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Resistant is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Copyright © 2019 by Adell Ryan All Rights Reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher and the copyright owner constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights. Published by Upside Down Red Umbrella First Edition: March 2019 Cover Art by Upside Down Red Umbrella Edited by G. Surley
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PROLOGUE The Commission’s Executive Committee convened to discuss the scandal which had triggered far more attention than they wanted. While Zinna was seated in a chair much like that of a witness in a courtroom, the panel of board members sat side-by-side behind a long, microphone-lined table. The medical team Zinna had appointed to the Central Region’s Phase Two Center, Dr. Becky Westley included, were in attendance as well and had been questioned during the meeting’s morning session. After a quick lunch break, their scheduled afternoon discussion began, and the Committee conferred and reviewed the information gathered from the earlier inquisition. “While big fines and negative publicity may often be considered ‘par for the course,’ the Commission can’t risk either. Not without a domino effect of further investigations,” one member explained. “The Commission isn’t at risk here — The Program is,” another rebutted. “Right. We do not want to end up being investigated by a regulatory agency. And if we’re sued we won’t have enough funding to continue. Representatives from the Pacific and Mountain Regions are already reporting successful results from the Phase Three facilities in their areas. If word gets out now, The Program will crumble. Billions of dollars and hours… down the drain. There will be no coming back from that sort of destruction,” Gerald Schafer, the Committee’s director, explicated.
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“Agreed. Decades of research have led up to this point. ‘Silence’ has been our biggest weapon. I vote we take the deferred prosecution route — the ensuing investigation will then default to Zinna as the primary suspect. At the worst, we’ll be fined.” “Speaking as the representative for the funding agencies, I can promise you the National Institute of Phylogeny will never approve allocating funds toward something like this. With the way Phase Three was designed, the consortium managed to find every loophole they possibly could in order to turn something ethically and socially inappropriate into something legal. This behavior” — the man tilted his head in Zinna’s direction — “however, was far from legal. Zinna manipulated our carefully designed system far too easily. Funding agencies aren’t going to bend over backward to clean up a mess that could have been easily avoided with proper execution of the policies and procedures. For heaven’s sake, there is a specific section in there designed to prevent and detect corporate crimes — I know because I helped write it! Seeing as the NIP is the primary funding agency for ethical and social implication research and implementation, I’d say we’d better come up with a different plan. That, or all our loopholes break, and we’ll find ourselves in a far more threatening position.” The weight of that revelation blanketed the room. Zinna quietly cleared her throat, breaking the silence induced by the man’s threat. With perfect posture and a stoic expression, Zinna had continued waiting her turn to speak while the Committee hashed things out. Now, however, she’d decided enough was enough; she was tired of waiting. 4
The Committee members turned their heads in unison toward the faint sound. “Oh! Am I up?” Zinna placed a hand over her chest in mock surprise. “Sur—” Gerald Schafer started, but Zinna cut him off. “Great, thank you. Let me start by saying: Don’t forget whose straw proposal we used to formulate The Program to begin with. Without me, you all would likely still be at the drawing board. While I understand your decision to outsource the execution, your current methods aren’t near invasive enough to actually accomplish the long-term change we designed The Program to achieve.” “Well, Ms. Roth, why don’t you humor us with an explanation, hmm? Based on the testimonies we’ve heard today” — he leaned forward onto his elbows and templed his fingers at his mouth — “and since everyone is being so tight-lipped about the test subject’s identity for this apparent ‘high-profile’ study, I’m beginning to wonder if we’re dealing with several cases of operant conditioning.” “Oh, I can assure you, Mr. Schafer, my team was working within the scope of their Project-assigned duties,” Zinna said with a sickly sweet tone. “Which is precisely why they aren’t providing that classified information. Or have you forgotten that medical practitioners must abide by confidentiality laws?” “Point taken.” Gerald inclined his head and dropped his hands onto the table. “Your occupation, however, doesn’t fall under those guidelines. Or have you forgotten you’re nothing more than an Acting Chairwoman?” Zinna mentally screamed obscenities at him. That title was hogwash. How can the creative 5
mastermind behind something so intricately designed and implemented as this program be treated as nothing more than the acting chairwoman of a board?! Somehow, despite her building anger, she still managed the poised facade; that was, after all, one of the many reasons she’d been chosen as their spokesperson in the first place. Instead of lashing out, she raised an inquisitive brow and smiled. “Forgotten the roles and responsibilities of an acting chairperson? Why, of course not. But” — she shrugged and leaned back in her chair — “as Director of The Program, the amount of information I am able to share is limited.” “Is that so? You do realize that authorities retrieved some used medical equipment from the Center, and we’ve been told these tools likely have your subject’s DNA on them?” Zinna’s eyes widened. The procedure! She’d been so intent on getting her and her team out of the building, she’d forgotten about cleaning up the exam room. “Maybe we’re looking at this all wrong,” one of the Committee officers spoke up. “This entire time we’ve been discussing this from the corporate crime angle. Maybe Zinna is in this for personal gain. If so, we label it white-collar crime and call it a day.” At this, Zinna straightened in her chair. “To start, her team could be released on community service, under the premise that they were subjected to operant conditioning from a commanding authority,” another member suggests. Gerald leans back and rocks in his chair as he considers the facts. “Yes, yes… and she could be removed from her position as Acting Chairwoman.” 6
