Chapter 24: Whispers in Omni’s Ear
A Slave to Memory [25 of 44] - Beneath the city, in tunnels thick with decay and betrayal, a team on the run follows a guide they can’t trust—to a place they might not leave.
Murph walked behind Omni, but even in the darkness of the cramped tunnels, she caught his clenched jaw, his glare drilling into the back of Ash’s head.
“Hey, what’s up?” Omni whispered, her LED torch casting harsh blue-white light, shadows twisting with their steps.
Ash led them deeper through the ancient conduits beneath Cape Town, old tunnels once used to direct mountain streams to the ocean. Omni stepped carefully, avoiding the sluggish stream of water snaking through the tunnel’s center. The air hung thick with damp and something sharper—chemical runoff, metallic and sour. Faint trails of neon fungi clung to the cracks in the old brickwork, glowing like malfunctioning circuitry. The distant hum of unseen machinery vibrated through her boots.
Something skittered along the tunnel wall—too many legs, metallic clicking beneath wet chitin. Omni stiffened but kept moving. Her back ached from tension, not posture. She could only imagine how much worse it was for Murph’s lanky frame.
Maybe that’s why he’s scowling, she thought, glancing back.
Murph’s fists clenched, his gaze never leaving Ash. “I’ve got a bad feeling about him,” he muttered, his words bouncing off the wet brickwork.
Omni tensed. Ahead, her father glanced back, their torchlight catching the frown on his face. He pressed a finger to his lips.
“Look, I don’t trust him either,” Omni whispered. She stopped, planting both hands on the tunnel walls, forcing Murph to halt, too. “He tried to kill us a week ago.” Something crawled over her fingers, and she jerked them back. “...But he’s helping now. So keep your voice down.”
Murph’s eyes unfocused for a second, then he exhaled. “Syn says the Company’s lost us. That’s a point in his favor.”
“She’s getting a signal down here?” Omni asked, looking up at tons of brick, concrete, and streets above them. Claustrophobia flickered in her throat, but she swallowed it down. She thought of Ada.
One step at a time.
“She’s offline in her lamp,” Murph said. “Nothing new. Says she’ll sync again when we’re above ground.”
Omni rolled her shoulders. “Feels weird being offline this long.”
“Get used to it. We’re fugitives now,” Murph muttered. Then, with a half-smirk: “Syn says I’m being a dick. Also, she has ways to hide us.”
Omni huffed a quiet laugh. “And what about him?” She nodded toward Ash.
“He’s Numbers,” Murph said, like that explained everything.
Up ahead, her father started talking to Ash, voice low. A laugh broke out between them. Probably telling bad jokes.
Omni frowned. “Tell me more,” she mumbled, stepping around something furry—mercifully, very still.
“Tattoos on his arms,” Murph said. “Saw ‘em when I grabbed him.”
Behind her, he wasn’t even trying to step around the water now. His boots stomped and splashed, noise bouncing in the tunnel. Even she was struggling to hear him. Smart.
“You’re ex-Numbers,” she said, glancing back. “They can’t all be bad.”
Murph snorted. “You barely know me.”
That stung. Omni wasn’t sure why.
“What? Sorry—um, Syn’s asking for permission to link up again.”
A pause, then Syn’s voice bloomed in her head.
< Sup, lord, that’s easier. Hate talking through a meat puppet. Routing all three of us now—private conversation across our own little network. >
Murph’s voice followed, < Told you lamps were useful. >
“Wow. That’s weird,” Omni said aloud.
< Not very ‘secret spy shit’ if you blurt everything out loud, kid. > Syn chided. < Now, back to the retired Seeker. >
A fraction of a second passed, and a data packet bloomed in Omni’s mind, unfolding like a neon spiderweb—the Numbers and their factions. The 26s, 27s, and 28s.
< Ash over there? He’s an enforcer. Know what that means? >
Omni shook her head, scanning the augmented text glowing in her vision.
< Means murder’s the only way in. Our boy Ash isn’t just a thug—he’s earned his place. >
Omni stiffened.
< Con number one, > said Murph.
< Also, he’s an ex-con, so... con number two. >
< And he’s leading us straight to a Numbers stronghold. > Murph added dryly.
Omni whipped her head toward him. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
Murph shrugged stiffly. “Wasn’t sure until now.” He shot a glance at Ash’s retreating figure and sent, < Just be quiet, okay? I’ll tell you—just not all at once. Not here. >
< The tattoos…? > Omni prompted.
< Yeah. > Murph sighed. < They tell you which section of the gang they belong to. Started centuries ago. Each branch has its purpose. I recognized his. >
He grabbed Omni’s sleeve, slowing her down. Letting Ash and Farook move ahead.
“They have a saying,” Murph murmured. “More of a law, actually. You can only leave by blood. Usually your own.”
Omni swallowed. “He said he’s taking us to people who can help against the Company.”
Murph’s voice was flat. “At what price?”
Omni’s fingers curled against her palm. “Tell me what happened. How do you know this place?”
Murph tensed. “How will that help?”
“I need to know what we’re walking into,” Omni said, staring ahead. Her nausea from the tight tunnels was competing with the urge to throw up from nerves.
< She wants to know, Murph. > Syn cut in. < She already has the pieces. Give her the gist. >
< I don’t think that’s wise. > Murph’s reluctance rippled through the connection.
Omni punched him lightly in the arm. “Okay, okay,” he muttered, hands raised.
His voice filled her mind, < I broke into it. After… >
< Jess? > Omni sent. She didn’t look at him. Just kept walking.
Up ahead, her father and Ash slowed. She heard Ash asking questions.
Murph sighed. < Yeah. My mind wasn’t right. And Zeke was against it from the start—didn’t think we’d find anything. I took that personally. >
His voice darkened. < Bloodthirsty. They poisoned Gabe’s mind. He turned on Jess. And the worst part? Their last moments—betrayal. >
Omni felt something else now. Not from Murph—from Syn. Something unreadable.
“We’re here,” Ash called from ahead.
Her father turned to face them, his expression unreadable, but the question was clear.
Omni tapped her temple, a silent answer, masking it as a casual salute to Ash.
Her father caught the gesture. Barely nodded.