The Other Morgan (Parallel Series, Book 5)

by Christine Kersey

  My gaze went to Hart, and I knew I had to do whatever I could to stop him, although it didn’t seem like there was much I could do. Not while I was bound to a chair surrounded by people who would do anything to stop Nick and his group.

  What about Mills? Maybe he’ll help Amy. Then I remembered Mills’ suggestion that Nick give Amy to Holly as a sacrifice. I closed my eyes, all hope fleeing.

  The door clicked and knew the woman with the lab coat must have left, but I didn’t want to open my eyes. I didn’t want to face what would inevitably come next.

  “Ah, there you are,” Hart said.

  Then a familiar voice spoke. “Father.”

  My eyes flew open and I stared into the crystal blue eyes of Falcon.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  “Falcon.” His name came out on a breath. Then I spoke louder. “Falcon, they’re going to torture Hummingbird. You have to do something.”

  He looked at me impassively, then turned to Hart.

  “He’s not going to help anyone, Morgan,” Hart said, then he laughed. “Well, he has helped me.” He smiled at Falcon. “He told me everything.”

  “What?” Confused, my gaze went from Hart to Falcon to Hart. Why would he help his father? He hates his father. Was he just pretending all this time? It seemed so genuine.

  I shook my head, wanting to deny Hart’s words. “No. No, he wouldn’t do that.”

  “Maybe not at first,” Hart said. “But as you’ll find out for yourself, I can be very persuasive.”

  He didn’t do it willingly. Knowing that brought me great comfort. And just a little hope. “What did he tell you? What did you do to him?”

  Hart laughed. “I’m not going to tell you everything he told me because I want to see if you corroborate his story. But I will tell you one thing. I know Nick is aware that we’ve developed a method to . . . shall we say . . . induce people to behave the way we’d like them to.”

  “You mean by drugging people?” My anger had gotten the best of me, and I clamped my mouth shut, not wanting to say more than I should.

  Hart gazed at me.

  “You drugged Falcon,” I said, the truth of it dawning on me. “That’s how you got him to talk. That’s why you let him walk in here on his own.” I looked at Falcon, but he stared right past me like I wasn’t even there.

  “We’ve found that some people need additional convincing,” Hart said “So we injected some of the drug directly into Jacob’s system.” He smiled. “It worked remarkably well.”

  Any hope that Falcon would help me or Amy evaporated. My world began to collapse around me, despair and hopelessness filling the empty spaces.

  “Let’s get started,” Hart said as he sat beside Holly, who’d set a small rectangular device on the table in front of her. “I considered hooking you up to a polygraph machine, Morgan, but with Jacob here to tell me if you’re lying or not, that’s no longer necessary.”

  Worried about what Falcon had told his father, my mind raced with what to say.

  “Stand beside me, son,” Hart said as he motioned for Falcon to approach. “In your rightful place.”

  Without a word, or a glance at me or Amy, Falcon walked around the table to stand between his father and Holly.

  “Morgan,” Hart said. “Tell me the name of the man you and Falcon saw meeting with Nick.” Hart’s lip curled. “The man who betrayed me.”

  Seth Robertson. The name flashed into my mind, but I hesitated. Seth Robertson stood somewhere behind me, near Mills, and I feared what would happen when I spoke his name. Did Falcon already tell his father Robertson’s name? It was like I was on some sort of game show where if my answer matched my partner’s, I’d win a prize. Only this game was the opposite. If my answer didn’t match my partner’s, something bad would happen. Like Amy being jolted by the torture device.

  I looked at Amy, who watched me with eyes shimmering with tears. She didn’t shake her head to tell me it was okay, or nod to tell me to go ahead. She didn’t give me any indication of what I should do. Her fate was in my hands, and I hated it.

  “Morgan?” Hart prompted.

  My gaze jerked back to him.

  “The name.”

  “Seth,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Seth Robertson.”

  “I can’t hear you,” Hart said, his eyes hard.

  “Seth Robertson,” I said again, this time in a loud and steady voice.

