Page 76 of The Fall

“She can’t use implants.” Kerr looked like she was trying to match her hostility, but Lusa could tell she was afraid. She couldn’t blame her. It’s not every day that the bogeyman from your gang wars shows up to threaten you.

Dripping poison, Alana’s eyes turned to Lusa. “That’s it?”

“I know you hate me, but I’m not an idiot.” Lusa snarled and returned to picking at her bacon.

“Does everybody hate you?” Kerr plucked a piece of bacon with her ceramic fingers and bit off a hunk. She screwed up her face immediately.

Alana said yes at the same time as Lusa said no.

“Cam likes me.” Lusa cast a sideways glance at Alana. “He’s always trying to be friends.”

“Cam thinks you’re a miserable cunt,” Alana said between mouthfuls.

Lusa doubted that was true. She might be antisocial and rebuff Cam’s repeated attempts to be friendly, but she was grateful for the effort nonetheless. “I’ve never heard Cam swear.”

Alana let the fork clatter against the plate. “I may have rephrased it, but I know my husband better than you.” She picked another piece of bacon from the pan and held it aloft at Kerr. “Do you know what this is?”

“No,” Kerr admitted. “It’s too salty though.”

Lusa blew out her cheeks. If Alana didn’t stop interrogating Kerr, she would figure everything out by inference. “Drop it,” she warned.

Alana glanced back at Kerr. Kerr shrugged unhelpfully.

“Sesi will kill me if anyone finds out.”

“I know,” Lusa grunted. “I’ve been told that my whole life.” Surely, Alana knew the girls chafed at being special, but she couldn’t understand it. The constant unspoken expectations.

You’re going to bear the next generation.

You’re our hopes for continuing the human race.

We need to find a man.

We need to find a man for you.

Lusa did not want kids. And she definitely did not want a man. She dreaded the day they succeeded because she knew she would be expected to breed. She could already see the disappointment in everyone’s eyes, hear the whispers as she passed when she refused.

Alana leaned on the rover and looked away.

“I don’t even want any.” Lusa pulled the pan off of the camp stove and set it aside to cool. Kerr looked away, trying to avoid the drama. She wouldn’t know what Lusa was referring to, but Alana would.

“Probably just as well,” Alana gathered the plates.

“One thing we can agree on, then.”

“Yep. Between you and Talia, we have enough violent psychopaths.”

Lusa stiffened, ready to defend her mother, but that would only prove Alana right. Taking a deep breath, checking her knife belt, Lusa forced herself to relax instead. She didn’t bring Alana here to fight. “Let’s just stick to the plan. You can interrogate us later.”

Alana grabbed Kerr’s arm. Kerr had been too busy staring at the vast tundra – anywhere but the awkwardness in front of her, to see her approach. “She comes with me to get the DocPod. You get Model 2 ready.”

Lusa bristled. “What? Why?”

“Because you know where you’re going. I don’t. Also, I don’t need you two getting distracted by hormones and fucking in a closet somewhere while I’m waiting for you to answer a text.”

“Fine.” Lusa spat. “But if anything…”

Alana stuck a finger in Lusa’s face. “Don’t finish that sentence. You don’t get to threaten me. You’re a kid.”