“Zinna’s position was supposed to be temporary anyway. Gerald should have taken the chair a long time ago,” the officer points out. No! No, I can’t let them do that, she thought. Panic began to set in. “Wait!” The interjection came out a bit too desperate for her liking, but she had to stop the direction this debate was headed. “Wait,” she said again with a steadier countenance. “Per clause 4B of my contract, I retain all ownership and rights to The Program.” She rushed the statement out impulsively, quickly recalling how the section read. “Someone… anyone… please tell me that’s not true!” one man demanded. The Committee members fell silent waiting for one of their own to speak up and counter Zinna’s statement. When no one responded, Zinna answered in their stead, “Clearly you all have forgotten who owns this program. Remove me from position and I’ll revoke all your database privileges. Threaten me again… and I’ll step down from the board myself and take The Program with me.” Gerald’s hands contracted into fists and slammed down hard against the table. Zinna expounded her case, “To clear myself of any white-collar accusations, I can simply plead that I was working in the best interests of The Program. If it can be proven that the Commission” — she glared at each board member one-by-one as she continued — “or any other partner program of the consortium, received benefits from my actions, you’re right back to dealing with corporate crime and the consequences therein. If I go down… you’re coming with me.” 7
A female Committee member waved her hand in the air, dismissing Zinna’s threat. “There’s no proof that The Program would have benefited from this misbehavior. She’s trying to strong-arm us! Besides, clause 7H states that if the Director voluntarily rescinds from the formal agreement he/she is liable for all expenditures and prior funding. Like hell if she can afford to reimburse all the money that has already been funneled into The Program and still be able to move forward without financial assistance.” “She pretends like she has The Program’s best interests in mind, but in reality she’s risked everything! We have absolutely nothing to gain from whatever it is she has done!” another member stressed. Convinced enough that Zinna needed them and was throwing empty threats, Gerald pressed his mouth against the microphone to silence the room. “Thank you, everyone. Are we all in agreement with the plan to remove Zinna from position and release her team on community service?” The board calmed and murmured a unified agreement. “Great, we will reconvene soon to further discuss the process and get the ball rolling. Lastly, is there anything else someone needs to say or ask before we conclude?” Gerald’s closing question was not directed toward Zinna, but in classic Acting Chairwoman fashion, she lifted her chin and spoke up nonetheless. “Theory of Anomy. Legally, I did nothing wrong. I used my position in order to organize a legitimate way to attain the goals of The Program.” She leaned over, pulled a tablet out of her bag, stood, and powered the device on as she boldly walked over to the microphone8
lined table. Zinna hadn’t planned on doing this, but with the Committee threatening to pull funding, she decided this was the only way to ensure her indemnity. “Thessaly Allifair,” Zinna stated, sliding the tablet across the slick wood beneath Gerald’s narrowing stare. Every last bit of blood drained from the director’s plump face as he looked down at the girl’s file. “Th-this can’t be accurate,” he stuttered. “What about the parents? Their results?” “Reverse Genus Pair, but they’re too old for the program, and we have a miscarriage on the books from 2023. But, do you see now? I couldn’t risk the NAB getting to her first and initiating the Phase Two process on the books. This young girl is the embodiment of how we want the world to evolve. The Program doesn’t need her… she is The Program.” “A fortiori, we’re going to need to establish a defense,” Gerald whispered, but the speakers delivered the statement to the entire room. “This meeting is adjourned until further notice.” He pushed out of his chair and stormed out. Zinna and her team exited shortly after, leaving the remaining Executive Committee members shell-shocked and still seated at the microphone-lined table. *** Roux took a deep breath before depressing the button. Did he really want to do this? There would be no turning back. Not that he’d had much of an opportunity to renege up until this point anyway — but this? This would seal the deal. 9
A silent introduction dissolved the buzz; nothing more than the click of a connection and Roux’s even breathing notified the caller that he’d answered. Fen and Warrick watched as his shoulders bunched in response to the person on the other end. “Nothing more than a little sting,” Roux reassured the caller. On instinct, his hand went to the bandaged gunshot wound, and he grimaced at the contact. Truth was, it hurt like a bitch, and he was lucky to be alive — but like hell if he was going to make it a big deal. “Yeah,” was his vague answer to the next prompt. Even though Fen and Warrick couldn’t hear what the caller was saying, Roux could tell they assumed enough to fill in the blanks. So… have you decided? Still Fen and Warrick eagerly observed, but he gave them nothing more than an eyeroll to indicate his annoyance before forcing out an impatient response. “Just tell me what needs to be done.”
