I STARED AT DAD. IT didn’t take long to absorb what he hadn’t said. “We’re getting off this ship,” I repeated dully. “You, and me, and Liam. What about everyone else?”
“We won’t be able to take them.” He hesitated. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know how that must seem. And I meant to save them, I really did. Criminals or not, they helped you off Sanctuary. But it’s too late now. We have to escape, and this is the only way left.”
“And us?” asked Hallam dryly.
Dad winced. “Criminals who let the corporations tamper with their bodies in exchange for amnesty,” he said at last, but he sounded tired, not accusatory. “Omnistellar handed you a lot of power. You’ve been abusing it.”
Hallam snorted and jerked the gun more solidly against his shoulder, targeting Dad. “Really.”
“Legion got too powerful, Hallam. You had to know Omnistellar wouldn’t let you keep going forever.” He gave Priya a pointed look. “The real mistake was enhancing your own cybernetic implants.”
Priya laughed shortly. “You knew about that?”
“It’s Omnistellar. They know everything. You were slated for elimination a few months ago, but they wanted the opportunity to use your powers one last time. You were meant to die on Obsidian.” He turned to Hallam. “I wouldn’t pull that trigger. Not unless you want to kill everyone on this ship.”
I reeled. “Wait. You led Legion here to die?” I asked in disbelief. “Fully intending to lure the aliens to our solar system, to kill my friends?”
“If things went according to plan, I would have saved your . . . friends. That’s no longer an option. There’s an Omnistellar warship nearby. It only has room for two passengers, but they’ve agreed to take on a third.” He glanced nervously at Hallam, although like me, his training masked the worst of his fear. Hallam, apparently as familiar with Omnistellar tactics as me, ground his teeth, held his target, but didn’t fire. Dad must have had something up his sleeve.
Priya snorted. “Well, that explains why Omnistellar was willing to rush Matt’s implantation. They didn’t care if everything took properly.” She gave Matt a rueful smile. “Sorry, kid. You were supposed to die with us.”
Dad nodded reluctantly. “For what it’s worth, I made sure they kept their promises,” he said. “Your family is safe.”
Relief passed over Matt’s face, and he shrugged. “For what it’s worth,” he replied, “I appreciate it.”
Rune moved as if to take his hand, then withdrew. Her natural compassion shining through? Or did some of her feelings for Matt linger?
Everyone else hovered in a loose clump, staring at my father and Liam, who refused to meet anyone’s eyes. He was doing the same thing he’d done on his own planet. “I shouldn’t be surprised,” I said coldly. “My mom was willing to let me die. Liam let his family die. And now my father turns out to be a corporate drone. The aliens just bring out the best in people, don’t they?”
Dad ground his teeth, his gaze taking in each of us in turn until it rested on me. His expression softened, the shadows of the man I knew peering through. “I refused to cooperate unless they let me bring you home,” he said. He took a half step toward me, then stopped as Hallam jerked his gun more firmly against his shoulder. “Kenzie, Matt told me everything. I know what happened on Sanctuary, what your mother did. I can’t imagine how much that must have hurt you. I hope you know I would never have pressed that button. No matter what company regulations I was breaking, I would have brought you home safe.”
Tears began to blur my vision. I closed my eyes until they passed and managed to say in a steady voice, “But here you are, Dad. Doing the same thing as Mom.”
“It’s not the same. Kenzie, she tried to kill you.” Sudden fury underlaced his tone, his eyes wide with disbelief. How many nights had Dad lain awake piecing together events on Sanctuary? What had really motivated his coming here? Maybe . . . just maybe . . . he had come for me after all. His actions were twisted and wrong, but unlike my mom, his motivations might be a little bit purer. “I almost couldn’t believe it at first,” he continued, a strain of disgust entering his tone. “But your mother . . . she was always Omnistellar to her core. Even above her own family.”
