Defy the Worlds (Defy the Stars #2)(19)

He can’t know the physical constraints of her captivity. But Noemi must know herself to be a prisoner.

That means she’s scared.

“Let’s go,” Abel says. “Virginia, I apologize for walking away from the project. I trust you’ll continue investigations on your own.”

“Wait, he wants you to come to him and you’re just going to do it?” Virginia protests.

“I have to act.” That’s the only answer Abel knows for certain.

Once they’re walking toward the Persephone, Zayan mutters, “What the hell does this guy want with you, Abel?”

To erase everything I’ve ever done or been. To erase my soul and claim my body as his own. Abel says only, “That remains between me and Burton Mansfield. I can only promise you that you won’t be put in any danger.”

“Why would he go after Noemi?” Harriet plays with the ends of her braids, like she often does when she gets nervous. “Is he angry with you for some reason? Did you guys do something to him?”

“Knowing the truth can only involve you in it,” Abel says, “and, as you can see, being involved in this is dangerous.”

Only Virginia understands the whole story. Her face looks different when she’s not smiling—longer, thinner. “What exactly are you going to do?”

Abel had finalized his plan before the Charlie finished talking. “We’ll take the Persephone back to Earth and dock in an unlicensed port.” The planet holds thousands of these, not all of them vectors of illegal behavior, but many are staffed by those willing to overlook certain protocols for a small bribe. “Zayan, Harriet, you’ll get payouts equivalent to six months’ pay. You should consider yourselves on leave until you hear from me, which may be some time in the future.”

“Wait. You’re doing what Mansfield wants?” Zayan shakes his head. “No way. You can’t let that guy win.” Like most Vagabonds, Zayan and Harriet loathe Mansfield, creator of the mechs that perform most of the jobs that would otherwise employ, house, and feed countless millions of desperate, homeless humans.

Harriet turns on Zayan. “He wouldn’t do that! You’re going to fight this, aren’t you, Abel? You don’t have to do it alone. Noemi’s our friend, too, and besides, we’re not going to let some antiquated egomaniac steal away the only decent boss we’ve ever had.”

Abel puts one hand on each of their shoulders. The buzz of activity in the hangar seems to flow around them, oblivious to the drama taking place. “I appreciate your loyalty, and your friendship.” It’s still strange to him to have real friends, to have a life that Mansfield’s plans play no role in. To Mansfield it must be unfathomable. “But this is something I should do alone.”

Zayan protests, “Stop being noble!”

“I’m not being noble. I’m being practical. Putting you two at risk serves no purpose, except perhaps giving Mansfield other targets with which to threaten me.” Abel resumes walking, eyes straight ahead. Purpose steadies him; perhaps seeing that will steady Harriet and Zayan as well.

But it’s Virginia who gets in Abel’s face. “Listen to me for a minute, all right? You say Mansfield definitely has Noemi; okay, I believe you. But we also know what kind of person Noemi is. The sacrifices she’s willing to make, and the ones she won’t. She wouldn’t want you to do this for her. You understand that, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Abel says. “I do.”

Virginia continues, “I know you care about her, Abel. But that doesn’t mean you have to die for her.”

“I don’t intend to.”

That stops her, and she and the others exchange glances. The slowness of human brains must be agonizing at times.

Taking pity, Abel explains, “Obviously I have to help Noemi if I can. If ultimately there’s no way to save her except by sacrificing my own life, I will.” He offered to do that for her once, volunteering to destroy the Genesis Gate.

But he’s never stopped looking for another way.

“Mansfield believes he can control my actions,” he adds. “So he presents me with a binary choice, never understanding that I would look for a third option.”

The smile returns to Virginia’s face. “You’re not turning yourself in. You’re going to break Noemi out.” When he nods, she laughs out loud. “Now that’s the Abel I know.”

“We’ll help,” Harriet promises, but he shakes his head.

“If this can be done at all,” he tells her, “I can do it alone. If it can’t, you won’t be able to help me. You’ll only be other people I have to worry about.”

She and Zayan share a troubled look. They don’t like Abel’s orders, but they’ll follow them. It would never occur to Mansfield that Abel might try to outwit his creator. Even less would the man imagine that Abel would have friends who’d help him. Abel feels as if he’s beaten Mansfield already. In one sense, he has.

But he can take no comfort in that, not when Noemi’s forty-eight hours are already running out.





7



NOEMI AWAKENS IN THE WOMB.

Or so it seems to her at first—she’s floating, surrounded by a blurriness that’s faintly tinted pink. In her daze, she wonders if reincarnation is true after all.