Page 65 of Chained

"Not the people here," Alicia clarified. "Strangers: gangs or nomads who roll into town unexpectedly. You can never be sure what kind of people might show up so it's best to be ready for anything."

I glanced over my shoulder nervously as if I might find someone sneaking up on us. Nothing looked any different to the way it had a moment ago and I made an effort not to check again.

Coal led us across the road, through the crowd, towards a huge white building with a big sign naming it as 'The Heart Of Hope'. In the centre of it was a large, rotating door. I paused to look for a retinal scanner before remembering there wouldn't be one.

"How do they keep track of everyone without scanners?" I asked.

Coal raised his eyebrows. "They have scanners on every door in the city?"

"And a computer network that shows where everyone is at any time," Laurie added.

"What if you don't want them to know where you are?" Alicia asked.

"Outsiders," I muttered to Laurie in an aside and we laughed.

"Seriously, are you saying you can't move about inside the city without being tracked?" Alicia demanded.

"Well you could a bit, you could leave your apartment and take the Walkways or elevators to other floors and buildings." I considered it.

"They would know you weren't at home but not exactly where you were so long as you didn't buy something or enter another residence or a restricted building I guess," Laurie said. "So long as you didn't pass through any restricted doors."

"So they can generally find anyone they want at any time?" Coal asked.

"Yes. It's for the safety of the population," Laurie said, switching on her Warden voice.

"The way you talk about 'the population' is creepy. It's like some kind of being that you all have to please," Alicia said, shuddering.

"They don't keep track of you at all then?" I asked her, choosing to ignore the jibe.

"No, and I wouldn't want them to." She flicked her hair.

"But what if you got lost or stuck somewhere?" Laurie asked. "In the city if you haven't been scanned for forty eight hours, the Wardens are alerted and we send out a search. We can scan the CCTV to help fill in the blanks left by the scanner tracking system. It saves lives."

"I'll take my chances thanks," Coal said, shaking his head as he stepped through the revolving door. I hurried to keep up, shrugging at Laurie again as we went.

Alicia skipped ahead and pushed the button to call the elevator. We stepped inside the smallest elevator car I had ever seen and headed to the seventh floor which, unbelievably, was also the top floor. After the shortest elevator ride of my life, we stepped out. I pushed the sunglasses up onto my head so that I could see better.

The walls and floors were all shiny white tiles. Doors lined the walls, some of which were open and revealed beds with monitors attached to their occupants. People dressed in pale green scrubs came and went, checking on patients and administering medications.

We passed an area filled with men and women undergoing some sort of therapy session. My interest earned me a few surly looks so I hurried on past.

"Is this an infirmary?" I whispered.

"Yeah, it's a hospital. Baba works from here most days," Coal replied.

At the end of the hall was a set of big, wooden double doors with a large brass knocker. Alicia knocked twice and we waited for a reply.

"Come in," an aged female voice called and we did as instructed. Baba sat behind a big, wooden desk which made her small frame seem even smaller. She wore overlarge round glasses and her grey hair was flying free of a bun in various directions.

"Ah, Coal and Alicia Carson, my favourite twins, and you brought me guests." She gestured to several chairs scattered around the room and we moved them to the desk to sit before her.

The room was lined with bookshelves that parted twice for two big floor to ceiling windows and once for the door we had entered through. The shelves were lined with books, but also held all manor of medical equipment from the modern to the thoroughly outdated.

"This is Maya and Laurie from Harbour city," Alicia introduced us as she reclined lazily in her chair.

Baba regarded us for a moment with a raised eyebrow.

"And how is the city?" she asked eventually.