"Most days I get by fine, and blend with the crowd, just another one of the huddled masses yearning to get by unnoticed." "Problemo is, I'm not as like them as I'd like to be." "I got made, not born." "And because it was humans made me, somewhere along the line, a coupla wires got crossed in my head." "Someone botched the job." "So, some days, that's how I feel:" "A botched job." " Hey." " You're in luck." " Thank God." " Stuff's getting hard to find." "One thing I don't get." "Tryptophan?" "It's just a food supplement." "And you're acting like a junkie who scored a fix." "Girl needs her amino acids." " Are you OK?" " I will be." "Oh!" "Gotta blaze." "You're a life-saver." " Hiya." " You paged me?" "I thought you might wanna join me for dinner." " I don't wanna put you to any trouble." " Well, it's nothing fancy." "Just one of my run-of-the-mill, spur-of-the-moment culinary miracles." "I'm not real hungry." "Feeling kinda punk." "Ah." "A glass of pre-Pulse Tokay Pinot Gris'll cure what ails ya." "Now you have to stay." "Even you shouldn't be wandering around during a brownout." "I've got a wicked headache as it is." "There was a time when this city actually worked." "Or so they say." "What were you doing when the Pulse hit?" "On my uncle's yacht, motoring into Friday Harbor on Orcas Island with a lady friend." "Why does that not surprise me?" "I knew the end of the world was coming when the SatNav crashed, and, uh... we ran aground." "How about you?" "Hey!" "You kids out here?" "Hiding under the stairs." "I was staying with this foster family." "There were two of us, me and this girl Lucy." "She was older." "Her dad was a drunk." "He'd smack us around pretty good." "He was watching a game, and when the TV went off because of The Pulse..." "You kids are gonna learn a lesson!" "...he came looking for someone to blame it on." "It's hard to imagine a genetically enhanced killing machine like you putting up with that." "I was trying to fit in, you know?" "Act like a normal kid." "Global chaos seemed as good a reason as any to bail on a bad situation." "So I did." " You OK?" " Like I said, I'm not feeling so hot." "It's pretty bad this time, huh?" "Every once in a while, I hit a rough patch." "Usually the tryptophan helps, but... these seizures are much stronger than usual." " Should I call a doctor?" " What are you gonna tell him?" "That your genetically engineered friend has a design flaw in her brain chemistry?" " That stuff really helps?" " It supplements the serotonin that my brain's supposed to make but doesn't." "When the levels are low, I have a seizure." "I'm supposed to be a revved-up girl." "Truth is, I'm a lemon." "I don't know about that." "What can I do?" " Stay with me." "Please?" " I'm right here." " You won't leave?" " I'm not goin' anywhere." "I put the money in an envelope, I put the envelope in this box, and now it's gone." "You know, I could take it out in trade..." " but I'm a married man." " You're a pillar of virtue, Walter." " Your wife's a lucky woman." " Hey!" "You don't suppose somebody stole it?" " I don't know what else happened to it." " Oh, that's tough luck." "Crime rate in this city's getting way outta hand." "But if I don't get paid, you and everybody on this floor is gonna be sleeping out on the street tonight." "We've been robbed." "The payoff money is missing." " I took it." " Oh, thank God." " Excuse me, I'm waiting." " Don't got it." " What?" " I spent it." " You spent it?" " All right, come on." "You're trespassing." "Hold the phone, Walter!" "You'll get your payola, OK?" " Anyway, you're three days early." " Times are tough." "You'll get it in the morning." "You got 24 hours." " What do you mean, you spent it?" " I had to buy something." "You helped yourself to money I collected from everyone on the floor?" " A short-term loan." " You could have asked." " It was an emergency." " Yeah, right." "Walter will get his money, so chill!" "Just..." "What is wrong with you?" " Where have you been?" " None of your business." "It ain't like I care, but we've all been covering for you." " Normal's on the warpath." " Well, well, well." "Your moron colleagues have come up with the following excuses for why you're strolling in at the crack of noon:" "you had a dental emergency, your aunt died - again, and my personal favourite, from this idiot, you were detained by the sector police for practising witchcraft." "Now, would you care to further insult my intelligence?" "I overslept." " I thought you didn't sleep." " I usually don't." "My body probably needed to catch up." "Yes, well, catch up in your own time, girlie." "Get outta