Free Beat by Jared Garrett Page B

tightened up and I glanced back through Dev 2. If they hurried, the Enforsers could come through the door in the next minute. Or less, even. I looked from my wrist to the nanocutter, momentarily frozen by indecision. Should I cut it now or run—
    “Hey!”
    I glanced up at the loud voice, dread filling me. The black mask and helmet of an Enforser stared at me. The second thing I saw was the ugly, matte-black Keeper in the Enforser’s hand.

CHAPTER 9
     
    I stood for a half-second, momentarily paralyzed by terror.
    “Drop it!” The Enforser’s voice sounded like a dog bark, pushing at me with almost physical force. But I could also tell it was a woman. Drop what?
    I looked at my hand. I still held the nanocutter. I wasn’t finished. I shoved the cutter into my zip’s right pocket, grabbed the nearest tool, and flung it at the Enforser. She brought her Keeper up and I ran, desperately flinging more tools at her, trying to keep her distracted. I ran through the door to Dev 3 so fast that my left shoulder clipped the sliding door.
    I tightened my neck and back, sure I was about to be hit with a jolt of electricity or a rubber bullet. I threw myself left, skidding behind a table and crawling on all fours toward the door to Dev 4. Where should I go? How was I supposed to get—
    An explosion pounded in my ears, and something whizzed past my face. A metallic thud, followed by several others, then the sound of tools being smashed. Those weren’t rubber bullets. I ducked and kept crawling as fast as I could. The cutter fell out of my pocket. I grabbed it and stuck the somewhat soft handle in my mouth. I gagged briefly but fought the unpleasant sensation away and kept going.
    “Stop!” I glanced back at the shout. The Enforser, if it was the same one, stood in the doorway back to Dev 2. “Don’t move!”
    I moved. Maybe I could make it to the west entrance. Dipping low, I scampered across the room, trying to keep a table or two between me and the Enforser, and probably other Enforsers who had to be behind her. “Nik Granjer, out of station, late to shift.” The sensor’s voice shocked me, but I instantly understood. My Papa had come too close to a sensor at a work station.
    Didn’t those things sleep?
    There had to be Enforsers at every entrance. Bren had died, and if it wasn’t obvious why he’d gotten the Bug, it was pretty clear that he’d been infected. Their monitoring systems had to know that I’d been with him. They should just want to grab me, talk to me, even if it was just to make sure I wasn’t infected, too.
    But they were trying to kill me now. That Enforser had shot real bullets at me. Twice.
    The floor of the Enjineering Dome felt cool under my hands as I half ran, half crawled closer to Dev 4. Hunched low, I was pretty sure the Enforser didn’t have a good shot at me. But that also meant I couldn’t see her.
    “Come out, and we’ll go easy,” the Enforser called.
    I kept as silent as I could, knowing she would see when I made it to Dev 4.
    “The Dome’s surrounded, Nik. You’re not going anywhere.”
    I gritted my teeth, biting hard on the cutter’s handle, and threw myself forward. Just two more tables and I’d be at the door.
    “Where do you think you’re going?” The Enforser sounded angry and surprised.
    I rounded the last table, and the door must have sensed me because it slid open with a soft hiss. I grabbed the nanocutter out of my mouth and dove through, hearing a small explosion followed by a crackling sizzle above my right shoulder. Electrodes skipped off the floor in front of my hand, sparking. Yelping, I yanked my hand back toward me.
    I rolled and felt my EarCom jog loose, nearly falling out of my left ear. I stuffed it deeper in. I had to keep moving and move in unexpected ways or she’d get me next time. I grabbed a table leg, using it to help me change directions fast. Then I stood a little, banging my shoulder hard on the corner of the table. Pain sliced through me. I