“What?” Ed took an instant step back.
“When did you do this?” She hadn’t been out of his sight for days, when had she gotten outside. Then it hit him. Of course! Where had he found her? Halfway out the window in the basement. It explained why she was always so sure the rain couldn’t hurt her or anyone else, with its toxicity.
Iris didn’t move an inch. “Just before you found me in the basement, I’d crawled halfway out and breathed in the air. It was clear and fresh, and I haven’t died, yet.” She confirmed his suspicions.
“You’re an altered human, so I suppose you could be immune to the atmosphere as well,” Ed said.
Iris pointed at the closed door. “No, he’s been out there, too. Fox, you touched the water, remember?”
Innes’ face darkened. “She’s not making any sense, and we’ve got to get this plan into gear.”
“What’s the plan?” Fox swallowed the lump in his throat, eager not to dwell on the fact that he had been exposed every single second since they’d met. He hadn’t felt any symptoms, though. What if his father was lying and had been all along? If it was true, that he indulged in personal cloning and could have lived long enough to know how to control the population, then this could be his fabrication as well.
“The plan’s the same. We need to get the two of you to the tree. I’ll take care of that while Innes tries to interfere with whatever connection your father made. Whatever he’s got planned, it can’t be good, and my mother wants it stopped.”
He nodded. “Where is he?”
“In his office, cloning,” Innes replied.
“So, it’s true. He clones himself just like Spalding?”
Ed nodded.
“The bastard keeps the machine hidden inside his quarters. You know how much your father likes to live, sleep, and work behind that damn door. Hey, what are you doing?” Innes made his way toward Iris and touched her shoulder. She spun around, her eyes glowing with green sparkles. “Whoa, okay. What the hell’s going on with her?”
Behind that door, all of Kingsley Wentworth’s secrets could be accessed, and Iris obviously wanted to get in.
“I think the tree’s calling her. We need to get in there. If she doesn’t make it into that building soon, the tree will die, and so will everything else in this city. My mother’s scientists and researchers have been successful in cultivating plants, flowers, and trees—enough to grow fruit and veggies—but that’s not enough to sustain the entire city. If the tree dies, the oxygen will fail everywhere, and none of us will survive.” Ed touched Fox’s arm. “We gotta get in there. Now.”
“Hold on. Do these transmissions have anything to do with his big announcement my father was bragging about?” Fox asked.
“I believe they do.” Innes stepped around Iris, ready to punch in the code on the door panel. He turned to face them before he did. “He’s inside the cloning machine right now, so he’s cutting it a bit close. I convinced him to complete the procedure as close as he could to the big announcement, for two reasons—the distraction and the weakness. When he steps out of that thing, his vitals will still be adapting. The only facets that are instantly transferred are his memories, knowledge, and personality. So, if he catches us, he won’t hesitate to attack. It’s why we need to do this as quickly as possible. Without Iris, he can’t complete whatever it is he wants to do tonight.”
Fox nodded. “Let’s do this.” He’d heard and seen enough to agree with whatever plan Ed and Innes had devised.
Chapter Forty-Three
Top Floor, Wentworth Corporation Tower
Kingsley Wentworth III’s Personal Office
Kingsley’s head buzzed with activity. Everything he’d done in his collective lives flashed in front of his eyes. Not because he was dying, but because he’d just been reborn.
He stepped out of the shower, feeling rejuvenated. He dried off his new trim, taut, and young body. He’d turned the clock back again and looked like a man in his early forties. He wiped the mirror with his hand and stared at the faint wrinkles on the sides of his eyes. Admiring the fact there were hardly any, compared to what he’d seen when he looked into the same mirror this morning.
This morning, I was an old man. Now, I’m young once again!
He flexed his arms, appreciating the faint trace of definition around his biceps and triceps, before inspecting his tight pecs and abdomen. It felt great to be young again and still have the wisdom and experience of several centuries’ worth of memories.
Kingsley spent a few more minutes stretching and adapting to his new body, before slipping his clothes on and enjoying the feel of the soft fabric against his fresh skin. He buttoned the crisp white shirt and cuffs, stepped into his tailored black pants, and tightened the matching black tie around his neck. He especially liked the tree design on the tie—a personal touch, for Iris. Adding the coal-colored jacket, he admired the way he polished up.
Brushing his moist, brown hair away from his face was the last detail before he smiled into the mirror and winked.
“Tonight, you will become a god.” He stepped out of the bathroom, sparing a quick glance at the machine that had made all of this possible. At least his latest staff scientist knew enough to set the correct coordinates. Even after all the regenerations, it was a shame that he still needed someone else to operate the machine’s schematics.
Innes had been right about the timing. To look this young when addressing his city, and completing his transmission with Travers Hampshire, was a great idea.
A little dramatics can go a long way. His disappointment of a son had taught him that.
Kingsley stepped past his living room and the automatic door separating him from his office opened. His DNA was the only thing able to open it. Anyone else trying to cross into his private quarters would be unsuccessful. Sometimes, it all seemed a little paranoid, but one could never be too careful when concealing so many secrets.
