Botanicaust (12 page)

“
No.
”
He clutched the bars behind him, back pressed tight to the metal.

“
Don
’
t be afraid.
”

He covered his ears with his hands and closed his eyes, falling to his knees on the cold, hard floor.
“
Vater Unser, im Himmel, geheligt werde Dein Name
…
”

The words thrummed along her spine like the bass in a song, tugging deep in her gut. What was he chanting? A past she didn
’
t want to remember. Now it was her turn to back toward the cell door. Fumbling for the palm pad and escape, she fled up the stairs, hardly able to breathe.

Until this moment, Levi had thought only
himself
in danger from the Blattvolk. When they didn
’
t immediately alter him, he
’
d become complacent, unaware of their real intent. Of course they didn
’
t want just him. They wanted all his people. The Blattvolk wanted to pervert the world.

They were after Josef. And Samuel, and Beth…

Thoughts of offering salvation left his mind. The time for dreaming was over. When he
’
d fallen to his knees reciting the Lord
’
s Prayer, the abomination had fled, as if burned by the Word of God. These people truly were damned if the prayer affected them so.

He had to act. But what could he do? He could go back to starving himself. Could he manage to die before they forced the Mark of the Beast upon him? Once they changed him, would his mind alter, as well? Would he then betray his people? He couldn
’
t let that happen.

Would his death save the Holdout? The Blattvolk knew about his home. With their flying machines, did they even need Levi to lead them there? They
’
d find the village eventually.

The cannibal dogs would be useless in the face of the flamethrowers. The tunnels his people hid inside during a fence breach would not conceal them from the Blattvolk for long. The technology available to the abominations would lead them straight to the secret entrances.

No, his death would not stop the Blattvolk. He had to escape and warn the Brethren. They had to find a better way to hide when the Blattvolk came.

As he had many times, Levi examined the door and lock of his cell. Tula came and went with the swipe of her hand on a flat pad near the lock. His own hand merely turned the screen red. The lock had no manual keyhole as far as he could tell.

The cage bars were set into the cement floor and ceiling. The cot, toilet, and small sink were solidly attached, as well. The flaccid gamma pad sheet and the stubby plastic pencil were useless. All he had was the single blanket he kept wrapped around his waist.
Nothing to help him escape.

But maybe he could bluff his way. Awnia
’
s violence had been poorly executed, with her separated from her captors by bars. Tula had been entering the cell. If the Blattvolk thought he might harm her, then perhaps she would open the door for him.

But what if she fought back?

Levi paced the bars. Jesus taught to turn the other cheek, and the Brethren took that seriously, not even fighting when the cannibals found a way through the fence. God would save them, or it was His will they join Him in Heaven.

Flexing his hands, he reminded himself that these were Blattvolk. Not
real
people. Jesus
’
s words did not apply to them. It couldn
’
t. In this case, he might have to use force, like rounding up livestock.
Just enough to convince the Blattvolk he was serious.
His people
’
s lives were at stake. More than that
—
their souls would be threatened with damnation if the Blattvolk found them. God would forgive him a little force.

He sat on the bed, telling himself how easy it would be to overpower Tula. She was tiny. She didn
’
t carry any weapons. But how could he keep her from screaming? Maybe his blanket could be useful.

He
’
d be careful not to hurt her. And he must avoid looking at the pin
k patch of humanity on her arm.

T
ula leaned against the outside of her apartment, soaking up the afternoon sun reflecting off all the mirrored privacy screens. She dug in her pocket for the last of the candy. Her tongue had sugar burn from the previous two, but the sensation comforted her.

Over and over, her mind played the last few moments with Levi. The prayer on his lips had opened a chasm of coalescing memories and made her nauseous. She tried not to think about the words and contemplated his look of absolute revulsion when he realized she was inviting him to convert. How could he not see the gift she was offering him? She thought they had been building a decent relationship
—
fostering trust and respect. But all along he
’
d been horrified.
Of this place.
Of conversion.

