"Stop talking like that!" Kira demanded.
"What?" Jason seemed stunned by her reaction. "Why?"
"I'm not some farm animal! You called me a 'hybrid' the first day we met. How dare you talk about me 'breeding'!"
Jason looked at her uncomprehending. "It's…it's genetics."
"So? Does that word make it all right to talk about people as if we're just animals?"
"But when it comes to different forms of genes and expression and evolution and reproduction, we are," Jason said. "We're just a different form of life. Me, too."
"Is that how they think of it on Urth?" Kira asked.
"Sure it is. That's just science."
"That genetics stuff is science, Jason. How people think about it, how people think about other people, is something else."
"I never…" Jason looked away, his expression tight with thought. "We're not special, Kira. People aren't special. We're just another life form."
"Every person is special," Kira insisted. "Every person deserves dignity and respect, and being thought of as something that matters. Maybe some person will be an awful person who I need to kick in the jaw, but even he is not an animal. Even animals deserve respect! They are not toys like those dragon things on Mars you talked about."
He gazed at her, for some reason sad. "We change them all the time. Fur, body, immune functions… To make them look like we want them to or be like we want them to. And then we started doing it to people, too. To fix things. To improve things. And to make them taller and thinner and whatever we thought was better-looking. Because it's just genetics, and we're just another life form."
"We're not," Kira said. "I'm not. You're not."
"You're right. Again. You do that a lot."
"Oh, stop it. I've just had good people in my life telling me things that I couldn't have figured out on my own. You think that more Mage talents are emerging in me because of the danger we're facing? Father said that. He said foresight could emerge in times of danger. So I guess it's all right." Jason didn't look entirely convinced, but Kira didn't want to pursue the subject any further. She looked around. She couldn't hear any traces of uproar from the direction of the north gate, so things must have died down. But the sun was setting, shadow stealing across the square before them to merge with twilight and darken the city. "Jason, they were waiting for us. Maybe someone recognized us when we got off the longboat. Maybe one of the Mages had foresight that we'd be in Kelsi and try to leave by that gate."
"That can happen?"
"Yes." Kira ran one hand through her hair, thinking. "They'll keep the gates under watch. And if some of them know we're here, others will find out. Kelsi is going to become very dangerous for us very quickly. But there is one way out they might not be watching. The harbor."
"How can we get to the harbor? Didn't we come in through a gate on the waterfront?"
"There will be sally ports," Kira said. "Do you know what a sally port is?"
"Um…a small door in the wall that defenders can use to sneak out and surprise attackers. Right?"
"Right! There won't be any sentries on them in peacetime. Just locks."
"Locks?" Jason smiled with relief. "Do you think you can open them?"
"There's a pretty good chance of it," Kira said, smiling back at him. "Let's head that way. It'll be full dark by the time we get back to the sea-facing wall."
They walked, trying not to look in a hurry or worried, Kira watching and listening for any sign of trouble. But no one seemed to be taking any particular interest in them at the moment.
She wasn't sure how late it was when they reached the wall facing the sea. Night had fallen, street lights had been lit, the world relaxing after the labors of the day. The gate was sealed tight for the night, a few sentries maintaining watch.
Kira strolled casually down the street inside the wall, searching for a sally port in the wall and finally spotting one. "There are still plenty of people out," she told Jason. "We have to look like we're not doing anything wrong. Do you see any police or militia?"
"No," Jason said, looking around. "You guys don't have any night-vision stuff?"
"What's night-vision stuff?"
"Infrared, cats-eye contact lenses, stuff like that."
Kira shook her head. "I heard that somebody tried to train cats to serve as sentries once, but that didn't go well."
"On Earth, they tried to make compliant cats," Jason said.
"That genetic thing? How did that work?"
"They got something that was compliant. It wasn't a cat anymore, though. I mean, it looked like a cat, but it wasn't a cat. It seriously freaked out people."
