50 - TYSE

CHAPTER FIFTY

" I t's where I fed."

These words come out of Anneeta's mouth and it's so honest and innocent, that it actually takes several seconds of silence before I am able to put it all together.

She ate them.

Literally ate them? Like… chewed them up and shit?

Or drained them of spark?

Not that one is better than that other in the grand scheme of things, but given the choice, I would prefer the latter.

It's Clara who finds her voice first. "You ate them?" I think she's mad. But Clara Birch has been trained somehow. Trained to be… polite, or something. Manners have been ingrained into this woman in a way I can't even relate to, so that's all she says. One question, three words, loaded to the hilt.

Anneeta is not going to answer. And if I were her, I wouldn't answer that question, either. There is no good way out of this, it's done. We are in the middle of running from the Tau City Patrol and we're not even close to safe.

So I decide to take control here. "Take us, Anneeta. Clara, we can discuss this later, but right now we need to get the fuck out of this tower and onto that train. So whatever's in this room where we need to go, close your eyes and take my hand until we get through it."

Clara looks at me, squinting. Her gaze migrates over to Anneeta without breaking the squint and, in fact, she narrows her eyes down further until it becomes a glare.

Does she want to change her mind about feeding Anneeta spark so we can take her with us?

Maybe.

But it's too late now. Anneeta is the only way we get out.

So I say, "Please, Clara." And just as those words come out, the voice of Stayn echoes through the building. He's got some kind of megaphone, or something. A PA system, maybe. And he's talking to me.

" You're surrounded, Tyse. There's no way out. And we're not after you, you know that. We just want Anneeta and Clara Birch. If you hand them over, you're free to leave. Hell, you're free to stay if you want. This has nothing to do with you. It was a mistake that you got involved. And everything will be just fine if you hand them over ."

"Are we going, or what?" I'm looking at Anneeta as she says these words and her mouth is an angry sneer. "If so, follow me."

She doesn't wait for me to make a decision. If I'm going to betray her, she's gettin' the hell out of here first. Clara and I look at each other. She shrugs. "If you want to?—"

"Fuck off, Clara. I'm not turnin' ya in."

"I'm just saying?—"

"If that's all you got to say, then say nothing. Let's go." I grab her by the hand and pull her along at a run, trying to catch up with Anneeta.

Anneeta is waiting on a landing in front of a door a couple floors below. She doesn't look too sure of herself, so her little attitude was a bluff.

But when I glance down at Clara Birch, she's smirking like a girl who hasn't got a care in the world. "What the hell are you smilin' about?"

She really is smiling. And it grows bigger now. "Just… even if it doesn't work, I want you to know… I appreciate the effort."

Which makes me smile too. "Hey. What can I say? I'm a fighter."

I get an even bigger smile—which actually comes with a blush. "Yeah. And trust me, I'm taking notes for later. When a man pledges to save me, it come with a reward regardless of whether or not he succeeds."

"Oh, my god," Anneeta moans. "Can you two save it for later, please?"

I pan a hand at the door. "Lead the way, ya little spark-sucker."

She pulls a face at the insult, but Anneeta doesn't say anything else. Just opens and leads the way into a dark hallway. The lights do not come on, but there's power in here. Indicator lights on unseen pieces of equipment let off enough glow to allow us to see shadows.

When a weird smell hits my nose, I understand why there are no lights. Anneeta's keeping the them off on purpose because she doesn't want Clara to see the remnants of her friends. Whether they are shriveled-up skin suits, decaying meat sacks, or just bones—Anneeta knows better than to divulge this dark part of her inhuman soul.

If she even has a soul. Which, according to some—most, actually—gods do not. Because they are made by man and not created with spark like the rest of us. That's why she has to feed. To fill up the empty spaces inside her that make Anneeta something… other .

And again, I can't help feeling the connection between her and I. I was born human, but I was made into something else. It's not the same, but it might as well be.

Clara is sniffing the air as we walk. She knows where we are. She's right in front of me, Anneeta leading us both, and I've got my hand on her shoulder, urging her forward around and past the dark shadows.

But suddenly, my augments come alive. It's so unexpected and such bad timing that I take a step back. Then, without warning, the overlay is everywhere and when I look, I see that Clara is standing a little bit apart from us with one hand raised in the air. It's lit up with cyan-blue symbols and there is spark leaking out of her like a trickle of water might leak out of a hose.

If a trickle of water could defy gravity, that is. Because her spark is aimed upward. And there's only one reason for this.

