Chapter 11: What the Defect Is

"Go," Astrid said. "Back hatch. Now."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Vaneck can't hurt me in front of a camera, and half this block has one."

She was already ripping the cable out of Ansel's chest and shoving the laptop into Micah's bag.

"I work for Bowditch. I'll tell him I came for my winter coat."

"Astrid..."

"I'm going to scream the building down if he touches me. Run, you idiot."

She kissed Micah on the cheek, hard, and turned toward the roll-up door.

Ansel pulled his sweater closed over the open plate.

Micah grabbed his hand.

Behind them, Astrid's voice rose, cheerful and loud, saying, "Kirk! You scared me half to death!"

The back hatch of the unit opened onto a service ladder, and the ladder dropped to the wooden dock.

Salt wind slapped Micah's face.

Fog hung over the water, and in the middle of it a lit ferry sat tied to the pier, its engine idling.

Behind them, a man shouted.

Footsteps rang on the metal stairs.

"There," Ansel said, and pulled him along the dock.

They ran.

A deckhand in orange waders looked up and saw two men sprinting toward his boat.

He raised one hand in confusion, then shrugged.

Micah jumped the gap with Ansel half a second behind him.

The ferry was empty on the lower deck.

Rows of plastic benches shone under pale lights, and the hull hummed under their feet.

The lines were cast off.

Micah watched the pier slide away through the window.

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