Sparked (The Metal Bones Series Book 1) by Sheena Snow

pause and his black hair fell over his forehead. “But I don’t.”
    “That hardly seems to answer anything.” Dad slapped his fist into his palm.
    Robotatouille’s jaw ticked.
    Green Eyes shrugged. “It’s all I can give you.”
    I don’t believe it for one second.
    “Well, then.” Dad’s eyes narrowed. “What’s your plan? Where are you going to take her?”
    “I’m sorry. I can’t tell you that either. I know,” he said. “I just don’t want anyone to find out. She’ll be in the best hands possible. We won’t rest until Vienna’s safe.”
    “Why do you even care so much?” I blurted out. “I mean, I don’t even know what I’ve done, nor do I know why you even want to help me or save me from a robot crashing through my window and now that we’re asking for answers you’re all hush-hush but you have no problem carting me away to god-knows-where for god-knows-what-reason and I’m just supposed to go along with it? To stand here and blindly follow you.”
    “Vienna!” Mom’s voice was sharp. “You of all people should be grateful.”
    How. Dare. Mom! “I hardly think you can even under—”
    “No.” Mom cut me off. “I won’t let you—”
    “Won’t let me?” I retorted. “You’re hardly in a position—”
    “Enough.” Green Eyes’ command rang through the room, slicing our words in half.
    I gaped at him, mouth wide open.
    “Excuse me?” Mom whispered.
    “She’s coming with me.” His words hung in the air over all of us, filling up the room.
    I crossed my arms. I’d rather be going with Robotatouille, thank you very much.
    “You wouldn’t last two hours before they found you.” He stepped closer, and my heart thumped around in my chest. His scent wafted over me, like warm pinecones. “And all our hard work,” he continued. “All our time spent protecting you, would have been for nothing.”
    My eyes caught on the white scar on his neck, following it until it disappeared under the collar of his shirt.
    When I met his gaze again, his eyes narrowed, and I flushed.
    He turned to my parents. “Are there any further questions?” Even though the tone in his voice said he wouldn’t be providing any further answers.
    My eye twitched. He’d just dismissed us? Why that little, stupid, arrogant, son of—
    “I have a question.” I raised my hand and stepped in front of him like a silly schoolgirl trying to usurp the teacher.
    A smile touched the side of his mouth. “Did you have a question?”
    A . . . a question? “Of course,” I said.
    And I said the first thing that popped into my head.
    “Um, your name?”
    If tomatoes could turn any redder than their natural ripe color, I knew I was that color. Great question to put my foot down on. Way to go, Vienna.
    His smile vanished, leaving his face with deep lines. “My name?” His voice dropped two decibels.
    I bit my lip. Had I overstepped?
    “I’m classified as HB-11-01.”
    Oh.
    He didn’t have a name. Way to go, Vienna. My shoulders sagged.
    Dad shook his head, obviously not caring if he had a name or not. “How often will we be able to contact Vienna?”
    “I’m sorry.” Green Eyes’ voice was deep and sullen. “But you won’t be able to contact Vienna. At all.”
    I stilled.
    Dad’s face whitened. “What . . .? What do you mean? How long before she’s safe? How long until we can contact her? Until she can come home?”
    “We are working on it.” Green Eyes sighed. “And I promise, when this is all over, we will return her home.”
    “I just . . . I just want you to understand.” Dad choked. “She’s my only child. The reason I work so hard is for her and her mother. Without them . . .” Dad’s voice broke, and he slumped onto the couch, his head buried in his hands.
    “I understand,” Green Eyes whispered.
    Oh, Dad. My heart squeezed.
    “Is everyone ready?” Green Eyes asked, and my body froze.
    I was leaving.
    “I’ll wait for you outside,” Green Eyes said. He scooped up my blue