The Hacker

by Leslie Georgeson

  Nausea returned, and I gagged, heaving once again, but it was just dry heaves, as there was nothing left in my stomach now.

  Nothing left inside me but pain and misery. And a deep sense of betrayal.

  I began to tremble violently, shaking everywhere, hugging myself tighter.

  I hate her. I will never forgive her.

  “Hey!” Mateo shouted again.

  I ignored him, closing my eyes and humming softly to myself as I continued to chant in my head.

  I hate her. I will never forgive her.

  “Heyyy, amigo!” Mateo said, this time in wonder. “Where’d you come from? You’re… duuude, you’re one of them dregs that got away! I recognize you, man. Can you get me out of here? Come on, man, take me with you.”

  My eyes snapped open. Mateo wasn’t talking to me anymore.

  I bolted off the bed and raced to the bars of my cell. A tall, handsome Hispanic man stood out in the corridor. His dark gaze jerked to me as I peered through the bars. Mateo had called him a dreg. He must be with Noah.

  Hope swept through me. Noah was here. He had to be.

  “Noah?” I choked out, emotion clogging my throat. “Is he here?”

  “He’s here.” The man lifted a hand to his ear and spoke quietly into a mic, “Found her. She’s in cell block A. Fourth cell in on the right.”

  The click-click of heels announced the arrival of my mother, the sound echoing down the corridor.

  The Hispanic man turned back to me. “Hang tight. We’ll get you out of here soon.”

  Then he just disappeared into thin air.

  I gasped, staring at the place where he’d been standing.

  “Dude!” Mateo shrieked. “That was fucking cool!”

  Excitement swept through me. Noah was here somewhere. He’d come for me. A sob worked its way loose from my lungs. Tears welled in my eyes, trickling down my cheeks.

  Noah’s here. He came for me.

  Then I started to cry harder, overwhelmed with emotion. I gripped the bars in my hands, struggling to keep myself upright.

  Noah’s here. He’s here.

  The sound of my mother’s approach stopped outside of my cell. I wiped at my eyes and glanced up as she came forward.

  “Hey!” Mateo shouted. “Why don’t you leave the poor girl alone, you evil bitch? Haven’t you hurt her enough for one day?”

  Though Mateo was annoying, I appreciated him standing up for me. I sent him a smile of thanks and got a lascivious wink and a tongue waggling in return. Okay. The guy was still crude.

  “I came to check up on you before heading home for the night,” my mother said, her gaze raking over me. “Tomorrow I will tell you what will be expected of you while you are here.” She gave a nod of her head and turned away.

  “Why?” I shouted after her. “Why did you and Dad get involved in this company?”

  She halted and turned back to me. For a long moment, she didn’t speak. “For different reasons,” she said at last. “I did it mainly because of the opportunity to be involved in something so amazing. Science has come a long way in a short amount of time. And in the twelve years that we’ve been a part of this company, we’ve helped create hundreds of super soldiers like the dregs. Super humans. Just think about all the possibilities the future holds. Your father, on the other hand, did it for you.”

  Sickness settled into my gut. I no longer hated her. The pain was too deep. She’d helped torture all those innocent boys. She’d helped torture Noah. And my father hadn’t been any better.

  “You said I was your most perfect creation,” I said cautiously. “What did you mean? Was I created in a lab?” Please God, tell me I wasn’t.

  She shook her head. “No. You were my only natural child.” She paused, meeting my eyes for a long moment. “Goodnight, Shannon. I’ll be back in the morning, and we can discuss this then.”

  I didn’t respond. How could I? I was so upset by what she’d done that I couldn’t find any words. She turned to walk away.

  “Hey, Dr. Ross, will I get to do stuff like that dreg who was just here? Disappear into thin air?”

  My mother halted, her gaze narrowing.

  She walked up to Mateo’s cell.

  “What dreg?”

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  Shannon

  My heart slammed into my ribs so hard it knocked my breath away. Now my mother knew the dregs were here. She would call in her soldiers. She would kill Noah.

  Hurry Noah! Be careful!

  At that precise moment, gunfire echoed from down the corridor, followed by shouts, and then more gunfire.