He wasn’t wrong. And yet a protective impulse shot through me, a deep-seated need to defend my mother . . . and maybe even Omnistellar. I swallowed it down. This was still my father. There was a chance to reach him. “You’re not her. I know that. There’s got to be another way. Dad, work with us here. We can all get off this ship, stop the aliens together.”
“Kenzie, I tried. This is the best I could do. And even this nearly cost me my career. I had to make sacrifices you can’t imagine to save you.”
His voice had gone solid again, the uncertainty fleeing. I’d missed my chance, if it had ever existed. Whatever Dad’s plan, he was going through with it. I grabbed on to Cage for support as Priya raised her rifle. “Just one problem, Commander,” she said coldly. “We’re not going to let you kill us and walk away.”
At the same instant, a pleasant voice announced, “Self-destruct sequence has been activated. Five minutes remain until detonation.”
Dad gestured at the computer. “If you’d prefer, we can all die here together,” he said.
“And Obsidian?” I demanded. “What’s going to happen to all the people over there?”
For a moment, something like guilt washed over my father’s expression, quickly smothered in the company mask. “Kenzie, they were . . . criminals. Murderers. Evil people. They . . .”
I heard my own voice as if from a distance, cold and terribly quiet. “Are you saying that everyone on Obsidian is dead?”
“Dead where they fell,” said Liam softly. “You saw the bodies on this ship. The zemdyut did the same thing on Obsidian. The residents made it easy for them, grouping in bunkers and safe zones.” He passed a hand over his face, looking much older now. “I always knew that was a bad idea. But no one listens to me.”
Dead. Every one of them dead, just like the people in the command center. I actually staggered, only Cage’s arm keeping me upright. I looked from Dad’s trembling resolve to Liam’s wilting defeat to Priya’s set jaw. “Dad, what are you doing?” I tried desperately. “You can’t mean this. You can’t—”
“Kenzie, do you have any idea what that alien tech means to Omnistellar?”
I saw red. “You are doing this for tech?”
“I’m doing it for Omnistellar! For the corporation that sheltered me, that sheltered you. Sweetheart, we hid how much trouble the company is in. We need this. Without some sort of advance, Omnistellar has maybe two, three years before the other corporations start to catch us. And what happens then? To me, to you, to the millions of people who depend on Omnistellar for their lives and well-being? Is that really what you want?”
“What about the people on Obsidian?”
“Your mother died for Omnistellar!” he snapped, then blinked, as if taken aback by his own reaction. Dad had left us before the alien attack. On some level I’d blamed him for that. Maybe he blamed himself too. Did that explain his renewed vigor for the company? “She died,” he repeated softly. “I thought you did too. It made me realize that without Omnistellar, I would never have had either of you at all. We owe the company everything, Kenz. Never forget that.”
“You can’t be serious,” I whispered. But then, my own mother was willing to kill me herself if it meant holding to Omnistellar regulations. At least my father had tried to save me, however misguided his methods. “Dad, please. Think about what you’re doing. That alien ship . . .”
“I know. It’s just like Matt told us. The other aliens are sleeping. All we have to do is get rid of them and their vessel is ours for the taking.” Like Liam, he avoided my eyes. “That’s what you did, isn’t it? We destroy this ship and its occupants, we destroy Obsidian, we take the alien tech.”
“You can’t fly it without Rune,” I replied stubbornly.
He shook his head. “Do you really think that girl is the only one of her kind? Omnistellar has many anomalies willing to work for them if it means a pardon.”
“Yeah,” said Mia dryly. “Until Omnistellar turns on them because they outlived their usefulness.”
“Forget that for now. These aren’t the same aliens,” Cage interjected as the computer announced we had four minutes to live. I glanced around, hoping someone had a brilliant idea. But no one moved. Everyone kept their weapons trained on Dad and Liam, but no one opened fire. Cage continued, his voice calm and cool and persuasive as always: “Hasn’t anyone told you? The aliens we encountered on Sanctuary were harvesting. These ones are killing. They’re not here to collect us, they’re here to contain us.” His eyes flickered toward me and Rune. “Maybe it’s our fault. We killed hundreds of them back on the ship. Maybe that brought them here with murder on their minds. But whatever their motives, there’s no reason to assume any of them are sleeping.”
