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“Nah. Something came up and this time I need the real thing. Can you get them for me?”
“Sure.” Not even a moment’s pause. “But look, are you sure you’re okay? Your voice sounds weird. And the power outages have been so much worse lately. Everybody’s on edge.”
Had they? There were never any power outages in the amusement park.
“I’m fine. You’ll see me when I pick up the schematics.”
“Right.” Maria still sounded unsure.
Eliana took a deep breath. “So when do you think you can get them for me?”
“Today. I mean, nobody cares about old robot files from the park. I told you that before.”
“Perfect. I’ll meet you at the yerba mate shop next to the building, what do you say?”
“Sounds fine. But, Eliana—”
“I promise you,” Eliana interrupted, because she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep lying. “Everything’s all right.” She stared across the room at Sofia, who was sifting through the mechanical parts on the table. “Everything’s all right.”
* * * *
Eliana and Marianella took the park train out into the city. When it emerged out of the tu
“That’s odd,” Marianella said.
Eliana glanced over at her. She’d wrapped her hair up in a cream-colored scarf and put on a pair of oversize sunglasses.
“You’re going to look even more noticeable than before,” Eliana said, gesturing to the glasses. Marianella sighed and slid them off.
“I can’t believe it’s so dark,” she said. “The park lights haven’t changed at all.”
Eliana turned her gaze back to the window. Seeing the city in this dim light made it look like a dream. The shadows hid all the decay in the buildings, and so in the few seconds that Eliana caught sight of them, they almost seemed new.
The train pulled up to the first station. A few people waited on the benches, all of them bundled up in thick coats and scarfs. The doors slid open, letting in a blast of freezing air. Marianella’s scarf fluttered out behind her, and Eliana pulled her hands into her sleeves. She should have brought a warmer coat.
No one got on. The door slid shut, and the train went on its way, heading toward downtown.
“My God,” Marianella said. “The city wasn’t that cold before, was it?”
Eliana shook her head. “It was like this after Last Night,” she said. “When they turned the heat down. It must be the power failures—” She cut herself short, thinking of Sofia sitting on that throne.
They rode the rest of the way in silence. The lights grew brighter as they approached downtown, and Marianella slid her sunglasses back on. Eliana hadn’t bothered with that sort of disguise. She didn’t think it would matter. Didn’t think it could stop anything bad from happening.
The train screeched to a stop at the big shining downtown station, expelling clouds of white steam. The people waiting lifted their faces, staring at the train with blank curiosity. Eliana’s skin tingled, and her stomach tightened. She hadn’t been around so many people since the night of the gala. She didn’t like the way they stared at her.
“We ought to get this over with,” Marianella said in a soft voice. She stepped off the train first, glancing left and then right, moving with slow and cautious steps. Eliana followed. The air flung tiny daggers at her exposed skin, and she tucked her hands into her pockets. She didn’t just need a warmer coat. She should have brought gloves, a scarf, anything.
The people at the train station had a weary look to them, as if the cold had worked its way permanently into their systems.
“I hope it’s not too far of a walk,” Marianella said brightly. Eliana knew she was faking her cheer. And the cold didn’t really matter to her anyway, did it?
“It’s only a few blocks.” Eliana’s teeth chattered. She walked quickly, hoping the exercise would warm her up. At least the cold and the dark were keeping people off the streets. It was easy to navigate the narrow sidewalks. They scurried along, side by side, their heads down. A tension started in Eliana’s neck and worked its way through the rest of her body. Maybe she was more frightened of seeing Cabrera than she’d let herself think.
The walk seemed to take longer than it ought to have, and for a moment Eliana was afraid that they’d passed the café, that she’d taken them down the wrong street. But then it appeared, its windows glowing in the weird gloomy light. The neon YERBA MATE HERE! sign was flipped on, staining the cement red.
“Well,” Marianella said. “They don’t seem to be at a loss for power.”
“I’m sure it’s a generator.” Eliana tried to make her voice casual, but the thought frightened her. Stores were using their own generators? How bad had it gotten out here?
As if to answer, the dome lights gave a hesitant flicker. For a moment the world was caught in static.
“Let’s get inside,” Eliana said. Marianella nodded.
Maria was waiting for them at her usual table in the corner, a mate gourd sprouting a pair of straws in front of her. A bell chimed as Eliana and Marianella walked in, and Maria lifted her head at the sound, then gri
“She’s going to recognize you,” Eliana whispered.
“I’m aware of that.” Marianella gave a tight smile. Already Eliana could see recognition glimmering across Maria’s expression. Maria straightened up and smoothed one hand down the side of her hair.
“Hey,” Eliana said, sliding into the table across from Maria.
“I got you a straw.” Maria glanced at Marianella and smiled shyly. “I didn’t know you’d be bringing someone—”
“It’s fine.” Marianella didn’t take off her sunglasses, which Eliana found absurd. “I’ve never cared for yerba mate so much.”
Maria beamed like this confession pleased her. Then she turned to Eliana and said, “I hope your investigation is going well. Have you been staying outside the main dome?” Eliana heard the question she really wanted to ask: Does your investigation involve Marianella Luna? Have you been staying at her house?
“Yes,” Eliana said. “Although I can’t say where, exactly.”
“I understand.” Maria held up two fingers, like she was swearing on her heart. “It’s been so awful, hasn’t it? I’m not going to lie, I was worried. I’ve heard it’s been bad down in the smokestack district.”
“I haven’t been in the smokestack district.” Eliana shifted in her seat. After the dim lights outside, the inside of the shop seemed far too bright.
“Well, power’s been going out in patches, you know, and I’ve heard it will stay out longer there than the wealthier parts of town.” She lowered her voice and leaned forward, glancing a little at Marianella as she did so. “I heard that’s how they’re trying to conserve energy. But I’m not supposed to know that.” She leaned back, obviously pleased that she had imparted this gossip to the famed Lady Luna.
“That’s terrible to hear,” Marianella said.
“I know, isn’t it?” Maria shook her head and sipped from the mate. “Oh, I got your schematics. No big deal.” She pulled a file out of her purse and slid it across the table. “Will you be able to stay a bit? Chat? I miss you. Essie can be such a bore with all her pro-Independence nonsense.” She glanced at Marianella again. “Not that I’m opposed to Independence, of course.”
Marianella smiled. “I know what you mean. The radicals can be tiresome.”
You’d know, Eliana thought bitterly. She opened up the file and glanced down at the schematics. Not that it mattered; she didn’t understand them. But Marianella peered over her shoulder.
“These look perfect,” she said. “Thank you very much. Maria, right?”
“Yes.” Maria beamed, thrilled that Lady Luna knew her name. Eliana slid the file into her own purse and then took a long drink of yerba mate. It wasn’t sweetened—too far into the winter for that—but the warmth was still nice.