Stephanie Steele

SYSTEM REBOOTING

Steele came back to consciousness in Freddy’s underground hideout. How she got there was the second thought she had. The first was, why was she still alive? Freddy had got her out of a few scrapes in the past but a break out from a police cell was probably beyond him.

A single lamp cast at least some light on the room which was mostly in shadow. She sat up on the couch she was slouched on and listened for signs of life. He wasn’t home. She was here all alone. She ventured calling his name anyway. “Freddy?”

“Steph, I’m pleased you’re awake.” Nixon’s voice sounded good to her ears. “It was getting lonely here. You can’t understand what it feels like to be without a body.”

Steel stood and went to the computer that Nixon was talking from, rubbing her wrists. The cuffs had chaffed her skin a little. More work for Freddy. “Where’s Freddy?”

“I don’t know. He brought you here then left. Didn’t say much and he was acting all strange. What’s happened Steph?” She hoped her new found ability to lie was convincing. Freddy and her had come up with a plan to get Steele released but he’d made her promise not to tell. He’d decided to sacrifice himself for her. She hated lying to Steele, but she’d promised.

Steele changed out of the suit she was wearing and into her regular clothes as she continued the conversation. “He didn’t say where? Not even a clue?”

She tried calling him on the wrist communicator. He didn’t answer.

This was unusual behaviour, even for Freddy. What was he up to? And how the hell did he get her off death row? For the life of her she couldn’t fathom how he’d done it. Whichever way he had, she was grateful.

“I asked but he said he had an important mission to complete. That he was helping you. That’s all he said. You looked good in that suit by the way, and even better out of it.” She giggled. “I wish I was there right now to hold you, feel you against me, to . . .”

“You can see me?” Steele stopped getting dressed and stared at the computer.

“Freddy connected me to a camera. I have eyes now.” She sounded happy.

Steele resumed getting dressed. She had mixed feelings about Nixon, this version anyway. If the other version, the ninja bitch, was her then this version was the same. Or was she? The fact that there were hidden files inside her could mean that she was in some dormant state, innocent of everything. The ninja version was the awake state, manipulated and commanded by an evil mind. Should she tell her, that was the question?

“That’s great.” She had to tell her, at least part of it. “I’m sorry about what happened Rachel.”

“Hey, it wasn’t your fault. You tried to save me. Thanks.”

“The thing is . . .” Steele paused a second then went on. “. . . You’re not dead.” Steele put on her blaster holster and checked the blaster was loaded.

“I’m not?” She was overjoyed. “That’s good news isn’t it?”

“I’m not sure. It’s a long story.” She slipped on her leather coat. “I have to go now but I’ll come back.” She needed to be somewhere else and she also wanted to avoid Rachel’s questions.

“You promise?”

She sensed a tinge of sadness in the computer voice. She softened her own voice. “I promise.” Steele knelt in front of the camera acting as Nixon’s eyes and kissed the lens. She hesitated a moment. What was it? Longing? A hope that she may get Nixon back somehow? She couldn’t let that cloud her mind right now. She had shit to take care of. She stood and headed to the door.

“Steph?”

Steele paused with one hand on the door. “What is it?”

“You asked me to keep an eye out for missing children. Well, there’s a girl, Amy Towers, aged twelve, who’s gone missing.”

A photo of Amy Towers flashed up on a holo screen.

“Her parents reported it ten hours ago. Is it significant? Steph what did you mean when you said I wasn’t dead? Steph? Steph? Steph, I’m lonely.”

Nixon’s voice was lost in the large room. Steele had already left.