Chapter 28

Apple rubbed her tailbone and looked around, feeling small and frightened. She shouldn’t be here, wherever she was exactly. She picked herself up and rubbed her arms for warmth. Fortunately she’d been sleeping in clothes instead of her usual nothing, but the cold air chilled her nonetheless. She peered through the dimly lit cavernous room with its wrought iron chandeliers and gothic arches disappearing up into the darkness. Then she saw a man sitting so very far away busily writing at his old wooden table. From this distance she couldn’t read his expression at all.

“Excuse me!” She yelled. “Excuse me, can you help me? I don’t know where I am.” Her voice boomed off the bare stone and back to her ears. She started walking towards him, slowly at first, but her pace quickened until she ran at full speed across the room panicking and yelling as she ran. The sounds of her bare feet slapping the stone echoed through the room. “Excuse me! Hello! Can you…”

“Maria Elizabeth Moretti, be still!” the man yelled forcefully with deliberate and impeccable pronunciation. She skidded to a halt in front of the table and stared at him. He slowly set down his pen and looked up at her. She smiled in spite of herself at his comically large eyes magnified by his glasses.

“You are a stranger here, and thusly are in great danger,” he said sternly. Then his voice softened. “But, it is always good to see you smile.” He removed his glasses while remaining otherwise completely still.

“How do you know my name?”

“You told me.”

“When? I’ve never met you before.”

“Before when?”

“Before now.”

“Now is a tricky thing to keep track of my dear. It’s always moving. But perhaps you are correct. Perhaps we have never met before now, and I am simply remembering the future. That does not change your position here, however.”

“What’s my position here?”

“You are an Outsider. Outsiders are not allowed at the Deadworks. You must be careful.”

Something Delvin had said earlier popped into her head. “Is this the Repository? Are you Max?”

He smiled slightly. “Yes, it is and I am. Delvin mentioned me, did he?”

“Yes, briefly, where is he?” She looked around the room for him.

“He will be along shortly.”

“Oh, good.” She grabbed her arms again for warmth. “I guess I’ll wait here for him then.”

“Unfortunately that is not possible. Only one person, other than myself, can be in the Repository at any given time. You will have to leave before he can enter.”

She gave him a worried look. “But how do I get out of here? Where do I go?”

“I will send you to Delvin’s cubicle. You may wait for him there, but be careful. Do your best not to be seen there.”

She nodded. “Ok, how do I get there?”

“I will send you when it is time. You do not need to worry about that, Maria.”

“Please, don’t call me Maria.”

“What would you have me call you?”

“Apple, everyone calls me “Apple,” even my family.”

“How did you come to get that name?”

“My sister’s name is Marietta. Maria. Marietta. They were too similar. I don’t know why my parents did that. So I’m called ‘Apple,’ as in the apple of my father’s eye. I only get called Maria Elizabeth Moretti when people are mad at me.”

“There, see. I told you, you would tell me your full name. Delvin will be here shortly looking for you, and the Staff will follow closely behind. You cannot be here when either of them arrives; though, as always, I have enjoyed your visit.”

“But… where do I go?

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

The ground opened up beneath her again and she fell. She tried to stay on her feet this time, but lost her balance and grabbed the back of a desk chair to steady herself. Unfortunately the chair slid over and slammed loudly into the cubicle wall as she landed on her knees.

An Asian woman stuck her head up over the wall. “What was that? Did you fall ov-Ah! Who the hell are you?!”

“Shhh!” Apple tried to quiet her as she scrambled to her feet. “Please. I’m not supposed to be here.”

“No shit,” she said more quietly, but still louder than Apple would prefer.

“Please, Max said I shouldn’t be seen.” Apple whispered hoping the woman would do likewise.

“Then keep your head down.” Robi reached over and pushed the girl’s head down below the height of the wall. Suddenly all of Delvin’s odd behavior of late made a little bit of sense. She whispered to the girl, “Delvin brought you back with him?”

“Yes.”

“He’s insane.” Out of the corner of her eye, Robi could see people stirring. McCarthy and Rowan had both stood up in their cubicles and were looking over at her. She locked eyes with McCarthy before turning back to Apple. “Stay down!” Apple sat in Delvin’s desk chair as the Asian woman disappeared back over the wall.

Then she fell into Delvin’s cubicle next to Apple who jumped. She sat down on the edge of Delvin’s desk staring wide-eyed at Apple. “He’s insane. I don’t know what the Staff will do to you or him if they find you.”

“I didn’t realize I’d be in so much trouble.” Part of her was thrilled by all the excitement. The part of her that wasn’t terrified.

“He’s in more trouble than you are. What’s your name?”

“Apple.”

“I’m Robi.” She reached out and they shook hands, a gesture Apple found oddly formal. “I hope he has a safe place he can take you. Otherwise you’re fucked.”

“Thanks.”

“Sorry. You’re really an Outsider?”

“Yeah, I guess. If you mean am I someone from the real world, then, yes.” Apple looked around at Delvin’s cube. He had a computer on his desk, but nothing else, no papers or pictures or funny cartoons pinned to the wall.

“Hey, we’re as real as you are, sister.” Robi couldn’t believe she was talking to an actual Outsider. This would make a far better story than simply knowing someone who’d seen Carver.

“Sorry.”

Robi leaned forward suddenly looking concerned. “He didn’t kidnap you or anything? You wanted to come with him?”

“No, he didn’t kidnap me. He talked me into it; though, I’m beginning to wonder if that was such a good idea.”

“You like him?” She smiled a devious grin.

“What?” Apple raised an eye brow.

“You like him? Don’t worry. He’s not my type, but I can see how he’d be hot.”

“He’s… hot, yes.” She had to admit.

“I’m sure he likes you.”

This time Apple leaned forward. “Look, this isn’t me ‘going back to his place,’ if that’s what you think.” Or was it? How could she think that? Nick had just died. A crushing wave of sadness rippled through her.

“Sure. It doesn’t matter to me.” Robi obviously didn’t believe her.

Delvin fell into the cubicle looking harried. He took a brief surprised look at Robi and then rushed up to Apple putting his hands on her shoulders. “We need to go.”

Robi grabbed his arm. “What if you get another collection?”

He looked at her. “I will. It’ll be a stable 21 series a few hours out. I’ll get back in plenty of time to make it.”

“How do you know that?” Robi asked.

“I just do.” He turned back to Apple. “Max said they knew you were here, but they didn’t know where or how just yet. They’ll investigate my collection soon and you need to not be here then.”

“Ok,” Apple agreed.

“Where will you take her?” asked Robi.

“Ask McCarthy, if you really want to know.” He pulled Apple up off the chair and put his arms around her. She watched as a small black circle opened up on the floor next to them. “We’ve got to go.” They stepped into the circle and disappeared.