“He does,” Officer Ford says quickly. “I’m sorry, Dr. Kearny. It has to be this way.”
“Take the knives and untie them,” Dad says with a dismissive wave. “They’re not going anywhere, and he’s only dangerous with those in his hands.”
Ford grumbles quietly as he pulls me to my feet and yanks my knives from their sheaths. He hands them to my father, who drops them unceremoniously into the garbage can next to the desk. My hands are freed, and I rub at my wrists as Ford removes Aerin’s bonds, and we’re both shoved back into the chairs.
I look over at her and wonder why I never asked her for her last name. Aerin Kearny, daughter of Jennifer Kearny. From everything Aerin has told me about her mother, I don’t understand what she could be doing here in this place with my father.
“Have a little care,” Jennifer says. “That’s my daughter.”
“Your daughter killed two of my men,” Ford says. He stands up as if straightening his back would give him more height and places his hand on the baton at his belt. At least he’s holstered his weapon. If he pointed it at Aerin again, I might throw caution to the wind and just end him.
“I killed them,” I say quickly. “Right after one of them put a gun to her head.”
Jennifer glares at the guard, who takes a step back and stares straight ahead.
“Sounds like we all need a little chat,” my father says.
I cringe at his familiar, smug tone. He’s been using it since I was a child, usually when he thought I needed a good life lesson. He also used the same tone when he had me locked up.
“President LaGrange is trying to save us, Aerin.” Aerin’s mother sits awkwardly on the edge of the desk to look at her daughter. “He’s had to make some tough choices, but he only wants what’s best for us all. You understand better than most about what happened all those years ago. It’s amazing any of us survived at all. If we don’t act now—act on some of those hard choices—we’re going to be wiped off the plan
et.”
“You’re taking his side?” Aerin’s voice cracks.
“It’s not about sides, sweetheart. Science isn’t political. I’m not interested in where someone came from or what schooling they’ve had, but we need to save as many people as possible as efficiently as possible. Sustaining the Naughts simply isn’t an efficient way of saving the human race.”
“Efficient?” Aerin shakes her head violently and looks away.
“You kids just don’t get it,” my father says. “It’s all right. I understand. You aren’t as proficient at thinking long-term as we are. I can’t fault you for that, but you are going to have to listen and accept some facts.”
“Naughts are scattered all over the place,” Jennifer says. “We can’t collect them all and get them to a safe area. The quakes are going to continue, and I’ve identified the four areas that give us the best possibility of survival. Two of those are in the valley just east of here.”
“These areas aren’t large,” my father says. “You haven’t been home, so you don’t know what’s been happening there. It’s much worse in the capital now than it ever has been. More quakes have done more damage. We’ve lost the two factories we had, and food production is crawling. We can’t keep up. The only answer is to move to the center of what’s left of the continent, where the quakes aren’t as violent.”
“And to do that,” I say with the thickest sarcasm I can muster, “you have to get rid of the people there because actually working with them is beyond your capabilities.”
“You see?” My father throws up his hands and looks at Jennifer. “This is what I was telling you about. No concept of what’s actually going on.”
“I’m sure they’ll understand if we just give them the opportunity,” Jennifer says. “It’s difficult to accept. You know it took me some time.”
“I don’t need time to figure out that you only care about Thaves. People in the valleys who have to struggle just to survive don’t get any consideration from you. You don’t even see them as human.”
“Of course they’re human.” Jennifer leans over a bit to look me in the eye. “I do know that. I’m not a monster. Like I said, none of this is easy.”
“He’s a monster,” I say, nodding toward my father.
“And you’re willing to just kill them off?” Aerin stares at her mother in disbelief. “You always told me we needed to protect everyone, not just Thaves.”
“If it were possible to save them all, you know I would,” Jennifer says. “I don’t like the idea of losing any lives, but…”
“But it’s not possible.” Dad leans back in his chair. “I’ve known that for a long time. I tried to tell you, Theo—some people are just better options.”
“Better options?” Aerin and I say in unison.
“We can’t possibly save everyone, Aerin.” Jennifer turns back to her daughter. “What makes more sense? Save the doctors, the scientists, and our leaders? Or do you think we should save someone who weaves baskets?”
“What gives you the right to decide who’s worth saving?” Aerin starts to stand but is pushed back into her seat by Ford.