Page 38 of Mate
Misery snorts. “The other Alphas giving you access to their precious little data was not on my bingo card.”
“That’s good, because they didn’t. However, once Lowe reached out, most of them did agree. The ones who didn’t . . . they came around later, after Koen had a chat with them.” It’s obvious from her blank face thatchatis not the right word for what happened. “This is where things get messy. I wasn’t given direct access to the databases— their geneticists ran Serena’s DNA. We have no choice but to trust that they did their job well and that their databases are accurately maintained.”
“And you do?”
She hesitates. “I think so, yes. Serena is . . . a hot commodity, for many reasons. If a pack had any ground to claim her, they absolutely would. And they did not.”
Misery scratches her head. “Dude, did you spring up from a cabbage patch?”
“Maybe? Could I be from another continent?”
“That’s one explanation. Lowe has contacts in Europe, so we’re exploring that. More likely . . .” Juno pauses. Her eyes meet mine. “There’s one American pack whose structure has gone through several transformations. Most of its records were lost.”
“Okay. And will you tell us which pack that is, or— ”
“No need.” I interrupt Misery, because I already know. “It’s the Northwest, isn’t it?”
CHAPTER 10
She is braiding her hair. Bends her head forward, sectioning the strands and paying no mind to the world around her. Doesn’t notice him lingering at the door. Her bare nape is there for him to stare at, pink and vulnerable and accessible.
It’s so flagrantlyindecent, he must excuse himself.
IT’S MISERY WHO ASKS THE ONLY SENSIBLE QUESTION: “HOW DOyoulosea genetic database? I mean, Koen’s temperamental and all that, but even he wouldn’t just misplace— ”
“?‘Destroyed’ is a better word for it. I believe it was an accident.”
“What kind of accident?”
Juno hesitates just a fraction of a second. “A fire, I think. Twenty years ago.”
I remember what Alex told me. “Does this have anything to do with the fact that the Northwest was divided into different factions?”
“I’m sorry.” Another infinitesimal pause. “I don’t know much about the circumstances.”
I exchange a wordless glance with Misery, who picked up on the same offbeat vibes. “What about my . . . mother?” The word sounds disturbingly odd in my mouth. “Do the Humans have data bases?”
“Nothing as thorough as ours. Their registries are mostly opt-ins, biotech companies that offer personalized screening. Thatcovers a small percentage of the Human population on this continent, but I’ll try.”
I scratch the side of my neck, weighing my options. Taking the temperature. I’m disappointed, more than I thought I’d be. But it’s fine. I don’tneedto know—
“Serena, I realize that this is a sensitive question, but . . . Misery mentioned that you do not remember much from your childhood. Is that true?”
I nod.
“Is there anything about your earliest memories that might help us refine our search?”
“Not really, no. I barely . . .”
What’s your name, honey? Do you know how we can get in touch with your parents?
She’ll be in the car for several hours. Let’s make sure she’s not conscious for that.
Are you stupid? I hate the dumb ones. Can she have a different bed, away from mine?
It’s no big deal. Just the desert. Have you not seen a prickly pear before?
I shake my head. “I started linearly encoding my childhood memories when I was seven or eight, but I have some spotty recollection from before. The earliest is being in Paris, a small Human town north of The City. It was April, and I was . . . They estimated my age at about six. I was told that I wandered into the Child Services office with no idea how I got there.” My tone is always detached when I talk about this, because I never feel as thoughI’mthe one who went through it. “No one local knew me, not even when they expanded the radius of their search. I couldn’t remember my own name, and the nurses got tired of calling me ‘the girl.’ One of them named me Serena, after her mother, and . . . Well, it stuck. Two decades, and still going strong.”
