The sounds from the street below were softer from up here. We were far above even the pod lines. The wind whipped around the buildings, and the bots were tiny black dots buzzing around as they tracked movement on the streets.

“We do have a history. But your mom told me about what happened, so it’s okay that you don’t remember me.” He grinned. The way he was looking at me like I was a long-lost friend, was actually nice. I just wasn’t sure why he seemed to feel like that about me. If I knew him, it was before Albuquerque. At least nine years since we’d had any sort of friendship, and I’d been a child.

Maybe I was reading him wrong. I didn’t think so, but maybe. “You’re happy to see me?”

“Yes.” His answer was so instantaneous and vehement that I knew he was telling the truth.

This wasn’t what I pictured happening when a SpaceTech officer found me, but apparently, Declan was a different kind of SpaceTech officer.

But why? Who was he? What was his story? I had questions, and I wondered if he was going to answer any of them. I assumed not, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask. “Why’re you happy to see me? You’re SpaceTech. It doesn’t make sense.” If the Aunare had some allies in SpaceTech, why wait until now to use them?

“I’m not just SpaceTech, so it makes perfect sense.” Declan grinned bigger if that was even possible. “I’m immensely happy and relieved and thankful because you’re alive and healthy and God—” The grin faded as he looked away, and I missed it. “I imagined all kinds of things over the years. All the things that could’ve happened to you… I don’t have to worry anymore. That’s a really good feeling.”

“Sorry.” Some strange guy spent thirteen years worried about me? It was kind of weird.

“Don’t be. Rysden—your dad—”

I huffed. “I know who he is.” I might not have seen him since I was six, but I knew his name well enough.

“Of course you do. Stupid. Sorry. I’m just nervous. I finally found you, and it’s like a weight that I’ve been carrying for thirteen years has finally eased. This nightmare is almost over, and fuck if I’m not excited right now and making a total ass of myself.”

The click happened. Right then. Just like it had with Roan years ago. Call it intuition or a gut feeling, but he was being truthful. I didn’t think he could fake that rambling admission.

“You might be handsome—”

“That’s nice to hear.” The megawatt smile was back.

“But I honestly don’t think I know you. I don’t remember anyone named Declan from my past.”