Gameboard of the Gods

CHAPTER 6 GENIUS, CON ARTIST

Tessa wasn’t asleep when someone pounded on the front door.

She wasn’t supposed to be awake. Her mother would kill her if she found out, but Tessa couldn’t help herself. Her father had acquired a reader from the Eastern Alliance and given it to her this morning. She knew it was old technology for them. Everything that trickled into Panama was. But to her, it was a miracle: a small, lightweight device that contained hundreds of books. Some were old, some were current. Most were written in Mandarin, which she couldn’t read. There were still enough from the RUNA to keep her busy, and she could read English as well as she could Spanish. Her father had made sure of that.

The reader became irrelevant when she heard the noise, however. She froze where she sat, tense and wide-eyed. It had been years since gangs regularly raided the houses of their rivals, and her father wasn’t even involved in anything that would attract attention or retaliation. Still, the drills her parents had made her and her sisters practice over and over were still fresh in her mind. Go to the tunnel, bring nothing. All it would take was one shout from the bodyguards, and Tessa would be out of her room in a flash.

But no shouts came. Whoever was there banged on the door again, and several moments later, she could hear loud voices engaged in some sort of argument. No shouts of alarm. No stomping of feet. No gunfire.

Tessa waited a little bit longer, but when the noise didn’t stop, her curiosity got the better of her. It was a problem she often had. Slipping out of bed, she found her robe and tied it tightly over her floor-length nightgown. Out of habit, she nearly pulled up her hair but then decided to leave it down to save time. She moved quietly and slowly as she left the room, still cautious of any possible threat, and prayed the old wooden floor wouldn’t creak. The closer she came to the staircase leading down, the more she relaxed. She recognized the voices. There would be no raid tonight.

She made it downstairs and paused just outside the doorway to the foyer, keeping out of sight but still managing a good view. Her mother stood there in a similar robe, arms crossed, but she’d taken the time to pull up her hair. Marta Cruz would never be seen with her hair down, not even in the middle of the night. Tessa’s father stood nearby, and his clothing suggested he hadn’t even gone to bed yet. Two of the family’s bodyguards were also on hand, looking more confused than concerned.

But none of them really caught Tessa’s attention. It was the sight of Justin March, standing in front of the door, that made Tessa take notice.

She hadn’t seen Justin in a long time. After her mother had insisted he move out, Justin had only been by a few times to visit her father. Most of their outings were now to restaurants and clubs, places that were inaccessible to Tessa. She’d never met anyone like him and missed having him around. Justin seemed glamorous and worldly to her, and most important, he never talked down to her. He always spoke in a frank, open way and wasn’t afraid to discuss the topics no one else would. “He has no sense of propriety,” her mother had once told Tessa. “But what can you expect from such godless people?”

Justin certainly didn’t seem so glamorous tonight. His clothing was soaked from the rain, and the hair he usually kept so carefully styled was equally wet and disheveled. There was a bright, almost fervent look in his eyes that even Tessa recognized. He was drunk or high—maybe both.

“Slow down,” Tessa’s father was saying. “You aren’t making any sense.”

“I’m making perfect sense,” Justin insisted. He raked a hand through his wet hair and began pacing back and forth, a habit she recalled from when he was engaged in some intense mental exercise. “This is her out, Sergio. This is my out. Don’t be a fool and waste this chance. It’ll never happen again.”

“Mr. March, you are out of line.” Tessa’s mother always refused to call Justin “Dr.” and was driving home her disapproval now by using the Voice. It was the one she reserved for lectures that usually resulted in Tessa being confined to her room. “If you truly have something important to say, please return in the morning when you are in a more presentable state.” Her tone implied that she sincerely doubted there was anything important here at all.

Justin completely ignored her and focused his attention on Tessa’s father. “I’m not screwing around here! We have to—” His eyes flicked to the far side of the room, toward the doorway, and Tessa realized she’d been spotted. “There you are! Come here. Your life’s about to change forever. You can thank me later.”

Tessa hesitated for a few seconds but then realized she might as well take the plunge. There was no more hiding. She stepped forward, and her mother nearly passed out.

“Teresa! What do you think you’re doing? Return to your room this instant!”

Belatedly, Tessa realized that maybe she should’ve pulled up her hair after all. It was bad enough for a non–family member to see her in her robe, even if it did completely cover her nightgown. Wearing loose hair, at her age, wasn’t something that women of her status did. It was the kind of thing you’d find in New Money or the lower classes, in women who worked beside men or ventured out alone.

“No, no,” said Justin, taking a few steps forward. He didn’t go too much farther. Drunk or not, even he knew getting closer to a girl in her nightgown might spur the bodyguards to action. They knew him and liked him—and had won a lot of money from him—but some lines still weren’t meant to be crossed. “Let her stay. This is important.”

“I don’t even know what ‘this’ is,” her father said, looking weary.

Justin took a deep breath, seeming to finally realize he needed to approach the matter in a calmer way. “I’m going home, Sergio. Back to the RUNA.”

