RoboNomics

Chapter 88 - 2016

Joe drags me back through the bowels of the building while Chris and Shari follow. I struggle as we go, but Joe holds my wrists tightly. He's still a wall of a man.

"What are you doing?" I scream at Chris. "Where are you taking me?"

"Shari's right," he replies. "We can't trust you. But we need you. It's not good enough for us to wait around while you wrestle with your conscience. We're going to need your skills in the next while -"

"While?" I interject. "How long is a while?"

"Look, You won't get hurt. And we'll tell him you're safe."

I grit my teeth at the mention of Austin. I try to remember old advice about breaking free of hands that hold wrists. But before I can do anything, Joe thrusts me into a room I haven't seen yet. It's dark and small. Everything is washed in the warm, pinkish glow of underground lighting.

I see two rows of equipment. There are wires and monitors, servers that are dented and grey with aging dust. They are cobbled together with sleek black machines that resemble those from the iTronics tower. The room is barren, with grey concrete foundation-walls and that slightly uncomfortable chill that computers have always required to function.

"You'll be fine, Andrea," Chris says. "You'll see this is the only way."

He glances at Shari and Joe. He nods towards the door and they file out. As it closes behind them, I realize I'm about to be trapped in here with him. I run forward, but it's hopeless. He catches me easily, grabbing my arms.

I gasp, an inward shock at his touch. I hate the fire it lights within me -- after all this time and everything he's done.

"Andrea, please!" His tone, for the first time since I saw him in Toronto, is gentle. "We need your help. I know this hasn't been pleasant," he looks around the room. "But we can't do this without you. We need to know that you'll stay. We need a guarantee."

"So you're planning on what? Locking me up like a prisoner?" I nearly shout, shaking with rage.

"I don't want it to be like this."

Despite myself, his eyes are the only things I can see. He strokes my cheek.

"Wha...what are you doing?" I move my head beyond his reach.

"This is what you want, isn't it?"

"Since when do you care about what I want?"

"I do care, Andrea. I always have."

"What is this -- a joke?" I laugh nervously. Unable to escape his grasp, unable to break from his gaze.

"You don't believe me." It's not a question.

"I believe that you're a master liar. I believe you'd say anything to get what you want. Do you have any idea what you did to me? To my life?" I holler. "You tore it apart! Do you really think I'd fall for your shit again?"

He lowers his eyes to the ground.

"You don't have to fall for anything." His hands fall away from me. "I just want you to know that I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I never did. I just want you to trust me."

"Good luck with that," I mutter, my head filling with red.

He looks at me a long time, but I refuse to return his gaze. I'm done with him. I hear the door slam shut.

#

I lose track of time. Eventually, the door opens and Matt enters the same way I did: pushed roughly into the room. He looks up at me, his mouth and eyes turned down. The door slams shut while we're still glaring at each other.