"Good," Kira said. The street traffic seemed momentarily light. "Let's stroll across the street to that sally port."
They made it without incident, Kira crouching to examine the lock as she pulled out her lock picks. "Nice lock. I can do this. Jason—"
"I know. Look like a wall."
Kira worked patiently. Kelsi had invested in some good locks. She was almost done when Jason hissed a warning.
"Stand up! Face me!"
Kira straightened, putting her back to the wall. Jason faced her, close, his arms on either side of her.
"Can you giggle?" he asked.
"I don't giggle, Jason. I can…chuckle."
"Do it!"
Kira managed a light laugh just as she saw two police officers walking past. They were close enough for Kira to see every detail of their faces in the light of the nearest street lamp, but she was shadowed from their sight by Jason's body, and all they could see of Jason was his back.
One of the officers cast a knowing glance their way as the police walked on without pausing.
Jason sighed with relief. "They thought we were, you know…"
"Making out," Kira said. "How did you think of that?"
"I saw it in a vid."
"It worked. Good thinking." Kira bent down again, working the lock. A final metallic snick announced success. "Here we go."
But as she swung the sally port open toward her, just inside it solid stone suddenly appeared, blocking the tunnel through the wall leading to the outer sally port.
Kira stared. If a Mage could create the illusion of an opening in a wall that didn't have one, why couldn't a Mage create the illusion of no opening where one had been?
She turned at the same time as she drew her pistol, flipping off the safety and readying it.
A number of people strolled the sidewalk opposite them. Others leaned against buildings, some talking to each other.
Kira saw people running toward her and Jason from both sides along the street. Their retreat was cut off and at least a dozen people were rushing them. Where was the Mage who had created the illusion of rock filling the tunnel? Whoever it was, the Mage had to have a clear view of the sally port. She could almost feel where the Mage was. Somewhere. Somewhere. Kira strained at something that she didn't really understand, trying to get it to work.
There. That woman leaning against the building opposite. To Kira's eyes, the woman's body glowed with the power being put into the spell.
Kira raised her arm toward the woman, then stopped, staring at her hand and the object in it. What was she supposed to do? How?
Jason grabbed her other arm. "Kira! What's going on?"
Kira shook her head, feeling as if the world had jerked around her. She blinked her eyes to clear them, looking back at the woman. She was still there, but Kira could no longer see the glow of the spell-work even though the female Mage was obviously still concentrating. Kira's arm was already up, the pistol in her hand pointed toward the Mage. She hastily aimed and fired, the shot tugging at one of the woman's sleeves.
The female Mage dodged away, losing her sight of the sally port as well as her concentration on the spell.
The sound of Kira's shot echoed down the street. Anyone not already aware that something was happening began running.
She backed toward the sally port, turning to see that the nearest
attackers were almost on Jason, too close for him to run. Daggers gleamed in their hands, but Jason was between Kira and them so she couldn't get a clear shot. If only there had been time on the ship to teach him more than basic self-defense moves.
At the last moment, Jason leaped toward the two, throwing off their own attacks. The man went one way, the woman another, and Jason stumbled to a halt in the center before dashing back toward Kira.
As the man rose to slash at Jason, Kira lined up her shot and fired, the impact of her bullet knocking him back. The woman hesitated as Jason joined Kira, giving Kira time to shove him inside the tunnel, then back in fast herself, pulling the armored door closed behind her, holstering her weapon to use both hands.
Lightning rippled down the street, lashing at the door. Kira got thrown backwards, dazed. She was trying to get up when Jason ran to the door and yanked it the rest of the way closed. Total darkness engulfed them. "M-make sure the lock clicks shut," Kira gasped to Jason.
"It did." He knelt by her, his hands trying to find Kira. "How's your heart?"
"My heart?"
Jason grabbed her wrist and turned Kira's hand up, his thumb pressed on her inner wrist. "Your pulse is okay. The shock must have thrown you clear before it did too much damage. Did you get any burns?"
