Part 20 (1/2)
He was just nearly asleep when she spoke.
”So, we've only killed one of an infinite number of Ted Carsons,” she said.
”Just the one,” Prime said. ”And he deserved it-”
”Don't do that,” she said. ”Don't justify it.”
”Isn't that what you're doing?”
In the darkness, he felt her lift her arm to her face and rub at it. She was crying.
”It had to be done,” she said. ”Didn't it. If we hadn't, Abby would have had no father.”
”He wasn't coming to talk,” Prime said. ”He was coming to attack. We just did what had to be done. It had to be done.”
Casey sighed. She rolled over, hooking her legs around his.
”Why did you pick me, of all the Caseys?” she whispered.
”I always pick you,” Prime said.
”Why me? Why this me?”
Prime shrugged. ”You're... you. I mean, you're beautiful, and interesting, and really hot.”
”Just because you think I'm s.e.xy?”
”No! We were meant to be!”
”Why me and not some other me? Maybe you were meant to be with her.”
”This is where I ended up. It must have been fated.”
”What about that other John? What if he and I were fated to be together and you ruined it?” Casey asked.
”He never even talked with you!”
”No, he never did. Not more than a dozen words,” she said. ”Even though I gave him a lot of chances.”
”I talked to you the first day,” Prime said.
”At the church dinner,” Casey said. ”You were suddenly different.”
”I was.”
”It was the first thing you did?”
”Pretty much.”
”And then you got expelled.”
”Yes.”
”And you started your big Cube idea.”
”Yes.”
”But I was first,” she said.
”Yes.”
”What if you went to some other universe, and some other Casey was there, would you want her?”
”Casey, don't-”
She rolled over on top of him, and he felt how hot her s.e.x was near his.
”I deserve some answers! Would you date any Casey you came across?”
”No, some are... better than others.”
”Better?”
”Sometimes you're not... you. You've dropped out of school, or gotten pregnant-”
”Like here?”
”-or you've run away from home. There you're not as beautiful, or as... interesting.”
”How many Caseys have there been for you?”
Prime didn't answer.
”Tell me,” she said, thrusting her hips against him. He groaned.
”Ten,” he said.
”Ten? You f.u.c.ked ten of me?” She nipped at his neck. ”What do they have that I haven't?”
”Nothing,” Prime said, responding, ”You're the best.”
She bit him. ”Now I know you're lying.”
He yelped, and their lovemaking turned silent, angry, and desperate.
The next Monday, a group of workers combed the plant and a.s.sembly area. Prime couldn't help but hear the rumors: Missing boy. Hadn't been seen in thirty-six hours. Car missing.
Prime focused on his work, a.s.sembling his parts without regard for the person in front of him.