For killing him.
Torin’s firm tone interrupted her thoughts. “No, we don’t have an appointment,” he said to the man. “Please inform the Commander that Sergeant Porter has requested to see him.”
The man eyed them suspiciously, then turned away. With his back facing them, he muttered something into his headset, nodded, and turned back around to face them. With reluctance, and a look of humiliation, he mumbled, “Right this way.”
Emery and Torin followed him down a long corridor until they reached an enormous desk covered in electronics. Phones, tablets, and other devices Emery had never seen before were scattered all over the surface. A burly man stood facing a window, looking out at a breathtaking view of pine trees and snow. She wondered how this was possible, seeing as the entire building was enclosed with no way to view the outside, but her question was quickly answered as the landscape shifted from pine trees and snow to sand and sunshine.
They were holoimages, just like the ones she’d seen at R3.
“Those are beautiful hologrounds,” Torin said, breaking the silence. “Are they photos of real places?”
The hologround shifted to an image of a cabin. A very familiar cabin.
Before the Commander could answer, Emery let out a gasp. She’d seen those photos before. Her mother had taken those photos.
That was her family’s cabin. In Northern Arizona.
The man turned around to face them, his eyes landing on Torin. “Yes, my wife—”
“—took them,” Emery finished, her eyes wide. Even though she hadn’t seen him since she was a child, her father looked exactly as he had in the photo she’d uncovered in her room in Dormance, right before she’d left for Darden.
Before her entire life had changed.
She rushed over and opened her arms for a hug, unable to believe her eyes. “Oh my god. I can’t believe this. Is it really you?”
Her father’s expression matched hers and, for a moment, everything seemed to move in slow motion. The Commander met her warm embrace, rocking her back and forth in his arms, both of their eyes squeezed tightly shut. Emery wished more than anything that she could stay in that moment a little while longer, but she forced herself to unwrap her arms, her gaze drifting upward to her father’s unshaven face. “This is surreal. I thought I’d never see you again. And if I head correctly, you’re the Commander of the Seventh Sanctum?”
Her father nodded, his eyes glistening in the office light. “This is more than I ever could have asked for.” He gave a grateful smile to Torin, who was standing there looking bewildered and confused. He turned his attention back to his daughter. “I’m so happy that you’re safe. I’ve been so worried about you.” He pulled her in once more for a hug. “I didn’t know when I would see you again.”
Emery whirled around to face Torin, her eyes brimming with tears. “It’s my dad!”
Torin leaned into the nearest chair, his mouth agape. “Well, what are the chances of that?”
“Slim to none,” the Commander answered as he walked toward him. “I’m guessing you had no idea that Emery was my daughter. But still, I want to thank you for bringing her to me, Sergeant.” He stuck his right hand out, clasping Torin’s in a firm handshake.
“You’re correct, sir. I can’t take any of the credit. This is merely a coincidence. I honestly had no idea.”
The Commander smiled. “Regardless, you’re both here. Can I get you anything? Are you hungry?”
“I could go for some food,” Emery responded as she bounced over to where Torin was standing. “Do you guys have those SmartMeal things here?”
“We sure do. Let me show you around. We can end the tour at the dining hall.” They walked to the front of the office as Emery filled her father in on everything he’d missed over the last ten years.
Torin walked awkwardly in front of them until he reached a nearby platform. “See you down there.” He waved, and Emery watched as his body materialized and disappeared right before her eyes.
She glanced over the railing as a figure emerged from the platform on the first floor. “That is still so mind-boggling.” She turned to face her father, her smile fading as soon as she saw the serious expression on his face.
“I have something important I need to tell you,” he urged in a hushed tone.
Emery frowned. The confident, strong man she’d just witnessed moments ago had disappeared. “What is it, dad? What’s wrong?”
He grimaced. “As much as I need to talk to you, we can’t do it here. It’s not safe.”
Emery tried to hide her smile. “Come on. What could be safer than this place?” she teased, gesturing at the massive structure surrounding them.
Her father wiped one hand over his brow. “I’ll find a time and location and send it to you.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket to emphasize his point.
Her face fell. “Dad, you’re starting to worry me. Is everything okay?”
“It will be.” He forced a smile. “Now, you head on down there. I’ll meet you in just a few minutes.”
Without another question, although she had many, Emery did as she was told and stepped onto the platform. “Floor One,” she commanded, watching as her father’s face vanished.
Moments later, she arrived on the first floor, her eyes level with Torin’s. “I almost thought you’d changed your minds,” he joked as he helped her off of the platform. “Did I miss anything?”
Emery opened her mouth to respond, but decided against it. It was probably best to keep her mouth shut for now . . . if only she knew what it was her father was hiding.
7
Torin ambled behind Emery and the Commander, his eyes glued to the backs of their heads. He couldn’t help but smile every time Emery turned to look at her father—the crinkle at the corners of her eyes, the way she threw her head back as she laughed. Happiness radiated from every inch of her being. It was hard to believe he’d been working for Emery’s father all this time; but what was even more difficult to wrap his head around was just how intimidated he’d felt every time he’d been in the Commander’s presence. It all seemed so trivial now. As much as he hated to admit it, the Commander wasn’t the evil monster he’d made him out to be. He’d just been a lonely old man. But not any longer.
