Roman raised his fist for another blow.
A hand caught him by the wrist.
He turned to see Caleb holding him. The giant shook his head, his jaw set and a fury behind his eyes that rivalled Roman’s own. Roman let his arm go slack. Caleb released him.
Roman turned back to Sparks. “I don’t need you,” he growled, then left.
Ruby caught up with him halfway down the street. He knew she would come. Part of him wanted her to. A small part, though. The rest wanted her to just stay away.
She fell into step alongside him without saying a word. She carefully curled a bowstring around her fingers, weaving complex patterns through her fingers. He looked away.
Ruby spoke first. “You can’t keep taking your anger out on Sparks. He’s just a boy.”
“Just a boy? You saw how he fought at Lady Luck — that wasn’t a kid. That was… something else.”
“I saw him with an opportunity to kill us, or at least leave. Instead, he chose to help us.”
“That doesn’t prove anything.” Roman quickened his pace, wishing to get home as soon as possible. “He’s still an Adrenalite. You saw how he fought. He enjoyed every moment of it. Just like he enjoyed beating up those men tonight.”
Ruby ran out of string to twist and was left with a maze of web twirled between her hands. With a flick of a finger, it unravelled.
“He fights like a boy who has been trained to fight,” she said. “You can’t blame him for enjoying it — it’s probably the only thing he’s been told to do.” She grabbed Roman’s shoulder, pulling him to a halt. “Just admit that it’s not Sparks you’re angry at.”
He pulled away from her. “Drop it.”
“You need to talk about it.”
“I don’t.”
He resumed walking, shivering against the cold. The street was empty except for a pair of drunks ahead, leaning against each other for balance as they stood beneath a flickering streetlight. They ignored Roman as he passed.
Ruby followed. “Can you not see the way Sparks looks at you?”
“I try not to look at him.”
“He’s desperate for approval.”
“No. He’s not. You heard him back there — the only thing he’s desperate for is a fight, and he’s mad at me because I won’t let him fight everyone he sees.”
“He’s only mad because he doesn’t understand why you hate him. Think about it. He probably never had a father figure in his life, and then you come along—”
“I’m not the boy’s father.”
“But he needs one.”
He stopped and turned to her. “Why? It wouldn’t change a damn thing! Don’t you get it? They’re all monsters.”
“If he’s so evil, why didn’t he turn on us at Lady Luck?”
Roman didn’t have an answer to that.
Ruby folded her arms. “It’s still not Sparks that you’re really mad at.”
“I told you, drop it.”
“Only if you stop taking it out on Sparks. He’s just a kid.”
“He’s an Adrenalite.” To Roman, the words felt more bitter than rado-weed. They choked him even harder. “You know how many we’ve caught by now — some of them were boys, but that didn’t mean anything then, did it? We killed them or sold them to Juliette, all the same. Because their age didn’t change what happened to the people who got in their way. It didn’t mean a damn thing to Stevens.”
There. He said it.
He wished he hadn’t.
“You think I don’t know that?” Ruby snapped back. “He was my brother! I haven’t forgotten how he died. I was there when we found him. Don’t forget that.”
Roman couldn’t forget. It had been the first time he had seen the destruction an enraged Adrenalite could cause. He remembered the smell of blood. The whimpers. Ruby’s scream when they found Stevens’ body. The touch of the pavement against his knees when his legs gave out beneath him.
“Then you haven’t forgotten who killed him,” Roman said. “An Adrenalite.”
“I know that.” Ruby jabbed a finger in his face. “And whichever one it was, I hate them so damn much. They took my brother from me. My brother! Do you understand that Roman?”
He believed he could. Steven’s was the closest thing he ever had to a brother.
“But I…” Ruby paused. “I don’t hate Sparks. It wasn’t him.”
“But it could be.” Roman’s shoulders dropped. He felt exhausted. “Every time another Adrenalite goes wild, more people are left without brothers. Without their best friend. What if Sparks is the next rogue? Damn it, what if he kills you?”
“Roman, listen to me.” Grabbing him by the shoulders, Ruby shook him angrily. Her slender arms were strong. “What will it take to prove to you that they’re not monsters? Look at Sparks — if he doesn’t prove that there is hope for Adrenalites, then you’re the one who’s hopeless.” She pushed him away. “And don’t you fucking dare prove my faith in you is wasted.”
She left him there, standing in the middle of the street, alone.
The streetlights went out as Roman let out a long breath. He decided not to follow her — his urge to return home had gone. Instead, he wandered an aimless path through the broken down streets, grateful for the solitude.
He cursed himself for getting angry at Sparks. Now there was no way the boy was going to help him abduct Spencer. And without Sparks, did Roman really have a chance?
He paused mid-step. There was someone else he could go to for help.
“Fucking hell,” he muttered to himself. He hated the idea of asking Juliette for anything.
11
Reformation square was as ugly as ever.
Roman scowled and dug his hands deeper into his pockets to protect them from the mornings chill. The rising sun was hidden by an overcast sky, leaving a dampness in the air that sunk into his bones. His left hip ached the most; he didn’t even bother hiding his limp as he approached the Security Ministry.
One of the militia patrolling the square blocked his path. Roman didn’t recognize him.
“Where’s yer two buddies?” the militia asked, his breath turning to mist as he spoke. “Did they finally get sick of you, or did ya get them killed?”
Roman’s scowl deepened.
The militia chuckled. “You ain’t got no bounty with ya either. What ya here for then?”
“Your mother sent me. I’m here to teach you to talk properly.”
“Fuck you. If ya don’t got a good reason to be here, then bugger off.”
“I’m here to see the Captain.”
The militia stepped aside. Roman limped past him, thankful to be alone again. He didn’t feel like company today. Truth be told, he didn’t feel like anything today.
The Science Ministry loomed to his right. He forced himself not to look at it. It was a reminder of his old life, when Stevens had been alive. A far simpler life. Looking back, it should have obvious to them that such a life could never last in Legacy. Nothing ever did. That was the whole point of radiation.
So he kept his eyes focused on the Security Ministry. Juliette would be inside, safe and comfortable, guarded by her personal army that should have been protecting the rest of Legacy. How could Roman possibly convince her to help? She was nothing but a fucking coward.
He didn’t believe he could, but he had to try anyway. Such was life.
Today, Regan guarded the door to the Ministry, along with two other militia. He snickered when he saw Roman. “Back so soon? And empty-handed, too. I knew you’d come crawling back to—”
“Shut up.” Roman pulled his revolver out of his jacket and thrust it into Regan’s chubby hands. “Try not to get any of your stench on it.” He side-stepped around Regan and strode into the Ministry before the militia could react.