“My dad,” she said.“Hilary.You could have helped them.Warned them.Why didn’t you?”
The car drifted slowly past her house.Rowan’s heart leapt into her throat.She stared at the black van, then at his profile.His dark eyes were on the road, his mouth drawn into a thin line.He had a gun under his left arm.She knew that because he had shot one of the men in black.Otherwise he was dressed normally—jeans, a navy-blue T-shirt, a hip-length black leather coat, a pair of Doc Martens.He looked normal… but maybe he wasn’t.
“My priority is you, Rowan,” he said.
Why is he repeating my name?she wondered.Nurses did that at work to calm down an hysterical patient.Keep saying the name over and over, soothing the person.“Whoareyou?”she asked again.
“Delgado,” he said grimly.He guided the car slowly around the corner onto Smyrna Avenue, flipping the headlights on.“Society operative attached to Henderson’s unit.Specializing in covert operations and infiltration, interrogation and assassination.I measure a six-point-seven-five on the Matheson scale.You rate about an eleven, I’d guess.If not more.”
“What are you talking about?”
The car accelerated.“The Matheson scale is a scale for the rating of psionic power.You’re a psi, Rowan.Psionic.”
“No I’m not,” she whispered.He knows.He knows what I am.God, please don’t let him tell anyone, please don’t let him hurt me.
He shrugged.“The Society will help you, if you want.They’ll teach you how to control it.”
“No.”Her throat was raw, she could barely speak.“You’re one of them.You’reoneofthem.”
“Did I try to snatch you in the parking lot?Did I shoot your father?”He shook his head.“If I had my way, I would have made contact and waited until you could trust me.”
“No.”She buried her face against her knees.
“I’m sorry, Rowan.”
“Shut up,” she said, her voice muffled by her jeans.
He shut up.He turned left—Rowan peeked—onto Sigell Avenue, past the gas station Dad liked to visit because it was full-service.
Daddy.
She sobbed, tears soaking into her jeans.He flipped the heater on.Welcome warmth stung her feet and hands.The man said nothing, just drove.Rowan knew she should be watching where he was going so she could get back home, but her eyes just wouldn’t focus.She couldn’tthink, could barely even breathe.
When he slowed for the final time, Rowan looked up in time to see an antique iron gate opening.As soon as he drove through the gate, she gasped.It was like sliding through a plastic film—and as soon as the film tore and the car was inside, it snapped closed.The air was suddenly curiously dead, as if she was inside a bell jar.The little prickles of electricity running over her skin intensified.“Where is this?”
“A Society safehouse, shielded from the outside.Feels good, huh?”
It didn’t feel good.It felt like she was suddenly, utterly naked.Rowan shuddered.“You’re crazy,” she said.“They killed my father.What about Hilary?”
“I’m sorry.”His mouth was a thin line again.“I didn’t know Sigma would move in so quickly.It’s my fault.”
“No,” Rowan said dully.“I’m a freak.I’ve always been a freak.”
“Not a freak.A psion.There are more than you think.”He pulled up a long graveled driveway to a slowly opening garage door.“Don’t worry right now.We’ll get you something to eat and?—”
“I want to go home.”
He pulled into the garage.Rowan looked over and saw a neat row of cars, all dark-colored, and two black vans with heavy privacy tinting.And a shabby blue van parked at the very end that looked vaguely familiar.
She was too tired to think about it.Her entire body hurt.Her head pounded, an agonizing dry pain.Daddy.
“If you go home, Sigma will scoop you up and fill you full of Zed.That’s a bad thing, in case you’re wondering.I’d hate to have to come and collect you.”
“I don’t believe—” she began.
He shut the car off, set the parking brake, and looked over at her, his dark eyes glittering.“Iwouldcome and get you, Rowan.I’ve seen psionics that get taken by the Sigs.Mind-shattered hulks, most of them, and the rest just like dogs on a leash.You don’t deserve that.I’m sorry, and I’ll watch over you.Okay?”
Rowan buried her face against her knees again.