  “What the—”

  The voice came from behind me, which told me at least one thing. If Falcon had told Hart Robertson’s name, Hart hadn’t revealed it to Robertson.

  “Very good,” Hart said, then he smiled. “But there’s more to it, isn’t there, Morgan?”

  More to it? What is he looking for? Did Falcon also tell him that the name is a lie? My gaze went to Falcon, and for a split second it almost seemed like he was still in there.

  “Morgan?”

  My gaze shifted to Hart. Desperate to say the right thing, I struggled with what to say. “I don’t understand.”

  He sighed. “There’s more to it than what you’re telling me, isn’t there?”

  “I . . . I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Holly,” Hart said, glancing at the woman sitting near him.

  “Wait!” I screamed.

  Holly’s finger descended toward the device in front of her, but when Hart held up his hand, she stopped.

  My heart hammered in my chest. She was about to press the button. The button that would hurt Amy just like it had hurt Duplicate Morgan.

  “What is it, Morgan?” Hart asked, his voice completely calm.

  I closed my eyes, then forced myself to look at Hart. “It’s a lie,” I said in a quiet voice.

  Touching the top of his ear like he couldn’t hear me, Hart asked, “What’s that?”

  “The name. It’s a lie.”

  “Explain.”

  “No one came to see Nick. Not Seth Robertson. Not anyone else.”

  Hart leaned back in his chair as a smile curved his mouth. “So far so good, Morgan. Your story matches Jacob’s.”

  Relieved, yet upset, I again wondered how much Falcon had told him.

  “Why did Nick want you to tell me that lie?” he asked.

  The answer didn’t divulge any great secrets, so I decided to tell him the truth. “He was using it as a way to get you to agree to release Amy.”

  Hart nodded. “Trade information for her release.”

  “Yes.”

  “When did you betray me, Morgan?”

  “I didn’t want to, but Nick’s people figured out that Falcon knew you.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Why are you spilling your guts so easily? Coward.

  “When?”

  I stared at my lap as shame swept over me—shame for not being as strong as DM. “The day after we got there.”

  “You’re pathetic,” Hart sneered.

  I agreed, but didn’t respond as I kept my gaze locked onto my lap.

  “In your first note,” Hart said, “you wrote that Nick had implied that something big was on the horizon. I know he knows about our methods to help people make better choices. What else does he know? What does he think is on the horizon?”

  The euphemism for using drugs to control people wasn’t lost on me, but had Falcon told his father that Nick had proof that the government was going to release the drug-laced power bars to the public? If he hadn’t, I didn’t want to be the one to tell him. What if Hart stopped Nick from warning people?

  I had to be believable when I lied, so I lifted my gaze to look at Hart. “He never told me what he knew. I guess after finding out that I was supposed to gather information for you, he didn’t trust me.”

  Hart laughed. “I wouldn’t trust you either.”

  Does that mean he believes me?

  “In fact,” he said, “I don’t trust you now.”

  Uh-oh.

  “I think you’re lying to me.”

  He thinks I’m lying? Does that mean h
e’s not sure? Maybe Falcon didn’t tell him about Nick’s proof.

  “I’m not,” I said as I locked my eyes with his.

  “Hmm. Well, just to make sure, let’s give Amy a little jolt and see if that changes your story.”

  “No,” I said as panic grew within me. “Please don’t hurt her. I’m telling you the truth.”

  “We’ll know soon enough.” He turned to Holly. “Give me the device.”

  She handed it to him, a questioning look on her face.

  Hart held the device in his hand, then he smiled at me. “To show you who’s in charge here, I’m going to have Jacob do it.”

  “What?”

  “You don’t seem to understand that we’re playing by my rules. However, Jacob understands that now. I want you to understand it too.”

  “I do know that,” I said, frantic to stop him. “I understand you’re in charge, Secretary Hart. I do.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think you truly understand, Morgan. If you did, you would answer my questions fully and completely without me needing to ask over and over.”

