never saying never? It’s an impossible goal. In fact, your behavior just now proved my point, dear Ava.” He picked up his jacket and put it back on, winking at her.
Ava had been played––the tender act, his vulnerability and regret. None of it was real. He deserved a kick in the gut, but she didn’t want to touch him again.
“I could never love you,” she said.
“Who said anything about love?”
“Then why are you relentlessly chasing after me?”
“You don’t have to love a thing to want it.”
The word “thing” stung her like a poison dart, making her feel like an object rather than a human being. She had been running from the fear since she had escaped the Los Angeles City Center with Joseph many years ago. Morray would never let her forget that she wasn’t born or created out of love––that she was made in a lab, by him and Dickson. He wanted to twist her thinking and make her believe that because she had been made in a lab, she was just a thing , not worthy of human love or connection.
“You’re evil, Morray. In here, out there. It doesn’t make a difference where we are.” She held back her tears, not giving him the satisfaction.
“I suppose it doesn’t.” He stared blankly into her eyes––no remorse, tenderness, or even passion coming from them.
She ran off into the empty void until a sharp pain stabbed her ribs, causing her to collapse. How could pain be so real inside this imaginary world? Curling up, she cried, hating herself for being such a spineless fool. Images of Joseph filled her mind and haunted her. There was no escaping what she had done––what she had almost done. She lost that round to Morray, but it would never happen again. Never.
9
T he guards escorted Grace down the cobblestone path to the closest transporter station.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked Faraday.
“Back to the Administrative Building, where you’ll stay locked up until the council votes on what to do with you.”
Faraday walked a few feet ahead and glanced over his shoulder, grinning as the moonlight gleamed in his eyes. Grace reminded herself it wasn’t the real moon. The real one was outside of the thick solar-paneled city center. And it probably wouldn’t be visible because the sky was leaden with rain clouds. The city center was only a facade, something that could be removed, just like Faraday.
“So I’m not getting a trial?” she asked.
“The Seattle City Center is not officially an integrated component of the entire system; therefore, it has a different set of rules.”
“Rules I’m sure you helped set in place, huh?” The metal bands tightened around her wrists, as if detecting her rising emotions.
Faraday spun around. “You’ll get a trial in front of the council. For now, I think it’s in your best interest to keep that mouth of yours shut. The things you say can be used against you.”
Grace nodded professionally, holding her temper at bay. She didn’t need to give him additional ammo. He’d keep using intimidation tactics, but she was ready for him and the council.
They arrived at the Administrative Building and Faraday led them down the corridor, stopping at Room 4011—the same room Dickson had held her prisoner during her mission. She got out of that situation and she’d get out of this one too. Faraday didn’t have a quarter of Dickson’s intelligence.
“What are you waiting for?” Faraday pushed Grace into the containment room.
The place was empty, no chairs or anything. Not a single window or air vent. Just blank walls, monitors, and a small bathroom in the back.
“This seems a bit extreme,” she said.
“I’ll have a lounger delivered in the morning. You’ve been living on the Outside for months now, I’m sure the floor won’t be anything out of the ordinary.”
She held up her hands, her wrists now a sick shade of purple. “Can you at least take off the bands?”
“Absolutely not. Not with your family’s history.” The
Ava had been played––the tender act, his vulnerability and regret. None of it was real. He deserved a kick in the gut, but she didn’t want to touch him again.
“I could never love you,” she said.
“Who said anything about love?”
“Then why are you relentlessly chasing after me?”
“You don’t have to love a thing to want it.”
The word “thing” stung her like a poison dart, making her feel like an object rather than a human being. She had been running from the fear since she had escaped the Los Angeles City Center with Joseph many years ago. Morray would never let her forget that she wasn’t born or created out of love––that she was made in a lab, by him and Dickson. He wanted to twist her thinking and make her believe that because she had been made in a lab, she was just a thing , not worthy of human love or connection.
“You’re evil, Morray. In here, out there. It doesn’t make a difference where we are.” She held back her tears, not giving him the satisfaction.
“I suppose it doesn’t.” He stared blankly into her eyes––no remorse, tenderness, or even passion coming from them.
She ran off into the empty void until a sharp pain stabbed her ribs, causing her to collapse. How could pain be so real inside this imaginary world? Curling up, she cried, hating herself for being such a spineless fool. Images of Joseph filled her mind and haunted her. There was no escaping what she had done––what she had almost done. She lost that round to Morray, but it would never happen again. Never.
9
T he guards escorted Grace down the cobblestone path to the closest transporter station.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked Faraday.
“Back to the Administrative Building, where you’ll stay locked up until the council votes on what to do with you.”
Faraday walked a few feet ahead and glanced over his shoulder, grinning as the moonlight gleamed in his eyes. Grace reminded herself it wasn’t the real moon. The real one was outside of the thick solar-paneled city center. And it probably wouldn’t be visible because the sky was leaden with rain clouds. The city center was only a facade, something that could be removed, just like Faraday.
“So I’m not getting a trial?” she asked.
“The Seattle City Center is not officially an integrated component of the entire system; therefore, it has a different set of rules.”
“Rules I’m sure you helped set in place, huh?” The metal bands tightened around her wrists, as if detecting her rising emotions.
Faraday spun around. “You’ll get a trial in front of the council. For now, I think it’s in your best interest to keep that mouth of yours shut. The things you say can be used against you.”
Grace nodded professionally, holding her temper at bay. She didn’t need to give him additional ammo. He’d keep using intimidation tactics, but she was ready for him and the council.
They arrived at the Administrative Building and Faraday led them down the corridor, stopping at Room 4011—the same room Dickson had held her prisoner during her mission. She got out of that situation and she’d get out of this one too. Faraday didn’t have a quarter of Dickson’s intelligence.
“What are you waiting for?” Faraday pushed Grace into the containment room.
The place was empty, no chairs or anything. Not a single window or air vent. Just blank walls, monitors, and a small bathroom in the back.
“This seems a bit extreme,” she said.
“I’ll have a lounger delivered in the morning. You’ve been living on the Outside for months now, I’m sure the floor won’t be anything out of the ordinary.”
She held up her hands, her wrists now a sick shade of purple. “Can you at least take off the bands?”
“Absolutely not. Not with your family’s history.” The
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