The Drafter
Page 113
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Avoiding the bugs in your car, he said, shoving Allen to the shadows and pulling his gun out. And deciding if I should pop you or not, he added when Allens back hit the brick. She could have killed me!
Unperturbed, Allen looked past Silass weapon to the rain-emptied parking lot. You should get some sleep. You look like hell, he said, the bag with the cat food crackling in his grip as he started for the lot. Silas shoved him into the shadows again, and Allen looked up, peeved. If she didnt shoot you the first second she saw you, she wasnt going to, he said tightly.
Silass lips twisted. Im calling it. Youre going to help me pull her out. Now. Tonight.
Allens disgust snapped to disbelief. I wasnt going to let her kill you!
This isnt about her pointing a gun at me, Silas whispered harshly, his grip on the Glock tight. You think shes never done that before? Im talking about ending this. We cant win, Allen. Shes too fractured. Tell Fran shes clear so I can pull her out.
Allens eyes slid to the gun. Three feet away, a cold spring rain hissed down, but here it was dry and dusty. We have a real chance at this.
Chance? Silas gestured wildly. There was never any chance. Were never going to get what we sent her here for. She needs to be pulled out. Fixed.
Allens focus sharpened. Is that what this is about? Her not remembering you? Peri is not broken.
You call what you made her into whole?
Hey! I did what I needed to do for both of us to survive, Allen said. Bill trusts me. He doesnt like me, but he trusts me. I can salvage this.
Dropping back, Silas sent his gaze to his gun, and then he shoved it into his pocket. Shes falling apart.
Shes fine.
She remembers Jack, Silas said, and Allens expression went blank.
A woman was approaching, and Allen drew Silas deeper into the shadows. How? There is nothing there. Id swear to it, he whispered.
They were silent until the woman went in, never having seen them. Satisfaction lifted Silass chin. His manipulations had held, had given Peri something to find the truth with. His fix never would have lasted if she hadnt trusted him. I used the latent memory of Jack as a mental cop to prevent her going into MEP, Silas said. Sort of an interactive hallucination.
Allens lips parted. And she knows its fake?
Silas nodded. She does now. You cant keep her ignorant. Your false memories are flaking away like cheap paint. She knows youre lying to her. Thats whyshe sent you out here for cat food. I hope you didnt leave anything you dont want her to find.
Allen pushed his glasses back up his narrow nose. Nothing she would be surprised at. What did you tell her?
When you were out cold on the floor of Eastown? Silas smirked. Not much. But Jack is filling her in. Sandy had one thing right. You never forget, you just dont remember.
Silas jerked when Allen poked him with a stiff finger. My life is in the open here, not yours, he said, eyes virulent behind his glasses. What did you tell her about me?
Silas smiled bitterly. Everything except who you work for, because I dont know anymore. You keep saying Peris gone native, but youre the one doing ugly things. I dont even remember why we agreed to this.
Uneasy, Allen shifted the grocery bag closer. Because she was going to do it with or without us. Hell, Silas. You dont have to scare me. Im scared enough already. I watched her fight what Opti did to her, is still doing. I had to remind myself she agreed to it when she was screaming at me, threatening to kill me. It took three weeks to turn her from a raving knot of defiance to what you saw walk into Eastown, and shes still shaky. You think I liked that?
Silas stiffened. Shes everything you ever wanted. Proud of yourself?
Allens lip curled. Will you get off your pity pony. There is nothing more Id like to do than call Fran and tell her Peri is with us a hundred percent, but I cant tell where her loyalties are. I cant give her the green to come in. She likes who she isa little too much.
You like what she is.
Shut up and listen to me. Im telling you she likes who she is. I dont care if shes fighting it, she likes the power and ability, the status that Opti gives her. The feeling of superiority after every task. She enjoyed what she did with Jack, enjoyed it to the point where she ignored the lies and obvious incongruities until they were rubbed in her face. Thats why they keep scrubbing her and starting over. She likes it. They know it. And thats why that Jack construct is still there. She wont let herself forget.
Silas backed up until a pylon hit his back. She agreed to help the alliance fast enough.
Which is the only reason Im continuing with this farce. That, and were in the best position weve been in for the last five years. You think I enjoyed stripping her down to nothing? Listening to her rave at me? Knowing I deserved it? She knew this might happen, and she agreed to it, but that doesnt make it any easier. Her core hasnt changed. But how she expresses it has.
