Chapter 27
Finn
We step outside into sunlight, though dusk is almost here. The guards who were supposed to protect the entrance are now lying dead. At first I think that River is the one who killed them, but then I notice armed drones descending toward us.
“I couldn’t save my Nanny Spider, Mother,” River says.
The drones divide into two columns, creating a path for us like soldiers sharing respect. In the distance, Denver is burning, dark smoke rising against the orange glow of the setting sun.
Buck’s enormous buggy drives closer and stops in front of us. He shakes his head from the driver’s seat and sighs. “He deserved better.”
We climb into the back seat with Timothy still in River’s arms. I tell Buck, “There are prisoners still down there. Can you send someone to rescue them?”
“I will.”
As we drive away, River softly sings lullabies that Timothy likely sang to him years ago. One of them cuts deep, making me choke up.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.
We drive past battlegrounds, where lifeless bodies lie next to wounded fighters who are being treated.
“How bad was it?” I ask.
“It could’ve been worse. Once Mother gained control over the drones, they helped with the fighting. Elijah told us about a secret entrance into the heart of the city, and some of the Defenders used it while the Raiders protected the borders. You were smart to suggest I speak with him.”
I don’t feel smart after everything I’ve lost today. “Does he maybe have a clone?”
River shakes his head. “No.”
“Well, somebody did put Timothy’s soul into this body at one point.”
“We don’t have the means to do that again.”
I want to argue, but if River doesn’t have faith, mine quickly dwindles.
“He chose me,” he says quietly. “Out of everyone, he chose to save my clone. And now I can’t do anything to save him.”
I don’t have the words or the energy to offer him comfort, so I remain silent, wrapped in my grief.
It takes us a few hours to reach Florence, and the moon is high in the sky by then.
I’m shocked to see so many tents across the peaceful town, where Defenders and soldiers from the Free Cities have been staying while preparing for war.
The whole town has turned into a military compound, and even here, many miles away from Denver, people shout and run around to take care of the incoming wounded.
Buck parks at the center of town for us to climb down. I try to block the cries of pain from all around me, but they’re unavoidable. “Where can I find Caden?” I ask.
“He should be around the clinic area,” Buck says. “I’m going to stay here and check on things.”
River and I walk deeper into town, and I grow more tired the farther I walk, but it’s going to be a long night. When we’re about to pass Frankie’s Repairs and Science Things, Frankie steps outside in his white lab coat, his head as massive as I remembered.
He frowns at Timothy. “What happened?”
“Nanny Spider was shot.”
“Hmm, I see. Follow me.”
“He’s dead, Frankie,” I say. “I’m sorry.”
“Follow me,” he says again, already entering his shop.
I exchange a tired look with River before stepping inside. The light is too bright, and I’m careful not to hit any of the devices lying around.
“Please put him here,” Frankie says.
River carefully places Timothy on the desk. I can’t stand the sight of his shattered head with the small wires poking out. His human palms have gone completely white.
Frankie raises Timothy’s head and examines it. “Mmm.”
“His soul is gone,” River says.
“I’m afraid I’m not familiar with the science of souls, but Timothy Brown and I have had long and informative conversations about the technology behind his creation.
I was naturally curious, and he was forthcoming.
” He brings a squared device with a dial and two small iron clamps.
“In one of our conversations, Timothy mentioned a survival mechanism that was created in case he was damaged and needed to wait for help. If I remember correctly—and I always do—that mechanism should not be located in his head but in his backside, where a thicker layer of plastic protects his internal parts.”
I don’t know what any of this means, but my heart beats faster, though I should not succumb to false hope.
Frankie attaches the small clamps to wires inside Timothy’s open head, then moves the dial on the device, making numbers change on a small screen. He does that for a long time, making me question if he has any idea what he’s doing. Finally, he nods and says, “This should be the right amount.”
“For what?” I ask, and he replies by flicking a switch on the side of the device.
Sparks shoot from Timothy’s head, making me jolt and take a step back. Frankie immediately removes the clamps, even though nothing has changed. My hopes begin to fade once more, then my eyes shoot wide at a twitch in one of Timothy’s palms. Did I imagine it?
Timothy jerks his head up. “Is everybody okay? Where’s Finn?”
