Synths cannot cry, but Mattie thought Mia was going to. She had never seen her so distressed. Mia and Max had arrived at the storage unit five minutes after Mattie, and found Mattie, Leo and the disaster.
"Get off me," said Leo.
Mia recoiled in horror.
"He doesn't know you," said Mattie, pulling Mia away. "He doesn't know any of us."
"Leo!" Mia reached for Max's hand. Max looked from Leo to Mattie, his eyes huge.
"Synths," said Leo. But he frowned at their horrified expressions, the way they clung to Mattie for comfort.
"We are your brother and sister," said Max. "Your family."
"He doesn't remember," said Mattie.
"Leo," said Mia again. Mattie was afraid Mia was glitching, but then Mia turned and held Mattie's arm with a frightening strength. Her gaze bored into Mattie's. "Where is Leo? Where is my son?"
Mattie did not resist. Max pried Mia's fingers from Mattie, and held Mia in his arm. "Leo's gone," Mattie said. The tears of that realisation were still on her cheeks. "The transfer back to Fred didn't work. It drained Leo of... himself."
"If he's gone," Mia said, but did not complete the sentence.
"-Then we will still love him," said Max. He spoke to Leo in his gentle voice. "We will still take care of you." Leo flinched back, and got to his feet. He braced himself against a tea chest. His legs were shaking.
Mattie looked around at the three of them and could not think of a plan.
"Explain," said Leo with some of his old steel. "Now."
"Not here," said Mattie. "Hobb's men were here. When they tell Hobb they left behind a man who looks like Leo Elster, he'll send them back."
"Come with us," said Max to Leo.
"No way," said Leo. "Not till I know what going on."
"Where can we charge him?" Mattie asked Mia. "Can you search for the nearest power source where we won't be found?"
"Already searching. I can direct us."
"Ok. Max, bring him. I'll plug him into his van."
"I said no," said Leo. He held his hands up to ward off Max. He must have known that would be impossible, but still he stood there, afraid but fighting.
"Ok," said Mattie. She touched Max's arm and he stepped aside. Mattie came close to Leo and looked up into his face. "Here's the summary. You're Leo Elster. You're a genius. Your dad created synths who could love, synths to take care of you. And they have. But now something's gone wrong. You've joined yourself up to some dangerous code and it's wiped your memory."
Leo began to question, to protest. She stared him down until he shut up. "Your dad built part of you too," she said. "You have digital memories just like a synth. You've lived in hiding with these synths, these people, most of your life. And now they're here to help you, to fix you, so shut the fuck up and come with us."
Leo gazed down at her. His eyes were hard. But his mouth trembled.
"It's true," Mattie said. "All of it. I promise you."
"Right. They're my family." It was a sneer. He wet his lips, summoned more bravado. "So who are you?" he asked.
She paused before replying. Then she said, "Max. Catch him." Looking up at Leo she said, "I'm just a human you used to trust," and pulled the power.
