Twisted Metal Heart - Eve Langlais Page 0,39
ensure nothing followed.
He also tried not to wonder what would prevent the Morass from wanting to expand its reach into the tunnel.
Exiting from the shaft, he sighed in relief to see the tank where he’d left it. A part of him had been convinced it would be gone. Alfred could have driven it off after all. Something that occurred to him only once he was back in Haven. Another reason he’d not told them about Burton or Alfred. They would have called him crazy without proof. Claiming the robot skull drove off with it just wouldn’t cut it.
Hitting the ground, he paused by the tank door and wondered what he’d say to Alfred. Then moved on to pondering why he’d apologize to a metal head.
He was nuts. Pure and simple. One didn’t talk to machines. Yet the moment he stepped into the tank, guilt hit him. Alfred remained on the dash, his jeweled eyes dark. His power must have run low while Titan was gone.
For some reason, this made his remorse well deeper. “I’m sorry I left.”
“I’d say you’re forgiven, but I’m just a robot and don’t feel a thing, apparently. Which is why I guess you think it’s okay to abandon me. It’s not as if I’ll care. I’m just a metal hunk.”
He yelled as Alfred suddenly came to life. “Fuck me, don’t scare me like that.”
“Your skittish nature really makes me wonder about your claims to be a valiant survivor.”
“I survive just fine against animals. Talking robot heads are just plain fucked up.”
“In your world, maybe. In mine, we dream of ruling all of Earth.”
He blinked at Alfred. “Seriously?”
“Your expression would amuse me if I had a sense of humor. But I don’t.” Funny how he sounded alive, and disgruntled.
“I’m sorry I left you alone. From now on, I’ll take you with me wherever I go.”
“Not everywhere. There are some things even I don’t want to see.”
That brought a snort. “Fair enough. Given you’ve chosen to return, and aren’t dead in a ditch or being digested by animals, I assume you have a plan?”
“I need to find a place that’s safe where Haven can relocate.”
“Resettlement. A noble cause. I’ll study the maps and point out areas of interest. But it might take time to route to them underground.”
“Speaking of routes, do you know how to get to the Emerald City?”
That shut Alfred right up because, though he waited, there was no reply.
“Well? Can we go there?”
“Why would we?”
He found it odd Alfred asked because it seemed obvious. “To kill the queen of course.”
“So this isn’t about Riella?”
“What about her?” He played dumb. It didn’t work.
“Are you going to rescue her?”
“She’s not my problem.”
“She rescued you.”
“She lied,” was his bitter reply. Zara and Vera could give him all the reasons in the world; it didn’t make him feel better. He wanted someone to blame.
For a robot, Alfred proved perceptive. “You want to see her punished.”
Yes and no. It was complicated. “If she’s a victim here, then by killing the queen, I’d be doing her a favor.”
“Except you will never get close enough.”
“You can’t know that.”
“I do know that.” Alfred’s firm reply. “Going to Emerald City is a death sentence.”
“Then what do you suggest I do?”
“Stay far away from the Emerald City.”
“What about Riella?”
“Riella is resilient. She’ll find a way to leave because she has to.”
“I could help.”
Alfred snorted. “No, you wouldn’t. You’d just slow her down.”
The problem with telling someone no? It made them want to go even more, though he realized Alfred was right. Going there now while he was still learning to use his limbs was stupid. He couldn’t always walk correctly. How did he expect to assassinate a guarded queen?
“Fine, then I won’t go after her. In that case, where do you suggest we go? We can’t just wander aimlessly.”
“Have you heard the rumors of a free city?”
“Vaguely.” He frowned. “Wait, you mean to tell me you know where it is?”
“Yes. It’s in the Marshlands.”
“I don’t know that name.”
“Because it’s not in Emerald,” Alfred replied quite smugly. “It’s in Sapphire. Or was. Their politics are complicated currently.”
“Anything outside of Emerald doesn’t do us much good. There are only two roads out of here through the mountains, and each is guarded by an Enclave fortress packed with Centurions. No one without permission goes in or out.”
“Actually, only one is a road. The other pass can only be crossed by a high-speed train.”
“Meaning no exit.”
“You’re not thinking,” Alfred said teasingly. “You wouldn’t move people above ground.”
Titan drummed his