Chapter 20
The sun wavered on the edge of the horizon, hovering there for eternity, taunting me as if knowing that once it slipped below, my life would change forever. Afternoon was fading fast into evening. With evening, they would arrive.
Lewis’ face flashed to mind. Aaron will come for you. Your memory of this place, of me…all of it…will be gone. You’ll finally get what you want.
But he knew I didn’t want this. Who would want their brain turned into mush? I pressed my fingers to the window, my breath fogging the cold glass. I couldn’t rest. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t do anything but wait for the thump of Aaron’s footsteps in the hallway outside my bedroom door.
I glanced over my shoulder at the clock on my bedside table. The minutes flashed; brilliant red numbers that glared at me. For three hours I’d barely moved. For three hours I’d stared at that clock until I thought my retinas would burn. I thought about my dad and wondered if he had known his best friend was a psycho. I wondered about Caroline, if she was still crying. If she had gotten into trouble because of me. But mostly I wondered about Lewis, and if he really cared.
Aaron would arrive any moment now. I knew that. It was almost as if I could sense him coming closer. Frustrated tears burned my eyes. I swiped angrily at my wet cheeks. The waiting was unbearable.
He’d posted a guard at my bedroom door. I glanced outside. The big, burly man who had ripped me from that tunnel stood below my window. Aaron wasn’t leaving anything to chance. Lewis wouldn’t help me. Grandma had no clue where to find me. I was alone in this mess.
How much of my memory would they take? Everything I knew about Lewis, every experience we’d ever shared. As much as I resented him, the thought of forgetting Lewis completely killed me. This island, this home…all gone. The children…Caroline…gone. What if Aaron screwed up and erased more? What if I became some vegetable with no thoughts, no life?
It wasn’t right. He had no right to do this to me. He had no right to do this to anyone.
As angry as I was at Aaron I was even more so at my supposed boyfriend. How could Lewis let this happen? Some girls complained because their boyfriends didn’t pay them enough attention, or buy them gifts. But let’s face it, Lewis could pretty much hands down win Worst Boyfriend Of The Year.
I spun around, anger propelling me forward, pacing back and forth, stuck in this stupid room. Should I even try to fight him? Or were my chances of winning just too pathetic? He had his henchmen to hold me down. I’d never really have a chance. My legs suddenly weak, I sank onto the edge of the bed. Would it hurt as I’d hurt Maddox? Would I bleed? I suppose I deserved it after what I’d done. Maybe this was what they meant by karma.
A soft murmur of voices interrupted the quiet. I surged from the bed and stumbled back until my shoulder blades hit the wall. My time had come. I patted my jean pocket, searching for the feel of the Swiss Army Knife that had belonged to Dad. It might be a sad weapon and they’d probably find it on me, but for now it was the only protection I had.
Someone knocked, which made me laugh, a strangled manic laugh. I found their use of manners and privacy ridiculous considering the circumstance. I didn’t bother to respond, but turned toward the windows, offering whoever it was my back. Could I lie? Pretend I’d changed my mind and wanted to be one of them again?
The door opened. My heart leapt into my throat. I didn’t turn to look; I could see Lewis’s reflection in the windows. He hesitated in the doorway and I wished I could see him better. Why I cared what he was thinking, I wasn’t sure, but I wanted to read his mind. Did he regret doing this to me? Or was his need to see S.P.I. destroyed so great that he’d sacrifice our relationship so easily?
“We have to go…now,” his voice was strong, sure as if he didn’t care at all what was about to happen.
My stomach churned and bile raced up my throat. I refused to puke in front of him.
“We need to hurry,” he said, his voice softer this time. “It will take only a few moments, you’ll rest and then we’ll escort you home tomorrow.”
“Will it hurt?” I cursed my voice for catching.
He was quiet for a long, telling moment. “A little.”
I cringed, despite trying not to. “A little like we only hurt Maddox a little?” I turned, facing him.
He wore jeans and a fitted t-shirt that hugged his broad shoulders. Gorgeous…always gorgeous. But he was pale and there were dark circles under his blue eyes, indicating he hadn’t slept. Well, good. It served him right.
“It’s the only way,” he whispered. “I thought this was what you wanted.”
