“Who are you? Why are you dressed like a Young Lady?”
She laughed. “Oh, sugar, I was a Young Lady long before you were. I was better at the damn job than you too.” She rolled her eyes. I stared blankly at her. There were too many similarities for this to be a coincidence.
“Eleanor,” Riot’s words came out slow. “This is Myrtle.”
“Who is she?” Tears filled my eyes. I was confused and scared and panic was beginning to fill me.
“She’s—”
“I’m your mother.”
It was as if thunder had clapped down on my world. I shook my head. That wasn’t possible.
“I was an orphan. I don’t have parents. And you’re?—”
“Young? Yes, well, that was one of the perks of being chosen. I’ll be a Young Lady forever. So will you. You’ve got two more years before you stop aging altogether.”
Two years?
Tears slid down my cheeks as I backed away from Myrtle. None of this made sense. Myrtle didn’t seem to care about my reaction. She focused her attention on Riot.
“I am so glad you’re here! I knew you’d come eventually.” She ran forward, throwing her arms around him. Riot didn’t move. His arms stayed at his sides.
“Myrtle. What are you doing here? I thought you were dead.”
She stepped back and let out a fake giggle. “Oh, I had to do that. It was all part of my plan. All of this was one long plan toget you here. And it’s such a relief that it’s all finally happening. I was worried you’d get too old, but now, were almost the same age.”
“You’re my mother?” I snapped out of my trance. “How? Who is my father then?”
Myrtle looked irritated that I was speaking to her.
“We don’t get to know that information. I’m assuming it was a Daddy they deemed worthy enough to pass genes on. You weren’t created with love. You were created by a lab. I was just the egg and womb donor.” She returned to Riot, tugging on his hands. “Come, I want to show you what I have planned for us.”
Riot yanked his hands away.
“This isn’t right. Why is Soda turning into a plant?” He waved to the man I’d completely forgotten about in the chaos. “Why aren’t you interested in seeing your daughter? You begged me to get her out of that bunker. What is going on?”
“Riot, please.” Myrtle’s face fell. “Come with me. None of that matters.”
“All of it matters! Tell me what the fuck is going on right now!” Riot demanded.
“Riot,” Soda gasped. “Run.”
I turned my head to the elevator, and Myrtle saw, her eyes turning into slits.
“I wouldn’t try. You won’t get far.” She went to the elevator and pulled a key from her pocket. She slid it into a lock and the lights in the elevator powered down. She waved her finger at me. “And I wouldn’t give me too much attitude, missy, or you might end up like Soda.”
She tucked away the key and motioned for us to sit on the couch against the wall. We didn’t move, which only served to irritate her further. I stepped to Riot and took his hand. She glared at us.
“What do you mean, this was your plan?” Riot asked.
Myrtle’s face lit up at Riot giving her attention. “Yes! My plan. Well, it’s a long one. It started with my initial escape from the bunker. You found me Riot, and took me into Heathen Heights. I don’t think either of us meant it to happen, but we fell in love.”
I looked up at Riot. His face contorted into a look of confusion. He shook his head. “No, Myrtle, I— that isn’t what happened at all.”
Myrtle didn’t seem to be listening. “You never said it out loud, but I knew. I had to figure out a way to get you to admit it. And it started by telling you my secret.”
“Eleanor,” Riot whispered. Myrtle nodded eagerly, barely glancing my way. She wasn’t seeing me. She only saw Riot.