How suddenly that had changed.
Torin continued to follow them, his mind wandering off to Emery-land. Normally she wasn’t one to open up, but lately she’d confided in him more than he ever could have hoped.
Without warning, his thoughts flitted to Mason. Poor Mason, who was probably agitated somewhere, wondering why the girl he’d fallen for had chosen him, of all people, to accompany her on this seemingly never-ending journey. Come to think of it, Torin didn’t actually know why she’d chosen him over Mason—but he wasn’t complaining. He was happy she’d chosen him. Absolutely delighted, in fact.
The Commander continued the tour of the Seventh Sanctum headquarters, gesturing to the many rooms surrounding them as he explained what each one was for. While Emery seemed engaged throughout the tour, she seemed even more interested in reconnecting with her father. Who could blame her? She hadn’t seen the man in over ten years.
As happy as he was for Emery, Torin couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow. The sight of them together reminded him of his foster family. A memory resurfaced, one of the few in which his parents had actually been in town for.
His tenth birthday.
It was a crisp autumn day in the suburbs of Illinois and the leaves had just begun to fall from the trees. He was outside in the backyard, playing in the piles, laughing as they crunched underneath his boots. His mother called out to him, beckoning for him to come inside. With one last leap from the pile, he ran toward the white Victorian-style house onto the front porch, whizzing past the navy-blue shutters and through the front door. There, standing in the doorway, were his mother and father, each with one hand underneath a plate, atop of which sat a two-tier chocolate birthday cak
e. Ten flames flickered in the breeze.
“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you . . .”
The words were music to his ears. At the orphanage, birthday celebrations had been rare. With such limited supplies, the administration had to make do. At most, the children received a sticker of a smiley face, a parachute man, or a plastic bazooka, but that was it.
No cake. No candles. No birthday song.
Torin reveled in the moment as his foster parents finished singing. His mother knelt down so that she was eye-level with him. “Make a wish, sweetie, and blow out the candles.”
With a deep inhale, the scent of chocolate and raspberries infiltrating his senses, Torin made his wish. I wish for my parents to never leave me. He closed his eyes and exhaled.
His dad clapped his hands together, then ran into the kitchen to grab plates and silverware.
Torin opened his eyes and gazed up at his mother. Her eyes were calm, a sea of blue staring back at him.
“Did you wish for something good?” she asked.
He nodded his head. “I wished for—”
“Shhh.” She brought her index finger to his mouth, then smiled. “Don’t tell anybody your wish. If you tell, then it won’t come true.”
How wrong she’d been. Whether he told someone or not didn’t matter because the next day, his parents boarded the plane that would come crashing down and kill them both.
Torin shook his head in the hope that he’d also shake the memory far, far away. It was no secret that his past had left him with some pent-up issues. Being passed around from orphanage to orphanage hadn’t helped either. For almost his whole life, he’d wondered if feeling the way he did was normal. It was hard to know who he was when he didn’t even know where he came from. He’d had a few identity crises throughout his life, and he couldn’t help but feel that another one was fast approaching.
His gaze landed once again on Emery. In a sense, she was a lot like him. She hadn’t seen her father in over ten years and, for most of her life, she’d probably felt that a part of her had been missing, too. In a sad, twisted way, they were just two people, trying to discover their true identities and where they belonged in this crazy, damaged world.
His concentration broke as Emery looked over at him, the corners of her mouth turning upward, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. And yet, he smiled back.
He knew who she was. She was strong, beautiful, and confident, even though she sometimes hid behind a stubborn, shelled exterior. She was smart and witty, but above all, she was compassionate. The things she’d done the past year undoubtedly haunted her, this he knew from the many night terrors he’d witnessed over many sleepless nights.
He knew her better than she knew herself.
He sighed as she broke eye contact and turned her attention back to her father. Yep, he had her all figured out. Now, if only it were that easy to figure himself out. It was the same question that had plagued him his entire childhood and most of his adult life; the same words that kept him awake at night.
Who am I?
8
Victor pressed his back against the wall as inconspicuously as possible on the third floor of 7S Headquarters. For such a secure building, it was frightening how simple it’d been to sneak in behind Emery and her hacker friend. The lag time in the closing of the doors after each security scan was almost comical.
He’d made sure to keep a safe distance so as to not raise any suspicion. There was, however, a brief moment of panic as he’d watched the pair disappear inside an encapsulated dome that took off along a set of tracks at a startlingly high speed. Fortunately, he’d located a concealed side entrance and, even though it’d taken him twice as long to arrive, he’d eventually made it to the undisclosed headquarters.
