“The government is in control of the research initiative, but Sabel has been running her own little experiment. She was using Sloane as patient zero. Sloane was going to either rise to the occasion, proving to be the obedient little lamb that Sabel wanted her to be, or she would have Sloane’s mind scrambled to nothing to live out her days in a padded cell.” I grind my molars, giving away enough for Dorian to grab hold of. “If you ask me, the latter would have beenmuchmore fun. Don’t you think?”
In an instant, I’m on him. I grab his tattered white long-sleeved button-down shirt in my hands and shake roughly, letting go as his chair tips backward and crashes to the floor with a loud thud. I crouch over him, rearing my fist back and striking him in his ugly ass face once, and then twice, before that familiar rage takes over. I feel myself losing control, pulling a knife out of my pocket, and flipping it open. I’m not even sure what I plan to do with it; all I know is that Dorian must pay for his words. A large hand grips my wrist, stilling the knife in midair.
“Riven,” Callum growls, peeling the knife from my hand and tossing it to the ground, “don’t do anything reckless. You said that you wanted to keep him al—”
I push up from the ground, pacing as I run my hands through my hair. “I know what I said,” I yell, trying to slow my racing thoughts and regain control of my unraveling emotions. Callum lifts Dorian in the chair until he’s back upright. I’m pleased to see that his face is swelling and bruising already.
“What else?” I grind out at Dorian. “And unless you want to spend the rest ofyourfucking miserable life in a padded cell, then you’ll keep Sloane’s name out of your fucking mouth from here on out.” His lip curls ever so slightly, eyeing me with subtle defiance. “Do you understand me, Dorian?” I growl.
“Fine,” he sighs. “The Eden Frequency would have eventually allowed Sabel to get anyone she wanted to do anything she wanted. For those who weren’t outliers, it would have been easy to accomplish. The next show was going to change everything for us.” He pauses, staring off at the wall as if reminiscing on a future that no longer exists. After several seconds, his eyes find mine again as he returns to the present. “For those that were outliers likeher, Sabel planned to trap them all and force the binaural frequency to make them compliant. And if they remained resistant even then, well … you can use your imagination for that one.”
I contemplate his words, already aware of most of them. “Why Sonus?” I ask, needing to know why Dorian chose the company thatIwork for.
He stares up at me, a pitied expression on his swollen face. “Not everything is about you, son,” he says, using the word to taunt me. “I met Sabel at a local conference a few months back, and I—”
“So this is aboutSabel?” I ask, disgusted by the thought of them together.
He scoffs. “God,no. She was merely a means to an end. I overheard her speaking to David about their plans regarding the frequency, and I saw a way in. The panel wanted Sabel to be the face of it, but I was the one truly running things behind the scenes. I found out later that you were the lead vocalist, and, well, that was just a bonus.” Dorian has the nerve to grin up at me as if he isn’t the one chained to a chair with his face beaten in.
“Was it worth it?” I ask, nearly a whisper. I’m not sure what I’m truly asking, whether the question is a reflection of the present or the past. Dorian considers me, seemingly conflicted in the same way when it comes to his answer.
“What do you want me to say, Riven?” He pauses. “That I was a shit father? That I had plans for your brother, because I loved him more? That I never treated your mother with respect because she never deserved it? Or that I wanted to see the look on your face when Sloane was forced to slit your throat while you watched?”
The world around me grows louder, or maybe that’s the sound of the blood rushing through my veins. The bright white lights in the room fade to black, and I’m brought back to that distant place in my mind that seeks only the death of others. This time, it seeks the death of one specific person.
Cal’s hand lands on my shoulder, gripping it. I hear Cal’s muffled voice as he shouts words that I can’t make out. I turnmy head toward Cal in what feels like slow motion. His mouth moves, but I don’t hear the words. His other hand finds my opposite shoulder, shaking aggressively to get my attention.
“Riven!” I finally hear Cal’s deep voice over the pounding in my ears. My senses come crashing back to me at full force as I’m dragged from that dark place in my mind and back to the present.
“For fuck’s sake, Riven. I thought I lost you,” Cal says, dropping his hands from my shoulders and walking in circles. He runs his large hands over his face, turning to face Dorian after several seconds.
“What did you mean by that last part, Dorian? The part about Sloane killing Riven?” Callum asks, addressing Dorian with a look in his eyes that says he dares Dorian to lie to him. I know that Cal would love nothing more than to rip Dorian to shreds right here and now.
“Oh, damn,” Dorian says, voice thick with sarcasm, “did I leave out the best part?” Cal has Dorian’s throat in his large hand in seconds.
“You asshole. I did not ask for your sarcastic bullshit answer. Answer my question, or I’ll cut your dick off and feed it to you.” Cal sneers. I always forget what it’s like watching Cal when someone presses his buttons.
“Might want to add in the balls, probably not much there to feed him,” I add, for fun. Cal turns his attention to me, narrowing his eyes in annoyance before tossing Dorian from his grip.
“Well?” Callum asks, growing more impatient by the minute.
“Okay,” Dorian starts, voice raw from having his vocal cords smashed. He coughs, clearing his throat. “Sabel was planning on erasing Riven from Sloane’s mind.” I growl at the mention of Sloane’s name from Dorian’s lips yet again and at the fucking reminder.
“I’m sorry, fromhermind,” Dorian continues. “Once you were erased, Sabel planned on commanding Sloane to slit your throat while you were under a hypnotic state that stopped you from fighting it.” Holy shit. I knew Sabel was evil, butfuck.“So very poetic, isn’t it?” Dorian asks. This guy doesn’t know when to shut the fuck up, does he? I walk over to Dorian and release him from the chains that restrain him to the chair.
“Grab him,” I say to Cal. Cal walks over and grabs the front of Dorian’s shirt, lifting him from the chair. Cal and I both look toward the ceiling, apparently inspired by the same thought.
“Chains,” we say simultaneously.
Cal kicks the chair out of the way, and I walk over to the wall to lower the chain apparatus. Cal and I work together to get the chains around Dorian and then lift him in the air. I stand back, admiring our work.
“So, this is your big plan? You’re going to leave me hanging up here forever?” Dorian grunts, wiggling his body to adjust to the chains digging into his skin.
I smile up at him, placing my hands in the pockets of my black joggers. “Maybe so. I don’t know. What do you think, Cal?” I say, turning toward Callum.
“Hmmm,” Cal starts, “I say let’s leave him here to rot. Let the rats have him.”
I hear the chains rustle, bringing my attention back to the man within them. I take a good, long look at Dorian. He hangs there, his eyes nearly swollen shut now. The man before me isn’t my father, but rather a pathetic shell of the one who still dares to carry the title.
