Rosetta

21

Rosetta yanked her portscreen from her back pocket, checking her location. She really was on Luna. She shoved it back in her pocket and held onto the pole of the maglev train. She had come across a man, far too old for work, who had taken pity, and used his hand to access the maglev train for her. Just for her.

A new emotion overtook her. Natasha- no, Mama, was gone. And the blood was on her hands. With one hand still on the pole, she clenched the other by her side.

Esmerelda hadn't made her a murderer, naive woman. She already was one. One that went by the name Gun Girl.

What was this feeling? It wasn't rage or anger. The tears had dried up on her face long ago, so it wasn't guilt. Whilst walking to the maglev station, she had tried to make the tears come again, but they refused. Why? Because she wasn't her real mother? Or had she just gotten over her death already?

No, it's wasn't anger, guilt, expectance.

It was confidence.

Confidence that she would get her revenge.

She opened her portscreen again, and checked the Earthen newsfeeds. Her note was plastered on the headline.

"Ah," she said to the empty train. "I'm famous."

But something else made her heart stop.

A picture of a man.

A man she knew too well.

She hurriedly read the text to herself.

"-man by the name Carlos Alvaro had aided the search, being the only one to recognise the kidnapper's handwriting. The Emperor had told him to assist his journey to Luna after seeing regolith darts used to sedate the guards. They are now residing in RM9 where-"

She didn't need to read anymore. She checked where she was. Had she already passed it?

"Change course to RM9!" She shouted.

"Changing course to RM9," the robotic voice returned. "ETA: 2 minutes."

Rosetta slumped into her seat. Mama had said that he would protect her, save her. And he had come all the way to Luna to do it.

But how would she find him? He would be with the Emperor, and surely he wouldn't be happy to see the person that took his wife. Though he might be grateful to know hat she had bought him some time.

But how could she him make sure that Carlos wasn't seeing a glamour?

The thought hit Rosetta with jolt.

When the mutants had attacked, she and Carlos had shared a phrase that confirmed their identities, proving that they were not a thaumaturge's glamour. They always shot their gun 3 times before saying-

"Al final, nos uniremos a las estrellas," she whispered. In the end, we'll join the stars.

She almost chuckled. They would get to use their code once more, without scaring civilians. They were still working, ignorant of the royalty in their city.

The maglev train slowed to a stop.

"You have arrived at RM9," the train called.

Rosetta felt for her gun. It was still there.

She jumped off the platform and ran up to the surface. She was presented with frail shacks and a dusted floor, but she ignored it.

Hope consumed her. She yanked her gun out of her pocket. She needed to wait until she was far away from the station, and closer to the centre.