Tell me, I begged in my head. Explain. Prove that you're still the Ralph I know and love.
He chucked me on the shoulder. "Let's just let it go, huh?"
"Sure." Come on. Tell me. Every fiber of my being wanted him to just tell me what it was all about. He looked at me for a minute with that smile.
"Is there anything else?"
My insides sank. He wasn't going to tell me. The knowledge sat like a stone in my gut. I shook my head and walked past him quickly, my mind starting to spin.
"Jake," he called when I reached the door. I turned around, a ray of hope. He looked like he was going to say something. I waited. "Alistair...he's got this competition with StarTech. I don't really mind you kids helping him out. We all learn more that way."
Fail, fail, fail. "I, uh...I figured as much I guess." I couldn't believe how calm I sounded outside, while inside screamed at him to tell me. Just tell me!
"I just don't want to know about it, okay?" He smiled easily.
"Um, sure. Anything else?" Did I sound too hopeful? His expression changed for just a second. "Anything at all?" His mouth opened, then closed again and he shook his head.
I've been able to give it a lot of thought since then. Maybe it wasn't fair of me to think of him as a coward. Maybe he was just as caught as I was in a different way. What was it he said? He remembered who fed him.
"I'm a life long Techer, kid. Before I left for the stars, during, and after." He said that to me once during the early conditioning on Utopia when I asked how he could stand to be poked and prodded and ordered around and caged. He was a life long Techer. Ah, but he warned me, and that was something I'd remember later. Those were thoughts for the hours and hours and hours spent alone and lonely with nothing but time to think about my wrongs and his. That night, there was no room.
I reached my room and calmly closed the door. The building suddenly felt very small. I looked around. I took a step in, then stepped back. My mind was in such a racing panic that my body froze.
"We don't even know if she's going to make it." That was exactly what the message said. I knew the moment I read the words who they were talking about. It could only be one person.
"We don't even know if she's going to make it."
On Utopia. It had to be. Had to. They wouldn't bring her here. I ran my shaking hands through my hair and took a calming breath. Plan. I needed a plan. I took a look around the room again. I had a terminal, though it was a limited one, and a holo. And that was about it. I needed help.
I picked up my holo and quietly stepped out of my room. No one was in the hall, but I could hear Alistair talking to someone downstairs. It had to be Marlon still. I waited. They talked on and on. I was tempted to send a message to Alistair to quit yammering, but then I'd screw it all up. I had to keep that door shut until there was nothing he could do about it.
After what felt like a year, I heard the scuff of a chair and Marlon's telling Alistair he'd see him later. I heard his heavy footsteps nearing then stairs. As soon as he was high enough to see me waiting for him in the hall, his eyes narrowed.
"I hope you're not thinking we're all buddy buddy just because you heard me telling Mr. Willington..."
"I need your help," I whispered, cutting him off.
He stood at the top of the stairs and crossed his arms over his chest, looking like he was going to go on some snarky rant. There must have been something in my face...desperation, probably. He gave a little nod toward the door of the room he was using and walked past me. I followed and as soon as the door was closed, he asked what was going on.
"I need three things from you." I didn't know I already had a plan in my head. Maybe it was my escape plan. Maybe it formulated in the back of my head at the first moments of panic on Earth. Or maybe I was just getting better at thinking on the spot.
"Oh, you do, huh?" He looked evilly amused. He sat on his bed and spread his arms wide. "This should be good! Go on. Tell me what you 'need' from me so I can laugh and tell you to go to hell."
"I need you to get in Bradley's files and run them through a codex so I can understand them."
In spite of himself his eyes widened with interest. "Bradley? As in, Justin Bradley? As in only the most secure file set imaginable in the ST system, that Bradley?"
"Yes."
He just stared for a second and I knew I had him. "So we're on some mission impossible, eh?"
"The second thing I need is for you to help me arrange transport to Utopia."
"Hold on, now..."
"I need it quiet. So quiet that they don't know about it until it's way too late."
He threw his hands up and gave a little laugh. "Why not? I mean, you already have me hacking into the most secure system in the entire damn galaxy. What's a little transport heist?" He was being sarcastic. I decided I didn't have time for that.
"Good. Glad you agree."
"Hey wait a sec..."
"The third thing I need you to do..."
He jumped up. "I said hold on!" He shook his head at me. "You don't even know what you're asking here."
"Then tell me and we'll make a new plan."
His mouth was open and he was lost for words. It was a good moment, the only time I flummoxed Marlon. He shook his head to clear the fog and then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, I'm going to explain things to you very simply. First, I'll get caught if I get into Bradley's files."
"Can you do it?"
"Of course I can!" came his instant reply. Then a swear. Then he flopped down heavily on the bed. "You're not kidding, are you?"
"No."
He swore again. "Okay," he said after a moment of thought. "Let's take it that you're serious. Could I get in? Maybe, and don't you ever hold it against me for admitting I might not be able to or so help me..."
"I won't."
"Good. Because we're talking uber expert level stuff here. I...if I had your access pass..."
"You can." I don't think he understood how serious I was. I was fully prepared to give him whatever it took.
"But we're going to get caught. They will know. It's like...it's like..." He swore again, then laughed. "This is so insane and I have no idea how to get it across to your space rotted brain that it's suicide. On every single level."
"They will not kill you for this."
"Easy for you to say, money bags! I've got to have a way to make a living. I'm about to be released from my contract and no way they'll let me sign back on if I do this. Hell, I'll probably be put into prison. It's a felony, don't you get it?"
"You're a kid. They can't punish you too bad."
"Even if they don't, I'll never, ever get a job. They'll smear my name so far and wide that..."
"Work for Alistair. He'd take you."
He made a little grunt noise.
"Besides, you don't want to work for StarTech anyway."
"What about Lynnie, huh?"
I sighed. "They'll take care of her. They like her." I didn't have to point out the obvious. "They'll probably just be glad to see you gone. No more putting up with your whining."
He laughed then for real. "Not exactly the way you butter someone up, kid."
"Do you think I want to be asking for your help?"
He looked at me for a long moment. "Why are you?"
"I think they have a friend of mine. On Utopia."
"You don't have..." his voice trailed off. "Are you...are you saying what I think you're saying?" I nodded. "On Utopia?" I nodded again. "Holy...are you sure?"
"No. That's why I need in on Bradley's files, to be sure."
Marlon jumped up and began pacing. "That's not going to work."
"But..."
He turned to me. "Jake. Listen to me. Say I get into those files. Just say these miracle hands can surprise even me. I get in, I get the proof. They'll know instantaneously." He snapped his fingers.