‘Why don’t you ask him that yourself?’Seth’s cheeks colour instantly and he tongues his teeth.‘No?Then I suggest you stay away.’
A couple more people raise their hands.
‘Mara.’
‘What’s the larger threat?’
‘Unclear at this time but serious.’
‘Is it Sorrenko?A rogue outfit?’
‘When we know for certain, you’ll know too.Timo.’
‘How long are we likely to be in lockdown?’
‘Few days, not likely more.’
‘And he’ll be here for all of it?’Seth asks quietly, no mistaking the anger that time.‘Following Kade around like a lost puppy.’Even Seth’s street teams move slightly away from him when he says that.‘Are we meant to close our eyes and pretend not to see it?’His voice is getting steadily louder.‘This fuckingthingcan’t be killed because he’s one of them!Paranaturals can heal fast.And look, I know you have a soft spot for them, boss, but not all of us share it.They’re dangerous.If you don’t believe me, go see my brother in the Cold Room.’
Riley looks untouchable as ever, but just this once, Kade wishes he’d show a little emotion, show the other that it’s OK to feel this way, acknowledge their loss and confusion rather than staying stone calm and unaffected.
‘Kade is handling Tanner on my orders.’
‘Do you know how weak it makes us look to play host to the fucking monster that tore us apart?’
‘Seth,’ Kade says before he can stop himself.‘Enough.’
‘Am I the only one seeing this?Tanner breaks in, fucking annihilates us, and now we tiptoe around him hoping he doesn’t do it again?It’spathetic.’
The silence that follows spreads fast and cold, isolating Seth where he stands breathing hard, still staring directly back at Riley.
Riley’s cool blue eyes stay fixed steadily on Seth, expression unreadable.
Then, very softly, he says, ‘You don’t know who you are without him.’
Seth flinches almost imperceptibly.‘What?’
Riley continues in the same quiet tone, almost thoughtful.‘Gage did.That’s the difference between you, isn’t it?You built yourself around being half of something and now the other half is gone, so now everything is unstable.Your sense of self.Your judgement.You think this is about Tanner because rage is easier to carry than loss, but deep down it’s that your brother died, and you don’t know who you are without him.Gage always knew, so maybe when he died, he took the both of you with him.’
The room is dead silent.
Seth is stricken.
Riley lets the quiet build up around his soft-spoken assertion before he gently points out, ‘You’re spiralling, Seth, and everyone can see it.’
Colour floods Seth’s cheeks in an ugly rush of red from the neck up.‘I’m not the only one who feels this way.’
‘You’re terrified because you feel small.’
‘No, I…’ Seth swallows over a snagged breath.‘Idon’t!These are legitimate worries.That thing is a Paranatural!What if there are more like him?What if this is just the start of an-an invasion or something?’
‘Your brother never felt small for a second.’
‘Tanner isn’thuman!’
‘He wasn’t afraid of anything, even when he died.’
‘We should l-lock him up and run tests or give him to Helixx!’
