The Girl With Green Scales: A Gen M Novel

Chapter 39: Lobotomy

The glass elevator hisses to a halt in the First Minister's penthouse. My wrists are manacled behind my back. The silver beast from the rooftop growls at me, taking up most of the space in the lift. My skin is criss crossed with slowly healing burns. My shoulder aches.

Captain Light shoves me onto the wood floor stained in the shape of a rhino head; I land at Demoiselle DuVent's feet. She twirls a glass of dark liquor. Ice cubes clatter. She's in a night coat that's practically a ball gown, her hair concealed in a turban. Thelp's muted thrashing and screaming filters from her chamber and through the kitchen door. For a moment I expect Stinky to come out—and then I remember.

I struggle to my feet. Demoiselle DuVent slaps me across the cheek. The silver beast barks in agreement.

"We gave you everything, and this is how you repay us?" she demands. "The things people are saying!"

Her on-the-go beeps.

"You should get that," I say.

"Why?" she demands. "So I can endure more humiliation as the vultures close in?"

Thelp's thrashing grows more violent.

"I'm coming!" the demoiselle yells at her. To me, she adds, "You were going to tell the world your story. And what story is that? How we gave you a home, your health, the love of your life—and you threw it all away?"

Thelp shrieks like she's being murdered. Demoiselle DuVent pinches her brow. "Yes, Thelp, I know!" The demoiselle waves at Captain Light. "Take her to Husband."

Captain Light grabs my arm and drags me across the living area. I look back. The demoiselle's on-the-go beeps more urgently in her shaking hand. She throws the device across the room, and she disappears into the kitchen.

Captain Light dumps me in front of Groff. He's seated at his desk, eating dinner. He places a piece of steak into his mouth and gazes out the window as he chews. The silver beast prances proudly to Groff's side. Groff pets the creature; it whimpers and rubs itself against his leg, then sniffs at the food on the desk.

"Leave us," Groff says to Captain Light.

"But—" Captain Light starts.

"Go!" Groff shouts. The silver beast growls, ready to attack. Captain Light glares at me as he leaves.

Groff pours himself a glass of thick liqueur and downs it in one gulp. "You've created quite the mess."

"What you're doing is wrong," I say.

"What I'm doing is necessary," he replies. "Everyday, we are on the brink, Supergenics and dregs alike. Most of the planet is either irradiated or worse. That means constantly cleaning the air, rivers, and oceans as their currents turn over. The Genetic Wars are done, but, to this day, there remain atmospheric and geological disturbances from dreg genocide tech and Supergenics using their abilities to defend themselves to survive, not to mention mad science." He gazes at the ever-roiling storm across the river. "And the mutated predators—"

"You mean innocent children," I reply.

"Some of them," he concedes. "But as I'm sure you saw while running around the Yellow Zone, mutated animals are everywhere, some more dangerous than others. The ocean beasts are the worst. The mariners can't deal with them. They can barely deal with themselves."

"There must be a better way," I say.

"Even when I overhaul the tech laws, there will still need to be restrictions to the solutions science can offer," he sighs. "Doctor Dérangé isn't the first intellect to be seduced by madness. There's a limit to the genius we can safely access. I can think of a few dregs who would laugh at the irony—if I hadn't crushed them with my bare hands. They said Supergenics had to be cured or controlled, that we were sick, unnatural mistakes. I won't let them be right Lilianne. We will survive. We will thrive. I've fought too hard to let anyone stand in my way, even my own daughter."