If only his dad hadn’t lost another job the same week Alec got suspended for fighting. He should have let those guys make their empty threats and walked away. Let his bookworm brother fight his own battles.
His father took an unsteady step forward and the reek of the afternoon’s binge assailed his nostrils. Alec couldn’t help the grimace.
“Wipe that grin of your face, you worthless little shit,” his father growled.
“That’s enough.” His mom stepped in between them. “I’ve dealt with the school and with Alec. I’ll handle it. I handle everything else nowadays.”
He knew it was the wrong thing to say the instant he heard it. Alec almost didn’t see the blow. One minute his father’s lip was curled in disgust; the second, his arm was swinging through the air. His mother’s face jerked towards him, so brutally that the flecks of blood from her mouth and nose flung outwards and splattered the far wall. Her eyes were wide with shock and fear.
Time stopped.
Nothing Alec had ever seen or heard or felt compared to this. The anger exploded inside him. He literally saw red. He stopped thinking.
His own arm swung wildly and connected with his father’s stubbled chin. His father grunted and toppled to the right. He slumped momentarily against the wall. Lost in the conflagration of wild rage that consumed him, he barely noticed his father’s returned blow.
He fell slowly, almost in slow motion, and landed on the thin carpet in front of his open bedroom door. He was only dimly aware: the desk light shining weakly inside his room; the bitter taste of copper filling his mouth; denim-clad legs walking towards him. Then, the legs halted and the bedroom door closed.
He heard shouting in the distance. A slow, insidious darkness crept in around the edges of his vision. Straight ahead, in the corner of the hall, a tiny speck of sparkling lights danced and shimmered. He tried blinking but it didn’t help. They were still there.
I’m going blind: the thought drifted across his mind, just before the darkness claimed him.
“Damn him to hell,” Alec spoke out loud. He glanced up in time to see the noticeable distaste on Anna’s face. “Did you get that?”
Anna turned away. For a moment, her long hair obscured her face. Then, she turned back. Her emotions were once again masked. Without a word, she crossed over to the storage cupboard and pulled out another bowl of food. She carried it over and placed it on the table.
“Protection of those weaker is always commendable,” she said.
Alec stopped his pacing. For a moment, their eyes locked. “And cowardice?”
“Peter has to live with his actions, the same as you do. He had his reasons for not standing up for either you or your mother.”
She pulled out the chair and signalled he was to sit. Alec didn’t move. Now that they’d been unleashed, the memories were playing in a continuous loop. He bit his lip. There was something there, hovering on the edge of his consciousness, something he should pay attention to. What was it?
“What did you see before you lost consciousness, Alec?” Anna prompted.
His eyes locked with hers as he remembered.
Logan was right. In the hall of their apartment.
Sparkles.
24
Riley lay on her bunk in the dim twilight of rest period, working her way through a multitude of options for escape. It was the only time she could be reasonably sure no one was listening to her thoughts. She stifled a yawn. So far, every idea was overflowing with flaws. There was only one door and it was guarded around the clock. She couldn’t teleport past the perimeter, even if she knew how. Dean rarely left her alone and her orb was linked to his somehow, meaning he’d know if she used it to force her way outside. And besides, they were hundreds of metres below the surface and she had no idea how to get on top of the island or how to get off it once she did.
A slight rustling caught her attention. Someone was creeping along the divider wall that separated the sleeping quarters from the main chamber. Riley sat up and squinted. There was something familiar about that silhouette.
The shadow slid up to her bunk and a hand whipped out of the darkness to clamp across her mouth. “Shh,” Darius hissed. “Stay quiet.”
Riley peeled his hand away. “Just what the–”
Darius gave her shoulder a shove and dropped down onto her bunk beside her. He lay back, tugging her arm so that she would lie beside him. “Don’t attract attention,” he whispered.
“Get out of my bed,” Riley ordered as she shoved him.
“Just a sec. We have to talk.”
“We can talk at meal times,” Riley began, her voice starting to rise with annoyance.
“And everyone will see us,” Darius said quietly. “Haven’t you noticed they’re keeping us apart?”
Riley’s jaw clenched. She’d been planning to casually sit next to him at a meal or “accidentally” wander into his work station, but this was way too obvious. If Dean woke up …
“Do you have your orb?” Darius asked.
“Sure. Always,” Riley nodded. No one had told her to do it, she’d just felt odd, leaving it on the pillow or in her locker. Like taking off her arm and leaving it somewhere else.
“Good. Never let it out of your sight. You’re the only one of the three of us who has one now.”
“Doesn’t Alec?”
“No. They’re preventing him access. I have a good idea why, though.”
“So?” Riley shoved his arm with her elbow. “Spill.”
“No one has told me directly. Anna’s not talking.” He sounded bitter about it. “But I’ve looked in Logan’s files and overheard a few things.”
“Does Logan know you’re rooting through his stuff and eavesdropping?” Riley interrupted.
“Don’t be an idiot.”
“Oh for heaven’s sake, Dare,” Riley said. “He’ll have your nuts in a sling if he catches you.”
“He’s gotta catch me first.”
