“And what I also didn’t get a chance to say is this,” Avery continued as if she hadn’t tried to speak. “If what I managed to find in the last few hours is true, the machine we saw was a prototype. A trial run, almost. It wasn’t fully functional, which is why I think you’re relatively okay, Wren.”
“A prototype,” Wren said, cold dread settling over his skin.
“But that means…” Black started, eyes wide and lips parted.
“There could be another one somewhere,” Hart said and Wren decided he’d had enough.
Something inside him broke at the idea that he was sitting here, talking, trying to convince someone of something when Teddy was alone and probably scared somewhere, in pain and being used as a fucking experiment by an absolute lunatic.
“We’re done here,” he said, finally managing to stand up and locate a clean set of clothes draped over the back of one of the chairs.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Fix asked.
Wren paid him no mind as he painfully tugged the clothes on and shoved his feet into a scuffed pair of sneakers someone had brought for him.
“This is pointless. She’s gonna defend her fucking cult until she chokes on it and I’m not gonna sit here and wait for her to come around. Kellan has Teddy and I won’t let him hurt him anymore.”
“Kellan did nothing but help you escape that warehouse,” Gwen said, positioning herself in front of him and cutting off his exit. “He cared for Damir. He brought him to the hospital to make sure he got here as soon as possible.”
“And where is he now?” Wren asked.
“Kellan?” Gwen asked.
“Teddy!” Wren yelled, and she flinched. “Where is Teddy?!”
“I was informed he was taken to intensive care. I wasn’t allowed in,” she said.
“Because he isn’t here,” Wren said. “He isn’t here. Kellan took him to do whatever it is he set out to do and I’m wasting my time here trying to talk to you as if you’ll ever listen. Fuck this!”
“You have no way to prove any of this, Wujia.”
He looked her dead in the eye and without a second thought grabbed her by the wrist.
“You want proof?” he asked, charging for the door and pulling her behind him while she struggled. She was a good head taller than he was, but Wren had always been stronger than he looked, despite everything that had happened to him.
He forced her out of his room and into a sickly green hallway, the lights making the disgusting color even more upsetting.
“Let go!” She struggled against his grip.
“I thought you wanted proof,” he said, dragging her behind him until they reached a wide double door held closed by several nurses and literally swarmed by people screaming over each other.
Wren recognized Trace’s looming presence among the rest of Teddy’s team, and there were two PUMA officers as well,accompanied by a few police officers with trained dogs leashed at their heels.
“You need to let us see him!”
“Nobody can access his room!”
“We are his next of kin!”
“The ICU doesn’t care about next of kin! They’ll inform you of his condition in due time. We’ve been over this.”
“I will be putting you AND your next of kin into intensive care if you don’t let us through right now.” Wren recognized Eerie’s voice among all the other raised ones.
“Nexus Head would like to see the patient!” Wren announced, yelling to be heard above all the ruckus.
The noise died down instantly and all eyes turned to them.
A doctor rushed to the front of the group, addressing Gwen directly, not sparing Wren a glance. He didn’t give a fuck. He caught Saint’s eye and frowned when Saint just shook his head desperately.
