“You’ve suffered a lot, I know.”
A lot? That’s close to a belittling insult.
Whenever his focus slips above me, unease appears. He’s afraid of Kail. Most people would be. Especially the guilty ones.
“We have suffered, and I demand this man suffer too.” I jab my finger at Clay. “He needs to be convicted of his crimes, murder, rape, and on and on.”
Clay stands impassive, waiting, evidently hoping he will squeeze out of this noose.
“There’s a woman in the basement level,” Kail says. “She was abducted by him, probably raped, then preserved illegally. She is one among many, many others.”
“That is what they do here, Mister Stone. Research cryogenics. Research how to make a person like you. A frankenstruct.”
A hiss of disgust comes from Kail. “That’s not the same.”
There it is. Cryogenics and frankenstruct creation are the core reason for this research institute, though buried under hundreds of other minor studies.
Gregory goes quiet. He wants us to remember this.
“What are you saying?” Kail croaks.
“This is what I will offer you. It is what you will get. Saying no is not an option. Don’t do that.”
I tense. An avalanche seems about to bury us. Whoever this Gregory is, he commands powers we do not have.
47
A FACE FULL OF FLOOR
The dull sound of those choppers coming in sent shivers through me, the bad kind. But I’m not here to reminisce about my death. I tune back into this stick-up-his-ass Gregory’s speech on what he will give us.
“Clay Skinner will be employed somewhere far away at a base we run in the Arctic, for a minimum of six years, and after that he will be reassessed and placed somewhere appropriate.”
“Six fucking years in a job not even a jail?” Hailey mutters. “That sucks, and by sucks I mean that is justwrong.” She inhales raggedly.
I want to massage her shoulders and hold her, but I can’t. I bend low to say to her only, “I’m sorry. Clay needs hanging or electrocuting.”
“Or a wasabi injection.”
I chuckle at that one, while watching the second asshole, Gregory.
He drones on, “The town will remain under militarycontrol until we have ensured nothing incriminating can or has spread. Records will be expunged or altered. You and your friends, Hailey, will be under extra scrutiny, and any original records must be surrendered, if they are relevant. That includes your father’s material and notes. I am sorry.”
Clay has migrated in our direction, moving from the imagined safety zone of his desk. Or perhaps he is considering jumping out that window.
“I don’t want us to be kept under lock and key in Revenant while he goes free.” Her voice rises. “The Arctic? Really?”
“You won’t be. As soon as possible, you’ll be free to leave. One of the stipulated clauses apart from nondisclosure, will be…”
My hands are still trapped in cuffs, but I test them repeatedly, to give my muscles something to do.
“…that Kail is available for testing, personally, as well as any research studies relating to this possible alternate-timeline world that the institute deems worth following up.”
“What?” I frown at him. “You want me to be your guinea pig?”
“Yes. And no. We will regard you as equivalent to a human. Your record as a serial killer in our world will be altered. You will be asked for consent for each study. You can travel outside Revenant if not needed at specific times, so long as we can track you.”
“Fuck. That sounds restrictive.” And Hailey didn’t even wince when he said that I was a serial killer. She already knew. I bet Clay told her.
