The phrase knocked the wind out of her and her fingers clenched against the stiff fabric of her jeans. She didn't know--It made sense but--Alicia hadn't been able to think about what all of this had done to Padma. She couldn't think how she would feel if someone had done something like this to her. The violation, the complete assault on her very memory. Robbie had stolen that from Padma. He had damaged her. Repeat it all she could it still didn't make sense. Not her Robbie.
"You did it to protect the Ministry. You risked her brain to protect the Ministry," she repeated slowly, coldly. Her voice was devoid any of its usual anger or energy. "The Ministry that branded me. That interrogates me. That hits me and robs me. What secret? That they were collecting more STs? That they were taking someone's kid? What secret could possibly make it okay to risk her entire mind?" Anger slowly crept into her voice. The realization of what he had done sinking in despite her resistance against it. "Please, explain this to me!"
He knew it was wrong. It was a hollow admission but at least an admission. "Would you have done it to me? If I had been the one to overhear you would you have taken away my memory? Would you have erased everything? Every conversation? Our very friendship? Well?"