Necromancer: Undead Lives Matter

CHAPTER 7

The balcony was there. Less than a meter away. Close enough. Technically.

“No.”

I pulled my head back.

“Absolutely not. That's insane.”

“There are two ways out of the building,” Virgo said calmly. “Through the window, or through the people downstairs who desperately want to meet you.”

I didn't answer.

“Either way, you're taking a risk.”

A pause.

“Your choice.”

I slipped the phone into my pocket and looked around the kitchen.

“This is crazy…”

My voice came out as a whisper.

“How the hell did I end up here?”

I stared at the window.

“How did this even happen?”

My hands were shaking.

“I'm screwed…”

I grabbed my backpack and swung it over my shoulders. Then I climbed out. The balcony really wasn't far.

Less than a meter.

Easy. In theory.

“Most important thing,” Virgo warned.

I paused.

“Don't look down.”

So naturally, I looked down.

“Holy shit!”

My stomach dropped. It was only the eighth floor. Only.

My legs immediately disagreed with that assessment.

I was terrified. Completely, irrationally terrified.

Then I remembered the minibus. The plastic. The body. The muscleman. The saw.

Fuck that. I wasn't dying today.

I pushed off. And jumped.

For one horrifying second, I was airborne. Then my hands caught the balcony railing.

The balcony window was open. May had finally brought warm weather, apparently. Lucky me. Unfortunately, I wasn't Tom Cruise.

I couldn't just crawl along the outside of buildings like some kind of action hero.

I pulled myself sideways, inch by inch. Every movement made my arms burn. Then my back started hurting too.

Why the hell was my back hurting?

I was climbing across balconies, not participating in some kind of Olympic event. This had officially been a terrible idea. But I had no choice.

One movement. Then another. Then another.

Finally, with whatever strength I had left, I hauled myself onto the balcony.

I collapsed. For several seconds, I just lay there, gasping.

The people living here were going to be very surprised when they got home.

I managed to catch my breath. Then I heard voices.

The confused shouting of the men inside.

Oh, right. I couldn't lie around admiring my survival skills.

Time to move.

I got to my feet and headed toward the apartment door.

Locked.

“Damn it!”

I grabbed the handle. Nothing.

The balcony had been enclosed with cheap plastic sheeting, probably to keep out the wind.

Good enough. I shoved hard. The plastic tore.

I stumbled through and found myself inside the apartment.

My phone rang. I nearly dropped it.

I swiped the green icon and pressed it to my ear.

“You're in the apartment next door,” Virgo said.

“Imagine that.”

I kept my voice low.

“Now go to the hallway.”

I moved.

“But don't go anywhere near the front door.”

I stopped where she indicated.

“Now carefully open the door. The key is hanging there.”

I spotted the keys. One set for the apartment. Another for the intercom.

I took them down, unlocked the door, and slowly pulled it open.

The landing was empty.

“Hurry.”

Virgo's voice was urgent now.

I stepped out. The elevator was right there.

No. Absolutely not.

Getting into a metal box with God knew how many armed criminals running around the building seemed like a spectacularly bad survival strategy.

Stairs. I took the stairs.

My legs were already shaking from the balcony stunt, but adrenaline had plenty left to spend.

I ran. Down one flight. Then another.

My lungs burned. My arms hurt. My legs felt like rubber. But I kept going.

Then Virgo asked the question that stopped me cold.

“Can you drive?”

“I don't have a license,” I admitted, “but I can drive.”

Technically true.

Someday, I planned to buy some ancient piece of automotive junk so I'd at least have a way to get around. But first I needed a driver's license. I hadn't taken the test yet.

I'd learned to drive, though. I'd even driven a Shishiga and a Moskvich. So I wasn't exactly starting from zero.

“So you're sure you won't freeze the moment you get behind the wheel?” Virgo asked. “You can actually get in and drive?”

“Absolutely.”

I sounded more confident than I felt.

“Assuming there are keys.”

“Keys aren't a problem,” Virgo said. “Get downstairs. Quickly.”

I tore down the stairs. My legs were already protesting after everything I'd put them through tonight, but fuck my legs. They could complain later. Right now, staying alive took priority.

I burst out of the building and nearly went sprawling on the steps. Whoever designed this entrance had apparently declared war on human ankles.

“BMW,” Virgo ordered.

I ran toward the car.

I went around to the driver's side, opened the door—

And there were the keys. Still in the ignition.

Of course. What kind of idiot leaves the keys in a car like this?

Then again, maybe they'd be happy if somebody stole it. At least they'd have something to do tonight besides complain about the thief.

I climbed in. My hands were shaking slightly.

I'd never stolen a car before. There was a first time for everything, apparently.

All right.

Clutch.

Ignition.

Engine.

Easy.

A minute later, I was carefully easing the BMW out of the courtyard.

“Thanks for helping me,” I said.

“I'm not finished yet,” Virgo replied.

Right. Of course she wasn't.

“Open your 4Give map. Enter the address for Fort No. 1.”

“Why?”

I frowned.

“Why would I go there?”

“Do you think they'll look for you there?”

That shut me up. I drove for a few seconds.

Then I asked the question that had been bothering me from the beginning.

“Why are you helping me?”

Silence.

“I mean, I'm grateful. Seriously. You just pulled me out of a situation where I was probably about thirty seconds away from being murdered.”

I glanced at the phone.

“But I'd still like to know why.”

“It's too early for that conversation.”

“Great.”

“When you're out of this mess, I'll explain everything.”

A pause.

“Deal?”

I didn't like that answer. Not even slightly.

But then again, she'd just dragged me away from the edge of death.

“Deal.”

I sighed.

“You saved my life. I'm grateful.”

“Good.”

Virgo sounded almost amused.

“Now go.”