Sister Cities

Part 60: Ekko (7 Years Ago)

Say "I miss you" like a mantra

Till I forget what it means

Doesn't matter what you tell me

I just need to hear you speak

All my greatest fears turn out to be the gift of prophecy

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"I need you to stay down here. Keep the door shut. Don't let anyone in unless it's one of us, no matter what they say. Do you hear me?"

I cling to her harder. "Where are you going?"

"I'm rescuing Vander," she says. "I might bring the boys. But it's not safe for you."

"Is Powder coming?"

"No. She's staying home too."

Powder isn't gonna be able to handle that once she knows what happened. "I'll wait with her."

"No," Vi says sharply. "Neither of you are going outside."

"But I'd be with you. It'd just be for the trip."

"It doesn't matter. You're staying put. Promise me."

"But Powder—"

"Powder will be fine. Promise me."

Vi never sounds like this. And I feel her shaking. "I promise," I say.

She lets go of me before I'm ready. "We'll be home by sunrise," she says. "I'll pick you up. You'll come back with us."

"For good?"

"Yeah, for good. Does that sound okay?"

"Yeah." I didn't know I was worried about it until I feel a fraction of my panic vanish.

She grabs me again, squeezes me, and says, "See you soon, little man."

The door thunks closed. I turn on the lamp, but I still see hints of the red-tinged light coming through the stained window, so I sit down and pull a blanket over my head.

I don't know what that purple thing was that killed Benzo— it looked like it started out as a person, but was made into some inhuman abomination. Me and Powder aren't the only scientists on this side of the river, I guess. I hope it was the only thing of its kind. I keep my eyes open under the blanket, because I see the scene again on my eyelids every time I shut them.

Still, I somehow end up falling asleep and waking up again to a loud explosion and a beam of light coming in the window, clear electric blue even through the blood. It leaves darkness when it fades. Despite Vi's orders, I race to the first floor and look through a better window. The light came from the direction of the cannery, and now I can see fire. People are scurrying through the streets.

"Shit," I mutter.

As I watch, the fire ramps up steadily, then explodes into a total inferno. I jump backward and run back to the basement, where rain is washing the blood off the glass. For half a second, I get under my blanket again; I get right back out, ignoring Vi's voice in my head— Promise me— and put on my jacket, boots, and colander helmet, grab a knife in one hand and a hammer in the other, and take the secret way outside.

People yell and shove each other and point. I blend in like I always do and reach the Last Drop safely, taking the secret way in. Powder doesn't answer when I call her name, so I run to the basement, only to find that it's empty.

"Powder?" I call again, already knowing it's useless. She must've gone with the others after all. I wonder why they let her come and not me.

I go back outside to find the cannery fire raging even bigger than before. What kind of plan did they even have? Getting Vander and then burning the whole place down to keep from being pursued? Why would they bother with something so risky? They have better skills.