Double Edge | WATTYS 2023 SHORTLIST + AMBYS 2023 WINNER

Chapter 06

"Don't." Rolling my fingers into a fist, I turned away from the fountain. Cars hurried down the street, trying to beat the afternoon traffic before it formed. In the distance, I heard more police. They were still looking for me.

"Gio, I need to," she said

"No." I tossed my dirty shirt and sweater in a waste basket and returned to the street. Leaving my clothes out in the open probably wasn't a good idea. But I wasn't anywhere near the car shop anymore. Looking for evidence this far out was a stretch. And the police here don't reach.

"Gio," Kimi sighed, "all of this is dangerous. I... I understand what you need to get your revenge but—"

"If you report this and Paxton's security connects it with the shop now, I won't get the answers I need, Kim." I stopped at the crosswalk and pushed my hands into the pockets of my jeans. "I'll be sent back for corrections, months in surgery. By then, Tommy would've figured out what I was doing. He'll run."

"But Gio, this needs to be corrected." Kimi's anger slipped into concern. I pictured the look in her eyes. Don't worry about me, Kim. I'm not a monster.

I sighed and watched a car slowly make its way up the street. It pulled into the parking lot. Once off, a man stepped out of the driver's side. He moved around to the back seat of his vehicle, opened the door, and allowed space for a young girl to jump out. Her "Tada!" made him smile. But I frowned. All of these father-daughter moments killed me.

"Look, Kim," I crossed the street, staring at my shoes the entire time, "you can report it, but only after I see Tommy."

"Gio..." Kimi sucked in a breath. "How am I supposed to hold off? This—"

"You're smart." I glanced back at the traffic light. "Blame it on a glitch. The program isn't perfect, and I'm defective." Shrugging, I turned to the next street. "Just give me the time to get the answers I need."

Kimi was silent. I tried to listen for what she could say, but there was nothing. Just static. Pushing my finger into my ear didn't help, either. "I'll send you Tommy's address," Kimi said suddenly.

I blinked. "What?" Did she find him?

"Tommy, the other person you were arrested with, right? His information is in the police database. I can send you his address now, and you can do what you need to do."

This was one of the moments when I remembered why I loved Kimi and all she did for me. Maybe I was her soft spot. No, that wasn't a maybe; Kimi looked at me like I was a miracle. To her, I could be. I slid my hand over my head as I started down the sidewalk. A thankful smile tugged at my lips. "Thanks, Kim."

"Of course," she said, slightly cheerful.

I stopped under a tree and looked up at the leaves. I reduced my mechanical eye to its lowest setting. The world was beautiful on its own, even in an ugly city. Rustling leaves on a summer's day was what everyone needed after a rough afternoon. Scratching my chin, I sighed. "Kimi, do you think you can get me Mark's address, too? Send me his location."

"What?" Kimi stammered a moment. "But you said you needed to see Tommy, and that was it. I saved his location in your files. You can go there now."

"I won't." I clicked my tongue against my teeth. "Not now, anyway. I want to see Mark first, tell him what happened, tell him what I know."

"Gio, wait. If you see him then—"

"You'll have to wait a little longer to file the report, I know." I knew what she wanted to say. It was in her tone, her words. She was always precise and efficient at her job; she was great. I hated to abuse that quality about her, but I needed her. "If he's where he used to live, he'll be close to my mom's. So, I need to see her, too."