I’m about to faint, but River holds me in time. We crouch down to face Timothy, and I can barely see him through my tears. “Are you okay?”
“A quick analysis reveals that half my head is gone, but I am okay.”
“Nanny Spider, your soul is in your butt!”
“My butt? Oh, well, I suppose it is.” He reaches for me with two of his palms, which are already less pale and cold.
“I thought you were dead,” I say, letting him wipe my tears.
“I’m sorry, but since I’ve been worried sick about you for weeks, I’d say we’re even. Please tell me what happened with Hector and Goo after I was shot, and where’s Caden?”
I fill him in about what happened, including the death of Goo during their final battle with Hector. “And I don’t know how Caden is doing; I’m going to find him and check.”
“You do that right away. Frankie, thank you for reactivating me. Would you mind if we run some tests to evaluate my condition?”
“I have no conflicting engagements.”
“I’ll go with Finn,” River says, “but I’ll be back soon. No more dying, Nanny Spider. I can’t be so sad again.”
I hug Frankie before I leave, ignoring his sigh of annoyance.
Once outside, River and I walk toward the clinic in the northern part of town.
It’s the largest structure in Florence, and right now, the entire area surrounding it is occupied by tents.
I recognize some doctors from Unity as they take care of the wounded.
Those who didn’t survive their injuries are being moved to make room for a new wave of incoming wounded.
I start to search for Caden, but River says, “I can feel Josh inside the clinic. Caden must be there too.”
We walk between tents until we step into the bright clinic.
The place is filled with commotion, and before I can find someone to ask for instructions, River pulls me aside.
We enter one of the hallways, and through the moans and cries of pain from all directions, I hear a horrible scream that freezes my blood. Caden.
I dash to the last room in the hallway, where three doctors and Josh struggle to restrain Caden to the bed.
His yellowish eyes are wide and bloodshot.
They bandaged the gun wounds in his shoulder and thigh, but they are still bleeding.
His body should be healing itself, but something is stopping it from happening.
“He needs another dose of the sedative,” one of the doctors says, but he seems hesitant to let go of thrashing Caden.
“I’ll hold him,” River says and walks to the bed.
Josh sighs in relief at the sight of us. With River helping to hold Caden down, the doctor is able to inject him with a sedative. I take a step forward, watching the agony on Caden’s face. “Is he like this because of the gunshot wounds?”
“He was doing better until a few hours ago,” Josh says and wipes sweat from his brow. “Then something happened, and he started going crazy. His wounds were almost fully healed before that, but now they keep reopening. They don’t want to give him blood transfusions because, well…”
He means that Caden’s blood is different now—the red and yellow mixture is splashed all over the bed. A normal transfusion might cause even more damage.
Hector’s death must have short-circuited their connection, sending Caden into a frenzy. But he can’t continue to bleed like this. He’s already as pale as a ghost, his veins visible through his skin.
“Get off me!” He thrashes again, but they pin him down. “Joshy… Joshy, take Finn and leave. I’m begging you to leave.”
“Nobody is leaving, so calm the fuck down and let us help you!”
Caden shakes his head, his bloodshot eyes failing to focus. “It’s burning me. My veins are on fire. I can’t anymore, I can’t… just kill me and make it stop. Please.”
“We’re going to figure it out!”
“You can’t! His blood is killing me, so get the fuck out and let me die already!”
His blood is killing me.
We have to fight Hector’s blood.
But how can we fight something so powerful that we know almost nothing about?
“I’ll be right back,” I say. “Don’t let him die!
” I run out of the room, almost crashing into people.
I tell myself I’m not being crazy, even though I likely am, but I’m not going to pretend the worst isn’t happening, that Caden isn’t dying.
If ever there was a time to be completely reckless, this is it.
I reach Frankie’s Repairs and Science Things to find Lyla crouching in front of Timothy, who is still on Frankie’s desk. They all turn to look at me.
“What’s wrong?” Lyla asks.
“Caden is dying. I need…” I catch my breath. “I need your help, Timothy. His blood is mixed with Hector’s, and now it is killing him.”
Timothy stands on his eight legs. A piece of plastic is covering the gap in his skull, though it’s clearly a temporary solution. “I’m afraid my blood isn’t meant for humans.”