The first thing I saw when I opened the door of my apartment was Sapphire. She was standing right at the entrance with excitement running in her eyes. I froze, not sure what to do or say. I was expecting her to be asleep.

“Fae!” she said to me with a bright smile. “You’re back!”

“Hi. Were you waiting for me for twelve hours?” I stepped into the room and shut the door. “I thought you would be resting right now.”

“I was, but then I woke up and had nothing to do,” she pouted. Then she brightened. “I figured out how to use that screen thing, though!”

I tilted my head and looked at what she was pointing at. It was the monitor that was connected to the various cameras around the apartment. It was on right now and displaying the live feed. I frowned. 

“What were you doing with it?” I asked.

“Watching the people that walked by,” she replied. 

“Did you touch anything else?”

“Nope,” she said with a vigorous shake of her head. 

“I guess it’s alright then,” I sighed. “I did tell you not to touch anything, though, didn’t I?” 

“Yes,” she said, looking down. “I got bored though.”

“It’s whatever. As long as you didn’t touch anything else, it’s fine. Sit on the bed. We’re going to have a small talk before we go out.”

Sapphire hopped onto the bed and sat cross legged as she waited for me to sit with her. She seemed to be in a much brighter mood compared to yesterday. She seemed more animated and talkative. Maybe it was because of the food and rest. 

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“We’re going to a place where I can hopefully figure out where you’re from,” I said. “It’s in a different part of town though, so I need to make sure you know some things before we head out.”

“Okay. What’s this place though?”

“A place with a lot of records that we can look through and hopefully find something useful. What I need to tell you about is the area it’s located in. Quadrant 2. It’s a lot different there than in Quadrant 1.”

“Quadrant 1?”

“That’s where we’re at,” I said, turning to face her directly. “This is the Quadrant 1 or the Scrapyard as people like to call it. It’s where trash is disposed of. Not many people live here, but there’s a decent amount of workers. Quadrant 2 is where most people live—with and without a roof.”

“Oh, okay. Why’s it different though?”

“More people, more problems,” I shrugged. She tilted her head. “A lot of people live there. Many of them don’t have the brightest futures. They don’t have anything really. When people feel like they have nothing to lose, they often get a bit unrestrained. That’s what I’m warning you about.”

She nodded her head, but I knew that she didn’t quite understand what I told her. It was written all over her face. I needed to make it simpler for her. I kept on forgetting that she 

“Just follow these rules,” I said. “Do not wander away from my side at any time. If we ever need to speak to anyone, do not say anything and just let me do the talking. Do not touch anything. If you’re curious about something, tell me, and I’ll let you know if it’s safe or not. Can you follow that?”

Another nod. 

“If you ever run into trouble, make as much noise as possible. I will come for you.”

“Okay.”

“Remember what I said,” I reminded her and stood up. “We’re going for a walk now.”

“We’re walking there?” Sapphire asked as she got to her feet. “Isn’t it far?”

“Not really. Quadrant 2 is pretty close to here. Thirty minute walk with a good pace,” I shrugged. “The Archive is at the border between the Scrapyard and Residential. That’s like a little over two miles away?”

“Oh, okay,” Sapphire said with a bright smile. “I want to look around.”

“That’s why we’re walking. Your memory might get jogged. You never know. Come on now.”

I opened the door for her and made sure everything was locked tight before we began walking down the street. The route to the Archive was one that I didn’t travel often. I tended to avoid Quadrant 2. The people there weren’t worth the time you spent dealing with them. I lived there once upon a time, just like most people in the Outer Districts. Unlike them, I managed to get out. 

As we walked, Sapphire would wander a few feet away every now and again: first to the left, then to the right, up, and behind. I kept an eye on her to make sure she didn’t wander too far, sometimes giving her the occasional reminder to stick close, but for the most part, I let her explore. On the way to the Archive, we crossed paths with a few people, but they minded their own business for the most part. The few that looked our way were scared off with a gaze. 

