“According to the report on file, all the bots have been called in for maintenance.” His face was getting a red tinge to it as he answered, but his words remained calm. “Indefinitely.”

I wanted to scream with frustration. “Is Jason trying to kill me in the quickest, stupidest way he can?”

“Very possibly.” Ahiga’s jaw ticced.

None of this made any sense to me. “Why ship me here just to kill me? He could’ve done that on Earth.”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure he has a reason, and whatever it is, we’re not going to like it.”

“I don’t think I like any reason for me dying.” This was more than iced. For one blessed moment when I stepped off the ship, I’d actually thought that maybe he’d stashed me here so that my father wouldn’t blow up their primary fuel source. But I’d been so unbelievably wrong and stupid for thinking that.

When my father found out about what I was doing, he’d lose his mind. I had no doubt that it wouldn’t be long before someone purposefully leaked it to him. Jason might even be goading my father into starting the war. “How quickly can you get me shifted to another work detail?”

“I’m already working on it. My first request to the CO was immediately denied. I’m going to go talk to him now. I’ve messaged Declan, but it might be a bit before he hears. I got an automessage that he’s in cryo right now.”

This was all kinds of messed up. I was going to be working on the surface of hell. Fine. But Declan needed me to survive for a month, maybe more, and I wasn’t sure that was possible with that job. Even in a cooling suit. I wasn’t sure I could survive a week out there.

“Did Declan say when he’d be out of cryo?”

“No. He didn’t say when he went into cryo, when he’d get out, or where he was headed, and before you ask, no. We didn’t get a chance to regroup once we got your sentence. After you were arrested, Roan leaked the footage of the diner and—”

“Roan did that? I thought Declan had.” When Officer Perez mentioned that the footage went viral, I hadn’t understood how or why, but I assumed it was something Declan or maybe even Jason had done.

“Roan thought it might help you. He did it before running with your mom, his mom and sister, and Jorge. Declan caught up to them while you were in jail. He planned to get them somewhere safe and then head to wherever you were sent, but he didn’t leave word via our normal lines. I don’t know why the hell—” Ahiga squatted down in front of me and reached for my hand. I gave it to him.