She traced the edge of her scar as the sunlight tingled across the rest of her skin. How had she felt when the Haldanians invited her to convert? She could barely remember. All she knew was she
’
d have done anything to avoid eating any more people.

Allowing her legs to collapse into a squat, she slumped against the wall, head spinning with thoughts and increasing UV-induced alkaloids. A familiar whistling drew her head up as Mo rounded the corner.

“
Hey, baby! What
’
re you doing home?
”
He offered her a hand to help her stand.

“
You
’
re home early.
”

“
Duster problems. I brought us a treat.
”
He held up a blue baggie.

She took it and peeked inside. Four longhorned beetles, each as large as her thumb, crawled over each other. They were a rare delicacy.
Levi
’
s people must survive eating like this all the time.

“
Found them in a stand of tamarisk submerged by the river. There were more, but once Pib found out I had them, I had to share.
”
He put an arm around her shoulder and guided her into the house. Affected by the sunlight-produced chemicals, she swayed a little.
“
Whoa. How long
you been
out here? Usually
you
’
re
the one holding
me
up.
”

“
Things went badly today at the lab.
”

He shut the door to the apartment before taking her hands to rub her fingers, his golden eyes full of sympathy she
’
d seen many times.
“
They finally take him?
”

Tula knit her brows.
“
No!
”
She pulled her hands away and walked to the sofa. She didn
’
t want to think about it.
“
I
’
ll find a way to make him want to convert.
”

“
He said no?
”
Mo raised his brows.

Burying her face in her hands, she breathed through the welling of grief rising from deep in her chest.

“
Baby, you knew converting an adult was a long shot. They
’
re too set in their ways.
”

“
Levi
’
s not a cannibal!
”
She glared at him.
“
People in the Reaches can survive without eating each other.
”

“
Yeah, like those Fosselite weirdos. I know.
”
He flopped onto the sofa next to her and swung his legs up across her lap.

The Fosselites had survived the Botanicaust. Literally. Four hundred years ago, they
’
d found the secret to immortality. They would not share the formula, but they did barter enzymes for raw materials. One of the enzymes, telomerase, had revolutionized conversion by aiding the cells in reconditioning themselves during plasmid injection. Without the Fosselites, the Protectorate would still be no more than a double handful of communal nuvoplast houses. With the influx of converts, the Protectorate had expanded into new mining territories, acquired more items for trade, and converted even more outsiders.

Tula sighed.
“
He
’
s not a Fosselite, either. Less technologically advanced. Something about him is so familiar. He
’
s
…
different. He was actually disgusted with me today, like he couldn
’
t bear to look at me.
”

“
Whoa, baby. You got a little thing going on with that outsider?
”

“
If by
‘
thing
’
you mean relationship, then yes. I have a relationship with all my patients. To help them convert, I have to get inside their heads. You know that.
”

“
Yeah, but sounds like this guy hurt your feelings. You always get attached, but I haven
’
t seen you care what your patients think of
you
.
”

Tula pushed his legs off her lap and clomped to the refrigerator.
“
I do, too.
”
She pulled a bottle of water from inside, pausing with the open door blocking her vision of Mo. He had a point. Maybe she had lost her distance on this one. But there was more to it than hurt feelings. How could Levi be so opposed to conversion? Her green skin was a gift she
’
d never regretted. She had to make him see the value.

“
You aren
’
t objective any more. Why not assign him to another doctor?
”

“
He
’
s scheduled to die in ten days! There
’
s not enough time for someone else to take over.
”

Mo shook his head.
“
Tula
—
”

“
I have to get back to the lab. There
’
s no time to waste.
”
She gulped a last swallow of water and flung the half empty container into the recycle chute.
“
Don
’
t wait up for me.
”

As she stomped out the door, Mo called,
“
Fine! I
’
m going to eat these beetles all by myself!
”