  Mateo was quick. Slipping a lean, muscular arm through the bars, he wrapped it around my mother’s neck, yanking her back against the bars. My mother gagged, her eyes bugging out of her head.

  My breath caught. “Mom!”

  My mother gagged and squirmed against Mateo’s hold, her body flopping and squirming and twisting like an earth worm yanked out of the dirt.

  Mateo glanced at me across the corridor, his dark gaze full of menace. “Want me to kill her, sweetheart?”

  My breath hitched, my chest squeezing. A child’s love for a parent was soul-bindingly deep and couldn’t just be tossed aside. She was my mother. I loved her, even though she’d taken me prisoner here. Even though she planned to keep me prisoner and harvest my eggs for a long time. A part of me would always love her, no matter what she did. I didn’t want her to die, I just wanted her to be punished for her crimes.

  “No,” I whispered. “Please don’t kill her.”

  Mateo hesitated. “Are you sure? The bitch deserves to die.”

  More gunfire erupted, closer this time. Then the sounds of grunts and smacks and hand-to-hand combat. Was that Noah? Was he close?

  Please hurry, Noah!

  I shook my head. “Let her go.”

  Mateo sighed, letting go of my mother, deciding to grant my request. Maybe Mateo wasn’t so bad, after all.

  My mother collapsed on the floor, gasping and wheezing.

  Suddenly, the Hispanic man appeared in front of me again.

  “Stand back,” he ordered.

  I hurried out of the way as he lifted a gun and blew the lock off of my cell door.

  “Hey!” Mateo shouted. “Let me out, too!”

  I rushed out of the cell and into the hallway, letting out a sob as I spied Noah approaching down the corridor with a group of other men. Ryan and Luke were there, as were several other guys I’d never met before. My breath caught. These were the dregs? Damn, they were impressive. All of them. Big, tall, muscular. Good-looking, every last one of them. They all held fierce glares, their expressions intense. They all held guns. They’d all come for me.

  “Stop right there!” a raspy voice ordered from behind me. I turned my head to see my mother rising to her feet and slowly approaching. “Shannon’s not going anywhere. She’s part of the breeding program now.” She held a gun in her hand, pointing it right at me. I stared at her, stunned.

  Suddenly Noah charged forward, whirling on my mother and kicking the gun from her hand. She gasped and stumbled back, glaring up at him. “You’re supposed to be dead,” she whispered.

  Noah glanced at me. “You want me to kill her?”

  My heart pinched. He was alive and he looked okay. He’d come for me. Emotion clogged my throat.

  I glanced back at my mother, who was inching away, her gaze on the fallen gun at her feet.

  “Shannon?” Noah asked.

  “Hee yaw!” There was a sudden blur of movement as a tiny Asian woman appeared from behind the dregs. She catapulted herself across the floor with some type of fancy martial arts flips. As my mother dropped to grab the gun, the tiny Asian woman yanked my mother back, holding a knife to her throat.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

  I stared in shock. That was impressive. She must be Nishi. I liked her instantly.

  Noah nodded in approval, smiling at Nishi with a hint of relief crossing his features. And it
occurred to me then that he really didn’t want to kill my mother, but he would if I asked him to.

  Just then, a group of soldiers barreled around the corner, firing at us.

  “Get down!” Noah shoved me down on the floor and darted away with the Hispanic man, firing at the enemy. The other dregs all crouched and fired back. They were an intimidating bunch. All those muscles. All that testosterone. Awe swept through me. Super soldiers, indeed.

  They’re here for me.

  My chest squeezed. These strong, handsome warriors had come for me. Because Noah had brought them. I crawled back into the safety of my cell, putting my hands over my ears to help block out the deafening roar of rapid gunfire.

  Finally, there was silence.

  Mateo whooped and shouted from his cell, bouncing up and down in his excitement. I would have to ask the dregs to free him. We couldn’t leave him here. He might be a crude asshole, but he was a prisoner like Noah and the others had been. He didn’t deserve to be treated like this.

