City of Walls: Chapter 7

          Fresh fireworks of pain erupted behind my eyes, as I stared wide eyed at the old man. "Ho, I mean, What are you talking about?" The file had no name, just two tags, which were cryptic to boot. Only the sender could have known about the encrypted vid. Unless he sent files just like this to the others. But I thought I meet them all. I stood slack jawed not knowing what to say or do next.

          "Look at you! How fardrayt you are. Forgive me. Perhaps I should start with more pressing news. Ms. Fennelweigh has allowed you an authorized day off. It's the least that she could do, if you ask me. Especially after that attack! Tell me, can you remember what happened?" He asked gently, eyes imploring.

          Sipping from the water left in the cup I held, I concentrated on the events of the morning. "I was on my way here from my building. I took 7th, to avoid the trans-hub on 10th. When I made it passed the hub I turned on Taylor. The block was deserted. By the time I turned back, I was already surrounded." I paused to sip more water, and Silvia returned with a tray of food in her hands.

          "I'll be right back with more drinks."

          "They were modrpunks, yes?" Mr. Goldberg asked.

          "Yes. The first one, called Bruce, thought I used VanNans. He called for backup, a male and female called Carl and Genie respectively. I was sized up like a piece of meat." The cup shook in my hand. "They set their harvesting nannites on me." I cringed, my eyes stung at the memory of thousands of stinging pricks. "I collapsed. After that, I awoke here."

          Silvia arrived with another tray, this one bearing a pitcher of amber fluid, a small, lidded bucket and three cups. "The other stand please, Papa."

          Once the stand for the tray was arranged, Silvia sat on the bed next to Tara once again.

          "Papa, will you say the bentching?" What did she just say?

          "Sure, yes." He closed his eyes. "Father, I thank you for the many blessings you've bestowed on us today. I thank you for the safe guarding of Tara. I ask that you bless the rest of this day, starting with this meal. Thank you my Father, amen."

          "Y, You're Christians?" This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

          "Even though there are many similarities, we are Messianic Jews. The government has yet to put bring its weight upon us on us." Silvia responded as she passed a bowl and spoon to Tara. "We have chicken soup with shkedei marak, strudel for dessert."

          "Ess! Eat!" Mr. Goldberg encouraged around a spoonful of food. "This will help you get some energy back." I began spooning bits of chicken and noodles into my mouth. "As I was telling you, you've been given the rest of the day off. I have a few more adjustments to do for your new netlink set, then it should be done. We will escort you home, so that you will not be troubled again."

          "That's not necessary, as short as the distance, I can make it on my own. You've been so gracious to me, how could I ever repay you?"

          "Nonsense!" He gulped down some of the amber fluid, then made a face at his cup. "Silvia, did you use the sugar or sweetener?"

          "The sweetener, Papa. You know you need to keep your calorie intake down."

          "Oi, calories! You'd think they would be the death of me or something. Meshuga! These punks running around the place, they'll get me first." He turned back to our discussion. "Tara, you're not the first customer we've had that's been attacked by them. Those three are just part of a larger group. I fear they may be expanding their territory."

          I picked up my cup and drank while I thought. Mmm, sweet tea. Can't even tell real sugar wasn't used. "Okay. I give in. Ya'll can take me back. How wide an area do they cover?"

          Mr. Goldberg sighed and lowered his spoon. "Including 7th Street, they now hold 65% of this hex. The downtown sector is the worst hit of the Fort Worth half of the DFW metrodomes."

          "Whoa!" Jeeze, I sound like that Actor, whatwashisname?, Reeves something. I shook my head trying to clear the image of a black leather coat from my mind. "H, How is Dallas?"

          "They are doing better. Before signs had really started to show signs of spreading from the first 3 cities hit, they locked down hex borders. The Mayor declared a citywide emergency, and urged our Mayor to do the same."

          "Well, why didn't she?"

          Silvia broke in, "It was reported that Mayor Mendoza felt that it was more important to be able to reached all those affected by the nannite glitch. So far a few have actually come forward to be helped. While in Dallas, there was a death reported."

          "When did this all start?"

          "Less than two weeks ago reports from Seattle, San Francisco, and Austin were describing The Glitch, as the media now calls it. That's when Dallas put the lock-down in place. Three days later it was spreading across the country."

          "Is there a fix?"

          "No." Our conversation stopped there. As we continued to eat in silence, my mind kept pouring over the data. In approximately two weeks of exposure to the 'Glitch', the outcome is death. Are the nannites spreading the glitch or is it something else? Is that why those three were so desperate to get more nannites? How is it killing? I sat staring at my empty bowl, trying to figure things out.

          "Before I forget, Tara. The key you need is in this." Mr. Goldberg out his bowl on the tray beside him and got up from his chair. He effortlessly walked around the chair to a bookshelf and retrieved a package wrapped in brown paper. He turned around, and headed to me instead of his chair. He placed the item in my hands and spoke "This is the only key that will work. Come, I'll get your new netlink, and we'll take you home."