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No-way…
No-fucking-way…
Cold fury pumps through my veins. “I’m leaving.”
“Not until you hear me out.”
“You’re bent on using me as some baby incubator—and I’m not about that.”
“I need you to listen to me because what I’m about to say is of the utmost importance.”
“Fuck that.”
“The planet is toxic. People are dying before they reach thirty, and the situation isn’t correcting on its own.”
“Not my problem.”
“We drew your blood when we took you in to measure how healthy you are. We’ve determined that your genetics are healthier than ninety-seven percent of what we see, which means you’re adapting well to the planet’s changes.”
“Great, that means I’ll outlive you.”
She frowns. “That’s a given, at this point.”
My gaze drops, anchoring on the plate in front of me. What am I supposed to say to that?
She takes several papers from the file and passes them over to me. “While your blood is strong, your siblings are not so lucky. Your sister sits at eighty-five percent, and Caleb, seventy-two.”
I pick up the papers, eyeing the graphs. “What does that mean?”
“We’re still gathering data, but my guess is they’ll make it to their twenties and Carrie might even live so long as thirty.”
My heart drops to the pit of my stomach. “That…that can’t be…”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
I look up from the paper to Steph’s tired gaze. I see now that her eyes are bloodshot, and if I’m not mistaken, there’s a sore at her hairline.
“What can you do for them that you haven’t done for yourself?”
“A lot, actually. There are places on the planet that are cleaner than others, and our healthcare has come a long way. We understand what the toxins are doing to us now, and we’re getting better at fighting the effects.”
“Why don’t you live there, then?”
“Because I want to save the world, and in order to do that, I have to travel.”
Suddenly, I feel selfish. This woman risks her health to make the world better, and I’m balking at the role I’m asked to play. Then again, what’s being asked of me is downright cruel.
“As I said, you’re welcome to leave, but don’t expect us to help you and your siblings if you choose that path.”
“So, am I supposed to bend over and get banged by a bunch of dudes, or is this an artificial insemination type of situation?”
“The head of Venus recognizes that modern technology could go a long way with how we repopulate the planet, but with how much our advancements contributed to the deterioration of our planet, she’s created a system that relies on technology only when it’s essential.”
“And when is that?”
“As you’ve seen, we measured your health and your ability to adapt to the toxins in the environment. We also checked you against the available men to see who would be the best genetic match.”
“Ah, what does that even mean?”
