Free A Chronetic Memory (The Chronography Records Book 1) by Kim K. O'Hara Page A

make time to stop and see you. My helicar needed a tune up anyway, so I used the excuse to rent one. I suspect they have a tracker on mine, but I picked up the rental just before I left.”
    “Are they going to those lengths now?” Doc frowned.
    “I don’t know. Maybe not. But I didn’t want to risk focusing any of their attention on you.”
    “That was good of you.”
    “I try.” A quick upward glance activated the clock on her eyescreen. “It’s late. I need to get back to town before they figure out that I’ve strayed off my itinerary.”
    The other two stood and took turns giving her hugs. “You’re welcome any time,” said Doc, when they got to the door.
    “I’ve never doubted that,” she said with a grateful smile, and stepped out onto the porch.
    “We need to keep in touch more,” Lexil stopped her, with a hand on her arm. “Especially if you’re being blackmailed and controlled like this. You have to have an exit route if things get rough.”
    “I can’t call. I know they monitor that.”
    “Is there anyone at the institute that you trust that has more freedom to move about after work?” Doc asked.
    “No. The only people they let me contact on a regular basis are Calegari and Tasman, and I think they are more likely to report on me than carry a message for me.”
    Lexil made a frustrated sound. Marielle didn’t deserve this, no matter what she had done. “If it gets really bad, don’t worry about us. You just come. Promise?”
    “I promise,” she said, giving his hand an affectionate squeeze, then headed out to the rental helicar. She waved through the window as her car lifted upward.
    “So,” said Doc, turning to Lexil. “What sounds good for dinner?”

10
Direction
    WALLACE HOME, Lower Queen Anne, Seattle, WA. 1800, Tuesday, June 6, 2215.
    Dani paused at the edge of the slidewalk to let the irisscan identify her. She juggled her folders of activities for Jored, none of which she had used at the high school. She’d almost forgotten to bring the chocolate; good thing there was a vendor’s stall in the transfer tube station. She was sure Kat would like the truffles she had picked out.
    This was the home of her three closest friends, but she felt like a stranger meeting them for the first time. They hadn’t changed a bit, she realized. She was the one who had changed. All her careless words that had dismissed Kat’s concerns echoed accusingly in her head, but it felt like they had been spoken by someone else entirely. How could she have been so blind? How could she have been so duped?
    The door had already announced her arrival. Jored would be opening it to welcome her. He would be excited. She needed to put all her misgivings out of her mind for his sake. Later, when he was tucked into bed, she’d pour out her heart to his parents.
    “Dani!” Jored didn’t wait for her to reach the door; he ran against the motion of the slidewalk to meet her and gave her a big hug. She couldn’t believe how tall he was getting; his head almost reached her shoulder now. She was pretty sure he had been thirty centimeters shorter just a few months ago. Slight exaggeration there, but still: Were seven year olds supposed to be this tall? Well, his dad was a bit over 180 centimeters, so maybe.
    “Hey, bud! I have some things to show you, but first, let’s give your mom her chocolate, okay?”
    “Sure, no problem.” He knew, and she knew, that soon they’d be putting their heads together over a puzzle or a game, and he was content to share his Dani with others, for now.
    “Hi Dani,” said Marak, when he caught sight of her. “How’s our favorite corporate minion?”
    She made a face, but answered cheerfully, “Healthy and surrounded by my best friends. How can I complain?”
    “Here’s a knife. Want an apron?” Kat offered. “Barbecue’s hot and we’re making shish kebabs.”
    Dani put down her bag and folders. As she tied the apron and smoothed it down in front, she realized she