The Immortality Game

Both of them were grunting and panting by this time as they wrestled the man across the carpet. When they paused to catch their breath, Zoya reminded Marcus that he still owed her an explanation for his presence. Plus his father would want answers.

“My father learned that someone plugged a special data card into the Web in your apartment. It’s something he’s been looking out for. He had nothing but the address, so he made me come here.”

“Are you really a diplomat?”

Marcus shook his head. “There was no other way to get me into Russia.”

“I figured you couldn’t be since you aren’t Mormon.”

“You have something against Mormons?”

“I don’t care about Mormons. I only know what the history chips have told me.”

“I doubt either of us can rely on our history data to be unbiased,” Marcus said. “The Mormons didn’t set out to rule the country. When slots became commercially viable, they banned them for their members. When Meshing became a problem, they were the only big group not affected. The country pretty much fell into their hands.”

Clearly wanting to change the subject, she said, “So, you really a doctor, or was that—”

“I just got my doctorate, though I’m no MD. I specialize in nanobotics.”

“And how are these cards supposed to help your father?”

Marcus reached down and grabbed the mobster’s coat again. “Let me mull that one over a bit. I’ll tell you, but I need to figure out the best way.”

As they turned into Zoya’s apartment, Marcus warned her not to look into the living room. He moved around to shield her from the view. Zoya looked pale, but she gritted her teeth and continued dragging. They finally got the man into the bathroom, left him sprawled on the tiled floor, and blocked the door with a nightstand from the bedroom.

Zoya pointed at the bedroom. “Could you give me a few minutes alone with my mother, please?”

Marcus nodded and walked into the dark bedroom. A light flicked on automatically, and he sat down on a recliner near the dresser.

«Papa, you get all that?»

«Yes. I think you need to get away from here as soon as you can. Whatever my dreams may be, I don’t want you getting hurt.»

«I want out of here, too, but I’m afraid to leave her alone right now. She’s in shock.»

«I don’t mean to sound callous, but I love you. I don’t know her. Please, Son, just get out. I need to know you are safe.»

«Okay. I’ll go.»

Marcus stood and walked to the doorway. Zoya was seated at the table near her mother. Her head was buried in her hands as she rocked forward and back again and again. He looked again at Zoya’s portrait on the wall, and this time her smile seemed to mock him. So innocent it looked, especially knowing what she was going through now. He felt the loss of innocence himself, if not quite so dramatically.

It felt wrong to speak while she mourned, but the longer he waited the more his imagination ran wild. He peeked out into the corridor, half expecting to see more gangsters. It was empty.

“Uh…‌I’m sorry, Zoya. It’s dangerous here. We need to go.”

She stood up, wiped her eyes with a sleeve, and turned to face him. He recognized the same murderous gaze she’d had while attacking the gangster.

“They broke her neck,” she whispered.

He nodded. Their eyes held for several seconds and he watched as hers changed from rage to helplessness and back to rage again. She stuck a hand in her pocket and grabbed the small chip, snapped it into her slot, and yanked the gun from the back of her pants.

“Well, you’re green now,” she muttered.

Marcus looked himself over. “What?”

“Never mind. It’s this card.” She ejected it and stuffed it in her pocket. “I’m afraid of it. Anyhow, I need to make some calls. These guys are looking for me, so they’ll go after everyone I know.”

“We can’t stay here! It’s too dangerous.”

“I have to make these calls. Go if you like.”

He saw she intended to plug into an interface on the arm of the couch. “You don’t have wireless?”

She looked up at him and frowned. “Can’t afford it.”

«She can’t use her Web line,» Javier said. «They put a physical trace on it, and it will take me some time to shunt around it without tipping them off.»

“You don’t want to use that line,” Marcus said to Zoya. “It’s bugged.”

“How do you know?”

Marcus’s face reddened. “It doesn’t matter right now. Look, you can make your calls through my wireless.”

“You’re awfully trusting, aren’t you?”

Sharing an interface was only done between those who trust each other implicitly, and Marcus knew almost nothing about Zoya. He knew he was letting his desire to know her overrule his common sense. “I probably am,” he said. “If the calls aren’t urgent, you can make them from my car.”

Zoya pulled a zip-cable from her pocket, sat down, and placed the gun on the table. “Thank you, but this can’t wait. Every moment puts my friends in more danger.” She snapped the cable into her slot and held the other end out to Marcus.