Waking Gods (Themis Files #2)(41)

—Given the current state of affairs, military discipline is not the issue. What concerns me is not that her absence is against military rules but that she is absent. Without her, this organization, and perhaps the entire world, is absolutely powerless against what could be the prelude to a full-scale alien invasion.

—Where did she go?

—I believe she intends to visit the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

—Puer … Why?

—Read this.

—What is it?

—It is a letter—an electronic letter—from Ryan Mitchell to Ms. Resnik. That letter is what sent your wife on what I can only assume is a rescue mission, the purpose of which will become amply apparent as you continue reading. I should also remind you that the content of this letter, while shocking and inflammatory, only represents one side of a much more complex story. You should— —I’m done. Is he lying?

—Already?

—I’m a fast reader. Is that sack of shit lying?

—He is not. Mr. Mitchell does not possess all the facts; he is being irresponsible, shows a complete disregard for the consequences of his actions, and appears to be on the verge of a complete breakdown, but he is being truthful.

—So it’s true? I have a child?

—That, I honestly do not know. It is true that Ms. Papantoniou removed biological samples from both of you while you were being held, and that evidence left at the laboratory suggests that she intended to attempt in-vitro fertilization. What Mr. Mitchell failed to mention in his missive—which would have been very helpful for Ms. Resnik to know—is that all of the information he is so eager to divulge, from the existence of a child to her parentage, not to mention the threat of a Russian kidnapping, also comes directly from the mouth of Ms. Papantoniou. I need not explain why I do not take everything she says as gospel.

—You found Alyssa?

—I did not personally locate her, but she is indeed in custody.

—Do you think she’s lying?

—She faces charges that could normally carry a death sentence or several lifetimes of imprisonment. The circumstances under which she committed her crimes make a public trial unlikely, but she is well aware that the United States Government would like nothing better than to see her … retired. She knows that without a bargaining chip of some sort, she will in all likelihood disappear without explanation, or fall victim to something more mundane, get lost at sea, or succumb to a mysterious disease. She therefore has ample reason to lie. That said, I am tempted to believe her. She could only buy a few days by sending us on a wild-goose chase.

—Where is she now?

—In a safe house under twenty-four-hour surveillance.

— …

—What are you thinking?

—A child?

—A daughter, yes.

—Now?

—She would have been born a decade ago. We are only finding out about her now.

— …

—Mr. Couture?

— … What?

—You do not appear angry?

—You mean at you?

—Yes. I did hide what I knew about what Ms. Papantoniou intended to do a decade ago. If I had to do it again, I would still conceal that information, but that makes you no less entitled to some form of anger.

—Oh, I’m angry all right. I’m just … I can’t imagine what Kara’s going through.

—I am fairly certain Ms. Resnik did not react so calmly to the revelations contained in the letter you are holding.

—I’m sure she didn’t. She must have gone mad when she read this. But that’s not what I’m thinking about. She didn’t want … I tried real hard to make her change her mind, but she didn’t want children. But I did, and I pushed, and I pushed.

—And now?

—Now? Now the world is ending. Would you bring a child into this world? Today?

—As I previously stated, she would have been born several years ago.

—How do we find Kara?

—You stated that she was against becoming a mother. Do you believe she will attempt to contact the child?

—She’ll go. She won’t come back until she finds her. She won’t stop looking. There’s a reason she didn’t want a child. I think she was afraid it would consume her. Now that she has one, it— —She very well may not— —Doesn’t matter. Now that she thinks she does, there’ll be no stopping her.

—Are you worried?

—Yeah, I am. I’m afraid she’ll do something stupid.

—I am truly sorry if I—

—I really don’t care. I’ll deal with you when this is over. What did you plan to do with the information Alyssa gave you. Oh, and how the fuck does Ryan know?

—I did not want to share the information with anyone at the EDC until I could at least confirm that some of it was accurate. I requested help from the United States Government.

—What did you promise them? A pilot?

—Not in so many words, but I did leave open the possibility. They agreed to send a Delta Force unit to retrieve the child. In the event that a child did reside at the address Ms. Papantoniou provided, I asked Mr. Mitchell to accompany the Delta team and to make the experience less traumatic. There was also a strong possibility that there would indeed be a child living there, but that she would later prove not to be the offspring of Ms. Resnik and yourself. My request was later denied when the robot appeared in England.