Gradually, the compact houses of Quadrant 2 began coming into view. They were small rectangular things squished together and stacked on top of one another. They were meant for two people at most, but oftentimes families of four or more would be living in them. The entrance to the units (they couldn’t really be called houses) were behind, away from the street. They each had one tall window, every one of them going through various stages of breaking and aging. The window’s acted as doors of sorts, opening out to tiny balconies that were supposed to be installed onto every unit, but many of them have already fallen off after years of weathering. 

More and more people came out onto the streets as we walked through the quadrant. I kept Sapphire closer to me and tried to find a path that crossed the least amount of people. Most of the pedestrians did the same for us. 

There were a few though that didn’t. They were the addicts. You could tell from the eyes that they stared at you with, challenging you as the chemicals in their veins made them bolder than they truly are. Wide-eyed and crazed. If you locked eyes for even a split second, they might take it as a challenge. 

“Sapphire, keep your head down,” I said in a hushed voice. She glanced back at me, her questions written all over her face, but complied without a word. 

  I picked up the pace. The outer edge of the quadrant was the worst area. It had the most people and the least officers. The second part was a plus, but it made the first part an even bigger issue. 

Ten minutes later, we were out of the edge. You could tell by the buildings and their newer coats of paint. The number of people roaming about lessened, though that might have just been because of the time. A few cars rolled down the cracked streets with most of them heading towards Quadrant 4. Only those with money would be using a car for transportation and people with money went to Quadrant 4. The Archive was on the same street but in the opposite direction. I looked around, noting the people that were nearby. No threats. Yet.

“Sapphire, do you want to look around?” I asked. Kristin hadn’t called yet. 

Sapphire looked up, her expression brightening immediately as she nodded her head. I let her take the lead as I followed behind a few steps making sure to steer her away from other people. As we walked, she asked question after question. What does that do? Why is that there? Why does it look like that? I answered each question the best I could. She didn’t always understand what I said though and that would lead to another barrage of inquiries. Normally, someone in their twenties asking me this many questions would annoy me to no end, but with Sapphire, there was a certain charm. The dissonance between the childish, innocent questions that were coming from a person that looked as far away from childish as you could get was oddly endearing. However, a person could only handle so many questions and after what felt like the hundredth, I began to tire. 

The ringing of my phone saved me. I gave the caller ID a look and picked it up immediately. 

“Kris,” I said, “good news, I hope?”

“Yep,” Kristin replied. “I got you a reservation for the day. Should start at the beginning of the next hour which is like in ten minutes?”

“Thanks. I owe you one.”

“You bet. Speaking of which, our date tomorrow. Remember to dress well and bring lots of credits.”

“Kris,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Alright, alright, maybe not the credits,” she laughed. “Dress nicely, though. I meant that. I just want to see you in something different for once.”

“Is there something wrong with what I usually wear?”

“They’re perfectly boring if that’s what you’re going for.”

“I am, actually.”

“Well, you’re succeeding wildly,” Kris said. “Promise, though?”

“Fine.” I rolled my eyes. “I’ll see what I can dig out from my closet.”

I looked around and paused. It had become awfully quiet. That voice that was constantly asking questions was nowhere to be heard. 

“Kris, I’ll call you back,” I said.

“Good luck,” she replied and the line went quiet.

The moment she disconnected, I began jogging around, looking for any signs of Sapphire. I began calling out for her, my voice carrying down the quiet streets, attracting the attention of the people around me. My eyes scanned over every one of them, judging and evaluating. I slowed my breath to calm myself. Nothing good came from panic.

Even so, I could feel the worry bubbling up inside me. My pace picked up as my voice grew louder and louder. Finally, I took one deep breath and bellowed out her name. It echoed everywhere, bouncing off the worn walls of the buildings and the cracked street. 

“FAE—”

A scream rang out silent evening air. It stopped just as abruptly as it began. A burst of noise that would make you think that maybe you just imagined it if you were looking for it. It was long enough for me though. My head snapped towards the direction of the sound and my legs moved on their own as I sprinted down the street. Anyone who impeded my path was shoved aside. My eyes scanned every dark alleyway that I passed for signs of people. 

