1. A Stranger

"It's really coming down." Goji peered out the window. "Any change in the forecast?"

"Snow all night." Ruby shook her head at the weather radar.

"I can stay a little longer. You'll need help if the power goes out."

"You've been here since this morning, and now you're three hours off the clock. Your brother probably thinks you got buried in a drift."

"He's with friends. I have nowhere to be."

"Go home while you still can, baby girl," Ruby said. "Everything's under control."

Goji didn't call it control. People were everywhere. Each blizzard was the same; crowds came to take shelter in the clinic's free space, and half the night shift claimed they were stuck at home. At least this time they'd overstocked the kitchen to give everyone a hot meal. For some, she knew, it was their first in weeks. Inklings and Octolings, Anemones and Jellies; all were equal in their need. There was always work to be done, and she wanted to stay, but her boss wouldn't hear it. Ruby made sure she collected her things and reached the door without distraction.

"Be careful going home. It's freezing. And don't even ask about coming in tomorrow. You deserve your day off."

"Call me if you need me, though."

"I will not." Ruby hugged her. "You push yourself so hard. It's not good for you."

"People need me. I'm here for them."

"Kiyoza needs you too, and you're no good to anyone exhausted and burned out. Go home. Sleep. Recharge."

Goji knew there was no more arguing. She said goodnight and walked outside where the wind found its way into her coat. The few cars in the lot were buried, and she was glad she'd thought ahead to take the train, even though it meant some extra walking.

The station was deserted, and she had no complaint. No one to avoid eye contact with while she waited. She was the only rider all the way back to the eastern suburbs, and then the only one out on the streets. Cold as it was, she enjoyed the snow-muffled silence. If she stood still, she could imagine the rest of the world had fallen asleep and drifted far away.

She was so lost in thought as she neared home that she almost didn't notice the footprints. They crossed the road from the opposite side, followed the sidewalk for a few paces, then turned down the path to the block's little playground. Goji paused. The tracks weren't perfectly fresh, but they were recent. Maybe left in the last half hour. Whoever left them moved erratically; they were uneven and staggered.

Goji swept her flashlight over the playground without seeing anyone, but the footprints ended at the jungle gym, at the mouth of one of the climbing tubes. She didn't need her training to know something was off. Trying to keep her steps quiet, she approached the playground. Someone was in the tube, huddled in a corner where two pieces met. The figure didn't move when Goji spoke.

"Can you hear me?" She thumped the side of the tube. The heap of stained coat finally shifted to look up at her with bloodshot Octoling eyes. Goji stepped back and checked her flanks out of instinct. "Who are you? Come out of there!"

"Had to get out of the wind. Please…" The girl's voice was weak, and her accent thick. Goji shined the light in her face and watched her squint away. Her tentacles were pale and matted beneath her hood.

"You need to come out right now. I won't hurt you." She kept an eye on her surroundings while the girl dragged herself out of the tube. Ambush was always on her mind, but when the stranger bent and coughed purple flecks into the snow, she doubted this was a trick. "You're sick."

"I'll live."

"You need medicine and food. Gods, how old are you?"

"Old enough."

"Liar." The gaunt face couldn't hide youth. She saw so much of it every day at the clinic. "You can explain later. Come with me."

"Where?"

"To my house. I can't leave a kid out here."

"I'm not stupid enough to – to – " A coughing fit left her choking and sputtering.

"Stupid enough to refuse? No," Goji said when she recovered. "My name's Goji. I'm a nurse. My place is right there, two houses down. I promise I won't hurt you, rob you, report you… anything else you're worried about."

After a tense minute, the Octoling gave a nod. Goji let her walk ahead. She made it about halfway before stumbling, and Goji caught her before she collapsed.

"Hold onto me."

"Uhn…"

"Hold – onto me." Goji pulled a limp arm over her own shoulders and stood, expecting weight that wasn't there. How long since you ate? Good thing, too. She had to bear most of the load all the way to her front door with gloved hands clutching her like a lifeline. They left a trail of snow and mud through the living room.

"Here. Sit down – let go." She ducked out from under the Octoling's arm and dropped her on the couch where she curled up and shivered. For once, Goji was glad her brother was out. She didn't need him in the way while she took the girl's temperature and brought damp cloths to cool her down.

"Nn-no!" She pushed Goji's hand away. "So cold…"

"You feel cold," Goji said, "but you're burning up. The fever's giving you chills. Let's get your coat off."

"No…"

"Now. Work with me here; I'm trying to keep you out of the hospital." Goji had to do most of the work, including untangling a satchel from slender shoulders. The girl was losing consciousness. There was nothing to her under the thick parka. She stayed awake long enough to swallow two pills, then she was out.

Goji sat amid the mess and assessed the situation. Sick kid unresponsive on the couch. Probably a runaway. Nothing she hadn't seen before. She had to tell someone, and though she didn't recognize the face from the clinic or shelter, notifying Ruby was a good first step. It would help to have a name to give. She turned her attention to the briny bag, hoping to find out more about its owner.

The contents told her little she couldn't already guess. Judging by the collected parts and tools, the girl was a scavenger, probably one with some skill. Most of her kind were. There was a battered journal, but it held only drawings, maps, and notes. Goji recognized a few of Inkopolis' old dock warehouses and wondered if she'd used them for shelter. She dug deeper into the bag and found extra gloves, stale crackers, and a roll of fishing line with a hook tied to the end.

So you did like the docks.

Still no name. That was all, she thought, until her finger caught on a hidden pouch. She pulled out a sock tied off at the top with something firm inside. It took her a minute to pick the stubborn knot, but at last she shook out a gleaming black wafer engraved with characters she'd only seen in history books. Her heart skipped a beat. She wasn't among the few who could read the languages of the Predecessors, but she didn't need to read the inscription to be in awe. Without knowing where the data crystal came from or what it held, Goji knew the young Octoling shouldn't have it. She felt a cloud of danger descend around her.

Kiyo. He needed to stay away until she knew what this was about. She swiped her phone screen and sent him a message.

Are you still up?

Yeah. His reply came quickly.

Everybody okay there?

The world's not ending. It's just snow.

Want to stay an extra day? If that's okay with Yuma's parents.

Really? Yes! They're cool with everything but we'll ask in the morning.

Okay. Have fun. Of course he'd jump at the chance to stay out, she thought. It would just save him the trouble of coming up with excuses for why he couldn't come home. An icon indicated he was typing one more reply.

Thanks Goj.

"Stay warm, little brother," she murmured. With that settled for the time being, she flicked to the bottom of her contact list where she kept two entries of scrambled letters. The numbers were blocked, and she held onto them only for emergencies. Unexpected developments like this one, suddenly much bigger than Ruby or Social Services. Her thumb hovered over the second code.

You have to report this.

You don't know anything. Wait until there's something to report.

What if you wait too long?

What if she's running from them?

What if – what if – what if…

In the end, she bit her tongue and closed the list. The girl deserved a chance to explain herself. Calling in now would only ruin two years of careful separation from a life she could never return to.

She put the crystal back in its hiding place. No point arousing suspicion until the Octoling trusted her enough to talk.

"Poor thing," she sighed. "What have you done?"