She could almost hear the grin in his voice. He rolled over onto his side. His breath was warm on her cheek. “Look, Riley, here’s the point. Logan’s convinced that Rhozan has somehow tapped into the kid’s mind and is using his knowledge of this world against us.”
Riley sat up with surprise. “What the–”
“I know, it’s crazy.” Darius grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back down until her head lay on the pillow beside his. He was silent for a moment. When he did speak his voice was low and urgent. “Logan’s only given another two work periods for Anna to break through and get Alec under control. Or else.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I’m not.”
“Then you’re mistaken. Logan’s the Mr. Spock of this little party. He’s hardly going around yelling ‘off with their heads.’ I’ve watched this guy for a week. He hardly has any emotions.”
“I don’t know who this Spock fellow is, but I know Logan. He’s seriously worried. And when Logan gets worried, he gets rid of whatever worries him. I’ve worked for the guy for years, remember?”
Her heart did a nasty twist inside her chest. Logan had seemed pretty pissed the day she arrived, even if he hadn’t shown a flicker of it since. “What are we going to do?”
“That’s my girl. I’ve got a plan.”
Of course he did. Darius’ eternal optimism that he could work things out was one of the most attractive things about him. Next to his lips, his smile, and of course, his killer eyes. She hastily amended her thoughts, in case he tapped into them. Which wasn’t easy because he smelled really nice and his lips were so close he could just … She forced those thoughts out of her mind completely. “How are we going to stop Logan from–” she couldn’t make herself say “kill”; it sounded so melodramatic “–doing Alec in? Can we get him out of here?”
“Anna’s watching him around the clock. She’s pretty tough to outwit.”
“But you have, right?”
She heard his smile. “I have the access codes to get in and out of the Ba
se. And I know the way to the surface. But without an orb I can’t use the codes, get past the guards and transport us off this island.”
“What about a ship? How close are we to the mainland?” Riley’s mind was racing. They’d need transportation, ID and probably money. Did she still have her wallet somewhere? What had Dean done with her clothes?
Darius shook his head. “You can barely see the main island from here, and only in good weather. A few fishing vessels pass by, but you can’t count on one being there when you need it. And besides, the bloody rock above us is completely surrounded by cliffs. We couldn’t get down to the water’s edge, even if we saw a boat.” He rolled on his back and clasped his hands behind his head. “Getting off this island is going to be a huge problem.”
“Can’t Alec transport us? He did before.”
“Pure instinct is one thing, trying to do it under pressure is another. Even with me guiding him, just the off-chance thought, and we could end up in Outer Mongolia. Look what happened last time.”
“That’s better than Alec dying here,” Riley summarized succinctly.
Darius gave a deep sigh. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Without warning he partially sat up and leaned over. The kiss was warm and quick and threw her heart into overdrive. “I hate to leave a lady curious,” Darius chuckled as he slipped off the bed. Within a second, he’d rejoined the shadows and disappeared to his own bunk at the other end of the row.
Wow. The man really knew how to kiss. It took ages to fall asleep.
25
Riley sat across the table from Dean. She lifted another spoonful of the highly nutritional meal replacement she’d named Goop to her mouth with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. Dean was typically tucking into his meal as if he hadn’t eaten anything for days. The stuff didn’t actually taste bad, but the appearance and the consistency made her stomach turn. Not to mention they ate it five times a day.
“We have another hour after we eat,” Dean informed her between mouthfuls, “so we can continue with your exercises, if you feel up to it.”
They’d worked hard that morning and Riley had a slight headache. Hours of lying awake after Darius’ news hadn’t helped either. She was shaking her head when Darius and Tyrell approached their table. Darius swung his leg over the back of the chair opposite Riley and sat down with a wide grin. He was quite flushed, as if he’d run a marathon, and his eyes were sparkling. Tyrell sat down more demurely on the other side of Dean. He nodded at Riley and began to eat without saying a word. As usual.
“I just bested Ty,” he said to Dean. “Two out of three. Anytime you want to try?” Darius smiled at Dean.
Dean raised an eyebrow and glanced at Tyrell. “He’s not as physically strong but he’s fast and fights dirty.” Riley listened with surprise. Tyrell never spoke in her language. She hadn’t been sure he could. “He’s up for the challenge.”
Dean dropped his spoon onto his empty plate with a clatter. He leaned back in his chair. “If you think you can take me on, Terran, then mark the segment and we’ll meet.”
Riley looked from one man to the other. Darius’ colouring was more emphasized: his cheeks pink with health, the glow of his skin more pronounced. Both Dean and Tyrell had longer, leaner limbs and fingers and their features were more delicate. Side-by-side like this, it was obvious who was the alien. Pass them on the street and you wouldn’t notice a thing.
Darius grinned. “I’m in.”
“I thought everyone was panicking over the destruction of my civilization?” Riley remarked. “Not running off and engaging in testosterone-fueled exhibitions of virility.”
Tyrell didn’t crack a smile. “We were sparring. Physical exercise is mandatory to maintain conditioning. Guardians must be prepared to engage in combat at all times.”
“Anytime you want to learn a few moves, just ask.” Darius winked at her.
