I don’t park around the corner; I drive a few streets over until I find a grocery store parking lot and take a spot near the back, half under sagging tree branches. I turn off the engine and take a steadying breath.
I needed another piece of the puzzle of my life, not to find out my entire picture was wrong. I squeeze my eyes shut and lower my face. This can’t be happening. I seriously can’t take more mystery. I fight back my emotions.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Realm asks.
I find his dark brown eyes have some sincerity to them. Despite that, they’re rimmed in red, slightly bloodshot. He looks exhausted. I don’t even know him, and I’ve already told him more than I’ve told my grandparents in the last twenty-four hours.
Fuck it.
“Everyone is always lying to me,” I say, raw with honesty. “I just found out I was in The Program, and let’s just say I’m not handling it well.”
Realm blinks quickly and looks down at his lap. He doesn’t look shocked, and prickles of realization climb up my arms.
“You already knew that?” I ask.
“I don’t want to lie to you, Tatum,” he says. “Yes. I already knew.”
I can’t believe this. The proof I needed sat down in my car, and just like that, I’m both validated and afraid. “And Marie?” I ask. “She denied it yesterday when I asked her.”
He laughs to himself. “Sounds about right. And I’ll tell you right now, you won’t get much from McKee, either.”
“But... why?” I ask, my heart sinking. “Why keep it a secret?”
“With all the other returners crashing back,” he says, “Marie was afraid the same would happen to you.”
“And the Adjustment?” I ask, anger starting to tick up in my voice. “Did they give me an Adjustment? Is that why I remember some things?”
“Yeah,” Realm says. “But I wasn’t there for that.”
So it’s all true. Dr. McKee adjusted me, and holy shit—it means that I have no idea what’s real and what’s not. I run my hand through my hair, knotting it in a bun with my fingers as I think.
“And what was your part?” I ask him.
Realm inhales and takes off his seat belt, settling in. “I was brought in as a consultant to keep an eye on you in case you showed any... complications,” he says. “And when they adjusted Wes, I thought it would all work out. You have a long history.” He flashes a pained smile. “Not all of it terrible. But it seems the more people try to fix things, the worse it gets.”
“A cure for a cure for a cure,” I murmur. “And Dr. Warren?” I ask, motioning vaguely down the road. “She’s from The Program? Do you think she knows me from there?”
Realm purses his lips. “Yes,” he says. “I imagine she does.”
I whine out my disbelief, horrified. Disgusted. “And for a year she’s been pretending to help me,” I say. “Why? And why isn’t she in jail?”
“Few people went to jail for The Program,” Realm says. “The powerful rarely pay a price for the damage they inflict on society. In fact,” he says, “they keep going. They find new ways to manipulate the masses.”
I watch him, seeing the defiance in his posture. The compassion in his expression. “Was Dr. Warren working with Marie and Dr. McKee?” I ask.
He shakes his head no. “As far as I can tell, Dr. Warren is on her own team—one with ties to The Program.” His mouth turns down. “I don’t want to scare you, but I believe there is a group of people still operating within The Program. Only this time, it’s without government involvement. But that’s just a hunch.”
“Are you usually right?” I ask.
“Yes,” he replies.
My heart pounds, and I’m scared to ask my next question. “Are you saying... Do you think The Program is coming for me again?”
Realm holds my gaze steady. “Yes,” he repeats.
I fall back against my seat. I don’t even know what that means or how I’m supposed to react. “What do I do?” I ask.
“I don’t know yet,” Realm responds. “But I’ll keep you posted.” He adds the last part casually, and when I look over, we both laugh at how horrifically ridiculous this is. The Program—my nightmare—is still chasing me. And as far as I know, there’s nothing I can do about it.