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CHAPTER ONE *BRAM*
“H
ow is she?” I ask an exhausted Jax as he slides his back down the rock wall to sit on the ground. “Fast asleep.” He drops his head into his hands and rubs them over his face. “Fought it pretty hard. Kept sayin’ she was afraid of where closin’ her eyes would take her. Julian passed out soon after she did. Before he did, though, I told him to page us as soon as they woke up.” A rekindled mix of dread and anger sparks inside me. None of this seems real. This is the sort of stuff that happens in all those old movies Thess makes me watch. But the scary truth is that it is real. “We can’t just wait until her ability to retain things returns before we do something,” I grate out, clenching my hands into fists only to discover I’d already had them balled tight. Both times we told her about the procedure, she had a full-blown anxiety attack. First, on the drive away from the Exam Center just a few hours ago, and again once we got her situated inside Robbie’s safe room. By the time we were able to calm her down, she’d forgotten what we’d even spoken about. After the second time, we’d all agreed to wait before trying a third time. Watching her panicked — though well deserved — reaction to the news was torture in the purest form. “I agree,” Jax adds. “Feelin’ useless is on the bottom of my list of preferred ways ta spend the day. 11
Durin’ the drive here, didn’t Robbie say somethin’ about a doctor?” Through Robbie’s holographic contact lenses, he’d witnessed everything Jax and I had seen in the medical room tonight. And during Thess’s first breakdown, he’d mentioned something about an inhouse doctor. “Yeah, come to think of it, he did,” I respond. At the time, we had no idea what the hell he’d meant about “in-house” though. Now it makes sense, I realize as I glance around the dim, cavernous space. “Well, to start, we can tell the doctor everythin’ we know… what we saw on that table,” Jax suggests with a sigh of defeat indicating, despite his willingness, he’d rather not relive the experience. “It’s better than nothing,” I offer. A wordless agreement follows, the deafening silence loud yet quiet at the same time as our eyes meet. Jax and I didn’t get to the Center in time to stop whatever it was they did to her, and we both feel the suffocating guilt that goes with that knowledge. “Let’s get to it then.” Jax stands and walks out of the empty room, and I quickly follow behind. As soon as Robbie spots us, his face transforms into a look of concern, eyebrows coming together and his mouth slightly downturned. Kait stands close by and darts a curious glance from Robbie to our group and back to Robbie again. “Give us a few, hm?” He raises an eyebrow in her direction. “If it’s ‘bout Thessaly, I think I should be here. To… um… represent her, ya know?” Kait lifts her chin and puts her hands on her hips in defiance. 12
“This is between Thessaly and the guys. Nothing to concern yourself with, Sweets. When she’s ready to tell you, I’m sure she will. Now, go do something useful,” Robbie instructs and playfully slaps her on the ass. Kait doesn’t argue again, but as she backs away, she gives us all a squinty-eyed glare that lasts until she turns into her intended passage. “Seems like a nice enough gal,” Jax quips. “Yeah, she’s nice enough; I’ll keep her.” Robbie grins. “Looking for help?” he asks, the grin flattening as he gets straight to business as usual. “In the van, you said something about an inhouse doctor?” I broach the topic. “Figured that’s what brought you around. Do you feel pretty comfortable with the basic layout here already, or would you prefer I take you there myself?” “I think we can manage,” I respond. “Great. The doctors are in the middle chamber on the lower level. Please let me know what I can do… if anything.” “Thanks, man.” Jax pats Robbie on the shoulder. “You’ve done a lot; we shoulda trusted ya sooner.” Robbie shrugs. “Squirrelly situations result in squirrelly behavior. It is what it is.” “How about you let us know what we can do to help from here on out? It’s time to dip our fingers into something good for a change,” I suggest. “We can use all the fingers we can get, that’s for sure. For now, you all take care of you and yours though; Thessaly is a top priority. We’ll talk again once she’s been introduced to the place and y’all are a bit more comfortable down here.” 13
Down here. What the hell sort of crazy-ass alternate reality are we in right now? I shake my head and let out a deep breath. Robbie smiles knowingly. “Gets easier. Promise,” he reassures as he steps away, heading the same direction as Kait. “Don’t forget the Welcome Party tonight after the bar closes. Two o’clock sharp in the Oracle Room! Be there.” His voice echoes through the passage as he walks through it and out of our sight. “This is weird as fuck,” Jax voices, mirroring my own internal sentiments. “Lower level is this way, right?” I point in the opposite direction from where Robbie just left. “Through that doorway, down the stairs, and to the left from what I remember,” Jax describes. “Well, let’s go see what sort of answers we can get,” I suggest, leading the way. *** “A wait?!” Jax huffs. “Well, I sure as shit didn’t expect that at this hour.” The medical area is filled with a few other people seeking attention. A single opening divides the room on the far wall ahead, closed off by nothing more than a makeshift saloon-style door. Jax and I walk deeper into the chamber and scan the room, confused about how to get on the list to be seen. “You boys look a little lost,” a quiet, feminine lilt announces from nearby. Jax stops dead and his eyes grow large. If it wasn’t for constantly being on edge due to our circumstances, I probably would have found his 14
