Destiny: Quantic Dreams Book 3 by Elizabeth McLaughlin (books for 20 year olds .txt) 📗

You withstood more than the rest of your people. Your bravery is to be commended.”

“He should never have been allowed to continue with his assignment,” the android that had introduced himself as Bartholomew rumbled. “The master program should have eliminated him from the system before he was even inserted into the shelter’s server.”

“He was very sick,” Arabella piped up. “I don’t think he ever meant to truly harm anyone.” Dad coughed loudly from his seat at the table. “You have something to add, sir?”

For a moment I thought he was going to decline to speak, but Dad pushed his seat back and stood. “Yes, ma’am, I do. Like the rest of our gathering, I am extremely grateful for your hospitality so far. But I must protest your portrayal of Gabriel as ‘sick’. I spent the majority of my life being the sole witness to that beast’s behavior and I promise you, nothing he did was out of mental illness. He possessed a singular hatred of humans and I very nearly lost my life to his schemes.”

The androids regarded him cooly and I flinched. I asked him to mind his business. I begged him to not screw this up. Five minutes into it and the man had launched us into a diplomatic crisis. “I think what my father is saying...” There was nothing I could do to save this situation but maybe I could mitigate some of the damage.

“We understand what your father is saying.” Tenzen cast his eyes toward us. Unlike his peers who styled themselves in stark colors, he wore some kind of synthetic hair. It was long, tied back behind his neck in a long ponytail. His eyes were a deep, unearthly blue that reminded me of ocean waves. “Mr. Alvaro, I would appreciate it if you kept your temper under control. This is a delicate situation. Your anger, however justified you feel it may be, is not going to help your situation.”

“What situation?” Eliza held a hand out to my father to silence him.

“I guess we’re skipping ahead.” Eleanor shot a look at Tenzen. “It’s probably for the best anyway. Not everyone in this city appreciates your presence on the surface. They were willing to live and let live while you were in the shelter, but now that you’re out...well.”

“What do you mean?” No one else would detect the edge that now cut into Eliza’s voice. At least, no human would.

“There are some of us who feel that your...killing of Gabriel is murder. They feel that he was never of any real danger to you and that you should suffer the same fate as he did.”

“What the—“ Eliza turned to glare at my father. More outbursts were not going to help us now.

“I meant what I said to you when we first met. I will not allow any harm to come to you while you’re here, as long as you follow my instructions to the letter. I felt that it was bad form to lead you into a slaughter. You have my word also that we will help to supply your colony.”

“But...?” Eliza tightened her fist around the back of her chair. I could practically smell the adrenaline pouring of of her. The rest of the group looked to the two of us for guidance. If either of us even edged toward the door now we would set off a panic.

“But, you’re going to have to work with us. I need to convince those who run this place that you’re harmless.”

“Of course we’re harmless, what the hell could we possibly do to you? We barely have the most basic technologies, never mind-“ She shut her mouth abruptly when she realized it wouldn’t do us any good to reveal that we had weapons.

“They want to put you on trial.”

“You..what?” Eliza sputtered. “I haven’t done a damn thing wrong-“

“Not you.” Eleanor lifted a hand and pointed. “Him.”

“Fuck-“

“Jacob, shut the fuck up and do not speak another word,” Eliza snarled. “Is there any other way that you’ll let us leave this place, Eleanor?”

“I’m afraid there isn’t. I will have my friends here escort you back to your quarters. Further information will be provided for you shortly. The first of the aid packages will be sent to your colony tonight and delivered in secret. I will include a note with the delivery from you saying that you’ve met allies and that more aid is on the way. If any of my people are harmed, however, I cannot guarantee the safety of your colonists. Is that something I’ll need to be concerned about?”

“No.”

“God fucking damn it!” Eliza’s eyes blazed as she raged at my father. “Jacob, I swear to everything that is holy that you are the bane of my fucking life!”

Dad didn’t reply. He was lost in thought, eyes flickering back and forth, trying to work out how to fix the problem.

“Hey! Eyes on me, moron!” Eliza snapped her fingers in front of his face. “You almost got us killed back there, and all for your goddamned PRIDE?! I knew this was too good to be true.”

The rest of the group gave us a wide berth. The differences between us had evaporated the instant they learned their fate—and the fate of their families—was tied to my father. No doubt that Dad’s life was in danger from more than the androids.

“What the hell do you want me to do, Eliza? Pretend that the bastard wasn’t who he was? You want me to just erase years of abuse of some people we met today?” A blood vessel on Dad’s forehead started to pop out. It was the last warning sign before he blew his stack.

“No!” Eliza bellowed. “I want you to get over your selfish bullshit and put others before yourself for once!” Dad was silent.

“Fine. Let me know when my jailers come to collect me.” He stalked off.

Chapter Fourteen

I wondered if the androids put something in our food because the next morning I woke from a deep and dreamless sleep. The