“I came down here because I was worried about you. They told me you were here, and I insisted on seeing you. I didn’t know you hated me so much, or I wouldn’t have bothered.”
“I don’t hate you, Tommy,” she said. “I just can’t be what you need. And you can’t be what I need.”
“Don’t you care about me at all?”
“Do you love me, Tommy?”
The question surprised him. “Of course.”
“Don’t say ‘of course,’ like it’s obvious. Help me get out of here and away from these people. Help me get back home.”
“I can’t do that,” he said.
“You’re not caged up. They like you here, they let you wander around, you’re so happy to work with them. You’re in a better position to get me out of here than I am. Can’t you talk to them?”
“They won’t listen to me.”
“So you won’t help me.”
“I just don’t think I can get you out. I’ll try. Is there anything else I can do, though? To make things easier for you?”
Esmeralda lay back on her bunk and stared at the ceiling. “If you’re not going to help me, you can leave me alone.”
He stared at her for a long moment. “Esmeralda, I’m sorry. I said I’ll do what I can.”
She didn’t answer him or look back at him again. After a minute, he left the cell, feeling sick and hurt all the way through. Esmeralda had no love left for him, and maybe he deserved it.
* * *
“I found these for you,” Niklaus said. He slid a pair of fashion magazines through the bars of Evelina’s cell, and she took them eagerly.
“No books today?” she asked.
“Sorry. Maybe next week.” He smiled as she flipped through the magazines.
“Thank you, Niklaus. These will help.” She looked up and returned his smile. His heart kicked up its beat. He’d been visiting her a few times a week, and she was gradually warming up to him. “When are they moving me out of here? Have you talked to Alise yet?”
“She said...not yet. I don’t know what’s taking so long.” Alise had originally told Niklaus that Evelina was only being moved down temporarily, while the Party officials and a few trusted foreigners toured the base. That delegation had come and gone weeks ago, but Evelina was still here. He’d asked Alise about it, and she’d told him there was too much “racial impurity” in the program as it was.
“I hope they hurry. Maybe you can help.” Evelina smiled again. She looked beautiful to him, dark hair, eyes that were large, soft, and brown, making him think of a wild young deer. It pained him that there was always a wall between them, both literally and otherwise. She was a captive, he was one of her jailors. How could she ever fall in love with him in those circumstances? He didn’t deserve such a girl, in any case, after his incestuous trysts with his cousin that left him feeling permanently disgusted with himself.
“I am doing all I can for you, I promise,” Niklaus said quietly. “I will watch out for you.”
“Thank you, Niklaus.” She hesitated, holding her breath, then reached her hand to the bars. Niklaus touched her fingers, for the first time, and it filled him with a simple, warm happiness. Her eyes widened and she pulled back—he’d almost forgotten about the fear in his touch.
“I should go,” he said. “They told me Alise was looking for me.”
Evelina frowned and backed away. “You had better go, then.”
“I’ll come back soon. I promise.”
She nodded and quietly watched him walk away.
Upstairs, Niklaus ran into Alise as he emerged into the dormitory area.
“There you are!” She grabbed the sleeve of his uniform and turned him right back into the stairwell. “We’re running late.”
“Late for what?”
“This way.” She walked back down the way he’d come, toward the cellblock below. He followed her.
“What’s happening?” he asked.
“Kranzler is cleaning out the program,” Alise said. “Roza and Vilja never demonstrated enough abilities to impress the scientists. They know too much for us to let them go, so I convinced Kranzler to move them over to kitchen staff instead.”
“I won’t be breeding with either of them?” Niklaus asked.
“Not as part of the program.” Alise’s voice had a cold, flat tone. She’d apparently given up on her attempts at pregnancy. She’d stopped visiting Niklaus at night, which was a relief. A dead look had crept into her eyes and now seemed permanently fixed. The heavy makeup she now wore made her appear even more corpse-like.