expression comical. Instead, I immediately go on guard and direct my gaze toward the voice, alternating a glance between Jax and the beautiful woman whose comment drew our attention. For a moment, Jax doesn’t look at her, still frozen in some sort of shock. Then his head turns slowly in her direction. “Holy fuck,” he whispers. “I thought I was imaginin’ things.” The woman giggles; her quiet laugh is almost as melodic as her voice. “Yeah, same here. I heard that unmistakable smoky twang as soon as ya walked in. Recognized yer voice right away.” “Uh huh. Same,” Jax responds in short, seemingly struggling to speak. “Hello” — the woman dips her head slightly and looks up at me under her long, blonde eyelashes — “since Jax is at a loss for words at tha moment, guess I’ll intraduce myself. My name’s Celeste.” She lifts her hand, extends it toward me, and wraps her fingers around mine in a firm, but gentle, handshake. “Oh, right. Um, this is Bram.” Jax jabs a thumb into my bicep. “Nice ta meet ya.” Celeste smiles and makes full eye contact before patting one of the seats beside her. “They’ve got built-in sensors. Ya sit and it adds ya to the queue.” She looks up at us, her eyes sparkling as they crease in amusement. “When it’s yer turn, the seat vibrates.” She shoots Jax a very unmistakable, knowing look. A knowing of what I can’t quite work out. Jax’s cheeks puff out and he releases a whoosh of breath. “Yep. Okay. Got it,” he stutters. Celeste’s grin spreads wider. 15
“Well, are ya gonna sit or not?” She asks, her eyes focusing on Jax’s with a sort of determination. When Jax doesn’t move to sit, I take the proffered seat instead. After all, one of us has to do it in order to get on the wait queue. And since Jax continues to stand with that deer in the headlights look still on his face, I assume he’s not capable of making any logical decisions right now. Celeste’s mouth ticks up in the corner as Jax slowly shifts from one foot to the other. “Ya look just like ya do when you’re ‘bout ta—” Jax clears his throat, cutting her off, and plops down, taking a spot on the floor in front of us. “Small world,” he says, shooting her a look of caution. Celeste looks at me and then gives Jax a small nod. “This is tha closest resistance group ta home. Some of tha others are here too. Based on yer surprise, I’d gather ya haven’t run into anyone else yet.” Jax’s hand comes to his forehead and he drags it down over his eyes, squeezing them inward until his fingers are pinching the bridge of his nose. “Na, can’t say that I have.” Both Jax and I aren’t far from our home states — just a matter of a few hours drive in different directions — Jax being from Georgia and Thess and I from North Florida. It hadn’t dawned on me until this unexpected meeting that we may actually see people we know down here. “Guess I ought to know so I don’t have a damn heart attack every time I bump into someone from back home.” Jax drops his hand between his knees and looks up at her. “Who else is here?” “Almost tha entire Saturday shift,” Celeste says. 16
“Almost the entire…” Jax falls backward to the floor and buries his face in his hands. “Fuuuuuck.” The tortured exclamation comes out muffled behind his palms. “Troy had some business with Robbie ‘n’ they worked out a deal. Saturday shift works here, for Robbie, now.” “Here?! As in… in the Underground?!” Jax shoots up back into a sitting position. Celeste simply nods. After a brief pause of silence, she adds, “Everyone misses ya, Jax. Come work with us. Robbie won’t mind. Tha dynamic is different, but tha pay is better. We could really use ya ta help us get it off tha ground, ya know? It’s a new addition to tha Resistance community, and Robbie wants ta see it take off well.” From their conversation I can tell she’s trying to say everything without saying too much. With a contemplative silence, Jax watches her close. Just when I think he’s going to agree to whatever job she’s talking about, he shakes his head. Jax is well aware of the fact that our funds are running low, so I’m not really sure why he turns her down. But I’m also not about to throw him under the bus by interrupting the conversation and reminding him as much. The best I can do is trust Jax knows what he’s doing by refusing a money-making opportunity. “The decision’s not mine ta make,” Jax answers, looking up at her resolutely. “I see,” she whispers then clears her throat. “Okay. Well, come find us if ya change yer mind. I’ll personally show ya how it all works.” Jax chuckles. “Oh, I don’t doubt that ya would. But, ya see, that’s part of the problem.” 17