Her father lit up. “You got your citizenship back?” Tessa noticed her mother looked happy too, but probably because she thought they’d be getting rid of Justin once and for all.

“Not exactly.” Justin’s enthusiasm dimmed for a moment. “It doesn’t matter, though. I’m going back and talked them into making a visa exception.”

Tessa’s father’s forehead wrinkled in confusion as he tried to parse the words. Then, suddenly, his face transformed. Never, never, had she seen such joy within him. “You did it,” he breathed. “You’re bringing us back.”

Justin shifted and looked uncomfortable. “Um, not all of you.”

That radiant joy went away. “But you always said—”

“I know, I know. And I tried, but the borders are too tight. They can’t allow a group that big in, but…” Justin took a deep breath. “I can bring Tessa back with me.”

Tessa hadn’t seen her mother look so horrified since the time Tessa had worn black shoes to Donna Carlos’s spring tea. “Why on earth would you do that?”

“Why do you think?” exclaimed Justin. “To get her out of here! I can only take one of you, and she’s the obvious choice. You can’t abandon your family, but she can strike out into her own future. She can get a student visa. She can study there—get a real education.” He stepped forward, catching hold of Tessa’s father’s arm. “Sergio, can you imagine it? Tessa in the RUNA, getting a Gemman degree. It’s the kind of thing that could get her citizenship, you know. I’ve seen it happen. And from there, it might open the door to the rest of you.”

Her father caught his breath, his eyes going wide. Justin knew exactly how to get to him, exactly what words would make Sergio Cruz’s world come to a complete standstill. Tessa had seen Justin work that magic on others before.

Her great-grandparents had left the RUNA years ago, back in the days of the first genetic mandates. In the beginning, the RUNA and EA had forcibly swapped large amounts of their population in order to create optimal genetic mixing. Those who tried having “nonoptimal” children were fined and imprisoned. Eventually, mandatory contraceptive implants ensured the government’s control. Her refugee great-grandparents had had to scrape and crawl their way to the top of Panamanian society, and they’d believed it to be a worthy sacrifice in order to be together and have their own children. But that hadn’t stopped them from singing the praises of their homeland, instilling a worship of the RUNA that had been passed down to their children and their children’s children and so on. The RUNA had almost become a mythical fairyland to Tessa, which was why Justin had always seemed so larger-than-life.

Her father was especially obsessed with the RUNA. His adoration of all things Gemman had increased when he’d been allowed a couple of trading trips there. He’d come back starstruck, full of stories about the country’s technology and the luxuriant way its citizens lived. People could walk the streets safely, and everything was clean and bright and perfect. It was where he’d met Justin and why Justin had been allowed to stay with them when he’d first come to Panama City.

“It’s impossible,” her father said at last, though she could tell from the faraway look in his eyes that he was already imagining this fantasy.

“It’s completely possible,” Justin said, looking just as excited.

Tessa’s father seemed to return to reality. “Why are they letting you go back?”

Justin shrugged. “They want me to resume my old job. I was good, you know. One of the best. You saw the way I lived. I had access to all sorts of connections and opportunities—things that Tessa could be a part of. She could live like a queen.”

There it was again, the wonder in her father’s eyes. Tessa had always believed Justin was a genius, but her mother had said he was a con artist. When Tessa had asked her father which was true, he’d said Justin was both.

Her mother reminded the two men of her presence. “Sergio! You aren’t actually considering this, are you? She’s sixteen. You can’t just let her go off and live with some man, especially one like him.” Even while outraged, she couldn’t bring herself to use any improper language to clarify what she meant by “one like him.”

“Oh, she wouldn’t live with me,” Justin said quickly. “She’d live with my sister. She’s a, uh, real lady. She’d look out for Tessa. She’d totally make sure Tessa’s protected and behaving properly. And well fed. Besides, let’s be honest here. What are you really going to do with her if she stays?”

“She’ll do what all young ladies do,” she said. “She’ll finish her education and then marry someone appropriate.”

Justin shook his head. “‘Education,’ huh? You mean more homeschooling with insipid reading and remedial math? And do you actually believe it’s going to be that easy to marry her off?” He glanced over at Tessa. “No offense, sweetie.” To her parents, he said, “She sits out at dances. She says things she shouldn’t—in public. And worst of all, she’s smart. She’s cute enough that you’d eventually get someone. It’d be worth it for some up-and-coming guy just to connect to your family. She’d hate it, though. And you’d spend a fortune waiting for that someone.”

Tessa wasn’t sure if she’d been insulted or complimented, but both of her parents fell silent. Even her mother couldn’t deny what Justin had said. Putting girls out on the marriage market was expensive. It required a lot of parties, a lot of clothes, and a lot of gift giving. Tessa’s oldest sister, Laurentia, was stunning. She’d been engaged within a month. Her next-oldest sister, Regina, was pretty too, but for whatever reason, it had taken her almost a year to make a match. Their family was well-off, but that year had strained their finances.

