Never Let Go

by Cynthia Eden

  “Cut the bullshit.” She let go of Cecelia. If the other woman wanted to go after Wright, Elizabeth wasn’t going to stop her any longer. In fact, she’d help Cecelia. “You came to me because your program needed help. You need help. But you’re still dealing in secrets and half-truths. You want to go forward with Lazarus, but you don’t even know what you’ve got yet, not fully.”

  “I do want to go forward, and you’re the woman who will help me.”

  “You said there were problems—”

  “I lied about those. My team is perfect.”

  The door opened. Guards marched inside.

  “Perfect timing,” Wright muttered. “Please escort Dr. Gregory to her quarters. Help her collect her belongings, and then we will be taking Dr. Gregory out of the facility.”

  Cecelia’s body was bow tight. “You’re making a mistake. The men give me only the answers they want me to have. They lie, just as easily as you do.”

  “Good-bye, Dr. Gregory.” His voice was crisp. Final.

  “This isn’t over.”

  “For you, it is.” He motioned to the guards. One took Cecelia’s left elbow and led her from the lab. Elizabeth moved to follow her, but Wright stepped into her path. “I want you to stay.”

  Don’t be here when we come back.

  “I came to you in D.C. because I want you to help me.” The lab door had closed. They were alone. “I need you to create a better formula.”

  “What?”

  “The men…they shouldn’t have to die first. I want a formula that will allow them to have enhanced healing and strength before death is necessary. You can do it, I know you can.”

  She wasn’t making more formulas for him.

  “Landon failed.”

  What the hell?

  “He thought he could do it. But his formula killed the test subjects. And they couldn’t reanimate, even with our preservation process in place. Landon just can’t do what you can—his mind is limited, but yours isn’t.”

  They were alone in that lab, and her skin was ice cold.

  “The only way the Lazarus formula works is for the subjects to die, first. Landon can’t find a way around that, but I know you can. You can fix that problem.”

  She wasn’t doing anything for him.

  His jaw hardened. “You owe me.”

  Now Elizabeth laughed. “How do you figure that?”

  “Because I’m keeping you safe. I have been this whole time. Even when you were in D.C., I had a team watching you.”

  Shock rolled through her. “You were spying on me?”

  “My dear Dr. Parker, surely you’ve realized the danger you are in by now?”

  She was staring at danger.

  “People want the Lazarus formula. I thought that by taking all of your research material and your notes, that I would be protecting you—”

  A wild laugh erupted from her. “Oh, that’s what you were doing? When you stole my life’s work, you were protecting—”

  “I believe that Hugh Cleston died because someone wants to steal the Lazarus intel. At your core, you are the Lazarus intel. If others have figured that out, then they’ll just take you. They won’t be as…kind…of an employer as I have been. They can force you to share the information in your amazing brain. They can torture you until you reveal everything that you know.”

  “Are you threatening me?” He’d blackmailed Cecelia, but with Elizabeth, he was taking a much darker course.

  “No, I’m offering you my continued protection from those who would hurt you. That’s one of the reasons I brought you into this facility. To assure that you’d be safe.”

  Bull. He’d just told her—not two minutes before—that he wanted a better formula. The guy was all about twisting truths and lies to get what he wanted.

  “Stay here,” Wright urged her. “Help me to make Lazarus even better. Even stronger. You can stay here, you’ll be safe, and you’ll be with Sawyer. You’ll have him with you just like before—”

  Her heart ached. General Jamison had known about her relationship with Sawyer. If Jamison knew…Wright must have told him. She’d put those puzzle pieces together. “Back in D.C., you knew Sawyer and I were lovers.”

  His smile was fast and sly. “I know everything about my employees.”

  “You knew…and you still put him into Project Lazarus.”

  Now he laughed. “My dear, that’s the main reason I wanted him. I needed a subject you were linked with, someone that you couldn’t turn away from.”

  Because he wants me tied to Lazarus. Always.

