“Like they did DuPont Station?”
“I heard about that. They were looking for
you
, weren’t they?”
“Yeah. Big scary terrorist, that’s me.”
He snorts. “You don’t look so tough.”
“Appearances can be deceiving.”
The man flinches like I hit a raw nerve. “I know that’s right.”
Dina sweeps into the room in time to hear the invective. “Making new friends, are you, Jax?”
I flash her a grin. “You know, with a winning personality like I’ve got—”
“We’ll have ten different factions trying to kill us again within a week or two,” she interjects.
“Ten? That seems a little on the high side, even for me.”
“You think Keri would hunt me down? I thought she kinda liked me by the time we left last time.”
“No, she enjoyed beating the shit out of you.”
“Of course not.” Dina waits until I’ve taken a sip before adding, “The baby did.”
“You’re nasty, you know that?” She shakes her head.
“Did March send you?” The question comes out loaded.
“Nothing,” I answer before Dina can. “Okay, you did me a favor. Now what do you want in return?”
“Don’t worry, it’s Jael’s turn after yours. I’m sure he won’t forget.”
“As if I’d let him,” I mutter, heading for the door.
The whole universe has changed, after all.
“We have to stop, no matter what. We can’t go on as we are.”
“But we can’t just dump Surge, Kora, and—what did they name the kid again? If it’s dangerous.”
“You know perfectly well they named her Sirina.”
“I do?” I don’t remember registering that, actually.
“It does not.” I can’t hide how appalled I am. “You’re making that up.”
“Don’t believe me?” He grins. “Just ask Kora.”
“What obligations does that involve? Am I supposed to remember her birthday? Send gifts?”
“Now that you
must
be making up.”
His grin delights me. “It’s true. You can verify it with 245 if you like.”
I force myself to answer lightly. “Yeah, that must be it. What’s the plan?”
March raises a brow. “When do we ever have a plan?”
“We always have a plan. We just don’t stick to it.”
“So what’s the point of making it? Why not just wing it?”
I glare. “Are you in the
mood
to argue with me?”
“Actually I’m in the mood to fuck, but our timing’s off.”
“Isn’t it always? Dance lessons might help.”
Landing comes later. That’s what hurts. Then again, what doesn’t?
He answers my thought without looking at me. “It makes you human.”
Unless that’s what someone intends. What if I’ve been infected on purpose? What if—
“Jax.” With a word, he reins in my paranoia.
“You know, the Psychs always said that about me, too.”
Something’s down there. And it’s not in the mood to talk.
Whatever has gone wrong inside, the automated system
still works.
“Kora and Dina need to stay with the ship,” he says at once.