Cipher (5 page)

I ran my teeth along my lip ring as I debated. Nothing I’d read in the files said anything about a tattoo, but I’d only scraped the surface of the info before my computer died. Plus, why would Lady Eva want a little girl as a secret agent? I was pretty sure my parents would’ve mentioned that.

Although the Shadow Ravens’ missions involved saving Red babies. Maybe they were the ones who’d gotten me out of the system and they’d marked me for some reason.

On the off chance that I saw someone with a bird tattoo like mine tonight, I’d play it cool. I needed to do more research. Take things slowly. Even if the Shadow Ravens had something to do with the Reds, that didn’t mean the tattoos were linked. The logos matched, but assuming things had never ended up well for me.

I swiped a healthy dollop of concealer over it, hiding it from view. “Done.”

Mona was giving me a weird look. It must’ve looked a little odd putting makeup on something Mona couldn’t see. “Oookay. Now can we get you dressed?”

“Come on.” I pushed her out of the bathroom ahead of me and into her extremely messy room. Clothes were piled high all over the floor. I wasn’t sure what was clean and what was dirty, so I just tried to not step on anything. Easier said than done.

We bickered a bit about my clothes, but settled on combat style boots (heels were a no-go for me), black pants so tight I swore they’d tear when I sat—Mona promised they wouldn’t—and a shimmery gold tank that both made my milky skin seem less transparent and showed off all the tattoos I wanted seen.

I surveyed myself in the mirror and nodded. “Well played, Mona.”

“Hey, I know my stuff.” She grabbed a little purse. “Let’s hit it.”

***

Marx’s was so loud you could hear the walls rattling from outside. The thrumming beats of the music mixed with the sounds of gaming. We stepped through the door into the packed club.

It was dark inside, with black lights giving everything an odd glow. A bar took up one side of the room, and a jumbo gaming screen filled the adjoining wall. Up to five people could play on the jumbo. Anyone else had to take a spot at the three rows of L-shaped tables. There were mingling areas everywhere else. Some people at the tables opted to wear headphones, but the jumbo screen played over it all. Music pumped as well, making the club totally chaotic. It had been disorienting the first time I came, but now I was used to it.

Usually I’d head straight to the gaming tables and start playing, but not tonight. I hadn’t made many friends here, but after more than two months of kicking ass, people knew me. I had specifics in mind for my replacement part, and I’d bet that someone here had spares on them. It might cost me, but nothing was ever fast, good, and cheap.

“Want a drink?” Mona asked.

Alcohol was mostly off limits for me. I liked to stay alert at all times, but I’d had a pretty crap night so far. Losing control—and burning up my system in the process—had made me feel worthless. “Yeah. Let’s get one.” Mona’s eyes widened, but she didn’t comment. She knew me better than to ask.

We made our way through the groups of people hanging out. A few whispers and glances were sent my way, but I ignored them. Mona, on the other hand, didn’t ignore anyone. She got caught up talking to some guys, and I moved on ahead to the bar. No one would ever mistake me for being friendly. She’d have more luck with the guys without my awkward self to weigh her down.

The bar top was clear plexi, with lights underneath it to make it look like it was glowing. Half the bartender’s head was buzzed short and the rest was cut in a straight bob. Tattoos covered every visible inch of her, giving her an I-take-no-shit vibe that I respected. I leaned over the bar and nodded at her. She held up a finger as she finished serving, then moved my way.

“Hey, Cipher. You’re not gaming tonight?” she asked when she got close.

I tried not to show my shock. I was reasonably certain I’d never spoken to her before. She wasn’t in the least bit forgettable. “Nah. Looking for something.”

“Please tell me you’re not after serums.”

I made a face. Serums were what the Seligo handed out to the helixes. Sometimes a DNA mod wasn’t enough. Serums were needed to keep them young, healthy, and moving fast. On the black market, they went for bank. “Nah. I stay far away from that.”

“Smart girl. In that case, anything I can help you with?”

“Not unless you have a Knight7A9 processor on you.” It was worth a shot.

She raised a brow. “That’s some fancy tech. You can afford that?”

I was surprised she even knew what that was, but with this crowd, maybe I shouldn’t have been. “I do okay.” I did better than okay—people paid well for my hacks.

She gave me a long look. “Might want to try Crackhead over there.”

