Page 106 of Sloth
“What will you do?”
“We don’t know.”
“If you can accept a murderer, a sinner like me, then she is redeemable.”
The pain in Max heart leeched into Sloan and she whispered, “We’ve all done things we’re not proud of, Max. I almost killed Barry. When you were gone, I snapped, and just like that, I almost killed him. No one was safe. If anyone is the monster here, it’s me.”
“I don’t believe that.”
Sloan didn’t know how to respond. She wanted to believe it too, but after what Daisy had done to Max… if Tony hadn’t put two and two together with the note, Max would be dead. He wouldn’t be here in her arms. She would have no qualms exacting revenge on Daisy, just like Max had done for his friend.
It wasn’t right. They both knew it, yet they were powerless to stop it.
They both lifted their gazes to the starry night, an indigo blanket someone had poked holes in. It reminded Sloan of something Tony used to do when they were younger. After they’d escaped the lab that created them, they would build forts made from sheets and knitted blankets over chairs and tables. While she was underneath, he’d stand outside and shine a torch through the blanket. Light sparked like little stars through the gaps in the weave and he’d tell her a story, making funny voices for each character. He’d been a showman even then.
It made her wonder what sort of professions they’d all have if it weren’t for their DNA. Tony was an actor, obviously, but she wasn’t sure if he really enjoyed it. It seemed like it was more of a means to an end—a reason for him to keep his other identity secret. Sometimes she wasn’t sure if Tony was really Tony, or an actor in his one man show.
Shaking her head, she refocused on the stars.
“This is what life should be about,” Max said.
“What? Us together?”
“That, and being out here in nature. No cars. No people. No tech.”
Sloan bit her lip and he noticed.
His eyes narrowed with suspicion. “What did you do?”
She leaned behind the log and dragged her backpack closer. Opening it at the zip, she pulled out an iPad. “I brought games.”
He gasped and held his hand to his chest with mock offense. “You don’t think I’m entertaining enough?”
“No, I do. Of course I do. It’s just that we used to have so much fun. You need to relax a little. Trust me, I know the consequences of being wound too tight.”
For a moment, he frowned and turned back to the stars. She could sense his conflict.
“You know you want to.” Sloan pulled out the second iPad and held it to him, waggling it in a teasing way.
He darted a reluctant glance at her and took it. “Maybe I do.”
A full out grin broke across her face. “I even pre-downloaded Fortnite on there for you. And I set up your account.”
“Okay. Now I’m scared.” He took the device. “What username?”
“Oh, you’ll see.”
“Maxi-Pad? Are you kidding me?”
She shrugged. “What can I say, mess with the best…”
“Ha! Well, the joke’s on you because we have to join some sort of group together.”
“A squad.”
“Right. Tell me more about this game.”
Animated with the joy of her favorite game, she launched into an explanation, rattling off random facts until finally, they fell into companionable silence to play. Battle after battle, they fought, working together like old times. Sloan helped him pick up the finer details, teased him about being out of the gaming scene for so long, and helped him win a few battles. They did it as a team of two, every time. They were having so much fun that they didn’t notice the rain clouds forming above their heads, or the first few drops of rain until it came down in a downpour, drenching them from top to toe.
