Chapter 3 Smoke,Speed and Strange Promises

Celia kicked open the side panel of the garage, revealing a narrow tunnel lined with scrap pipes and exposed wiring. The tunnel wasn't supposed to exist-it had been built years ago as a secret escape route during a time when bounty hunts were more frequent than rainfall. She hadn't used it in years. Now seemed like a good time to resurrect the habit. "Go!" she barked, shoving Lawrence forward. He scrambled into the tunnel, clutching the fake prototype. Celia followed, sealing the hatch behind them with a blast from her blaster.

It wouldn't hold the hunters for long, but it might buy them a few precious minutes. The tunnel was barely tall enough for Lawrence. He kept banging his head on low pipes, swearing under his breath. "Do you people build everything like a death trap?" he muttered. "We build things with the space we have," Celia said from behind him. "You want roomy tunnels, go crash in your daddy's palace next time." He grunted but said nothing more, probably too winded to come up with a comeback. The narrow path twisted left, then sloped down into a steep descent that ended in another panel. Celia slid past him and used her override card to unlock it. The door creaked open, revealing the sprawling underbelly of Lower Nine-twisting metal bridges, steam vents, and the ever-present buzz of broken dreams. Celia breathed in the familiar scent of oil and ozone. "We're not out of danger yet," she said, motioning for Lawrence to follow. He stumbled out behind her, brushing soot off his shirt. "This is where you live?" "This is where we all live," she said. "Welcome to the real world." She led him through a maze of alleyways and abandoned scaffolding until they reached a rusty old hoverbike tucked under a tarp. Celia yanked the cover off, revealing a sleek, beat-up machine held together by duct tape and stubbornness. "You expect that thing to outrun bounty hunters?" Lawrence asked skeptically. "No," she said, swinging a leg over it. "I expect me to." He climbed on behind her, hesitating only slightly before wrapping his arms around her waist. "Don't get comfortable," she warned. "This isn't a date." "Right," he said. "Though, if it were, it'd be the most exciting one I've ever had." Celia rolled her eyes, throttled the engine, and the bike screamed to life. They shot out of the alley like a bullet, narrowly missing a scaffolding beam. Celia weaved through the maze of Lower Nine with ease, her eyes scanning for drones, mercs, or any sign of pursuit. "Where are we going?" Lawrence shouted over the wind. "To someone who can help." "Do I get a name?" "You'll get a survival plan. Be grateful." He held on tighter as the bike leapt a broken bridge and landed hard on the other side. Celia didn't slow down. She took a hard turn into a hidden tunnel that sloped downward again, into even darker territory. Here, the lights were almost all dead, and shadows ruled the walls. The only sound was the hum of the bike and the beat of two adrenaline-filled hearts. Finally, she skidded to a stop in front of a steel door hidden behind a curtain of old wires and garbage. "Stay behind me," she said, climbing off the bike. "Not a problem," Lawrence mumbled, still clinging to the seat like it was the only stable thing in the universe. Celia knocked twice, paused, then knocked three times quickly. A slot in the door opened, revealing a pair of dark eyes. "Celia?" a gravelly voice asked. "It's me. I've got something big. And I need a favor." A long pause. "Bring him in." The door creaked open. Lawrence looked at her. "Friend of yours?" Celia gave him a wry smile. "Let's just say... he owes me a kidney." The man behind the door chuckled. "Still alive, I see." "For now," Celia said, stepping inside. "But I've got a feeling that's about to change."