing to do with