by K. F. Breene
Millicent stood. “Get out. This is a violation of privacy, and if you stay any longer, I’ll report you.”
“To whom? My superior? He directed me here. They thought I could talk some sense into you. That I had some sway.”
“They were wrong. You couldn’t talk me into a different flavor of food pouch.”
Mr. Gunner stood slowly, the humor drifting away. He stepped closer, his eyes deep and intense. “I know all the things I’ve said in the past. But I’ve learned some things from being close to infants and children, seeing how they’re handled and nurtured. It’s not such a bad life. Look how you turned out. And she’ll be the best. With my aversion to being dominated and your incredible drive and intelligence, she’ll get whatever she wants. She’ll be treated like a piece of gold. Her throne within this conglomerate will be bigger than yours, and her admirers plentiful. Think about what you are doing.”
Sudden tears dripped down Millicent’s face. “You believe she’s yours.”
“I’m positive she is. She looks just like me. Also, I looked at the files. There isn’t much a one-percenter can’t access if he really wants to. This is the first child that is solely mine on the male’s side. The first who’s a natural birth.”
“And you don’t want her.”
“I want her to be happy.”
“I’m not happy.” Sobs bubbled up through her middle. “I’m not happy without her. I feel like I’ve lost the better part of myself.”
“You need to think of her before yourself, Millie.” His hands ran up the outsides of her arms, and then moved on to her back, pulling her in and hugging her close. He laid his cheek across the top of her head. “You need to protect her. And that includes taking the hard road if you have to.”
For the first time in her life, Millicent sobbed. She heaved with emotion, burrowing into Mr. Gunner and taking comfort in the strong arms wrapped around her. When he leaned back, she felt his large fingers on her chin, lifting. She gazed up into his handsome face, an appearance that was entirely his own, unique in a way only a natural born could be. His electric-blue eyes roamed her face before resting on her lips. “There are other forms of love in the world, Millicent. You should let yourself feel some of those.”
“Why, when they can all be ripped away at a moment’s notice?”
“Not all,” he whispered. “Not mine.”
His lips were soft and full as they grazed hers. Her fingers clutched at his shirt when electricity zinged through their kiss. She gasped as tingles worked down her spine, but they deadened before the feeling could manifest. That’s what Clarity did—it stopped intense sexual feeling. She didn’t need pills to suppress other feelings—the shell she’d lived in her whole life had protected her from feeling anything.
How could that possibly be a better life for Marie than having the freedom to run and play outside, to act as a child, and to have a loving parent? To be a loving parent if she wanted.
Frowning, she pushed away, stepping back. His face was serious and his pleading eyes exposed his soul.
“Will I go up against you if I . . .”
“Yes, Millie. You will be a traitor. And that child is more valuable than you are. If it becomes a shoot-to-kill situation, they will not hesitate.”
“But they’ll shoot me. Or capture me and mind wipe. They won’t hurt her.”
“Correct. But if she is exposed to the elements, she might die.”
“No. She’d be collected and returned to safety. There is no real danger for her.”
“You don’t know what kind of people walk this earth.” He shook his head. “You’d have to get out of the city without resources.”
Mind made up, finally, irrevocably, Millicent hardened up for the last time. And then wiped the tears from her face. Her sob-hiccup, she ignored. “I’m one of the worst people who walks this earth, and I’ve designed a personal arsenal that attests to it. I’ve had a year to do it. I’ve also laundered a lot of money into Standard. It’s lost half its value, of course, but I had a lot of it. I can—” She snapped her mouth shut, realizing what she was about to admit.
As if hearing her finish that thought, his eyes hardened. He took a step toward the front door. “Take some time. Think this through. I’ll spin this in my report as you being amenable to my advice. Consider it a friendly warning.”
“Thank you, for being a huge coward and proving me superior. See you on the battlefield.”
