Page 47 of Jump or Fall
As he sorted through theories, a message came through from Kimmie:
Kim
We have eyes on the box. Thanks for camping out. Will contact you tomorrow.
The box was still motionless. Had the owner deliberately left it off? Or had he abandoned it?
Stretching out his legs, he started toward home. He hoped the guy would come for the bird.
***
The next day, Kimmie messaged him to meet at the station. When he arrived, she looked even more pissed off than usual.
“Let me show you who we caught.”
She led him to a one-way window looking into an interrogation room. Inside, a teenage boy sat fidgeting with a cup on the table and bouncing his knee. He couldn’t have been more than fifteen. His light brown hair was cut short and styled into spikes and his features suggested he was at least partially Hayashi.
“Criminal masterminds are getting younger these days,” he quipped.
Kimmie rolled her eyes. “You’re very funny.”
“What’s his name?”
“Luke Kurono.”
So he was Hayashi. After years in Surveillance, Gordon had become fairly skilled at determining people’s backgrounds. Kimmie’s, however, was still a mystery.
“And I’m guessing an unknown individual paid him to retrieve the box?”
“Yep.” She crossed her arms. “I think he’s telling the truth. I ran his name—typical Eight kid. No legal trouble from him or his parents. They just moved here because they were broke.”
“I think the answer is in Naxos.”
She blinked slowly. “I think you want to get out of here without holding up your end of the deal.”
He handed her his tablet, showing the restricted site’s information. Her brows furrowed, and he could almost hear her teeth grinding.
“Damn it,” she whispered.
“If you’re still willing to help me leave, I’ll go to Naxos and see what I can find. No guarantees, though, including how long it might take. I’ve never seen a fucking spy bird—and it looks like they make them.”
Her frown deepened. “I’ll still help you leave. We didn’t even have this much until you showed up.”
“I won’t just take off and forget what’s going on here, Kim.” He held out his hand.
Kimmie gave it a brief shake. “I know.”
Chapter 17
Gordon - Four Years Earlier
The motorbike Gordon had purchased was parked outside on the edge of Eight. It wouldn’t fit down the alleyways, so that’s where it had to stay until the day he was set to leave.
Buying it had been tricky since he had to get it from someone in another Division. Gordon had noticed another guy got away with roaming around if he concealed his face with a helmet. So he tried the same tactic. The seller had seemed wary at first, but hadn’t demanded he remove it.
Kimmie had told him that the way out was through an underground tunnel that came out near the south wall. He thought she was joking at first when she said he’d have to walk with the bike through the tunnels and then continue on foot once out until he reached the forest.
It also had to be at night.