A block down, I found my target. There were three men: one with blue hair restrained the legs of the girl in his grasp, another in a red jacket covering her mouth, and the third fighting to rip the girl’s shirt off. The girl was fighting back as best she could with just her arms. The shadows hid her features, but there was no doubt in my mind who she was. 

“Hey, jackasses,” I growled as I stalked down the alleyway. “Get your hands off of her.”

The man fighting Sapphire looked up. He had a tattoo that curved around his eye. Another tattoo peeked out from under his shirt on his collar. It was a tattoo that I recognized. 

“You walked into the wrong alley, girlie,” the thug leered. “You should run while you can.”

Blue Hair stood up, leaving Sapphire restrained by one person. Red Jacket hooked his arms under hers and began dragging her back.

I took a step forward and the tattooed man opened his mouth to speak again. There was no time to listen to the words of a henchman. He drew out a switchblade from his pocket and flicked the blade out, waving it threateningly in front of himself. As I got closer and closer, he lunged out, aiming for my stomach. I batted away the stab with my arm, the familiar sound of metal striking metal echoing out in the alleyway. The tattooed man’s eyes widened.

My other arm went forward and my fist drilled him in the face. His head snapped back as he stumbled. Blue Hair threw a fast at me that hit only air. I grabbed his head with my right arm and slammed him to the ground, his head bouncing off the concrete floor. My eyes locked onto the next threat: the man holding Sapphire.

As I stepped toward him, the tattooed man lunged out again, his feet unsteady. I grabbed his hand and drove my palm into his arm, the elbow going in the wrong direction. The knife fell out of his hand and landed on the ground with a clatter. I drilled him in the head again. This time, he didn’t get up.

When I looked up, I saw the third man backing up, his hands no longer on Sapphire. There was a look in his eyes that I recognized. Fear. He turned away and fled. I considered chasing after him, but it wasn’t worth it. I needed to check on Sapphire.

I went over to her and bent down, grabbing her head gently as I turned it this way and that to check for any injuries. Nothing stood out to me except for a few red marks here and there that might become bruises the next day. 

“Are you alright?” I asked as I helped her to her feet. She gave me a small nod. “Did they touch you anywhere?”

She stared at the ground, not saying a word. My jaw clenched and I looked at the direction the third man had fled. Maybe I shouldn’t have let him go.

“I’m sorry,” I said to her. “I got distracted for a moment. I should have known better.”

“I’m alright,” Sapphire whispered. 

I looked at her, considering how to comfort her. Words weren’t something that could make a situation like this better. Problem was, I wasn’t one to do the comforting. Payback was my way of comforting. I took her hand and led her out of the alleyway. She followed me close, her body almost pressing against mine. We walked in silence down the sidewalk. My eyes darted back and forth as I made sure that the events that just happened didn’t repeat again. 

Sapphire tugged on my sleeve. I glanced over at her, my eyes going up to meet hers. I hadn’t really noticed until now, but she was taller than me by a good inch or two. Looking at her now with her narrowed eyes and pressed lips, I was reminded that she was a woman in her twenties. I wondered what kind of person she was before her memories were erased. 

“Fae,” she said quietly. 

“Yeah?”

“Your arm. The wrap.”

It took me a moment to connect the two phrases, I looked down at my right arm and saw what Sapphire saw. The cloth that was wrapped around my arm was sliced open and unraveling. It must have been because of the knife I blocked. The crimson paint underneath was almost like a beacon in the dull background. I grabbed the areas that were cut and tightened them, tying them together to get them to stay until I could replace the cloth. 

“Thanks for telling me,” I said to Sapphire. 

“Why do you wrap your arm?” she asked. “It’s pretty.”

“That’s why I wrap it,” I replied, smiling softly. “It attracts too much attention. The color is unique. Not many paint their parts bright colors.”

“Oh. Why not paint it a different color then?”

“Now that would be the logical thing to do, wouldn’t it?” 

I led her down the street to the Archive. It was a hard to miss building with its glass walls tinted black and the sleek metal that framed it. Concrete stairs led up to two glass doors that marked the entrance. A seal was emblazoned on the doors, marking the building as the government’s. 

