“Honestly?” said Saif. “I didn’t think you’d take it this far.”
“But then . . .” Marisa stared at him, her face screwed into a look of confusion. “Then why did you want to meet me?”
“Why do you think he wanted to meet you?” asked Bao.
“Please,” said Saif, with a look of disdain. “Like I have to play superspy to get girls? If this was just about getting into her pants, the deal would already be done.”
“Oh, for the love,” said Marisa, slapping her hand over her eyes. “You are a bigger blowhole than I ever imagined—and that’s saying a lot.”
“I have my own plans for these dealers,” said Saif. “Plans that do not involve chasing them around until they shoot me. But first I need to know what you know.”
“You know what I know,” said Marisa, practically shouting. “Bluescreen takes over your mind. They can control people like nulis. They can control you too, apparently, and they’re willing to kill you to keep you from talking, so why are you chickening out when I talk about stopping them? This is your life we’re talking about.”
“I told you, I have a plan,” said Saif. “I’m going to go to the police.”
“The police are useless,” said Marisa. “Not ten hours ago I watched Omar talk a police chief into a felony; with as much money as Bluescreen is making, they’re sure to have some cops in their pocket as well, assuming they don’t control a few outright with the puppet program. We can’t rely on the police for anything.”
Saif clenched his jaw, and shook his head slowly.
“She’s right,” said Bao, “but she’s also talking crazy. Knowing that the cops can’t protect us is all the more reason to run screaming in the other direction. Going after the Bluescreen dealers by ourselves is suicide.”
“Only if we get caught,” said Marisa. “Which we won’t, if you help us. So that gives you three options: help me, or I go by myself, or you knock me unconscious and drag me home.”
“Why is this so important to you?” asked Saif. “Why are you willing to risk your life for it? You don’t even have the virus.”
Marisa looked at him, a thousand answers rattling through her head, each one some angry variation of because it’s important. But she knew he was right—it had to be more than that. There were plenty of important issues she never did anything about, drifting through the internet and plugging herself into Overworld and forgetting her real life as much and as often as possible. This was different. This was personal. Was it the threat to Anja? Or was it even closer to home?
“Because I want to trust someone,” she said at last. “Look around—do you know any of these people? Do they know us? Do any of them even care? Most of them are on their djinnis, their minds half a world away. We’re in the middle of a crowd and yet we’re isolated from everyone but our closest friends and our strictest authorities, and we can’t trust the authorities: the government is corrupt, the cops are paid off, and the megacorps that run the world just look at us like walking bank accounts. And now with Bluescreen we can’t even trust our friends anymore. We have no security, no privacy, we have nothing we can rely on. I want to rely on something again, because I can’t do this anymore.”
Bao sighed. “Fine. Let’s track these guys down.”
“And find what?” asked Saif. “More people you can’t trust? Even if I take you to my supplier, and by some miracle we find a way to spy on him without being seen, what then? They’ll keep selling Bluescreen, the cops will keep taking bribes, the whole world will go on exactly like it always has. The people with the power will still have it, and you won’t have anything.”
“I’ll have information,” said Marisa.
Saif nodded. “What will you do with it?”
“I’ll figure out how to get more,” said Marisa. “Sooner or later, we’ll have enough to do something.”
Saif studied her, his eyes dark, his face lit by the dim yellow of a streetlight. After a long silence he glanced at Bao, then back at Marisa. “I’ll help you, but only tonight. I’ll show you my supplier, and then you’re on your own.”
“Thank you,” said Marisa.
“Then let’s go,” said Bao, “but we go carefully, and you do what I say, and if I see anything suspicious we cut and run. Deal?”
“Deal,” said Marisa. “Saif, where’s Kindred?”
“An industrial park a few zones south of here,” said Saif. “We’re going to need a car.”
“I’m guessing neither of you can pay for one without your djinnis?” asked Bao. Marisa and Saif shook their heads, and Bao pulled out a slim piece of plastic. “This is untraceable credit, representing a full day’s work and my family’s food. You’ll pay me back?”
“Absolutely,” said Marisa.
“Come on.” He walked to the curb, hit a few buttons on his phone, and an autocab rolled to a stop. It slid its doors open with a cheerful welcome.