Chương 42: Trick or Trust

Regina remained hyper-vigilant driving down the expressway and out of the city. She knew she was far from all-clear. Every pair of lights behind her, or any drone flying above, could potentially mean a flurry of GAS (Goblin Action Sentinels) swarming the travel pod. They would be ready to detain her indefinitely in one of their STANK facilities (Stable Temporary Assimilation National Kiosks).

GAS was nothing more than a bunch of untrained goblin men with an ax to grind against anyone who did not fit their definition of a societal norm. While a STANK facility… well, no one really knew what it was exactly. The only thing that anyone knew for certain, was once you were in STANK, you were there forever. The uptick in violence against women or the men who stood up for them showed a very discernible pattern. You speak up, you die. You submit, you die.

All too often, the newsfeeds were flooded with reports of someone being killed while resisting. She knew that at any moment, she could have a tail, and that would mean… she didn't want to think about it. She checked the mirror. So far so good, she thought, picking up speed, leaving the headlights behind her. They became pinpricks of light, dotting the shadows. She exited the expressway, then looped around and went south. She would drive a few more miles, then exit again, only to loop back and head north.

She did this several times, watching the mirror each time, paying careful attention to the space above. She checked the mirror one last time. The darkness confirmed. She was not being followed. She needed to ditch Roxie's pod someplace safe. I wish I knew if they had ordered a detail to watch Roxie's apartment. She should have gotten that scanner like I told her to! I hate flying by the seat of my pants blind like this! For all she knew, they had issued a BOLO for Roxie's pod.

"Dammit!" She swore, hitting the steering wheel. She reached down and felt her pocket… Nothing… Panic took over when the thought occurred to her. Did I leave it home? Shit! Shit! Shit! Her heart sank. That was potentially her only lifeline. Despite being uncertain if they were a friend or a foe, it was the only hope she had. She flipped the switch for the auto drive and picked up Roxie's purse.

"Please be in here. Please be in here," she muttered as she searched. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. She breathed a sigh of relief as her fingers touched the device. She pulled it out and kissed it.

"Thank you, Roxie!" she laughed, pushing the button.

"Regina?" A voice called out.

"Regina, are you safe?"

"Yes," she replied, "at least for the moment." She sighed. The voice on the other end of the communicator whispered, "She's safe." She listened to whispers on the other end before the mysterious individual said, "We were worried that you had been taken in."

"What do you mean, taken in?" Regina asked, worried about Roxie.

"Our intel shows that your apartment was raided by DOME agents," the voice said softly.

"You didn't know?"

"No! Of course I didn't know. The question is, how did you know?" Regina asked.

"Who are you?"

"I can't go into specifics right now, but soon, I will answer all your questions," the voice replied.

"No, that's not acceptable. I need answers, and I need them now," she demanded.

"Enough with this cloak and dagger crap," she hissed.

"When we meet in person, I will answer all your questions," the voice said.

"You're kidding, right? You think I'm a fool? I've been doing this far too long to even think about meeting you until I know I can trust you," she said curtly.

"For all I know, this is a trap and, Sweetheart, I'm not taking the bait."

"I understand your caution, Regina. It's because of your discreet nature and experience that we reached out to you. We need you on our team," the voice began, "but it's a two-way street, and until we are certain that we can trust you, I am not prepared to give you any details about us."

"Well, it seems we are at an impasse then, an awkward stalemate of sorts." She snickered.

"We need a solution that means our mutual destruction or mutual cooperation," she said flatly.

"I'm open to suggestions."

"For what it's worth, we just got news that no one was taken into custody. They did a sweep on your apartment and left with nothing. Not sure how you pulled that off, or how you managed to be in two places at the same time, but kudos," the voice said. Regina sighed.

"That's good to hear, especially if it's the truth. I have no way to verify that information. The minute I connect my device, they will know my location," Regina said curtly.

"For all I know, you could be with DOME or even GAS and my sister could be sitting in STANK right now. How do I know you are not on the job?"

"Understood, Regina. I know you have no way to know if I have GAS agents out searching for you now. How about you tell me a location where you feel your safety will not be at risk and I will come to you," the voice said.

"I'm not sure what else we can do, Regina. What do I need to gain at least a small bit of trust? To make you feel confident that you are not walking into a GAS trap?" Regina contemplated her options. She needed time to think, to plan.

"I will reach out when I decide where that will be," she said, pressing the button to disconnect the device. For all she knew, the device had a tracking device implanted in it. If that was the case, it was already too late. Suddenly, it came to her. She knew exactly where to go, a place where she would have the upper hand. The farm.