She wants to light up the room.

She wants to see .

"Clara…" But there's nothing Anneeta can say. Not at this point. So she doesn't get past Clara's name.

Clara, to her credit, is in complete control of her emotions. And once again, I see that training she's had. It goes far beyond politeness and manners. It's self-restraint, and composure, and discipline.

Any other woman—hell, even a man, probably—would be losing their shit right now if they were looking at the remnants of their friends on the floor and they didn't have her training.

Anneeta sighs. Then, unexpectedly, she gives up. "Forget it. You two go. I'm staying."

I'm ready for this. I'm all for it. So I'm not about to argue with her. I reach for the hand Clara's not holding up in the air, but she shakes me off and turns to face Anneeta.

I hold my breath, wondering what she's gonna say.

Anneeta looks up at her and then breaks. Starting to cry. Because what is there to say?

There are bodies on the floor in different stages of decomposition. There are bones. There is skin. There is some flesh.

Still, Clara hasn't decided what to say yet. She just stares at the hungry little god like she's running scenarios through her head the way I used to when I was in Sweep.

Hell, what do I know about Spark Maidens? Maybe they can run scenarios in their heads?

Clara sighs. Then looks over her shoulder at me. "One of them is missing. Haryet is missing."

"I told you!" Anneeta is overreacting. Like a child might. Which, of course, she is. So these words come out too loud and with too much emphasis. She's also sobbing. "I didn't see her! I didn't feed on her! I'm not even hungry !" She screams this last part.

Clara does not so much has flinch. She is the definition of temperance. She takes one step towards Anneeta and points at her. The spark is still spilling out of Clara's finger, but it doesn't reach all the way to Anneeta. "I believe you." Clara's words are calm. Soothing, even. "We're never gonna talk about this again. But I'm making a rule right now. If you ever "—I can't see Clara narrowing her eyes, but I know she is—" ever —steal spark from someone, I will end you. I will fill you up with spark until you explode. I don't care if it happens next week, or next year, or next life time. You have a new rule, Anneeta the god of Tau City Tower Ruin. And your rule is you will never, ever again take someone's spark without permission. That's what animals do."

Anneeta recoils, gasping.

I might have things in common with her, but I don't know what kind of existential crises a little god might grapple with. If I had to guess, though, I'd imagine there'd be a lot of angst inside this girl about what she is . And more importantly, what she isn't .

"Do you understand me, Anneeta?"

Anneeta has been knocked so far off her high horse, she can't even speak. She just nods her head at Clara as tears stream down her frowning face.

The spark disappears from Clara's fingers, my overlay switches off, and we all let out a breath as the near-darkness surrounds us once again.

"Come on," I say, pushing past Clara and taking her hand at the same time. I saw the door when the spark lit the place up, so we're out of here. Anneeta follows, sniffling. Trying to get herself under control.

I pull the door open and suddenly I'm lit up with lasers.

The Versi comes out of the holster on instinct. Even before Stayn has a chance to say, "Drop your weapon!"

There isn't a chance in fuckin' hell I'll ever drop my weapon. And it's too late, anyway. Everything about how I use it is automatic and Stayn knows this. Because he knows what I am.

I think something, and the weapon reacts. It can even pick rounds. Flechette for moments when ya just wanna make a point. EMP for when the machines are comin' at ya. Time disruptors when the Omega dimension breaks through the veil. And lasers when you want a former friend to understand that if he targets you, you're gonna target him back.

"Hold your fire!" Stayn yells this. But their lasers still dance across my chest.

There is a connection between the Versi, and my arm, and my brain. A connection that was, up until last week, rather degraded. So much so that I had completely forgotten what it was like to be connected to the Versi in this way.

But a lot has changed in a week and let's just say, my memory has now been jogged.

There's a reason for the hair trigger that almost got me shot with flechette darts when Clara was waving the Versi around. It's because it's part of me. And sometimes—lots of times, actually, at least in the last seven years—it goes off without my permission. It could even be used by someone else.

But this connection I feel right now—it's like I'm nineteen again. Like I'm in my prime. And this makes me smile.

Stayn recoils. Then starts his bargaining. "Tyse. Listen to me."

"I've got no intention of listening to you. Get out of our way."

He hesitates. Then looks over his shoulder, like he's trying to gauge what he should do next. I do not follow his gaze. I don't need to. The Versi knows everything happening in this hallway right now. It's practically alive at this point.

"OK." He puts up a hand. Lowers his weapon. "Targets off." The red lasers dancing across my chest blink out one at a time. "There. We're all calm here, right?"

