Wet and out of her uniform, she didn’t look like a Martian, though Ari didn’t seem to agree with me.
“This is Catita. She was with me when you hailed. I didn’t have time to drop her off. Long story. Don’t ask.”
“Ooookay. You think they’ll leave my boat?”
“If we’re lucky, they’ll just take the loot and skip the fishing permit check on your unregistered boat.” I rubbed the back of my neck. Ari was sixteen, but in many ways she was still a kid. It killed me not being able to help her, but messing with the QEC rarely ended well. “It’s not ideal. But while they’re busy with the Genie, we’ll get the break we need to get back to the beach unnoticed.”
“The Genie for our lives? That’s not gonna work.” She crossed her arms with a pout that made her look like a five-year-old.
The Genie was already lost. The QEC would commandeer it for not having proper documentation, and use it for spare parts. Ironically, they’d be taking back their own crap since Ari and I built the Genie out of parts we’d “found” in a QEC warehouse.
“We have to play the odds.” I placed an arm around her. “And we have to do it now before sunrise.”
“We can’t fight the QEC. I’m sorry.” Catita shot a glance to the shrinking entrance.
Ari’s need to feel alive and forget about her illness cost her the Genie this time. She had so little these days, and so few of them left. She shivered in my arms, and I held her tighter.
“We could cut their hearts out,” Ari blurted out. “Mom used to say that’s how you kill an immortal.”
I winced. It still hurt to think of Mom. “And you believe that?”
She shrugged. “It works on vampires.”
We didn’t have time for this. “One, vampires don’t exist. And two, assuming the QEC things have a heart, how would you even get close enough? They’ll cut you to pieces the minute you’re within reach.”
“My sister is QEC. Trust me, they have a heart. But they can’t be killed. Nothing pierces through their skin.”
I pointed at Catita, as if the truth coming from her held more weight. “Would you actually do it?”
“No, I know. It’s stupid. I’m stupid.”
“You know you’re not. I’m sorry. I wish I could do more.” I wished I could give her a better life, or at least a much longer one.
Ari studied Catita, her mouth slightly open. I knew that look. She had a hundred questions going through her head. “How does that work?” she asked. “Why is your sister immortal but not you?”
“I was born into an immortal family.” Catita glanced around the cave as if looking for the right answer. “Each member is only allowed one child. Mom had two.”
“I always thought immortals could do whatever they wanted.” Ari clicked her teeth.
“Not always. Rules are there for reason.” Catita inhaled and shifted her body away from us.
Ari’s words had definitely hit a nerve with her. If we were not in a time crunch, I would definitely stay and ask a few questions of my own.
“Let’s just go before they see us.” I stepped onto the kayak and waited for Ari to get on before I glided out of the Blue.
By then, the QEC had already boarded the Genie. I stuck my oar in the water and turned us around. When we reached the other end of the cliff, I tethered the kayak and gestured for Ari and Catita to follow.
“We’re stuck here until they’re gone.” I offered Ari a hand to help her climb up the rocks. “Are you tired?”
“I’m fine.” She pulled a pack of Ukruum wafers out of her pouch and popped four into her mouth.
“I thought you said you were going to start cutting back on those.”
“I will.” She nodded. “Promise.”
“It’s practically sunrise now.” Catita gripped my forearm, biting the inside of her lip.
Because of us, she was going to be late meeting her sister, who was somehow the only person who could help Catita avoid a long stay in solitary. So much for offering her my help. I’d led her straight to the people she was running away from.
“Thank you for coming to get me.” Ari’s gaze switched from me to Catita. “I don’t know what took over me.”
“I’ll always be here for you.”
“I know.” She glanced down at her hands for a beat. “What are they saying?”
“No idea.” Catita stared straight ahead with her mouth open. “That’s Lady Sonja. She’s the general of the army on Mars. Why is she here?” She flushed her back to the rocks, pressing her hand to her forehead. “I’m so dead.”
“It’s her.” Ari gritted her teeth. “She’s the one who killed Mom. Tek, she’s the one who gave the order.”
“I know.” I swallowed and placed an index finger to my lips.
My stomach tightened when Lady Sonja strode onto the main deck. Her boots fell heavy on the wooden planks as she made her way port side. She surveyed her surroundings, bringing up a hand to cover her nose. I couldn’t tell if she was disgusted with the condition of the boat or her platoon.
Her unit scurried about like river rats. No doubt looking for the owner of the unregistered vessel. Wincing, Lady Sonja shrugged out of her jacket. Underneath, she wore a tank top constructed of the same material as the pants. Her pale, muscled arms protruding out of the leathery suit made her look half-human, half something else.
As if she could hear our thoughts or sense us, she turned to face the cliff. I ducked, heart drumming in my throat. When I peered at her again, she’d moved on to bark orders to her crew.
“We can wait it out until she’s gone. I don’t think she’s interested in any of us right now.” I squeezed Catita’s fingers to get her to snap out of her almost panic attack.
“Lady Sonja has zero tolerance for people who don’t abide by the rules.” Catita strained her neck to
