“And what happens if I fail?” she asked.
Alex sighed. “We may be forced to put him down. Before he hurts anyone. It’s too dangerous to have him anywhere near the public.”
“So The Clinic does kill people.”
“No, Eden, we don’t. But he won’t be a person for long.”
CHAPTER X
Mitch was supposed to be at his office right now, checking out the two-week-old damage from a breakin that the building’s security had only discovered this morning. Because they’d called the police. And the-devil-knows that any police file with Mitch’s name on it would stick around for at least thirty-whole-minutes before it somehow got ‘lost’. But he still had to pretend like he cared, pacify the building’s manager, and act shocked at the invasion of his space.
Instead he was lying on the floor of her empty apartment. Very productive.
“This is getting more and more pathetic, E. Shit. I’m even talking to you now.” Mitch opened his eyes and noticed a new water spot on the ceiling tile. He’d have to talk to the building superintendent. Mitch didn’t want her to come home and get rained on. He’d paid her rent for the next few months, praying she’d find her way home if he never found her himself.
He wondered if she’d be mad if he bought her a house. Nothing huge or ostentatious, just a little house. With bars and a steel door, of course.
He lifted his arms, wiping his elbows where the cheap carpeting left grooves in his skin. How long had he been here this time?
You need another hobby, asshole. But he couldn’t relax anywhere else. His favorite place while they’d been together was now the most painful reminder. His bedroom. Even if he didn’t spend every night in the cage, anticipating Hyde’s unwelcome appearance, he wouldn’t have been able to sleep in the bed he’d shared with her. So, when he was feeling particularly morbid, he’d come here to her apartment, imagining it wasn’t stripped bare. That her stuff was still scattered around her room. Hoping to inhale her scent instead of dust. At least he could talk to her privately, without thinking that every time he rolled over, he’d see her there.
Everything had been taken away from him so fast. Every clue. Every piece of her life. And no matter how many people Landon spoke with, no matter how many people Mitch threatened, no one would tell them anything. Every lead led straight to a dead-end. How could he fight an enemy he couldn’t see? One that was so good at covering their tracks that he spent every miserable day fumbling around lost, looking for signs that weren’t there.
He covered his face, pressing his hands to his skin, trying to keep his sanity contained.
Fuck. If Landon knew Mitch still came here, he’d be pissed. Or just weirded-out. But Mitch wasn’t about to tell him. Primarily because Mitch knew how fucking psychotic it was. This wasn’t even really her home. Never had been, or so she said. But there were so few places he could still find hope. Hope of finding her, being with her again.
It felt like it had been forever-ago that he’d told her to leave, that they’d never work out, couldn’t be together. And it turns out that he couldn’t be apart from her. He laughed bitterly. Another mistake piled on top of the thousands before it. But this one had toppled the whole thing over. This one had broken him so badly, he might never be able to stand up again. Because this one had given someone a chance to harm her. If he hadn’t been such a colossal asshole, he would’ve let her stay, begged her to stay. If he hadn’t been so damned weak and sobby, he would’ve at least watched her go. But no, he’d had to run away like a little girl, crying ‘weeweewee’ all the way back to his cage. If he’d been braver, he would have been there to stop them from taking her. And now there was nothing left for him to do.
He tried not to think about it too much. Because it made him dangerous to himself and everyone around him. But he knew she could already be dead. And when those thoughts hit, he wanted violence, craved it, felt the need pull at him like a drowning man needs oxygen. His chest caved, empty, with nothing inside to fill him.
He lifted his head and then drove it back hard onto the floor. With the headache only mildly-numbing him, he got up and went to the door. He had just enough time to go talk to the manager of the office building, feign shock at the violation, and get home in time for Hyde’s next visit.
“Come back to me, Eden. Be alright. If you’re alright, then I’ll…I’ll…” You’ll what, asshole? He’d love her. He’d love her so hard she might get smothered by it. He’d be with her…until the next time she really needed him.
