Chapter 15
Kinzer tightened his fists, restraining himself. Quintz was right. He had a code of honor he was supposed to uphold as far as surrenders went, but it was one thing when it was only an enemy of the Leader’s Allies, another when he had hurt him in the most personal of ways.
He sat in a chair in Hayde’s cell, keeping his eyes on him. He was so focused, he’d almost forgotten that he was nearly nude in the frader he still wore.
Quintz had gone to retrieve something he had claimed would help them keep an eye on Hayde, so Kinzer stayed in the chamber to make sure the flit didn’t try to make an escape. While they waited for Quintz to return, Hayde kept looking at Kinzer, and it bugged the crap out of him.
What was Hayde thinking? Was he laughing at him? Mocking Kinzer for how much trust he’d put in him? How he’d believed Hayde had really been helping him when they infiltrated Veylo’s mansion?
“She didn’t have anything to do with this,” Kinzer blurted. “She was dragged into it.”
Hayde’s eyes teared up, as if he had fucking feelings about it. Kinzer wondered what he could have been thinking, because he knew he hadn’t had any real feelings about it.
What was his game? Why was he like this?
“I—” Hayde began before Kinzer heard the lock on the door and turned to see Quintz enter, carrying a black metal loop—a collar, it looked like.
“This’ll keep our new friend from betraying us.” Quintz smiled as he approached Hayde and snapped it around his neck. A loud clicking sound echoed through the cell.
“Ow,” Hayde said.
“They’re on the tight side.”
“Did you have a leash?” Kinzer asked. “You’re gonna have to explain what the fuck that thing is, because I don’t get it.”
“Better than a leash,” Quintz said. He reached into his pocket and fished out what looked like a miniature remote control. He handed it to Kinzer.
“You slide the front cover up and turn the dial inside if he tries anything funny. It’ll shoot a very powerful vibration into his neck, one that will cause his head to swell and enough pressure to build up that it’ll explode.”
“Jesus fucking Christ!” Hayde said.
“They were designed during the War so we could strap them to immortals. We could get them to infiltrate different areas, force them to collect information. If they went against us at any point, we could touch that button and it would kill them, as well as self-destruct to keep the Almighty from stealing the technology.”
“And how many of these things were used during the War?” Kinzer asked.
“We never actually had a chance to use them. The Leader thought they were unethical.”
“I’d have to agree.”
Quintz shrugged. “I also have one of these remotes to the collar. So if Hayde does do anything to turn on either of us, the other will have a way of activating the collar to prevent him from scheming against us. Does that make you feel better about having him come with us?”
“I don’t think you can imagine how much I despise this fucker. In fact, I wouldn’t mind using this thing right now.”
Kinzer slid his thumb across the front compartment, opening it so that it revealed the dial Quintz had referred to. It was a small black circle that had an arrow pointing to an OFF setting. There were two additional settings, one labeled STUN, the other END. Kinzer twisted the dial to STUN.
Hayde shook and trembled, his body twitching in the cuffs.
“FUCK!” he called out.
Kinzer considered pushing it to END. It would get rid of the pain within him of letting Hayde live…letting him get away with what he did.
It was so wrong, considering the oath he’d taken, the code he’d pledged himself to. But what the fuck use had the code of honor ever been to him? All it did was let others get away with anything while he tried to play by the rules. He was done with rules. He was done with being the one who suffered. He pressed his thumb on the dial.
“Kinzer,” Quintz warned. “We need him!”
Kinzer knew he was right. He could be their only chance at finding Janka. Or being led into some trap Janka had in store for them.
Kinzer turned the dial back to OFF. Quintz glared at him.
