Page 68 of Venomous Heart
“Derek is strong.” Ben’s voice came from behind Ava, but this time it wasn’t controlled and calm. It was full of concern, emphatic even, like he wanted to convince himself that everything was going to be all right. “We do have some supplies here at the facility. Maybe not everything you said, but some.” Ben motioned, and a young woman pulled a heavy cart full of medical supplies toward the bed.
Ava burrowed through the supplies, biting her bottom lip. She shook her head and met the woman’s eyes dead on. “What is your name?”
The woman lifted surprised eyes to her, then shot a glance at Ben. She stayed silent, refusing to answer. Frustration welled in Ava at the stubbornness of these people.
“Very well then, don’t tell me.” Ava pulled back from the cart and shook her head, sweeping her arm over the contents. “This isn’t enough. It’ll keep your son alive for a day, two at most, but it won’t save him. He needs to be brought to the medical clinic near the mansion, it’s the only way.”
Ava held Ben’s gaze for a long time, then he looked down at his son. A shadow passed over his features, twisting them to reveal the raw fear of a parent who knew they risked losing what mattered most, then his face hardened again.
“No.” He shook his head then his expression became fierce—hostile even. “You save my son, and you save him here. Or I swear on his life that I’ll rip your heart out.”
Ben turned and left the room, leaving Ava alone with the boy’s mother. Ava turned to see the woman staring at her, her beautiful rounded face full of grief.
“Tell me your name.” Ava spoke in a low and soft voice. She needed this woman to open up to her. Let her in. “Please.”
“Naomi,” the woman whispered without looking up from her son. “My name is Naomi.”
Ava nodded. This was a start.
Guilt bit at her, but Ava pushed it down. Right now, she had to do whatever it took to convince this woman to betray her people to save her son.
To save Uril and Arlen.
She didn’t have long.
“Naomi, you know I’m right. Derek is going to die if you don’t listen to me.” She held the woman’s gaze. She knew her words were cruel, but they were also true. “I’ll give him the infection nanites for now, but if I don’t treat him at the main compound, hewilldie.”
Naomi tilted her head as though Ava had slapped her, then raised her clear, lucid eyes. All traces of softness were gone from her almost black irises as she locked gazes with Ava.
“Do what Ben tells you, and save Derek.” Naomi reached over the bed and grabbed Ava’s hand. She was surprisingly strong, and her grip was so hard it hurt as she almost crushed Ava’s bones. “Or he’ll make you wish you had died instead of him.” Naomi looked down at her son again, dismissing Ava’s presence.
This isn’t working. I have to make her understand.
Ava stared at the small, tortured features of the boy, then turned to the medical supplies. She had enough to fight part of the infection, but the damage to his lungs would probably be irreversible. She prepared the treatment, injecting the nanites that would crush the infection in the boy’s body. As soon as the treatment entered his veins, Derek began to weep as the burning sensation of the nanites in his bloodstream fought off the invading infection.
“What’s happening to him?” the mother asked, her face twisted in panic. “What did you do?”
“It’s the nanites; they’re fighting the infection, but the side-effect is a burning sensation,” Ava explained as she turned to mix the proper dosage of a pain-numbing compound from what little supplies she’d been provided with. “Don’t worry, I’ll make it go away.”
As soon as Ava injected the painkiller, the child stopped crying, then his eyes closed and he fell into a chemical-induced sleep.
“That will make him comfortable for a while. He needs the rest.”
Naomi stared at her child intently, ignoring Ava as she patted her son’s forehead, absorbed in her maternal love for him. Ava looked at the woman, a sudden anger boiling up inside her.
“You love your son.” Ava spoke in a harsh, cutting tone and Naomi looked at her in surprise. “You would do everything it takes to save him, wouldn’t you?”
Naomi nodded, her gaze cautious as she studied Ava.
“I feel the same way about Uril. He’s the only family I ever had.” Ava crossed her arms and stared hard at the woman. “He’s dying, too.”
“There is nothing I can do for Uril.” The woman spoke low, her face closing off.
“Isn’t there?” Ava’s anger didn’t abate. “This can save him,” she pointed to the Exo-Heart, still in the glass container, “but I can’t give it to him, because I’m here, savingyourson instead. All because you chose to make a deal with Knut to give him back a negative particle bomb. Do you even know what it will mean for you when Prime Councilor Aav learns of your betrayal? She will hunt you down, even outside the Ring. She will make an example of all of you. And do you think she will care about Derek? Do you think she will have any remorse about killing the children alongside their parents? She’s Mantrilla, she doesn’t care about those things. All she cares about is power, and if you give Knut a negative particle bomb, then you threaten that power.”
Naomi’s eyes grew wider and she glanced at Derek, who was sleeping peacefully now. She swallowed, then lifted uncertain eyes to Ava.
“Ben won’t listen to reason,” Naomi whispered. “His two sisters were sold just before the Eoks came to free everyone. He won’t trust any alien. I understand, but there is nothing I can do.” She looked down at her son. “I can’t betray Ben. Derek and I, we’re all he has left.”