Okay, now I was starting to question this girl’s brainpower. “I’m sorry. I think I misheard you. You want me to get a top of the line processor from a crack head?”

She laughed. “Not
a
crack head.
The
Crackhead.” She pointed behind me and I spotted a short skinny dude. His pants looked like they were about to fall off but hadn’t, thanks to a belt that was cinched all the way. “He’s got lots of black market stuff. He’ll rip you off if you don’t negotiate, though.”

“Thanks…”

“Sandra. And no worries. I’ve been betting on your games. Always come through for me.”

I grinned. “Happy to help.”

Mona appeared beside me. She had a knack for timing. “You order yet?”

“Just about to. What do you want?”

“Vodka soda,” she said to Sandra.

“And I’ll have a French Seventy-Five,” I said.

Sandra smiled. “Fancy drink, too. Huh?”

I shrugged. It was a mixture of gin, sparkling wine, and lemon. Depending on what she used to make the drink, it didn’t have to be too fancy, but it was better with the good stuff. “Apparently I’m a fancy girl.”

Sandra winked at me. “Coming up. Gonna take a sec. I gotta go into the cellar to get the bubbly.”

“There’s a cellar in here?”

Sandra bent down and opened a hatch in the floor. “Down here. See?”

I hopped up a little and leaned over the bar. “Yeah. Cool. How big is it?”

“Huge. This building used to be mega shady. Whole area was. A few of these buildings are linked together with underground tunnels. They’re not long, but long enough that the gang who used to run drugs through here could get away with their goods when the cops showed.”

Wow. That was kind of rad. Who knew that there was anything like that here in the Voids?

“Be right back.” Sandra disappeared down the steps, and came back a minute later with a bottle.

I had to give it to her, she was a good bartender. She took care making my drink—and used the good liquor—which I appreciated. I didn’t drink often, but when I did, I wanted it nice and smooth.

When she was done, Sandra placed it on the bar top with a flourish. I took the chilled glass and sipped. “Excellent.” She held out the tab machine. I’d long ago linked my print to a bank account with a fake ID. People had stopped taking cash ages ago. I pressed my middle finger to the screen, paying for both drinks.

I leaned into Mona. “I’m going to go talk to that guy over there.”

She checked out where I was pointing and then shot me an are-you-out-of-your-mind look. “That guy? You don’t talk to any guys, don’t flirt, but now you want to go hang out with some tweaker? He’s a total spaz.”

She thought I had the worst taste in guys because I turned down every one she brought my way, but if I was going to take the risk of being with a guy—which I wasn’t—it couldn’t be for just anyone. He had to be special. I hadn’t found that guy yet. “I don’t want to go out with him. Bartender said he might have the processor I’m looking for.”

Mona laughed, catching the attention of the surrounding guys. “Thank fuck. I thought you’d lost your damned mind.”

“Not yet.” I hoped. “You okay here?”

She nodded. “I’m getting my flirt on with the cutest nerd across the room. I’m gonna say hi.”

I spotted the giant she was making eyes with. He was tall, near seven feet, and ripped with a clean-shaven head. He looked like the kind of guy that could crack skulls. Not the usual gaming club type. But if he was here, he had to be at least a little nerdy. “Go get him, girl,” I said as we parted ways.

Crackhead was holding court in the far corner of the club, entertaining four other guys sitting in chairs around him. The closer I got the more I realized why he had that particular nickname. He flailed his limbs around jerkily as he talked in a high-pitched, squeaky voice. It was as if he were so high that he was twitching, but he was having a coherent conversation with those other guys, so he couldn’t actually be on something. At least I hoped he couldn’t.

“Hey, baby. You comin’ to see the Crackhead?” he asked, standing when I approached him.

Dear God. He was referring to himself in third person. “Yeah. I was wondering if I could have a word.”

“Anything for Cipher.”

“Have we met?”

“You don’t know me, but I know you. Seen your stuff on the web. Seen you here at the club. Whatchuneed, baby? I can get you anything. Even serums.” He stepped away from the group to talk to me, and I was grateful for the relative privacy.

“I don’t want any of that.” I tried not to be creeped out that he knew who I was. Maybe sticking around and destroying on the gaming systems had been a bad idea, but it didn’t matter. What was done was done. I hoped Sandra hadn’t led me astray. “I’m actually looking for a Knight7A9 processor. Any chance that you have one handy or could get me one fast?”

