My body collapses on me. The only thought that passes through my head is her.
I lie in the middle of this field, knowing that death has come to greet me. This is really how it ends?That’s fucking unfair.I curl into myself, but keep my hand extended toward the direction in which I hear her coughs becoming weaker.
Another screaming missile strikes the ground and my eyes are forced shut. My mind slipping away.
Lieutenant Erik walked slowly along the edge of the bay, casting me judging eyes frequently.
I let out a long-winded sigh. “What?”
“I thought you would try everything you could to make her remember. I’m sure she’d forgive you,” he said with the raise of his brow.
My jaw set with rage. He wouldn’t understand. Vance Belerik has always been level-headed and wisely turned down the enhancements when Nolan offered them to him. He’s never taken them, so he couldn’t possibly even begin to fathom what I’m feeling.
“Which part?” I snapped. Erik glowered at me. “You want me to try to make her remember the part where I wanted to squeeze the life out of her in the library before the first trial? Or what about when I fought with her in the cafeteria. Oh wait, I know.” I clasped my hands together and smiled maniacally at him. “I should just come out and tell her that I’m the reason she can’t remember who she is. That it wasmewho smashed the side of her head with a goddamn rock.”
My breaths are labored and I shake my head with the way I’m responding right now. I swiftly brush my hair back and take a deep breath.
Erik pats my shoulder. I flinch at the contact.
“I’m sure there were more times you two shared than just the bad ones.” His voice is careful.
I side-eye him. “There weren’t,” I lie.
He chuckles. “You’re an awful liar. I’ve known you for seven yearsnow, and I’ve never seen you look at someone the way you look at her. Fuck, even your energy changes around her. Like the air gets less dreadful. Even now when she doesn’t remember you, you get vulnerable. Did you know that?”
My eyes widened and I slowly shook my head.
Erik grinned. “You’re so afraid to acknowledge your feelings, Cameron. Sometimes it’s our emotions that guide us through the toughest situations. What do you think made you stop yourself from killing her out there in the woods that day?”
I studied him, taking a step back as it dawned on me.
“Did you watch the tapes?” I asked, knowing he did, but I wanted to hear him say it.
He nodded and gave me a sad smile. “Of course, and it was her crying out your name that made you stop, granted you didn’t stop until that first awful strike…but you didn’t kill her. What a feat that is.”
My stomach turned.
I shouldn’t be receiving praise for that. It shouldn’t have happened to begin with.
“Did you know Nolan was going to give me that new injection just before the trial?” I bit down on my tongue to keep from reacting as I watched Erik’s eyes dull with the truth.
“You passed, what does it matter?” He turned around sharply and started walking back to the base. “Come back before we prepare to depart to the Great Basin. This mission is Bridger’s highest interest right now,” he muttered over his shoulder.
Why? We’ve done many information recon missions in the past. Why is this one so special to him? What are they hiding?
My fist clenched over the metal railing keeping the beach separated from the sidewalk.
Bryce was telling Emery the truth, one that I barely remembered, being in that trance-like state when I killed him. But I heard his secret. I knew he was a spy, I just didn’t know that he was a spy for Mavestelli.
Her father really is waging war over her being stolen away.
But something nags in the farthest recesses of my mind. Telling me over and over that a man like Greg Mavestelli isn’t only after the return of his daughter.
My eyes are blurry as I slowly open them. I try to blink past the dust that still settles around me, but it’s useless.
The ringing in my ears makes the world spin. I can’t move my body. I can’t move anything.
The metallic taste of blood is overwhelming, my hands are trembling with apprehension.
