There was nothing more to say. There was no truth in Adam’s orbit except what Adam decided truth to be, and that was as fickle as the weather, snapping from brilliant sunshine to deadly flash floods in the blink of an eye or the slap of an open hand. I could see now what Malachi had seen all along: that it was not a family but a spider’s web, a trap that glistened so beautifully with morning dew, but at its center was Adam, a ravenous god in his own scrabbling creation, craving devotion, devouring praise, taking everything offered to him and giving nothing in return.

“You don’t know anything of hurt!” Adam roared. “You don’t—”

He broke off sharply. Nadra had launched herself at his back, and she hit him from behind with such force he doubled over with a grunt of surprise.

She took hold of his hair and slammed his head into the terminal. Then she dragged his head up and slammed it down again, again, and there were tears on her face, her breath was hitching with sobs, and I wanted to reach for her, wanted to pull her away, but it was Anwar who pulled her away. Adam’s face was a wreckage of blood and shattered bone. Nadra let go with a gasp and shoved him to slump over the terminal.

Nadra stared down at her hands.

“Nadra, Anwar, listen to me,” I said. My voice was shaking, but I needed their attention. “Rosalinda. All of you. You have thirty minutes. Get yourselves into evacuation suits and get away from the ship. Take as many people as you can. Anybody who will listen.”

“You’ll find us, won’t you?” Nadra looked up at me and forced the words through her tears. “Even if SPEC arrests us? You’ll find us?”

“They won’t arrest you. Listen—they have proof that Dad didn’t do what they said he did. They have proof that they got it all wrong. You have to make sure they don’t hide that proof. Make sure they tell the truth. Do you understand?”

“How?” Anwar asked.

“Find Jaswinder Bhattacharya. Find his aunt, Councilor Bhattacharya.”

“A Councilor?” Anwar said, incredulous. “But she’ll—”

“They’ll listen to you. Demand a meeting. You’ll get it. You can make them tell the truth. I know you can.” I reached out, aching to touch them. “I love you. Please go. Go as fast as you can.”

They left the bridge quickly; Rosalinda had taken Adam’s gun. When there was nobody, I ended the transmission.

I watched until the ship reported the sudden appearance of several emergency beacons in the vicinity of Homestead, and I exhaled. I had to believe Nadra and Anwar were among them. I had to believe they would be rescued. I had to believe they would not be held responsible for my crimes.