At one time he’d cared about me, cared if I hurt, if I was injured. “I want…” No, I wouldn’t say it. There was no point, but I couldn’t stop the words from tumbling through my head. I wanted things back to the way they were. Just me and Lewis. But I’d die before I’d say the words aloud.
“Sir,” one of the guards muttered, “we need to hurry.”
So while Lewis stood there staring at me with those fathomless eyes, I tilted my chin arrogantly high and snapped out, “Let’s get this over with.”
I wouldn’t look at him. I wouldn’t beg him to help. If he wanted me to forget about him, I would. As I moved by him, he reached out, his fingers warm on my wrist. The moment he touched me, tears burned my eyes. I couldn’t control myself around him.
“Cameron,” he whispered. He jerked me to him and I didn’t protest. I sank into his body as he hugged me and I hugged him back, afraid to let go. “I’ll miss you.” His words tore at my heart. He cupped the sides of my face and pressed his lips to mine, a hard kiss. And I knew it would be our last.
Tears slipped down my cheeks. I tried to memorize everything about him…the way he smelled, the way his lips felt against mine. I clung desperately to those memories even as I knew that within moments they could be gone, erased from my mind forever.
He tore his mouth from mine and backed up, his gaze intense, his breathing harsh.
“Lewis.” I raised my hand. I wanted to beg him to go with me, beg him not to let this happen.
He turned away. My hand dropped to my side, my heart crumbling to the pit of my belly. I wouldn’t plead. No, not again. He’d picked this stupid mission over me plenty of times. I would not beg him again.
“Let’s go,” one of the guards demanded.
Lewis moved into the hall, not bothering to look back to see if I followed. He knew I had no choice. I barely noticed the length of the hall. The stairs seemed too steep and high for my trembling body. Each step down sent my heart racing faster, so fast I thought I’d faint. Closer to Aaron’s study…closer to the end. I felt like I was headed toward my hanging.
It would hurt, even Lewis had admitted that much. I wasn’t a coward, but I certainly didn’t like pain. As I made my way toward Aaron’s office door, my body felt numb, the situation unreal. It was as if my mind couldn’t take the truth and my body was shutting down. We paused and I was vaguely aware of Lewis knocking. I tried not to think about what would happen, tried not to think about the pain, tried not to think about the fact that no longer would I know there were others like me. Instead, I focused on the fact that tomorrow I’d be in my narrow bed, in my small room at Grandma’s.
The door opened and Aaron appeared dressed as immaculately as always in black slacks and a blue button up shirt. I was so disgusted by the sight of him that for a moment I didn’t notice the frantic look in his gaze. But as he scowled down at me, I realized there was something more to his gaze, something that looked oddly like worry.
“It’s too late,” he snapped. “Take her to the dorm, now.”
“They’re already here?” Lewis demanded. “What happened?”
No why or Okie Dokie, not even a Yes Sir, but a what’s happened. Which made me realize that taking me to the dorm had not been the original plan. Aaron slid me a suspicious glance, then looked back at Lewis. “They’ve breached the fence.”
“Shit
,” Lewis whispered.
“They who?” I asked.
Aaron turned, heading back into his office. “Get her downstairs, we’re under lock down.”
Lewis grabbed my arm and dragged me down the hall. “Lewis, what the hell’s going on?”
I could feel his body trembling as I tripped beside him. Was he trembling from fear or anger…I wasn’t sure. “All those S.P.I. agents you’ve been defending have breached our security. They’re coming. Better pray they don’t get into the mansion.”
My fear turned bitterly cold as panic flooded my body. I was barely aware as we stumbled down the steps to the basement. Having a piece of your memory erased didn’t seem so bad compared to being murdered. Would they kill us? Imprison us?
So focused on my fear, I was surprised to suddenly find us standing in front of the Children’s Ward. Lewis punched in a code and the door slid open. The children were sitting on their beds, but awake, a sea of round, chubby faces staring at me.
“You’ll all stay in here, understand?” Lewis asked, pushing me inside. Everything was moving too quickly, my mind couldn’t grasp the situation. But I was well aware that Lewis was leaving me, abandoning me, here.