From the third floor, Victor’s eyes followed Emery, her friend, and the Commander, who had just appeared atop a T-Port on the first floor, drinks in hand. If she hadn’t already, Victor knew that she’d figure out sooner or later that her father was the Commander in Chief of the Seventh Sanctum. He could only hope that the Commander hadn’t revealed any information that might lead his daughter to start piecing things together.
Victor grimaced as Emery leaned in to give her father a hug, then proceeded to leave, her friend following close behind. No whispering. No panicked expressions. So far, it looked like both he and his agenda were in the clear.
The Commander stepped onto the nearest platform, then teleported up to the seventh floor. Victor knew that a man of his caliber didn’t go home at night—he had sleeping quarters in his office. He checked his watch, his eyes widening at the late hour. The hallways had thinned out considerably with each passing minute.
When the hall was finally empty, Victor emerged from his discreet hiding place and headed for the nearest platform. He quietly ordered the machine to transport him to the seventh floor. His surroundings whirred around him and, after a split second, he found himself a few feet away from the Commander’s office. He tiptoed over to the massive door, then flattened his body against the wall.
And now, I wait.
Fifteen minutes ticked by until the door opened, where a young man wearing a headset emerged. Every muscle in Victor’s body tensed as he prepared his next move. Just as the man lifted his hand in front of the scanner to lock the door, Victor leapt from the shadows, taking the sides of the man’s face in his hands. With one swift movement, he cracked the man’s neck, grinning as the limp body fell to the floor. He knelt down to check for a pulse, his ears on high alert for any sounds coming from the office or the hallway, but there was only silence. No pulse. He lifted the man’s hand to the scanner, smirking as the light blinked green. Access granted.
With caution, he pushed the door open. His eyes darted across the room, frantically browsing for any sign of movement. When he was sure it was empty, he pulled the man’s lifeless body inside and laid him parallel to the wall, then closed the door gently behind him. He blinked a few times as he slid along the wall, pausing for a moment so his eyes could adjust to the darkness of the room. Around the corner, he could see a sliver of light.
A shadow flickered from underneath the door as padded footsteps made their way across the room. Floorboards creaked, followed by the rustling of blankets as the Commander situated himself in his bed. Victor smiled and silently commended himself as the lights switched off. Impeccable timing, as always.
For twenty minutes, he kept his eyes glued to the door until faint snores filled the inside of the bedchamber. His fingers slid into his coat pocket as he pulled out the self-embedding microchip and remote. Making as little noise as possible, he tiptoed across the office to the door that led to the Commander’s bedroom. The doorknob creaked loudly as it turned. He turned the light on the remote to the lowest setting and peeked inside, the glow landing on the Commander as his body rose and fell with each breath.
He was fast asleep.
Slinking over to the side of the bed, Victor placed the microchip on the pillow next to the Commander’s head, then retrieved the preprogrammed code and activated the embedding sequence. The microchip beeped quietly while legs, like those of a spider, protruded from the center. The spider-like device crawled over to the Commander’s neck, positioning itself lightly underneath his hairline. The Commander flinched in his sleep as the legs latched onto his pores, then dissipated as it sunk under the skin’s surface. The words EMBEDMENT COMPLETE flashed across the screen of the remote.
“Long time, no see, Commander. I’ll see you in the morning,” Victor snickered as he patted him on the shoulder, “as your new Secretary of Defense.”
9
Emery awoke to her phone buzzing noisily on the coffee table next to her. She sat up from the couch in Torin’s living room, rubbing her eyes as she tried to focus on the blurry letters. Torin had insisted that she sleep in the bedroom, but her stubborn nature had overridden his plea.
She quickly gave up trying to figure out who was calling and answere
d the phone with a half-yawn. “Hello?”
“Emery?” Mason’s voice echoed on the other end of the line.
She stopped mid-yawn. Crap. “Hey, um, sorry that I haven’t had a chance to call you back—”
“I’m honestly shocked that you answered,” Mason interrupted. “I know you’ve been gallivanting around town with Torin. I bet that’s where you are right now. Isn’t it?”
Emery rolled her eyes at the hostility in his voice. Before answering, she took a minute to survey her surroundings. The curtains were drawn just enough so that only a sliver of light shone through, and there were take-out containers littering the coffee table. Her stomach gurgled at the thought of the wonton soup and chicken fried rice she’d indulged in last night. It had tasted good at the time, but in hindsight, she probably should have gone with something less filling, like a salad. But who orders salads from Chinese restaurants?
She reached for her water bottle and took a swig, contemplating how to respond to Mason’s hissy-fit. “Yes, I’m at Torin’s. I crashed here last night and I slept on the couch. No big deal.”
“Actually, it kind of is a big deal, especially when you haven’t spoken to me in weeks.”
Emery sighed. “Don’t be so dramatic. It hasn’t been that long.”
“It’s been almost fourteen days.”
At this, she leaned back into the couch, her chest rising as she inhaled. Had it really been fourteen days? Where had the time gone? Surely it hadn’t been almost two weeks since she’d spoken to him. Then again, anything was in the realm of possibility these days.
The Order of Omega (The Alpha Drive Book 2) Page 5