  She fought to keep her emotions in check—a losing battle. “You weren’t angry when you saw that he’d been in my quarters last night. You were thrilled, weren’t you?”

  Wright’s expression didn’t change. “I guess even without his memory, some things are the same.”

  Bastard. “Blackmail.”

  “Sorry, doctor, I don’t think I heard—”

  “You’re blackmailing me, the same way you just blackmailed Cecelia. Only you’re using Sawyer against me. You are dangling him as some kind of prize in front of me so that I’ll do whatever you want, but I am not playing Frankenstein for you any longer.” She rushed toward the door.

  Don’t be here when we get back.

  “I’d hate for Subject One to be terminated.”

  Her hand stilled in mid-air. She’d been reaching for the door but now she whirled around.

  “I mean…it would be unfortunate, wouldn’t it? If we found out that Sawyer was responsible for the death of Hugh Cleston. Because if Sawyer was the killer, then we’d have to terminate him. He’d be too much of a danger for any other alternative.”

  “Y-you said Sawyer wasn’t guilty. That none of the test subjects were near that stairwell—”

  He advanced toward her with slow, gliding steps. “If you try to leave my program, if you don’t give me exactly what I want, Dr. Parker, then I can make your precious Sawyer look guilty as fucking hell. And I’ll let you watch while we terminate him.”

  She shook her head. “You can’t do that to him.”

  “Of course, I can. And no one will do a thing about it. You see, Sawyer Cage is already a dead man. If he dies twice, well, who would care?”

  I would.

  “But that isn’t necessary,” he murmured as his cold eyes locked on her like a predator closing in for the kill. “Not necessary at all. You stay here, you continue your absolutely brilliant work, and you’ll be able to see Sawyer whenever you want.”

  She searched his gaze. “You’re never going to let those subjects go, are you?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I’m absolutely not. They are far too valuable. But I like to dangle that reward before them, just to keep them motivated. If they found out that they were going to spend the rest of their lives in this place…” A low laugh rippled from him. “They wouldn’t exactly cooperate with me, now, would they?”

  She’d never wanted to kill anyone more than she did in that instant.

  “But at least Sawyer will have time with you, Dr. Parker.” He inclined his head toward her. “And if you’ll just get me a better fucking formula, then I won’t have to kill my soldiers again in order for this damn project to keep succeeding.”

  A dull ringing filled her ears.

  I won’t have to kill my soldiers again. Again. Again?

  He—he hadn’t…no! Her heart stopped. “You killed Sawyer?”

  “You’ve gone quite pale, doctor. Perhaps you should go and rest before the men return from their mission.” He tried to push her to the side so that he could leave the lab.

  She wasn’t in the mood to be pushed. Elizabeth grabbed him and held tight, nearly clawing into his arm. “You killed Sawyer?”

  His eyes were so cold. “I needed the perfect subject. And, please, don’t forget, he volunteered. I’m sure Landon has shown you the video by now. Sawyer wanted this program. And you wanted him.” He jerked free of her hold. “Let’s just say I gave you what you
both wanted.”

  Numb, she watched him leave. The door clicked shut behind him.

  Fury built in her. A deadly rage that wasn’t going to be controlled. He’d killed Sawyer. It hadn’t been a mission gone wrong. The sonofabitch had killed her lover.

  And I am going to give you exactly what you deserve, you bastard.

  ***

  The chopper touched down on the helipad. The blades spun slowly, and the men inside were quiet.

  I won’t go back to living in the dark.

  Sawyer didn’t move. Five’s words rolled right through him. Five…he’d been particularly savage on this mission. Taking risks. Killing the targets…not quickly, but, slowly. Savoring.

  The plan is in place. That was Three. He’d been like ice. Taking out his targets with no hesitation. Getting the job done. We take over the facility. We get the others out. Then we vanish.

  A simple enough plan. One they’d formulated over the last few weeks when they’d grown tired of living in captivity. They’d needed this last mission, needed to get the chopper ready and positioned for their escape. It would stay on the helipad for a few more hours, until Wright left the facility. Wright was only at the Lazarus facility during the missions. He didn’t always make contact with the subjects, but he was there at mission time. That was always the procedure. He came in the chopper, and he left in it, too.

