Meg Buchanan [Buchanan - Genus6

We come out of the Cineplex. Weve just been to the Vids, and they werent bad, holographic, stereophonic, tactile, and interactive. But Isabelle and Lucan still decided to improve them chemically. The glass doors close. The smooth tiles of the parking lot stretch out like glass.

The parking bays are almost empty, only two self-drives are still here, a red one in the middle of the bays and a purple one is way over by the stainless barrier. The City casts a silver sheen across everything at night. A Humicrib Vid slides across the sky, two kids waving and smiling, as flock of plump babies bumble happily across the ocean.

Amon stands by the doors pointing at three innocent-looking trolleys some kid forgot to put away before he finished work.

Ela, look at those, he says. The trolleys are sitting in the shadows near the Hypermall.

What about them? Theyre trolleys. Im trying to sort out my cloak.

We could race them, says Amon.

No, says Isabelle. There are only three trolleys, and theres six of us.

But Amons not going to be put off easily. One in the trolley, one pushing. He flicks his head to get the fringe out of his eyes then looks at all of us. You still got that haze app on your coms? A few months ago, Amon hacked into the second layer of the Administrations intranet. He wasnt meant to be there, it was completely illegal, but that didnt worry Amon, he found this haze app and downloaded it.

He slides his thumb across the Com-screen on his wrist, activating the app. Well use it, so the spoilsports dont turn up. Amon shimmers like a ghost. I can see the absence of him; its like looking through cut crystal.

With any luck, the spoilsports are at home in bed, says Lucan shimmering too, his grin visible in his voice.

I hear Damus behind me sigh, hes never happy about using this app. The app acts as a personal cloaking device and was developed from the stealth programme the Vector Guards use to keep their surveillance hovers out of sight. Those hovers can appear in seconds if theres a problem. Their motto is Surveillance and Protection, but their job is really, surveillance and keeping everyone in line.

The ghostly Amon points across the parking lot. First trolley to get to the other end, then back to the red eco wins.

Its tempting. Im not stupid. I cant see any reason to replace the oxygen in my brain with chemicals like that rubbish Isabelle and Lucan just had, but if someone suggests something interesting, Im usually in.

I hug my cloak closer and consider this trolley racing idea. I know this sort of idea gets you into trouble. But if you spend time around Amon, you have to learn to bend a few rules. Lots of rules actually. So old school trolleys that run on wheels, no air-assisted hover like most Hypermalls have, looking forlorn and unloved in a parking bay, ready to race, I was always going to go for that.

Okay, I say and fish in my pocket for a band to tie my hair up. I pull it back into a ponytail, get my Com, find the haze app and turn it on. My hands shimmer in the light. Then I put my cloak and Com in the trolley.

Youre taking this race seriously, says Amon.

I plan on winning.

Yeah, right.

Isabelle moves so shes nearer me. Ill go in your trolley, Ela. Lucan can go with Amon.

Amon grins. Youve got a big weight advantage if you take Isabelle. He has a point; Isabelle is sixteen like me, but shes tiny. Lucan and Amon are a year older, and theyre a lot heavier.

We could swap, I offer.

Nah, Ill still beat you. Amon takes off his jacket, its all zips and pockets. Hes wearing pants and heavy boots, so I have an advantage in a skirt and red Docs, but Amon likes a challenge.

In your dreams. I hold my trolley steady, and Isabelle climbs in, shes all cloak wrapped around diaphanous tutu and ballet flats. The tiny jewels attached to her eyelashes sparkle in the light and the hearts on her cheeks dimple softly.

Isabelle likes girly. She makes herself comfortable, knees drawn up, leaning against the back of the trolley, arms resting on the sides. When she turns on the HazeApp she washes out like a watercolour painting

Damus helps Jadah into a trolley. Theyre both gentle, studious types so theyre no competition, Damus will just dawdle across the parking bays. I look across at Amon and Lucan. Theyll try to win.

Lucan, with tawny eyes and dark hair, falls into Amons trolley, He gets settled then grins at Isabelle. We line the wheels up, our backs against the wall, hands on the push bars.

I look on the other side of me at Damus and Jadah. Theyll take part but play it safe, like the good Elite they are. Were all Elite, and Elite dont take risks, but the Administration didnt factor in me and Amon when they made that proclamation.

Well go around that purple Eco at the end, Amon points at the ESD by the barrier. Then finish by the red one in the middle.

We nod. I pull my trolley back a bit, ready to explode away the moment I get the signal. Theres no way Amon is going to win this; Id never hear the end of it.

Ready? Isabelle pulls off a white lace glove. Get set. Amon and I grip the push bars and lean forward. Go. Isabelle drops the glove, and it flutters down as we blast away from the wall and race across the parking bays like ghosts, cloud people.

The grind of tortured trolley wheels combines with the smell of the spent biofuel floating just above the polished tiles. The Humicrib babies bumble across the ocean again.

We race for the purple car; Amon and Lucan are starting to edge away from me and Isabelle. The trolley wheels screech, the baskets sigh at the weight.

Go, Ela, yells Isabelle and grips the side of the trolley, I push harder, faster. The glass fronts of the apartment towers surrounding us lean over and glare. The shuttle rail curves in the distance.

I start to catch up to Amon and Lucan, my boots pound, my skirt flutters. I head towards the purple blur in front of us. A shuttle on the rails flashes silently past, bullet shaped. Faces like white petals flicker behind the windows.

Cut her off, yells Lucan, and Amon changes direction enough to stop me from getting through. I dont want to have to go around him, so I keep going faster, thinking I can get there before him and slide through the gap. The small wheels complain some more. I think Ill make it. Amon angles in a bit to make sure Ill have to slow down and take the long way.

I head for the narrowing opening and slip through the gap at the last moment, the trolley on two wheels as I make the turn.

Just as I get around the car, and think Ive done it, the trolley over balances, it topples, and I crash into the purple ESD, gouging along the side. The trolley falls over, and Isabelle tumbles out onto the smooth tiles. My Com goes with her and smashes. Form and colour return instantly to me.