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punch the car so hard that it did what you wanted?” Elise says.
    Instead of answering her, I just grab her and pull her into the car with me.
    As soon as we’re inside, the car takes off.
    “A car is the worst way to get away from Harmony,” Elise says.
    “I reprogrammed it,” I say. “It’s taking us to a field in southern Illinois. The peacekeepers have ships hidden on Earth. We don’t trust Harmony.”
    I see her about to chide me, but then she remembers that Harmony almost blew her up, and she nods. “Thanks, Ramses. Though I don’t understand why you’re risking so much for me….”
    I look deep into her eyes, and a feeling of electric warmth surges through me. She swallows, and her face reddens. I can tell she feels the same, and there’s no need for either of us to speak or try to put it into words.
    I realize then that I am risking everything. For her. While we don’t trust Harmony, Harmony is still the government of Earth. And Peacekeepers are not allowed to defy or meddle in any government affairs without direct permission. Cutting off my own arm band was permissible, but as soon as I cut off Elise’s band, I’d completely broken all the rules. At best, I’ll be kicked out of the Peacekeepers and imprisoned, at worst, the Peacekeepers could be banned from Earth entirely.
    But I wasn’t about to let Elise be killed by that fucking tyrant machine, and I’ll sacrifice everything if there’s still a shot at getting her to safety.
    “How did you reprogram the car?” she asks, looking down at my hand.
    “Illegal technology,” I say.
    “Do you have a biosuit?” she asks.
    “No,” I say. “Just a glove. It’s small enough to avoid detection unless they know what they’re looking for.”
    “Shit, Ramses,” she says, sighing. “Any other surprises?”
    “Not that I can think of just now,” I say truthfully. I’m sure there’s plenty she doesn’t know, but none of it is relevant right now.
    I look out the back window, and the Chicago skyline has faded to just bright lights on the horizon. We’ll be at the hidden ship in less than twenty minutes, and hopefully out of Earth’s orbit in under an hour. I may have completely broken all the rules, but Harmony is strictly prohibited from directly acting within interplanetary space.
    But that doesn’t mean it will follow those rules if it thinks it can break them and not get caught.
    “Ramses,” the car says. “We’re being followed.”
    “How many?” I ask.
    “One car,” the voice says.
    “That’s not so bad,” Elise says. “If you have that glove.”
    “Can you show us?” I ask the car.
    Looking through the back windshield, a highlighted overlay appears, showing the car in the distance.
    “What are you going to do?” Elise asks.
    “Blow it up, I think.”

4 Elise
    “ Y ou think ? ” I ask. It would probably be the first time Ramses had thought anything through since he landed on this planet.
    “Yeah,” he says. “I’m considering waiting for it to get closer so I get a clean shot. If I shoot now and miss, it’ll know I see it coming.”
    Ramses is looking out the back window, and the moonlight is hitting his face and forming soft shadows. His face is rock-hard and serious, but I see no horrible panic or fear painted across it. The terror must be all over my face, however. I’m a city cop with a stupid ass stun baton. The most dangerous thing I’ve ever done on the job – prior to today – was poking a crazy guy with my baton and knocking him out while Harmony sent bots to take him away for care. I’d even assumed he really was getting proper mental health treatment, but after Harmony nearly blew my arm off, I’m not so sure anymore. Maybe I sent that poor guy to his death? Death by machine, for the greater good.
    “Can you slow down?” Ramses asks the car.
    “Slowing down,” it says.
    “Shouldn’t we go faster?” I ask. “Isn’t it best to avoid having to blow it up?”
    “Ideally, yes,” Ramses