Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X, #1)(25)

“I know, I know. And I tried, but the borders are too tight. They can’t allow a group that big in, but…” Justin took a deep breath. “I can bring Tessa back with me.”

Tessa hadn’t seen her mother look so horrified since the time Tessa had worn black shoes to Donna Carlos’s spring tea. “Why on earth would you do that?”

“Why do you think?” exclaimed Justin. “To get her out of here! I can only take one of you, and she’s the obvious choice. You can’t abandon your family, but she can strike out into her own future. She can get a student visa. She can study there—get a real education.” He stepped forward, catching hold of Tessa’s father’s arm. “Sergio, can you imagine it? Tessa in the RUNA, getting a Gemman degree. It’s the kind of thing that could get her citizenship, you know. I’ve seen it happen. And from there, it might open the door to the rest of you.”

Her father caught his breath, his eyes going wide. Justin knew exactly how to get to him, exactly what words would make Sergio Cruz’s world come to a complete standstill. Tessa had seen Justin work that magic on others before.

Her great-grandparents had left the RUNA years ago, back in the days of the first genetic mandates. In the beginning, the RUNA and EA had forcibly swapped large amounts of their population in order to create optimal genetic mixing. Those who tried having “nonoptimal” children were fined and imprisoned. Eventually, mandatory contraceptive implants ensured the government’s control. Her refugee great-grandparents had had to scrape and crawl their way to the top of Panamanian society, and they’d believed it to be a worthy sacrifice in order to be together and have their own children. But that hadn’t stopped them from singing the praises of their homeland, instilling a worship of the RUNA that had been passed down to their children and their children’s children and so on. The RUNA had almost become a mythical fairyland to Tessa, which was why Justin had always seemed so larger-than-life.

Her father was especially obsessed with the RUNA. His adoration of all things Gemman had increased when he’d been allowed a couple of trading trips there. He’d come back starstruck, full of stories about the country’s technology and the luxuriant way its citizens lived. People could walk the streets safely, and everything was clean and bright and perfect. It was where he’d met Justin and why Justin had been allowed to stay with them when he’d first come to Panama City.

“It’s impossible,” her father said at last, though she could tell from the faraway look in his eyes that he was already imagining this fantasy.

“It’s completely possible,” Justin said, looking just as excited.

Tessa’s father seemed to return to reality. “Why are they letting you go back?”

Justin shrugged. “They want me to resume my old job. I was good, you know. One of the best. You saw the way I lived. I had access to all sorts of connections and opportunities—things that Tessa could be a part of. She could live like a queen.”

There it was again, the wonder in her father’s eyes. Tessa had always believed Justin was a genius, but her mother had said he was a con artist. When Tessa had asked her father which was true, he’d said Justin was both.

Her mother reminded the two men of her presence. “Sergio! You aren’t actually considering this, are you? She’s sixteen. You can’t just let her go off and live with some man, especially one like him.” Even while outraged, she couldn’t bring herself to use any improper language to clarify what she meant by “one like him.”

“Oh, she wouldn’t live with me,” Justin said quickly. “She’d live with my sister. She’s a, uh, real lady. She’d look out for Tessa. She’d totally make sure Tessa’s protected and behaving properly. And well fed. Besides, let’s be honest here. What are you really going to do with her if she stays?”

“She’ll do what all young ladies do,” she said. “She’ll finish her education and then marry someone appropriate.”

Justin shook his head. “‘Education,’ huh? You mean more homeschooling with insipid reading and remedial math? And do you actually believe it’s going to be that easy to marry her off?” He glanced over at Tessa. “No offense, sweetie.” To her parents, he said, “She sits out at dances. She says things she shouldn’t—in public. And worst of all, she’s smart. She’s cute enough that you’d eventually get someone. It’d be worth it for some up-and-coming guy just to connect to your family. She’d hate it, though. And you’d spend a fortune waiting for that someone.”

Tessa wasn’t sure if she’d been insulted or complimented, but both of her parents fell silent. Even her mother couldn’t deny what Justin had said. Putting girls out on the marriage market was expensive. It required a lot of parties, a lot of clothes, and a lot of gift giving. Tessa’s oldest sister, Laurentia, was stunning. She’d been engaged within a month. Her next-oldest sister, Regina, was pretty too, but for whatever reason, it had taken her almost a year to make a match. Their family was well-off, but that year had strained their finances.

Justin knew he was making progress. “You’ve got two more after her. Business is good…but is it that good?”

“How do we even know any of this is true?” exclaimed her mother. “This could all be one big story so that he can take advantage of her.”