She was laughing in his face now. “Rem?”
“Yeah?”
“My score was ninety-five.”
He winced. “Ninety-five?”
Zia nodded.
“So . . .” He was trying to remember whatHumber had said. Over ninety-five was a match. Under it was not.Wasn’t that it? So—
“To me, it’s a match,” Zia told him proudly.“Right?”
He was still holding her in his arms, anddidn’t want to let go. But this was too much. So he loosened hisgrip just a bit, then gave her a cautious smile. “Humber said ithad to be above ninety-five.”
I was there, Rem. I saw the Malaran doctor’sface. He thinks I passed. Because ninety-five is the cutoff. And Imade it.”
“That’s bizarre.”
“Humber made him redo the numbers. Andmagically, they came out to 94.23.” She laughed lightly. “Turnsout, Humber never wanted me to pass. He’s all talk, no action. Soplease don’t blame my uncle. This is a Malaran cover-up, andas much as I appreciate it, I’m not going to let them get away withit. I have to know, once and for all.
“That’s why I’m here,” she added with animpish grin. “I need your help.”
Rem chuckled nervously. “Sure, whatever youwant. But I’m not a doctor—”
“Not that kind of help.” Her goldeneyes flashed with excitement and determination. “I want you to hookme up to the colossus.”
* * * *
There was a redwood bench at the edge of thecourtyard with a view of the ocean through a profusion ofscarlet-blossomed vines. Rem lead Zia over to it, and once she hadseated herself, he towered over her and demanded hoarsely, “Haveyou lost your mind? Does anyone know you’re here? Have youmentioned this to anyone else?”
She beamed up at him. “Remember your promiseto my grandfather. You have to help me.”
“I promised to protect your safety. Your mindis already lost, I guess.” He relaxed enough to sit next to her,taking her hand in his own. “Even if this idea wasn’t insane, Idon’t know how to pilot a giant.”
“How hard can it be?” she said teasingly.Then her tone grew sincere. “I just need to get inside the mech.And then figure out how to hook myself to it. Then see if I canmake it respond to me. You have good instincts about these sorts ofthings—”
“Says who? And even if I did, remember whatthe Malaran doctor said. If we hook you to the colossus, and you’renot a match, it’ll scramble your brain. Doesn’t that scareyou?”
Zia bit her lip. “You know what scares memore? Being useless.”
Rem slid his arm around her shoulders andgave her a squeeze. “That’s crazy, Zee. Don’t you know how much thepublic loves you? How great you make people feel—”
“Malara is under attack. If they lose, Alluvawill come after Earth next. The public doesn’t need a cheerleader,Rem. They need the next generation of Daniel Quito and Finn Stone.”Staring into his eyes, she insisted, “If I can make that giantdance, even a little, I’ll know—we’ll all know—that DanielQuito’s spirit lives on in me. Even if I never fight, the Alluvanwarriors will wonder. I’ll be a psychological weapon, just likeHumber said. So please? Help me try to pilot the giant.”
“Actually, we don’t need to hook you up tomind grub the Alluvans.”
“Hmm?”
A plan was taking shape in Rem’s mind. “Wecould say that your score was so close, the Malarans need to testyou again on their own turf with more sophisticated equipment. Andthey could announce that if things look grim—challenge-wise—theymight just hook you up to the colossus even if you’re not a perfectmatch. The fact that you’re willing to do that—to take thatkind of risk—will be the ultimate proof that you’re DanielQuito reborn.”
Zia moistened her lips, listening but notresponding.
So Rem continued eagerly. “Don’t you see? Wedon’t need to take a chance by hooking you to the giant. You werenever going to fight anyway, Zee. You know that, don’t you?”
“I guess so.”
“Humber was clear on that. But you can stillhave a staggering effect, just by going to Malara.”
“And you think Humber will still let mecome?”
“It’s impossible to say no to you. He told meso himself.”
“But you just said no to me,” shemurmured. “I asked you to hook me to the giant. And you saidno.”
Rem grimaced. “Yeah, but that’s different.That could kill you on the spot. I won’t take that risk. Not justbecause I care about you, but because the world would think I didit on purpose.”
She drew back. “Why would they think such aterrible thing?”
“You’re my only real competition for gainingback the presidency someday. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m surethat’s what your uncle would tell the public—that I eliminated youby hooking you to the giant. It would be political suicide forme.”
Even before she responded, her expressiontold him how hurt she was. “Is that how you see me, Rem? Ascompetition?”
“No. Not now. But in the past? Yeah, to behonest, I did.” He touched her cheek. “I wouldn’t hook you upanyway. It’s too dangerous. Especially because we have this otherplan, right?”
She lowered her gaze to her hands, but helifted her chin back up and smiled encouragingly. “They probablywon’t let me fight either. I know that, but I’m goinganyway. To show them we support them. I’ll find a way to make adifference. And you can too. As a symbol of loyalty andcourage.”
He wasn’t sure it was true. Maybe Logan andHumber wouldn’t agree to it. But it made sense if the alliance wasgoing to endure and succeed. What didn’t make sense was taking achance on frying her insides by attaching her to a colossus.
If anyone could persuade Jared and Humber tolet her go to Malara, it was Zia. And if not, then at least she’dbe safe. It was the perfect compromise, if only she’d acceptit.
But would she?
Zia answered him abruptly by kissing him onthe mouth, then jumping back before he could join in. “If I’m goingto