here." "Go!" "Hey." "I need to borrow some money, just until tomorrow." "I shouldn't even be speaking to you after last night." " You stood me up." " I wasn't feeling well." "You coulda called, 'stead of leaving me solo." " I spaced, so get off my back, OK?" " What is your dealio today?" "You don't wanna know." "So how about that loan?" "Outta chips, baby girl." "Please!" "I no have money." "Wrong answer." "How do you want it?" "Regular, or extra crispy?" "I no have money!" "I no have money!" "Hey." " What's up?" " Come here." " What's your name, dollface?" " Are you a playa playa from the Himalayas?" "Yeah." "Yeah, that's me." "I gotta whisper it, cos it's kinda dopey." "Out you go!" "Come on!" "It's brand-spankin'-new!" "What happens when the gangsters come lookin' for their ride?" " It'll be in a million pieces by then." " Like I'm gonna end up." " I'll give you $1,000 for it." " You're killin' me!" "It's the best I can do." " Deal." " I'll have the money for you in the morning." " I need the money now." " I don't have that much lying' around." " Tomorrow." " First thing?" " Hey, guys." " Max, we need to talk." "I'll have the money in the morning, OK?" " You're not gonna find it." " You got a problem, boo." " But Kendra and me got your back." " Because we love you very much." "Where are my pills?" "I wish you could see yourself." "The temper, the mood swings." " Not showing up when you're supposed to." " Stealing money." "I needed it for medicine cos I'm not feelin' well." "Cos you're strung out." "Straight-up jonesed." " Where are they?" " Take it easy!" "It's gonna be OK." " No!" "No, it's not." "I need that stuff." " What you need is help." " And to live your life one day at a time." " Get yourself on a Twelve Step, boo." "The programme works if you work it." "Believe me, I know." "Really?" "What was your DOC?" "Tattoos." "I was covered with them." "I looked like a Christmas tree." " Couldn't stop myself." " Where'd they go?" "The 13th step is having 'em lasered off." "I'll die without that medicine." "Now tell me where you put it." "Down the toilet, which is where your life is headed if you don't clean up." " Tell me you didn't." " Someday you'll thank us." "I think that went about as well as could be expected." "As interventions go, that was a home run." " I need more tryptophan." " Already?" "Long story." "And I can't pay you until tomorrow." "I know you're good for the money, but I don't have any." "Do you know anywhere else I can go?" " Sorry." " Where do you get yours?" "I'll put myself out of business as a middleman if I reveal my supplier." " Where do you get it?" " Take it easy." "Tell me." "A doctor over at Metro Medical gives it to some of his patients." "I know an orderly there." "Get me Security." " What were you doing in there?" " Looking for a bathroom." "Uh-uh-uh." "Security's on the way." "Since when is it against the law for a girl to make sissy?" " Get her!" " Hey!" "You junkie skeeze." "Have you been working out?" "You look like you lost some weight." "Here you go - just the way you like it." "About the money, Walter." "You gotta give us one more day." "Please?" "I already gave you one more day." "Squatters on the seventh floor." "I need backup right away." " Roger." "Out." " Good coffee." "All right, I need everybody outside." "Here we go." "Single file." "Right now." "She took the money and split?" "That... doesn't sound like Max." " Do you have a place to stay?" " My sister's." "You?" "I dunno." "Maybe I can crash at Original Cindy's." " Mama." " Sh." "It's all right, baby." " Come on." "It's all right." " All right, people, let's move it out." "What about our stuff?" "Probably end up getting sold off the back of a truck." " Are you OK?" " Mind your own business." "If you ralph, it's going to be my business." "Here." "Clean yourself up." "You wanna look good when they take your picture, don't ya?" "Go to your right." "Turn and face left." "Next." "It's showtime." "Hands." "Let's go." "Hands on the desk and, uh... feet apart, huh?" "Pretty lady, huh?" "Set of keys." "Lip balm, cherry-flavoured." "Pack of chewing gum, also cherry-flavoured." "And some small bills, totalling..." " 21 dollars." " Try 75, if you can count!" "I told you to keep your hands on the desk." "See, I bet you're used to this, aren't you?" "How much does a strung-out little skeezebag tramp like you go for these days?" "Ask your wife." " What'd you say?" " Twenty to life." " That's what she oughta get, if you ask me." " Yeah, I didn't." "Get him outta here, huh?" "Come on." "God, it's something dead." "Smells like Sketchy's locker." " I'm thinking feet." " Dead