“In Greece,” Martinelli continued, “the phoenix’s gold turned to dust, the bird’s fire catching across the water. It burned everything in its path.”
Owen took a few steps toward his—what was Martinelli to him? Research partner? Sponsor? Cult leader? “But the fire contained the phoenix’s healing properties. Suspended within the fire was its immortality.”
Martinelli nodded, placing a gentle hand on Owen’s shoulder. “Because the gods vowed that when mankind was ready, the pieces would find each other again.”
“And when the phoenix is made whole,” said Owen, as though reciting a prophecy, “the world will know forever.”
“The phoenix will rise,” muttered the men holding me and several of the others.
Goosebumps rose along my arms.
They were all fucking crazy zealots.
The most dangerous type of people in the world.
I tried to step forward, but the men held tight. What was I going to do? How could I convince them to stop? They were all armed, so calling Rav would just get him killed.
My team from Pendragon was on their way.
Could I turn Owen against Martinelli?
We’d only worked together for six months before the relationship turned romantic. That only lasted six more months, until I’d decided I could trust him with the horrible truth mapped across my skin. I’d assumed if the scars were all it took for him to end things between us, that his feelings for me were literally only skin-deep.
But he thought I was in love with him. Could I use that to delay them until Bobcat and the team arrived? The six of them, plus Rav, would swarm up here and stop Fenix from deploying the weapon.
What was there to say? Playing dumb wasn’t the answer. But maybe playing ignorant would.
“The liquid form has the healing factor,” I said, grasping at the only idea I had—get Owen talking about the science.Show him how smart you think he is.“What are the fireworks for?”
Owen turned to me suddenly, breaking Martinelli’s grasp on him. “Polymers, Brooke!”
Thatdidn’t explain anything. He and I worked on polymer barriers and even co-authored a couple of papers.
Except itdidexplain things.
“Yes,” he breathed, walking slowly toward me. “You understand now, don’t you?”
“You found a way to suspend the liquid inside the fireworks?”
“Exactly!”
I skimmed through his insane ramblings before finding the answer. “You found a way to trigger the polymer barrier to rupture at the right temperature.”
Owen turned his head slightly, speaking to Martinelli without taking his eyes off me. “I told you she was brilliant, didn’t I?”
“As the powdered Greek Fire hits something, the liquid releases.” Dual-form damage.
A vision of thousands of people writhing on the ground in agony filled my mind.
I leaned toward Owen, my shoulders screaming as I pulled against my captors. “It’s not stable. You’re going to kill a lot of people.”
Owen waved a hand, as though their deaths were inconsequential.
“They won’t die.” Martinelli flicked his gaze toward the laptop, and two of his followers began walking between the firework stations, checking connections and adjusting one of the mortars’ angles. “It will simply create thermal damage.Then the liquid will attempt to regenerate the damaged tissue. In most people, it simply causes more damage. But in some—perhaps one in a thousand, perhaps more—it will trigger true regeneration. And from their blood, we synthesize the cure.”
“That’s not how science works.” I stepped back, the ache in my shoulders too much. “We use computer models for things this dangerous. And my tests say?—”
“Evolution has always required suffering.” Martinelli made the sign of the cross and looked heavenward. Thinking of his daughter? “The weak die, the strong survive, the species improves.”
