“I didn’t mean it like this.” He dropped his voice. “Not to encourage you to sacrifice yourself.”
“It’s not a sacrifice; it’s protection.”
Atlas’s face contorted and smoothed.
“Atlas . . . please.”
Anguish crossed his expression as his eyes darted between hers. Finally, he dropped his head. “Fine. But I’m going to be the one that puts it on you.” He looked up at Stella. “I don’t want you touching her at all. And I’m in charge of the data.”
“You?” Stella said. “I think you’re too biased to handle the data.”
“Sterling then,” he bit out. “But I’m in charge of her health. I’m her doctor, after all.”
Anna felt a lump in her throat. “Thank you, Atlas.”
Finally, he seemed to unfreeze as he took her hand. “Alright.”
She squeezed back, then let go to turn back to her little warehouse. To where she bought her daughter’s freedom.
Chapter twenty-eight
Atlas
Atlas telling Anna that the androids were confused was an understatement. Mixed emotions were broadcasted over the communal mind. And of course, here he was, right in the middle. Completely helpless.
There had to be a way to fix this. His hands clenched tight on the hover’s steering wheel while he listened to their discussion. That at least he could do: advocate and be present. The entire ride back to the facility he reached for calm, reminding himself that it wouldn’t be helpful to chuck Stella out of the vehicle into the forest outside. Into the wheat fields. The lake. Outer space.
And Stella sat next to him, her hands arranged in her lap. Smug. Her stupid smug face that he couldn’t do anything about.
Atlas spat at her, “I do not agree with this.”
“You don’t have to.” Stella smiled. “Anna did. You can play house or whatever, but she did agree. Look at those maternal instincts, protecting her baby.”
“That’s the only way she would agree.”
“Come on, Atlas.” Stella sighed. “The chip won’t hurt anything and you know it.”
“It’s not only about physical damage.” His hands tightened on the hover’s side panel. “It will change who she is. They don’t need to change anything, Stella. She is just making a home.”
“Well.” Stella crossed her arms. “We made a deal. I’m not standing in her way of claiming that ridiculous building. Besides, we got the worst end of the bargain. This is still not enough. She should be wearing it here, where we can monitor her more closely. And we should get one in the baby once we . . . break the idea in.”
“No.” Atlas’s voice was tight. “The deal is only for Anna. It was witnessed by the whole communal mind.”
“I know.” Stella reached out to touch his sweater sleeve. “Look, Atlas. I will uphold my bargain. This is a win-win for both of us, don’t you see?”
Atlas jerked his arm away, making the entire hover wobble. “It is still wrong.”
“This is insurance!” Stella’s voice was as shrill as she could make it. “You’re choosing humans over us. You will regret this, Atlas. They will give us data so they can’t take over and destroy this sanctuary.”
“Really?” He scoffed. “You don’t really believe that, do you, Stella?”
“Well, not with them. But if we let them walk all over us, do what they want? It’s a damn slippery slope, Atlas.”
He pulled up to the facility and turned off the hover. “You’re wrong. You are the fucking slippery slope.”
Shock crossed her expression, her perfect mouth hung open.
Atlas stepped out of the hover before Stella could argue further. In the distance Sterling was waiting outside the facility. He walked out to meet them, frown on his face.
