“You always come back to life,” Fanny said with a grimace that suggested she wasn’t nearly as pleased by that little detail as I wanted her to be.
Us alivewas a very good thing.
I stepped out from behind Griffin. Immediately his arm shot out to hold on to me. I leaned into his grip so he wouldn’t fear for my safety any more than necessary.
“You say ‘humans’ like we maybe … aren’t human?”
Had I ever asked such an outrageously unbelievable question in my entire life, over however many reboots? I doubted it.
“Of course you’re not. How could you be?”
“Right,” Layla said in a deadpan. “How could we be?” She blinked as if in a daze.
I was in one too. There had to be a reason for our immortality that I’d known. But surely we were human…
Fanny seemed to lose herself to her own thoughts for several moments.
So I pressed, “Uh, if we’re not human, then what the ever-loving fuck do you think we are?”
Fannytsked in annoyance, whipping up a hand that silently said,Stop. At least it wasn’t her gun hand.
“Stand down,” she said, but not to us. “I’ve got it under control.”
The chip in her head.
“I said, I’ve got it, Todd. Now be silent until I say otherwise.”
Her stare narrowed back on me. Greed, or perhaps disapproval, swam in it once more.
“Joss Bryson.” She chuckled, probably at her inside joke that my family name was invented along with the rest of my supposed past. “Just because you look human doesn’t mean you are human. Or at least, not entirely human. In some ways, you’re as human as any Joe Schmo. In other ways, you’re so much more extraordinary. You aren’tjusthuman. Appearances can be deceiving.”
Layla grumbled only for us.
“Fanny,” Hunt said, his tone level, serious. It was hislet’s get down to business and get answerstone. “Please, we’re understandably confused. Give it to us straight. If you’re certain we aren’t fully human, please, what are we, then? And where do we come from if not from Ridgemore? Also, what is Uncle Magnum, and where’s he from?”
Fanny uncrossed her arms, dropping the gun back to her side. Sunlight glinted across its shiny metal.
“That’s where our little deal comes in. You want me to give you answers that explain your existence?” She spread both arms like a showman, the gun pointing off to the side for moments. “I can do that for you. I have those answers.”
“And in exchange?” Hunt asked.
“Besides letting you go today? You want me to be even more generous?” She tutted. “Of course you do. You always want more.”
Layla commented privately.
“Fine,” Fanny went on. “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know about yourselvesandI’ll let you live today—”
“So generous of you, indeed,” Layla grumbled. My girl really couldn’t help herself.
Fanny glowered at her. “All you have to do is tell me how you transfer your immortality to someone else.”
It took me a second to register that she was talking only to me right now.
“And how you steal powers from others.”
“Oh, is that all?” Layla quipped.
Fanny whirled toward her. “Shut it, young lady. Or I’ll be very happy to make you.” She tapped her gun against her thigh a few times.