As we approached the entrance, the glass doors parted without a sound. The sounds of our shoes touching the polished floor echoed in the silent, empty lobby. All there was in the room were light fixtures and a receptionist desk. No matter how much time passed between my visits, the place always looked the same. 

I stopped at the desk and waited. Sapphire looked around the area, her hand still gripping mine. She became bored quite quickly and began examining the desk. A few seconds later, a shimmering light came up from the ground behind the desk. It focused until a woman in a suit was standing there, her hands neatly folded in front of her. She smiled at me.

“Hello,” she greeted. “How may I help you?”

“I have a reservation for Kristin,” I replied. 

“One moment please.” She looked down and a screen appeared along with a keyboard. It was all for show. According to the people who made the AI, people often felt awkward waiting in silence for a computer to speak with nothing to look at. “You’re confirmed. Is this your first time at the Archive?”

“Yes.” That was a lie. It was better to not let the system remember you. The only people that visited more than once are those that work for the government or have the government working for them. 

“Then allow me to explain how the system works. You will enter the doors on either side of this desk. You will find a number of rooms that you can enter. Enter the one that is glowing. Within that room, you can ask for my assistance and I will help you find whatever it is you are looking for. Remember that you must have a certain clearance in order to see certain sections of the Archive.”

 “I understand.”

“Then please proceed. When you are in the room, please wait for further instructions.”

The woman disappeared, the light that illuminated her as well. The left door opened and I went over to it, pulling Sapphire along by the hand. 

“Where did she go?” Sapphire asked.

“That receptionist? She’s a computer. She’s still with us, watching,” I replied. “Now shush. I’m going to need some quiet time when we’re inside. You can ask me more questions outside, alright?”

She nodded and followed behind without another word. Past the doorway was a hallway that was lined with rooms, most of which had their tinted glass doors shut. The first one on the left was open, the doorway glowing a soft white. When we entered, the door shut behind us with almost no sound. The walls of the room were entirely glass. The ground was black stone, but polished to a mirror finish. A pulse of light rippled through the walls.

“All systems working,” the woman’s voice said. “Allow me to explain how to navigate the Archive. You have the choice between voice control and manual controls. For voice controls, simply speak what you wish to find. For a more detailed list of instructions, simply ask. For manual controls, you must request for it verbally, then you will be able to type out what you are searching for. As a reminder, depending on your level of clearance, you will not be able to access everything.”

“You must get a lot of people asking for help on that,” I said.

“You don’t even know,” the voice sighed. “Anyway, that is the basics. Know that while you can search groups of keywords, it would be much more efficient to do an advanced search if what you are seeking is of the more obscure variety. Are there any questions or inquiries?”

“None at the moment.”

“Then I shall leave you to your business. If you do run into any troubles, simply call out for help, and I will be there to assist you. Have a good evening, and I hope you find what you are searching for.”

---

 

After an hour and a half, I couldn’t find much of anything. I expected as much given what I had to go off of. All I had was a name that might not even be a real name, an estimated age, and a face. Depending on how long ago her last ID was taken, having a face might even help. In one week, a person can go from looking like a teenager to an old lady and you wouldn’t even be able to tell they were the same person. 

There were people that were named Sapphire and of around the right age in the database. There were bound to be in a city filled with tens of millions and because there were tens of millions, I had too many possible leads. Hundreds of people fit the description. With no other way to narrow down the search, that left me with essentially nothing. 

As I mulled upon this problem, Sapphire followed behind me silently as we journeyed back to my apartment. I took a route back that twisted and turned through the quadrants. The events from earlier were still fresh in my mind. The ones who attacked Sapphire were from the Sunbreaker gang, one of the biggest gangs in the Outer Districts. Their reach touched the police. When you crossed one of them, you had to deal with a lot more than some gang members. They were likely trying to follow us right now after waiting outside of the Archive for us to leave. 

I had experience with this though. Most people who survived in the Outer Districts had some. You were bound to piss off one person or another unless you were a saint, and even then, you would probably piss someone off because you’ve never pissed someone off. 