  Only that wouldn’t be the case this time.

  Sawyer and the others would be back for that chopper before it departed with Wright. And they’d never come back.

  They were done being test rats. Worse, done being fucking attack dogs. They all had lives. Lives before Lazarus. They wanted those lives back.

  Don’t kill anyone in the facility. Sawyer sent his hard order to the others. Do only what is necessary to escape. Subdue the guards. Haul ass.

  But they would also be taking data with them. Files. Intel. Any information that could help them unlock their pasts.

  “Great job, men.” General Jamison was pleased, as always. He beamed at them. “We’ll be moving toward the next step in this program, you count on it. Soon you’ll be freely moving in the outside world.”

  Did the man realize they could tell when he lied? That his breathing kicked up? His heartbeat accelerated? Sure, he was better at lying than most men, but Sawyer and the other subjects could still tell when he led them on.

  Always leading us on. He kept giving them promises, but the general had no intention of keeping those promises. Jamison, Landon, and Wright were all fucking liars. And the time for captivity was over.

  “You’ll need to have a post-meeting check with the doctors,” Jamison stated with an incline of his head. Standard procedure. No one needed patching. They hadn’t been injured on the mission. They’d just been the killers. But they would still have to be checked by the doctors. “After that, we’ll meet tonight to discuss future plans. Good things are coming, you can be sure of that.”

  No, very bad things were coming. The general could be sure of that.

  They left the chopper. The sun was sinking low in the sky. Night swept down fast in the desert.

  As they headed for the elevator that would take them down, down into the bowels of the facility once more, Jamison’s hand clamped over Sawyer’s shoulder. “Landon told me that Dr. Parker should be leading the post-mission checks. Go see her first.”

  He didn’t want her leading the checks. I hope she’s gone. Because when he’d told her to leave, he’d meant those words. They’d been a warning. If Elizabeth was still there…

  She was about to be dragged straight into hell.

  They entered the elevator. Jamison had excited energy practically pouring off him. The smile on his face just kept getting bigger. “The enemy was no match for you,” he praised. “No match at all! No one can fight your strength.”

  No, no one could.

  “Sir…” Three’s voice was mild. “What is the next step?”

  “More men, ASAP. We need a bigger team. That’s the next step. Increasing the Lazarus ranks. Can’t handle the bigger missions without more manpower. But Dr. Parker can take care of that.”

  Sawyer’s muscles tightened.

  Jamison swiped his ID over the elevator’s control screen, and then they were descending rapidly. If you didn’t have the right ID, the elevator didn’t move at all. Another part of their escape plan. We need his ID. Sawyer glanced at Three.

  Three’s head moved in the slightest of nods.

  “Get your monitors removed after your checks with the doctor,” Jamison advised, his voice jovial. “Then we’ll hit the mess hall for dinner. I’d say you all more than deserve a good meal.”

  A good meal? In return for killing?

  Sawyer stared straight ahead and watched as the lights on the elevator’s screen flashed.

  The plan is a go. He sent the message out, not just to Three and Five, but to every member of his team. As soon as the elevator doors opened, his team would act.

  They weren’t going to be prisoners any longer.

  ***

  Elizabeth paused in front of the door to the first exam room. Sawyer was waiting in there. Sawyer, back from his mission.

  He’d told her to leave, but that wasn’t an option. Not now. Not with Wright threatening his life. She and Sawyer had to talk. They had to figure this thing out.

  She opened the door. Her gaze swept inside, looking for the guard who should have been with Sawyer now that he was back in the facility but—

  The guard was crumpled on the floor, his body twisted in a heap.

  Elizabeth opened her mouth to scream.

  Sawyer grabbed her. He yanked her forward, spun her around, then pinned her in front of his body. His hand covered her mouth, choking back the scream that had been trembling on her lips. His hold was too tight, too hard, too rough.

