Divided Worlds Trilogy 01 - Disconnect by Imran Siddiq Page A

it being stolen.”
    “You’re lying.”
    “I know it looks as if I stole it, and that I came back to steal something else. I get that. That’s what some scavengers do when they find a rewarding spot. But I’m asking you to trust me. I didn’t steal it.”
    No reply. Not a sound.
    A tinny hum convinced Zachary that she hadn’t disconnected the call.
    “The thief left a message in the box. It said something about the location being right and Project Century.”
    “Centurion,” said Rosa.
    “Yeah – that’s it.”
    Her breaths crackled out of the Raptor. “What else did it say?”
    “Nothing.” Zachary screwed his mouth. Why had she reacted in that manner on a single word? What was the significance of it?
    “Anyway,” he continued. “When my dad told me about his job at the Kade residence, I went along.”
    “The note mentioned my name?”
    Zachary closed his eyes, wondering why he couldn’t shake off the honest sense of responsibility inside him. “My droid hacked your Intercom and found your surname.”
    “I can’t believe this.”
    “I was curious.”
    “No – not you. Them . The thieves. It’s all connected. The theft. The attack. It’d been planned. They’ve been watching us. Waiting. Stinking protesters that won’t let go of the past,” said Rosa.
    What did she mean about the past?
    “What do the protesters want?” asked Zachary.
    “I don’t care. All they care about is upheaval. Changes to suit them. Rule-breaking. They don’t understand anything about Galilei .” Rosa groaned aloud. “If I’d told Father, he could have done something to stop them. We would have been prepared.”
    “But you’re alive. They only damaged the outer shell.”
    “And next time? And the time after that? Don’t you get it? They were testing us. Finding the weak spots. They’ve probably recorded how long it took for Father’s security to respond, and how we cleared it up. What if they use a bigger ship next time? Bombs? Or they just come straight for my home?”
    Rosa sniffled. “I have to tell my father when he returns from Assayer.”
    Zachary’s fingers curled around the warm Raptor, regretting the truth he’d told. “You won’t tell him about me, will you?”
    “No, I won’t. You said you hacked in, and I have to be careful that you don’t do that again. I need you to wipe this Raptor’s memory. I should have done it before giving it to you. Stupid me.”
    “As in clear the memory?” Zachary counted the Leo-coins disappearing if he handed in a damaged Intercom. “My droid hacked your first one because it was damaged. This one’s still password locked.”
    “Come on,” moaned Rosa. “Since when did a password stop a hacker? Hang on, am I on the speaker? Are you alone? Like alone-alone?”
    “Yeah. Just me.”
    “Interesting. Hold the Raptor up by your face. Squeeze the black ridges on the lower case. It’s underneath. You can’t miss them. An image that resembles a blue face will appear. Press it.”
    “What will that do?”
    “You asked me to trust you, well, now it’s your turn. Do it. Please.”
    Zachary absorbed her final word. Nobody in Underworld used it. He couldn’t recall the last time his dad had used it either.
    The glow of the Intercom showed the necessary ridges to squeeze. A blue circle with two eyes and an upturned mouth hovered above the upper screen. He pressed it. His palm itched at the circular lights intensifying. In midair, Rosa’s perfect face materialised. How he wished he could remove the blue tint.
    Zachary’s heart beat fast when her eyes flicked around. “Can you see me?”
    Rosa squinted. “Stop ruffling your hair. You’re only making it worse. It’s so dark. Are you in a cave?”
    “Kind of. I shouldn’t do this. It’s dangerous. If anybody catches me …”
    Rosa’s hair hung straight with a sloped wave across her brow as she looked aside. “I thought I’d see something I recognised, other than your face. Everything seems empty. Like