What could she do?She had a moment where she imagined the life her daughter would have. Controlled. Not her own. Living trapped. Like she did for so many years with Paul. Panic rose, choking her. The baby kicked under her hand again.There has to be something I can do. I’m the only one who can protect her. What can I say?
Anna swallowed, nausea rising. She couldn’t throw up here. Not now. She forced herself to take deep breaths. The helpless feeling she’d had almost her entire life began to creep in. The inability to do anything for herself. And earlier—she said she wasn’t going to be kept, but what could she really do? She nibbled her lip, rubbing her belly.
She looked across the gathering. Stella and Atlas were arguing but the other androids, the Stella clones, watched her with detachment. They didn’t care. They were watching her like a show.
Her hands shook.Think. Anna. Think.She crossed her arms over her stomach.I have someone I need to protect now.Her baby needed her.
If they didn’t want her memories or her work, what could she offer? The answer solidified slowly. A trade.
Myself.She shuddered.I’ll trade myself.If her baby could be free, she would do whatever it took.
She closed her eyes, trembling in place. She could trade her baby as the subject for herself. She pressed in on her stomach, harder.
That’s how it always was, wasn’t it?
Nobody in life ever gave you something nice without expecting something in return.
Arguments continued around her, Atlas and Nora going toe to toe with the others.
“Atlas?” She put a hand gently on Atlas’s side. “Is the neurochip safe for adults?”
“Why?” He pulled back, grabbing both her arms. “Anna? You can’t possibly be thinking of doing this?”
“Please answer.”
“Yes.” His eyes took on a worried, assessing look. “The neurochip suppresses intense emotions through the nerves. No long-term effects. But . . .”
But Anna only halfway heard the answer. Instead, her gaze became fixed over Stella’s head.I’m not going to be kept. I’m not going to stay in that facility. I’m not going to let them put me or my baby in that glass box.
“Okay,” she heard herself say, “I’ll make a deal with you, Stella. If it is only monitoring, and doesn’t control anything other than that anger, and you’ll let us stay here . . . I’ll do it. Not my baby, but me. That’s the trade.”
That stopped everyone cold.
“What?” Atlas stuttered. His face was slack.
“If you need data I’ll give it. If you want to monitor everything about my pregnancy, I’ll do it.” Blood pounded in her ears and she pointed at the little warehouse. “But in return you need to leave us alone out here to live.”
“Oh.” Stella had a calculating gleam in her stare. “But we want the baby.”
Like Hell Stella was getting her baby. Over Anna's dead body.
“I’m pregnant,” Anna said. “I’ve got hormones going every which way. I know that has to be interesting to you. Plus, I’m willing to do it.”
“But . . .” Stella started.
Leo put an arm across Stella’s chest. “Maternal hormonal data would be very helpful.”
“It’s not ideal.” Stella stomped her foot. “Even you said starting from infancy would be the best way to integrate everything.”
“You aren’t getting my baby!” Anna said. “Forget that, right now. I’ll ship myself back to Earth before that happens. This is what I’m offering. And if you want to see a fighting human, I’ll fight you every day if you try to mess with my baby. Forget any dreams of . . . of . . . integration.”
Anna stood her ground. The androids around Stella all stiffened, moving in a freakish unison. “I’m offering myself. It’s either this or nothing. I’m willing to cooperate. The deal is for me, only. You will get willing data on us out here, doing our own thing instead of in your human area. Take it or leave it.”
“Anna.” Atlas’s hand was gentle on her arm again, steadying her. “Stop. You don’t have to do this.”
“I do.” She wiped tears away. “Fuck it, Atlas, I do. I need to protect my baby.”
No one spoke for a minute. Anna forced herself to keep her head high, eyes on Stella.