“Mmm hmm, I gathered as much. But I also know how quick ya go through—” “Ya done?” Jax interrupts her again. “Guess so,” she says with a grin. An awkward silence hums between us, and we all continue to sit there quietly. As if they’re having some sort of mental conversation, Celeste and Jax don’t take their eyes off each other. This lasts for several minutes until Celeste squeaks and jolts in her seat. “Damn, that took me by surprise this time!” She stands and lifts her arms to stretch. “Looks like I’m up, guys. Y’all have a good day. Maybe I’ll see ya at the party tonight.” She winks at Jax before walking away and entering the saloon-style doors. “Well, she seemed perfectly healthy to me.” I tilt my head, addressing Jax. “Can’t imagine why on earth she’d be seeing a doctor.” A huge smile spreads across my face. “Fuck you,” Jax grinds but smiles back nonetheless. “Man, I ran from that shit for a reason. Just my damn luck.” “An old friend, hmm?” I raise an eyebrow. Jax sighs and leans back on his elbows. “Ya could say it was somethin’ like that.” “How keen are you to introduce her to Thessaly?” I throw a line, assuming I already know the answer. “Not at all,” he groans. Yep, I figured. “It’s not just Celeste I’m worried about. It’s the who—” “Uh… my ass is vibrating. Damn that’s a strong current.” The strange sensation pulls me out of the 18
conversation and brings me back to Thessaly’s situation. “Like that, did ya?” Jax bounces his eyebrows. “Fuck you,” I volley as I stand and arch my back to work out the kink from the uncomfortable seats. Jax pushes off the ground, and we both walk through the swinging doors. Inside is a long passageway with open rooms lining each side. A few openings down, an older woman peeks her head out of the opening and waves us over before disappearing again. Jax and I side-eye each other but quickly make our way there. Jax enters easily enough below the arch, but I have to duck in order to avoid hitting my head on the rough stone. Once inside, the doctor gestures to a couple chairs, and we both sit. “Dr. Hughes. How can I help you gentlemen today?” The woman smiles, sits in a chair across from us, and takes an old clipboard from the countertop behind her, placing it in her lap. The black and white streaked hair and extra lines around her mouth tell me she has likely seen several more years than I. We’d been itching to get here and get some sort of ball rolling, but now that it’s time, it seems we’re at a loss for words. Jax looks at me, and I return his glance, shrugging. “Sorry, ma’am. We’re just not sure how ta start.” She nods and waves a pen in the air for us to begin. In no easy manner, Jax and I take turns explaining the relevant portions of our situation up until the part where Jax and I walked in to the exam room and found Thess strapped to a table. 19
Dr. Hughes’ eyes and mouth open in speechless surprise. “I… I guess what we’re wondering is if you might have any idea what sort of ‘procedure’ they may have performed on her,” I disclose. “We want to help her but don’t really know how.” “You boys did a good thing coming here. None of you are at fault, you understand?” she says on a gulp of air. Neither of us nod an agreement; we both just stare ahead, waiting. The doctor continues, “Unfortunately I can’t discuss a potential patient’s case with you, nor can I make medical decisions or recommendations without first speaking with her. That said, there are a lot of questions that can be answered if she is willing to get an examination and go through some testing. The sooner she is seen, the better.” Dr. Hughes’ eyebrows come together, and she places one hand over Jax’s and one over mine. “I can’t stress that enough. Give her some time to adjust to her new home tonight, but after that, please tell her to come see me right away.” Jax’s fist balls tight under the woman’s hand, his mouth flattens into a line, and his eyes fill. Then he blinks fast and pushes up to stand. “Thank you for your help, ma’am.” The doctor pats my leg, and I join Jax, following him out of the room. As soon as the doors are slinging closed behind us, Jax goes off on a tangent. “Can’t fuckin’ discuss it with us. Unbelievable. We just told her almost everythin’ we’ve tried so damn hard to keep secret from everybody and their fuckin’ brother… and she ‘can’t discuss’ it. Somethin’ bad happened in that room, man.” 20
“Yeah. Thess’ll get seen. She has to.” I try to reassure Jax but find myself needing the reassurance more. Thess isn’t the biggest fan of traditional medical practices — Lena and Harris raised her that way. JAX AND I make our way through the passages that lead back toward the safe room Robbie had set up for Julian and Thess. Just as we’re approaching the retractable wall, the thing starts coming down as if we’d triggered a sensor. Robbie’s unmistakable laugh travels through the widening gap. Before his head shows over the lip, a much taller, blond head appears, revealing Tobias’s face the further down the wall descends. Once the wall is completely retracted, Robbie flashes a big grin and announces, “Well, we sure didn’t have to go far. Tobias, meet Bram and Jax; Jax and Bram, meet Tobias.” Instead of playing along, the three of us just stand there awkwardly. “Um, welcome to our new, humble abode?” I try. According to Robbie, he typically gives everyone a verbal tour of the Underground prior to their arrival. Last night he’d tried explaining it to Jax, Thess, and me on the ride here, but there’s not a description in the world that can prepare a person for something like this. By the stunned look on Tobias’s face, I can tell he agrees. “Hey, thanks for showin’ up. Your timin’ is impeccable,” Jax smirks over clenched teeth, his aggravation from the meeting with the doctor carrying over to Tobias’s reappearance. 21
