Z 2136 (Z 2134 Series Book 3) by Sean Platt, David W. Wright Page B

useful gear, food, water, blades, guns and ammo—if you like.”
    Calla punched the table, causing her cup to jump and splash.
    “Don’t force her, Father! If she wants to go, let her. I’ll be fine.”
    Liam’s hand squeezed Ana’s harder.
    Egan turned to his daughter, “How do you know what we’re talking about?”
    “I’m not stupid. I hear things. I know you’re trying to get her to stay so Dr. Oswald can find a cure. But you have to stop trying to force people to do stuff! Haven’t you learned anything?”
    She rose from the table and started to walk away.
    “Calla!” Egan called after her.
    She turned back, looked at Ana, and said, “Your brother’s in The Outback. That’s where The Games are being played,” then left the room without looking back again.
    Egan turned to an open-jawed Elijah. Egan waved his hands, as if to remind him of his duty to shadow the child.
    The boy swallowed and bolted from the table wide eyed, calling after Calla.
    Egan turned to Ana, a sour look wrinkling his face. He let out a long sigh.
    “I’m not going to lie: I’ve thought about making you stay. I’ve considered having my people take the three of you at gunpoint and forcing you to remain until my daughter is cured. I’m thinking about it now, truth be told.”
    Ana turned to see Katrina’s clenched jaw. She wondered how close the woman was to reaching for her blade. She’d seen Katrina throw a knife more than 20 feet and lodge it in a bandit’s neck. Egan might have men—and kids—with guns, but Katrina was a force of nature who could probably kill every man, woman, and child in The Station. Then leave without a scratch on her.
    “But I won’t stop you,” Egan kept speaking. “My daughter would hate me if I did, and I don’t want to do anything to cause more stress. As I said, keeping her spirits up and her life as normal as possible is important to maintaining the serum’s effectiveness. You can go in the morning. I’ll give you supplies and even let you take a skidder. Just, please, promise you’ll return.”
    Ana blinked back her tears and said, “I promise we’ll return. Thank you.”
    Egan grunted and went back to his dinner.
    The remainder of the meal unfolded mostly in silence. Ana could barely eat, though something inside her was surely eating her.

CHAPTER 11—SUTHERLAND
    Sutherland stared at the throne room trying to decide what bothered him so much about it.
    It was spacious, well placed on the tenth level of Hydrangea, and consumed what had once been two dining halls. The walls were red and black, lined with torches and sconces, with several strands of gold garland sprouting up and over the room’s many columns. A plush crimson carpet striped the floor’s length through the center of the room leading to the throne. Ornately carved wooden benches lined the walls on either side, where the citizens of Hydrangea could gather for their most important meetings.
    The throne, gold and black as well, rested at the top of five long steps, a high perch from where Sutherland could survey the room and those who were eying the proverbial, if not literal, crown.
    Gallus stood beside him, eager for a reaction.
    For praise, like a child.
    Sighing, Sutherland finally turned to his second in command. “I don’t know. It seems a bit too . . . formal.”
    The young man’s face nearly melted.
    “But, sir, I thought you wanted formal. I thought you were tired of the informal nature of the dining hall meetings. That is what you said, right?”
    Sutherland sighed, “Yes, yes, I know what I said , but you were supposed to know what I meant .”
    Gallus looked like he wanted to say something but knew better than to cross Sutherland. Gallus, just 19 when Sutherland handpicked him as Hydrangea’s second—to replace the traitor Katrina—was young, strong, and well respected among the citizens. But he was still a damned kid, which made him half idiot, and Sutherland should’ve known better than to trust