“What did Pious do?” Rune barks, fists tightening at his sides.
“Hey, wait a minute,” I say, ignoring his question. “How dare you run any tests on me without my permission.”
His nostrils flare. “I am the general of this ship and I do as I want.”
I step closer to him and lower my voice. “You’re not my general, Rune. You have no rights to me.”
“Yes, female, you made that perfectly clear.”
Sarah bows her head next to us. “General, may I speak freely with her?”
I step back, realizing Rune and I were standing a little too close to each other. I don’t even know how we got that way. “Sarah, you havemypermission to speak freely to me.”
Her face pales. “General Rune has told us you would like to leave here and go back to Earth.”
I glance at Rune and wish he would have just kept his mouth shut. It’s none of anyone’s business what I wish for. “My sister and father are there and they both need me.”
Sarah pauses and eyes me curiously.
“There are also women up here on this tin can you call a home that were taken against their will. They’re to be used for their eggs to help repopulate your people.”
Sarah presses her hands to her chest. “That is such wonderful news.”
“But it’s not. Not for the hundreds of girls frozen in goo-filled tubes somewhere. It’s not wonderful to them. They don’t want their eggs to be taken.”
“Kate—” Rune starts, reaching out to touch my arm.
I yank it out of his grasp. “Fuck off, asshole. What’s the story, Rune? Now you suddenly think harvesting eggs from innocent unconscious girls is a great plan?” My heart is drumming, my pulse pounding loudly in my ears. “I thought that was all your brother’s plan? Are you on his side now?”
“Kate,” he growls. “Mine will be the last generation of humans if I don’t do anything.”
“Hey, fucknut. Join the club. You’re looking at the last generation of my people as well. And I want to savethem.”
Jex steps forward, shifting his frame between me and the others. “General, forgive me for interrupting. Show her the footage. Show her what her world is going to become and have her make the choice after.”
“What footage?” ask.
Rune cranes his neck around Jex and lowers his head close to mine and whispers, “Will you watch, Kate?” This close to him, I see a glossy shine in his icy blue eyes.
“Is it real, Rune? Or is it something Pious edited to make me believe something I shouldn’t?”
He reaches out and entwines his fingers through mine and gently pulls me back to the docking station. “I thought you didn’t want us touching,” I snap bitterly.
His movements still. “No, Kate. What I want is for you to become my mate. What I want is to be able to touch you whenever, wherever I want for the rest of our existence. But you’re choosing to leave.”
I swallow back the knot in my throat. “And now you’re going to show me something that’s going to make me want to stay in this rinky-dink flying saucer.”
“I hope so. With everything I’m made of.”
Rune takes my faceplate and softly presses it to my cheeks. “I’m right here, Kate,” he breathes. “Try to remember you’re observing as a viewer. You’re only virtually there.”
That’s a little too ominous for my taste. “Rune, wait—”
“I can’t wait any longer, Kate. I need to take you to get Claire and come back here or I need to get you back to your family and leave you.” My vision clicks to a soft, blue sky. “Please, don’t make me leave you there,” his voice whispers. “Please, Kate,” his voice breaks.
Up above the sky is beautiful. I can feel the warmth of the sun on my shoulders and I turn toward it, letting it heat my cheeks. Gray buildings stand tall around me, reflecting light beams from window to window. Enormous jumbotrons plaster the sides of the buildings with darkened screens. I don’t need to wonder where I am, it’s the most iconic place in the world. I’m standing in the middle of Times Square in New York City. Broadway theaters and giant retail stores and the world’s best pizza places stretched out before me.
But there’s not a soul around.