Unperturbed, Allen looked past Silass weapon to the rain-emptied parking lot. You should get some sleep. You look like hell, he said, the bag with the cat food crackling in his grip as he started for the lot. Silas shoved him into the shadows again, and Allen looked up, peeved. If she didnt shoot you the first second she saw you, she wasnt going to, he said tightly.
Silass lips twisted. Im calling it. Youre going to help me pull her out. Now. Tonight.
Allens disgust snapped to disbelief. I wasnt going to let her kill you!
This isnt about her pointing a gun at me, Silas whispered harshly, his grip on the Glock tight. You think shes never done that before? Im talking about ending this. We cant win, Allen. Shes too fractured. Tell Fran shes clear so I can pull her out.
Allens eyes slid to the gun. Three feet away, a cold spring rain hissed down, but here it was dry and dusty. We have a real chance at this.
Chance? Silas gestured wildly. There was never any chance. Were never going to get what we sent her here for. She needs to be pulled out. Fixed.
Allens focus sharpened. Is that what this is about? Her not remembering you? Peri is not broken.
You call what you made her into whole?
Hey! I did what I needed to do for both of us to survive, Allen said. Bill trusts me. He doesnt like me, but he trusts me. I can salvage this.
Dropping back, Silas sent his gaze to his gun, and then he shoved it into his pocket. Shes falling apart.
Shes fine.
She remembers Jack, Silas said, and Allens expression went blank.
A woman was approaching, and Allen drew Silas deeper into the shadows. How? There is nothing there. Id swear to it, he whispered.
They were silent until the woman went in, never having seen them. Satisfaction lifted Silass chin. His manipulations had held, had given Peri something to find the truth with. His fix never would have lasted if she hadnt trusted him. I used the latent memory of Jack as a mental cop to prevent her going into MEP, Silas said. Sort of an interactive hallucination.
Allens lips parted. And she knows its fake?
Silas nodded. She does now. You cant keep her ignorant. Your false memories are flaking away like cheap paint. She knows youre lying to her. Thats whyshe sent you out here for cat food. I hope you didnt leave anything you dont want her to find.
Allen pushed his glasses back up his narrow nose. Nothing she would be surprised at. What did you tell her?
When you were out cold on the floor of Eastown? Silas smirked. Not much. But Jack is filling her in. Sandy had one thing right. You never forget, you just dont remember.
Silas jerked when Allen poked him with a stiff finger. My life is in the open here, not yours, he said, eyes virulent behind his glasses. What did you tell her about me?
Silas smiled bitterly. Everything except who you work for, because I dont know anymore. You keep saying Peris gone native, but youre the one doing ugly things. I dont even remember why we agreed to this.
Uneasy, Allen shifted the grocery bag closer. Because she was going to do it with or without us. Hell, Silas. You dont have to scare me. Im scared enough already. I watched her fight what Opti did to her, is still doing. I had to remind myself she agreed to it when she was screaming at me, threatening to kill me. It took three weeks to turn her from a raving knot of defiance to what you saw walk into Eastown, and shes still shaky. You think I liked that?
Silas stiffened. Shes everything you ever wanted. Proud of yourself?
Allens lip curled. Will you get off your pity pony. There is nothing more Id like to do than call Fran and tell her Peri is with us a hundred percent, but I cant tell where her loyalties are. I cant give her the green to come in. She likes who she isa little too much.
You like what she is.
Shut up and listen to me. Im telling you she likes who she is. I dont care if shes fighting it, she likes the power and ability, the status that Opti gives her. The feeling of superiority after every task. She enjoyed what she did with Jack, enjoyed it to the point where she ignored the lies and obvious incongruities until they were rubbed in her face. Thats why they keep scrubbing her and starting over. She likes it. They know it. And thats why that Jack construct is still there. She wont let herself forget.
Silas backed up until a pylon hit his back. She agreed to help the alliance fast enough.
Which is the only reason Im continuing with this farce. That, and were in the best position weve been in for the last five years. You think I enjoyed stripping her down to nothing? Listening to her rave at me? Knowing I deserved it? She knew this might happen, and she agreed to it, but that doesnt make it any easier. Her core hasnt changed. But how she expresses it has.