His eyes lit on fire, and his body raged with muscle. His hands clenched. Strangely, a smile came over his face. “Stop taking that pill. I’ll keep you alive, and oh, what fun we’ll have.” He winked at her. “Take it easy, princess. I’ll look forward to blocking that knife-thrust.”
He walked out through the front door, an opening that hadn’t been used in years. Maybe ever.
“What did I just do?” she mumbled, light-headed.
“I’m not sure, miss. Would you like that hot beverage? I didn’t hear a response.”
Millicent had just revealed that she intended to get her daughter while challenging the kind of man who thrived off challenges. Not to mention that she’d undoubtedly increased the size of his giant ego by kissing him.
“Something hot would be fine. I have another hour to stew in nervousness.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, miss. Might I offer you some form of relaxant?”
“No. Maybe I’ll just start getting ready. Show me the arsenal.”
The bay doors opened, allowing her craft to enter. The lights did not activate. She’d tampered with the system, going through that security loop of Mr. Gunner’s but using a different tag. When they traced this docking and her upload to the outside staffer’s implants, it would lead to a dead end. They’d then question Mr. Gunner, who’d set up the loop all that time ago, but he wouldn’t tell them anything they didn’t already know: a one-percenter had stolen her one-of-a-kind daughter and gone off grid.
The faint glow of faux moonlight fell across the walkway as she made her way to the front entrance. Once there, she applied her eye lenses and stepped through the door.
“Lovely to see you, Mr. Eshers,” the computer said, perceiving her as a member of the cleaning staff.
Mr. Eshers was not a real person, of course. Another dead end.
Retinal scans accessed her details as she made her way down the corridor, and sensors read the radio signal from her implant, which had seen a makeover update before she’d left her apartment. Dead ends all day long, none of which would trip the security system.
Oh yes, Mr. Gunner, I have the right assets to ensure my freedom, she thought. Always have had. I just never had a reason to use them. Try messing with me now.
Her wrist glowed faintly as she accessed the map, making sure she was taking the right turn. Past the empty play area, where she’d spent so much time with Marie, then up the corridor she’d seen in person for the first time that day.
Half of her wondered if Mr. Gunner had set all this up. If he’d shown her this area and told her they were watching her only to put them on equal footing. He was a man who liked to gain the upper hand, not have it given to him.
She also wondered if he’d watch for the break-in or wait to receive word from his systems. She’d bet on the latter. He’d want to play this fair, or else the win wouldn’t be as sweet.
It was aggravating how well she knew him. Or was it that she understood him? If the situations were reversed, she’d want the same things.
Pulse.
A thin rod extended from her jacket. At the moment, she was carrying around a lot of extra weight, but each weapon had a purpose. After she used those with a specific job, like this one, she’d leave them behind.
The guard waited where she’d expected him to. What she hadn’t expected was to find him wearing glasses and animatedly thrusting into empty space. He was clearly engaged in an erotic game or show of some kind, probably seeing a 3-D woman or man in front of him. His implant would be feeding him sensory details as though he were
really in the moment.
She tiptoed behind him and stuck the rod against his back. His body convulsed, then spasmed, responding to the charge of electricity. After she pulled it away, he crumpled to the ground.
50% charge, her wrist screen read.
Enough charge for another go.
Pulse—disengage.
She dragged his body out of the hallway and then bent to retrieve the glasses. After seeing a paused image that made her intensely curious, she dropped the item onto his unconscious body and ducked behind the guard station. She entered the sequence of codes that would indiscriminately get her into the sleep area.
Beep.
Frowning at the noise, Millicent leaned closer to the console. An error code filled the screen. Tilting her head, she attempted to work around it.
Beep.
Biting her lip, she stood back for a moment and let both the process and error run through her head. Immediately she picked up on the problem. Then rolled her eyes. Stupid.
Her fingers flew across the screen as she pulled up various schematics from the breeding files. Finding a good candidate who was currently on meal break, she downloaded the information to her implant and waited impatiently while the new data was uploaded to her lenses. She should’ve prepared for this. Precious time was ticking by.
