S2W43: “Disconnected”

© 2022 Phylicia Joannis

Simon disconnected the line and slid his phone into the inner breast pocket of his suit. Miracle had proven more capable than he thought. Perhaps he’d underestimated her.

“Mr. Lowe?” A young woman with sharp blue eyes stood in front of him. Her face held an apology he’d seen coming. “I’m afraid Mayor Jones won’t be able to keep his appointment with you today. Something urgent has come up. Perhaps you’d like to reschedule?”

Simon’s eyes shifted to the glass door where he could clearly see Mayor Jones greasing it up with one of the city council members. The man had the nerve to make eye contact and wink.

Simon grinned and stood. “I see. No need to reschedule. Just relay a message to Mayor Jones for me?”

Her eyes shifted uncomfortably. “What is the message?”

Simon leaned in close. “Betrayal is common for men with no conscience.”

She gave him a puzzled look and he shrugged.

“It’s a Toba Beta quote.”

“Who?”

Finding her confusion funny, Simon stood, laughing to himself all the way to the door leading outside the municipal building.

***

Chase stepped forward in line, angling his neck to see how many people were in front of him. The DMV licensing office was always busy, but lunch hours were the worst. He’d only just managed to make it inside the building when his phone buzzed.

“Chase Avery here.”

He grimaced at the sound of Simon Lowe’s voice. He hadn’t seen him in months, but he’d never forget the man’s oil slick intonation. His ears perked at the mention of Miracle’s name. Chase stepped out of line and out the door.

“Where is she?” he demanded. Simon gave him a number to call, and Chase hung up the phone, dialing immediately.

“Hola, soy Maria.”

“Erm, I’m looking for Miracle?” Chase asked. “The girl who used your phone?”

“Ah, un momento.” The line was quiet for several anxiety-filled seconds, and then Miracle came on the line.

“Hello?”

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Miracle, it’s Chase. I just got a call from Simon. Are you alright?”

“Yes. Did he tell you what’s going on?”

Chase ran a hand through his head. “Only that you’re in some kind of trouble, and that I should find you and take you somewhere safe.”

“I’m not the one in trouble. Chase, something bad is about to happen, and I think my mother is behind it.”

He furrowed his brows as Miracle relayed everything she’d discovered. The Piltech company run by Donna’s husband, the MBI subsidiary BioTech, the worker they followed, and the bombs they found underground.

“Miracle, how do you know all this?” he asked.

“That’s not important right now. Someone has to stop this.”

“The only way to stop it is to find the guy with the switch. Do you have any idea where he was going?”

“No. But Donna Ellison might. If I can get her to call it off, maybe–”

“Miracle, no!” He shouted into the phone. He didn’t know all the details, but he knew Miracle’s visit to her mother and her sudden hospitalization were somehow related. “You know how dangerous she is. Stay away from her.”

“We’re running out of time.” Miracle’s voice sounded different. It wasn’t the timid voice he’d grown to know in the tunnels months prior. It was strong, determined. Somehow it made him both proud and terrified.

“Didn’t Simon say he’d take care of it? He’s probably talking with the Mayor right now.”

“You and I both know Simon is a liar. I don’t think we can trust him, and I can’t just sit here. I’ve gotta do something.”

“Miracle?” The line disconnected and Chase blinked. He called back, but there was no answer. After several more tries, someone finally picked up. “Hello? Miracle?”

“Ay, no. Soy Maria.”

“Where’s Miracle? Can you put her back on?”

“Sorry, she left.”

Chase lowered his head and hung up. He knew where she was going. But Donna Ellison’s home was all the way uptown. It would take over an hour to get there in rush hour traffic. But if he didn’t do something, Miracle was going to get herself killed.

Chase hailed a taxi, praying earnestly that he would reach her in time.