—I don’t know, Vincent. I don’t think they can.
—What’s there to stop them?
—Well, you, for starters. They might want to know more about what happened on Esat Ekt, but they want you to pilot Themis more than anything else. They could coerce you, but that wouldn’t be my first choice if I were about to hand over control of the most powerful weapon in the world to someone.
—What about you? What do they need you for?
—I’m not sure they really need me for anything. I think the only reason I’m not strapped to that chair right now is you. If they think there’s a chance they’ll convince you to help, they’re not gonna jeopardize that by roughing me up. Besides, the US has to know Themis is here. I’m an American citizen. Sooner or later, they know they might have to turn us over. That’s easier to do if we’re still in one piece. My point is we can’t just leave. That’s not good enough.
—You just said they need me for Themis to work. Isn’t it better if I’m gone?
—The Americans have a working robot and pilots. They obviously don’t need you. If the US can put back together a robot that was disabled, how long do you think it’ll take the Russians to get their way with one that’s perfectly functional? It’s only a matter of time before they start pounding at each other.
—Good for them. If what you’re saying is true, then the world’s gone mad while we were away. I don’t think there’s anything either of us can do about it.
—Why did we come back, Vincent?
—What kind of question is that?
—I’m serious. Why did we go through all this just to leave Esat Ekt?
—You know why we did it. We did it for Eva.
—So she could have a normal life, here. How’s that working so far?
—Dammit, Rose! What do you want from me? I’m tired. I’m so fucking tired.
—I know. But we’re not done, Vincent. That deal we made? We’re not done yet. You can see that, can’t you?
FILE NO. 2113
INTERVIEW BETWEEN MAJOR KATHERINE LEBEDEV, RUSSIAN MAIN INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (GRU), AND EVA REYES
Location: GRU building, Saint Petersburg, Russia
—I want to see Ekim.
—Not now, Eva, you can’t.
—I WANNA SEE HIM!
—Calm down. Jeez! I just wanna talk. Chit-chat! I brought beer! Do you drink beer? I bet you don’t—me, I like wine—but this is all I could find in the office fridge. I thought we could have a drink, get to know each other a little. You’re allowed, right? Of course you are. You’re nineteen.
—Fuck you!
—Really? Is that about the beer? Because I can get vodka…No? I know you don’t like me, Eva, but I’m trying to help you here.
—If you really want to help, start by getting me out of this aquarium. Oh, wait, you’re the one who got me locked in here in the first place. Like I said, fuck you!
—All right…No beer. I’ll be straight with you, Eva. You can choose to believe me or not—that’s entirely up to you—but this wasn’t my idea. I’d like nothing more than to let you out, but I’m not the boss here. I want to help you, but you have to give me something. Maybe you don’t realize it, but you, your dad, and Dr. Franklin leaving, going to the place those robots came from, that’s—
—You astast yokits…
—I don’t know what that means.
—It means there were four of us over there. I know you don’t give a shit about General Govender, but I do. He was my friend.
—Yes! Him too! All of you going to that planet, that’s a big deal! People wanna know, Eva. Everyone does! And if I can tell my boss that you’re cooperating—
—Cooperating with what? What is it exactly that you want me to do?
—I told you the same thing I told your father. In time, I’d like you to pilot Themis for us. But first, I want to know more about the planet you were on.
—Bullshit. This whole pilot thing is utter and complete bullshit. You’d let me and my dad inside a giant robot that can lay waste to your entire army and disappear in an instant. Yeah, sure. Where do I sign up?
—So what do you think is going on here, Eva?
—I think I’m just leverage, so you can get my dad to work for you. He’s probably worth the risk, with the leg thing and all, and you’re betting he won’t do anything stupid as long as you keep a gun to my head. That means you’ll need another pilot for the upper body. You’ve been running every kind of test there is on me since I got here, so I’d say you’re trying to replicate that genetic test the Americans are using to find one. What I don’t get is why you keep wasting your time talking to me. You don’t need my help to keep me hostage, and you have to know I’m not gonna tell you shit.
—Well, you must be right. I just come here, every day, because I enjoy your company so much. You know, maybe I got this whole thing wrong. Maybe I should get you to pilot Themis for us and use your dad as leverage.
—Try me.
—Maybe not, then. But you see where that leaves us, right? I mean you. You see where that leaves you. I…Well, I’m not the one who spends my days inside a pickle jar…That was fun! As always. You let me know if you change your mind. Toodeloo!
—Why can’t you just let me leave? I won’t do anything.
—Oh, come on, Eva! You’re better than that. You know why! I can’t let you go back to the US, not with the way things are.
—Wait, you think that’s where I wanna go? To the old US of A? Do I look like a patriot to you? From what you tell me, the place has gone to hell like the rest of this world. I don’t care what you tell yourself to justify all the crazy shit you’re doing. I don’t care if you do it for the motherland, or because you think you’re the only one with freedom. I don’t give a shit about any of that. I don’t give a shit about you or them. You say I don’t like you. You’re right. I don’t. I think you’re a conniving psycho bitch. Maybe I’m wrong. That’s true, I mean that. I don’t know you. But I don’t wanna know you. I just wanna take Ekim and get the yokits out of here.
—And go where!
—Home! I just wanna go home!
FILE NO. 2116
INTERVIEW BETWEEN MAJOR KATHERINE LEBEDEV, RUSSIAN MAIN INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (GRU), AND VINCENT COUTURE
Location: GRU building, Saint Petersburg, Russia