A moment later, the door to the sleeping area clicked. Unlocked.
Millicent’s back braced against the wall for a moment as she exhaled evenly. Then she stepped into the room and rolled a custom-designed deadener, nothing more than a small orb, into the center of the space. Watching the numbers on her wrist screen count down, she waited until the right moment, and then stepped into the facility. All the electronics dimmed. Not off, just computing at one-millionth speed. So slow that the monitoring computers would assume it was a glitch and go into troubleshooting mood. She had five minutes.
Running through the foyer, she ducked into a little room with five large cribs. Fuzzy little heads lay within, squishing Millicent’s heart. She wished she could take more. That she could give more of them a better life.
Someday. If I survive, someday I’ll return.
Sniffling caught her focus. In the last crib, a little hand wiped the most beautiful face in all the world. Marie’s cheeks glistened with tears in the dim light.
“Shhhh,” Millicent said as she reached into the crib.
Marie’s top half darted up, and her eyes widened. The pacifier fell out of her mouth as she smiled and reached up. “Mom—”
A slap of palm on mouth muffled the word. With Millicent’s free hand, she put a finger in front of her lips. “Shhhh, baby. We’re leaving.”
The joy dripped from Marie’s face, replaced by seriousness. She nodded slowly as Millicent took her hand away and then reached down. A moment later, Mommy and baby were running through the foyer, the most perilous part of the journey having just begun.
The door closed behind her. Fifteen seconds later, a small burst concussed the air in the foyer. Millicent knew a loud beep would follow as the computer’s systems got up and running. The logs would assume the troubleshooting feature had done its job. No warnings would be triggered, so no one would bother to investigate. That was, until hell crashed down on the facility when they realized one of the children was missing. Then they’d wonder how Millicent had done it. They’d never seen this kind of tech before.
Breathing heavily from the weight of both Marie and her artillery suit, Millicent struggled down the chosen corridor and then paused. She hadn’t reset the retinal scan. They’d think she was the lab tech. So if she went down corridors that techs usually didn’t use, or weren’t allowed to use, she’d trigger security.
Shit, she thought, looking around for the nearest console. She couldn’t hack in wirelessly from her implant. The building security was closed off on a private loop, for the most part. Plus, consoles were larger and easier to navigate.
“Get down for a minute, honey, but stay close,” Millicent whispered.
Marie clutched on to her leg, and she half dragged her daughter up the corridor until she found the small red circle. Hitting that, she watched the console flare to life. The light bathed the corridor, illuminating a large figure five meters in front of her.
Mr. Gunner hadn’t waited to be notified, it seemed. She never could read the man.
And now she’d have to kill him.
Chapter 11
“Ten-second head start?” Millicent asked, pushing her daughter behind her.
His face was solemn. “You did a few things wrong.”
“I’m still on schedule.”
He shook his head. “Give me the child.” He reached for Marie.
Gun—right.
A sleek little five-shot pushed into her hand. She lifted and squeezed the trigger.
His arm swung up, knocking her gun.
The blast sounded. Ceiling rained down from the bullet.
Knife—belt.
A knife pushed out, and she snatched it as she yanked her gun hand back and shot at him again. His fist chopped down on her upper arm, sending the gun clattering across the floor.
She swung with the knife, aiming for his ribs. He jerked back. The blade sailed by his chest, just missing.
Heels.
She thrust the knife, missed, then stepped back and kicked. Her foot swiped along his side, barely opening a thin line of red. Still balanced, she drew her foot back and struck again, the heel traveling toward more vulnerable flesh.
He shifted and swung his forearm down, faster than a human should be. The jolt knocked her off balance.
She used it to her advantage, leaning into the fall and punching him in the kidney. Pain vibrated up her arm from the contact—he was also harder than a human should be.
This was not going well.
She switched hands with the knife and thrust. He blocked, which she was expecting. She thrust again, no more than a feint, and then threw her weight behind a slash. The blade barely touched his pec.