Riley felt Dean’s intake of breath and waited for the rebuke but it didn’t materialize. She watched as Darius’ facial expression changed abruptly, and a façade of disinterest slipped over his features. He dropped his eyes and focused on his food. Riley didn’t need to turn around. She knew exactly who had walked into the eating area and was now standing directly behind her.
Tyrell scooped the last of his meal into his mouth and stood, picking up his plate and spoon. He gave a brief nod and then left.
“I thought you had alternated your schedule with ours?” Dean said.
“I did.” Anna walked around the table and stood behind the chair that Tyrell had vacated. She didn’t sit. She didn’t look at Darius and he was studiously not looking at her. “Why have you lifted the restrictions?”
Dean gave Riley a quick look. “She is progressing well. Interaction with the Collective is not a risk now.”
“What–” Riley began, but stopped when someone kicked her ankle. She caught Darius’ eye only for a second before he focused on his meal.
“Why are you sitting with this Terran? Logan ordered no contact,” Anna asked Darius.
Darius lifted a spoonful of goop to his mouth. He shrugged. “It was lifted this morning.”
Riley changed the subject before Anna could put the restrictions back in place. “How much longer is Alec in seclusion? I’d like to talk to him.”
“He has nothing to say to you,” Anna said dismissively.
“Yeah, well, I’ll be the judge of the that,” Riley snapped.
“Alec is working and cannot be disturbed,” Anna said. “Dean, I require your assistance.”
“I can help you,” Darius volunteered, his voice a study of ultra-casualness.
“I prefer Dean. Riley, return to the study area immediately,” Anna said as she turned away.
Riley watched Darius gaze at Anna as she left. It was highly surprising that he’d never learned to always conceal his emotions, despite spending years with these people.
“I shouldn’t be too long,” Dean said to her as he got to his feet. He dropped his empty plate on the counter and followed Anna out.
Darius took another couple of mouthfuls before he spoke. “Guess my little nighttime visit was unnecessary. They’ve left us together.”
“Don’t waste the opportunity.” Riley leaned forward. “What’s the plan?”
“Don’t be so obvious,” Darius advised.
“Well, isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black,” she retorted.
Darius frowned. He cleared his throat and spoke a little louder. “If you’re finished eating, we’ll go to the Study section. Practice your concentration.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “Always conduct your secrets out in the open.”
Darius led the way to the tables already occupied by several Guardians and their students. There were two new Potentials, Riley noticed, and both looked pale and frightened.
She and Darius sat side-by-side at a table in the middle of the section. Riley pulled out her orb and held it in the palm of her hand. Already the repeated exercise felt completely normal, the orb almost a part of her.
“Focus on deep relaxation,” Darius said loudly. Then he whispered, “Both the guards Anna uses when she leaves Alec are pretty junior. I shouldn’t have any trouble with either of them. We’ll have to take Alec during our Rest period. There are too many up and around during Work.”
Riley nodded.
“The main problems are Logan and Anna. Dean will be resting and unless the alarm goes off, he sleeps like the dead.”
Riley shuddered at the analogy.
“If we can distract Logan long enough, it will give me time to get through the defences. There are so many Operatives coming and going right now, it’ll camouflage us.”
“How on earth will we distract Logan?” Riley muttered.
“Haven’t got that far yet.” Darius was chewing his lip. “But I’ll think of something.”
“And what about Anna? She’s going to be onto you in a minute.”
She felt rather than heard Darius’ sigh. She definitely heard the expleti
ve. “Leave her to me.”
“Look, you haven’t thought this through. There are a million holes in your plan. I think we should wait a bit. Logan’s not going to off Alec in the next couple of hours. He has to give the guy some time.”
Darius reached over, ostensibly to readjust her grip on her orb. She felt his breath on her ear. “He’s not going to wait.”
“She doesn’t need your assistance.” Dean stood directly behind them. His arm snaked through the space between Darius’ face and Riley’s ear. Darius was forced backward.
Darius got to his feet and stretched languidly. “Sure, no problem. She’s making good progress.” Without a backwards glance, he sauntered out of the area. Several of the female Potentials watched.
Dean sat down. His smile was somewhat forced. “I’d prefer if you had nothing to do with Finn, even with the restrictions lifted.”
Riley feigned surprise. “Why? He’s a Terran, like me. What’s he done?”
Dean pulled out his own orb, preparing to start the lesson. “Let’s just say, he’s an unpredictable entity.”
“You’re afraid I won’t see through the animal magnetism.” Riley smiled. “You think I’ll fall for him.”
“You wouldn’t be the first,” Dean remarked dryly. “Now, show me what you’ve remembered from the previous lessons.”
Concentrating on her lessons was nearly impossible for the rest of the Work period. She knew Dean was disappointed in her lack of focus, but there were too many things colliding inside her brain. What if their only chance blew up in their faces because they’d missed something? Both she and Darius would end up in solitary, just like Alec, and Logan would be free to do what he liked with all of them. The man already hated Darius. She couldn’t imagine his reaction if he caught them trying to sneak Alec out.
No. They had to rethink the plan and fill in all the details before they could take the chance.
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