But the president wasn’t listening. She pushed abruptly away from her desk and ran toward the private quarters.
TWENTY-ONE
KimKim, a second crewman, and a middle-aged woman from two levels up came for Minako. Minako had seen the woman around. She thought she might be Australian.
“My name is Kyla. You must be so honored,” the woman gushed. “I want out of here,” Minako said. “I want to go home. You people have no right to keep me here! Let me go!”
“Oh, that’s silliness, dear. Everything is fine. Everything is wonderful. This is the most wonderful place in the world.”
“You’re brainwashed. You’re crazy!” How many times could she say that? What was the point in yelling at crazy people?
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous,” Kyla said. “I couldn’t be happier.”
“It’s what they’ve done to you,” Minako said, trying desperately to communicate, to make the woman understand. “You aren’t thinking right. This place …those horrible men, those monsters!”
The slap came hard and fast. It was open palm and hit its intended target perfectly. Minako’s cheek stung, and she was shocked into silence.
“I’m sorry, sweetie, but you simply must not insult the Great Souls. They know best. They’re geniuses, don’t you see that? You’re too young to understand.”
“Enough, let’s go,” the second crewman said impatiently. “The bosses said fetch her, so let’s fetch her and be done with it.”
“Absolutely!” Kyla said. “And quickly, too!”
The two crewmen each grabbed an arm.
“This one wants to hurt me, is that part of your madness, too?” Minako demanded of Kyla.
“Nothing happens in Benjaminia or in Charlestown, either, unless it is the will of the Great Souls,” Kyla said. “I wouldn’t worry.”
Back in the room. The same machine lay waiting. The monsters had not yet returned.
“You can go,” KimKim informed Kyla.
“I’m sorry, but you don’t dismiss me,” Kyla said. “You’re just crew. You aren’t even enlightened. You are not sustainably happy.”
“Whatever, just bug off,” the second crewman said.
“No!” Minako cried. “Don’t leave, they’ll do terrible things to me! It’s a trick!”
“It is a bit of a trick,” the second crewman said with a sigh. His left fist shot out, and Kyla’s head snapped back. She fell straight back onto the deck, her head bouncing from the impact.
Minako yanked free of KimKim but didn’t make it far: he was quick. His hand closed around her arm like a vice. And he said, “You are not alone.”
Minako froze.
Then, in Japanese so flawless it could only have come from a native speaker, he said, “My full name is Kenshin Sugita—KimKim is my nickname. I work for the Naicho, the intelligence service of Japan.”
“But you tried . . .” she gasped.
“No. I knew they would never break the rules, the men are too afraid. But it made them trust me.”
She looked at the second crewman, who shrugged and said, “Listen, I’ve only been on this floating hell for a couple of weeks. I needed work. Bad. But enough is damned well enough. My name is Silver. Formerly Gunnery Sergeant Silver. U.S. Marine Corps.”
“My father is …my father was a marine.”
“That’s why I’m going to get myself killed with this crazy Nip, here,” Silver said. “And you should know better than to say anyone was a marine, past tense. In or out of service, alive or dead: once a marine, always a marine.”
Minako drew a shaky breath. “Semper fi?”