Only Human (Themis Files #3)(55)
—I’m … OK. They offered me a job. I said no.
—What was it?
—Research, like before.
—Why did you turn it down?
—That’s what everyone keeps asking. With everything that’s happening, it just seemed … wrong.
—We could still learn a lot with you in charge.
—Maybe. We’ve learned a lot before. Look what we did with it. Has anything good come out of anything I’ve done?
—Besides millions of people being alive instead of dead?
—I’m not sure I had anything to do with that. The Ekt might have left on their own. Now they’re using what we did to rob people of their most basic rights, to wage war, to hurt people. I’m not sure I wanna be a part of that anymore.
—What will you do?
—I’m moving back to Chicago. We’re kind of famous. I think I can use that to get a teaching job at the university.
—That’s good. They offered me a job too.
—Already? I figured they would, but I thought they’d wait at least until you could walk. What did you say?
—What do you mean what did I say?
—You said yes?
—Rose! When I said offered … They weren’t exactly asking, you know that. I’m an A4, A5. Whatever the biggest A is. What else am I supposed to do? Turn them down, spend the rest of my life in a glass room? No thanks. Maybe, if I’m really lucky, they’ll let me live in a camp. I’ve been there, Rose. It’s not everything it’s cracked up to be.
—I’m not judging you, Eva.
—It kinda sounds like you are.
—I’m not. Honestly, Eva, I’m not. I don’t have all the answers. Vincent thinks— —I know what my dad thinks. He thinks if the Russians have a robot of their own, if they have Themis, it’ll even things out. Maybe he can create a stalemate, stop things from getting worse than they already are.
—He does. That’s why he chose to stay. He’s risking his life trying to make things better. Even you can see that.
—I know he is. Believe me, I know. People have been reminding me ever since I got here. Poor girl, her dad’s a traitor. We’re so glad you’re not a traitor like your dad.
—Just ignore them.
—Well, he is helping Russia.
—You know why!
—I do. But I don’t think it’s the right move.
—Are you sure you’re not letting your personal feelings get in the way? You’re not the most objective person when it comes to your dad.
—I’m not the most objective person? Do you hear yourself? Rose. I didn’t say I’d like to get my nose pierced. I said I didn’t think helping our enemy—the people that took us prisoners, the people who killed Ekim—was the right move. Why are we even having this conversation? Do you think he’s right? Honestly, do you think what he’s doing will … You know what? It doesn’t even matter. Say he’s right. Are you really OK with things not getting any worse? Is that enough?
—And you think you can make things better by working for the US?
—I think a stalemate only means we get to keep this mess around forever. Someone has to win before it gets better.
—What good would that do? There are work camps in the US, Eva. We have them here, now. Do you really think it would be better? Better than, say, if Russia ruled the world?
—Maybe. Maybe not. The US didn’t put me in an aquarium, so I’m partial to them right now.
—Eva, I think you need to—
—I can’t just sit and watch, Rose! Tell me what else I can do! Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. But I have to do something.
FILE NO. 2176
INTERVIEW BETWEEN DR. ROSE FRANKLIN AND DR. ALYSSA PAPANTONIOU
Location: United States Central Command (CENTCOM), MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida
—Dr. Franklin. They tell me you t … turned down the job at Johns Hopkins. The Alien Research Center isn’t the EDC, but it’s as close as it gets. I thought you’d j … jump at the opportunity.
—I didn’t. I … They’re in good hands with Dr. Maher.
—She’s an idiot. You’d know that if you spent more than fff … five minutes with her. What’s the real reason?
—I wouldn’t know why I was doing it. I don’t see the point.
—Knowledge is the point. Why else do we do anything?
—I thought … It doesn’t feel like we’re pursuing knowledge anymore. It’s all about beating the other guy.
—Are you hoping to work here instead, because we—
—For the military? No, I don’t want your job either, Alyssa. I think this, all of this, is wrong.
—It is far from perfect, I’ll give you that. The army has a very nnn … narrow perspective on things. But it’s what we have. Some research is better than no research.
—That’s not good enough. At least it shouldn’t be.
—I would be lying if I said I respect your decision.
—That’s OK, Alyssa. I didn’t expect you to.
—Then may I ask why you’re here if it’s not for a job?
—I … You and I haven’t always seen eye to eye.