That voice. I recognize it from when I was fleeing into the forest near Cedar Grove. It’s the idiot who tried to shoot me at the gas station. Wayne was his name. Despite the pain in my gut, I smirk, thinking about how easy it was to trick him. Maybe I can trick him again.
I project so he can hear me through the mask. “Hey, Wayne. You should hear what Tyra and the guys were calling you. No-Brain Wayne.”
There’s laughter from several people. Another voice says, “You gonna let him get away with that, No-Brain?”
“Why, you little fucker!”
Another punch to the gut. Harder this time. Enough to make me lose my breath. I gasp for air. But it was worth it.
“Besides, you’re the stupid one,” Wayne sneers. “Camping out in the open like that. We’re the FLA. We’ve got spies everywhere.”
“Jesus, Wayne! Don’t tell him that,” Tyra shouts.
Another set of footsteps approaches, and a new voice yells out. “Shut up, you idiots. I said don’t talk to him.”
I recognize it—the strange accent I heard way back in Elk Springs.
It’s Connor.
“Take that off,” Connor says.
The drawstring around my neck loosens, and they rip off the hood. A flashlight blinds me. I blink rapidly, my eyes watering. Details emerge as I adjust to the light. A man I don’t recognize with a gray goatee is holding the flashlight. Next to him, and towering above, looms Connor. His platinum-blond hair and handsome, icy features are unmistakable. Wayne and Tyra from the gas station stand at his side.
I’m in an enormous room with giant circular machines running down the middle. These must be the turbines for the dam. None of them appear to be functioning. Dim candlelight illuminates the room.
“Now, what do we have here?” Connor paces back and forth, looking me over. “Are you Aiden’s latest boy toy, then?”
“Better than being his latest rejection,” I hiss back at him.
Connor lets out a little laugh. “Quite the little smart-ass we have here.”
He walks over and whispers into my ear, “No, my dear. Aiden’s latest rejection would be you.” He takes a piece of folded paper from Wayne. It’s the note that was in my pocket.
“I heard he wrote you a sweet love note.” Connor unfolds it. “You’re practically love birds. But he left you like he leaves everyone. He left me, too, you know. Left me for dead, hanging on the edge of a bridge while he ran off with the vials. Sound familiar?”
I grit my teeth but say nothing.
Connor reads the note out loud, dripping with sarcastic passion. Hearing Aiden’s words is hard. Knowing for sure that he left me is worse than anything these people could do.
I try to make sense of it. Aiden left the car with me. He was trying to save me. He was wrong and misguided and should have asked me what I wanted. But he was doing it from a place of love.
But my heart shouts back, hurt and angry and sad. Even with his best intentions, how could he leave? I could never have done that.
When Connor finishes reading, he throws the note on the ground, then paces back and forth, shooting glances my way. “Well, Aiden must have liked you a lot. That’s good. It means he’ll probably do anything to get you back.” Then he turns on his heel and stares directly at me. “But did he trust you enough to tell you what he’s carrying? I imagine not.”
Emotions are simmering up, but I fight to keep them hidden. Aidenhasn’ttold me what he’s carrying, and it’s been a particular thing that has bothered me. An ever-constant reminder that complications fill our lives to the point that we can’t be honest with each other.
Connor picks up on my hesitation. “No? Well, I guess he doesn’t trust youthatmuch then.” He lets out a single nasal laugh.
He paces back and forth again. “Aiden is carrying a weaponized version of the Infection. One that could be altered to control people. Or altered to kill everyone. Even immune people.”
“You’re full of shit,” I spit back. He’s clearly trying to get under my skin.
“I wish I was. You know that grand and noble Scientific Collective that Aiden is an errand boy for? They created the Infection. It’s called XT58. It was built to control people. Did a pretty shit job though, since it mostly killed them. But they’re trying to fix their mistake. And Aiden is knowingly helping them.”
I shake my head. Now I’m sure Connor is lying. Aiden would never do that.
“You know, he could be responsible for the death of the rest of humanity. He’s been using you this whole time.” Connor shoots me an icy smile. “Why do you think he left you? You’re a decoy. He used you so he could sneak past us. But it won’t work.”
