The Girl Who Dared to Think by Bella Forrest (e reader for manga TXT) 📕

doing back here, girl? You just left a few hours ago.” His bushy eyebrows fairly bristled as he glowered at me, his blue eyes suddenly suspicious. “Don’t tell me you saw someone following you again.”

I ignored the question completely. “Zoe is a four, but she’ll be a three soon. She’s twenty, almost twenty-one, and with Water Treatment, but the girl is a Cog in her heart. She’s untrained and built her own data pad, and not like the ones we use—like the ones IT uses. There isn’t anyone more qualified to get us out of here or put together a transportation device. You don’t just want her, Roark; you need her.”

Roark stared at me during my entire speech. I’d spent the trip back deciding what to say and stripping it down to its most important and briefest points. Now I stood here, meeting his gaze unwaveringly—until I heard glass clinking so violently it set my teeth on edge.

I immediately turned to see Grey leaning heavily on one of the small UV fridges, his eyelashes fluttering. My feet moved of their own accord, and I crossed over to him to thread his arm over my shoulder and stand him upright. A few more steps with his sluggish and heavy body next to me, and I sat him in an overstuffed chair nearby. A book hit the floor with a thunk as he dislodged it from the seat, and I picked it up and set it to one side.

“What’s wrong with him?” I asked, watching his head loll to one side as he immediately drifted off.

“Oh, him? He was scratching at the salve on his burn, so I sedated him.”

I swiveled around to see Roark bent back over his work, his eyes focused on the glowing screen.

“Is he going to be all right?”

“He’ll be fine. Just a little in and out for a while.”

I made sure Grey was settled, and then marched back over to Roark. “Can you help me?” I asked, meeting his startled gaze.

“You mean, will I help your friend?” Roark said, turning back to his screen. “And the answer is no, I will not.”

I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming at him. “Look, she’s the reason I was able to get Grey out. I cut her off after that day, completely abandoned her after giving her a glimpse of what was really going on. She is my best friend in the world, and there is no way I am ever leaving this Tower without her—okay? If not just because of what I asked, then because of what she did for Grey.”

Roark leaned back in his chair and said nothing for what felt like an eternity. Then he sat up, rubbing at his forehead. He stroked the hair back from his brow, letting out a long breath before speaking.

“I knew a man, once,” he said. “Name of Caduceus. We were as close as any two people in this damned Tower can be. We collaborated on research, lifted each other up when things were hard. I loved him as a brother, and was godfather to his child.”

I grew silent and let Roark speak. I hadn’t known him long, but I didn’t have to know him long to know this was a hard story for him to tell. I was certain that whatever he was going to say, it was relevant, even if it wasn’t clear in the moment. I hoped that it meant whatever I was about to hear would help me solve my Zoe problem.

“Caduceus was twice the scientist I am. If Chief Surgeon Sage ever managed to die, I think Caduceus would have made a fine candidate for the council, after Selka, of course. Not that Scipio would ever elect a seven like him. No, but Caduceus was methodical. Smart, but considerate, which is an unusual mix for the Medica.”

He stroked his wispy beard, his expression full of distaste. “When Selka found out about the outside world, she swore me to secrecy on the subject. It would be between us, she said. We couldn’t risk people dropping in rank, running off, causing a panic. We had to keep calm, and, more importantly, keep it to ourselves.

“Thinking back, it’s easy to see why she wanted us to do so. She died, of course, and look at how I live now. Caduceus had heard about Selka dying, and showed up to beg me to let him help me with my grief, help me process, but I turned him away. And he quickly forgot about the old, dishonored man working in Cogstown.”

I continued to stare at him, and he met my gaze, his eyes sparkling brightly with unshed tears, a crooked smile on his lips.

“The man’s family is doing well. I check in from time to time. My godson has a son now, with a pretty girl he met when he was a student. The little boy shows as much promise in the medical field as his grandfather. Had I not done what I did, he would be dead, or disgraced. Do I miss him? Every day. Do I regret cutting him out of my life?”

There was a pause, and for an instant it looked like Roark was trying to convince himself of the next word.

“No,” he said.

Silence grew in the room as I considered his words. After a long time in deep thought, I shook my head and looked at him. “There are parallels, sure, but there are some drastic differences. Zoe knows I was trying to save Grey, trying to break the law. She helped me do it. Caduceus was just your friend; he didn’t know what was going on with you and Selka. Your behavior can be written off as grief—but mine? I just ran into her, Roark. She wouldn’t even talk to me, and her number is dropping. You can’t tell me that if you found out Caduceus was about to hit one tomorrow, you wouldn’t help him out. I dare you