feet." " Is there a problem here?" " What does this smell like to you?" "That smells like a package that should've been delivered by now, moron." "Excuse me, is Max around?" "Excellent question." "Where the firetruck's Max?" "Um, Max is one of three finalists selected..." "Never mind." "Sorry I asked." "I'm sorry." "Can't help you." "Any ideas?" "I've been paging her all morning." " Maybe she don't wanna talk to you." " Sorry?" " She's off the candy." " Uh, you're losing me here." "Like I didn't notice that all the stuff started when you and her met." "OK, I'm officially lost." "I know all about rich guys like you, turning a girl out, making her into your strawberry." "Original Cindy took the drugs you gave Max, and flushed 'em." " What drugs?" " "What drugs?"" "Hey!" "The pills you got Max hooked on." "They're with the Tidy Bowl Man now." " You flushed her pills down the toilet?" " Mm-hm." "Homegirl don't need 'em." " Max has a neurological condition." " Huh!" "Those pills are the only thing that help." "She didn't mention no neurological condition." "Well, she wouldn't advertise it." "It's Logan." "I need you to do something for me." "Come on." "Maybe there's an open cell in the back." "Stay close to me, and no matter what anybody says..." " Oye!" "Mamacita." " ...don't talk back." " Name's Break." " Max." "What are you in for?" "I love saying that." "It sounds so tough." " Robbery." " Mmm, a real criminal." " How about you?" " Cannibalism." "I ate my parents." "Good source of protein." "Go that way." "Actually, I run a little shop on Melbourne Avenue." "Vintage clothes - pre-Pulse stuff." "Hung a poster in my window for a police brutality protest." " Bonehead move." " Yeah." "They busted me for it." "Wasn't the first time, and it won't be the last." "But stay strong in the struggle, right?" "Guess we camp out on the floor." "Good a place as any." " Are you OK?" " Yeah, it's just a nerve thing." " Can I do anything?" " I'd give my ass and hat for a glass of milk." "I could use a vodka tonic, but... here we are." " It has tryptophan in it." " Whatever that is." "It takes the edge off." "So you think I can get some?" " What, vodka?" " No, milk." "Well..." "let me see what I can rustle up." "I have a business arrangement with a guard I met my first time in here." "He has a thing for stiletto heels." "He made my previous stay more pleasant, and when I got out, I reciprocated." "With shoes for his girl?" "Not unless she wears a size 12." "Oh." "Got ya." "Eyes front!" "Do what you can." "Thanks, Matt." " What's up?" " A friend of mine in the police department." " You got friends in strange places." " A woman matching Max's description was arrested trying to break into a hospital pharmacy last night." " They took her to Langford." " We've gotta get her out." "Paying off people'll take three days." "She doesn't have that much time." " What does that mean?" " No meds, seizures get bad enough... she could go into a coma and die." "He even warmed it up." "That's the way it comes out, my love." "Guy's got a goat on the next cell block over." "Hey, do you think there's a way out to the yard?" "Yeah, but they don't let anyone out after curfew." "There's too many rules in here." "I'm going home." "Well, don't let those big, tall fences with the razor wire on top stop you." "I won't." "Or the sharpshooters in the guard towers." "I've broken out of worse places than this." "Look, the toughette routine might work with the boys, but you could get yourself killed." " Comin' with me?" " Thank you, no." "I have a date tonight." " The shoe guy?" " Mm-hm." "Cute." "You won't think so when he's shooting at you." "Go, go." " More spotlights than a movie premiere." " Looks like I'm gonna need a diversion." "You leave it to me." "If there's one thing I'm good at, it's drawing attention." " You sure I can't talk you out of this?" " Here." "So you don't forget me." "Thanks for the milk." "# La donna è mobile #" "# Qual piuma al vento #" "# Muta d'accento #" "Hey!" "# E di pensiero #" "# Sempre un amabile #" "# Qual piuma al vento #" "# In pianto o in riso, è menzognero #" "Back inside!" "It's after curfew." "Knock it off!" "Get down!" "Get off that fence!" "I said knock it off!" "I don't like opera!" "What have you got, gentlemen?" "Put the key under the flowerpot by the door." "Kendra, don't even go there." "You can stay as long as you need to." "I've got some ideas on how to handle that cop on the take." "Hear that?" "She says you the man." "Peace." "I'm out." " I take it back." " What?" "The dis on you from before." "I'm sorry." " You all right." " No problem." "You like her, don't