Damn it.
Lights flickered through the hall. Screens pulsed. Marie was getting agitated.
So was Millicent.
Gun—left.
She kicked out, aiming that spike for his thigh. He stepped forward and bent his leg, kneeing her in the calf. Ouch. Refusing to register the pain for long, she swiped again with the knife, kicked, and then brought her gun up.
His hands moved so fast she barely registered them. Suddenly her gun was gone.
A hand wrapped around her throat and shoved her toward the wall. Marie screamed. Millicent’s back slammed against the hard surface, and her head bounced. He reached out and trapped her gunless hand. The light blared overhead. A glimmer infused his electric-blue eyes as he claimed victory.
Knife—right.
Millicent swung up, aiming for his vulnerable armpit.
“Careful, she’s going to—”
Mr. Gunner twisted at the stranger’s words. The knife grazed his skin.
He jogged back, out of her reach.
Breathing heavy, Millicent leaned forward, ready to try again. This was a fight for her daughter’s life, and she would do anything. Then Mr. McAllister stepped away from the wall in the bright, harsh light, holding one of her guns.
“Look at you! You might’ve had me there.” Mr. Gunner lifted his arm and looked at the smear of blood under his armpit. A smile graced his face as he checked the other couple of wounds she’d given him.
Eyeing the weapon held awkwardly in Mr. McAllister’s hand, thankfully pointed toward the ground at the moment, Millicent slowly bent to retrieve her five-shot. Once it was in her hand, she straightened quickly.
“Careful, she’s going to—”
“No, no, sweet pea, I’m on your side.” Mr. Gunner cut off Mr. McAllister and raised his hands. “I’m here to help. I was trying to take Marie so I could carry her for you. You’re out of your league.”
“What?” She aimed the gun center mass, her finger heavy on the trigger. Mr. McAllister
didn’t raise the gun in his hand, thank Holy.
“That’s a chick gun.” Mr. Gunner put down his hands. The smile dripped off his face. “We have to go. I killed all the security staff in this section, and I noticed you applied your prison program to the outside staffers, but that gunshot and this light is going to bring someone sooner rather than later.”
“You killed the . . . You’re on my side?” Millicent said in bewilderment, finally catching her breath.
“Yes, Millicent. Always have been. Since day one.” Mr. Gunner’s eyes were deep and serious.
“I’m not on your side,” Mr. McAllister said. “I’ve been kidnapped.” He glanced at Marie before holding up a pink bunny. “But I brought Bunny in case you got scared, Marie.”
“Bunny!” Marie stepped forward to grab the stuffed animal.
In a move that trapped Millicent’s heart in her throat, Mr. Gunner stepped forward easily and scooped Marie up into his big arms.
“No, please.” Millicent stepped forward helplessly. “Please.”
He leaned toward her. “I’m on your side, Millie. I wasn’t lying. I want to get you and Marie to safety.”
“But . . . why’d you let me shoot?” She still hadn’t lowered her shaking gun.
“I love foreplay in explosive women.” He grinned and looked at Marie. “Your mama is crazy.” Glancing back at Millicent, he jerked his head in the direction she had been going. “C’mon.”
“His quest for danger is one of the more frustrating elements of his breeding,” Mr. McAllister said in a sullen voice. “We are hoping Marie doesn’t develop the same attributes.”
“But you warned me away from this,” Millicent said as she collected her weapons and returned them to their respective places.
“I needed to know this was the best plan of action,” Mr. Gunner said. “For Marie. I trusted that you would put her first, and then choose accordingly.”
“What about him?” Millicent pointed at Mr. McAllister, trying to make sense of all this. Trying to ascertain if Mr. Gunner was for real. If she could trust him as she hoped.
“He’s here to keep Marie alive.”
“You know, humans are remarkably durable,” Mr. McAllister said, inching away. “I really don’t think my limited expertise in medicinal biology outside of procreation will help should anything—”
