Page 10 of Even Robots Die
So yes, I’m bluffing.
I do have the tools to wake his men up.
IfI want them awake earlier than the three hours those magnificent bullets give me.
I might lie through my teeth most of the time, but I’m not a monster.
At least notthatkind of monster.
6
Florentine
“Isuppose you want your father in exchange for waking up my men?” Brice asks me.
Asking is more of a formality. We both know this is the only reason I’m here.
“You suppose right. What did he do anyway?” I ask because I can’t help myself.
“You’ll have to ask him,” is the only answer I get out of the man still holding me prisoner at his side.
He stops walking and forces me to do the same.
“What are you doing?” I ask. I’m wondering if he’s going to make me wake up his men right away, so I harden my gaze. “I’m not healing anyone until my dad is in a car to go home.”
“Your wish is my command,” Brice answers me with a wicked smile.
I hate the fact I like that smile. He’s the guy who took my dad. I shouldn’t find even his smile nice, for fuck’s sake.
He bends to the ground, and for a second I think he’s going to loosen his hold on my hands, but it’s actually the opposite and I’m stuck there next to him as he retrieves the closest guy’s holo.
I knew he didn’t have a holo!
While he’s not looking I mutter, “Milton, track that holo call and map how many holos there are there.”
“On it,” Milton answers me, and I try to look bored when Brice is finally up again.
“Charles, bring the old man out. He’s going back to Paris tonight. And take a few guys with you. The whole team is down.”
I don’t hear what is said on the other side of the holo because he didn’t turn the video on. But I’m not even sure Brice gives whoever answered that call long enough to answer because before I know it, the holo is back on the ground next to the fallen shifter.
“Now what?” I ask.
“Now we wait. Unless you need some material to wake them up?” Brice asks me.
I shake my head.
I just need to jumpstart their hearts, and I know Milton has enough juice for that.
After a minute of silence, I’m already regretting telling him that I don’t need anything to wake them up.
It’s not that I hate silence, it’s more that I’m not used to it. When you live with five other people—yes, I’m including my dad even if he’s not there all that much—and share a room with one of your sisters, there is never any silence. Even at night there is always some noise, and with Elodie’s nocturnal terrors, yeah, not much silence at night.
So, no, silence isn’t something I’m used to, and it almost makes me antsy. It’s like it has its own presence and I can’t avoid it. I want to let it be because it makes me uncomfortable and at the same time, I also want to acknowledge it just for it to disappear. But I can’t let that rule my reactions. I need to keep my head in the game.
I’m about to get my dad back. I’ll bring him home and he’ll start his shenanigans again.
“Four holos incoming on your right,” Milton tells me after a little while.
