Above World - By Jenn Reese Page 0,76

dog continued. “Those that don’t become Gizmos or Meks or Mess-ups. Faster now,” he said. “Run run run.”

The mangy four-legged thing burst into a full-out gallop. She had no idea something so little could run so fast. She pumped her legs to keep up.

They wove through the HydroTek dome. She barely had time to absorb all the wonders. Even covered in garbage, the city gleamed and sparkled. It reminded her of the story of Atlantis, a floating city out of legend. Supposedly, the Atlantis Kampii tribe grew too curious about the Above World. They sailed their city closer and closer until one day Atlantis beached itself on the shore and was overrun by Humans. HydroTek was too beautiful to be the creation of savages. She saw the stamp of Kampii craftspeople everywhere.

The dog zigged and zagged through tiny streets, under arches, and around glorious statues and defunct fountains. She wanted to slow down and examine everything, but sightseeing would have to wait.

They were heading toward the heart of HydroTek. Or, if it didn’t have a heart, they were heading toward the center. “Middle Green,” the dog had called it. The animal seemed to know the way well, and she was happy to let him lead.

She wondered what Dash and Hoku were doing. Maybe she should have brought them along. She could picture Hoku leaning against one of the buildings, panting and begging her to take a break. And Dash. He would have run and said nothing. She wanted to know his story, but she respected him too much to ask. If he wanted to tell her, he would.

Calli was out there somewhere, too. If anything happened to her, so soon after the girl had embarked on her first adventure, Aluna would never forgive herself.

“Birds!” the dog said, and darted for an alcove in one of the buildings. “Find shadows! Take cover!”

She followed him into a shadowy indent and pressed her back against the cool stone.

“I don’t hear —”

“Shhh,” the dog warned.

She clamped her mouth shut and listened. A moment later, she heard the flapping of hundreds of tiny wings.

The birds flew like a school of fish, darting out of the street they’d been heading for in tight formation. When one bobbed in the air, they all did. When one cut a sharp left, the others followed so fast it seemed as if they were operating with a single brain.

“Beautiful,” she whispered.

“Deadly,” the dog said quietly. His whispery voice was a soft, low grumble. “Rip you to shreds while you scream scream scream. Saw them take down a Gizmo once. We go now,” the dog said, and slipped around the corner, away from the flock. She followed quietly, stealing one last look over her shoulder to watch the birds careen up toward the sun.

The buildings grew taller as they approached the center, where the dome was highest. Aluna craned her neck up but couldn’t see all the way to the top. There was nothing so big back at the colony. She didn’t even see how buildings could stand so tall without collapsing. Hoku would probably know.

The dog slowed to a trot. “Gizmo guard soon,” he said. “Let me talk.”

“You got it, friend,” she said. “I’d rather kill an Upgrader than talk to it.”

The dog nodded. “Talk easier than kill. At least now.”

Suddenly the street ended and the buildings gave way to great green trees and grass and bushes. This is what the dog meant by Middle Green.

They headed to an opening in the foliage — and to the Upgrader who seemed to be guarding it.

The man was tall, but his body was short. He would have been exactly Aluna’s height if his head hadn’t been detached and mounted on a metal shaft that raised it up a meter higher. When his disembodied head swiveled around and saw them, he said, “Yo, stop, yo!”

“Sure, yeah, Giraffe,” the dog said. “Let us in. Going to see him.” The dog pointed his snout toward Aluna.

Giraffe looked down his nose at her. She didn’t particularly enjoy her view up his very wide nostrils. Only when she lowered her gaze did she see the evil-looking gun that had replaced his left arm.

“Master Fathom don’t need no more Humans, Barko,” the Gizmo said. “You should know that.”

She started to say, “Oh, I’m not —” but the dog interrupted her.

“My problem, not yours,” he said with a growl. “Let me in in in.”

“Easy, easy,” Giraffe said. His gun arm lowered and pointed toward the ground. “But I warned