Page 82 of Red Zone Awakened

“I assume this statement you’d like me to read has me playing the part of a Freedom convert.”

It wasn’t a question.She knew public relations.She’d built her reputation on being the trustworthy voice of the ruling company.People believed what she said, and because of that, she tried to give them the truth and not misuse her power.She wasn’t a fool.There was a certain amount of manipulation in every marketing scenario, but Keiko had tried to use hers for good and not evil.Much like a superhero.

Mace had been right.She was naive.

“I can’t do it.”Keiko shook her head at the woman who’d murdered her friend.

“You mean youwon’tdo it.”Susan angled her head and considered Keiko.“Do you believe in the company that much?Enough to risk your life rather than your reputation?”

“Here’s the thing, Susan—it isn’t that I believe in CommTECH so much.It’s more that I don’t agree with murdering others to get what you want.So I’d rather not be a party to your cause.”

“You do understand how ironic that is, right?”Susan smirked.“Given that you’re the public face of a company that kills to get what it wants every single day.”

“Prove it,” Keiko challenged.“Because the only murderers I see are the ones standing in front of me, claiming they’re fighting for a higher cause.”

The Freedom leader’s eyes narrowed on her, and it occurred to Keiko that she probably shouldn’t challenge the woman.It was a sure way to die sooner rather than later.Her gaze flicked to Abigail’s body again.That would be her if she didn’t comply.Was her life worth standing on principle?Was Abigail’s life worth so little that Keiko would give in to the terrorists’ demands just to avoid death?What would Mace do if he were in her shoes?He wouldn’t play along to live an hour, a day, a lifetime more.He’d stand on his honor and resist.He’d demand to wear the damn band and then look for another way to escape death.

That thought gave her strength.If she was to die, she wouldn’t do it cowering before a madwoman.She’d do it with the same kind of honor and dignity Mace would show.She straightened her shoulders and reached over to take the EMP band from Susan’s hands.While the Freedom leader watched in stunned silence, Keiko fastened the band around her own forehead.

“I’ll be on the stage with Rueben.”She took a step toward the scientist.

Susan’s hand shot out to curl around her arm.“Are you sure you want to die today?”

“No.But I also don’t want to live with the knowledge I helped you.”

The woman dropped Keiko’s arm in disgust, a vicious glint filling her eyes.“Put her beside Abigail’s body.That’ll make a good visual for the cameras.”

As someone took her arm, Keiko worked on breathing evenly.That body wasn’t Abigail.Not anymore.Her friend was gone; all that remained was a shell.Nothing could hurt her now.And Keiko refused to give anyone the satisfaction of using Abigail’s death to upset her, to make her cry for the cameras.No, she wouldn’t allow her friend to be used that way.Even in death.

Ignoring her roiling stomach and holding her head high, she walked up the steps to the exact place she’d started hours earlier.

“Please kneel,” the polite man who’d delivered her to the terrace murmured, and she dropped to her knees.There was no point in hesitating now she’d made her decision.

Her eyes found her friend’s lifeless body, and her soul wailed silently.Later, she promised herself.She’d grieve later.

The polite freedom fighter stepped behind her, took her hands, and fastened her wrists together.“I find that I am actually quite sorry to put you in this position, Ms.Sato,” he said softly.“You aren’t at all what I expected.”

“And yet, you’re still doing as your power-hungry leader orders,” she felt the need to point out.

“I’ve chosen my course, as have you.”

Keiko looked out at the crowd of reporters.Most of them smiled encouragement at her while they cried.She gave them a sad smile in return, letting them know they were all in this together.

And then, she turned her head and gave her attention and respect to Abigail.To the friend she’d loved.If it was the last thing she did, she’d make sure the world didn’t see Abigail as just another victim of Freedom’s cause.

“You know,” she said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “Abigail Dawson was a child genius.A prodigy.She could do things with nanotech before she turned ten that most scientists can’t do when they’re adults.”She smiled as she remembered Abigail explaining a new piece of tech she’d developed.Keiko had been lost after the first five minutes but had loved her friend’s childlike enthusiasm.

“Her mother was born blind.”Keiko carried on talking and intended to do so until someone shut her up.She was doing it for her friend, who deserved more of an epitaph than the one Freedom gave her.“Abigail was designing a nanobot that could repair the eye from within.It’d been attempted in the past, but the risk of causing more damage in the process caused them to discontinue the research.Abigail believed she’d cracked the problem that worried previous scientists, and she negotiated with CommTECH to keep the tech at an affordable price for all.She’d even planned clinics where people could receive treatment for free.She was going to change the world with her intelligence and compassion.”

Keiko searched the crowd and found Susan’s angry gaze.“She had two kittens that she doted on.And although she was painfully shy, she had many friends.I was one of them.I loved that woman and count myself blessed to have known her.Tell me, Susan, how did killing Abigail Dawson further your cause?How did it help Freedom?Why don’t you go on air and explain to the people who’d have benefited from her breakthrough, who’d have had their eyesight restored, that Abigail’s death was for their good?”

Susan caught the eye of Keiko’s captor.“Gag her.”

The polite man who’d told her all about his suffering at the hands of CommTECH hesitated.

“It’s okay,” she said.“Do what she tells you.After all, what you’ve lost is more important than anything Abigail lost or anything she would have done if she’d lived.Your wife, your job, your home.They’re worth my friend’s life.They’re worth mine.Aren’t they?”

Unable to look her in the eye, he placed a silencer over her mouth.Keiko raised her chin and stared out over the crowd.She’d done what she’d meant to do.She’d told the reporters that Abigail was valued.That she wasn’t only a victim of a terrorist attack.She’d been needed.And she’d been loved.And now, she was lost.

Keiko knew if they made it out of this alive, the reporters would tell Abigail’s story, and she wouldn’t be lost forever.It was all Keiko could do, and she wished she could have done it for the other scientists lying dead on the platform too.But Abigail’s epitaph would have to be enough for all of them.

As she looked up into the night sky, Mace’s bat fluttered overhead, staying as close as possible to her without drawing attention to itself.Watching over her.Keiko wished she were able to communicate with the creature by thought the way Mace could because she’d tell it to pass on a message to its human half.

She’d tell Mace not to come for her.To save himself instead.Because she was as good as dead, and she didn’t want to take him down with her.Not him.Not her Viking.The world needed him far more than it needed her.Now that she knew him, she realized he was far too precious to lose.The world needed a warrior to keep it on track.It needed a man of honor.

It needed Mace.