Wyre-Rat (Part 9)

The little camera looked like the cheap kind that could be purchased anywhere in the civilized world. I strolled along the streets, collected admiring glances from people I didn't care about and took pictures of everything. Twice I ducked into tiny little stores set out like mazes, browsed and watched to see if anyone passed.

The same man, both times, strolled past the shop, glanced inside and continued strolling. It would have been simple enough to dump him, but that would ruin the fun.

Instead I browsed, laughed, talked to the clerks and bought expensive junk that I really didn't want. And had it shipped. Keep up the pretense.

Around noon I wandered back to the narrow three-story house that had been converted into a hotel. All the houses on this block had been converted to hotels, but this one had done a good job of advertising and getting their customers to come back. According to my cover, I'd been here as a child with my parents.

It might even have been true, but I doubt it.

I don't remember my parents.

The old woman met me at the door. "What did they want?" she asked immediately, and I stared at her in blank surprise. She shouldn't have to ask, and she knew we weren't supposed to communicate in any way regarding my missions.

"Excuse me?"

She lowered her voice, but I suspected not enough. "What did they want? They were from the Center!"

I blinked at her, confused. "So they said. They were looking for someone."

Her eyes widened. "Wyre?" Her voice wavered in panic. "Did someone escape?"

Someone, I mused. Not something. To most of the people in this country, the wyre were subhuman. "They said a cat."

Her breath came out in a long sigh, and her eyes saddened. "If someone has escaped, I need..." She turned away, and I caught her arm.

"Wait." I barely breathed the words. "They put a listening device in my room."

She smiled slightly. "No, that was me." She slipped away and into the dark recesses of the house. I stared after her. It hadn't been there before the men came into my room, I was certain of that.

Time to get out. Get out before everything exploded.


Part 10


If you want to start at the beginning: Wyre-Rat episode 1