An exasperated look from Ribos makes Evo glance away. “Aera, you may not want to see what I am. I suggest you wait for me outside.”
I squeeze his gloved hand. “I’m staying. You saved my life. The least I can do is be here for you now. If you’re still carrying bad code, then let’s find a way to solve that, together.”
Evo nods like he wishes I’d leave but doesn’t have the heart to demand it. He lets go of my hand and reaches up to his high collar, where his helmet hides, and clicks something on each side. The suit hisses and peels open. Then he twists a series of levers down his chest to his belt, where he unhooks the top from his pants.
As Evo grabs the pieces to remove them, his face darkens, making his eyes look far brighter. When he pulls the armor from his muscled torso, he reveals void-black skin that shimmers with a patchwork of stars and galaxies.
He is, dare I say, beautiful. Not in the pretty and flowery sense. But there is an awe in me when I lay eyes on his muscled body that evokes far more than giggles and glitter. Evo was designed, assembled, given nano solution, and powered up. And this is what he became.
Whoever created him did a stunning job.
Steele, Brodin, and Daken look on with wide eyes from the edge of the room, expressing how I feel, while I’m desperately trying to pretend like everything is normal because I think that’s what Evo needs.
Ribos rests a hand firmly to Evo’s bare shoulder, and Evo’s skin ripples outward with the medic’s metallic hue and sheen, even replicating the red stripe down his chest. When Evo’s body has returned to a solid state, Ribos connects his device to several ports in Evo’s back and one in the front.
Evo notices the fluid leaving his body and makes a strangled noise at Ribos, who nods like he agrees.
“Nanotoner is darker than I remember, but I’m going to run every test I can.” Ribos keeps his hand on Evo’s shoulder as he works. While Ribos pulls the scans up on a nearby screen,Brodin sits beside me, but on the end of the bed, watching closely.
“I’m sorry I pushed you into this,” Brodin says. “I mean, sending you away when we were all dying. I didn’t just do it because I knew what you were. I did it because you’re like a daughter to me. With Isa gone, I’m…” Brodin glances over his shoulder at me. “I’m worried I’m going to lose you, too. Just be careful.”
“It’s more likely I’m going to lose you,” I admit. “How long were you starving yourselves to feed me?”
“Just a few weeks.” He waggles his head. “A month…or two.”
“Damn it, Brodin.” I cover my mouth with a hand so he can’t see the quiver in my lips. “Don’t ever do that again.”
He turns to me. “One day, you will understand this feeling when you take over caring for the next generation. Sacrifices have to be made. Isa and I never got to have our own children because of the demands of our jobs. And we still couldn’t protect your parents in the end. For that, I am sorry. And I may try too hard to keep you safe because I failed before.”
I can feel Evo watching us. “Brodin, you didn’t fail. We’re here. We’re united, what’s left of Omega Force and Titan Force. Now, I want you and the others to rest, sit out for this next mission. I will be fine.”
“No way,” Daken says. “If you go, we go. Boarding a Solcrue vessel is basically walking into a trap for you.”
“I need you alive more than I need you with me all of the time,” I tell them. “You stay. Chasm’s order. And Solcrue ships are traps for all of us. So that’s not an excuse. I am the healthiest. You sent me into space alone.Thatwas a risk. We’ll be infiltrating with others who are just as familiar with Solcrue cruelty and are just as starved for revenge as we are.”
Evo blinks code from his eyes as a kind-faced Titan walks in with short, brown hair and a body that looks like it folds into a ball like Castor’s.
“Hi, I’m Tumble. I heard there was a request for food for three human males, and a place to shower and rest. Brodin, Steele, and Daken?” The Titan smiles at me. “Hello, Aera. I will take good care of your family.”
“Hello… Tumble.” I glance at Evo, who watches me closely. “Thank you.”
A one-wheel droid zooms into the room from the hallway and circles my friends, a single oculus blinking on top and one set of metal pinchers clicking together. “Family!”
Tumble rolls his eyes as the droid races out again. “Don’t mind CB. He is Savage’s creation. He likes to greet new members.”
Brodin reluctantly gets to his feet. I catch his hand as he’s about to follow Tumble and the others.
“Thank you.”
Brodin looks down at our hands and gives mine a gentle squeeze. “For what?”
“For trusting me.Entrustingme with the fate of our people. I didn’t feel it before. But…in the end, you still did.”
He meets my eyes. “Trust was never on my mind. I believed in you, in your heart, in the person you are inside. Anyone can carry nano code in their blood. It takes a special kind of person to fight when there is little left working in their favor.”
Evo shifts on his bed.
Brodin slips my grip and meets Daken and Steele in the doorway. Daken takes one more glance back at me, then at Evo, nods like he’s figured something out, and leaves with Tumble.