He was at the door when I finally found my voice. “Lewis! Where are you going? You can’t leave me here!”
He didn’t bother to turn around. “It’s the safest place for you.”
He slammed the door in my face. My stomach dropped. I grasped onto the cold, metal handle and pulled. It didn’t budge. Trapped. I spun around. The children were sitting there, watching me with patient acceptance. I found Caroline almost immediately, a golden beacon of hope. She was two beds down, her face showing no emotion.
“It’s fine. We’ll be okay,” I said softly to myself, or to the children, I wasn’t sure who.
No one responded to my pathetic attempt at a pep talk. But then again at least they didn’t look afraid. Why didn’t they look afraid? Maybe this happened often, maybe they didn’t care. “I’m saying we’re safe here.”
Still no response.
“We know,” Caroline finally said.
“Oh, so this has happened before?”
She nodded. I shook my head, disgusted. What a wonderful way for a child to live. I couldn’t leave them here. I had to find a way to take them with me. As soon as the thought entered, I realized how ridiculous it was. Right, it was going to be hard enough to slip out unnoticed, how would I escape with twenty kids?
There was nothing I could do for these children at the moment. Instead, I focused on doing something proactive…like pacing. I walked up and down the aisle between the beds, my mind spinning. Lewis could be hurt, even killed. And I hated myself for caring about him, and wondered if this was his powers of mental and emotion persuasion at work once more. And what about Maddox? Would he escape? Or would they, seeing him as a threat, get rid of him altogether?
Footsteps thundered above, making the ceiling vibrate. The children gasped as one, finally reacting like normal human beings. They scampered from their little beds, huddling together against the far wall.
“It’s okay,” I insisted, although I knew it was far from okay. If those footsteps were from S.P.I., that meant they’d invaded the house. The million dollar question was were S.P.I. good or bad? What if they could help and escort me to my Grandma’s? What if they killed us all? It didn’t matter, I had to try.
“Does anyone know the code on the door?”
Caroline parted from the group, her long nightgown brushing against the floor. “Promise you’ll come back for me?”
I didn’t have to think twice. “Yes.”
Tears shimmered in her trusting eyes. “Twenty-eight, thirteen, five.”
A door from the back of the room burst open, nearly scaring me to death. Deborah rushed through, her usually beautiful face a bit wild with panic. So maybe being attacked wasn’t common, or the attack was worse than in the past.
“Come, children. To the back, just as we’ve practiced.”
Caroline glanced over her shoulder, a tear trailing down her pale cheek. “You promised.” Then she turned and raced after the other kids. Obedient little children, too afraid to argue. But I knew an opportunity when I saw one.
“You too.” Deborah waved me over, her face set stern as if she was in no mood to argue. “Don’t worry.” She said the words as an afterthought, as if she wasn’t used to comforting others.
I nodded, pretending I was as gullible as the kids she was currently escorting through the back door, leading them only God knew where. I took a few steps forward, following slowly. Deborah wasn’t worried about me; she had more important matters at the moment. It would be the perfect time, perhaps the only time, to escape. I waited until Deborah disappeared into the back room.
Frantic, I spun around and sprinted to the door. “Numbers,” I muttered, my hand hovering in front of the keypad. “What had Caroline said?”
Twenty-eight, thirteen, five. The numbers rushed through my head and afraid they’d disappear just as quickly, I punched in the code. The lock clicked, the door popped open. I stumbled back, my heart slamming wildly in my chest. If I ran into anyone…if Lewis and Aaron found out…if S.P.I. really was the threat Aaron proclaimed…
“You can’t leave!” Deborah’s voice snapped, the tone edged with fear.
I glanced over my shoulder. She was rushing toward me. I stepped back, through the door and into the hall. “I have to. Don’t follow, you’ll only endanger yourself and the children.”
Her face was furious. “You can’t!”
“Sorry, but I can.” I moved into the hall and pushed the door shut, hearing it click in place. I couldn’t leave through the exit where I’d escaped last time. I needed to somehow make it out the front, where I’d be closer to those gates. I bolted down the dark corridor, swerving around storage boxes and old furniture.
