under intense pressure before; she becomes ruthlessly cool and focused, not brittle like this. She forces the reluctant window shut and helps me into dry clothes. I want to beg her,
What should I do? What should I tell them?
But every time I open my mouth she gives a brisk shake of her head. Finally, when we’re ready to go downstairs, she mouths,
Tell the truth
.
My legs shake and I take my time, clasping the banister, afraid I might collapse and appear weak or scared, though I’m both. Jamie stands by the front door with the man named Benjamin. Benjamin is a confronting testament to the effects of Optimal on DNA, built like that, with a face like that. His signal rolls in the bandwidth next to Jamie’s. Now that I’m not in flight mode I have time to reflect on the strangeness of sensing someone else. I’m so used to how the bandwidth feels when Jamie and Miriam are around; it’s all I’ve known beyond Kitty and Aiden. Davis sits across the hall by the lounge window, slouching in Miriam’s wingback, scowling as I make my way down. His aggressive signal dominates the others while I focus on him then drops back when I look away.
Nobody else seems to react to the clash of signals. I want to hold my head or block my ears against the clamour, but I dare not close my eyes because there are images in the bandwidth that belong to these men, images backing up, dark, violent, painful, and I don’t want to see. I don’t want to know.
“This is trouble,” Benjamin says, glancing at me, his hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “More trouble than you need, my friend.”
Their familiarity makes me uncomfortable; who is this man with concern and exasperation in his voice?
“It is what it is,” Jamie says.
“Does Ethan know?” Benjamin nods towards the kitchen.
Lifting his head, Jamie whispers, “It’s got nothing to do with Ethan.”
Benjamin glances at me again. “I hope not.”
They turn as Miriam and I finally reach the bottom of the stairs. When Davis comes from the living room, it’s hard not to flinch against his signal.
My jaw is stiff but my voice is steady. “Do I need to bring anything?”
“If you had been paying attention when we first arrived you would have heard, this is not an Extraction,” Benjamin says.
“Isn’t it?”
“This is bullshit,” Davis says.
Benjamin ignores him. “Counsellor Tesla is waiting for you in the kitchen.”
The name sinks in. Tesla. Ethan Tesla. The head of the Deactivation Program Jamie was in. Is in? It makes me think of Helena and my fear screws deeper. Why would
he
come for me? I remember the hushed voice of the Warden while I hid in a cupboard in the Gallaghers’ conservatory, trying to mask my signal with Jamie’s last time Affinity passed through the area. I remember her warning Jamie about the fluctuations in his reading and how Tesla would be unhappy. Is that what this is about? They’ve figured out the situation between Jamie and me? But if the Warden came through again, why didn’t we feel her probing signal in the bandwidth? It doesn’t make sense.
“There’s been a directive from the Executive.” Jamie does not touch me and keeps his face expressionless. “You’ve got a two-week reprieve.”
“She’s a runner,” Davis says, under his breath.
“I don’t understand. I thought you were here for me.”
Davis grips his baton. “We are.”
“Yes,” Jamie says. “We’ve all seen your glowing stick.”
Davis juts his jaw. “Give me an excuse, Richie Rich.”
“Enough.” Benjamin steps between them, like it isn’t the first time he’s heard them argue. “We follow protocol. Now, please, they are waiting for you.” He nods me towards the kitchen and I walk like I’m on the moon, slow, cumbersome, strangely detached from gravity, struggling to comprehend what feels like a miraculous stay of execution.
Aiden. Aiden
. My head soars in space, signals crash around me then I stumble against the bookcase. Three hands catch me. Miriam
What should I do? What should I tell them?
But every time I open my mouth she gives a brisk shake of her head. Finally, when we’re ready to go downstairs, she mouths,
Tell the truth
.
My legs shake and I take my time, clasping the banister, afraid I might collapse and appear weak or scared, though I’m both. Jamie stands by the front door with the man named Benjamin. Benjamin is a confronting testament to the effects of Optimal on DNA, built like that, with a face like that. His signal rolls in the bandwidth next to Jamie’s. Now that I’m not in flight mode I have time to reflect on the strangeness of sensing someone else. I’m so used to how the bandwidth feels when Jamie and Miriam are around; it’s all I’ve known beyond Kitty and Aiden. Davis sits across the hall by the lounge window, slouching in Miriam’s wingback, scowling as I make my way down. His aggressive signal dominates the others while I focus on him then drops back when I look away.
Nobody else seems to react to the clash of signals. I want to hold my head or block my ears against the clamour, but I dare not close my eyes because there are images in the bandwidth that belong to these men, images backing up, dark, violent, painful, and I don’t want to see. I don’t want to know.
“This is trouble,” Benjamin says, glancing at me, his hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “More trouble than you need, my friend.”
Their familiarity makes me uncomfortable; who is this man with concern and exasperation in his voice?
“It is what it is,” Jamie says.
“Does Ethan know?” Benjamin nods towards the kitchen.
Lifting his head, Jamie whispers, “It’s got nothing to do with Ethan.”
Benjamin glances at me again. “I hope not.”
They turn as Miriam and I finally reach the bottom of the stairs. When Davis comes from the living room, it’s hard not to flinch against his signal.
My jaw is stiff but my voice is steady. “Do I need to bring anything?”
“If you had been paying attention when we first arrived you would have heard, this is not an Extraction,” Benjamin says.
“Isn’t it?”
“This is bullshit,” Davis says.
Benjamin ignores him. “Counsellor Tesla is waiting for you in the kitchen.”
The name sinks in. Tesla. Ethan Tesla. The head of the Deactivation Program Jamie was in. Is in? It makes me think of Helena and my fear screws deeper. Why would
he
come for me? I remember the hushed voice of the Warden while I hid in a cupboard in the Gallaghers’ conservatory, trying to mask my signal with Jamie’s last time Affinity passed through the area. I remember her warning Jamie about the fluctuations in his reading and how Tesla would be unhappy. Is that what this is about? They’ve figured out the situation between Jamie and me? But if the Warden came through again, why didn’t we feel her probing signal in the bandwidth? It doesn’t make sense.
“There’s been a directive from the Executive.” Jamie does not touch me and keeps his face expressionless. “You’ve got a two-week reprieve.”
“She’s a runner,” Davis says, under his breath.
“I don’t understand. I thought you were here for me.”
Davis grips his baton. “We are.”
“Yes,” Jamie says. “We’ve all seen your glowing stick.”
Davis juts his jaw. “Give me an excuse, Richie Rich.”
“Enough.” Benjamin steps between them, like it isn’t the first time he’s heard them argue. “We follow protocol. Now, please, they are waiting for you.” He nods me towards the kitchen and I walk like I’m on the moon, slow, cumbersome, strangely detached from gravity, struggling to comprehend what feels like a miraculous stay of execution.
Aiden. Aiden
. My head soars in space, signals crash around me then I stumble against the bookcase. Three hands catch me. Miriam
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