“Simmer down now there, cowboy; you’re ruining the moment. You only see the Underground for the first time once.” “No disrespect to you, Robbie, but I can’t deal with this fucker right now.” “Well, now… he deser—” Robbie starts. “Ah, it’s okay,” Tobias cuts him off. “I can take a look around later. Where’s Thessaly?” “Sleeping with Julian.” I say, not realizing how it came across until Tobias tenses. “They’ve been through a lot. Fell asleep a couple hours ago,” I explain. Tobias’s shoulders loosen, and he gives a quick nod. “I’m… going to go scope the place out,” Jax huffs, turns, and stalks away without another word. “Your bunch confuses the shit out of me, you know that?” Robbie shakes his head but grins nonetheless. “Join the club,” I laugh. “Alright, well, I’ll leave you all to it.” Robbie clears his throat. “Seems like you guys can use a little one-on-one time. Well four-on-one time, really. But seeing as your group is a bit broken up at the moment, I guess the one-on-one will have to do.” Tobias and I share an uncomfortable glance. “To be honest, I haven’t slept in over twenty-four hours,” I point out. “Yeah, same here,” Tobias divulges. “Fair enough,” Robbie adds to the exchange. “Follow me, and I’ll show you to your rooms.”
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CHAPTER TWO *BRAM CONT’D*
S
leep comes in spurts over the next few hours. Every little sound, thought, memory — any and everything really — keeps me from having a solid rest. So, when something very Thesslike suddenly stirs inside me, I shoot up in the bed, eyes wide. Losing her empath connection last night was the most terrifying thing I’d ever experienced, so now, even the faintest of emotional nuances from her puts me on high alert. For the past five years or so I’ve only experienced her strongest of emotions, but ever since this new, intense lifestyle began just shy of two weeks ago, I’ve made it a point to intentionally practice reading her. Because of that, I’ve become far more sensitive to her projections; the faint ones I pick up on are still pretty fuzzy and difficult to figure out though. Ever since the situation with her parents unraveled, every emotion — even her happy ones — are tinted with a deep-rooted melancholy. As long as I can determine if they’re positive or negative in tone, I try hard not to stress about it. The emotion — or should I say emotions — that brought me from a restless half-sleep to an adrenalinefilled state of wakefulness is a mix of numerous impressions all jumbled together. So many, in fact, I can’t separate a single one. For a good minute or so I sit erect in the bed and try to figure out if I need to be concerned. Usually I wouldn’t question such a thing, 23
and I’d go to her immediately. But last night, after we’d first explained what happened to her at the Center, she was very adamant that she was a “grown woman and was tired of needing rescuing…” and that the next time something was wrong to “leave her the hell alone and let her save herself.” Albeit she was still drugged when she said it, but I figure I’ll at least try backing off a bit now that we’re in a safer place. Having four protective guys with an intrinsic need to constantly be there for her will send Thess over the edge quick if she starts feeling helpless all the time. All those thoughts of backing off go out the door, however, when a series of back-to-back negative emotions hit our bond — anguish, condemnation, rage, possession. I scramble off the bed and hastily tug my pants on as I rush out the door. Tobias nearly crashes into me when I turn toward the direction of Thess’s temporary room, his eyes wide and panicked. “Do you feel her?” he asks me. “Yeah,” I breathe out, pushing past him and moving down the passage. Then I come to a dead stop. “Wait. Did you feel her?” “Um, something like that. Keep going; I’ll explain on the way.” He didn’t have to tell me twice. Together we run through the Underground to get to Thess. “So, I’m not 100 percent sure, but I think I feel her… pain,” he explains en route. Tobias had been the only one of us who hadn’t yet had an empath connection with her. And since his DMIS score is the same as Julian’s, Jax’s, and mine, we were lost as to why Tobias wasn’t part of that line-up. 24
“Pain. Like when she’s upset because something is physically hurting her?” I try to understand. Julian and I can sorta tell when she’s hurt because of the emotions connected to those physical feelings. “No. Physically. I feel her pain.” “You feel her pain.” “Yes, I believe so.” “Right now?! She’s in pain?!” I freak out and pick up my pace, changing from a run to a flat out sprint. Tobias matches me stride for stride. We come to a screeching halt at the wall barricade separating the Underground from the receiving area. “Son of a bitch!” I yell, swiping my finger along the crease in the panel. The wall clangs and begins to retract; its already slow-moving descent seems to move even slower, and I’m tempted to jump over the damn thing. Tobias and I switch from foot to foot. Beside me, he pushes his hand through his hair. Once the wall is all the way down, we see Jax sitting on the floor with his back against Julian and Thess’s door. His hands dangle between his bent knees, and he absently fiddles with his pager. His exhausted eyes look up at us, and as soon as he notices the panic in our features, he jumps up and his gaze darts between us as his own worry builds. “What?! What’s wrong?!” he asks. “Thess. We both got a bad feeling from her.” “Ya got a bad feelin’ from her, hmm?” Jax instantly relaxes. “Fuckin’ Christ ya scared the shit outta me.” “So, she’s okay? She’s still in there sleeping with Julian?” 25
