Copy, (An Astro Boy Story)

Chapter 30: Onwards and Upwards

She was sitting on the couch when the call came.

The phone buzzed on the coffee table, spinning and lighting up. She, Zane and every Surface kid who'd stuck it through with them stared at it, watching it spaz.

Cora's arm felt numb and cold as she reached for it. She loosely accepted the call, holding the holo-phone to her ear.

She almost dropped it.

"Hello?" she answered hoarsely.

"Cora." Tenma's voice was neutral, but thick with chained emotions. "Come to the Ministry."

He hung up.

This time, she did drop it. Like her hairbrush had the day Astro had appeared in her kitchen, it slipped from her hand and clattered to the ground.

She didn't pick it up.

There was a minute of silence. After it, Zane cleared his throat roughly. When he spoke it sounded as if he hadn't talked in years. "Well?" he croaked. "What did he say?"

"I have to go to the Ministry," Cora deadpanned. Her hand was still hovering and she lowered it slowly.

Zane raised an eyebrow. "That's all?"

Cora nodded disjointedly and Zane pursed his lips, rising.

"Let's go, then," he said solemnly, exactly as Cora had expected him to, but she still grimaced despite herself.

"I'd like to go alone," she blurted, squeezing her eyes shut. It was immensely blunt, but she couldn't seem to bring herself to care.

Zane shoulders drooped, but he didn't look surprised. He also didn't protest. She knew he'd understand. "Are you sure?"

She wasn't, but she nodded anyway, swallowing thickly.

Without another word, she headed for the door.

All eyes followed her and it wasn't until she slipped into her father's hovercar that she allowed herself to breathe. Her lungs killed with each breath.

Her father didn't say anything and Cora was grateful.

There also wasn't much to say.

~O~

She's slammed the car door a bit harder than intended when she got out.

The noise of the slam didn't totally register. The Ministry loomed in front of her, tall and modern and imposing. Last time she'd been here had only been hours ago, and yet it felt like an eternity.

It was as if she had served several life sentences in this dreaded building and yet here she was again.

This time was different, though. This time no sliver of hope festered. There was no more kindling to keep that pitiful fire going.

The door beeped and opened on its own accord when she approached it. Tenma must have been waiting. She entered without hesitation, but her pulse quickened tenfold as she crossed the threshold.

This was it.

Tenma was hovering by the elevator, looking solemn and twitchy with his hands clasped behind his back.

If Cora was holding onto any sort of small, remedial hope that Astro was okay and waiting for her, it died just then. She felt the tears returning, but she pushed them down.

"Dr. Tenma," she said. Her voice shook unwillingly. but her jaw was set.

Tenma smiled thinly, his eyes unfocused. "Bill, please," he rasped.