Zero History

84. NEW ONE
Fiona’s drone’s batteries had died, and it dropped like a stone, almost as soon as Foley
and the others had left in the black car. Milgrim had helped her fold the tarp, which was
now stuffed into one of the side pockets of his riding jacket, and then had been the one to
find the drone, though he’d done so by stepping on it, cracking a rotor housing. She
hadn’t seemed to care, tucking it under her arm like an empty drinks tray and quickly
leading him to where she’d left her Kawasaki. “We’ll FedEx it back to Iowa and they’ll
rebuild it,” she’d said, he’d guessed to stop him apologizing.
Now Milgrim held it as she dug in the eyeball-carrier Benny had mounted over the
pillion seat. He shook it gingerly. Heard something rattle.
“Here,” she said, producing a very shiny black helmet, sealed in plastic. She ripped the
plastic, pulled it off, took the drone, and handed him the helmet. She put the drone in the
carrier, snapped it shut. “You were getting tired of Mrs. Benny’s.”
Milgrim was unable to resist turning it over, raising it, sniffing the interior. It smelled of
new plastic, nothing else. “Thanks,” he said. He looked at the Kawasaki. “Where can I
sit?”
“I’ll be on your lap, basically.” She reached out, took the strap of his bag, lifted it over
his head so that it was on the other shoulder, diagonal across his chest, then kissed him,
hard but briefly, on the mouth. “Get on the bike,” she said. “He wants us away from
here.”
“Okay,” said Milgrim, breathily, out of hyperventilation and joy, as he put on his new
helmet.