“Depends on yer definition of sleepin’.” He lifts an eyebrow. “Listen.” Jax tilts his head toward the room. Tobias and I huddle at the door and lean in close to listen. Thess’s… and dare I point out, Julian’s… sex noises filter through the bedroom door. “Holy fuck.” Tobias groans and grabs his junk. “You said you feel her pain!” I whisper-growl at Tobias. “Wait, ya feel her pain?! Like… right now?” Jax probes. “Yep,” Tobias replies. Jax and I look wide-eyed at the door. “Julian’s being pretty rough; my fucking balls hurt.” “But… but Thess doesn’t have balls!” I argue. “Of course she doesn’t have balls! But I do, and that’s where it hurts! What the hell else do you want me to say?” Tobias whisper-yells back at me. “Maybe it’s like the equivalent to her lady-balls up inside her or somethin’,” Jax offers, stepping away from the door so we can talk without whispering. “Lady-balls?” Tobias groans and laughs at the same time, following Jax. I think about what Jax is saying and try to make sense of it as I join them in the opposite corner of the room. “You mean like her ovaries?” Jax shrugs. Tobias starts jogging in place and shaking his legs out like he’s about to run a marathon. Jax and I lose it. Both of us bend over and clutch our middles, laughing hysterically. “I think they’re done,” Tobias sighs. 26
“Then… then why are… you still trying to… exercise that… shit out,” Jax’s asks between gasps of laughter. “Shut up.” Tobias punches him on the arm. It takes Jax and me a few moments to calm down. Tobias, on the other hand, continues to pace. When all our pagers go off at the same time, Jax and I don’t wait long before rushing through the door. Tobias stays behind — to let us have a few minutes with Thess before he comes in I suppose. But I have an inkling that there’s an added — more personal — reason why he waits outside of the room a few minutes longer. After Jax is done tackling Thess, I sit down, pull her against me, and kiss the top of her head. My emotions go a little haywire at being near her again. The reminder that last night’s events are done and she is here and safe feels great, but the knowledge that we are far from putting it all behind us and Thess has a lot of difficult stuff to face breaks my heart. “Okay… so, where am I? And does anyone care to explain to me what’s going on?” Thess presses. Jax and I look at Julian to silently inquire if he’d spoken to her about anything. Julian shakes his head. “What’s the last thing you remember before you fell asleep?” I ask, hoping her memory has returned somewhat. “Well, we all went out to the bar. Jax and I danced. Julian… Julian and I were supposed to have a date.” The guys and I tense as she pauses. “I don’t even remember going to bed.” There’s so much shock in that realization, my insides twist for what news is coming. “You were drugged, Thess,” I explain carefully. “The drug they used causes memory loss.” 27
Thess’s fear floods our empath bond. “It was Roux… on Zinna’s instruction,” Julian explains. The fear flips to anger, and she spouts a retort, crossing her arms over her chest. “Did you kill him?” There she is. Despite the serious topic her feisty reaction still makes me smile. From there, the guys take turns explaining the rest of the evening’s events. Julian provides most of the details since he, too, was at the Center where they’d taken her. When we finish, Thess narrows her eyes at me, not missing a beat. “What aren’t you guys telling me? Bram, no more secrets. You promised.” “Thess, that promise still stands, I swear.” I look at her pleadingly. “But we’ve told you all this already… twice. Once on the ride here, and once before you fell asleep.” “You forget everythin’ within minutes of us tellin’ ya. Can’t even have a proper conversation about it without ya forgettin’ and talkin’ about somethin’ else,” Jax elaborates. “The part we’re not sharing right now needs to be discussed when we know the drug is fully worn off and your memory is restored,” Julian explains. “Okay. How’d Zinna get locked in anyway? And did Ms. Ritvo — Westley get locked in too?” Thess questions, changing the focus of the discussion. Tobias, who apparently had been listening outside the door, chooses this moment to make his presence known: “Robbie was able to use a ground connection to access their security system through the employee parking access gate at the lab.” Thess’s head jerks up to find Tobias standing there in the doorway. 28
