More to the point, he’d betrayed me.
Rage spilled inside me like toxic sludge from an oil tanker into the ocean. It polluted everywhere it touched, turbocharging the hatred of moments before.
Ma had been betrayed too.
My whole family had.
I was so sick of this witch hunt, so sick of people who were supposed to have our goddamn backs taking pieces out of us like we were commodities.
“Where—” Michael broke into my thoughts as he panted a second, then slurred a word I didn’t understand. “Where’mi?”
“Where are you? Just a warehouse.”
An anonymous warehouse where no one would hear him scream.
“‘Ow?”
“I have contacts. It was a lot of fun hacking into your files, shuffling things around. Reminded me of the old days. The state believes you’ve been transferred to a hospice.” I stared at him. “Welcome to your new ward.”
His eyes flared wide before the lids drifted down as they darted around the space.
“See over there? That’s your new roommate.” The rat squeaked, and I murmured, “If you behave, you won’t end up being eaten by him. If you don’t, well, then your fate rests with him.”
Michael moaned then jerked his hands and feet which had the cuffs around them rattling.
I ignored him and kicked up my legs so they were resting against the side of his ‘mattress.’
“Ever heard of sirenomelia?” I asked as I scanned Aoife’s medical records. Her doctor had received notification this morning, and I’d received them a minute later.
Michael rasped, “Lemme go.”
“Why would I do that when it took me so much effort to get you here? If you don’t know what sirenomelia is, then just say so.”
“Need morphine.”
“Well, let me just pop into something uncomfortable and become your nurse,” I mocked. “Michael, what about this place is giving you the vibes that I give a fuck about how you feel?” I waved a hand around the room, further scoffing, “I mean, it’s so hygienic, isn’t it? What with the rats and the cobwebs?
“If you were someone I gave a fuck about, then this would be taped up better than an episode of Dexter, no contamination or germs allowed, but in your case, Mickey, you need to get friendly with germs.”
“Why?” he wheezed.
“Because if you’re lucky, they’ll kill you faster than I do.”
“You… don’t—” He sucked in a pain-soaked breath. “Kill.”
“What made you think that?”
“You’re.” He sucked in a breath, the sound raspy and Dalek-esque. “Soft.”
“Remember that when you’re screaming later.” I stared at the test results on my screen. “I’d never heard of it before, sirenomelia, I mean.
“It’s only when you realize how hard it is to get through pregnancy that you can appreciate life,” I mused. “Quite ironic, of course, considering our current circumstances, but you matter to me about as much as that rat does, whereas my little niece or nephew…” My words waned before I ground out, “How can a kid’s legs fuse together? It makes no sense.”
“What.” Inhalation. “You.” Exhalation. “Talkin’ about?”
“I’m talking about the miracle of life, Michael. A miracle that I intend to preserve.”
There was nothing I could do for Aoife other than this.
Aoife was my sister.
Aela was my sister.
So were Inessa and Camille and Savannah.
I had five of them now.
I had five people who could create other people to watch over.
That was a lot of pressure, but it was worth it. More worthwhile than the other crap my father had me doing. I knew more than any doctor did now about pregnancy after a week’s intense study.
It meant I was wired, but hey, wired and I went well together.
I was at my best when I felt like this.
And I could do nothing for the niece or nephew that was slowly dying in Aoife’s womb, but I could protect the mother.
Aoife needed protecting.
She just didn’t know it, but Michael knew. Michael knew more than he was willing to say.
“Feel those cuffs on your ankles and wrists? I adapted them. They’ve got a metallic plate running around them, and if I do this—” I fiddled with the program on my computer as I dropped my feet to the floor. “—it triggers a current.” When he screamed, I tutted, “Oh, Michael, you disappoint me. That was only the first phase. Considering you’re one of those cheiles, I thought you’d have more guts, but I see I was wrong.”
“Bah-stard,” he groaned.
I peered at the steam that wafted from his form and muttered, “Huh. More potent than anticipated. Interesting.”
“Sick—” Inhalation. “O.”
“Everyone thinks I’m so innocent. Don’t you know it’s the quiet ones you can’t trust?” I rumbled. “Especially when it comes down to my sisters, Michael. My mother too. You fucked with the wrong family.”
Lodestar: Yo.
The text bubble appeared on my computer, drawing my attention because Star had a habit of doing that.
There’d come a day when we would finally meet, and she’d suck out all the air from my lungs.
That didn’t mean I was going to make it easy on her for being a pain. Our last conversation still stung.
I was not a weirdo for liking Doctor Who. And she was such a cheater when it came to Call of Duty.
aCooooig: What?
Lodestar: You still sulking?
aCooooig: I don’t sulk.
Lodestar: Seems to me like you do.
aCooooig: I don’t sulk. I’m just busy.
Lodestar: Busy doing what? O.o
aCooooig: Testing a prototype.
Lodestar: For my Christmas gift?
My lips twitched. So she hadn’t forgotten.
aCooooig: Not exactly.
I deployed the program and ignored Michael when he screamed again.
Lodestar: For what then?
aCooooig: Specialty cuffs.
Lodestar: You into bondage? Would never have pegged you as being into that.
aCooooig: Why?
Lodestar: I don’t know. You don’t give off sub or Dom vibes, I guess.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
What was it with everyone thinking I was a pussy?
Lodestar: Still, it’s always the quiet ones.
aCooooig: You know, I just said that to someone.
Lodestar: Who?
aCooooig: You really want to know?
Lodestar: Sure. Wouldn’t have asked otherwise.
aCooooig: Wanna go on cam?
Lodestar: Last time we went on cam, I got nothing but attitude from you.
aCooooig: You cheated.
Lodestar: I did not! I’m just better at shooting than you.
aCooooig: We need a rematch.
My computer pinged as she started a video call.
“I started the vid solely so you could see me roll my eyes,” she declared as she rolled her eyes.
I rolled them back.
Then, after flipping me the bird, she asked, “Where the hell are you?” She strained her neck as if that would give her a better view of the warehouse behind me.
“Somewhere secret.” I tapped my nose. “Want to meet my current test subject?”