“We’ll take care of it.” Dad glanced at the red countdown on the console. “You need to understand that this isn’t my choice. Omnistellar is tired of Legion, tired of anomalies. It took everything I had to convince them to save Kenzie and honor their agreement with Legion. Even if I tried to take you along, or if you killed me and took the shuttles, Sabre would destroy you on sight.”
“Sabre,” Priya repeated. “That’s a high-powered warship. You did come prepared.”
He sagged against the wall, clasping the back of his head and wincing in pain. “You have a choice to make. We can all die here together, along with the aliens, and Omnistellar will try to take the ship anyway. They might fail, with Obsidian still standing and all of its creatures alive. If they do, the aliens will be free to advance throughout the solar system. Or you can let me, Liam, and Kenzie go. You’ll die, but humanity will survive. I suggest you choose fast.”
“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?” Fury surged in my chest. Once again Cage’s arm turned restraining as I lunged at my father. “You arrogant, selfish bastard.”
Dad recoiled, his mouth dropping as genuine anger and hurt spread across his face. “I could have escaped this ship an hour ago,” he pointed out. “I delayed the self-destruct mechanism. I stayed and risked my life for you, Kenzie.”
“You were inputting the self-destruct when I came in! You were going to kill me!”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he snapped. “I saw you coming on the reactivated security feeds. I’m not . . .” He swallowed hard. “I’m not your mother, Kenzie. I would never hurt you.”
“And you expect me to be grateful ?” I was shouting now, heedless of the noise, even with Imani and Rune frantically shushing me. “To leave my friends, the people who saved my life when Mom abandoned me? Is that really what you think of me?”
“Please,” whispered Liam, looking around in frantic terror. “You have to stop. Listen, I don’t like this any more than you do. I don’t. But it’s about survival, you know? I’ve seen what those things can do to a planet. You don’t want them on yours.”
He shot to his feet, but before he took a single step, he jerked upright, eyes going wide as a stun gun blast rippled through him. I spun to find Imani, arm extended. “That’s enough out of you,” she snarled as Liam dropped to the floor. “It was on stun,” she added unnecessarily. His chest rose and fell visibly.
I’d be lying if I said I wasted a moment worrying about him. I turned on Dad instead. “You keep saying you’re different from Mom,” I said, forcing my voice to be calm and steady. I’d thought I’d lost any hope of reaching Dad, but now I could see the father I knew again, the kindness and good humor and logic. Maybe my last chance hadn’t vanished after all. “Dad, please. If you love me at all, listen. We have to find another way.”
He hesitated. “Omnistellar—”
“Forget Omnistellar!” The words were almost a shout. I clenched my fists and lowered my voice. “This isn’t about them. It’s about you and me, and whether you trust me. Dad, I’ve come this far. I’ve escaped these things and the bounty hunters and every obstacle you’ve thrown in my way. I think I’ve earned at least the chance to prove myself.”
Once more he hesitated. “Kenzie,” he whispered. He glanced at the others behind me, and a familiar bewilderment suffused his expression. I understood. It was the same expression I’d worn when I first questioned Omnistellar. Hope exploded in my chest. I was reaching him. If I could just have a few more minutes, show him that the anomalies weren’t dangerous criminals, I knew I could convince him of the truth. We could escape together. I just needed to hold his attention a little while longer.
But I never got the chance.
With a shriek of rending metal, a claw ripped through the door behind him. It raked through the triple-reinforced, shielded metal like it was nothing, disintegrating it in two swipes. Mia and Hallam opened fire, but the alien was too fast. It lunged through the door, screaming and trembling with effort.
And launched itself at my father.
