Free Truancy Origins by Isamu Fukui Page A

risky plan. With the echo of the garage, the Enforcers wouldn’t be able to tell whose footsteps were whose. As soon as Red passed behind another slab of concrete and temporarily out of the Enforcers’ sight, he froze, his back tightly pressed against the pillar in the complete darkness. The Enforcers ran past, their flashlights darting everywhere but behind them.
    As soon as he was sure that the last Enforcer had passed him, Red quietly slid around the column and doubled back the way he had come as fast as he could without making much noise. He had spotted a small Dumpster the previous night, and upon reaching it he was pleased to discover that it was still full of trash. The trash was old enough to smell rancid even to Red, which was really a good thing: if it smelled bad to him, then the Enforcers probably wouldn’t bother digging too deep.
    â€œWhere is he?”
    â€œWe lost him,” an authoritative voice said, echoing throughout the garage. “He may have backtracked. What’s the kill count so far?”
    â€œSeven at the last tally, sir.”
    â€œWe were told to expect more than twice that. We definitely missed some. Spread out and search the area. Shoot anything that moves.”
    Holding his breath and shutting his nostrils, Red dived into the Dumpster. He would have shut the lid, but was worried about the noise it would make. Instead, Red allowed himself to sink beneath a thin layer of trash, so that he was still able to breathe through the pockets of air between the distasteful objects that made up the garbage. As he waited, completely still, Red thought about what he’d just heard.
    These days Enforcer raids were far from uncommon, but it wasn’t often that they knew exactly where and when a group of vagrants would be hiding out—and it was even rarer for them to know how many to expect. Enforcers generally discovered them either with routine sweeps . . . or when they were tipped off. Red thought about the missing vagrant that had been mentioned the night before. Could it be that the boy had betrayed them?
    The Enforcers hadn’t always pursued the vagrants so brutally, but ever since a man named Rothenberg had become their Chief Truancy Officer, they had begun cracking down, offering generous rewards to any vagrant that turned in others. They had killed hundreds and turned more against each other. Rothenberg’s name had become more feared and hated than any other among the vagrants.
    Red’s thoughts were interrupted and he allowed himself a groan inside the Dumpster as the familiar ache in his gut returned. It was getting sharper, more painful by the day, and the only comfort Red could find in that was the possibility that he might actually be dying.
    Someday, someday soon, Red knew, he would be free of all this. But until then, all he could do was his best to stay alive. His only ambition was to prove to be as stubborn a victim for the City as he could.
    Â 
    Z en strode up the steps of City Hall, a wrapped box clutched in his hands. All around him adults passing in and out of the building shot curious glances at the unusual sight, but Zen paid them no heed, keeping a bright expression upon his face. As he pushed open the glass doors of the entrance and stepped onto the checkered marble floor of the lobby, he was met by a security guard, who recognized him immediately.
    â€œZen!” the guard greeted. “What brings you here?”
    â€œI’m here to see my dad.” Zen smiled pleasantly. “He’s here, isn’t he?”
    â€œOh yes, he came in a few hours ago.” The guard nodded. “He should’ve just started his meeting right now, but I’ll call him to let him know you’re here.”
    â€œNo, no, please don’t, sir,” Zen said. “Today’s a special day for him, and I wanted to surprise him.” Zen held up the wrapped box.
    â€œA special day?” The guard scratched his head.