The Annihilation Code

Chapter Fourteen 𑁍 Marisa Contreras 𑁍

Katrina and I scurried down a cramped avenue in a part of the city I'd never visited before. For the record, I haven't seen much of Ikigai II outside Patch's workshop. This is all so new to me, it's kind of overwhelming. This neighborhood appeared to be mainly populated by cyborgs. They stared at me and murmured amongst themselves.

"Is that a human?"

"What's a human doing in this part of the city?

"Is she lost?"

"Who's that with her? Isn't she in a band or something?"

The weight of their gaze bore into me, and a growing sense of panic blossomed inside me. My heart palpated, so violently my chest ached, and I broke out into a cold sweat. "Where are we going?" I asked as Katrina pulled me in a new direction.

"We need to catch up with the boys fast, so we're going to need a ride."

We stopped outside a large shipping container. Katrina pulled a crowbar out of her purse.

I gawked at her. "Why do you carry around a crowbar?"

She raised her shoulders in a half shrug. "Lots of reasons, opening crates, self-defense, and taking my stupid ex's car for a joyride."

"Excuse me, what?"

She shoved her crowbar underneath the shipping container door and attempted to force it open.

"Are you crazy? You can't break into someone else's shipping container, with all these people watching. You shouldn't be breaking in at all!"

She scanned the surrounding area, then waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine, everyone here knows better than to snitch on me." Katrina let out a triumphant laugh as she finally pried open the door. She lifted the door, revealing a red, well-kept, vintage, car. It looked as if it cost more than Patch made in a year.

"I thought you were joking about the car theft!"

"I never joke about stealing my ex's car."

"Katrina!" I scolded.

"Relax, I do it all the time."

"How is even possible? I didn't think there were any cars on Ikigai II." I said.

"There's not supposed to be, but my stupid ex, Marc, loved breaking rules. So, he smuggled one onto the island."

I crossed my arms sourly. "I can't believe we're doing this."

"Believe it, sister!" Katrina said, as she used a long hook to slide down the window through the window seal. She shimmied her arm into the newly created opening, then pulled open the lock from the inside.

"How are we supposed to turn it on?" Didn't know much about cars, but I do know you need a key to start the ignition.

"Don't worry, Stupid Marc always leaves a spare key in the glove box." Katrina reached across the seat and pulled out the key.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course he does." I was hoping there was a way I could get out of this.

"Well, we don't call him Stupid Marc for nothing."

Katrina hopped into the driver's seat and motioned for me to sit in the passenger seat.

I let out a reluctant sigh and climbed into the car. "Alrighty then, let's get out of here."

"You have nothing to worry about, I'm an excellent driver. " Katrina reassured me, as she backed into two trash cans. "Whoops." She did a three-point turn and knocked over three more trash cans. She stomped on the gas pedal and sent us speeding down the cramped street, most likely knocking over several more trash cans in the process. She took a sharp left turn, causing my entire body to slam against the car door.