Strength (Mark of Nexus #1) (40 page)

A sigh drifted in the breeze as Faye stepped into the fray. “All right. I’m going to make this simple, kids.” She crouched down to study us with her good eye, her lips forming a thin line. “I gave you a chance, and you refused. Now we’re going to try this a different way.”

“This isn’t what we agreed on,” Gail cut in, her voice a harsh whisper. “I told you. I saw it. They’ll form a resistance within the year.”

“Hush.” Faye smiled at Wallace. “Though your lack of interest is upsetting, I won’t hold it against you. We’ll simply force your cooperation.”

The air caught in my lungs, suspended in anticipation of her next words.

“My thought had been to knock you out and transport you for later study,” she told him, gesturing toward the broken log. “Unfortunately, you’re more resilient than I anticipated. I thought you would’ve been a bit more, shall we say,
approachable
, after eight thirty.”

I struggled to get up, but Wallace was shielding me with his body. Even without his strength, he still outweighed me by an easy hundred pounds.
Damn it.

“How did you know about his headaches?” I asked. “Did Gail probe Cole’s mind or something?”

Maverick laughed, and my skin crawled. “Gabby shared that little tidbit. Remember?”

Wires crossed in my brain as I struggled against Wallace’s grip. “What did you do to her?”

“She’s still in the dark about all of this,” Gail cut in, her voice bland. “Harming her would only garner unnecessary attention. She poses no threat to us.”

Smug little…
“So, was screwing her part of the equation or were
you
in the dark about that?”

She faltered. For the slightest fraction of a second, she faltered. I saw it. She smoothed her frizz against the rain. “Whatever he did, he did in the name of our cause.”

“Your cause,” I mimicked. “Somehow, I think we missed the name of this cause.”

“R. S. Tobler Laboratories funds a pro bono clinic outside the city,” she explained. “It houses an advanced studies program called Project ERA—the E-R-A standing for Evolution Requires Action. Though, you’re probably more familiar with its
influenza vaccine
program. Am I right? ”

That call in the diner!

How on earth did they get a pharmaceutical company like Tobler to sponsor—

Gail laughed. “I can see the little cogs working in your mind. Allow me to spare you the pain of deduction.” A smirk twisted her features as she stepped forward, splashing my face with mud. “The company was founded by my grandfather, Randolph Sebastian Tobler.”

I spat and glared up at her towering form. So, Tobler was Faye’s husband? My focus blurred as I tried to process the information. If they were in control of the company’s operation…

“Enough talk,” Faye muttered, groaning as she pushed down on her knees to straighten herself. “We’ll take the boy. They need to be separated for the purpose of this analysis. Maverick, be a good little intern and do something with the girl. Keep her occupied for a bit.”

Wallace growled low in his throat. “Don’t talk about us like we’re not here.”

“We’re done talking, anyway.” Faye pressed her fingertips to her scarred lid and lifted the skin there. “Just be thankful the Mark brands your girlfriend as something more interesting than her pathetic bloodline.”

I felt the color drain from my face as I stared, struggling to register what I was seeing. It was like looking into a void, with darkness swirling out from its vacant depths. Purple and black, mixed together, like toxic smoke.
What the—

Weight slammed down on top of me as Wallace covered me with his body. My heart hammered out a panicked beat between us, and his lips brushed my ear. “Listen, I need you to go to the car. Now. As fast as you can get there,” he whispered. “I’m pretty sure Cole has gotten Grandm—ugggh!” He choked and flew back, eyes wide as he grasped at the smoky lariat around his neck.

“Wallace!” I pushed myself up without thinking, and my wrist caved.
Damn it!
I forced my weight to the other side and scrambled to my feet, clutching my wrist. Did he honestly think I’d leave without him?

“Gail,” Faye instructed, holding out a clenched fist as she tilted her chin toward him. “Now.”

Gail gave a quick nod and let out a centering breath.

