"What's that?"

"It's my phone," she said.

"Uh...well, you get that," the soldier said. "We need to discuss this situation."

She answered her phone. It was Buy. She could hear the pain in his voice. They spoke briefly but usefully. Then Buy had to go. She closed her phone and looked at the soldiers.

"Okay," the first one said. "We're going to reinforce the front entrance. You're coming with us. Then what you do is up to you."

"Thank you," she said. Her voice broke.

"Don't thank us yet," he said. "You don't know what's going on out there."

76 Divest.i.ture

Buy left Mitsui late, but the traffic was light and he arrived at Mattel Primary School on time. Normally he had to double-park or leave his car around the block, but today the street was almost empty. That was weird: children should have been dribbling out the gates, parents jamming the street. He got out and walked down the school path.

In the administration building, six people were conferring on the other side of the counter. He saw Government IDs. "Help you?" a woman said.

"I'm here to pick up Kate," Buy said. "What's going on?"

The woman's hand rose to her mouth. Suddenly everybody was looking at him.

"What?" Buy said.

"Sir," an agent said. "Would you like to take a seat?"

"Where's Kate?"

"Our security didn't slip up," the woman said. "I want you to know that. A guard did try to stop her. There's nothing wrong with our security."

"Stop who?" Buy said, but he already knew: the answer was thickening in the air.

"Sir, there's been a kidnapping."

"But...who was kidnapped?" Then a loud rushing sound filled his head and fluorescent lights like blurry comets pa.s.sed through his field of vision.

They made him coffee, but his hands wouldn't stop trembling. The agents spoke on their phones and asked him questions. With each one, Buy felt himself forced into a new reality, where Kate was missing and it was all his fault.

"You're already under investigation," one of the agents told him, covering his cellphone. "The Nike Town shootings? You were interviewed by Field Agents Jennifer and Calvin."

"I...was at the mall that night," Buy said. "That's all. I tried to help the girl who was shot. Hayley McDonald's."

The agents exchanged a glance. "She was a relation of yours? A friend?"

"I just tried to help her. Why is this important?"

"Now another girl you're a.s.sociated with is missing," an agent said.

"So...what?"

"Sir, can you tell us your movements this morning?"

"I dropped Kate, I drove to work."

"Is there anyone who can confirm you left the school grounds?"

"But whyyou think I took her?"

"Settle down, Mr. Mitsui," an agent said. "Is there anyone who can confirm you left the school grounds?"

"Iyes! I spoke to another parent, she would have seen me leave. Her name was...Violet. I didn't get her surname, but she works as a veterinarian."

"Can you describe this woman for me?"

"Young, short brown hair...she was wearing a green parka."

The agents exchanged a glance. "Sir, that fits the description of the kidnapper."

"What? How is that"

"We're going to need you to accompany us to the station."

"No," he said, rising. "I have to look for her!"

"Sit down. Now." Everyone was looking at him.

"You must have been pretty angry with the Government after they let that girl die at Chadstone," the other agent said. "Maybe you thought you'd get even by s.n.a.t.c.hing a Government kid."

"No!"

"But you admit you had prior contact with the kidnapper."

His cellphone rang. Everyone stopped.

"Answer it," an agent said. "Maybe it's your little friend."

Buy pulled it free. The display was no number he recognized. "h.e.l.lo?"

"It's me," Jennifer said.

"Oh Jen." He didn't know what to say. "Jen, I'm so sorry." He heard his voice break.

"Is that Jen Government?" the agent said. "Give me that." He took the phone out of Buy's hands. "h.e.l.lo? h.e.l.lo?" He looked at Buy accusingly. "There's no one here."

"She wasyou must have pushed something."

"I didn't push anything."

"Call that number back," the other agent said.

"Good idea." The agent pushed b.u.t.tons. Then his expression changed. He handed the phone back to Buy.

"What?" Buy said. He put it to his ear. "Jennifer?"

The phone said: "Sir? US Alliance switchboard, can I help you?"

