Gemina (The Illuminae Files, #2)

by Amie Kaufman

MERCURY: Ballpark, this is Mercury. How you looking, over? BALLPARK: Handsome. Available. I work out, you know. MERCURY: I mean how’s the situation looking, Ballpark. BALLPARK: Yeah, figured.

“Patience and Silence had one beautiful daughter. And her name was Vengeance.”

Nik M: Food, Highness. FOOOOOODDDD Hanna D: Oh don’t. I’m soooo hungry. Going to have to risk venturing out to find some soon. An army marches on its stomach. Nik M: ? Hanna D: Bonaparte said that. Nik M: wuts a boneparte

Hanna D: I’ve been thinking about that. What we do. Nik M: wow, I made you think huh? Lookit me ma, no hands

Hanna D: We have a lot on our side. Skills and resources they don’t expect. Nik M: erm, like wut? i think i was in slam the day they taught counter-terrorism in school Nik M: i CAN make a shank out of a toothbrush Nik M: but alas, I have no toothbrush on me

Nik M: i’m gonna get shot, u know that rite Nik M: and when it happens, just so ur aware, i’m gonna expect a kiss as I die in ur arms

LittleNikisDrivingtheBus: BeiTech, what the living **** LittleNikisDrivingtheBus: Jesus Christ, ella can you PLEASE change my ****ing name this **** is serious Pauchok: fine MrSerious: BeiTech, what the living ****

Malikov pops the grille off the air vents over by the suits, swings down to hang by his fingertips. He tries to drop onto the shoulder of one of the suits, but he mistimes the jump, flails wildly, then falls three meters to the floor. Super Turbo Awesome Team member, he ain’t.

He smiles at her like he’s not tired at all, like he’s not wearing another man’s blood under his suit, like all he wanted in life was to catch a glimpse of her.

He’s still smoothing back her hair with one hand, running the other down along her jawline, dropping it to her shoulder, teaching himself her shape. She’s still holding tight to the front of his suit. “I don’t drink coffee,” she says, breathless. “You can drink anything you like,” he murmurs. “Just name it, I’ll find it for you.” “You said coffee,” she replies, smiling. “Or dinner. I don’t drink coffee, so it’ll have to be dinner.” He laughs again and wraps his arms around her, hugging her until she squeaks. She wriggles her arms free to wrap them around his neck. And though she’s an orphan and there’s no way he leaves the House of Knives except feet-first, and they’re both bound to be dead before either of those things are a problem anyway, they just hold on to each other like they’re all the anchor the other one needs.

BOTH CLINGING TO THE BRINK OF EXHAUSTION. SLEEP JUST AN UNHAPPY MEMORY. THEY HAVE BLED AND LOST AND CRIED AND SCREAMED. SO MUCH OF WHAT THEY WERE STRIPPED BACK TO GLEAMING BONE. BUT THEN HE GLANCES UP AND FINDS HER STARING AT HIM, HER TIRED BLUE EYES, RINGED IN SHADOWS, ON HIS. AND HE WINKS. AND THAT FADED BLUE CATCHES FIRE AS HER SMILE BLOOMS BRIGHT. AND BLOOD AND LOSS AND TEARS AND SCREAMS DO NOT MATTER ANYMORE, BECAUSE AT LEAST THEY ARE TOGETHER.

The multiverse theory. The idea that for every choice made in our reality, the alternate choice is played out in a different spacetime that exists in parallel to our own.

MASON, Ezra: Sorry, I think I’m speaking for everyone except Kady here when I say I’m completely confused.