The bottom line was that every time she really needed him, he’d already run away.
§ § §
Eden scratched her back where one of the safety pins poked at her. Alex’s dress wasn’t Eden’s size, so she’d had a choice—either gather-up the back and keep it together with a few heavy-duty safety pins or just let her breasts hang out. Tough call. At least Alex’s jacket fit. More or less. Florida storms didn’t offer the biting cold of the more-northern states, but the jacket provided protection from the onslaught of rain slamming the Earth, the sky punishing anything in its way. Though the rain would stop soon, the dampness would stick around for the rest of the night. And then the showers would start again. Hurricane season in Florida—as unpredictable as anything else in her life right now.
Pulling the jacket tighter, she shielded her face with her other hand and walked outside for the first time in two weeks, a guard at her side. Since she had no idea where she was and knew the guard was watching her every move, she didn’t try to run. She’d wait. Once in a vehicle, the few seconds it would take for a guard to climb out to follow her would give her a better chance.
Under a car port, looking oh-so-dry, Fields stood next to the open door of a huge black SUV. Another guard stared at her from near the hood. They were both wearing sunglasses. Eden had to laugh at the cliché. Until she saw the gun holsters both men wore. That wasn’t funny in the least.
The handles of their weapons didn’t look right. They were too boxy, and their holsters were longer than any she’d seen—not that she’d ever been close to one that she knew of. Of course, it was hard to be sure what Chastity had done with her free time.
“All this is for me?” she asked. “You really shouldn’t have, Fields.”
He shook his head. “Not for you. For him. If he tries anything.”
Her stomach dropped. “I thought you guys didn’t do that sort of thing.”
“We protect what needs protecting, from whatever source the danger comes from.”
“And you think I need protecting from Mitch?”
“No…maybe. We’ll see. Alex told you that he could be different, right?”
“Yeah, she did.” But Eden didn’t believe it. How much more dangerous could he be after only two weeks? He’d always been dangerous, and if he did try anything, it would only be because he felt like he had no other option.
She wondered if he knew that she’d been missing. If he even cared. Or how hard he tried to convince himself that he didn’t care. He’d be angry, that was a given. But would his anger be because The Clinic had taken her, or just because of what they’d done to him?
She took a deep breath before climbing into the backseat. “Are we going or not?”
Fields held something out towards her.
She looked at him quizzically. “What’s that?”
“You can’t know where the facility is located, Eden. Believe me, it’s for your own security.”
“Why am I having a hard time believing that?” She tore the black fabric out of his hand and held it up—a blindfold. “Jeez, you people. I’m not even getting out of the car.”
“We’ll see,” he said.
What did that mean? Did he know? Did he know that she planned on getting out of this car as soon as it slowed down? As soon as she saw Mitch? Damn it. Was she that bad a liar? The one time she actually wants Chastity’s influence, and it’s not there. Great.
He waited until she put the blindfold over her eyes. “Take it of
f, and we turn around immediately.” He adjusted it on her face, until the last ray of light was gone. “Touch it before I say you can, and we turn around immediately. Do you understand?”
“You’re so overly-dramatic, Fields. Of course I understand. Wanna cuff me too?”
“Is that necessary?” He slammed her door.
“No, I just thought it might turn you on,” she said dryly. She heard the men get into the car and shut their doors. “If I’m a good girl, can we stop for ice cream?”
“Quit it with the jokes unless you want me to duct tape your mouth shut.”
“Yikes, Fields. Lighten up.”
Only a few moments of silent darkness proved too much for her. She wanted him to speak, say anything. Any kind of sound to connect her to reality. Or as much of reality as there was. And truth be told, she was afraid of being alone. Because then she’d have to think about what was wrong with her. “Can you turn on the radio or something?”
There was a pause before Fields mumbled agreement and loud heavy metal pounded through the car.
Eden threw her hands over her ears at the violation. “Is this the kind of crap you people listen to normally? No wonder you’re so pissed off.”
