‘How did you find this apartment?’ said June flatly, looking down at Theo. The gun was still very much a part of the scheme of things, pointing over Theo’s head, straight at the centre of Albert’s chest, but Theo remained unimpressed. Albert had to admit to himself that compared to the ones the lawbots had been hunting her with yesterday—just yesterday—perhaps it might seem a trifle unimpressive. But only to her.

‘My gramps made me learn it. Said that if I was ever stuck up here, I had to remember those numbers.’

June showed no reaction, turning to Albert, raising a questioning eyebrow. ‘What are you doing with her?’

‘I … ah … found her.’

‘He saved me!’

She looked from Theo to Albert. ‘Saved you?’

‘Yes,’ said Theo, with a melodramatic gesture. ‘Saved me from the machines and now they’re after ’im so you gotta save ’im, too. Anyway, its yer job, right? So yer gotta save ’im an’ if yer do, I’ll let yer take me back, too.’

‘You are going back anyway.’

‘Oh yeah? Try an’ make me!’

‘If you insist.’

They stared at each other for a moment, then June turned back to Albert, frowning. ‘I know you, don’t I?’ she said, eyes narrowed.

‘We’re on the same floor.’

‘How … coincidental.’ Her tone seemed to suggest she thought it was anything but.

Theo chimed in again. ‘See? Yer know ’im! An now they’re gonna lock ’im up an’ kill ’im and worse, an’ I promised yer’d help ’im, cause he helped me and so yer gotta help ’im, alright!’

June looked at Albert again. ‘Walk that way,’ she said finally, waving the gun to point the way. ‘Towards the table.’

Albert did as he was told. The apartment seemed exactly like his. The front door opened into the kitchen, with two more doors leading off. If the apartment was indeed identical to his, then the one on the left would lead into the living room and the other, the one she had gone through, towards the bedrooms. He wondered if they looked different from his. Probably. Then he wondered why he was wondering about all this nonsense when he had a gun pointed at his back.

He turned back around, so it was pointing at his chest instead.

‘Sit,’ she said, gesturing towards the chairs around the kitchen table.

He complied, grateful muscles screaming out with relief, despite the gravity of the situation. It had been a while since he had last sat down. The closest he had come was crouching, which wasn’t exactly relaxing, especially when done to hide from eight-foot-tall machines.

‘Now tell me. What’s your name?’

‘Albert.’

‘So, tell me, Albert, how and where did you come across Theo? Quickly, and don’t lie. If I even suspect you’re not being honest …’ She didn’t finish the sentence, but then, she didn’t really have to.