Dead Water Zone - Kenneth Oppel [40]
His brother’s voice was detached, clinical. He could have been talking to a stranger.
“Sturm had been trying to refine the water for years,” Sam went on. “Superheating—that was his method. At first I thought it was laughable, like alchemists, lead into gold. But after a few tests, I could see that he was onto something. I’ve found a way to refine it, Paul. It’s very time-consuming and doesn’t produce much. But it makes the water infinitely more powerful. I’m the only one who knows how to do it. Sturm needs me. And the Cityweb men need me, too.”
“For what?”
“They’re not stupid. After they found my working notes in the lab, they did their homework. They think it’s worth a lot of money.”
“And you’re helping them?”
“The water belongs to Sturm. He’ll kill anyone who tries to steal it. He came to an agreement with them. I think it’s stupid—I don’t trust them—but the two Cityweb guys say they’ll buy the refined water from him and sell it in the City.”
“A new drug?”
“In small doses, it should give you a short burst of exhilaration, heightened awareness, speed, strength.” Sam chuckled darkly. “I’m sure it’s going to be very popular. But I’m refining it for myself, please understand that—for my own experiments.”
“I thought they’d kill you,” said Paul. He wanted to break through the icy crust of his brother’s voice: It’s me, remember me? Talk to me. “I was sure they would kill you.” He felt he might cry. “They were looking for you when I came.”
“Not me, Paul. You.”
“What do you mean?”
“They came to Rat Castle almost a week ago.”
“What about Sked—he was looking for you.”
Sam shook his head. “Sked was out of touch, didn’t know they’d found me.”
“But look, last night on the boat, he tried to kill us!”
“No, Cityweb had caught up with him by then. He was only supposed to bring you here.”
Paul was panicky now. “It’s because I read the diskette, isn’t it?”
“They want to use you, Paul. You’re uncontaminated. Pure.”
Sturm’s words sounded in his head. He’s pure, wonderfully pure. Paul was suddenly aware of an icy chill seeping through his whole body.
“They want to test the refined water on you.”
“No.” His voice was barely audible.
“They’ll kill you if you won’t let them.”
“I won’t take any of that crap inside me!”
“It’s not dangerous; I can guarantee that. And the doses will be too small to be addictive. I’ll administer them myself.”
He stared in disbelief. “You want me to do this, don’t you?” Things started slipping into place: the phone call, the arranged meeting, the diskette left for him to find at the boathouse. He thought of Sam in the ship’s passageway, leading him toward Sturm and Cityweb.
“You knew all along, didn’t you, Sam?”
“It wasn’t my idea.”
“You lured me here for them!”
“They said they’d cut me off from the water if I didn’t. I had no choice.”
No choice. Wasn’t that Armitage’s explanation, too? I had no choice. And Monica’s mother. She’d had no choice either—he’d said so himself, to soothe Monica.
“You betrayed me, Sam.”
“Let’s see what he looks like without his clothes on,’” Sam recited the words slowly, carefully. “His shirt…his jeans.’”
Paul could barely swallow. “How did you know?”
“Randy’s friends were talking about it in the hallways—too stupid to keep their mouths shut about how they were all going to meet, and wait for me after school. Randy knew where I’d be. And Randy knew where I’d be…,” his voice trailed off, as though he were actually savoring the memory—“because you knew where I’d be.”
“I told them not to touch you,” Paul said quickly, desperate now to explain. “Randy promised me. He was just supposed to scare you—”
“You were a fool to believe him.”
“I know.”
He had no words now. Any apology would be hollow. But there was a spark of hope, a glimpse of something shared, something that might bring them together.
“Why did you do that to me, Paul?”
“Because I hated you!” The words were hot and unexpected and euphoric. “I hated you because you were leaving home and you didn’t care that I was going to be left behind. That wasn’t the way it was supposed to be, Sam! We were