“Right.” Her eyes sparked and intensified in the low light, making Wallace’s eyes shine a brighter shade of blue.

Was he under her power again? My stomach twisted. Was this part of his plan?

“Go!” he rasped, sounding painfully depleted of oxygen.

I gave a jolt and stumbled back.
Oh God.
My body was shaking.
What should I do?
I had to go, didn’t I? There was no way I could take them on by myself, even if they were distracted. I had to trust him.

Right
?

There was no time left to decide. Tears seared my eyes as I watched him collapse, ceasing his struggles. I had to go now. With a sudden force of will, I turned heel and ran—legs burning as I barreled down the narrow beach, past where the fire had already been put out.
Which direction was the parking lot?
I felt so disoriented.

The dark scenery flew past in a blur as I made for the dilapidated stairs at the base of the hillside. My fingertips had just brushed the chilled, metal railing when someone grabbed a fistful of my hair and ripped me backward. “Ugh!” My feet flew out from under me and I gasped, falling back into a goopy mess of sand and soil.

“Sorry,” Maverick panted, bent at the waist. “Nothing personal, but—”

“Don’t give me that, you…you…” I glowered up at him as I rolled to my side through the thick, gritty mud. “I don’t even know what you are now.”

He frowned. “Don’t be like that, Rena.”

“All this time,” I muttered, groaning as I forced myself up again. “You knew, all this time, and you pretended to be my friend. I was nothing more than a sacrifice for your initiation.” The mud weighed down my already soaked clothing. I felt like a swamp monster drudging toward the stairs. “All for some girl.”

“You’re not a sacrifice.” His expression tightened. “And Gail’s not just some girl. She’s
the
girl. Why do you think I went to the trouble of transferring schools to take some stupid elective? I have an IQ of 153, for crying out loud. It wasn’t some decision I made on a whim.”

I had to contend with a slacker genius?
Great.

“Well, you cheated on ‘the girl’ with my best friend, so I can’t exactly say I’m happy for you.” I brushed past him, stomping up the first few steps. “I don’t know what makes you think you have the right to toy with people’s lives, Maverick.” I paused for a moment. “Is that even your real name?”

“I didn’t cheat.” He was right on my heels, taking the stairs two at a time. “And the only things I lied about were my intentions. I had to get close to Gabby—to get close to you, without arousing suspicion. Don’t act like she’ll be heartbroken. She knew what that was.”

I gripped the railing, angrily making my way up the hill. I didn’t know where I was going, but I had to keep moving in some direction. “I liked you better when I thought you were a burn-out.”

That was enough to make him hesitate, brows lowering as we fell in step. “I told you, this wasn’t personal.” He shook his head, dismissing whatever had impeded his train of thought. “And I’d do it all again, if it brought us one step closer to the revolution.”

Great. Another devotee...

I slowed my steps and took a deep breath at the top. What was I going to do? He wasn’t going to just let me waltz away with a few parting words. I had to ditch him.

But how? I couldn’t think as I peered into the suffocating darkness, squinting to make out shapes of trees. What was going on with Wallace? Was he okay?

A cold wind whipped past, and the isolation finally started to sink in. I’d left him to fight alone. What if that was the last time we saw each other? The tattoo on my arm was dull and lifeless, like a mark that bore no meaning.

“They knocked him out,” Maverick answered, studying my panicked expression. “Don’t bother worrying. There’s nothing you can do about it now.”

Easy for him to say. How would he feel if the situation were reversed? “Imagine someone separated you from Gail, and they knocked her out. Wouldn’t you want to go after her?”

His gaze hardened. “Don’t compare us with that morbid, whirlwind fascination of yours. He’s one of the most potentially dangerous Dynari we have on record. He doesn’t deserve your loyalty.”

Maim him. I was going to maim him and run. There was no time to plan an attack that might or might not stun him enough to get away. I had to go with a cheap shot.

