“Until he collapses and likely expires.”
“What the hell are you saying?” Jamie’s face was stricken. “He’s going to…die?”
“Correct.”
The robot’s matter-of-fact tone made the words echo in Drake’s head. Although he knew the end result of an unsatisfied mating frenzy, somehow hearing it from the robot made it all the more real.
“The chance of his expiration before completion of the mission is over 99%.”
Jamie stood at last, setting the robot on the seat she’d abandoned. “What’s he talking about?” She stared at him. “Does it have something to do with your skin color? It hasn’t shifted since it’s turned black. What’s going on?”
Drake shook his head. He hadn’t expected Herman to expose him. Nor had he expected having to explain himself to Jamie.Fuck.
“He’s incorrect. This doesn’t change anything.”
“The hell it doesn’t!” Jamie grabbed his arm. “I know something is going on. Tell me!”
I can’t!he wanted to scream. Instead, he ignored her. Pulling himself from her grip, he moved the robot off his chair and sat down to input coordinates at the console.
“Drake.” Her voice was coated in steel. “You can’t do this.”
“I have to.”
Herman let out a warning bleep. “You have explained the risk to both our planets. I believe I can come up with a plan that will be successful, but it requires more than one person to pull it off.”
Drake shook his head. “I’m not taking her with me, Herman. That’s final.”
“This is bullshit.” Jamie used all of her strength to spin him around to face her. “Where do you get off, being all high and mighty? You can go throw your life away for nothing, but I can’t come with you and give us an actual chance of succeeding? You’re being an idiot!”
“STOP!”
He immediately regretted yelling when he saw her flinch. Drake stood, pulling her into his arms. “Taking you with me is an unacceptable risk.”
“You going without me is an unacceptable risk!” She grabbed his face, pulling him down to her level. “Either you’re trying to protect me, or you’re trying to ditch me—“
Drake shook his head, opening his mouth to interrupt. Jamie slapped her hand over his mouth.
“Either way, this is bigger than me and you. If we’re going to save our planets, we have to get past our petty shit and concentrate on working together. If Herman says you have no chance on your own and he had a plan that takes two, then I’m inclined to listen to him.”
“It’s too dangerous,” he said, his voice coming out muffled against her palm.
“I know it’s dangerous. But so is your failure. We have to do this, and the only way we have a chance is if I go with you.”
Drake wanted to argue. He wanted to make her understand. He’d be willing to let the universe burn, as long as she was safe.
But the look in her eyes was a mix of strength and fragility. She believed that he was trying to get rid of her because he was tired of her when that couldn’t be further from the truth. To let her think so might be easier in the long run, but now, staring into her gorgeous face, he couldn’t give voice to the lie.
Although she was scared, she was also insistent. A swell of pride went through him. His woman was brave, was willing to risk everything to save her people.
Who was he to stand in her way?
Drake peeled her hand from his face. “Okay,” he said after a moment.
“Okay?” she whispered.
“You can come.”
She let out a squeal of joy and leapt into his arms. “Thank you! You won’t regret this, I promise!”
He held back the reply that he already did and set her down gently, returning to the console. His hands shook as he input the coordinates to the Hareema prison planet.
“Okay, Herman,” he said with a sigh. “Let’s talk about the data you’ve analyzed. What have you uncovered?”
“There is a conspiracy among NASA elite.”
Drake laughed mirthlessly. “We already knew that.”
Herman let out an offended bleep. “Correct. But were you aware of another conspiracy? One within the Hareema’s own ranks?”
Drake’s eyes widened as the robot began to speak.
