Free Genesis by Lara Morgan Page A

be a thug, like the gang members?
    He was neither.
    Pip led her to the opposite side of the building and they dropped through a low broken window into a dark and dank-smelling room. Seated at a portable table, staring at a computer in a case, sat a man with short brown hair. Beside the computer was a lamp, half covered by a cloth, providing a small pool of yellow light.
    “You’re late,” he said.

CHAPTER 11
    The man was younger than Rosie had imagined. She guessed he was in his mid thirties and he seemed very clean. His skin was pale, his jaw clean-shaven. He had brown eyes and a straight nose and looked just like anyone from Central, except there was an intensity about him that was out of place in his blandly handsome face.
    She went towards him warily, Pip beside her.
    “You must be Rosie,” he said. “Did anyone follow you?” His gaze went to Pip, who shook his head.
    “No, boss, I was careful.”
    “Let’s hope so.” Rising from his chair, the man walked towards her and held out a hand as though intending to shake hers. “Give it to me,” he said.
    Rosie hesitated, holding tight to the straps of her pack. Now she was here, she was filled with misgiving.
    “Please, Rosie.”
    Pip took hold of one of her pack’s straps.
    “I can get it.” She twisted away from him with a glare.
    “Just trying to help,” Pip said, his smile smug.
    Rosie slipped the pack from her back and pulled the box out. “Here.” She thrust it at the man who took it as though she’d offered it willingly.
    “Thank you. Where did you find it?”
    “In the Old City.”
    “I’m aware of that. Where in the Old City?”
    His face gave nothing away as he regarded the symbol on the lid.
    “A tunnel, a long way in.” She wanted to ask him why it was important and, mostly, what had happened to her dad, but his demeanour was unnerving.
    He placed the box carefully on the table. Rosie flicked a glance at Pip but he had gone to stand by the window. He appeared tense.
    “Tell me exactly where you found it,” the man said quietly.
    “I don’t know exactly.”
    “And you figured out how to open it?” He hardly blinked as he watched her.
    “It was just luck, really,” she said. He said nothing so she ventured a question. “Do you know how to open it?”
    He pressed the silver buttons and the lid sprang open. The look on his face as he saw what was inside was impossible to read. Did he know what was supposed to be in there?
    The man picked up the grey com. “Did you look at this?”
    “We couldn’t figure out the entry code.”
    He studied her closely. “We?” he said. “Your friend’s name is Shen, isn’t it?”
    A trickle of dread shivered up Rosie’s spine. “Yes. I’d like to try to contact her if you have a com I could use.”
    “It’s too late. I’m sorry.” He turned his computer towards her. “I recorded this earlier. I hoped we could have avoided this. If Pip had brought you here sooner, I could have contacted them – told them she didn’t have it.”
    What was he saying? Her breath felt short as she gazed down at the blue screen.
    Family killed in freak accident
. She read the news wave in disbelief:
The entire Shen family was found dead earlier this evening at their home in Central East, apparent victims of a faulty generator switch. The explosion destroyed the main part of the home
… Unable to read any more, she turned away feeling sick.
    “You were lucky you hid when those men came,” he said.
    Rosie couldn’t speak. This wasn’t true. It wasn’t happening.
If Pip had brought you here sooner …
His words repeated in her head and a terrible feeling like bitter acid rose in her gut. If she hadn’t run away from Pip, would Juli still be alive? She stared back at the screen. The news wave was paused on what had been Juli’s house. The remains of the house were smouldering, the bush around it a blackened circle. She wanted to sit down. She was dimly aware of Pip standing beside her, the man frowning