care and corrective therapy and…and…”
He waved a hand vaguely in the direction of the window. “Come back with me, Eva.”
Eva chose her words with a drunkard’s care. “The mother would say that the child she inherits after the cure is not the same as the one before.”
Ivan was dismissive. “Pah! Religion! Only fools listen to that!”
“It’s not
“You have been talking to Pobyedov, that fool of a priest, again, haven’t you?”
“Credit me with my own opinions, Ivan,” Eva said quietly.
“I’m sorry,” said Ivan.
The awkward silence was punctuated by a distant fanfare of cornets. One of them was clearly out of tune.
Eva drained her cup. “You could stay here, Ivan. Social Care can’t make you return.”
“What is wrong about you coming with me?” Ivan asked proudly.
“I told you. The Watcher. It is waiting for me.”
Ivan didn’t speak. Eva knew what he was thinking: that the Watcher didn’t exist. He was steeling himself to say it, weighing up the words carefully. She wasn’t going to give him the chance.
“I told you, Ivan, I have met the Watcher.”
“So you said.”
“I told you, it is intelligent. Much more intelligent than you or me. It sees everything, it manipulates people. They obey its wishes but believe they are following their own. It has a course for this world laid out for centuries into the future. It now controls our destinies.”
“So I have heard.”
Eva gave a sigh. She hadn’t wanted to say this. “Hasn’t it occurred to you, Ivan?”
“What?”
“You turning up here?”
He deliberately misunderstood her. “Social Care sends lots of people like me into the RFS. It does not neglect its duty. Are you saying that you do not like me?”
Eva shook her head. “You know that I’m not. Ivan. You know I like you. I think I love you.” She slammed down her coffee cup. “Damn, I know I love you! That’s what I mean. I love you.”
She glared at him. He was blushing. He was embarrassed. But he was a strong man. He was strong enough to say it.
“I love you too, Eva.”
There was a big round stone in her stomach, cold and hard. She couldn’t believe he had ever admitted it. She felt as if she were walking in concrete boots, lurching along, jerking her whole body just to move forward. She felt her nose begin to run. It was either that or cry.
“And that’s just it, isn’t it? You were chosen just because of that. You were cast into here to hook me, so the Watcher could reel you back in with me in your arms.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way, Eva. Maybe—”
“It’s the Watcher, Ivan. It says it wants to do good! But I hate to think what that means. Look what it’s done to us! It honestly believes it is doing what is right, trying to snatch me back.”
Ivan waved a big hand in a dismissive gesture.
“I do not care. Whether it is real or constructed. I love you. So come with me.”
