be.”
“How is that going to happen when we’re it?” Caleb spread his arms as if he were encompassing every man on the ranch. “This is the last of mankind. Everyone who is alive right now is the end. At least on this planet. There won’t be any more men made when there aren’t any more men to make them.”
McBride had all the same thoughts, and he was certain many others had, too. “We don’t know that the Genetics Board is disbanded.”
“Do you really think they’re huddled up somewhere cranking out more men on top of the mess they’ve already made?”
“As unlikely as it seems, yes. I have to have faith that we can put everything back together.”
“If you really want to stick to the old ways, then why haven’t you done something about Ollie and Jonas?”
McBride realized he couldn’t pick and choose which laws he was going to enforce. If he didn’t think it was right for one man to form a relationship outside his class, then the same should be true for all men. As much as he wanted to put himself on the side of law and order, he couldn’t let them stand if he was going to paint himself as the leader of the old ways.
“Perhaps I should send them away.” Even as he spoke, he knew it wasn’t right. As a group, they needed them, but also McBride felt he owed them. Jonas had proven himself to be a powerful organizer and a man who wasn’t afraid to defend the farm. Ollie had shown the same, and as an added bonus he could cook. Right now, he was the only one who could. Exiling either man or the both of them was foolish.
“If I can forgive Jonas, then surely you can let them stay.”
“Tell me about that, Caleb. When did you have this change of heart regarding Jonas?”
“I don’t have to tell you my mind.”
“And yet you insist on knowing mine.”
Caleb grimaced. “He stood in front of Ollie.”
“You mean when I went down and he thought you would hurt your own brother?”
“Yeah. That’s when I changed my mind. Happy?” Caleb turned away.
“It was more than that.” There was simply no way that Caleb forgave Jonas so easily. Unless the issue had never been about Jonas in the first place. Perhaps McBride wasn’t the only one telling lies.
“When I told everyone about them, he didn’t deny it. He was proud. I thought he’d be ashamed. I thought—he didn’t behave the way I thought he would.” Caleb shook his head. “And you aren’t at all the man I thought you were.”
“Me?”
“All this law-abiding crap is just a way for you to push me away again.”
“You pushed me away after relentlessly pursing me.” McBride had practically gotten down on his knees and it still wasn’t good enough for Caleb. “Something profound caused you to reject me, and I want to know what it was.”
Caleb was silent for so long McBride didn’t think he was going to answer, or if he did, he would only tell him another lie. But he waited, hoping that they could at last hash things out and move forward.
“I already told you.”
“You told me a lie. A convincing lie because at the time I believed it, but it couldn’t have been true for you to so easily let it go.” McBride wanted to reach out to him but didn’t quite trust himself to do so. “Please tell me the truth. If you have any respect for me at all, you’ll be honest with me now.” McBride realized that if he wanted honesty, he should give it in return, but he was determined to go through with claiming Quintus. If he didn’t, he’d lose face and appear weak in front of his men, who needed to see his strength.
“I thought I was doing the right thing. If I left, you’d find one of your own kind, and then you’d be happy.”
“I find that hard to believe when you kept saying we were equals.” McBride considered how Caleb had never had a problem standing up to him. “Even out there on the road, you had no issue taking charge.”
“That was different. If I would have stepped back in deference to you, they would
“How is that going to happen when we’re it?” Caleb spread his arms as if he were encompassing every man on the ranch. “This is the last of mankind. Everyone who is alive right now is the end. At least on this planet. There won’t be any more men made when there aren’t any more men to make them.”
McBride had all the same thoughts, and he was certain many others had, too. “We don’t know that the Genetics Board is disbanded.”
“Do you really think they’re huddled up somewhere cranking out more men on top of the mess they’ve already made?”
“As unlikely as it seems, yes. I have to have faith that we can put everything back together.”
“If you really want to stick to the old ways, then why haven’t you done something about Ollie and Jonas?”
McBride realized he couldn’t pick and choose which laws he was going to enforce. If he didn’t think it was right for one man to form a relationship outside his class, then the same should be true for all men. As much as he wanted to put himself on the side of law and order, he couldn’t let them stand if he was going to paint himself as the leader of the old ways.
“Perhaps I should send them away.” Even as he spoke, he knew it wasn’t right. As a group, they needed them, but also McBride felt he owed them. Jonas had proven himself to be a powerful organizer and a man who wasn’t afraid to defend the farm. Ollie had shown the same, and as an added bonus he could cook. Right now, he was the only one who could. Exiling either man or the both of them was foolish.
“If I can forgive Jonas, then surely you can let them stay.”
“Tell me about that, Caleb. When did you have this change of heart regarding Jonas?”
“I don’t have to tell you my mind.”
“And yet you insist on knowing mine.”
Caleb grimaced. “He stood in front of Ollie.”
“You mean when I went down and he thought you would hurt your own brother?”
“Yeah. That’s when I changed my mind. Happy?” Caleb turned away.
“It was more than that.” There was simply no way that Caleb forgave Jonas so easily. Unless the issue had never been about Jonas in the first place. Perhaps McBride wasn’t the only one telling lies.
“When I told everyone about them, he didn’t deny it. He was proud. I thought he’d be ashamed. I thought—he didn’t behave the way I thought he would.” Caleb shook his head. “And you aren’t at all the man I thought you were.”
“Me?”
“All this law-abiding crap is just a way for you to push me away again.”
“You pushed me away after relentlessly pursing me.” McBride had practically gotten down on his knees and it still wasn’t good enough for Caleb. “Something profound caused you to reject me, and I want to know what it was.”
Caleb was silent for so long McBride didn’t think he was going to answer, or if he did, he would only tell him another lie. But he waited, hoping that they could at last hash things out and move forward.
“I already told you.”
“You told me a lie. A convincing lie because at the time I believed it, but it couldn’t have been true for you to so easily let it go.” McBride wanted to reach out to him but didn’t quite trust himself to do so. “Please tell me the truth. If you have any respect for me at all, you’ll be honest with me now.” McBride realized that if he wanted honesty, he should give it in return, but he was determined to go through with claiming Quintus. If he didn’t, he’d lose face and appear weak in front of his men, who needed to see his strength.
“I thought I was doing the right thing. If I left, you’d find one of your own kind, and then you’d be happy.”
“I find that hard to believe when you kept saying we were equals.” McBride considered how Caleb had never had a problem standing up to him. “Even out there on the road, you had no issue taking charge.”
“That was different. If I would have stepped back in deference to you, they would
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