He pushed himself away from her. His cheeks were flushed.
“I need to look at the records again,” he said. “Maybe there’s something there—something I missed. The program notes got pretty cryptic toward the end. Now that I know more about you, maybe we can find something that would convince the Reformers to spare you.”
It was too much to wish for, but the possibility still crashed over Keira in a hopeful crescendo. “So, where would we find that sort of information?” she asked.
Walker squirmed. “The Hall of Records. That’s where all of our information is. There are only four halls in all of Darkside, one for each quadrant. They house all the historical information, all the records of births, taxes, scientific programs—everything. They’re the most important places we have, now that the churches have been abandoned.”
“Is it far from here?” Keira asked. She was on her feet, throwing the few things she’d brought into her bag.
“Uh, not really.”
Something in his voice made her stop dead.
“Where is it, Walker?” She searched his face.
“You know that really big building behind your house? The one in Darkside?”
“Yeeeeaaah.” The word stretched between them. If the Hall of Records was anywhere close to her house, it was going to be beyond risky. Her whole house had been swarming with the Reformers’ guards less than twenty-four hours ago.
“Well, that’s it—the Hall of Records.”
“It can’t possibly be safe to go back there,” she said.
Walker rubbed his forehead. “We don’t have much choice. I don’t want to take you with me, but I think it’s more dangerous to leave you alone. We’ll just have to find whatever we can and fast.”
A little crinkle appeared between Walker’s eyebrows. He wasn’t telling her something.
“What’s the catch?” she asked.
His eyes widened. “How . . . ?” He didn’t finish the question.
Keira shot him a rueful grin. “Your poker face isn’t as perfect as you think it is.”
“Probably true. I’ve never gotten to know anyone well enough for it to matter.” He rubbed his hands against the legs of his jeans. “There is a catch. The Experimental records are kept in a restricted section of the Hall of Records. Locked cases. Special permission required.”
“And we don’t have special permission,” Keira guessed.
“Exactly. But we might have a way around that.”
“Like a cape of invisibility?” she joked.
“Like my cousin,” Walker said.
“Smith? But how?”
“Smith works there. He’s a Sorter; like a librarian?”
“So when you said he fixed machines, and that they have machines at the library . . . ”
“I meant the Hall of Records, yes. It’s the closest thing we have to a library. That’s where all of Darkside’s information is stored. Darklings don’t have books, the way you do here. It’s . . . well. You’ll see.”
Keira crossed her arms. “You expect Smith to sneak us into a restricted area to find information that might save my ass?” Keira stared at him. “What are the odds that might actually, oh, I don’t know, work?”
“There are reasons for Smith to help me.”
“You mean because of his secret. The fact that he can cross back and forth.”
Walker stared down at the horrible green carpet.
“I think this might be Smith’s big break. It’s his chance to have something to hold over me. He’ll love that. There’s no way I can go tell my aunt that he’s hanging out in Sherwin after this.”
If her life weren’t in imminent danger, Keira might have been bothered by forcing Smith to help them. Actually, she was bothered by it, but she couldn’t afford to say anything. She wasn’t in any position to refuse Smith’s assistance, even if it came from a twisted arm.
“I don’t like doing things this way,” Walker said quietly. “But I don’t have a choice. Please believe me when I tell you that I wish Smith would stay Darkside and leave Susan and everything else in the human world alone. If he’s ever caught, my aunt Holly will never forgive me. Hell, I’ll never forgive myself.” His shoulders sagged with unwanted responsibility. “I don’t like being underhanded. But the only way I can make Smith help us ensure you’re around for your next birthday is by making him.”
Keira watched his knuckles whiten with tension. “I understand,” she said. “Then before we go, I just need you to teach me how to cross back and forth.”
Walker nodded. “You’re right. But not here—we’re too far from the car, and the car is our only chance of outrunning the Seekers and the Reformers’ guards.”
“So, where?”
He held out his hand. “Come on.”
Chapter Thirty-Four