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“My parents are racists,” Holden said to Naoainst his side, her face against his ear One long brown leg thrown across his hips

“Okay,” she whispered

The hotel suite Avasarala had provided for them was luxurious to the point of opulence The ravity it was like floating on a cloud The air recycling system pumped in subtle scents handcrafted by the hotel’s in-house perfuht’s selection was called Windblown Grass It didn’t exactly srass to Holden, but it was nice Just a hint of earthiness to it Holden had a suspicion that all perfumes were named randoen just a little higher than norood

“They’re worried our babies will be Belters,” he said

“No babies,” Naomi whispered Before Holden could ask what shein his ear

The next day, he woke before Naomi, dressed in the best suit he owned, and headed out into the station There was one last thing he had to do before he could call this whole bloody affair truly over

He had to see Jules Mao

Avasarala had told hi politicians, generals, and corporate leaders rounded up in theIo He was the only one Avasarala was going to see personally And, since they’d caught hiet on a fast ship to the outer planets, she’d just had hiht to her on Luna

That day was the day of theira no Instead, she laughed a good, long ti I can think of that will beyou watch me dismantle him Fuck yes, you can come”

So Holden hurried out of the hotel and onto the streets of Lovell City A quick pedicab ride got him to the tube station, and a twenty-ue United Nations co for hih the complex’s twisty maze of corridors to a door marked CONFERENCE ROOM 34

“You can wait inside, sir,” the perky page chirped at hi the boy on the shoulder “I think I’ll wait out here”

The page dipped his head slightly and bustled off down the corridor, already looking at his hand terainst the corridor wall and waited In the low gravity, standing was hardly any , and he really wanted to see Mao perp-walked down the hallway to his e from Avasarala It said ON OUR WAY

Less than five minutes later, Jules-Pierre Mao climbed off an elevator into the corridor, flanked by two of the largest military police officers Holden had ever seen Mao had his hands cuffed in front of hi a prisoner’s ju hiant and in control As they approached, Holden stood up straight and stepped in their way One of the MPs yanked on Mao’s arave Holden a subtle nod It seeuy Holden had a sense that if he yanked a pistol out of his pants and shot Mao right there in the corridor, the two MPs would discover they had both been struck with blindness at the sa