I expected judgment, but instead he gave me a look of pity. Damien Striker was a confusing creature, an asshole with a sensitive side and a sharptongue.
“Is that a weapon?” Ronnie asked Jeremy, gesturing to the cuff on Damien’swrist.
Jeremy’s eyes flicked to Ronnie’s feet and then over to Josephine. His caretaker leaned in, and he whispered in her ear. I’d forgotten about the selective mutism until then. New people talking while you’re in a place where aliens were trying to kill you, was too much to mentally handle for even me sometimes, so I figured the mutism must make him feel safe, more incontrol.
“Yes, it’s a small device that will emit a plasma shield when it senses a ghoul within a certain proximity,” Josephineexplained.
Ronnie frowned. “You put it on his bad shoulder. I’m worried it could injure him further, especially since it’s aprototype.”
Jeremy started rocking on his heels, clearly distressed by herwords.
Damien stepped forward. “How do you think I got this injured shoulder in the first place? We’re not going to be able to get the development right unless we test it in real time on a realperson.”
Ronnie’s brow furrowed, showing she didn’t like it at all. “You’re telling me the reason your shoulder looks like it got ripped off and sewn back on with dental floss is because of thatthing?”
Damien sighed, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. “He’s made modifications since then. We studied them on rabbits first. I’m sure he’s figured out theglitch.”
Ronnie laughed, putting one hand on her hip. “And if hehasn’t?”
Damien smiled sweetly, resembling a male model. “Then I haveyou.”
Ronnie groaned before cocking her shotgun. “Rich men… above the rules,” she mumbled, then walked off to check theperimeter.
Nox chose that moment to light up his blowtorch, giving Damien a long, lingering look before followingRonnie.
“I think I made her mad.” Damiensmirked.
“Not hard to do,” I replied, scanning the horizon. Ronnie was a touchy control freak with cleaning OCD. I pissed her off daily, but I loved that woman more thanlife.
He leaned in to me. “And I’ve definitely made you mad, haven’t I?” His voice waslow.
“Hey, if you want to blow your arm off, it’s none of mybusiness.”
Ugh, this guy got under myskin.
While we were having our little bitch fit, Mr. Hansen was helping Jeremy and Josephine with the equipment, tinkering, measuring it all, looking very official. I’d never been paid to go in and experiment in the Dream Wars. I knew the government ran ops where they did multiple experiments, but I wasn’t privy tothem.
Maxine finally popped in beside me, gun drawn, doing a fullcircle.
I checked my dream band. “Twenty minutes. Notbad.”
She smiled. “After I told Tatum to stop chewing so damn loud, I finally dozedoff.”
I nodded. “Nothing much happening here. Jeremy’s setting up his experiment, and Damien’s wearing a weaponized arm cuff that might take off hisshoulder.”
Maxine looked at the cuff, seemingly impressed. “Cool.”
Damien rolled his eyes. “Thank you for the vote ofconfidence.”
A pinkish glow cast its way before me, and that was my first signal to the Galadria’s approach. Then came the soft fluttering ofwings.
Damien immediately pulled his gun, pointing it to thesky.
I reached out and shoved his gun down, pointing the barrel at the ground. “They’re harmless. She’s here to seeme.”
He looked gob-smacked, mouth hung open, eyeswide.
I smiled. “Oh, did I leave that out of my file? I guess we’reeven.”
