Lore watched as Zhim’s face softened a little, as if the tech geek almost felt sorry for Madeline. Lore touched her back. He knew how desperately she missed Jack.
“I have some of my people working on generating micro-wormholes, so I can transmit and receive messages through them.”
Madeline shook her head. “Generating wormholes takes a hell of a lot of energy.”
Zhim nodded. “But I’m only talking about a very long but very, very small wormhole. Just enough for data. Yes, it takes a lot of energy, so it’s expensive, but I won’t give up until I achieve it. Imagine…information from all over the galaxy!”
“A wormhole through space-time, directly to another point.” She considered it. “But how do you guarantee that you’ll transmit your messages to the right time? You could end up sending them to the past or the future.”
Zhim shrugged. “Still working on it. But I’m also intrigued by the thought of sending information back to the past or gaining information from the future.” The man’s eyes gleamed.
Lore crossed his arms over his chest. “You mean sell information from the past and future. Some sticky ethics there.”
“I’ve never let ethics worry me,” Zhim said with a sharp smile.
“But you think you can control the timing of your messages?” Madeline said.
“I like to believe that anything’s possible, Madeline.” He tilted his head. “What would you tell your son?”
She swallowed visibly, and Lore wanted to punch the information merchant.
“I’d tell him what happened, and that I’m alive and that I love him.”
“Thanks for the maps.” Raiden slipped his comp back into his pocket. “Keep this between us, Zhim.”
“Always.” Zhim’s multi-colored eyes met Lore’s. “Be careful down there.”
Lore tilted his head. “Getting soft, Zhim?”
The man sat and picked up some wires. “Of course not. I just don’t want to lose one of my best customers.”
Madeline was quiet as they headed back to the House of Galen. Lore was worried. During their night together, she’d opened up, and he’d hoped she was closer to accepting her new life here at the House of Galen. With him. But talk of Earth and wormholes had opened up her wounds again.
Once they reached the House of Galen, Galen was waiting for them. He gestured them all into his office, and any sign of sadness on Madeline’s face was gone, replaced with a focus on the mission at hand.
Galen stood in front of the window, his hands clasped behind his back. “The Houses are still considering my proposal to join forces and shut down the underground fight rings.”
“For a bunch of gladiators, they seem pretty indecisive,” Madeline said.
He speared her with a sharp look. “They are cautious about risking their best fighters and making dangerous enemies.”
“We have the sewer maps,” Raiden said.
Galen nodded. “If we have better information on the fight rings, it will help sway the other imperators. Where are they exactly, and what is down there.”
“When do we go in?” Madeline asked.
“We?” Lore felt every muscle in his body go tight. He shook his head. “A team of experienced fighters will go in.”
Madeline ignored him. “I’m a part of this. I’m going.”
Galen spun. “Again, this is my decision. I’m imperator of this house.” The man’s voice held an edge, and everyone in the room stiffened.
Madeline lifted her chin. “If you don’t take me, I’ll find another way to get down there. Blaine worked for me. I was in charge of the space station, and ultimately I failed him and the others by letting them get abducted.” Her gaze touched Lore’s before circling the room. “I appreciate all your help. For giving us all refuge here, for helping to rescue us. But I need to be a part of this.”
“No.” Protecting her had gone beyond just a want or need. It was deep in Lore’s blood now. He snatched her up, and when she started to kick and wrench away, he held her tighter.
“Lore—”
He ignored Galen’s warning tone and focused on Madeline. “I will keep you safe, even from your own stupid decisions.”
She struggled. “What are you going to do? Lock me up? Drug me?”
Lore froze.
Her face spasmed, and her voice turned to a harsh whisper. “Please don’t be like my nightmares.”
Instantly, his gut turned to stone, and he set her down. He was horrified to think she’d consider his need to protect her to be anything like what the Thraxians had done to her.
“I’m starting to realize I’m not broken.” She gave Lore a long look, before turning back to Galen. “I’m dented a little bit, but I’m not broken. I’ve been down in those sewers, and I can help find Blaine.”