My mouth opened in a silent scream as the world slowed down around me. I felt like I was moving in slow motion as I lunged for my father. I had time to register every movement, every nuance of his facial expression: the shock, the horror, the fear, all of it dissolving into pain as the monster stabbed its claws into Dad. They tore through his body. I reached for him, searching for someone’s power, anyone’s power, some way to stop this thing.
And then the world jerked back to normal speed. The alien swiveled Dad into the line of fire. His body jerked as bullets and laser blasts raked it, and I screamed, running for him.
I only made it a few steps before Cage tackled me to the floor. I fought against him, clawing at his face until he caught my wrists and pinned me. “Kenzie, stop!” he shouted. “It’s too late!”
The alien screamed again, and someone opened fire. The noise faded into the background as I struggled against Cage, shouts and orders and claws and bullets. But I only had eyes for Dad. “No. No. There’s something. Someone. Me! I can use my powers, Cage. I can help him!”
“You can’t resurrect people,” he whispered, pulling me into his arms.
“Matt. Matt can. Matt!”
Matt shook his head, his face ashen. “I can’t help anyone but myself. I’m not even sure how I do that.” Behind him, Imani clutched Jasper’s arm, their faces twin masks of horror.
“Get out of the way!” Priya shoved all three of them aside and jumped between us and the alien. It leaped at her and she targeted it, her expression cool and calm and professional as she squeezed off a series of shots. The alien howled in agony and slumped against the wall.
For a moment, all was silent. I twisted in Cage’s arms, reaching for Matt, blinded by a veil of tears. I could only think of finding something, anything to save my father. “I’m sorry for Sanctuary,” I whispered, my fingers straining for his. If I could only make him understand, make him forgive me, make him turn to Dad and work his magic. “Please. Please help me.”
Matt’s expression crumpled. For a moment he looked like he might cry, and that more than anything broke through my agony. “Kenzie, I can’t,” he said, so softly I barely heard him.
I can’t.
Not I won’t.
I can’t. The words shattered my shields and left me limp, my entire body shaking and exhausted and fighting to resist the knowledge that my father was gone, my parents, were gone.
A horrifying silence filled the room. Over Cage’s shoulder I saw Mia’s face, ashen and more frightened than ever before. She met my eyes, and her lips moved as if to say something. Then she turned away.
An alien scream broke the silence. Another answered nearby.
Something struck the wall across from me. Long, claw-shaped indents appeared along the wiring. It wouldn’t take more than a few strikes for them to break through. I stared at them numbly, still unable to absorb anything happening around me. Dad couldn’t be dead. The man who’d introduced me to Omnistellar, who’d lectured me on company regulations, who’d placed my first basketball in my hands, who’d bought me ice cream when we walked by the beach visiting his sister . . . I remembered Mom and Dad laughing together, my cousins running around their feet, Mom watching with a tolerant smile as I raced over with my arms full of seashells. Dad had scooped me into his arms. I couldn’t remember what he’d said. Why couldn’t I remember? It was one of the last vacations we all took together, before the promotions and the work and the company claimed everything else. Why couldn’t I remember his words? Why was it so important?
I suddenly became aware of Cage babbling to me, cupping my face in his hands, trying to make me meet his eyes. “Kenzie, please,” he said, his words a mixture of Mandarin and English and something in between. “Please. Don’t do this, not now. I need you. I’m sorry, but I do. Look at me. Please.”
I drew a deep breath, forcing myself to meet his gaze. Relief surged through him, so powerful and profound I almost cried. “Is he dead?” I whispered.
“Yeah. I’m sorry. But if we don’t get moving, we’re going to be dead too.”
I knew. I knew that. I knew both of those things. I simply couldn’t make myself believe them.
The alien shrieks tripled in volume and another creature leaped over my dad, ignoring the other alien crumpled beside him. I threw up a hand to shield my eyes as Hallam opened fire. The alien shrieked, recoiled, but shook off the gunfire, shifting on unsteady feet before seeming to recover.