you?" " Who?" " Max." "She's a good girl." "Here's my guy." " Any luck?" " Sorry it took so long." "Had to call in a few favours to get into the evidence locker." "I owe ya." "Why was your friend trying to steal that stuff anyway?" "It's complicated." "Listen, there's... one more thing I need your help with." "Let go of me, you rat-soup-slurpin', wrinkle-ass, pepper gut, no-good, skank-lovin', donut-eatin', people-oppressin', po-po son of a bitch!" " All right, what's the charge?" " Solicitation." "Try "participation"." "First he busts, then arrests me." "Had to be sure a criminal violation had occurred, didn't I?" " Pig." " Hands on the counter, legs apart." "Don't even think about messing up my do!" " Where am I?" " Warden's house." "Don't get your hopes up." "You're still inside the wire." " What's your name?" " Max." "Maria." "I heard you tried to escape." "Yeah." "Turns out they frown on that kind of thing." " Looks like they got you pretty good." " Do you work here?" "I was living in the jail with my mom when the riot happened." "She got killed." "The Warden and his wife took me in." " I'm sorry." " I'm glad you're here." "When you're feeling better, you can help me with the housework." "There's not a lot." "Just the Warden and his wife." "The food's way better here, and you can have as much as you want." "That's where I sleep, so at night, you and me can stay up late and talk." "And with you here, maybe he..." " What?" " Maria!" "I'd better get back to work." "I'll check on you later." "Come on, come on." "Bingo!" "OK, they put her in cell block G4." " G4." "Same block." " They got Max's photo in the records." "Yeah, she's one girl who can't afford to be photographed." "Got a thing for this girl, don't ya?" "Why does everybody keep saying that?" "Hey!" " Where'd you get that?" " What's it to you?" " This is Max's!" " You know her?" " I'm her homegirl." "If you touched one hair..." " Take it easy." "I'm her homegirl too." "She gave this to me before she tried to bust outta here." " Where is she?" " I heard they took her to the Warden's." "Well, I've got to get this to her - fast." "Well, that is a problem, because you are here, and she is there." "Well, we've got to figure out how to get me to her, or she's gonna die." "And that's the straight-up truth." "Do you do windows?" "You don't look too good." "How are you feeling?" "Stay out of his way, Maxie, or he'll start with you, too." "I'm sorry, Lucy." "I shouldn't have gone without you." "I knew what was happening, but I didn't stop him." "At Manticore, they used to teach us a lesson." "You will engage an adversary only if it is consistent with your overall strategic objective." "Failing that, you will initiate a tactical withdrawal." "So I ran away." "I left you there... with him." "Maria." "No." "Leave her alone!" "I'll clean it up." " Sick bastard." " I was tired of her anyway." "Why do you think you're here?" "Can we move back in now?" "Asking a police officer to accept a bribe so you can trespass on private property - that's gonna cost you an extra $150." "Dirtbag." "Mr Lydecker?" "It's Vogelsang." "I got a call from a contact of mine who works as a bull over at Langford." "I put the word out that anyone that comes through with a bar code tattooed, he should drop a dime and, well, he did." "Well, one of the inmates, a girl, she tried to escape last night." "Almost made it." "See, Mr Lydecker?" "I told you I'd play ball with ya." "Mr..." "Mr Lydecker?" "Give me the TAC team." "Langford prison." "Now." "I made you some tea." "Maria, I'm gonna get you outta here." "It's not that bad." "Really." "If he hadn't taken me in, it would've been worse for me." " She has a bar code on the back of her neck." " Can you give me a name at least, huh?" "No." "Any files with identifying marks or tattoos?" " No." " In the hall." "Now." "Hey, you can't go in there!" "Yeah." "Get me the Warden." "I hooked your friend up, put her on a work detail in the Warden's house." "Well, I see a pair of six-inch, black patent leather pumps in your future." "Yo, get the door open!" "Open it now!" "Come on!" "Everybody, clear the hall!" "Up against the wall!" "You!" "Get out!" "Check for bar codes." "Yesterday they brought a girl in here." "Do you know where she is?" "No." "We should probably start with the downstairs bathroom." "Don't make me ask you again." "His name is Lydecker, OK?" "He works for some government agency I've never heard of." " Did he say what he wanted with the girl?" " No, sir." "Just that she has some kind of bar code on the back of her neck." "Did you check solitary?" "Nothin'." "One of the guards says