"Of course," I mutter grimly.
"Well, keep in mind that despite the criticism of Beta Activation, the facilities are filled with volunteers, people who genuinely want to start families. We would rather not take that chance away from them. Releasing this video publicly could sink Beta Activation in the court of public opinion and hurt a huge number of people, including those who already benefited. There would be rumors that other pregnancies were also the result of coerced sex with Fenn Drax. That would damage relationships and families. But make no mistake, something like this can’t go unpunished. That’s why Blue committed to taking strong action, including initiating criminal proceedings."
"I still don’t know what that means for us."
"I don’t think it means anything bad for you. You’ll almost certainly be released from the module very soon. You can stay on the island and continue. I wouldn’t be surprised if a new facility director shows up there quickly. I’d give it two days at most."
"A new director? So soon?"
"I suspect it might be Mr. Gomez."
"Gomez, the guy who brought us here on the ferry? Wasn’t he just some kind of intermediary?"
Storm chimes in. "Blue told us Gomez used to be the deputy director at that facility before. He had a serious conflict with Sidorov over several procedural issues and requested a transfer to an independent position. Now they’ll likely bring him back, since he knows the island and how the program operates."
"Wow. Okay. Then we wait and see what happens next. And if they come in here and shoot us, avenge us properly," I say with a crooked smile.
Jordan speaks again. "Relax. If anything happens, place your phone somewhere discreet and start a live stream on the channel I’m about to text you. It’s encrypted. My brother is a police detective and uses it occasionally. That way, the police will have access too, and the recording will be indisputable. No AI accusations."
"Thanks, Jordan. Wait. Detective Arnold? The one who also handled the bomb attack on Blue?"
"Yes. That’s my older brother."
"Good connections to have. You never know when they’ll come in handy," I murmur, and at that exact moment, a seed of a plan starts forming in my mind. I’d heard a lot about that detective. He’s publicly recognizable and gave interviews after the attack Anzo carried out.
Could knowing someone like that help Salt too?
"All right. Take care. I’m sending you the link now. If you see anyone approaching the module, a group of people, or anything suspicious, just start recording."
"Understood. Thanks."
I feel a rush of excitement at the news. Just knowing the island’s leadership might change at any moment brings me huge relief. Salt, however, doesn’t look pleased. He sits still.
"Well," he mutters, "at least no one on the island will be raped anymore. That’s the only upside of this whole mess."
He leans back against the couch, then calmly picks up his sketches and starts drawing again, like nothing has happened.
About twenty minutes later, we both hear a soft beep.
The door unlocks!
I move to it right away, tap my card, and it opens without any trouble.
"Yeah, I’ve got a feeling Sidorov just got a call from the oversight committee. He probably decided it’s better not to risk getting his ass kicked extra over locking us in the unit."
"He definitely did," Salt replies in a flat tone, very deliberately avoiding my eyes.
About half an hour later it’s time for lunch.
We head there in a tense atmosphere, at least I’m tense, because Salt seems completely checked out. He scans the area with a dull, distant look, walking like he’s in a trance.
Did my refusal really hit him this hard? His independent, sharp-edged personality doesn’t quite fit that picture.
Or maybe I underestimated how much he hoped for my help, and how deeply my refusal cut? The thought makes my chest sink, but I don’t change my mind. That plan was terrible. Dangerous for both of us, and it would have stripped us of any future.
Lunch goes on as if nothing happened. Everyone sits at their tables. You can hear people whispering to each other, and the atmosphere is a little different from usual, but the staff works like always.
Hugh stands by the food counter, and I catch a glimpse of Pip moving through the back of the cafeteria. On the surface, it looks like an ordinary day.
