Fuck. I’m essentially being kidnapped again.
I consider trying to escape. I might be able to take out Garrett because he’s human, and Dale too, because I’m faster than him. But the golem poses a real problem. There’s no way I can overpower him and escape, and they all have guns even though they’re concealed.
I let Garrett push me into the car.
As we pull out of the parking lot, the only one who speaks is Olivia.
“For the record, I don’t believe this is necessary, but I make it a point to let Garrett do his job as he sees fit. I am glad, however, that we’ll get to talk at length.”
I feel Olivia patting my knee, and I don’t know if I’m happy that Zeth isn’t here because he wouldn’t be able to handle beingnear her, or if I wish he were here because then he would’ve easily taken out the golem and I’d be on my way to freedom.
I swallow heavily and try not to think about what ifs.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Zeth
It takes me exactly fifty minutes to meet with Tom and hand over the USB stick. I don’t stay to talk and don’t wait for questions or debriefing. I drop the evidence in his hand and leave immediately, my body dissolving into liquid before he can even respond.
Every second away from Wren feels wrong, like I’ve left part of myself behind. I’ve merged with dozens of hosts over the years and separated from them without issue, but this is different. She’s different. When I’m not with her, not touching her or merged with her, I feel out of place, incomplete. A vital part of myself is missing.
I move through the city as fast as I can, flowing through pipes and ventilation systems, taking the most direct routes. In liquid form I can slip through spaces no human can access, and remain unseen even with people around.
Right now, the only thing that matters is getting back to her before something goes wrong.
When I reach the burger joint, I flow through the ventilation system and reform in the bathroom, checking every stall. They’re all empty, not that I expected her to still be here, but for some reason, this is the first place my instinct told me to check.
I move to the dining area, searching the booths and corners. She’s not here either, and Olivia is gone, too.
I head to the underground lab next, slipping through the gaps around the sealed door and spreading myself thin to fit through the smallest spaces. The lab is empty. I search the entire bunker systematically, checking every room and corridor, but there’s no trace of her anywhere.
She’s gone. They took her somewhere, and I have no idea where.
I force myself to think clearly. Panic won’t help. I need information, and the only place to get it is the surveillance room.
I find it behind the kitchen – a small, windowless space with monitors covering one wall. A man sits inside scrolling through his phone, occasionally glancing at the camera feeds. Most of the screens show empty corridors, and I notice there are no feeds from the lab. Of course.
I study the guard for a few minutes, watching his patterns. He’s bored and distracted, and not expecting any trouble. I need to see what happened while I was gone, and he’s not going to let me access those recordings willingly.
I slither out of the vent as liquid, pooling on the floor without making a sound. The guard doesn’t hear or feel anything. I flow across the floor and up the back of his chair, moving slowly and carefully. When I’m level with his head, I materialize just two arms and wrap them around his neck in a hold I’ve used countless times before, applying pressure to the right points. He struggles for a few seconds, his phone clattering to the desk, but then goes limp. His breathing evens out – unconscious but unharmed.
Nice and easy.
I materialize fully and lower him to the floor, then turn to the monitors. I press a few buttons, rewinding the footage, and I’m suddenly watching Olivia and Wren sitting in a corner booth, the waitress pouring coffee. Wren sits up abruptly and heads toward the bathroom. So far everything matches what I remember.
I notice there’s a camera positioned in the hallway leading to the bathroom, and a few minutes after Wren enters, I see Garrett appear, pounding on the door. My hands curl into fists as I watch him drag her out, his movements rough and aggressive. He pats her down, his hands running over her body, between her breasts, and shoving between her legs like he has every right to touch her however he pleases. She struggles, but not hardenough to shake him off, and I have to believe it’s because she doesn’t want to blow up her cover.
“Fucking bastard,” I curse loudly.
I hate myself for abandoning her and not being there to stop him. But I didn’t have a choice. The USB stick had to get to Tom, and with Wren, the mission always came first. That’s what she wanted, and that’s what I did. Sometimes, the choices she makes are not to protect herself. It’s all about the job.
I watch as Olivia and Garrett lead Wren outside. The footage ends there, and there are no cameras in the back parking lot. I rewind and watch the sequence again, looking for any details I might have missed, but there’s nothing. They just walked her out and disappeared.
I return to the lab, flowing through the ventilation system. When I’m right above the main workspace, I hear someone inside. I slip through a gap near the ceiling and pool in the shadows, watching.
Roman is pacing back and forth with his phone pressed to his ear. He gestures wildly and yells so loud that spit flies out of his mouth.
“What do you mean you’re keeping her hostage and you can’t tell me where? Are you fucking insane, Garrett? She’s my chemist. I found her, and she answers to me. You answer to me too, fucker. I’m part of the family. And you keep stepping on my toes. One of these days, you’ll suffer the consequences.”