  And terror clawed at her.

  “I told you to leave, doc.” His voice was a growl. “Too late now.”

  She struggled in his hold, twisting and kicking, but he just held her tighter. He held her tighter and then—

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She wanted to yell, “Then don’t! Let me the hell go!” But his hand was still over her mouth and he was dragging her farther away from the door. He shoved her against the wall, spinning her around and trapping her with his body. His hand stayed locked right over her mouth.

  Elizabeth stared up at him in absolute horror. His face was blank, but his eyes blazed. And they blazed with a fury that froze her. This wasn’t the same man she’d had sex with the night before. This wasn’t the man she’d spent so many months with in D.C. This man, he was different.

  He’s Subject One.

  “You should’ve left when you had the chance,” he rasped. “Now, it’s too late for you.”

  She stared at him, searching desperately for some glimpse of the man he’d been. Some small shred—

  The door burst open. “The floor is clear!”

  That was…Five.

  Her gaze flew toward him.

  He smiled at her, and Five lifted the gun he held in his hand. “Well, I guess we’re almost clear.” He stepped inside. She expected to hear shouts from the hallway or the shriek of an alarm. Something. But there was nothing. “You gonna take care of her?” Five demanded. “Or do you want me to do it?” And he came ever closer with his gun pointed straight at her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “She is mine.” Sawyer kept his hold on Elizabeth even as he turned his head to glare at Five. “You stand the fuck down.”

  Five only laughed. “I figured you had her in check. But it never hurts to ask.” His smile slipped away. “I’ll go make sure my favorite shrink isn’t trying to sound an alarm.” He backed away, making no sound at all, as he slipped from the room.

  Elizabeth twisted in Sawyer’s hold, trying to break free. Didn’t she understand? It was too late now. But then, he knew, deep inside, it had been too late for her from the moment she’d stepped foot into the
Lazarus facility. “You’re coming with me.”

  Her eyes were wide and scared.

  “Don’t make a sound.” He hated the way he spoke to her. But it wasn’t just about him. There were others he had to consider. The team. “If you do, I’ll have to knock you out.” He’d knocked out the guard in that exam room and then taken the fellow’s tranq gun. He’d hit the guard with a dose to keep him out of action for a while, but there were still plenty of tranqs left. “We’re getting out of here, now. You move when I say move, and you don’t hesitate.” He stared at her a moment longer. “Nod, doc. Move your head and show me that you understand. Show me that you won’t scream. Or else…” Shit, could he really tranq her? Her?

  She nodded.

  Good. His hand slid away from her, moving carefully from her mouth. As soon as his hand was clear, her little, pink tongue swept out to lick her lips. He tensed, thinking she’d cry out. Instead, she whispered, “Why?”

  “Because Wright and Landon and Jamison—because everyone here is just lying to us. They aren’t ever going to let us go, so we’re taking our freedom. We’re getting the hell out of here, and they won’t ever find us again.”

  Her eyelids flickered. Her heart rate had also just jerked. He’d amped up his senses, the way he’d trained himself to do so that he could hear a freaking pin drop if need be, and he’d heard the lurch of her heart.

  Fuck me. “How can they find us, doc?”

  Her heart raced faster.

  “Tell me, now!”

  Then, before she could answer, he backed away. He bent low, and yanked up the edge of his pants. “This tracker? You think this is what will bring us down? Don’t worry, Landon is going to take care of this for us. One way or another.”

  But…her eyes had gone even wider at the sight of the metal band on his ankle.

  “You’re fucking terrified.” And it pissed him off. “Talk to me!”

  She flinched. “It…it will kill you.”

  He grabbed her arms and yanked her toward him. Too rough. Too hard. Keep your control. But his control had been wearing away for weeks. All of the subjects had been slowly breaking apart on the inside. They’d held their masks in place, barely. That was why they had to escape. If we don’t escape, they’ll find out. And if those in charge found out how damaged the men really were, Sawyer thought Landon and Wright would terminate them all.