Waking Gods
Page 57

—I’m not. She’s the only one who didn’t lie to me.
—Look, Eva, I’m not sure what you think you know—
—I know you and Kara didn’t want me.
—Kara didn’t want Alyssa to knock her unconscious, strap her to a table, and remove her eggs without her consent. That doesn’t mean she didn’t want you. She had no idea you even existed. No one did, except for Alyssa. The minute she heard about you, Kara was gone. She went against orders to go get you! There were a lot of bad things going on, people dying, but she went to get you. Do you know where I was when she left?
—Where?
—I was missing. I was stuck with Themis at the bottom of the ocean and no one knew where I was. But she left anyway because she thought you might be in danger. Do you understand what I’m saying? There was no one more important to her. She’d never met you in her life, not once, and you were the most important thing in the world to her.
—She didn’t care about me. She wanted a pilot for Themis.
—Kara died so you could live, you ungrateful little brat! Show some respect.
—I saw her die.
—I saw her die too.
—I mean before. I saw her die before, in my dreams. I saw a metal woman, like Themis, but now I know it was her. I thought she was falling upwards into the clouds. It didn’t make any sense. I had that same dream all the time. They thought there was something wrong with me. They thought I was crazy.
—Did you see her face? In your dreams?
—Not really. It was…it was different, but I know it was her.
—Well, let me tell you something Eva. I saw her fall in my head too, over and over again. I still see her. She’s falling backwards, her arms spread, and she disappears into a sea of white. That’s what you saw, right?
—Yes.
—Me too. It’s all I could see. Over, and over, and over. Then last night it hit me. Kara left everything to find you. She left her work, she left me, she left everything when the world needed her the most because she wanted to make sure nothing happened to you. She would have given anything, sacrificed anything to save you. And she did, she gave her life, and she saved you. That was the most important thing to her. So when she closed that hatch and fell backwards into a sea of white smoke, I know she had a smile on her face. She died happy, and she died proud. Close your eyes.
—I don’t want to.
—Close your eyes! I want you to see her. Kara. Your mother. See her fall with a huge grin on her face. She won. She took on Russian mercenaries, giant alien robots. She took on the entire universe and she won. She did what she set out to do. Your mom was a badass motherfucker. I know you didn’t get to know her, but Kara had the most beautiful smile when she was proud of herself. Smug, like you wouldn’t believe. Made you want to punch her in the face, but it was beautiful.
—Do you hate me?
—Why would I hate you?
—You said Kara died to save me. It’s OK if you hate me.
—I don’t hate you, Eva. Kara would’ve lived if I’d been faster. She’d still be alive if I were as brave as the two of you. It’s not your fault, believe me. Besides, you don’t know Kara like I do. She’d come back from the dead if she thought I was angry at you. She’d claw her way out of the grave just to slap me around.
—I’m sorry she’s dead.
—Me too.
—Was there a funeral?
—No. They wouldn’t send a team to UN headquarters until this morning. They called me an hour ago when they found her body.
—Where will you bury her?
—I won’t bury her. I’d like to. I’d like to have a place to visit her, but she didn’t want to be buried. She thought it was creepy. She wouldn’t watch zombie movies with me either.
—You can keep her ashes. My friend Angie had her sister’s in her room.
—Nah. She’d hate it. She’d want me to scatter her ashes and have a party. Will you do that with me?
—Scatter her ashes?
—Yeah. I’ll get someone to fly us over Detroit on a helicopter. Seems fitting.
—I’ve never been in a helicopter.
—Me neither. I’m afraid of heights, remember. So it’s settled then. Just you and me, and a helicopter pilot, I guess.
—…
—Look, I don’t know how to do this any more than you do, but I’m trying.
—…
—Is that a yes, Eva?
—OK.
—Good. We’ll do that before we leave.
—Where are we going?
—I don’t know. I haven’t figured that out yet. Somewhere safe.
—But when will I start training?
—Training for what?
—Themis! When do I start training to pilot Themis? That’s what you need me for, isn’t it?
—What are you talking about? I don’t want you to do anything!
—You don’t understand! It’s OK. I want to do it.
—Eva…I know you want to help, but—
—That’s what I’m supposed to do!
—Eva, you’re ten years old!
—But it’s what I was made for! That’s why Alyssa made me. I’m…I’m a tool. That’s my purpose.
—I…First of all, Alyssa didn’t “make” you, stop saying that. She spent all of twenty minutes in a lab. The woman who carried you inside her for nine months made you. Second, who gives a crap what Alyssa thought? Your mother d…Kara died so you could live. I wouldn’t be much of a father if I put you in harm’s way now. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you, Eva. I want you as far away from that robot as possible.
—People are gonna die if we don’t do anything!
—People are gonna die anyway.
—You’re just gonna let them die? You’re not even gonna try?
—If it means keeping you safe, then yeah. I’m just gonna let them die. I’m your father, Eva.
—No you’re not! You can’t tell me what to do!
—Eva.
—Get out of my room!
—Eva, I—
—GET OUT!
 
 
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