Deborah wouldn’t dare come after me and put not only herself, but the kids in danger. Would she? Sure enough, when I glanced back, she was peering at me through the small window on the door. Relief was swift and sweet. One down…
If S.P.I. agents had entered the house and were looking for Maddox, they’d eventually end up down here. I paused, resting against a cinder block wall, trying to hear noise above, but it was impossible with blood rushing to my ears and the harsh pant of my breath. Every crack and pop startled me. Every shadow was a threat.
“The west end is secure. I’ll check on the children,” someone said, his voice echoing down the hall.
Not S.P.I. but just as bad. One of Aaron’s henchmen. I dove behind a pile of boxes, scrunching up as small as I could. The cinderblock wall was rough and cold against the side of my face but I didn’t dare move to try and ease the discomfort. The floor vibrated, heavy footsteps coming closer…closer…
When they checked on the kids, they’d know I’d escaped. Would they bother to search for me? I could only hope they’d be too busy with S.P.I.
Two hulking forms rushed by, the beams from their flashlights highlighting dark corners of the corridor, the light bouncing against the walls. I squeezed back and held my breath.
Their bodies faded into the darkness, the hall growing silent once more. I finally released the air I held. Who the hell was I kidding? I had no idea how to escape. I had the ridiculous thought that if I just stayed here, hidden behind these boxes, everything would be okay.
Even if I managed to make it outside, that sewage drain had most likely been covered. How would I make it through the gates? I pressed the heels of my palms over my eyes. I wouldn’t make it out of here alive, but there was one man who might be able to help. The very same man who could keep S.P.I. from killing me on sight. Could I trust him? Did I have a choice? Before I was able to think about the ramifications of my decision, I surged to my feet and bolted down the long corridor, hoping it would lead to the opposite end of the house. Maddox was my only chance. He was a secret agent, if anyone could escape, it was him.
&n
bsp; I didn’t miss the three empty chairs as I raced by. Aaron had placed guards outside Maddox’s door. Guards who had left their stations probably to fight S.P.I. But they would be back soon, I was sure of that. What I wasn’t sure of was whether to be relieved or scared to death when I saw Maddox’s steel door.
I froze, there in front of the door. For a moment, as panic overwhelmed me, I forgot the code Olivia had given me. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Calming my nerves I practiced my meditation in the middle of the hall, in the middle of a war. How ironic that the practices Aaron had taught might help me escape. The code came back to me and I quickly punched in the numbers. The door popped open. Most likely Aaron had some sort of alarm on the door, which is how he’d found me the first time I’d come here alone. I’d have only seconds. I pushed the door wider and rushed inside the small room.
Maddox, wearing the same clothing he’d been wearing since the day he’d arrived, was tied to that chair again. He lifted his head, that familiar glare oddly comforting. His face was pale, dried blood caked to the corner of his mouth. Had they tried to break into his thoughts again, or was the blood from someone’s fist?
Disgusted with the entire situation, I started cautiously toward him. “Listen to me, we don’t have long. I need your help, and I’ll…help you.”
“Ah, so they’ve broken through the gates?” Maddox grinned. “Maybe I don’t need your help.”
“And maybe Aaron will stop them, or kill you.” I paused far enough away so he couldn’t touch me if he broke through those bonds. “I release you and you help me and the children escape.” My words were blunt, with little explanation. I hoped he’d understand because we didn’t have time to chit-chat.
He quirked a dark brow. “The children?”
I swallowed hard, wondering how much he knew. “There are others. Younger Mind Readers.”
He looked me up and down slowly, as if judging my worth. “How do you know I won’t kill you when I’m free?”
My heart skipped a beat, but I refused to let the fear show on my face. “Because I don’t believe you’re that bad.”
He was still smiling when he responded, “Fine.” He’d agreed quickly enough…too quickly.
My suspicion was immediate. “Swear on you girlfriend’s life.”
He narrowed his eyes, his anger almost palpable. “Go to hell, Sweetheart.”
I didn’t let him frighten me, I didn’t have time. “I mean it.”
He was silent for one long moment, mulling over his possibilities. He knew as well as I that he was limited in choices.
“Hurry,” I urged, glancing out the door. “We need to hurry!”
