Tool

Chapter Fifteen

"Part of the reason I didn't want you to come here was I didn't want to have this conversation with you," he said, after a few moments of silence. "I know how you feel about Jonathon, and your emotions make it more difficult."

"What? Tell me, Nicholas. I can't help you unless you talk to me." An icicle of fear had gone through her heart when he had mentioned Jonathon. Had he lied to her or hurt Nicholas in some way?

The clone rubbed his face with his hands. "Fine. I don't trust him. I don't think he was about to rescue me; I think he was about to kill me, and I also think you knew of it, too."

If she'd have been able, Aurelia might very well have stood up and walked out on him right then. How could he? Did he really think she would betray him? She tried to remind herself that he'd only known her for a couple of weeks, but still, she thought he knew her better. Since she couldn't go anywhere, and even the thought of yelling made her chest hurt, she asked as patiently as she could: "What makes you think that?"

"I heard, Aurelia. I heard the conversation you two were having when you came to tell me about the escape plan. That damn corridor outside was like an echo chamber; I could hear everything."

She remembered the sound of footsteps in the corridor he mentioned, the sound of a hospitality Worker bringing them tea, and knew he was right. He would have heard any conversation that went on outside of his door. What she didn't know was what exactly he had heard. "Tell me," she ordered.

"Jonathon said I was a dangerous man, and it was best for all of you if you got rid of me now." Nicholas spoke quietly.

Gods. He had said those words; she remembered it distinctly. But all he'd meant was it was better for Nicholas to go to Earth than stay in Lunar, nothing more sinister.

"Then later," Nicholas continued, "you asked me what you should do if something happened to me, who you should contact. It seemed obvious then how you were . . ."

"Stop!" she shouted, though it burned her chest with effort. "Enough. Nicholas, you are a grade-A idiot, and there's nothing more that I'd like to do right now than slap you."

His eyes wide with shock, he stared at her. "You mean . . ."

"I mean we had no underhanded plan, no intention of hurting you in any way. We were willing to risk ourselves to save you and get you away from danger on the moon?"

"But why . . ." He seemed incapable of finishing a sentence.

"Because we're in this together, because I believe in your cause, because you saved Jonathon's life. Now look what you've done. What have you achieved here?"

He hung his head and looked shamefaced. "Aurelia, I don't know what to say. I really did think, well, you know, and I wanted to spare you from any participation. It seemed easier to get myself out so you didn't have to live with knowing you'd been my downfall."

She reached a shaking arm and clasped his hand, his skin smooth and warm. "Nicholas, you've got to learn to trust. I'm your friend. You can trust me. I would never try to deliberately hurt you, and I will do anything I can to avoid anyone else hurting you. Do you understand that?"

When he looked at her, his eyes were glistening. "I guess. Trust is . . . hard. Especially in Lunar."

She saw the truth in what he said. Despite having been in the city for only a little time, she already knew that trusting was not something Lunar citizens did, or even aspired to. And she also understood Nicholas had been moved by what she'd said.

"I didn't know clones could cry," she teased him.

He rolled his eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you that my biology is the same as yours?" he asked, but at least he'd given her a small grin.