Part 36 (1/2)
is. It's a gamble, all right, but one that may pay off.”
Annie looked back at James' ruined body and blinked hard. ”So you agreed to blow up the time machine'”
”The TDM is ' unstable,” James said. ”It did not take a great deal of explosive to destabilize it.”
”You let them put explosives inside you,” Annie said. ”In your abdomen. James, that's crazy. There had to be a better way.”
”There was no other way that would permit me to return with you,” James said. ”I wanted ' to see you
as I died. Perhaps that was selfish of me.”
”No,” she whispered, and heard her voice break. ”I wouldn't want you to die alone.”
”I had ' another reason. A less selfish one. I did not want you to spend ' the rest of your life hoping I
might return. Waiting for me. I thought it would be best ' if you knew for certain that I was dead.”
She gave a broken sob. ”You were right, James. I would have waited for you. Forever.”
”I wish you did not have to lose ' a second love this way, Annie.”
She swallowed hard, struggling to steady her voice. ”I wish I didn't have to lose you, James. But if I have to lose you, I'd rather be with you when you die.” Lifting his hand, she pressed her lips against it. She felt his fingers move feebly against hers as he tried to squeeze her hand with his, with very little success. A fresh flood of tears spilled down her cheeks at the realization that he was so weak he could barely move his own hand.
At that moment there was a peremptory knock on the door. ”Annie!” Annie recognized Kay's distressed tones, and she raised her own voice. ”Come in, Kay!” A moment later Kay stalked in, holding Clark on her hip. She glared at the naked Gar with suspicion.
”What are you doing here, you son of a b.i.t.c.h' What are you doing to her'” Gar held his hands out in a gesture of peace. ”I mean your friend no harm,” he said. Kay sniffed with contempt and turned to Annie. ”Where the h.e.l.l have you'” She broke off with a horrified gasp as she saw James. Annie looked up at her friend. ”He's dying, Kay.” ”Jesus.” Still clutching Clark, Kay dropped on her knees beside James and studied his gaping wound.
She looked appalled. ”If he were a human, he'd be dead already.” She looked at James. ”Isn't there anything I can do' Stop the, uh, bleeding'” ”No,” James said in his mechanical voice. ”Too many of my internal organs are ' missing or damaged. In the future, they could be replaced, but there is no technology ' available in your time.”
Kay looked up, getting a good look at Annie for the first time, and her eyes went wide with surprise. Annie could understand why. The last time Kay had seen her, she'd looked civilized, if not glamorous. But now she was bedraggled, filthy, and badly sunburned. Not to mention totally naked. ”What the h.e.l.l happened to you two'”
”Long story,” Annie said.
”Couldn't be that long. You and James just left a couple of hours ago.”
”Two hours ago!”
”Yeah. Don't you remember' James left, and I asked you if you were going to let him throw himself to
the wolves.”
Annie nodded. ”I remember. You asked me if I was a coward, and I went after him. You were supposed to stay at the hotel.” ”I waited for an hour. Then I couldn't take it any more. I decided to drive over here, and then to my condo, and see if you showed up. I was worried about you, Annie.” ”With good reason,” Annie said. ”Kay, for us it's been a couple of days.”
”Days'”
”We went to the future. It's really a long story. But Dekka is dead, and he's on our side now.” She pointed at Gar.
”So are you telling me I can't beat him up again'”
”I'm afraid so. He's actually been a lot of help. We wouldn't have gotten through it without him.”
The clack of high heels suddenly resounded on the wood floor, and Annie jerked her head up. ”Kay, did you leave the door open'”
”Oh, h.e.l.l,” Kay said, looking stricken. She bounded to her feet, but before she made it two steps a familiar face peered around the corner and stared at James' ruined abdomen with avid interest.
”Well, now,” said Susan Takahas.h.i.+. ”Isn't this fascinating'”
Chapter 30.
A cold thrill of rage went through Annie. If James had to die, at least he deserved to die in peace. She wouldn't stand by and let his last few moments be turned into a media circus. She dropped James hand and stood up, all but snarling with fury.
”Leave him alone.”
”It looks like he needs help,” Susan said.
”There's nothing anyone can do for him,” Annie said. ”Least of all you.”
Susan started to walk toward her, and Gar immediately stepped into her path, taking his cue from Annie's belligerent att.i.tude. ”Get the h.e.l.l out of here,” he said, bristling.
Susan lifted a hand and casually pushed him, and he flew several feet across the kitchen, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor. Annie felt a jolt of shock. A small, delicate woman like Susan shouldn't be able to knock a big guy like Gar off his feet so easily.
Susan smiled as she paused on the other side of James. Deliberately, she rolled up the sleeve of her blouse and held out her arm.
And peeled away a long section of skin.
Annie gaped as circuitry and artificial muscles were revealed. ”You're a humanoid,” she said accusingly.
”That's what I love about humans,” Susan said. ”They're so d.a.m.ned observant.” She knelt next to James, peeled back the skin on his arm, and with quick, efficient movements connected their arms by a clear plastic tube. With her other hand she pulled out some sort of small machine from her pocket and held it near James' abdomen. It emitted a buzzing sound, and the clear liquid stopped oozing from him.
Seeing Annie gawk at her, she explained, ”This'll keep him alive until we can get the parts we need.”
”The parts'” Annie echoed.
”How are you planning on getting parts'” Kay drawled. ”I've never seen a humanoid parts supply store around here.”