“Fine, I agree. Don’t really have a choice, do I?”
“Well, that’s heartening,” I muttered, edging closer.
I didn’t trust him in the least, but I didn’t have a choice either. I dropped to my knees and pulled out my pocket knife. With trembling hands, I sawed at the rope around his ankles. The twine popped apart and Maddox flexed his feet, grimacing. I moved to his back and sawed at the rope holding his wrists. Although I was in a hurry, I couldn’t help but notice his skin was red and raw. His hands free, I shoved the knife back into my pocket. He pulled his arms in front of him, rolling his hands around and around as if to get the blood pumping.
I knew his muscles hurt from lack of use, but we didn’t have time for him to do yoga. “Let’s go.” I didn’t wait for him, but rushed into the hall, hoping he’d follow. “There’s an exit I used yesterday, just down here.”
I turned to see him stumbling after me. His hands were braced against the hallway wall, his face pale and sweaty. He didn’t exactly look good. I hadn’t thought about the fact that his muscles would be weak. God, I hoped he could make it; there was no possible way I could carry him out of here. I paused, waiting for him to stumble toward me. When he was close enough to touch, I slipped my arm around his waist. He stiffened, obviously surprised or disgusted by my touch. I didn’t have time to be offended.
“We have to hurry,” I insisted. “The door isn’t far.”
I focused on the end of that hall, trying to ignore the warmth of his body and the way it made me feel safe, for some odd reason. Instead, I focused on a plan. If we could make it outside, the battle would be half won. But Maddox was heavy and I worried I’d made a mistake and he would be more of a hindrance than a help. Too late to go back now and I couldn’t leave him behind.
Sweat broke out on my forehead. “We’re almost there,” I managed. Was it my imagination or was he getting heavier?
He didn’t respond.
I dared to take my focus off Maddox and instead listened for shouting or movement above. But I couldn’t hear a damn thing. We turned the corner and there was the door. My heart leapt with relief. I didn’t know how we’d get through the fence, but at the moment, it didn’t matter. Shifting my arm away from Maddox, he leaned against the wall and I reached for the door handle.
“Stop,” Aaron’s voice was a hard command that offered no room for disobedience.
Maddox’s arm shot out, wrapping around my waist. Suddenly I was slammed against his chest, my Swiss Army Knife at my throat. He flipped open the blade and pressed it to my skin, the metal cold and sharp. I didn’t dare move, barely breathed.
“Come any closer and she’s dead,” Maddox said.
He wasn’t leaning anymore, he wasn’t trembling. Obviously his entire weakened state had been an act. I wasn’t sure if I should be scared or pissed that he’d lied. And to top it off, he’d somehow stolen my knife.
“You jerk,” I hissed.
His arm around my waist tightened. “Trust me.” He spoke so softly, that I wasn’t sure if I’d truly heard the words, or if it had been wishful thinking. “We’re walking out of here,” he said, his voice loud and sure. “Or she dies.”
“So do it,” Aaron said as he came strolling from the shadows, into the flickering light that shone from above. There were two silent guards behind him, big burly men who made Maddox look small. “Kill her. It will keep me from having to erase her memory. She’s no use to me anymore.”
“Bullshit,” Maddox growled. “You think I don’t know why you want her alive?”
I resisted the urge to tell Maddox it was true. Aaron didn’t want me. He probably didn’t care if I died. Maddox seemed so confident in his beliefs, that against my better judgment, I bit back my comment. But I couldn’t stop the tingle of warning from racing over my skin. I had a bad feeling this was all too easy.
Maddox didn’t release his hold. In fact, he took a step back, toward the door, dragging me with him. “You’re letting us go.”
Aaron clasped his hands behind his back, his face passive, thoughtful. “Yes, perhaps I might have let you go. But unfortunately the men behind you with the pistols pointed directly at your head…well, they, I’m afraid, won’t be so accommodating.”
I could tell by the hardness of his gaze that he wasn’t lying. I managed to turn my head just enough to glance behind us. Sure enough, there were two of Aaron’s guards with guns pointed at Maddox’s gorgeous head. Surprise, surprise.
“Well, this sucks,” I whispered.
Maddox loosened his hold. “You can say that again.”