‘Enough to scare the holy bejabbers out of Land Institute,’ Nelinha says.
‘But I’m not going to lie,’ I conclude. ‘It’ll be a tough three years ahead of us. Rebuilding everything. Always looking over our shoulders for another attack. Those who are interested in staying, maybe just a show of hands …’
I hope about half of them will stay. For me, and for Ester, it’s not really a choice – it’s our destiny. But for the others … They could walk away and have normal lives, along with a robust chunk of change for their college savings accounts.
Instead, every hand goes up.
Gem makes a show of counting votes. ‘I think it’s unanimous. My only question is what’s next, Captain?’
‘To Harding-Pencroft!’ Nelinha yells.
‘To Harding-Pencroft!’ the crew responds. ‘To Captain Nemo!’
I share in the toast and the laughter. I am overwhelmed with love and gratitude for my friends. But in the back of my mind I’m also pondering Gem’s question: What’s next? Because there’s one conversation I still need to have, and it will be the hardest of all.
Dev paces restlessly in his cell.
I suppose I can’t blame him. It’s been two weeks. As nice as the former guest room is, he must be getting stir-crazy.
He stops when he sees me. He’s wearing khaki shorts and one of Luca’s old T-shirts that says UMBRIA JAZZ ’09. He’s gripping his arms, probably freezing, as usual.
‘You’re here.’ He tries to look angry, but his lower lip quivers. I can tell he’s on the verge of tears. This hurts even worse than the insults he’s thrown at me on my previous visits.
He marches to the grate across the doorway and grips the top of it with his fingers. He hangs there like Jupiter might. The barrier was created by the Cephalopods from nemonium mesh. It’s light and flexible, but Dev could never get through it, especially since he has nothing more dangerous in his room than a pillow and a roll of toilet paper.
‘You need me, you know.’
I was anticipating a lot of things he might say, but that wasn’t one of them. ‘Do I?’
‘You’re going after them, aren’t you? If you attack Land Institute, you’ll need somebody who knows their campus, their security, their people.’
I stare at him, trying to find the Dev I used to know. ‘You’re offering to help us?’
‘It’s better than staying in here forever.’ He shakes the grate. I’ve never known him to be claustrophobic, but now I’m starting to wonder. He seems panicky, lost, scared. ‘Let’s cut a deal. I help you, you let me go. You – you’ll never see me again, I swear.’
His words are crushing my heart, but I try not to show it. I shake my head. ‘No deal.’
‘Ana, please … I … What do you want? You let the others go. I can’t stay in this box forever. You’re not that cruel.’
‘Maybe not. But you’ll have to do something else if you want your freedom.’
He tilts his head, no doubt anticipating some kind of trap. ‘What?’
I wave at the security camera in the corridor. The grate slides open.
‘I have something to show you,’ I tell Dev. ‘Come on.’
He laughs incredulously. ‘You’ll just let me walk out of here?’
‘For the moment,’ I say.
‘Where are your guards?’
‘No guards,’ I say. ‘I asked everyone to stay clear. It’s just you and me.’ I raise an eyebrow. ‘If you want to try to overpower me, go ahead.’
Most animals, including humans, can sense fear. They can smell weakness. I am terrified, of course, but I guess I do a good enough job hiding it. Dev steps over the threshold cautiously, as if I might attack him.
‘This way.’ I turn and lead him down the corridor.
My shoulder blades tingle. I can sense my brother glaring at my back, thinking about different ways he could knock me unconscious and escape. I’m not at all certain he won’t try. But this is something I have to do. It will only work if I act like I’m completely in command – even if that’s not how I feel.
We stop at the vault door that leads to the lagoon.
‘Go ahead.’ I gesture to the lock. ‘It’ll still respond to your DNA.’
His eyes glitter coldly. ‘Now I know this is a trick. You’re letting me near the Nautilus? What did you do, program the door to shock me? Teach me a lesson?’
I feel so heavy and sad I can barely shake my head. ‘No tricks. No shocks. We’re not Land Institute, Dev. Neither are you.’