Free Outcasts by Jill Williamson

asked.
    “This place didn’t just start out the way it is now, peer,” Zane said. “Things happened. Over time. And in the beginning, there were people who didn’t like what was happening. Anyway … Ruston Neil is the current leader of the FFF. Ruston and Lonn were friends, worked together on a lot of things.”
    “So Chord figured Ruston needed to know about Bender and Otley,” Levi said.
    “We all needed to know,” Jordan said. “We need to take down that maggot.”
    Zane shook his head. “Don’t do anything yet — at least not to Bender.”
    Levi couldn’t just sit around and wait to be arrested or killed by Otley. “What if I went to Dayle up in the Department of Public Tasks?”
    “Dayle would just go to Ruston too,” Zane said.
    “Does Bender know Ruston?” It seemed like all these rebels knew each other.
    “Yes, but he doesn’t know where he lives. Ruston keeps off the grid as much as possible. He’s only got a few guys who run for him. Bender can’t find him. No one can.”
    “Can you?” Levi asked.
    Zane smiled and ate one of Levi’s fries. “I can find anyone.”
    “That’s what we want,” Levi said. “We have to leave the bunker. I can’t keep my people vulnerable to Bender. Plus I’m sick of him telling me what to do.”
    “I’ve got a place,” Zane said. “No one knows about it. Not even Rewl or Bender knows. It will be a tight squeeze. But you could bring your women there. At least until I can talk to Ruston about someplace bigger.”
    “Oh, no,” Jordan said. “I’m not getting separated from my wife again.”
    Levi didn’t like the idea of dividing their flock either. “Can we all go there?”
    “Yeah, sorry,” Zane said. “I meant all of you. You’ll fit.” But he didn’t look so sure. “We’d have to move you at night or really early in the morning, go through the storm drains, at least until we’re on the outskirts of the city.”
    “Our leaving would tip off Bender that we don’t trust him, though,” Levi said.
    “It won’t be a problem if he can’t find us,” Jordan said.
    “What about Omar?” Zane asked. “You want him to stay on grid and task?”
    “No,” Levi said at the same time as Jordan said, “Yes.”
    “It’s too dangerous,” Levi said.
    “If Omar goes into hiding, Otley will know,” Jordan said. “Bender said the enforcers were still watching him.”
    Right. “But
Bender
said, Jordan. He could have been lying.”
    “What if he wasn’t?”
    “What if Omar runs into Bender?” Levi said. “What if he asks Omar about me or where all our people went to?”
    “Omar tells him you got the women out one night, and that they’re back in Glenrock,” Jordan said.
    Levi didn’t like that plan. “It puts Omar in a vulnerable place.”
    “Look, I’m going to take this letter to Ruston and get the new place ready,” Zane said. “I’ll tap you with the plan. Until then, play like you know nothing about Bender and Otley.”
    “Who?” Levi said.
    Zane smirked and stood. “I’ll tap you. Oh, here.” He removed a Wyndo from his pocket. “This is for Mason. Remind him that messages automatically delete once they’re read. I’ll start on the ones for the femmes when I can get the parts.”
    “Thanks, Zane,” Levi said.
    “Part of my pleasure.” Zane limped out of the café.
    “I don’t like this, Levi,” Jordan said. “I want out of here yesterday.”
    “Me too. Hopefully Mason will have a plan come Saturday. Once I get him this Wyndo and we can talk without having to send paper messages, things will move faster.” At least he hoped it would. He had no idea what was taking Mason so long up there.
    “Mad good.” Jordan slapped the table. “Then talk to Omar about staying away from Shaylinn, will you?”
    “Since when?” Levi turned on his chair. Omar and Shay were sitting at the counter. They were both laughing, using plastic forks to smash Omar’s french fries into mush. It was the first time in a long time