He reads the package. “Manicotti. I’ve never tried it, butapparently I like it very much.”
I laugh, then I see the dark curtain that’s dropped over his face. I place a hand on his shoulder. “We’re going to figure out what all of this means.”
He shrugs his shoulder so my hand falls away. OS speaks at the very same time. “Is there something I can help you two with?”
“No,” I say as I pile the blankets on the table. I turn to Kodiak. “Eat your manicotti, and then I’ll explain.”
Kodiak looks down at the pouch, his lips tight, then shakes his head. “I’ll eat it later.”
I shake out the blanket and loft it so it drapes over our heads. I light up my tablet and start typing.
Maybe you heard. This is the only way we can communicate without OS knowing. Cameras and mics everywhere. It can hear everything.
He nods in the space under the blanket. The fluorescent lights pass through the thin weave, lighting up his silhouette. He takes the tablet from my hands and types, his shoulder pressing and flexing against mine. I study the strong line of his nose.
I want to investigate beyond the yellow portal to confirm there actually are clones.
I take the tablet back. OK. Assuming there ARE clones, what then?
He pauses over the tablet, fingers hovering. He has noanswer. Of course not. What answer could there be? Then he’s typing.I want to know what our supposed true purpose is.
Yes! Something about the way he’s said “supposed” makes me pause, but I let it go for now. This is exactly the course I was hoping Kodiak would settle on. Any thoughts on how we do it?
OS obviously thinks it’s navigating us somewhere. If we knew our heading, that would help. But we have to use that information without clueing the OS in that that’s what we’re doing.
Agreed, I answer. OS is probably on high alert right now. I say let’s give it a few weeks to calm down, then start figuring out what this journey is for. I sigh and sit back, pulling the blanket away.
Kodiak blinks at the sudden light. It’s sort of adorable. I can get why an earlier me fell for him. Multiple earlier me’s fell for him. Will I, too?
Kodiak clenches his fists, then unclenches them. Clenches and unclenches. I don’t know what feelings he’s fighting, but I have my suspicions. Heat rises in my cheeks.
“I think I know what you were just thinking about,” he grumbles.
“It’s weird, right?” I ask him. “We’ve gotten together before.” There’s no mistaking it—I’m totally aroused.
“More than weird,” he says. “You’re not, I’m not... Iwouldn’t have thought I’d have ever...”
Now my face flushes for more reasons. “Wow. Thanks.”
He shrugs. “In training I had the same urges that most young men do. Of course I would act on them sometimes. But it was just ryad.You know, friends joining together for a short time.”
I’m going to fall in love with this piece of ancient history? Really? I start speaking and stop myself. My face is radiating waves of heat. I occupy myself with folding the blanket, shaking out every wrinkle as I do.
I take a Minerva stance in my mind.You are the noble Ambrose Cusk. Desired by millions. Sired by Alexander the Great. The unavailable one.
His fists clench and unclench, clench and unclench.
I realize I’ve tensed all my muscles as I fold the blanket. “Do you need to be alone?”
He shakes his head sharply, lets his chin sink to his chest.
“Look, I know how overwhelming this is—” I begin to say.
“I’m told I’m a very good kisser,” he interrupts.
That stops me. I watch, openmouthed, as a grim smile spreads across his face. “Oh, comeon,” I say, giving his shoulder a good shove. He tumbles over. “I find it hard to believe that there’s anyone in Dimokratía who’s a good kisser. It’s just not part of your worldview. You’re all probably just a bunch of tongue wrestlers.”
He rolls out flat, folding his arms over his chest. “This is a strange situation we find ourselves in, isn’t it?”