  Noah stepped into my cell. All the other dregs gathered around in the corridor, weapons drawn and ready. Backing him up. Supporting him. My heart squeezed even tighter. These guys were a team. True friends. I’d never had friends like that.

  Noah held his hand out to me, and I rushed forward, leaping into his arms. “You came,” I whispered on a half-sob. “You came for me.”

  His voice was a deep rumble against my ear. “Of course, I did.” He hugged me to him, and I soaked it all up, his warmth, his strength, his very presence. This was my man. My dreg.

  A curse came from behind us. Noah released me, and we hurried out of the cell.

  “I’m sorry.” Nishi’s face was white. Confused, I glanced behind her.

  I gasped as I spied my mother on the floor, a knife in her chest.

  “You stabbed her?” Shock rocked through me.

  “No.” Nishi shook her head. “I underestimated her. During all those gunshots, she overpowered me and took my knife. She stabbed herself.”

  “She what?” No!

  “Mom?” I rushed to her side, kneeling over her. “Mom, why?”

  My mother lifted her arm toward me, gasping and gurgling in obvious pain. “Let me die, Shannon. I’m not going to prison. Just let me die. You can continue the program now. Ellington will show you what to do.”

  I swallowed hard and shook my head, tears welling in my eyes and streaming down my cheeks. Even now, all she cared about was The Company.

  “I don’t want you to die, Mom.” I squeezed her hand in mine.

  She closed her eyes. “This is the only way.” Her breathing slowed. Her chest stopped moving. And her life slipped away.

  I let out a sob of misery. “Mom.” Oh God, this was too much. I should hate her, and a part of me truly did, but she was still my mom. And now she was dead.

  Nishi knelt beside me, wrapping her arms around me. I hitched in a breath, turning into her, accepting her comfort.

  “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I lost my mom recently, too. I know how much it hurts.”

  I clung to her, this sweet woman who was comforting me even though she didn’t know me. I’d never had a true friend like that, someone who was so selfless and giving, someone who wasn’t using me for something.

  Dad was gone. And now Mom was gone, too.

  My entire life here in Georgia had been nothing but lies. I hadn’t known either one of my parents as well as I’d thought I had. They’d lied to me. Deceived me. They’d done evil, despicable things to Noah and all those other recruits.

  I was ashamed that I was associated with them in any way. Noah and all his friends had been mistreated because of my parents and the other partners.

  And that hurt most of all.

  How could Noah look at me and not feel disgust? How could he not want vengeance against me for what my parents had done to him?

  And yet, he’d never hurt me. He’d always been honest with me. He’d risked his life—all the dregs had risked their lives—to rescue me, the daughter of their tormentors.

  I couldn’t seem to comprehend why. Why?

  Nishi hugged me tighter, and I squeezed her back. Somehow, I knew I would get through this. But for now, I just clung to Nishi and sobbed.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  Shannon

  “Shannon.”

  I lifted my head at the sound of Noah’s voice.

  He knelt beside me, his gaze filled with sadness. I wiped at my tears, leaning away from Nishi. The shaggy blond-haired guy, whom I suspected was Logan, grabbed Nishi’s hand and pulled her to her feet. She went right into his arms, hugging him tightly.

  “I’m sorry.” Noah wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I know you’re in shock right now, but we have to get out of here. There are more soldiers coming our way.”

  Get it together, Shannon. You can cry later.

  I trustingly placed my hand in his, and he helped me to my feet.

  Then we all moved forward as a group, heading cautiously down the corridor.

  “Hey, don’t leave me here!” Mateo shouted. “Come on, sweetheart, tell your boyfriend to let me go.”

  I turned to Noah. “You should let him go. He’s just a prisoner like you were.”

  Luke glanced at Noah, who nodded. Then Luke lifted his gun and fired at the lock on Mateo’s cell door.

  Mateo rushed out, whooping in his excitement. As he neared me, I got a better look at him. He was younger than I’d originally thought, no more than eighteen or nineteen years old. He’d seemed older, and I imagined it was because of what he’d gone through.

  “Thanks, sweetheart,” he said, genuine gratitude in his tone. He leaned forward as if he was about to kiss me. I reared back, not wanting him to touch me. Noah stepped in between us before Mateo got any closer.