Justin knew he was making progress. “You’ve got two more after her. Business is good…but is it that good?”

“How do we even know any of this is true?” exclaimed her mother. “This could all be one big story so that he can take advantage of her.”

“Justin wouldn’t do that,” snapped Tessa’s father. Maybe he wasn’t sure about this offer, but he was confident of Justin’s character. He always had been.

Tessa’s mother wasn’t convinced. “I don’t like it. It’s completely unheard of, and I won’t allow it.”

Silence fell. Justin was watching Tessa’s father so, so closely. Justin knows, Tessa thought. He knows he’s got Papa. No other offer would’ve been so tempting unless Justin actually could’ve relocated their entire family. It was her father’s greatest desire. His grandparents had always hoped the mandates would lighten and allow their family to go back. Those mandates had indeed shifted. There were only small fines now for nonoptimal children, and those who followed the old ways were compensated generously. That didn’t change the strict Gemman policy toward immigrants, however. Still, Tessa’s father had clung to the family dream that some miracle might bring them back. Here it was, and there might never be a chance like this again.

“She can go,” he said at last. His face hardened. “But you have to look after her. Swear to me you will.”

Justin held up his hand. “As though she were my own daughter.”

“No!” cried her mother. “Absolutely not. I won’t allow this.”

Tessa’s father put on the fiercest look she’d ever seen from him. “I will allow it.”

Tension hung between them, so thick that Tessa could practically see it.

“Let Tessa decide,” said Justin. He sounded very reasonable and diplomatic.

All eyes turned on her, and Tessa took a step back. She’d kind of liked it when everyone had forgotten about her.

“That’s fair,” her father said, ignoring her gaping mother. “It’s up to you.”

There was a knowing look in Justin’s eyes. She understood now why he’d so gallantly offered the choice to her. He thinks he’s already got me because he always gets what he wants. Well, aside from the exile none of them understood.

“Go ahead,” he told her. “You’re going to piss off someone no matter what you decide. Might as well do what you want.”

“I don’t know if I want to go to the RUNA,” she said haltingly.

Justin’s smile faltered, but she’d spoken the truth. She was just as fascinated by that glittering, mythical country as the rest of her family, but completely relocating to a society so unlike her own was terrifying. Maybe she didn’t always like the way hers worked, but she knew it. It was comfortable. It was safe. Kind of.

Then she thought about the reader, that beautiful and miraculous device. What would it be like to be surrounded by things like that? What would it be like to go wherever she wanted? What would it be like to make her own decisions? Of course, that was presuming Justin’s sister would let her. Tessa wasn’t entirely sure how strict she would be.

“But I don’t know if I want to stay here either.” Her mother made some kind of strangled noise, and Tessa took a deep breath. “So…I’ll go.”

Justin smacked his hands together and whooped with joy. “You won’t regret it. None of you will. This is going to change your life.”

Tessa nodded weakly, unsure of what she’d just agreed to. Judging from her mother’s glare and red face, she suspected her parents would be continuing this conversation in private later. Her father would win out, of course. That was the way it was around here; the men governed the household. But not in the RUNA, she thought.

Her father, face jubilant, looked Justin over and beckoned him forward. “Come in and dry off. Get something to eat—and some water. You can spend the night, and I’ll have my driver take you back to Cristobal’s in the morning.”

That was too much for Tessa’s mother, and she stormed out of the room in a rage. Tessa quietly followed the men into the kitchen, mostly because no one seemed to notice she was still there. Her father walked on, but she daringly caught hold of Justin’s sleeve. He glanced down at her and grinned, still dashing even when wet and intoxicated.

“You made the right choice,” he told her. “As soon as you’re there, you’ll never want to come back.”

“But why would you do it? Whatever happened, I know you must have put up a fight to get me in. Why? Why would you do this for me?”

A little of that pride faded, and she saw a faraway look in his eyes. “Because your dad took me in when no one else would. And when he did, I was so sure of myself—and so desperate—that I swore I’d get back home someday. I promised him I’d get him back too—all of you. He took a big chance on me and would’ve done it without any payback. But I owed him. I still owe him. I couldn’t deliver all of what I promised, but I can get you in. That has to be enough for now.”

Tessa had never known any of this. “But why me instead of one of the others?”

That upbeat attitude was back. “Because you deserve it and can make the most of it. You’re smart—smarter than even you realize. You notice things no one else does, and I only know one other person that observant.”

“You?” Tessa guessed. Dashing, yes, and also confident to the point of arrogance.

“Exactly. See? That’s what I’m talking about. Keep watching the world, and you’ll go far. You couldn’t do that here, and I hate to see waste.”

Tessa studied him a few moments more. Maybe she really was as observant as he said, because she suddenly knew there was more. “What other reason? Why else would you try to lift me up?”

He smiled, probably at having his assessment of her confirmed further. “Because someone once did it for me.”