The volume lowered, and the metal changed into little snippets of latin, rock, and chatter as the channels were changed. When what could only be referred to as ‘happy music’—bouncy and frivolous—came on, Eden told him to stop. She imagined how much the men would enjoy the trip now, listening to the latest pop princess complain about how her ex-boyfriend needed to stay an ex. She smiled, knowing she had nothing else to smile about.
As they left The Clinic, she tried counting the turns they made, remembering when they’d turned right or left, how many times they stopped, but couldn’t keep track. After about twenty minutes or so, she had no idea where they might be.
Spy skills still suck.
When Fields mumbled something like, “Turner’s still there?” and then something about the cameras being down, she regretted asking them to turn on the radio—she couldn’t quite understand what he was saying. What cameras? Where the hell were they taking her?
A few minutes later, after it seemed like they were driving in circles, they stopped, and she felt the car shift into park.
When the music stopped, she heard Fields adjust in his seat and say, “You can take the blindfold off now.”
Her eyes stung at the sudden change in light, even though they didn’t seem to be outside. Through slitted eyes, she looked out the window and saw a concrete wall. “Nice view. Where are we?”
“Parking garage,” Fields said.
She turned, glancing through each window, seeing a few other cars, but mostly empty parking spaces and a pillar with a huge number ‘1’ on it. First floor. “What parking garage? I thought you were going to let me see Mitch.”
“We are. He went into his office earlier. This garage is next to his office’s.”
“Do you watch him all the time?” Because they’d lost the informant Jolie used to act as, this was their alternative?
Fields shook his head. “He’d figure it out. We keep our distance but, obviously, we need to know if he becomes dangerous…to anyone other than himself.”
“Of course,” she mumbled. “So what happens now?”
“We wait here until we have word he’s coming out. Then we drive by and you get to see him.”
“No. That’s not good enough. Alex said I could see him, not just drive by when he’s getting into his car. That’s not enough. I’m supposed to be free to go. I need to make sure he’s okay.”
“Take it or leave it.”
“I get it,” she said through gritted teeth. “So there’s free to go outside just long enough to get into the car, and then there’s free to actually live my own life. And Alex only meant the former. Is that it?”
“Something like that.” He turned to the other guard and said, “Go and look around, make sure Landon doesn’t show up.”
“But Fullerton said—” he started.
“I don’t care what Fullerton said. Go check again. Look for anyone on the street who seems out of place. Landon was a cop, and he probably still has friends on the force. I want to know there’s no possibility of an ambush.”
The guard was still for a moment before begrudgingly opening his door and getting out of the car. With one more glance backwards, he took out his weapon and started walking down the slopping garage ramp, staying close to the wall.
“This is bullshit.” And she would’ve been far more pissed-off if she had any intention of going along with it.
Fields shifted so that he faced her, holding out a phone. “Here.”
She took it, confused. “Who am I supposed to call?”
“Me. When you’re ready to come back, you call me. I’ll come and get you. There’s a bridge on the top floor of this garage. It leads to the one Turner parks in. Go through it and find him. But don’t come out through the 2nd Avenue exit. Take 3rd because we won’t be watching it. Do you understand?”
Well, hallelujah and happy day. She didn’t even have to try her potentially-deadly escape plan. “You’re letting me go?”
“I’m trusting you. I’m praying you’ll do the right thing and call me once you’ve convinced that bastard to come in with you. Peacefully.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“You have to, Eden. I’ve seen what they turn into. And it’s something I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Bringing him in is the only way to save him. To save all of you.”
As she saw the moisture pool in his eyes, she knew he was thinking of his daughter. “I can’t promise anything, Fields. But I’ll try.”
“Yeah,” he said gruffly, blinking and putting on his tough-guy mask again, as if he were angry at himself for allowing her to see his humanity. “Try hard. And if he gets out-of-hand, use this.” He handed her a large syringe filled with a cloudy, whitish liquid.