  “Back off,” he ordered.

  Mateo raised his hands and backed away. “Sorry, dude.”

  “Incoming!” the dreg in the lead shouted, motioning urgently with his arm. “Get down!”

  Everyone dropped, Noah pulling me against him, keeping me close.

  Something sailed past us and bounced down the hallway. Clang. Clang. Clang clang clang...

  My eyes widened. Oh shit. Was that a…

  Boom!

  I gasped, leaning into Noah, as the explosion rocked through the corridor. Pieces of the wall crumbled, debris flying all around.

  “Go, go, go!” someone shouted, and then Noah was urging me up as we all rushed forward. Right into the danger.

  And that was when the real action began.

  Right now, I was still in a state of shock over everything that had just happened. And everything that followed was just a blur. But later, when I reflected back on it, I was surprised that I recalled all the details of that night.

  Because this was the night I witnessed all the dregs in action. Super soldiers. It was the most amazing thing. The most awe-inspiring, the most adrenaline-packed adventure I had ever experienced.

  They rushed right into the fray, attacking the enemy. Gunshots. Martial arts kicks and hits and other fancy fight moves. The dark-haired dreg with blue eyes moved in the lead, spinning like a whirlwind through the soldiers, taking them down in quick succession. Smack. Crack. Thud.

  He moved like a phantom, a graceful dance, so fast it made my head spin trying to follow his movements. The other dregs moved right behind him, taking out any soldiers that didn’t die. They moved as a group, a unit, backing each other up, protecting each other, each of them fighting with amazing skill and speed, dropping the soldiers as we headed toward the exit. The Hispanic man would disappear for periods of time, then reappear in another place, leaving bodies in his wake. I watched Ryan and Luke fighting, each very skilled, Ryan’s prosthetic arm barely slowing him down. All of them were a sight to behold, and I stared as we kept moving forward, me at the rear with Mateo, whose eyes were wide with excitement. Even Nishi, tiny as she was, jumped in and fought alongside Logan, her martial arts skills something to behold.


  And Noah…oh, how he left me breathless as I watched him fight the soldiers, swiftly knocking them back, one by one. He didn’t hesitate, moving forward and killing anyone who got in his way. My warrior. My hero.

  They were all truly amazing, every single one of them. And I felt privileged to witness them in action with my own eyes. I imagined few people had or would ever get to witness something as incredible as this. The Dregs.

  Noah snagged my hand, pulling me after him. “Come on, we’re almost to the exit.”

  The dregs kept moving forward, fighting, shooting, taking out the enemy, until at last we reached the exit. We all spilled outside, disappearing into the trees. I lost sight of Mateo once we made our way outside, my attention focused solely on Noah.

  Several minutes later, we reached a place in the trees where they’d left their vehicles.

  “Anyone hit?” A dark-haired guy with intense green eyes asked, glancing around at everyone.

  There were two “yesses”—the guy who’d moved like a whirlwind and the Hispanic man—while the others all denied being injured.

  “Shrapnel in my right forearm,” the whirlwind fighter-guy said. “It’s not too serious.”

  “Bullet through my calf,” the Hispanic man announced. “It went clean through.”

  The guy who’d asked motioned them over. “Get over here. I’ll quickly tend to your wounds, then we can head back to the farmhouse.”

  Everyone gathered around, eight large, hunky warriors. The Dregs. Nishi and I were the only women present.

  “I’m Nate, by the way,” the man said as he pulled a medical bag out of his black SUV. “I’m The Healer.”

  I nodded, still in a bit of shock. “Nice to meet you.”

  The Hispanic man climbed into the back of the SUV while Nate went to work on his injured calf. And while I stared, I learned why he was called The Healer. He had some kind of magical touch that healed wounds. I’d never seen anything like it before.

  The Hispanic man glanced out of the car at me, his gaze piercing. “I’m Tony. They call me The Smuggler.”

  “Yes,” I said in awe. “That fits. I saw how you disappeared into thin air, then reappeared elsewhere. That was pretty amazing.”