“He is not one of us and he never will be!” Huck seethed. “I want this. I want this the way I planned it. And you have no authority to say no. Dispose of him or I’ll do it myself...the hard way.”
Spinning, Scott pushed his way past Grant and opened the door to the foyer. He snapped his fingers at the girl and when she looked up at him, he motioned to her flat desk. “Call Gordy.”
“Did Mr. Truman confirm the request?” she asked with a toothy smile.
“Get Gordy here, now,” Scott said again and he slammed the door.
“She won’t do anything without my approval. Like a good employee.” He paused. “Now...let me say a few things to dear Grant while you ready the vials. Get your gloves back on.” With steady, rhythmic steps, Huck slid over to Grant. Scott stayed stationary behind him with his arms crossed, unwavering. “This isn’t a personal choice. You don’t deserve to die. It’s simply that I will not make room for you here. That’s always been my fear, child, that everything I have worked on for so long will crumble because of an oversight, a crack. Lucy loves you, and why shouldn’t she?”
Grant’s mind drifted to the night he spent alone in Scott King’s bed. The brown sheets were soft and clean, and the downy comforter cocooned him against the hard mattress. He hadn’t slept that night because he was waiting for the virus to overtake his body. And all he could think about was seeing his mom again, and how grateful he was that she wasn’t alive to witness this. He had believed his father to be dead, too. Without people on the earth to love him, Grant waited for death with calm serenity. It wasn’t about Lucy then, or even about dying. It was about understanding how his death could have affected others.
And it wouldn’t have. Not really.
Not the way his death would affect Lucy now. Or his dad, alive, and waiting. It was different now than it had been before, and Grant wanted to scream that he deserved to live, so let him live. But his voice was stuck.
Even now, as Huck stormed forward, the determination set in the lines between his brows, he knew that if he thought too much about the aftermath of his passing, it would make his last few moments full of fear and longing. How many times had he been spared? At what point would a call for his life become a joke with a muddied punch line?
This time it was Gordy’s chance to come through Huck’s doors, and the moment the father made eye contact with his son, his fury shifted direction.
“She called you anyway? Demote her...”
“No, Dad,” Gordy said. “As a matter of fact, she tried to keep me from coming inside,” he shot a glare through the closing door. “But I got wind you had called for Scott and I couldn’t possibly understand why...seeing as how we discussed putting a moratorium on any changes to our Island populations for right now.”
“You decided that. I have remained constant in my desires. He’s not supposed to be here,” Huck said with a flippant flick of the wrist. “He’s not for my cause. He’s a danger...”
“Those things aren’t true, Dad,” Gordy said, unable to hide his contempt. “You’ve overstepped.”
“Are you out of your mind? You were the one cheerleading Copia...”
“And Copia is done.”
“You agreed...”
“To killing Grant when it could be easily covered up. Not anymore. To everyone on Kymberlin, the Copia crowd is enjoying their first night on their new Island. You think if word gets out that you’re offing members of our community that you won’t face a revolt? Muuez and Shay are dead because people could no longer trust them. If you misstep here, you are inviting the same demise. You don’t think this kid knows where he stands? You don’t think he understands the fragility, the precariousness of his life?” Gordy turned to Scott. “You won’t be needed. You may go. But I want to talk to the boy.”
“Gordy,” Scott said. “Your father mentioned that I’ve been...”
“This is clearly not the time, Scott,” Gordy snapped. “I have never been a fan of your waffling and your weak temperament. Your work is celebrated, but I’m not losing sleep over considering our partnership over. It’s not even that you cared about the boy. It’s that you lied. And continued to lie. And your lies cost us time, men, and energy.”
“I didn’t lie—”
Gordy gave a knowing stare and shook his head. “Don’t you think you’ve earned enough from us? Leave your credentials with the secretary on your way out. You won’t be called for any more late night emergencies.”
“I was promised a leadership role for my...”
“You have received everything you were promised,” Huck yelled. “And you’ve done nothing but work behind our backs.”
“That’s not true...”
“I’ve spared the child,” Gordy said wearily and he pointed to Grant. “But I will not go to bat for you. You are finished with the Elektos and your security clearance is revoked. Go enjoy some time as a civilian, Scott—your services with our government are no longer needed.”
Scott hesitated. He looked at Grant and then to Gordy, and he looked confused. Without another word, he grabbed his kit, but Gordy cleared his throat.
“Leave the virus, Scott,” he said.
Setting it back down, Scott looked at Grant and then to Gordy and Huck, and without another word, he made a swift exit, leaving Grant alone and exposed, the storm clouds gathering energy, rain spitting against the glass.
“You’re not dead because my sister somehow wants to tout you as some war hero...so, you’re safe today,” Gordy said. “Safe for now. But let’s understand something…we are watching you. You will champion Kymberlin and the Truman regime as long as you have breath. Your life depends on it.”
Both of them turned to the sound of shattering glass. Grant saw that Huck had ripped down the framed piece of creased, stained paper and tossed it to the ground. The glass in the frame broke into dozens of tiny shards, and Huck stared at the mess, pointing a long finger at the paper inside.
“It will crumble,” Huck said. He had gone trancelike, taciturn, vaguely inhuman. “And it will be your fault.” He turned to Gordy, his lips trembling.
“I’ll get someone to pick that up for you, Dad,” Gordy said smoothly. “You want me just to kill everyone? Just you and me living in your tower made of glass. We have fail-safes imbedded into each building, so you just say the word and I’ll knock us all down. Done. No more humans. Don’t forget that was Kymberlin’s plan. Not your muddled version...your perverted, warped sense of how this was supposed to work.”
“He’s a variable—” Huck hissed.
“So am I, Dad,” Gordy said in a near whisper. “I’m just not the type you prepared for. Give it up, Father. Just give it up.” He turned to Grant, sighed, and rubbed his eyes.
“Grant,” he continued, “I think it’s time to go home. Not a word. Am I clear?”
“Oh,” was all Grant could say. He looked at the broken glass and Huck’s twisted grimace. “Go home?”
“Yes.” Gordy pointed to the door. “Leave before I let him murder you. That usually involves hurrying.”
Nodding, Grant walked to the door, casting a long look at the grand piano for the last time, and then slipped out into the hall. He stood with his hand still on the knob long after he had heard the thick click, Gordy and Huck’s voices still carried on through the wood.
“Can I help you?” Huck’s secretary said. She was still chipper, but wary.
“I was told...to go home,” Grant told her with a frown.
“Housing questions can be directed to the concierge on the top floor of Kymberlin’s sky bridges. Two floors up. Can’t miss it.” She stared at him and he started to walk toward the elevator. With his back to her, she added, “Have a fantastic evening.”
Grant approached the sky bridge level concierge just like the woman had told him, but he could tell that something was wrong. As he walked toward her table, the woman froze, her face scrunched, and she seemed to undergo a moment of panic. It was very fleeting, almost imperceptible, and yet Grant could see it on her face as he got closer: she was surprised to see him. When he reached the table, she stammered out a kind hello and took a noticeable glance at the security camera above her head.