Screw my wrist. If we survived this ordeal, I’d go to the hospital—until then, it was mine to abuse. I bit down on my bottom lip until I felt the sting of blood, and my eyes began to well up with tears. “Y-You’re right.”

“What?”

The rain lent well to my performance, streaking raindrops down my cheeks. “I just don’t know how I got caught up in this mess!” Forcing a sob, I threw myself against him, burying my face in his chest.

“Hey…” He gave my back an awkward pat as I clung to him, trembling from the cold. “It’s not like you can fight fate.”

Wanna bet?
I took a deep, sniffling breath, pulled down on his shoulders, and…rammed his balls into oblivion.

The action provoked a horrid, guttural roar. He let out a string of curses even I couldn’t match, as his features twisted beyond recognition. “Re…na…”

As he sank to his knees, wheezing and clutching himself, I turned to run like hell. “Sorry,” I yelled over my shoulder, jumping over a fallen log as I barreled into the forest. “Nothing personal.”

Chapter Forty-Nine

I sprinted across the parking lot—arms pumping, breathing hard—as the rain plastered my hair to my face. My boots slapped the wet pavement, and cold water splashed my pant legs. Where was he? The band on my arm pulsed with awakened urgency.

My muscles burned from exertion as I stumbled to a stop, wiping the stinging rain from my eyes. “Wallace?” I yelled, eyes raking every corner of the vacant lot.

It wasn’t the one we’d parked in.

I bent to catch my breath. The shadows and streetlights took on the shape of a carnival ride, twisting and distorting as they spun around me.

Why wasn’t he here? I’d felt his presence so strongly a minute ago. Had it been my imagination?
Oh God.
I was going to be sick. What if Gail made good on that threat?

“Rena…?” someone called in a weak voice.

My heart stopped. I jerked my chin up, completely unprepared for what was before me. “Wallace?”

He struggled, each limb bound by shackles made of dark, wispy smoke. It coiled around his broken form in a seductive spiral, caressing his cheek—burning his skin.

I staggered toward him. “Are you o—”

“Stay there!” More smoke hovered behind him, darkening as it split to form three vaporous spears. His face contorted in desperation as he writhed, trying to pull away. “
Please
.”

I’d never heard a more sincere plea in my life. The spears descended from each side, as if hurled from a vengeful wraith. They pierced his skin, running him through from the back, leaving him impaled and suspended.

“No!” I barely recognized the gut wrenching cry as my own. It was too shrill, too helpless.
I thought…they wanted his help…I thought…this was just another test…

He can’t…

Just like that, the spears dissipated into nothingness, ripping away his support in streaks of splattered crimson. He fell to his knees in slow motion, eyes impossibly wide as he crashed to the ground.

I reacted without thinking, sprinting the short distance to drop beside him on the slick, broken pavement. “Please, God…no…no…”

Blood pooled around his body as he lay there, soaked and discarded. The smoke hovered around his motionless form like it was waiting—but for what, I didn’t know. I dove through the thick of it and rolled him over to rest his head on my lap. “Talk to me.” I smoothed his wet hair back, breathing hard. “Hey, look at me. It’s gonna be okay.”

The burns smoldered through my flesh, pumping fire through my veins.

His vacant gaze met mine, and for the slightest of moments, his eyes softened.

I cradled his head to my chest as the smoke twisted around us. This wasn’t happening. It was just another nightmare. Right? We’d wake up soon. We had to.

My breath caught in my lungs, and I knew I was about to be overcome with shock. Tears fell from my unblinking eyes as I began to shiver, empty and bereft. “Wallace…”

“S-S’okay.” He smiled humorlessly, his lips barely moving. “Leave…me.”

“Don’t talk like that.” My arms shook as I pulled him close, squeezing my eyes shut. “I-I love you, okay? Did you hear me? I love you. Just, stay here. I’ll…I’ll figure something out...”

He felt so heavy.

“My, isn’t this a tragic scene?” Faye’s voice cut through the rain, a sadistic mockery of compassion.