there's a work detail in the Warden's quarters." "Let's go." "Get up!" "You're goin' back." "I don't know these people, or why they're looking for you, but if you tell them anything about what happened here..." " Who's looking for me?" " Lydecker." "Max, that's enough!" "Max!" "Damn, girl, what's in those pills?" "Spinach." "You're gonna help us get outta here." "I don't think so." "Think again." " Come on." " Not without her." "Let's go." "Open it." " In the trunk, honey." " Don't think I don't know how to use this." "Anybody look twice, you're the Queen of the Rose Parade." "Just smile and wave." "Get in." "What do you mean, he left in his car?" "Check it out." "Something doesn't sound right." " Pull over and let my girls out." " Whatever you say." "I broke your lock." "Sorry." "Come on, Cindy." "Hurry." "Max, come on!" "He's got the gun!" "I want the records of every female prisoner booked in the last two days." "Yes, sir." " 47 entries." " Pull up the mugshots of all the ones under 25." "All right." " There's a problem." " What the hell did you do?" "The whole damn file's gone." "I didn't do anything." "Vogelsang just bought himself another manicure." "Like it never existed." "I'd say my work is through here." "Hello?" "Max." "You all right?" "Thank God." " Ow!" "Careful." " Hold still." "Bottom line, that SOB got what he deserved." "He went splat." " Maria's totally crashed out." " Kid's been through a lot today." "Try the last few years." "Let her sleep while I go to Logan's to find her a place to live." " Sounds like you all are lucky to be alive." " Mm." "Original Cindy looked into the jaws of death and saw her own face." "Listen to the mama of drama over here!" "You took a hell of a chance coming in after me, though." "You'd do the same for me." "Besides, we're the ones who put you in there." "So, Max, Original Cindy and I have been talking it over." "Mm-hm." "Trouble follows you around like the tail on a dog." "There's something going on that you don't want us to know about." " Cos maybe you think we can't handle it?" " But we can, cos we down like that." "I don't know what you guys are talking about." " This mysterious condition of yours?" " Those guys looking for you at the jail?" " What guys?" " I'm asking you." "All right." "You guys really wanna know what's up with me?" "Please." "What if I told you I was a genetically revved-up female?" "Like we're not." "But..." "I'm a different kind of female altogether." "Like you so special." "OK, fine, don't tell us." "But whatever's goin' on, just know." "You still my boo." "Yeah..." "Me and sister girl got your back." "You guys..." "Oh, my God!" " I completely forgot about Walter's money." " No worries." "It's been handled." "Go, go, go, go!" "Aw, hit him, you moron!" "Yes!" "Oh, not this clown again." "This is a Streaming Freedom Video bulletin." "It cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped, it is the only free voice left in this city, and it's coming straight to you, Officer Walter Eastep." "That's right." "You, Walter." "Recognise yourself, extorting money from some squatters?" "...gonna cost you an extra $150." "Dirty as the police department is," "I don't think your bosses are gonna wanna see that tape broadcast 24/7." "It's not like they care you took a bribe, just that you were dumb enough to get caught on video, which kinda spoils the party for everybody else." "So, here's how it's gonna be, Walter." "You quit shaking down those squatters, and this little video stays between you and me." "This has been a Streaming Freedom Video from the Eyes Only informant net." "How do you put this stuff together, Logan?" "The father runs a dairy farm, the mom's a local schoolteacher." "They've always wanted kids." "And to top it off, she gets her own room." " And a pony." " Forget Maria." "I'm living with these people!" "They're dear friends of mine, and they're excited about it." " It's gonna work out great." " I'll get her over there in the morning." "Thanks for settin' this up." "That was a pretty bad scene she was in." "You were the one who cared enough about this girl to go in and get her out." " You did a good thing, Max." " Better late than never." "I knew that beneath that bio-engineered, military-issue armour plating" " there was a beating heart." " Let's not go overboard here." "I'm not joining the Logan Cale Brigade for the Defence of Widows, Small Children and Lost Animals." " You could be field commander." " I think not." "So what's for dinner?" " Are you gonna feed me, or just sit there?" " You know, you were much sweeter when you weren't feeling well." "The bitch is back."