“I’m sorry,” Animal said to her retreating back.
Marsha lingered behind. She looked at Animal, shaking her head. “When you screw up, you sure don’t cut any corners, do you?” She studied him for a moment. “You know, I think you really are sorry, now that it’s too late to mend your fences with her.”
”I really am sorry,” he assured her. “You know her pretty well. What can I do to make amends to her?”
The black Defender laughed sharply. “A bit of advice, if you are in the mood to take it. Just stay away from her. She’s not going to forget and I don’t think she is ever going to forgive what she believes you have done to her and to the man she loves.
”I understand, and most of the people on the Base understand, that you were not acting maliciously; that you started out doing your job and got carried away. You were a fool, a bigoted fool, not a villain. But I can’t think of anything that you or anyone else could say that would convince her of that. You might as well cut your losses and stay away from her. You’ve caused her enough pain already.”
”I haven’t caused her pain,” he said defensively.
”You haven’t caused her pain?” she echoed in astonishment. “You told FORCE that Tracker was a traitor when you didn’t have the facts to back it up. Because of that, they didn’t pass her appeals for help on to us.
”There in Nebraska, we were less than fifteen minutes away from her and she was on that Interstate for over half an hour. The Nebraska Highway Patrol told FORCE that she was there and wanted our help. If FORCE had passed it on, we could have picked her up there. They didn’t, because of your false accusation. Therefore, she had to cross two mountain ranges on foot, and had to endure hours of agony at the hands of the Castile torturers.
”True, you didn’t intend to cause her pain, but you are responsible for your own actions, and your actions helped bring about her suffering. So just take my advice and leave her alone!” With that, she turned and hurried off after Antoinette.
Magnum came out, talking with the three judges. When he saw Animal, he beckoned the agent over.
”Mr. d’Armand, I think your mission here at the Defenders base is over. General Roberts will be returning to the National FORCE headquarters after dinner this evening. I would recommend you be packed and ready to go with him.”
He started to walk away, then turned. “I’d recommend you take a long, hard look at your prejudices, as well,” he added. “FORCE protects everyone, including aliens and constructs.”