“According to Robbie, Ms. Westley wasn’t in the building. But he hasn’t gotten a signal on her pager since,” he continues. Thessaly’s eyes moisten and her happiness and relief rush through me. “You came back,” she whispers. “There’s no way I wouldn’t have. Sorry I couldn’t be here sooner.” Tobias’s eyes seek out each of us, wordlessly asking for forgiveness. “Hey, it’s okay, I hardly remember you even being gone.” Thess attempts some humor and gives him a wink. I’m not particularly fond of the joke though. Not this soon. “Memory loss?” She smiles big. “Follow me. I want to show you something.” Tobias reaches a long arm out in her direction. Julian gives Tobias a death glare. Since Julian had been sleeping… and stuff… with Thess, he wasn’t around when Tobias showed back up, so this is the first time he’s seeing him. “Please?” Tobias asks… directed toward Julian mostly. Thess alternates glances from Tobias’s hand to Julian’s narrowed gaze, back to Tobias’s hand. Tobias’s hand wins, and she crawls across the bed in his direction. When their palms meet, he pulls her into a hug, holds her head to his chest, and whispers something to her that I can’t quite hear. After she whispers back, Tobias speaks over her head, “Come on — you will all want to see this,” he says loud enough so we all know he’s addressing us too. Then he steps back from their hug, grabs her hand, and leads us all out of the small room. *** 29
When we enter the waiting area, Robbie is standing in front of one of his full-sized monitor-walls and waves us over. “Glad you’re finally able to join us!” he exclaims to Thessaly and Julian as we approach. “You been wrestling?” His eyes glint in amusement darting to Thess’s hair. Thess lifts her hand and pats her head in response. “While you were all sleeping earlier, I looked into some things and happened on a recent news broadcast. I figured we might all want to watch it together, so I asked Robbie to record it,” Tobias explains. I move in behind Thess and start removing the tangles in her hair with my fingers to help make her feel more comfortable. Robbie laughs and shakes his head at the gesture then turns to the monitor. “Replay,” he instructs. A reporter on the screen announces, “Last night, Zinna Roth, the Acting Chairwoman for The Commission for Immunity and Evolution Studies was found locked inside the Central Region’s Examination Center. Authorities helped remove the woman and her medical team from the building; however, Roth and her team are now under investigation for corporate crime.” Zinna’s image and those of her medical team — including Thess’s old psychologist — display on the screen. Once the broadcast changes to something else, Robbie powers off the screen. “If it weren’t for Tobias here, I wouldn’t have even thought to use a ground connection to access security.” Jax, Julian, and Thess turn toward Tobias. Tobias shoves his hands in his pockets and shrugs. 30
“But you were in Michigan. Or, well, traveling… right?” Thess asks. “Yeah.” Tobias gives a slight cough and clears his throat. Robbie’s eyes dash from person to person in our little group, confused as to why the tension between us is so high. “Okay, well since you all are being a bunch of squirrelly individuals, guess I’ll do the explaining,” Robbie starts to walk away from the screen, and we follow. “Before Tobias left, he asked me for another burner phone with strict instructions to call him if there was a dire emergency. And so… I did.” Tobias takes the burner phone out of his pocket and hands it to Robbie. Robbie puts the burner in his own pocket and continues, “As soon as Bram and Jax left the van, I called Tobias and gave him a rundown of what I was working with on my end. The power was easy to play with; I basically just wirelessly hacked into the power company’s transformer and told the system that it was offline. But I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around how to access the security system without driving straight up to the building and tinkering with it directly. Even nowadays, most places use ground-wired security systems — too easy for hackers to tweak the cloud-based counterparts. Anyway, where we’d parked in the woods outside the lab was at least a good quarter mile away from the Center. Driving close enough to the building to tap into their security was way too risky.” Robbie heads straight for the wall barricade, triggers it to open, and we all wait. Thessaly makes a ridiculous face, pursing her lips out and side-eyes Robbie like he’s the one who was drugged. Which makes sense since we’re all staring at a wall. 31
Robbie continues explaining the new-to-us addition of Tobias’s roundabout way of helping with last night’s events. “Earlier in the evening Jax had mentioned Tobias was acquainted with the lab’s security, so I dialed him up. Who would have known you can access ground security through their parking lot barrier arms? The man’s a damn genius.” Robbie claps Tobias on the shoulder. The look on Thess’s face is priceless after the wall fully retracts, “Wh—where are we, exactly?” she stammers. “Welcome to the Underground Resistance.” Robbie flips his hand in a circle and bows, welcoming her inside. “We’re not actually unde—” “Why, yes we are.” Robbie answers Thess’s question before she can finish asking. “Zinna?” he begins expounding. “Yeah… we’ve got bigger fish to fry, sweets. And this is where we do all our whispering…”
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