“What is it?”
“It’s the same serum he was getting from Jolie, but in a much higher dose. Its affect is almost immediate, and it, hopefully, will stop him from transforming. But it’s not guaranteed.”
“What is?” She shoved the syringe into the pocket of her jacket.
“If he won’t agree to coming, you still call me and I’ll pick you up. Understand?” He waited until she nodded. “My number’s preprogrammed in the phone.”
She looked down it, recognizing the case. “This is Jolie’s phone, isn’t it?”
“Yep.”
It struck her as very odd. Cell phones were like goldfish nowadays—totally disposable. You buy one, it dies, and you buy another. “Same unlocking code?”
A small grimace drifted over his face. “No, they had to hack into it to wipe the contents, but it was the only one I could get on short notice. It’s not locked.”
“Well, I guess Jolie won’t mind. And I bet Alex was thrilled you didn’t have to sign a new two-year plan.” She tucked it into the other pocket of her jacket. “Does she know you’re letting me go?”
“Yes. But no one else does.” He glanced out the window toward where the guard had gone. “Because if they did, they might tell our boss. And he’s not the kind of man you want to piss off.”
“I think I’d enjoy pissing him off.”
“Well, I don’t,” he said, turning to face front. Then he took a deep breath and slammed his head into the dashboard.
“What the hell!” she shouted, flinching backwards. “Why’d you do that?”
He straightened, shaking his head slightly, trying to balance. “You attacked me.”
“Oh. Well, in that case, you should’ve let me do it.”
He turned to the side, and she saw blood running down his forehead into his eyebrow. “Be my guest. It needs to look good. Because my men know I’m not an easy target.”
Her hand came up in a fist before she’d even thought of it, her arm pulled back, ready to strike. As if the invitation was too enticing to resist. She willed it to
relax, concentrating on her bicep first, then her fingers, forcing each muscle to release.
“No, thanks. I think it looks good enough.”
He nodded without looking at her. “Then go. Go talk to him. I’ll pick up Connor and tell him you headed outside after you attacked me.”
Her hand shook as she opened the door. “Thanks, Fields. Thanks a lot.”
“I wish I could tell you that I’m doing this just because it’s the right thing to do. But I’d be lying, and you and I don’t lie to each other. You go help your man, and then you come back. Do you hear me? You’re the only one who can give Alicia a chance at a normal life.”
“I understand.” She flinched as she saw him pound his head into the dashboard again, like he was punishing himself for something that had nothing to do with her.
Without looking back, she started to run. In the opposite direction the other guard had gone. She ran as fast and as far as she could. Vaulting over concrete dividers and sprinting up the ramp. When she reached the last floor of the garage, she stopped, barely out of breath.
Damn it, there was nowhere left to go. She put her back to a wall and waited. What if Fields was lying? What if this was just a trick, and he’d hunt her down, claiming her death was necessary? But The Clinic only killed monsters, not people. Supposedly. And the emotion she’d seen on his face when he told her about his daughter…that wasn’t fake.
Someone was shouting, the sound echoing through the garage. She couldn’t tell who it was. Until she heard a second yell. The two voices started arguing with each other. About her. How she’d escaped. Then she heard the thunder of footsteps, not completely sure which way they were headed.
She pushed away from the wall and, peeking around a corner, saw a narrow passageway, a covered bridge, just like Fields had said. With one last glance, she bolted across the open space and ran into darkness.
CHAPTER XI
There were no overhead lights on, the only illumination coming through glass walls from the street below, but it didn’t seem to matter. Eden saw what she needed to. Her steps slowed as she tried to develop a plan. But all she could think of was one thing: Get to Mitch. So much adrenaline was pumping through her veins, it was a miracle she could even formulate that complicated of an idea. Along with it came a feeling of strength, of power, of fearlessness. As if the hormone was letting something—or someone—else inside. Chastity’s recklessness better not get her into more trouble. Eden could barely deal with the amount she was in right now.