"I don't think so," Kira said as Jason helped her stand up.
"You weren't grounded. You got lucky." She couldn't see him, but could hear the anguish in his voice. "You could have been killed."
"I think that was the idea," Kira said, trying to make light of it. She paused, emboldened by the dark, then quickly hugged Jason. "Thanks."
"Sure." Jason still sounded shaky, but better, and she was recovering. "How long will that hold?" Jason asked.
"It's supposed to hold off an invading army for a little while. They'll need to get some soldiers to get the keys, because the police won't be carrying them. And it's possible the people chasing us can pick that lock, too. We don't have forever." Kira went down the tunnel as fast as she dared, feeling her way.
She found the door on the outer wall by running into it, then Jason ran into her. As soon as they untangled themselves, Kira felt for the lock, pulled out her picks, and went to work by feel and sound.
"What if they're waiting for us out there?" Jason asked, his voice echoing oddly in the tunnel.
"Then you and I are going to go through them like a stampede through a weak fence," Kira said.
"What happened to the Kira who didn't think she could do anything much?"
"Kira doesn't have the luxury of self-doubt at the moment. Hush. I need to listen to the lock."
He fell silent for a few moments, until Kira gave a gasp of satisfaction. "That's it. All we have to do is lift these bars reinforcing the door and pull the door open."
"Before we go out and stampede through whatever is waiting," Jason said, "how was it that lightning just happened to hit that other door? And why did the lightning look like it was traveling along the ground instead of coming down?"
Kira rubbed her face, trying to think how to explain quickly. "That was a Mage. My father is one of the rare Mages who can create the illusion of great heat. There are other rare Mages who can create the illusion of lightning radiating from them, directing it toward a target. The one who just tried to fry us could be the same one who attacked my parents a couple of times twenty years ago. He doesn't like my family. All right?"
"That lightning was an illusion?" Jason asked skeptically.
"Yes! So is this door and so is this stone and so is this floor! Really powerful illusions that feel absolutely real! That is how Mages see the universe, and it works for them! They believe in their illusions enough for their illusions to kill you! Now, can we finish escaping?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Fine! Thank you!" She knew it was ridiculous to be bothered by Jason's questions when there were an unknown number of people trying to kill both of them. But something was tearing at her inside. She kept seeing the face of the man she had shot as he lunged at Jason. There's no time for this. Later. She and Jason lifted off the reinforcing bars. Kira drew her weapon again, taking deep breaths. "Now."
They pulled together, the heavy, armored door swinging inward.
Kira waited, watching, listening.
She heard a noise behind them, the sound of the inner door being opened. "No more time. Run, Jason. We're going to go out along a pier and get a boat."
They ran through the night, the high wall looming behind them, the waters of the harbor not far ahead.
Lightning flared again, this time from above. Had an actual storm moved in?
The lightning flayed the ground nearby as Kira and Jason dodged. She looked up, squinting against the brightness of the bolts, seeing they were originating at the top of the wall. The Lightning Mage was there, still trying to get them.
It was a long shot with her pistol. Kira stopped, planting her feet, holding her pistol with both hands as she raised it and aimed at the shadowy figure at the top of the wall, afterimages of the lightning dancing in her eyes. She exhaled slowly, squeezing the trigger, knowing that the Mage would require a few moments before being able to hurl lightning again.
She fired, lined up her sights for a second time and fired once more.
The shadowy figure disappeared.
"Did you hit him?" Jason asked as they began running again.
"I don't know. Maybe. Maybe I just scared the blazes out of him. Whatever, as long as he doesn't try to fry us another time."
People were running from the sally port behind them, others along the base of the wall. Kira holstered her pistol to try to blend in with everyone else in the darkness. "That pier we came in on had boats tied up. Which one was it?"
"This way," Jason said.