He whistled. “Wish I had one for you, baby, but don’t right now. Too expensive to keep on hand. And Knights are rare these days. Word is the man has been caught up in stuff lately. But I can put some feelers out for you. Come back tomorrow and I’ll see what I can scrounge up.”

Tomorrow night? I wanted something sooner. “Any way you can get it faster?”

He thought for a second, and then swung his arms. It was like he needed to jerk his body before he could speak. “Tell you what. I got word a little bit ago that a guy’s going to be at the Trials. Arrives in the morning. He’s a dual helix, but he’s cool. Not too into the whole system, if you get what I’m saying. He’ll have what you need.”

The Trials? I hadn’t even known they were going on. This made sticking around so much more complicated. They brought way too many helixes into the Voids. No helix could ever be trusted.

What Crackhead was saying didn’t make any sense. If a guy was a dual helix and recruiting at the Trials, then he was definitely hardcore into the system. “I’m not stupid.” I started to walk away.

“Wait.”

I slowly turned back.

“I’m not messing with you. For reals, baby. Trust me.”

Crackhead was out of his mind. I nearly laughed. Of course he was. That was how he got the name. “Dude. I don’t trust anyone.”

He jerked his body to the side, and I quickly stepped back, sloshing my drink over my right hand. I moved it to my left and wiped my hand off on my pants. Figured.
I get a nice drink and spill half of it on myself.

“Go check it out,” Crackhead said. “Meet the guy or don’t, but he’ll have what you’re looking for. He’s legit.”

The fact that the Trials were public was the only thing going for them. There’d be witnesses and a crowd to disappear into if things went sour. I should still say no, but I was in a rush.

Two reckless decisions in one night. Why the hell not? “Fine. Where will I find this guy?”

“In the Black arena. He’ll be fighting there at noon. Watch him. You’ll know when you see him. If you want, stick around ’til he’s done, and he’ll get you what you need. You don’t like him.” He shrugged. “You go. It’s not like he’ll be able to come at you in the middle of a demo.”

The first little tingles of electricity ran up my legs. I was nervous, and it was showing. I took a calming breath. “Fine, but you better be right about him.”

He held up his hands. “Jeez, baby. For such a little thing, you’re tough. Scarin’ me.”

I snorted. “Come on. You’re what—like three inches taller than me and skinnier than hell. You’ve got no room call me a ‘little thing.’”

He stumbled back a few steps with his hands over his heart. “You wound me, baby.” He held out his hand.

This guy was a total flirt. I shook my head. Was it possible that I kind of liked him? “I can’t believe it. I’m actually starting to like you, Crackhead.” I took his hand in mine.

He stared at my hand for a second too long. I glanced down.

Oh no. My tattoo. The drink had washed off just enough of the makeup to see a faint glow under it. He had the same tattoo.

“We should talk in private,” he said. The squeaky voice was gone and so were the jerky movements.

Yeah. Absolutely not until I had more information. I yanked my hand from his. “Maybe another time.”

He nodded. “You know where to find me,” he said in a deep voice just loud enough for me to hear over the music. His eyes were calculating, taking me in, and I wondered how I could’ve ever mistaken him for a crack head.

I swallowed. He wasn’t asking questions like the last guy. I just had to play it cool. I searched the room for Mona. She was still with the giant dude. I downed my drink in one go. My nerves were shot, and that was a dangerous thing. The lights flickered softly once. No one seemed to notice, but it was time to make my exit. “Gotta catch up with my friend. I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah, baby.” His tweaker voice was back.

Wow. That was some act he had going.

My hands shook as I put the empty glass on a small table. Everything in me screamed to run. Fast.

But if I ran, he might chase me.
Pretend nothing’s wrong
. Then I’d casually book it out of Marx’s at the first chance.

I made my way to Mona. “Hey.”

“Hey, girl.” She was leaning on the ‘nerdy’ giant, and he was grinning like a fool. The girl was on her A-game.

“How’s it going?”

“Good. Oliver here was telling me about working at the Trials. He’s a Black Helix.”

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. What was with tonight? And what was a Black Helix doing at a gaming club in the Void? “Cool.” I tried to give him a good smile, but Mona elbowed me.