Fragments

CHAPTER THIRTY

“Just a few more minutes,” said Haru. “They’ll be here.”

“And the Partials with them,” said Private Kabza.

“We’ll be fine,” said Haru. “How many of these drops have we made, and how many times have you been murdered by Partials?”

“That’s not an entirely fair way to frame it,” said Kabza, but Haru cut him off.

“I said we’ll be fine,” Haru insisted. “Check with the rear guard again.”

Kabza got on the radio and sent their rear guard a brief, coded message, whispering into the mic and then listening carefully as the man on the other end whispered back. He signed off and turned back to Haru. “Our exit route’s still clear. I say we dump this stuff and run; the Voice can find it themselves without us here to hand it to them. It’s not like they’re paying us.”

“Did you say ‘the Voice’?” asked Haru.

“Of course I did,” said Kabza. “What do you call them?”

“Delarosa hated the Voice,” said Haru. “She’d never take on their name.”

The radio blinked, and Kabza held it to his ear. After a moment he breathed a quick “Confirmed, over” and looked at Haru. “Point guard’s spotted them. They should be here in a few minutes.”

“Are they being chased by Partials?”

“He didn’t say,” said Kabza dryly. “I think he might have led with that if it was an issue, but I can call back to see if maybe it just slipped his mind.”

“Just relax,” said Haru, “this is what I’ve been telling you. We’ll be fine.”

“Fantastic,” said Kabza. “I’m glad you have such unerring trust in this woman.” He paused, watching the forest, then spoke again. “Speaking of which, why do you have such unerring trust in this woman? I thought you hated her.”

“Delarosa and I . . . disagree on some things,” said Haru. “When she first escaped, she was using innocent civilians as bait—including me, which I think made me a little justifiably upset. But her core principles I agree with completely: that our shores need to be protected, that the Partials need to be destroyed, and that desperate times call for desperate measures. Delarosa is willing to do what it takes, and she knows that as long as she doesn’t put innocent humans at unnecessary risk, I’ll support her.”

“Define ‘unnecessary risk,’” said Kabza. “I’ve spent the last three days in hostile territory, picking my nose and hoping nobody decides to shoot me while I hand Delarosa something we could easily have just left at a dead drop. Is that unnecessary?”

“She asked for something . . . unusual this time,” said Haru, peering into the trees. “I want to know what she’s planning on doing with it.”

A moment later their perimeter guard flashed a silent hand signal, and Haru and Kabza watched as three cloaked figures stepped out of the trees. Delarosa pulled off her hood and stood silently, waiting. Haru stood up from cover and walked to her. “You’re late.”

Delarosa’s face was stony. “You’re impatient. Do you have my gear?”

Haru waved, and Kabza and another soldier brought out two heavy crates full of scuba equipment: masks, fins, wet suits, and four tanks of compressed air, recently filled. “The tanks are almost mint,” said Haru. “Best condition you’ll find on Long Island, and removed at great personal risk from the ruins of the Defense Grid armory.” Delarosa motioned her followers forward, but Haru stepped in front to block them. “Before you take them anywhere, I want to know what you’re going to use them for.”

“For breathing underwater,” said Delarosa. Haru didn’t respond, and Delarosa cocked her head to the side. “You’ve never asked about my plans before.”

“Because everything you’ve asked for has had an obvious purpose,” said Haru. “Bullets, explosives, solar panels, radio equipment—that’s all standard stuff for a band of guerrillas. But you know my rules, and the conditions on which I’ll bring you these gear drops, so I want your assurance: No civilians will be harmed by whatever you’re doing.”

“Civilians are being harmed by every second we delay here,” said Delarosa.

Haru kept his gaze steady. “What is the scuba gear for?”

“Scavenging,” said Delarosa simply. “In twelve years we’ve picked a lot of this island clean, but there’s still plenty to be found offshore. By giving me this, you’re assuring that I won’t have to ask you for nearly as many favors in the future.”

“What’s been underwater for twelve years that could possibly be so useful?” asked Haru. “Seems like any supplies or weaponry submerged for that long would be pretty corroded by now.”

“I guess we’ll see.”

Haru stared at her, trying to decide what he thought. Finally he turned and walked away. “Don’t make me sorry I helped you.” He walked back to the rest of his men and signaled that it was time to leave. Private Kabza fell into step beside him.

“That’s a relief,” said Kabza. “The more they scavenge for themselves, the less we have to put ourselves at risk like this.”

“Maybe,” said Haru, still thinking about what Delarosa had said, and how she’d said it.

“What are you going to do?”

Haru furrowed his brow, plans already forming in his head. “We’re going to follow them.”