Ultimate Nyssa Glass, H. Burke [cat reading book .TXT] 📗

attachment to the weird, mechanical facsimile of her boyfriend.

“I’m thirsty, too,” Nyssa said between bites.

Aito jerked his thumb towards the corner. “There’s a wash sink in one of those cabinets, probably for cleaning off tools, but the water is potable.”

“What about some coffee or tea?” Nyssa asked. “Something to wake me up.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Aito ducked out of the room.

“Rivera’s up to something.” Hart turned his monitor to Rivera’s study. The man was facing a messenger, a none-too-pleased look on his face, his deadly eyes glaring. “What do you think that note says?”

Rivera crumpled the paper and tossed it to the floor.

“I don’t know, but he’s certainly not happy about it.” The image flickered out.

Aito returned carrying a china cup. He placed it on a table across the room and motioned to her. “I hope you don’t mind it black.”

“I’ll take anything right about now.” She walked over and took the warm cup between her hands. The coffee’s scent soothed the cracks in her mind.

He shifted from one foot to the other. “So … any idea what the computer has decided?”

“What do you care?” She raised the coffee to her lips and sipped. Ugh, bitter and thick as motor oil … well, at least it will wake me up.

“If the computer refuses to give Rivera what he wants, he will expect me to carry out his orders, including torturing you until the computer yields or you die, whichever comes first.” The man’s face remained placid, but something in his eyes made Nyssa pause. “While I’m capable of causing you pain, I’m not eager to. It would be easier on both of us if the computer cooperated.”

Nyssa scowled. “I’m sorry if the computer and I have inconvenienced you.”

“And the computer? What does he have to say about all this?” He looked over her head towards the monitor.

“He says go to Hell,” Hart said.

A slight smile quirked the corners of Aito’s mouth. “For a computer, you have the spirit of a warrior. I admire that, but it will not save—”

“Aito!” Rivera’s voice rang through the room.

Aito turned on his heels and hurried into the workshop. Nyssa glanced at Hart then slunk after Aito. She pressed herself against the wall to listen.

“When you found the girl, was she alone?” Rivera asked, his voice a growl.

“She came to the warehouse alone. No one saw me collect her.”

“No, before that, when she was free on San Azula, was she with anyone?”

“Yes, she shared her home with a young man, an older woman, and a small boy. They were together most of the time, which is why I had to go through some lengths to draw her out—”

“Was this young man in a wheelchair?”

“Yes. I believe he was.” Aito cleared his throat.

“Damnit!”

“Did I misunderstand my orders, sir?” Aito asked. “You told me to bring back the girl, no mention of her companions.”

“And you didn’t even think to mention them to me?”

Nyssa hazarded a peek around the door frame. Rivera’s face glowed red, and his hands clenched his cane. Aito’s back was to her, his shoulders up in a way that might’ve been defensive.

“I didn’t see it as important,” Aito said. “The youth was in a chair, not exactly a threat to myself or anyone in our organ—”

Rivera’s cane swept towards Aito’s side. Aito leapt out of the way, the walking aid swiping through the air.

“Sir, obviously I have displeased you, but could you at least explain how before you beat me like a dog?” Aito’s voice came out tight.

Rivera just snarled and pushed past him.

Her insides quivering, Nyssa fled to Hart’s side. Though she knew he could do nothing physically to protect her, being close to him gave her strength. She had a bad feeling she’d need as much of that as she could muster.

Rivera burst in. “You’ve been lying to me, Miss Glass.”

“How so?” She crossed her arms.

“Ellis Dalhart is alive, and you knew it.” The cane in his hand shook like a branch in the wind.

“You never asked about Ellis, but if you had, it wouldn’t have mattered.” She stuck her chin at him, hoping her expression looked fierce rather than terrified. “You aren’t touching him.”

Aito came up behind his employer. “Ellis Dalhart? But how? You told me he was dead …”

“He should’ve been!” Rivera’s fists clenched. “Does he know about his father’s experiments? Can he recreate them?”

“Ellis doesn’t need his father’s twisted monstrosities,” Nyssa said through clenched teeth. “If he had his way, they’d all burn, and you can burn with them.”

Rivera’s cane thwacked the side of her face. She fell against the wall, her teeth vibrating in her skull.

“Nyss!” Hart cried.

Nyssa cowered with her arms over her head. The cane struck her ribs. Her side ached, and her breath abandoned her.

“Stop it! I have what you want, and I’ll give it to you! Just stop hitting her!” Hart shouted.

The blows ceased. She hazarded her eyes open.

Rivera stared at the monitor. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and the cane in his hand continued to shake, almost as if it had a mind of its own and Rivera was holding it back from hitting her again. Aito rubbed his hand over his eyes.

Rivera’s shoulders rose and fell in a deep breath. “All right, computer. Tell me what I need.”

“It’s complicated. I can’t just rattle it off and expect you to retain it. I can print it out, though. Professor Dalhart had a device that allowed me to turn my data into a readable printout, but if you don’t have that, a standard pentelegraph will do, just anything I can interact with that allows me to control ink and paper.”

“And you won’t use the pentelegraph to send out messages? Call for help?” Rivera tilted his head to one side.

“If you connect it right, it will be impossible. You know as well as I do that my system is isolated to the house. I can’t so much as make a videophone call.”

Nyssa struggled for breath to speak. How can Hart give up