Page 90 of Gamma

I look at Rin when he says this. “My eyes will never leave the prize.”

Roth’s eyes are on me—I feel them. He and I are going to have a conversation, soon.

18

Alamut Valley; Spaulding’s Demise

Despite the anticipation and the adrenaline of knowing we’re going to take out Spaulding once and for all, the flight from Tunis to Baku is long and boring, and I’m exhausted. I fall asleep soon after takeoff, as a matter of fact, even though the jump seats are hard and small and uncomfortable and the drone of the four massive engines and their propellers is deafening. I’m able to scrunch down far enough that I can rest my head on Apollo’s shoulder, and before I know it, I’m nodding off.

At some point, I rouse, feeling the sluggish disorientation of having slept at least a few hours. Apollo’s head is leaning on mine—I can just barely make out his heavy, slow breathing. On the other side of me, Dad is awake, a large, bulky phone pressed to his ear—a specially encrypted satellite phone. He’s talking to Mom, his hand cupped around the bottom end near his mouth, eyes closed. He sees me awake, and gestures at the phone, mouthingTalk to Mom?With his expression making it a question.

I nod, accepting the phone. I sit upright, and Apollo’s head slumps to my shoulder. I cup around my mouth and the microphone in an attempt to muffle some of the background drone.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Rin, my baby. Are you okay?”

“That’s a relative term, I think. I’m uninjured, and so far, coping all right. I’ll have bad dreams and I’ll need a therapist, probably, but…overall, yeah, I’m okay.”

“And Apollo? I heard he was shot. That’s all I could get out of Layla. She’s still salty that she’s not on that op with you guys. But I need her here. I need her support, you know?”

“He was shot. Spaulding shot him in the left elbow while he was in custody, as a warning of sorts. He’ll need surgery and PT, and I doubt he’ll use it the same way again, but he’ll be fine.”

“There’s something you’re not telling me.”

I sigh. “Did Dad spill the beans?”

The silence on the other end is sharp. “No, he didn’t. What is there to spill the beans about, Corinna?”

I laugh. “Oh, well, this isn’t how I wanted to tell you, but Apollo proposed to me.”

A pleased laugh. “He did?” I can almost hear the thoughtful frown, then. “Wait, while you guys are, like, in the middle of this whole thing with what’s his name?”

“Yeah. It was…perfect.”

“How did he manage to hold on to a ring while he was a prisoner?”

“There’s no ring, not yet. It was a very…nontraditional proposal. But it was perfect for us, and I’m happy.”

“That’s all that matters, that you’re happy.” A pause. “He’s a good man. He had kind of a rough start, but he made good. You guys are good for each other.”

“I think so, too.”

“So, when’s the wedding?”

I laugh. “I don’t know. We haven’t had time to get that far. But probably very soon. It’ll be super small, just the general A1S family. I want to have it on the island, though, if that’s okay with you guys.” Dad is listening, so I glance at him as I say this.

He just smiles and pats my knee.

“Of course. I’d be upset if you didn’t have it on the island, honestly. Can I help you plan it?”

“Mom, there’s not going to be anything to plan. We’re going to stand on the beach and say some vows, and then break out Dad’sreallygood whiskey.”

Mom tsks. “Honey, please. You have to let me have a little fun with this.” A muffled scuffling on the other end.

“Rin, baby girl, this is your Auntie Lay-Lay.” Her voice is chipper and threatening all at once. “You can keep it small and simple and still let your mother and I have a little fun. It’s not every day we have the first wedding in the family, you know.”

“Is Bryn still dating that musician?” I ask, trying to change the subject.