Niko Read online

  Chapter 10

  As the days passed she finished exploring the hotel but even supplementing her time with visits to the library and music room she began to feel antsy. She couldn’t go outside. She’d watch as one by one they spun through the revolving door and stepped out into fresh air and sunshine while she was still trapped inside by a lack of proper identification.

  She had asked Duc why she had been allowed to go out with the others the first time if she didn’t have the necessary papers then either.

  “That’s different,” He had answered. “You were killing Slithers. Nobody would dare bother you while you’re saving their asses. Just exploring the city though? They wouldn’t hesitate to make a quick buck by throwing you in Detention.”

  So more days went by as she sat by the window, waiting for news of her brother and for the papers that would finally set her free.

  She was suddenly enveloped in darkness as hands were pressed over her eyes. She clawed at her face hooking fingers around one that was pressed over her face and slowly bent it backward.

  “Ow, ow, ouch!” She could see again but she still twisted the hand in her grip then she finally saw who it was and let go.

  “Sorry.” She took a step back. “I don’t like people sneaking up on me.”

  Making a face Malik shook out his injured hand. “Duly noted.” His glasses were askew.

  He handed her a card sheathed in an official looking paper. She looked at him a question in her eyes and he nodded with a grin. She could finally go outside! Niko threw her arms around him and hugged him tight.

  “I think this might be worth the sprained wrist.” He quipped. She released him and began to head for the revolving door all but skipping her way to freedom.

  Malik grabbed her arm pulling her to a stop. “You can’t go quite yet.”

  “But I have my papers.” Niko nearly growled waving the forged documents before him.

  “You need one more thing for this to work. Besides,” He pointed downward, “You’re not wearing any shoes.”

  She gasped. Somehow she had gotten so lax that she would have traipsed through the streets without protection.

  His hand slid down the rest of her arm until he grasped her hand.

  “Come on, the faster we finish the sooner you can see the city.”

  He led her down a flight of stairs through hallways that were vaguely familiar from her trip through them when she’d first woken up. Eventually, they stopped in front of an open door. Another white room. She could see a large empty tank in the far corner confirming her suspicions that she’d been there before.

  Ben rolled into view perched on a red stool. “You made it, now we can begin.”

  She looked at Malik in confusion and could hear Ben sigh.

  “I see, apparently he didn’t think to tell you about this procedure at all. Give me your right hand.”

  She looked at him suspiciously but slowly gave him her hand breaking Malik’s grip to do so.

  Ben pressed her fingertips to the inside of his arm close to his wrist. Under his skin she could feel a slightly raised bump. “This is the most important piece of identification you’ll ever have, you can never lose it unless you remove it yourself and no one can steal it from you.”

  “If this is so great why do I need the papers?” She asked removing her hand. It was a sensible question.

  “The other papers are just in case they get suspicious.”

  Niko felt her eyebrows begin to crawl up to her hair; he seemed to be implying that things might not work despite their best efforts.

  “Not to worry,” Ben said leading her to a small white table. “Malik is very thorough with his work, I doubt you’ll have to be concerned.”

  After washing his hands and donning gloves he swabbed her arm with something cold. He worked quickly making a tiny incision about four millimeters long; blood welled as he carefully inserted the small chip under her skin. He finished by squeezing a dab of blue gel over the wound. “Multipurpose-recovery-gel, man’s greatest invention.” He said with a quick grin.

  They watched as the gel hardened, turning pale blue then white before finally flaking off leaving behind unbroken skin. Ben brushed away the remaining flakes with his thumb, during the five minutes it had taken the gel to dry he had taken off his gloves. She shivered and began to pull her arm away when he raised a finger. “Not yet.”

  He raised a small hand-held device over her arm. He pressed a button and it beeped brightly with a flash of green lights. He smiled. “You’re a genius Malik.”

  Malik shrugged. “I try my best.”