I went through alleyways and backstreets and wove through stalls and stores, checking behind us at random times to see if anyone was on us. There was no one from what I could see, but that might have just meant that the ones following were skilled. 

The walk back home took almost twice as long. The sky had long become pitch black and darkness fell upon the streets. I was thankful for it; it made it easier to get away. When we returned to my apartment, I did one last sweep before ushering Sapphire in. The moment she stepped in, I locked the door and opened up the cameras. 

“What’s wrong?” Sapphire asked as she watched me.

“We might have some things to deal with soon,” I said. I grabbed a duffle bag and began searching my cabinets and drawers for anything important. “Don’t worry yourself. If the time comes, I’ll fill you in more. Just get a good night’s rest, alright?”

“Did you find something?” 

I gave her a quick glance and said, “No. There was too much for me to go through without more information. I’m going to come up with something though.”

“Okay. What are we going to do tomorrow?”

“I’m not sure yet,” I shrugged. I stopped rummaging around and looked at her. “Look. Get something to eat and then sleep. We did a lot of walking today and went through a lot of things. We’ll talk more in the morning, okay?”

She nodded and tiptoed to the fridge as I resumed searching the small apartment for items. I kept the items basic, keeping an eye on Sapphire as she ate and watched me in turn. I tossed a few articles of clothing into a duffle bag along with some bottles of water. I checked on the cameras at set intervals, making sure that nothing was attempting to sneak up on the apartment. 

Sapphire went to sleep soon after finishing her small meal. As soon as I saw the slow rise and fall of her chest, I crept silently around the small room. From my desk, I reached under and felt around for a small notch. My finger brushed upon it and I hooked it, a small compartment opening up. From it, I pulled out a sheathed knife, all made out of metal. I gripped the handle and tugged the knife out, the blade coming out without a sound. Its weight felt familiar in my hands. Its edge I knew was sharp. It would always be. The nanites that protected it made sure of that.

I sheathed it and placed it in my bag. I went to the wall next to the fridge and let out a small sigh. Running was a specialty of mine. I did it for much of my life. I could still remember those nights where I hid in the darkness, my ears straining for the inevitable sounds of encroaching footsteps as my grip on that same knife tightened. 

My hand pressed against the wall, and with a small push, the panel slid to the side. A soft white light filled the cubbyhole that the panel hid. In the cubby were two black cases, both locked tight. I placed the bottom one in my bag, praying to myself that I would never need to open it. The first, I placed my left thumb on the scanner and once the soft click of the lock disengaging was heard, I cracked open the case. A hand gun was nestled in a bed of foam, the metal it was made from gleaming in the dim light. Two cartridges were placed beside it in the box. Physical ammo. A rarity in the entire city. The only thing rarer was a gun that could shoot it. 

I lifted the gun, my fingers curling around the grip, each finger fitting perfectly in each groove. Machine calibrated fit for a machine arm. With practiced ease, I began inspecting the weapon to make sure it would fail me when I needed it most. I doubted any parts would have become damaged or old, but it was always good to check. Once I was satisfied, I placed it back into its case and put it away in the duffle bag. 

The final item was under the bed. I slid underneath and fiddled with the base of the bed until I pushed out a long cloth bag. I crawled out with it and cradled it in my arms. I pulled the cloth down, a metal sheath getting unveiled inch by inch. Holding it in my hands, I drew the blade it held. I brushed a finger along the side of the curved blade, feeling its smooth metal surface. My arms itched to swing the blade, but there was little room and I didn’t want to disturb Sapphire’s sleep.

Of all the things, I hope I don’t need to use you the most, I thought. 

The more I used the blade, the higher the chance of it getting damaged. It was a baseless worry—it would take decades if not centuries for the blade to even wear out, much less break or chip—but I never wanted to risk it. The memories it held were too valuable. 

I slipped it into the duffel back with care and set the bag next to the only chair in the apartment. Taking a seat on the chair, I pulled out the camera screen and sat back. It was a quiet night. No wandering addict looking for someone to bother. No suspicious characters stalking about. That could change at any moment, and until then, I would stay there watching.