The sound of fighting broke out somewhere behind them. Jason tried to look that way and stumbled. "Don't look back," Kira said. "Whoever is fighting whoever, we need to get away from them."
The pier Jason led them down felt deserted, their feet on the wooden planks sounding far too loud as they ran to the end. Some larger vessels tied up on either side were dark and silent. Out in the harbor, ships swung at anchor, lanterns marking their locations.
They paused, Kira trying to catch her breath as she looked around. The sound of the fighting behind them had subsided. "It's quiet."
"Too quiet," Jason said, then laughed. "That's an ancient joke on Earth."
"The more I hear about Urth the stranger it gets." Kira pointed. "Look. A large dinghy. It's got a small mast with a sail, and oars. That'll get us out of here." She looked back, scanning the waterfront. Dark shapes flitted through the shadows. "They're coming. We can't be picky."
Before dropping down into the dinghy, Kira reloaded her pistol, topping off the magazine. "Mother and Aunt Alli always said reload whenever you can."
"Your mother has good advice," Jason said, looking toward the waterfront. "They're getting closer."
Kira lowered herself and dropped into the dinghy, the boat rocking under her. She grabbed a supporting pillar next to the boat to steady it as Jason followed.
"Are we stealing this?" Jason asked.
"We're borrowing it. I'm not happy about it, but it beats being captured or killed by the people who are after us."
"Good point," Jason agreed as he checked the single sail furled on its boom. "Good thing we've got experience with handling sails, huh?"
"What do you think you're doing?" A pile of blankets in the bow proved to be the bed of an enraged man. Just awoken from sleep, he glowered at them, brandishing a large knife. "Get out!"
"You're taking us for a ride," Kira informed him. "We're renting your boat. Cast off."
"Wrong, girl! The harbor master doesn't allow passengers in full dark. Now get off before I—"
The man's voice broke off as Kira pulled out her pistol and aimed it at him. She kept her finger alongside the trigger guard because she didn't want to risk accidentally shooting the man and didn't think he would not
ice in the dark. "You're taking us. Or you're getting off and we'll take the boat without you. Your choice." A part of Kira marveled at how calm and steely her voice sounded. "You have to the count of three to decide."
Speechless, the man nodded and helped Jason free the last lines holding the boat to the pier. Jason and the man shoved the boat away from the pier while Kira stood next to the mast, holding on to it to steady herself as she watched for approaching enemies. "I think they're coming down the pier. Get us away from here."
Jason hauled the small sail up, swinging the short boom so it caught the night breeze. The sail filled and the boat swung away from the pier.
Kira moved around the mast to avoid the boom and keep her eyes on the pier. "They're still coming. Blast. They've started running. They must have seen this boat moving away."
Reluctant to fire again and draw more attention, Kira stood as tall as she could in the dinghy, extending her arm holding the pistol as if aiming to fire.
As she had hoped, their pursuers dove for cover.
The boat swung on around, pulling away from the pier. "Where are we going?" Jason asked.
"Outside the city walls," Kira ordered. "Tell him to take us to a point outside the walls where we won't be spotted."
She heard a soft thunk from the direction of the pier, then something whistled past. Another thunk, then a louder sound of something striking wood. Kira saw a bolt sticking in the mast uncomfortably close to her.
"What is that?" Jason demanded.
"A crossbow bolt," Kira said. "A small one. They must be using small hand crossbows. We'll be out of range of them soon. Don't worry."
A flash of light and the boom of a shot was followed by the crack of a bullet whipping past. "That was a pistol," Kira called to Jason.
"Should I worry this time?" he called back.
"Maybe a little." She aimed at the spot where the flash of the shot had come from, cursing as the swaying and pitching of the small boat kept throwing off her sights. Another flash of light, another crash of sound, and another bullet tore by. Kira braced her back against the short mast and fired four times, pausing briefly between each to center her weapon as well as she could on the place where the shots had come from. "That should keep their heads down!"