Shadow Puppets Read Free

we’re finally close to being able to get things moving our way?’”
    Bean laughed.
    “When was it ever our way?” she went on, not laughing now. “It’s all about increasing Peter’s influence, boosting his power and prestige. Our way.”
    “I don’t want him dead,” said Bean.
    “Who, Achilles?”
    “No!” said Bean. “ Him I want dead. It’s Peter we have to keep alive. He’s the only balance.”
    “He’s lost his balance now,” said Petra. “How long before Achilles arranges to have him killed?”
    “What worries me is, how long before Achilles penetrates and coopts his entire network?”
    “Maybe we’re assigning Achilles supernatural powers,” said Petra. “He isn’t a god. Not even a hero. Just a sick kid.”
    “No,” said Bean. “ I’m a sick kid. He’s the devil.”
    “Well, so,” said Petra, “maybe the devil’s a sick kid.”
    “So you’re saying we should still try to help Peter.”
    “I’m saying that if Peter lives through his little brush with Achilles, he might be more prone to listen to us.”
    “Not likely,” said Bean. “Because if he survives, he’ll think it proves he’s smarter than we are, so he’ll be even less likely to hear us.”
    “Yeah,” said Petra. “It’s not like he’s going to learn anything.”
    “First thing we need to do,” said Bean, “is split up.”
    “No,” said Petra.
    “I’ve done this before, Petra. Going into hiding. Keeping from getting caught.”
    “And if we’re together we’re too identifiable, la la la,” she said.
    “Saying ‘la la la’ doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”
    “But I don’t care,” said Petra. “That’s the part you’re leaving out of your calculations.”
    “And I do care,” said Bean, “which is the part you’re leaving out of yours.”
    “Let me put it this way,” said Petra. “If we separate, and Achilles finds me and kills me first, then you’ll just have one more female you love deeply who is dead because you didn’t protect her.”
    “You fight dirty.”
    “I fight like a girl.”
    “And if you stay with me, we’ll probably end up dying together.”
    “No we won’t,” said Petra.
    “I’m not immortal, as you well know.”
    “But you are smarter than Achilles. And luckier. And taller. And nicer.”
    “The new improved human.”
    She looked at him thoughtfully. “You know, now that you’re tall, we could probably travel as man and wife.”
    Bean sighed. “I’m not going to marry you.”
    “Just as camouflage.”
    It had begun as hints but now it was quite open, her desire to marry him. “I’m not going to have children,” he said. “My species ends with me.”
    “I think that’s pretty selfish of you. What if the first homo sapiens had felt that way? We’d all still be neanderthals, and when the Buggers came they would have blasted us all to bits and that would be that.”
    “We didn’t evolve from neanderthals,” said Bean.
    “Well, it’s a good thing we have that little fact squared away,” said Petra.
    “And I didn’t evolve at all. I was manufactured. Genetically created.”
    “Still in the image of God,” said Petra.
    “Sister Carlotta could say those things, but it’s not funny coming from you.”
    “Yes it is,” said Petra.
    “Not to me.”
    “I don’t think I want to have your babies, if they might inherit your sense of humor.”
    “That’s a relief.” Only it wasn’t. Because he was attracted to her and she knew it. More than that. He truly cared about her, liked being with her. She was his friend. If he weren’t going to die, if he wanted to have a family, if he had any interest in marrying, she was the only female human that he would even consider. But that was the trouble—she was human, and he was not.
    After a few moments of silence, she leaned her head on his shoulder and held his hand. “Thank you,” she murmured.
    “For what I don’t know.”
    “For letting me save your life.”
    “When did that happen?” asked