This time, though, absent the Tower’s chaotic environment and mind-dulling drugs, I realize I know what he’s saying. Asking, rather.
Are you okay?
Instantly, I’m transported elsewhere. TheAurora,in a corridor. But the gleaming wooden panels are gone. The walls here are more industrial-looking, plain smooth metal bolted into place. The hum in my bad ear is almost unbearably loud, and dizziness washes over me in waves. My head feels… wrong. Burning with pain, in fiery jagged lines across my skull, as if it’s shattered glass barely hanging together in a frame. But I’m up, on my feet.
Are you okay?Kane asks again, this time slowing the words and enunciating the syllables carefully.
He realizes I can’t hear him. But I can feel the thrum of the engines beneath my feet, and a distant, irregular high-pitched noise that takes me a long moment to identify as someone screaming. Who is screaming?
I’m good.I manage to form the words, though they are thick and slurry with pain.
Then Lourdes comes into view behind him. She is whole, intact. No bloodied hands, no missing eyes. She bites her lip in worry, then releases a stream of words that I can’t catch.
To my shock, Kane turns toward her, acknowledging her presence.
She’s alive?
Surprise makes my breath catch in my throat, and that is enough to break the delicate thread connecting me to the scene before me.
Kane and Lourdes vanish, and I’m once again in my locked cabin onAres.
My wobbling knees start to give, and I fumble for the desk chair, sitting heavily in it before I fall.
What wasthat? A hallucination… or a returning memory?
I shake my head and wince at the phantom pain from an injury long healed. I don’t understand this.
My hands are trembling, and I lace my fingers together in my lap to make them stop.
None of it makes any sense. The back of my head on the right side was throbbing like it was in pieces and barely holding together—it had to have been after Voller and the drill, but…
I don’t remember anything from then. There’s nothing but blackness. Not even a gap or an empty spot. Just… nothing.
I assumed that was because I was unconscious. I have no memory of being moved to the bridge or Lourdes hurting herself because I wasn’t aware at the time.
But what if that’s not right?
My heart races in my chest, a sensation mixed with queasy anticipation and outright fear.
If I’m missing a piece from that brief window in time, how can I be sure I’m not missing more than that?
I stand up again, my legs still trembling but more solid beneath me now, and cross the room to bang on the door. “Hey!”
No response, and panic zips through my veins. Are they just going to ignore me for the whole trip?
“Hello?” I pound some more, and eventually footsteps sound outside the door.
“You’re not getting out, Kovalik.” Reed sounds impatient. “You know if you’d just cooperated with me and—”
“I need something to write with,” I interrupt. “Something to write on.”
This time alone… maybe I can use it. Going over what I do remember, paying more attention to what I’m seeing when Kane and Lourdes and Voller appear instead of trying to avoid them.
“Isn’t it a little late to be worrying about getting your story straight?” Reed asks, the sneer coming through loud and clear even through the closed door.
Officious prick. I hope whatever is on theAuroragets him. Before it gets me, at least.
“Can you just get me something? Or do you need to check in with Max first?” I ask, the words dripping with faux sweetness.