"Some of us more than others. But I'm not fuckin' joking with you. We're leaving and you're gonna forget about us."

"Tyse." Stayn laughs. It's a nervous laugh. "That's not even possible. I mean… the woman." He nods his head to Clara. "She's… ours . We paid for her."

I don't react externally, but inside, there are all kinds of what-the-fucks running through my brain. Paid for her? What ?

Then a memory of the party last night. We weren't expecting another delivery for three more months .

This is a transaction to Stayn. That's it. She's just… a product . Something bought and paid for.

"And Anneeta, Tyse." Stayn laughs again. Like this whole idea of me leaving with these girls is absurd. "She's our… she's our god . I know you figured that out. I know how smart you are. She can't even leave, Tyse. You're gonna kill her if you take her out of the tower."

"You don't own me!" It's a childish thing to say. But it's comin' out the mouth of a baby god, so entirely appropriate. "And you don't own Clara, either. She's mine ."

It's a risky move, but up-city Clara Birch knows better than to take that bait. She waits it out like a pro.

Stayn ignores Anneeta, unconcerned about whatever powers she may have. "We grew her, Tyse. We've paid for all the spark. It's all factory direct, on the up and up. We've got all the paperwork?—"

"She's not a product, Stayn. She's a…"

He laughs. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare . You, of all people, know better. You've been to the Outlands."

"And you haven't," I retort.

"But I've been briefed. You know there are… things out there that aren't right."

"Things like me, Stayn?" I stare right into his eyes. And I know mine are lightin' up because there's a spark of fear in him. "You as much said so last night, right? All operating augments have to be registered as non-human active warfare weapons. Sound familiar?"

"Well…" Stayn forces a chuckle. "Of course. But you're not operational, remember?"

This statement has two meanings. One. I am, of course, operational. So he's telling me that I do indeed need to be registered as a non-human active warfare weapon. But he's also saying that I could just agree with him. Say I'm not operational and he would look the other way.

Are most people really this spineless? That they would sell out so easily? With just the promise of safety?

Maybe they are. It's a sad thought. But I barely qualify as people, let alone most people, so it's not gonna play out that way with me.

When I don't say anything Stayn keeps going with his bargaining. "That little god belongs to Tau City. And how far do you think you'll get?" Anneeta whimpers when Stayn takes a step forward, but in the same moment a shield blast bursts out of the Versi as a warning. But it's a very serious warning because the acoustic pressure wave is strong enough to make Stayn stumble back six feet.

Stayn puts up his hands. "OK. Look, I'm not here to fight with you, Tyse. I know what you are, I know what you and that weapon can do, and you've got a very serious do-not-fuck-with-me face on right now. But listen. You don't have all the facts. There's a reason we need this god. The rules have changed, and if you leave here with her, you're gonna find that out real fuckin' fast. There's a war. The Game of Gods. Ever hear of it?"

I haven't, but I don't say nothing.

"It's a real thing. And every city needs a god if they want to play. And trust me when I say this, we don't have a choice. We play or we die. If you take her, you're sentencing everyone in Tau City to death. Death, Tyse. Millions of people for what? One god? You can keep the woman." He nods his head towards Clare. "We'll order another Spark Maiden when the time comes. We get them from a factory. They make hundreds of them every year. She's not even ripe. There are much better ones out there than her. We'll get ourselves a ripe one and in a few months we'll feed our little god, she'll level up like she's meant to, and it'll all be fine. So take the woman, but leave the god. That's all I'm asking. It's fair. You know it is."

I don't say anything. I'm still sortin' out this Game of Gods thing.

But the coolest thing about being an augment with a genetically assigned VersiStrike is that I have this luxury. I don't have to pay attention. I have time to think my way out of things.

Too bad for Stayn he takes my distant look as negligence.

Big mistake.

Because he comes at me, and in the same moment, the Versi lasers are targeting eighteen men in a wide arc, at the same time.

"One more step!" I warn him. "One more step, Stayn, and you're done. It won't even be up to me."

His lip curls up and his words come out as a growl. "Well… I think you're a fuckin' liar, Tyse. I think you're playing big. Acting like you're still in Sweep. But we both know you're washed up."

I sigh. Because he doesn't understand. And it's sad. I liked him. I did. But he's gonna get himself killed here right now and there won't be a damn thing I can do to stop it.

"One more step," I warn again.

And once again, he curls that lip like what I just said was nothin' but a dare.