  “I will.” The pitch of my voice rose. “I’ll answer them. I swear”

  His eyes hardened. “I know you will.”

  Then he held the device out to Jacob, who stood beside him.

  “Son, hold this in your hand, and when I tell you to, press it right here.”

  Falcon took the device from his father. “Yes, sir.”

  My gaze went to Falcon, who stared at the device in his hand. Is he in there? Even a little bit? Or is he lost to me?

  “Falcon,” I said. “Falcon, look at me.”

  But he didn’t. It was like he couldn’t hear me.

  “Falcon, please.” My voice broke as a sob bubbled out of my throat.

  “Now, son,” Hart said. “Press it now.”

  Chapter Forty-Five

  All eyes were on Falcon as he stared at the device in his hand. Slowly, he lifted his free hand until it rose above the device, then he extended a finger.

  “No, Falcon,” I screamed. “Stop. You have to stop.”

  His finger descended inexorably towards the device.

  I turned to look at Amy and saw tears streaming down her face. “Amy,” I moaned. “I’m so sorry.” As much as I’d thought DM had messed things up, I’d only made them worse.

  “Come on, Jacob,” Hart said.

  His voice drew my attention back to Falcon, who seemed to be hesitating.

  “Falcon,” I yelled. “Falcon, don’t do it.” With my gaze riveted to Falcon, I saw his eyes flick to a spot behind me.

  Evidently, Hart noticed it too. “What are you doing, son? Press the button. It’s time.”

  Then, without any warning whatsoever, Falcon threw the device. It sailed over my head and I heard the smack of someone catching it.

  Hart leapt to his feet. “Mills, bring that to me.”

  Falcon threw it to Mills.

  Hope blossomed inside me and I craned my neck to see what was happening behind me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mills drop the device to the floor, then stomp on it three times.

  Mills is going to help us.

  “What are you doing?” Hart shouted.

  A fist swung towards Mills, then Robertson came into view and the two men began throwing punches.

  A crash sounded in front of me, and I whipped my head around to see Hart on the ground with Falcon on top of him. Holly looked stunned as she sat in her chair. The sound of scuffling continued behind me.

  “Falcon,” I whispered as my face lit with a smile. “You’re okay.” I knew he must have been faking it—at least for the last few minutes.

  The sound of his punches landing on his father made me cringe, then sudden movement caught my eye. Holly jumped out of her chair and raced from the room.

  “Falcon,” I yelled. “Holly left. She’ll bring help.”

  In his rage, he didn’t seem to hear me.

  “Falcon,” I screamed. “We need to leave. Now. More Enforcers will be coming any second.”

  That seemed to get his attention. He stopped punching his father, who was unconscious, and hurried over to me. “Raven, are you okay?”

  “Yes, but Holly left. We need to get out of here.” I glanced towards Mills and saw him land a final punch on Robertson, who appeared to be unconscious.

  Falcon looked at the cuffs on my ankles and wrists. “I don’t have a key.”

  “I do,” Mills said as he knelt beside me. Blood spattered his face, but he seemed okay. A moment later I was free.

  “Thank you,” I said. “Thank you for helping us.”

  Something between a smile and a frown crossed his features. “Nick’s orders.”

  Falcon took the key from Mills and went to Amy.

  “Nick knows we’re here?” I asked.

  Mills nodded. “The moment you were captured, I told him.”

  “How did you know I’d been captured?”

  “It was broadcast over our internal system.”

  “Let’s go,” Falcon said.

  When Amy stood in front of me, I leapt from my chair and yanked her into my arms. “Are you okay?”

  “I was so scared,” she said through fresh tears. Then she pulled away and touched the back of her neck. “It’s still in me. I want it out.” Frantically clawing at her neck, her voice became hysterical. “Get it out, Morgan! Get it out now!”

  There was nothing I could do about it. “We have to get to Nick. He’ll take it out.”

  “Come on,” Mills said. “I’ll show you the way.”

  I looked at Robertson and wondered how long he and Hart would be unconscious.