"b.u.t.that makes no sense."

"Jennifer Government, my a.s.s," the agent said. He detached his cuffs and reached for Buy's wrists. "Don't make this difficult."

Buy made no conscious decision to run: it just happened. He turned and took three steps and only then did he realize: I am fleeing the Government. I am fleeing the Government. The office door was mostly gla.s.s and The office door was mostly gla.s.s and then then he made a decision: Buy had had an accident with his younger sister when they were kids, so he knew how this worked. He flung the door closed behind him and heard an agent go through it. By the time they were clearing the school grounds, Buy was inside his Jeep. he made a decision: Buy had had an accident with his younger sister when they were kids, so he knew how this worked. He flung the door closed behind him and heard an agent go through it. By the time they were clearing the school grounds, Buy was inside his Jeep.

"Stop!" they shouted. Buy saw guns. He didn't think Government agents were allowed to shoot him just to stop him fleeing, but they looked pretty p.i.s.sed off so he floored the accelerator and swung out into traffic. Then there were horns and screaming tires. A sedan pa.s.sed by his door so closely he couldn't believe they didn't collide. Then he was roaring away from Kate's school.

He found a leafy side street and parked. He had Jennifer's cellphone number. It rang forever. Then she picked up. "It's me."

"How did this happen?" Her voice broke his heart. She sounded destroyed.

"I don't know. I'm sorry, I just...don't know."

"Listen to me. It all depends on you now. I can't touch John Nike while he has Kate. I need you now."

"Wait," he said. "John Nike?"

"John Nike is the criminal I'm chasing. But that's not important. What's important is"

"No," he croaked. "I...I'm working for John."

"What?"

"He'sa Liaison in US Alliance. And...I'm an a.s.sistant Liaison."

"Oh, s.h.i.t," she said. "Oh, s.h.i.t, what have you done for him?"

"He asked me to find some people in Melbourne. Some protestors."

"Who?"

"Um...Hack Nike...a girl, I think her name"

"Hack, yes! It's him!"

"I saw the kidnapper. It was a girl. Violet."

"That's Hack's girlfriend! I can find out where Hack lives"

"No, that's okay." He felt light-headed. He felt sick. "I know where Hack is."

77 Emanc.i.p.ation

"Hey, wow," Violet said. "You're okay, I'm so pleased."

"You left me on your kitchen floor," John said. There was some kind of emotion on his face, but it was hard for Violet to tell what it was. "You left me looking like this this."

"You look great to me, I don't know what you're talking about," Violet said. She backed away, dragging Kate, until her heels. .h.i.t the wall.

John reached out and wrapped a hand around her neck. It was becoming clear to Violet that John was not here to deliver her three million dollars. "Payback's a b.i.t.c.h, isn't it?"

"Hey!" Claire said. Claire had herself a gun, Violet saw, and was pointing it at John. She had never felt so relieved. Although this didn't seem like the Claire she knew. Everyone had been changing in Violet's absence. "That's enough!"

"Shoot him!" Violet said. "Do it, Claire!"

John's eyes didn't leave Violet. "Why don't you take a hike?"

"All right," Hack said. He took Claire's hand.

"Not you, a.s.shole," John said. "You I have business with."

"We are leaving this store," Claire said. Her voice shook; so did the gun in her hand. "And Violet's coming with us."

John said, "Little lady, you've got a lot"

For the first time, his eyes flicked away. Violet took the opportunity to plant her right knee in his nuts. John dropped to the ground as if she'd shot him.

"Ha! Take that!" She went to kick him and he grabbed at her pants. Violet screamed: it was just like back at the apartment. She flailed and tore at him. John's grip gave way and she was free, running toward Hack. She was leaving Kate behind, but that was too bad: Kate was no longer Violet's top concern. There was a door at the rear marked STAFF ONLY and she yanked it open. "Hack, come on!"

Hack ran, pulling Claire with him. Violet slammed the door as soon as they were through it. It was pitch black inside. She groped for something resembling a door lock.