The Gen

Chapter 27

NAL DELIVERED TAILA at her school and was on his way home still sitting in his car, as someone knocked at his V-door with an FTS code.

"Yes?"

"Nal? It's J," the fat young man with the compelling voice said.

A sting of fright bit into Nal's guts. "Hello J, how are you? Is something wrong?"

"Unfortunately yes, your daughter was identified at the OT. You have security personnel heading your way."

"What?"

Nal sat upright in his seat. His fingers lost their warmth rapidly.

"No time for explanations now. You must disappear, now. Off to Kurie. I'll leave town as well. Is there anything you want me to do?"

"Yes, Taila has no car right now. I dropped her off at school, Hagesh Uni-Prep. Get her out of there, please. Do you have a car?"

"Yes, rental one, I'm changing route already."

"Ping her under code X35B in two minutes. I'll ping her now and prepare her for your call. I'll pick up my wife and--"

"Hold on a second..."

Nal waited. Every second he waited was a waste of time, what was it now? A shiver went through his body. Probably the Angel called J right from the Gen.

"Nal?"

"Yes."

"You have no time to pick up your wife. Tell her to get out herself. They'll be closing off town in some twenty minutes tops. They found the suitcase with the last parts."

"Oh fuck! That means it's over!"

"Looks like it. This will turn into a major raid and they'll shut down Hagesh. Twenty minutes. I'm halfway at the Uni-Prep already, ping your daughter."

"I will, good luck J, bring my baby out of town, please!"

"I'll do what I can."

They both cancelled the connection.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Nal hit the dashboard of his car with both fists, it hurt, then he pinged Taila.

"Yes?"

"Honey, that woman at the entrance must have identified you. They found the suitcase, they know your name. It's all over. We have to flee. That guy I met in the jungle, his name is J, big, fat, very pale, is going to ping you in a sec and pick you up by car. I'm trying to get out your mother and myself. Go with J."

"Dad, no! Dad--"

"No time now, he'll ping you and I have to get your mother out. Do as I say this one time in your life! Go with J!"

He cancelled the connection and pinged Meilo. "Meilo, get out, now, right now. Taila was identified. They found the suitcase. They're on to us. Get out of the apartment now!"

"Nal, what--"

"No time, I'm almost there, three, four minutes. Walk towards me. I'll come down Golish Avenue. Leave the house, now! No bags, that's too suspicious."

"What about Taila?" Meilo had panic in her voice.

"The Angel's messenger will get her out. Leave the house, now, now, now!"

"Yes, Nal."

He cancelled the connection and groaned. His car approached a traffic light and slowed down. No, no, no! No slowing down now! His apartment was in the middle of town. If he obeyed traffic, he'd never make it out of town in twenty minutes. But if he steered his car manually, dodging traffic lights and signs, he'd have the traffic police on him in moments.