Stealing Time

the steel structure. The bolts were obviousif you knew where to look, though the paintwork was such high glossit mostly shined to cover the truth of the door. It couldn’t bebroken down. It had no lock that could be picked, not even byMarisa. This door had kept her safe, or so she told herself.
She held her breath and pressed her handagainst the cool plate, felt it tingle with static as she waitedfor the scanner to do its work, waited for the click and thewhoosh.
She glided down the hallway to stand at thekitchen door. She blinked quickly. The sight of her ex-husband feltlike a physical blow. Not a bad one, not wounded. But winded,certainly—a breathless blow.
Sebastian turned to face her, and shethought she heard her name come from his moving lips. She thoughtmaybe she said his name as well, but later she realised there wasjust silence. Was it his hair? Blonde, reaching just below hisears, in need of a good brush but clean. His height? He seemed totake up the whole kitchen with his body. Middle age had been kindto him, she saw. A few lines around his eyes, a softer belly. Buthe was still strong, still stood tall. He gave her a slight smile,then he did say her name.
“Varya.”
She wondered if the others heard him. Therewas a ringing in her ears, she felt a little dizzy.
“Varya? Are you okay?” After a moment sherealised Marisa was talking to her, a worried expression on herface. She sat down suddenly.
“I… yes. Yes, I’m fine. I think I’m just alittle tired.”
Marisa held her gaze for a moment. It seemedto Varya as though she was transferring her own confidence andstrength through that look. She breathed in and drank in herfriend’s gift. The star-struck schoolgirl was gone in that instant.She nodded her thank you imperceptibly to Marisa. Marisa drew backslightly.
“Sebastian,” said Varya. “To what do we owethis pleasure?”
Sebastian seemed to feel the shift in theroom and cleared his throat.
“I need to talk to you,” Sebastian started,glancing at Marisa questioningly. “Alone.”
“Marisa can stay,” said Varya.
“I know everything.” Marisa waved her handsin circles and spoke the last word with a breathy quality.
“You’ve seen the news I assume.”
“The time theft? Yes,” Varya repliedsimply.
“I’m here in an official capacity.” Heshifted his weight from one leg to another and crossed hisarms.
“Am I a suspect?”
“No, of course not. But you could be indanger.”
Varya frowned. “Isn’t everyone in danger?Besides, I’m not a child. They won’t be interested in me.”
“We have reason to believe the transferenceof time from the abducted child didn’t work as expected. They maytake more children and they’ll need someone with the expertise toassist them.”
Varya laughed. “Sounds like you’re in moredanger than me. As far as most of the world is concerned, I’m justa lab assistant at a medical research facility.”
Sebastian glared at her. “And Marisa here?What’s her role in all this? Confidante, accomplice in your littleillicit time tabs distribution business?” He paused, looking fromone to the other, waiting for a reaction. “Lover?”
“Employee,” Marisa clarified coldly. Shestared hard at Varya. “I guess we haven’t flown under the radar aswell as we hoped. And yes, there are some members of the community,at all levels, who would associate me with time manipulation skillsand abilities.”
“Which makes you a target for the thieves aswell,” said Sebastian.
“Not as well. Instead.” Varya slumpedvisibly, guilt suddenly pressing in on her. “Marisa doesn’t haveany public association with me. I just manufacture, she…delivers.”
Sebastian inhaled slowly, clearly angered.“We’ll deal with that later. The profile of your clients hasassured your protection from the Rest Time Authority. I don’t seethat changing. But right now, it sounds like you’re both potentialtargets for the time thieves.” Varya started to protest butSebastian raised his hand to silence her. “Marisa visits hereregularly, yes?” Both women nodded. “So, anyone could have beenwatching. You’re both at risk.”
“Sebastian, seriously, we’re fine. If that’sthe only reason you’re here, to try to play the role of grandprotector, you can leave now. We can look after ourselves.”
“I think… the Authority has recommended…that you should relocate until the perpetrators are apprehended.”He placed a hand on each hip, relying on his official capacity tohold sway. It didn’t work.
“Yeah, we’re not leaving, but thanks,” saidMarisa firmly.
“I can’t force you.” He pulled his deviceout of his pocket and tapped briefly on the screen. He held it upto Varya. “But take my contact details, in case you change yourmind.”
Varya stared at him. For five years she hadsuccessfully walked in the shadows, avoided confrontation, dealtwith only the people she wanted to. Now she felt assaulted by thesheer number of people who seemed to be flooding in across hermoat. She pressed her finger on her own device for a second thenheld it up and nodded.
Sebastian tapped again and slipped it backin his pocket. “I’ll show myself out.”
Marisa and Varya were left alone, eachreleasing a sigh of relief.
“Five years, right? You haven’t seen him infive years?”
“That’s right.”
“And that’s all he has to say to you?Doesn’t ask after your welfare, what you’ve been doing all thistime?”
“To be fair, the whole purpose of his visitwas specifically to enquire after our welfare.”
Marisa stood and moved over to the stove.“That’s not what I meant.”
“No, I know,” Varya admitted.
“Have you told Elena?”
Varya nodded.
“Yes, it was Mum’s idea, to take inDaniel.”
Marisa raised an eyebrow.
Varya batted her doubt away with her hand.“She offered, anyway.”
“Now what? We just wait?”
She nodded. “We wait.”
“You’ll need to figure out how to reversethe drain.”
“It’s less a matter of figuring it out andmore a matter of finding the technology.”
“It exists?”
“Yes, it exists.”
“But I thought it was destroyed years ago?Didn’t you all have to destroy it? It should be gone.” Marisasounded uncharacteristically panicked.
“The time transfer tech was supposed to bedestroyed as well,” said Varya quietly. “It wasn’t. It’s a lot toask of a person to destroy a major scientific breakthrough simplybecause a few people decided to use it for evil.”
“Yes, and dozens of children died because ofit,” said Marisa angrily.
“Hundreds of people die each year on theroads, but we don’t decide to destroy all the cars.”
“The roads aren’t deliberately trying tokill them, though.”
“Okay, I’ll give