The Leveller - Julia Durango Page 0,44

right,” I tell him, wishing I was wrong.

Wyn still looks doubtful. “Kora,” he says quietly, and her eyes turn back to his. “What are you doing here? Did my father send you?” he asks, then puts a hand on my shoulder. “Nixy, let her answer. If she starts reciting code or accessing her inventory you can stop her.”

I purse my lips and give Kora my don’t-even-think-about-it glare. “Fine. But she doesn’t move.” Slowly, I slide my hand off her mouth and put it around her neck instead.

“Let me go, please,” she begs, her eyes looking at Wyn, not me. “I have to get back immediately. You don’t understand.”

“You’re right, I don’t understand,” says Wyn, his eyes growing darker. “Enlighten me, Kora. Why have I been trapped here? What do you know?”

Kora’s eyes dart between me and Wyn. “I can’t say. Please, let me go! If I’m not back soon, they’ll kill me!”

“Who, my father?” exclaims Wyn. “Kora, what are you talking about?”

“Not your father, the . . . others,” she says. “I told you, I can’t say. But if they find out I’ve been caught, I don’t know what they’ll do.”

I want to shake her now. “What who will do? Who are they? And why are they keeping us locked up here?”

Kora ignores me and keeps her gaze on Wyn. “Listen, just let me out of here and I’ll go straight to your father, I promise. I’ll tell him everything. It’s the only way to save us both now. Wyn, please. Hurry!”

“Save us both?” I ask, glaring at Kora. “There are three of us here, by the way, and I’m not buying your little sob story. Now tell us how to get home.”

Kora glares back at me, but I don’t flinch. I’ve already won a staring contest with the Wicked Witch of the MEEP and Kora’s got nothing on that hag.

She finally looks away and I glance at Wyn, who rubs a hand over his face. I can tell he’s torn.

“She’s bluffing, Wyn,” I say, pressing down harder on Kora’s shoulders with my knees. “I bet she’s some corporate spy, paid to steal programming from your father. There’s no way she’s going to make nice with your dad at this point. It’s too late; she’s already incriminated herself. All she can do now is run and hope she’s not caught. Right, Kora?”

Kora doesn’t answer. Her eyes are wide and unblinking now, staring at the ceiling.

“Look, I don’t know who or what you’ve got yourself messed up with, but just tell us how to get out of here,” says Wyn, kneeling beside her. “You must know a way out. As soon as you tell us, we’ll let you go.”

I give Wyn a glare. I have no intention of letting Kora go so easily.

Then again, maybe it can’t hurt to let her think we’ll let her go.

“Wyn’s right. We’ll settle the rest of this when we get back. Just tell us how to return to the Landing and we’ll all go home.”

Kora doesn’t answer at first, then suddenly yells, “8-9-7-4-5—”

I slap my hand over her mouth.

“Nice try,” I say. I am losing patience with Wyn’s good-cop tactics. Time for some bad cop. I need to get Kora to talk.

“Tell us how to get out of here, Kora, before your Big Boss decides this game is over,” I say. “Who are you working for anyway? Russia? China? I bet those guys don’t mess around. No wonder you’re scared.”

Kora narrows her eyes at me like I’m a fool, but I can see fear beneath the contempt.

“Tell us this minute, Kora, or I will tie you to the seawall and let the crabs pick at your eyeballs until you talk!” I say, getting right in her face. I slide my hand off her mouth but keep it raised only a few inches away, ready to slap it down at any second.

“Wyn, please—” she says again, looking over my shoulder.

Wyn begins to speak but I throw him a look and he swallows his words.

Kora’s really starting to look scared now. “Okay, I’ll tell you,” she says, her voice trembling. “I’ll tell you what I know, but then promise me you’ll let me go before they find me.”

Wyn nods.

“Start talking,” I order.

“I work for LEGION. They’ve trapped Wyn here to blackmail Diego. They want him to give up control of the MEEP.”

Wyn and I look at each other. He looks as incredulous as I feel.

“LEGION?” he asks.

“That’s ridiculous,” I say. “LEGION’s just a group of internet nerds