“So, what do you think?” He swung around in a semi-circle, hoping to parade himself in front of the aging Rue, but she wasn’t in the chair. The cat-woman stood on the other side of the room. She was ready to cross into the tunnel leading into his Tree Tower, and she wasn’t alone. “What the hell is going on here?”
The last person he’d expected to see inside his office stepped forward, with Iris hidden behind him.
Kingsley’s eyes fixed on the brunette beauty. No one else mattered, now that his most-prized possession had returned home. “Iris, come to me.” He raised a hand out in front of him, hoping it was enough to entice her back to his side.
She’s even more beautiful than I remember. Of course, this type of thing had happened several times before. Every time he cloned himself and became younger, he would see Iris through the eyes of a vibrant man, not an old man who couldn’t think past his ambition. Now, he wanted her more badly than ever. Not just because of what she symbolized, but also because he desired her.
She cowered behind his son, wrapping her arms around his midsection as if Fox was the only person she wanted beside her.
A spark of jealous rage ignited inside Kingsley’s stomach, causing the anger to contort everything inside him. What had Fox done to her? Why the hell was he here?
Kingsley turned to find Innes standing near his office door. “Innes, what’s going on?”
His personal assistant rubbed a lump on his forehead. “I’m sorry, Sir. They barged in, attacked me, and somehow got inside the office.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, yes.”
“I thought you said my son was dead.”
“It’s what I’d heard.” He fell back against the wall, collapsing to the floor. “I’m sorry to have let you down. Next time, I’ll have no choice but to pursue everything myself.”
Kingsley had started to doubt his sincerity, but the man obviously wasn’t in any condition to lie at the moment. He decided to reason with his own flesh and blood. Not that he’d ever managed to do that successfully. “What are you doing back her
e, son?”
“Don’t call me that,” Fox spat. His bright eyes glared with hatred and defiance. The same way Rue looked at him.
He couldn’t help but laugh. Like mother, like son. “I think it’s appropriate, since you are my son, don’t you? This is turning out to be quite the family reunion.” If he could distract Fox for a minute or two, he’d probably be able to grab Iris away from him. Just in time for the transmission. Only three minutes left.
“What are you talking about, old man?”
“I don’t think that label suits me anymore, do you? We look more like brothers than anything else. Don’t you agree, Rue?”
“Why is she here?” Fox kept Iris securely behind him, but his eyes were on Rue.
“She was supposed to be my leverage, but it looks like that’s not going to work,” he answered truthfully. “Rue, how does it feel to have a son who looks as old as his father?”
Fox stared at her, then back at him.
“Didn’t you know? Didn’t she tell you while trying to hide Iris away from me?” Kingsley chuckled. Of course Rue hadn’t told him the truth about who she was. She always wanted to protect him from everything. “Rue’s your mother. She just wouldn’t keep her mouth shut and listen to my demands, so I had to send her away.”
Tears streamed down Rue’s face. “You’re a worthless bastard!”
“Don’t worry. When Spalding finds out I’ve got his dear friend in my custody, he’ll have no choice but to give himself up. After that, I can wipe every single one of you out and keep Iris all to myself. She’s all I want.” He raised his hand a little, encouraging her to step closer. “Come to me, Iris. You know no one can take care of you like I can. I love you.”
“No, you don’t!” Fox yelled.
“Oh, and I suppose you do?”
His son didn’t answer, but the truth was in his body language. The idiot had fallen in love with a woman who was nothing more than a weapon. It explained why he’d befriended, helped, and kept her company for so many years in secret. The fool had no memories of her, but he’d somehow fallen for her all over again. How dramatic and sweet.
Still, Kingsley had a greater purpose for Iris, more than to see her happy and in love. He didn’t care if she didn’t love him. She would still fulfill her destiny, tonight.
“Fox, how you feel, or how she feels, doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is what’s about to happen. Now, all of you step away from the tunnel and back into my office, or I will zap you with the electric sensors I’ve got rigged in here.”
“What have you got planned?” Fox asked.
“Make yourself comfortable, and you’ll see for yourself.” Kingsley stepped around his desk, sat himself down on the comfortable chair, and dialed the number he now knew by heart.
A familiar face appeared on the screen positioned on top of the phone unit.
“Travers Hampshire, it’s Kingsley Wentworth III calling. Are you ready to conduct some public business?”
The well-groomed man nodded, but narrowed his eyes. “There’s something different about you, tonight. What’s happened?”
He smiled. “Let’s just say that I feel 30 years younger.”
The expression on Travers’s face spoke volumes. He hadn’t believed a word about the cloning techniques Kingsley had at his disposal. “I guess that explains the title of third.”
“Oh, no. This’ll be the fifth time I’ve done this, but third always had a better ring to it, don’t you think?”
“Have you got the girl?”
“Of course I have.”
Travers stared at him. “How will you prove she is in fact one of the four Nymphs missing for centuries?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. She’ll simply demonstrate who she is. It’ll be quite simple, really, because she has a healing side to rival her violence. Since I’ll have several test subjects, it’ll be easier than I first anticipated.”
