Chapter Four: Condemned by the Camera

“Then they'll watch us leave through the front.” He pressed a hand to Tang's phone and imagined himself surrendering. Pain stabbed his temples. On-screen, a man in a black cap stepped outside with raised hands. Every weapon turned toward him. In reality, Wen kicked through the darkroom floor, and the three crawled into an abandoned drain. For the first time, Lu had created a person who did not exist. The cost arrived quickly. Two blocks away he forgot his bank PIN. Ten minutes later he could not remember which floor his apartment was on. Wen put a mint in his mouth. “Taste lasts longer than numbers. Choose an anchor before every reframing.” “What do you use?” She opened her red umbrella as they passed an alley camera. “Pain.”