“I guess that’s fine.” Pearl looked in disdain over at Tilly, who had her face pressed against the window. A beautiful red bird was outside.
“I thought you said they were going to wear a chip or something,” Ria said. “Make it so they can’t be dangerous? I don’t see anything on them. I don’t feel safe with them without it. Even living on the other side in the west wing isn’t enough.”
The red bird flew away as Tilly whipped around.
“A chip?” Unease filled Anna’s gut. “What do you mean?”
Nora turned to Simon, eyes narrowed. “I’m not wearing any chips.”
Tilly spoke with her back still pressed against the window. “I’m not gonna hurt anyone!”
“I know, baby,” Nora said. “Simon?”
Simon tilted his head. “My hardware is outdated. I’ve heard nothing of this.”
Atlas didn’t immediately respond. And to Anna, that hesitation spoke volumes. Her gut swam.He’s hiding something.Absolutely, yes, he was hiding something. Sweatpooled down her back. And there she was, acting like a fool earlier walking around with him. Smiling in the sunlight.
Thinking he was handsome.
“I’m not dangerous.” Anna’s hands balled at her sides. “I’ve never hurt anything in my life.” She held up her palm, showing the half-healed scar there. “In fact, life seems out to get me most days.”
Atlas's eyes rested on her hand. He stepped in between the two sides. “There are no current plans to do anything like that, Ria. These humans are now a part of our colony. They are not a danger.”
The way he said that . . . Anna kept her eyes on him.Does he really mean it?
Ria’s face, set in a scowl, said enough.
“Can we leave?” But Pearl waved in front of herself. “We met them, okay? Just keep them in the west wing, far from us.”
Ria turned around, using her arm to balance on the couch. “Yes. Let’s go.”
Both of them started to walk off.
Sterling just sighed before calling after them, “We do expect integration at some point.”
“What for?” Pearl shouted over her shoulder. “Wait until we’re dead then! We aren’t even all gone yet, and you’re already trying to replace us.”
“I told you!” Anna called out. “We’re not trying to replace anyone! We just needed a safe place to go.”
The two humans didn’t turn back but Sterling did, and his eyes were both distant and assessing. “I think we need some time, everyone. This is a lot for them to accept.”
Then he joined them, talking softly so the words didn’t travel back. The door clicked behind their exit.
The room was empty now, but the tension lingered.What is happening here? Chips? Control?Her eyes darted upward.And cameras everywhere?
Anna stepped back like when Paul was in a mood, trying to make herself small and out of the way. She crossed her arms and forced herself to stand still.Not doing that here.Anything here on Mars was better than being stuck back in the bakery with him.
“They’re not thinking rationally,” Atlas said stiffly. “You’re not like the humans from before.”
Nora already was pacing. “What did they mean by some chip?”
“There was talk. . .” Atlas’s forehead creased in the middle. “They wanted to help integrate humans by using a neurological chip. A halfway point. The idea was that maybe some humans could become more like us.” He made eye contact with Anna. “But it’s all theoretical.”
A cold sweat broke out on Anna’s arms. “What do you mean more like you?”
“The chip would allow a human to become a mixture of man and machine. It would allow us to relate to each other better. Kind of like an implant or a computer.”
“An implant?” Her back stiffened. “Like putting something inside us?”