“I can’t wait.”
“You won’t have to. We’re going live in five, four, three, two, one…”
Chapter Forty-Four
Iris sucked in a breath. Although the anger boiled inside her veins, she suddenly found it much easier to control herself. Almost as if the uncontrollable, feral side had subsided with every step she took toward her natural habitat.
She now believed every word Spalding and Ed had said to her.
A Dryad needs to return to her tree. She has to draw strength from it, as much as it needs to draw strength from her. They are symbiotic and shouldn’t be apart.
So much was creeping back into her brain. The feel of the bark beneath her fingers, how much she enjoyed sleeping near the trunk as insects buzzed about their way, and tiny animals moved through the foliage.
We were meant to live together.
This was the reason why a group of scientists had gotten together inside a lab in the first place to make her, and the three others—they wanted to save a dying planet, not just create a ruthless killing machine.
Iris glared at Kingsley. That was his fault!
Well, she wasn’t going to let this selfish madman reap the rewards of the scientists’ hard labor.
I’ll stop him. I’m not his caged pet.
She had so much to live for, so many things she could affect. Besides, her love for Fox gave her hope. Iris finally understood why he’d lied about who he really was. With a father like this, who wouldn’t?
“Ladies and gentleman of Nexus City. Welcome to a very special transmission,” Kingsley looked into a large camera pointed at his desk. He sat on his large throne of leather, his face reflected in the many screens positioned on the buildings outside the window behind him.
“We have to stop him,” Ed whispered in her ear. “You’re the one he wants, and you’re the only one who can do it.”
Iris didn’t say a word, couldn’t stop staring at Kingsley. When he met her eyes, a smile curved his lips. A triumphant smile she would erase.
“Tonight, you will not only meet a very special woman who can bring balance to our city, but an extension to the world beyond.” Kingsley’s smile widened. He held out a hand toward her, signaling her to come to him. “Why don’t you show yourself. We no longer need to hide you from prying eyes.”
“This is your chance. Take him down before he reveals your face and forces you to kill all of us.” Ed’s voice was stern and deep, inside her ear. The rumble of it urged her forward, as she handed out instructions through the small transmitter she’d given to Iris moments before they stormed the office.
“Yes.”
“Focus on the screens outside. Use them as your cue to step up beside him.”
Kingsley seemed oblivious to the instructions as he rose to his feet, encouraging her further. Taking his time to unveil what she had to stop.
Iris sucked in a shallow breath, took a step, and headed toward him.
“No.” Fox attempted to grab her hand, but she moved it away. Rue moved in behind him to place an encouraging hand on his shoulder.
Iris skirted the desk, her gaze stuck on the outside. Unsure of Ed’s instructions, and unaware of what she was looking out for, she extended a hand out in front of her. It appeared on the giant screens outside.
Even through the rain, she could see her hand on show for the world to see.
A second before she fully stepped into the line of the camera, every one of the screens outside flickered out.
She now understood. They had Kingsley Wentworth exactly where they wanted him. She had no idea how they’d managed it, but he hadn’t noticed that he was no longer projecting his message to the people of Nexus.
Iris slid her hand into Kingsley’s.
“Tonight, this lovely lady will become our salvation. She will heal the outside world, and then make her way to the other side of the planet. I have made contact, people. There are others out there, just like us, and we are about to meet them. Travers Hampshire resides in the lower half of the globe. There, people live outside and can actually see the
sun. Nothing grows, though. Everything is stunted, and by joining forces with them, and allowing Travers to use Iris’s talent of healing, we will in turn face the outside as well.”
Iris nodded, and looked into the camera she knew was filming, but wasn’t projecting this message. She noticed the face of a man inside a small monitor near the phone a second before he too disappeared.
So Kingsley wouldn’t focus on the phone, she threw her arms around his neck.
“I’ve missed you too, Iris,” he whispered near her ear. “I knew you wouldn’t abandon me for my own son.” He patted her hair, confirming he’d always believed her to be his pet.
She froze in his arms, hating every moment.
“Well, let’s not stall any longer. How about I show you what Iris can do?” He stepped away from her and peered down at the monitor before she could stop him.
Her heart stopped for a second, sure she’d been found out, but the man’s face was there again.
Kingsley leaned over his chair and lifted a lever. As he did, the long window behind his desk parted.
The call of the rain beat a frantic rhythm inside her chest, louder than any song she’d heard in the Rave. Her heart joined in the symphony, her feet eager to move forward.
Kingsley grabbed her hand and led her toward it.
“No!” Fox screamed.
She knew the others would hold him back, so she wasn’t worried about him interfering. It was too bad the rest of the population wouldn’t see this evidence for themselves. Yet, it was probably better that way. To let them know the truth in this harsh manner would only cause chaos.
The people from York Industries would know how to deal with this eventual revelation.
By the time she stood on the balcony, holding hands with Kingsley, the door lay fully open behind them. A sense of déjà vu washed over her. She was positive they’d done this before.
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