How so much can change in a day, was all Kora could think.
She was sitting on a bench at the train station. It was a beautiful day. Cold, though. The breeze was strong, a little biting.
Kora took a deep breath.
She didn't care. After being locked up for a year, she was just happy to be outside. She looked up at the smattering of clouds in the sky. A storm was blowing in.
She took off her top hat and let the wind blow through her hair.
She looked down, smiling to herself.
A man sat beside her, young.
"Why are you smiling?" he asked, a happy tone. He was a university student, she could tell. He was wearing a suit, a tall hat. He had dimples and a wide grin.
"Life," Kora said. "It's crazy."
"Did something good happen?"
Yes and no.
Yes, because she was free.
Yes, because she was on her way to meet the leader of the freakin' Resistance.
Yes, because she had a job.
No, because the job was for the Resistance, and they were asking her for a favor.
She didn't like owing favors.
Scarlet had worded it that way, had used the word FAVOR. We did a favor for you, now we're asking a favor of you.
Kora preferred to live without any connections or obligations to anyone.
Including Alex. Alex had saved her in the prison, and she felt like she owed her some help. She didn't like that she owed her help.
After Kora helped, she wouldn't need to help anymore, and she could keep Alex out of her life. Sure, she had friends. But she could abandon them at a moment's notice and never think twice about them. Other than Felix. But that was only because she grew up with him.
No connections made for a happier life.
And she was bound to leave all this behind one day, once she got a big enough payday, once she had enough money saved.
She would ask for more than whatever the Resistance was offering.
"Excuse me?" asked the young man, who obviously liked her and was trying to start up a conversation. Kora had forgotten he was there.
"Oh, yes. Very good. What about you?"
"Got a great report card."
"What level are you, in university?"
"Third level."
Kora was staring ahead, not looking at him.
She would make small talk. Needed to pass the time anyway.
"To graduate in what field?"
"Engineering."
"To work where?"
"Perhaps the government. They need more engineers. More innovators."
"Makes sense."
Kora looked at him, held his face in her eyes.
He looked away, out ahead, where she'd been looking.
He had lines around his eyes.
She could tell he was wearing makeup, which wasn't normal for a male to wear.
"Where are you headed?" he asked, looking at her now.
She saw more lines around his other eye.
"Why do you wear makeup?" she asked.
He shrugged. "I like to."
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-two."
"You sure?"
"That's a strange question."
Kora had the feeling this guy wasn't twenty-two. He was a really bad investigator of some kind.
"You could have used a different alias. Why go for college student? Let me guess, you've been an investigator for years and you use the persona and you're milking it as long as you can. You're getting too old, man. You're gonna have to invent something new. Like a professor, perhaps."
"I'm telling the truth," he said.
She laughed. "Who are you working for? I'm going to pay back Guy; I just need time."
The man looked away from her, didn't respond for a few long moments. And when he did speak, his tone was lower. Snappy. "He doesn't think you are." Before she could answer he said, "There was no way you could have known just from the makeup that my story wasn't true."
"Uncanny, isn't it?" said Kora.
She was right about the man. And she was right that it was Guy—the man she'd failed, losing his shipment when she'd gotten caught and thrown into prison—who was after her for payment.
"You can't be that smart," he said, laughing. "You're a third-rate smuggler. You must have known me before."
Kora bit the inside of her cheek, looking away. "Tell him I'll pay him soon. I got a job with the Resistance."
"I'll tell him. But I was told to warn you. You have three days."
Three days I'll be out of town, thought Kora.
"I need an extension." And before he could say anything, Kora added, "It wasn't the makeup. It was your eyes. Eyes don't lie, and your eyes indicate knowing. You were acting like a thoughtless, green, young college student. It worked, until I looked at your eyes. You've been around. One or two blocks. Not too many. But at least one or two."
"How do you suggest I fix that?"
"Be more wide-and-glossy eyed. Or change your alias."
He nodded, then got up off the bench. "Personally," he said, "from me to you: Guy is as hot as a branding iron. He's not going to give you an extension. He wants you hurt or dead. So pay up. Three days."
Kora shrugged.
The man walked away.