“Doc, if I’m understanding you correctly, you’re saying that if a person had no receptors, bots, stains, or whatever, then security wouldn’t see them at all?”
Fran’s palms began to sweat. Yes! Yes! Yes!
“That is correct,” Doc said.
“Not only that, someone without Bots tied to their neurological fibers would be unaffected by security’s measures, right? So Wolf’s right. Retter is virtually invisible and invincible.”
“Yes, that’s also true.” Doc closed his eyes and rubbed the lids. When he reopened them, he let out a heavy sigh.
“You’re both right, and I’m light years ahead of you.”
Doc nodded to Fran. “Why don’t you go find Retter? We’ve got a few things to iron out.”
“What?”
Doc waved her off. “Nope. Go find Retter. Then we’ll finish this discussion.”
Chapter 11
FRAN
Fran rushed from the cottage to the central fire, the best place to start searching out Ret. She saw Tanya working with Edam and the evening crew.
“Have you seen Ret?”
Tanya tossed a log she just split onto the growing pile of firewood. She pushed back a stray hair which had fallen from her brown braid and motioned over her left shoulder. “I saw him taking the river trail. He may be fishing.”
Fran dashed down the trail, the running threatening to bring on another throbbing headache. The trees at least created a compassionate canopy from the direct sunlight. Besides her lingering headaches and occasional nausea, she felt pretty well-healed from her detox. Especially compared to Chan. She still found it hard to believe how much Chan’s muscles had atrophied since his decline and release from Impervious.
Fran found Ret squatting by the bank not far from where he previously rescued her. He focused on the still water, fishing pole in hand, seemingly unaware of her arrival. She picked up a stone and launched it over his head like he had shown her, and it splashed three times before sinking. Ret sprang to his feet, yet without even bothering to turn around, he greeted her.
“Hello, Wolf.”
Did he anticipate her arrival? Had he been thinking about their battle with the river ? Was he thinking of her ? The thought made her feel strangely light-headed. Her legs also felt a little shaky reminding Fran that the detox still nipped at her heels. She put a hand to her head and sat down on the mossy soil.
Retter moved to her side. “Hey. You okay?” He lifted her satchel and placed it into her hands. She took a swig of the icy liquid and allowed the coolness to snake down her throat. Once it landed in her belly, her head began to clear.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She offered a weak smile. “Thanks.”
Now that she sat face to face with Ret, could she really ask him to risk his life for a bunch of people he didn’t even know? She hugged her knees to her chest. A breeze rustled overhead. The islands of mossy patches dotting the soil felt soft like fur when she swiped a hand across their tops.
“Hey, Ret, I have a question …”
He answered with a nod.
“Um, what made your parents different?” She couldn’t do it.
Ret barked out a quick laugh. “Different than what?”
“Different than everybody else underground. Different enough to head out into the vast unknown when your Mom was pregnant with you.”
Ret shrugged. He picked a flat stone and tossed it across the river. Fran watched as it lightly skipped across the surface, drawing gentle circles in the water.
“It was planned that way.”
Fran waited for a better answer and nudged Ret to continue.
“Good versus evil. Son of the creator. Sound familiar?”
Fran shook her head. “I’m not tracking.”
“Mm. That’s right. Couldn’t talk about it on the inside.” Ret stood and walked to a nearby tree. He returned and dumped a book at Fran’s feet.
“What’s this?” She touched the leathery cover and brushed her fingers across the fancy etched lettering.
“It’s what led my parents. You can take it
Fran’s palms began to sweat. Yes! Yes! Yes!
“That is correct,” Doc said.
“Not only that, someone without Bots tied to their neurological fibers would be unaffected by security’s measures, right? So Wolf’s right. Retter is virtually invisible and invincible.”
“Yes, that’s also true.” Doc closed his eyes and rubbed the lids. When he reopened them, he let out a heavy sigh.
“You’re both right, and I’m light years ahead of you.”
Doc nodded to Fran. “Why don’t you go find Retter? We’ve got a few things to iron out.”
“What?”
Doc waved her off. “Nope. Go find Retter. Then we’ll finish this discussion.”
Chapter 11
FRAN
Fran rushed from the cottage to the central fire, the best place to start searching out Ret. She saw Tanya working with Edam and the evening crew.
“Have you seen Ret?”
Tanya tossed a log she just split onto the growing pile of firewood. She pushed back a stray hair which had fallen from her brown braid and motioned over her left shoulder. “I saw him taking the river trail. He may be fishing.”
Fran dashed down the trail, the running threatening to bring on another throbbing headache. The trees at least created a compassionate canopy from the direct sunlight. Besides her lingering headaches and occasional nausea, she felt pretty well-healed from her detox. Especially compared to Chan. She still found it hard to believe how much Chan’s muscles had atrophied since his decline and release from Impervious.
Fran found Ret squatting by the bank not far from where he previously rescued her. He focused on the still water, fishing pole in hand, seemingly unaware of her arrival. She picked up a stone and launched it over his head like he had shown her, and it splashed three times before sinking. Ret sprang to his feet, yet without even bothering to turn around, he greeted her.
“Hello, Wolf.”
Did he anticipate her arrival? Had he been thinking about their battle with the river ? Was he thinking of her ? The thought made her feel strangely light-headed. Her legs also felt a little shaky reminding Fran that the detox still nipped at her heels. She put a hand to her head and sat down on the mossy soil.
Retter moved to her side. “Hey. You okay?” He lifted her satchel and placed it into her hands. She took a swig of the icy liquid and allowed the coolness to snake down her throat. Once it landed in her belly, her head began to clear.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She offered a weak smile. “Thanks.”
Now that she sat face to face with Ret, could she really ask him to risk his life for a bunch of people he didn’t even know? She hugged her knees to her chest. A breeze rustled overhead. The islands of mossy patches dotting the soil felt soft like fur when she swiped a hand across their tops.
“Hey, Ret, I have a question …”
He answered with a nod.
“Um, what made your parents different?” She couldn’t do it.
Ret barked out a quick laugh. “Different than what?”
“Different than everybody else underground. Different enough to head out into the vast unknown when your Mom was pregnant with you.”
Ret shrugged. He picked a flat stone and tossed it across the river. Fran watched as it lightly skipped across the surface, drawing gentle circles in the water.
“It was planned that way.”
Fran waited for a better answer and nudged Ret to continue.
“Good versus evil. Son of the creator. Sound familiar?”
Fran shook her head. “I’m not tracking.”
“Mm. That’s right. Couldn’t talk about it on the inside.” Ret stood and walked to a nearby tree. He returned and dumped a book at Fran’s feet.
“What’s this?” She touched the leathery cover and brushed her fingers across the fancy etched lettering.
“It’s what led my parents. You can take it
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