  Mills led us out of the room and down a hall, but just as we turned a corner I heard shouts and footsteps somewhere behind us. Holly had brought reinforcements.

  “In here,” Mills said as he opened a door to a supply closet.

  The four of us huddled together as footsteps thundered down the hall just outside the door. When silence enveloped us, no one dared move for several minutes.

  Mills cracked the door open and peered into the hall, then he turned to us. “Time to go.”

  To my surprise, he led us back the way we’d come. “Where are you taking us?”

  “They’ll be heading to the exits, so that’s where we don’t want to be.”

  It made sense, although it felt wrong to be going deeper into Camp Stonewater.

  “Did you tell your father about Nick’s plan to release proof about the power bars?” I whispered to Falcon as we followed Mills up two flights of stairs.

  “No.”

  I wanted to ask him more questions, but Mills had stopped on the landing. He opened the door and looked both ways, then motioned for us to follow him. We stepped into the hallway. No one seemed to be around, and I wondered if everyone had been put on lockdown. Everyone except the Enforcers.

  Mills led us down the hallway and into an empty classroom.

  “Now what?” Falcon asked.

  Mills went to the teacher’s desk and opened a drawer, then held up a rope. “We climb out.”

  “Where’d that come from?” Falcon asked.

  “I stashed it here earlier when I knew you and Morgan had been captured. Nick gave me orders to rescue all three of you so I had to come up with a plan.”

  I was glad someone had a plan. I went to a window and stared at the glass, then turned to Mills. “It doesn’t look like it can open.”

  “Of course not. Which is why I also stashed a glass cutter.”

  “Nice,” Falcon said with a smile.

  Mills sank an eyebolt into a wall stud below the window, then he cut a large opening into the glass and set the cut-out piece on the floor. Next, he anchored the rope to the eyebolt, then leaned out the window and dropped the rope. “Falcon, you go first.”

  With a brief nod, Falcon sat on the edge of the window, then gripped the rope and began his descent. Mills watched until Falcon had reached the ground, then he turned to Amy. “You’re
next.”

  Amy went to the window and looked down, then she looked at me with undisguised fear. “It’s three stories.”

  “You can do it.” I only hoped I would have the courage myself.

  She shook her head. “No.”

  Mills sighed, then looked at me. “You go.”

  There was no way I would leave Amy behind. If I went first, would Mills make her go next, or would he leave her? I strode to Amy, put my hands on her shoulders, and stared at her. “You have to go. Now. If you don’t, you may never get out of here.” I raised my eyebrows. “Now go.”

  She bit her lip, then whispered, “Okay.” She sat on the windowsill, gripped the rope in her hands, then swung herself around so that she could climb down. A moment later she disappeared from view.

  I stuck my head out the window and watched her slow descent, then looked to the left and the right to see if anyone was coming. When Amy reached the ground, I sighed in relief.

  “Your turn,” Mills said. “And hurry.”

  I didn’t give myself time to worry about falling three floors to the ground, instead moving forward on instinct—sit on the sill, grab the rope, turn my body around, and use the building to steady myself as I climbed down, hand over hand. Not permitting myself to look down, I focused on not slipping, and before I knew it, hands were steadying my waist.

  “You made it, Raven,” Falcon said into my ear.

  Sweet relief poured over me and I turned to him with a wide grin. I looked up and saw Mills descending rapidly, and then he was down.

  “Now what?” I asked him.

  “Wait here.” He ran to the end of the building, but when he peered around the corner, he pressed himself against the wall.

  “Someone must be coming,” I said. All three of our gazes were riveted to Mills and what was happening at that end of the building.

  Amy cried out.

  I turned to see what was wrong just as she collapsed to the ground. “Amy,” I said as I knelt beside her. “Amy, what’s wrong?”

  Her eyes were closed and she wasn’t moving.

  “Amy!” I looked up at Falcon for help, but he wasn’t looking at me or Amy. I followed his line of vision, and gasped.