Chapter Thirty-Nine

 

I call Mamá. “What are you going to be doing in six days?”

She’s sitting in the Green Room with Minda. They’re watching one of Mamá’s flashback-casts from last year’s ChocoFest. “The same thing we are doing every day, mija, making a new show.”

“We’ve been alternating,” Minda says, “so six days from now, we will be showing Lavonda’s work. This one, probably.”

I glance at the FeedCast playing behind her. It’s covering nine different ways to enjoy hot chocolate, as prepared by top chefs throughout Brazil and Bolivia. There’s nothing in it that feels like a particular opportunity for irony.

Pero, the divas still seem the most likely targets for the mindworm’s test.

“Can you cancel that show? Maybe at the last minute say one of you is sick.”

“Absolutely not,” Minda says. “If there’s a possibility of danger, we will amp up security, limit the audience to people we know. But I will not give in to fear.”

I sigh. If fighting Mamá on something is impossible… just try fighting Mamá and Minda put together. “Where are you FeedCasting from?”

“They repaired the old set,” Minda says. “Frank says it is more secure to keep using the same space.” She makes a ppfft noise. “Have you ever tried fighting him when he’s determined about something?”

Ignoring the irony, I tell Mamá, “We will be there as soon as we can.”

“You do not have to do that, Bee.” Mamá gestures at Minda. “Estará bien.” We will be fine.

Heat burns the back of my eyes. I’ve spent too much time avoiding Mamá, each of us trying to prove that we don’t need the other. “This time, I’m going to be there for you, Mamá.”

Her eyes glitter with sudden moisture. “Maybe we can cue up one of your flashback shows. Get you sympathy. You need it with so many people lobbying for you to be recalled to stand trial.”

I was pardoned, in exchange for doing the tour on Zant. I’ve left the planet and haven’t exactly lived up to the original bargain. That could put me back in line for the shave, if the judge really pushed. “You’re going to help by showing everyone what I was like as an awkward teenager?” I cringe, thinking about my first cheesetastic role.

“Exactly, mija. I want them to see why I love you.”

Mi mamá and I can patch up what went wrong between us. I can tell she wants to.

As long as we get there on time to keep her safe.

Pero, what if I’m wrong and the threat is to Earth? More people I️ care about are there than on Zant. I️ call Mario, tell him, “I need you to take all the girls and get out of town.”

He’s shocked, pero he listens.

After I hang up with Mario, I pretend to be enthralled with looking up something on my phone, while I call Tyson using my sublingual.

Tyson looks at his phone, then up at me. He slides out of his control chair, then taps Brill on the shoulder. “You mind watching te controls for a minute. I gotta take tis.”

Brill moves over to the trackball. “How do I fly this thing?”

“Just let me know if anyting on the panel turns red.” He flashes up the ladder and answers the phone. Why all the secrecy?

Because I don’t want Tawny to hear this, and there is at least a chance she hasn’t managed to slap a camera on you.

Tyson asks, What’s on your mind?

Are you planning to tell the Zantites about the mind parasites?

Tat’s te responsible ting to do, Bo. He sighs. But Kaliel asked me not to. I’m not sure when that conversation could have happened. Maybe they’ve been texting? He believes te mindworms are holding his girlfriend hostage. He wants me to rescue her before te parasites get attacked.

And you’re going to go for that? I’m surprised.

Kaliel called it a last request. Tyson sighs even more heavily. Brill once said I didn’t understand te difference between te spirit of te law and te letter of te law. I tink te spirit of the mindhacking laws – which favor saving te victims whenever possible – means I must try.

What about Kaliel? He’s a victim, too.

Tyson is silent for a long time. I’m doing my best to help him.

Then don’t take him back to Zant.

Whether he was controlling his own hands or not, tose hands are covered in blood. Tat’s a letter I can’t ignore.

After that, it’s a long and awkward ride to Zant, with no privacy. We’re all sharing the bathroom in Tyson’s loft, because the only other facilities are inside the cell with Dashtin. And we’re sleeping wrapped in blankets on the floor.

There’s nothing here for me to do. Tyson has no galley. He just eats those pre-packaged rations. Brill brings down several boxes of those, along with flat after flat of agua. We won’t go hungry. Pero, there’s no coffee to ease my shakes. And no chocolate.

Keeping the holo small enough to fit in my hand, since I’m a bit embarrassed how much I still care about what the people back home think, I selfiesearch FeedCast Wannabees. Forty-seven percent of responders think I should get shaved. That horrorstat is actually down from sixty-two percent, at the time I left for Zant. That is surprising, and in some ways encouraging.

There are a couple of new sub-polls connected to my already extensive entry.

Brill Cray Real Deal or Wannabee? herocasts Brill leaping off that cliff and shooting the spuck to save me. A whopping eighty-six percent say real deal.

Team Kaliel or Team Brill? herocasts Kaliel trying to surrender himself to a group of anonymous space pirates to save me. There’s a roughly sixty/forty split, in Brill’s favor.

There’s no mention of Kayla. It’s like the minute she shadowpopped from that club, she ceased to exist.

Should Bo and Kaliel Get Shaved Together? starts with a close-up of me and Kaliel dancing. Thirty-seven percent say yes.

Brill wanders over. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.” I start to close the malcast. Pero, if I want Brill to trust our relationship, I have to be as open with him as he was with me about Darcy. “I’ve been selfiesearching the public opinion polls.”

He starts watching the holo. “You need a better source for news.”

Heat creeps into my face. I should have known he’d criticize me for looking at fluffcasts.

Then he points. “In that sub-poll, these sus spelled my name Brill Clay.”

I laugh and watch his eyes turn violet. “You’re not mad that they keep shipping me with Kaliel?”

He sits down next to me. “Your fans expect a love triangle. That’s what Tawny’s spinning them.”