“I’m out!” Hallam shouted, throwing the big gun aside. He yanked a second laser rifle off his back and braced it against his shoulder. “You, girl! Whatcha at?”
If Mia bristled at being called ‘girl,’ she didn’t show it. “Quarter charge,” she replied as she opened fire. Jasper lunged into action at the same time, jerking an entire console free of the wall and slamming it into the creature. “Eighth charge,” Mia amended as the alien slumped.
“Self-destruct in three minutes,” announced the computer.
“Let’s move,” Priya ordered.
“What about the other ship—Sabre?” Reed demanded. “If he was telling the truth . . .”
“You want to stay here? Be my guest! Everyone else, go!” Priya spun for the door behind us. At the same moment, claws slashed through it. Alexei and Mia attacked in the same instant, and the alien released a shrill scream.
Mia pivoted and fired another shot at the far door, where a creature struggled past Dad’s body. It howled in pain but didn’t drop. Mia threw the weapon aside. “I’m out!” she shouted.
Another strike on the far wall. This time, the tips of claws emerged through the shielding. Shrieks came from all directions. Three of the aliens charged through the gaping hole behind Dad and paused, sniffing the air, calling to one another. More claws burst through the door behind us. And at last, the aliens tore through the wall.
We all stood frozen, silent. For a heartbeat I wondered if the aliens knew where we were. Maybe they thought we were all dead. If we stayed very still, didn’t even breathe, then maybe . . .
An alien charged through the door behind us, flailing wildly. Alexei and Jasper dove to either side just in time, but they collided with the floor in a giant racket, and every one of the creatures—five in the room, and two more tearing through the walls—spun in our direction and screamed. They leaped, and we scattered. Cage swept me out of harm’s way. But there was no escape, not anymore. The creatures closed in.
“Two minutes to self-destruct.”
And we were out of time.
“Kenzie,” shouted Mia suddenly. “You have to open a door!”
“What?” I yelped. My voice cut off as Cage yanked me twenty feet across the room, avoiding another alien attack. We landed by Mia, all of us clumped together. Priya and Hallam continued shooting, but their laser blasts didn’t seem to have any effect anymore. The same went for Alexei’s fire. Reed, Rune, and Imani weren’t even attempting to use their weapons, simply cringing on the floor, despair in their expressions. Jasper waved his hands and pieces of engineering flew toward us, building a sort of circular wall. It wasn’t much, but it might protect us for a minute.
Of course, we didn’t have much more than that to live, anyway.
“Open a door,” Mia repeated, twisting from one direction to another as if she could anticipate the next attack and somehow stop it.
“A door to where? This time there really is a good chance I’ll launch us into space! We have nowhere to go!”
“As far away as you can,” said Cage grimly, his hands firm on my arms. “It’s our only hope.”
“He’s right,” Alexei said. He crouched on the floor, very close to Mia, watching Jasper’s shield of rubble shake and tremble under the force of alien attacks. “It’s a chance, Kenzie. Not a good one. But even if you dump us into space somewhere, at least we’ll have tried. It’s better than being killed by those things or blown up with the ship.”
I looked from one face to another: Rune and Cage, Mia and Alexei, Priya, Hallam, Jasper, Imani, Reed, Matt. Somewhere beyond our protective shelter lay my dad’s body, dead and torn, and Liam. And I couldn’t help Liam now, even if I wanted to.
But maybe, just maybe, I could save the rest of us.
I swallowed a whimper. “I’ll probably kill us,” I whispered.
With impeccable timing, the computer replied, “One minute to self-destruct.”
No one answered. There was no answer. There was no choice.
I closed my eyes and focused on getting away from here, as far away as possible, somewhere we maybe even had a hope in hell of beating these things, of saving humanity. Why not get greedy, since I was already pushing my boundaries?
I didn’t know where in the system I could take us, but I fixed the idea firmly in my mind: someplace we could survive, someplace we could help, someplace we weren’t about to die.
And I opened the door.