Part 18 (1/2)
Keiko kept her gaze trained on Eva. Her thoughts, however, were elsewhere. Don't expect me to thank you.
For interceding on your behalf? Ciari was never one to play that sort of groveling game unless she had someone needing to be saved. I miss her begging. Nathan kept his attention on the two Strykers. Tell me, Keiko, how is Ciari?
Keiko had to force herself not to think about the changes in Ciari. Tell me, Nathan, how does it feel to be backed into a corner by your son?
My family is of no concern to you.
You say that like I don't know Lucas hasn't been on your side for two years and counting, Keiko said, a grim sort of satisfaction creeping through her mind. You didn't order him to do this. You wouldn't, if this is what will feed you on Mars Colony.
What do you think you know about what I and the World Court have planned?
Security for the launch is why the government keeps us alive. You? Keiko's mouth thinned into a bloodless line. I don't read minds, Nathan.
Nathan's smile was faint and barely there, missed by everyone except Keiko. She saw it only because she was looking for it. Then Eva pulled her into a psi link, the telepath unaware of Nathan's presence, and Keiko had to focus on the mission.
Ma.s.sive telepathic overload, Eva said. Memories don't do that. They can't. This feels more like a telepathic strike. The people who broke in might still be on the island.
Keiko looked over at Elion, weighing her options. She knew that if she attempted to change the playing field, Nathan would kill her. As a Cla.s.s I triad psion, he could easily do it. The cleanup afterward-of bodies and mindwipes-would take time, but Nathan was a perfectionist and Keiko didn't doubt he'd find excuses to keep himself safe.
”Our telepath can't speak,” Keiko said. ”And we aren't authorized for telepathic contact with either of you. Eva confirmed Terrence died from a strong telepathic attack.”
”What about the perpetrator?” Elion asked sharply.
Keiko didn't look at Nathan. ”Unknown. Possibly the same rogue psions that were in Buffalo, but those particular psi signatures haven't shown up since the fight.”
”That is unacceptable, Stryker.”
”Unfortunately, it's all we have at the moment. Perhaps the security system-”
Elion let out a short, harsh laugh. ”Don't you think we tried? That was the first thing we checked after confirming the breach. The security logs are inaccessible. It would take weeks to hack through the new encryption embedded in everything now. We don't have that long.”
Keiko looked down at Terrence's body and wrapped her power around his form. She teleported the corpse into their shuttle for transport.
”We should begin a transfer of everything in the seed bank, sir,” Keiko said. ”We can't guarantee that the people who broke in won't return to take the rest.”
”These seeds and embryos and everything else require a specific temperature in order to survive. They can't be risked,” Elion said. ”Considering it seems psions are responsible for this mess, I don't trust your involvement.”
”The World Court a.s.signed them this job, but I agree with your a.s.sessment, Elion. We'll bring in as many cold-storage units as we need,” Nathan said. ”We will physically transport everything to London.”
The better for you to keep it away from Lucas? Keiko asked.
Do you honestly think I'll be protecting it from just him?
Images of the Ark from the pirate stream ran through Keiko's mind. She knew that society wasn't going to take such deceit lying down. Everyone's view of the world was changing, and change never came easy.
You'll do what the government requires of you and you'll die for it, Nathan said. But some of your Strykers will live, so keep your mouth shut.
”Take us back to the shuttle,” Nathan said, the look in his dark blue eyes curiously satisfied.
Keiko decided she should have brought an empath after all. Tapping into her power, she pulled everyone into a teleport.
PART FIVE.
Fluctuate.
SESSION DATE: 2128.03.25.
LOCATION: Inst.i.tute of Psionics Research.
CLEARANCE ID: Dr. Amy Bennett.
SUBJECT: 2581.
FILE NUMBER: 270.
Aisling hums again. The sound is an offbeat melody that clashes with the noise the EEG and supporting machines make behind her as she leans over the seat of her chair and stares at the camera. She is alone.
”I can see what it's going to be like and I think that scares them.”
Her head hangs down, her hair falling around her face like a curtain. The wires lay heavily across her back.
”It scares me.” She kicks her legs a bit, smacking the toes of her shoes against the ground. ”Everyone's afraid of me. I don't have any friends here.”
Aisling waves one small hand at the camera in a vague gesture before she props herself back up on both hands. Then she sighs and collapses again over the chair. She scratches at a line of electrodes adhered across her forehead and pushes wires out of her face.
”It could have been different, and it is, but then it wouldn't end. Mama said it should end.” Aisling glances at the camera, her gaze looking past it. ”I don't want Nathan, Marcheline. I need his son.”
TWENTY-FOUR.
SEPTEMBER 2379.
TORONTO, CANADA.