I shake my head. "Rafe said you'd be coming. Plus, I figure a Prime as old as you has had oDNA and plenty of it, which means you're either Institute or government."
"Moving right along," Raven says, rolling her eyes. "Since you're late, Rafe is going to have to tell us everything all over again. So just like every other time you get involved, you're wasting our time."
I don't know what possesses me, but all of a sudden a red-hot anger explodes inside me and before I can stop myself, I slap her across the face. Maybe it's because of the fight I just had with Link, or maybe it's because Anthony is dead. Or, the more likely reason, maybe I just really felt like hitting something.
Raven jumps to her feet and shoves me hard in the chest, sending me flying across the room. I smash into a desk. Air explodes from my lungs, and it takes me several seconds to breathe again.
"What the hell, Raven?" Ice yells and hurries over to me.
"You saw what she did!" she shouts back.
"She also just lost one of her closest friends." Ice helps me up.
Rafe slowly comes to his feet, rising to his full height. His powerful presence is enough to silence us all.
"Raven and Ice," he says, his voice deep, yet surprisingly calm. "Please leave. We will discuss more tomorrow evening. Tank should be feeling well enough to talk then, too."
"Whatever," Raven says and leaves the room before anyone can say anything further.
"Are you all right?" Ice asks me.
"I'm fine. I don't know what came over me." I rub where I hit my back. I'll definitely have a bruise.
Ice chuckles and heads toward the door. "Not many stand up to Raven. It was kind of cool to see."
As soon as he's gone, I drop into the chair Ice had been sitting in. My breaths are shallow on account of my sternum hurting every time I inhale, but I keep my expression even. These men don't need to know I'm in pain. Not that it really matters at this point. My whole life is about to change.
Rafe lowers back into his chair. "The reason we wanted you here is because—"
"I'm sorry for interrupting you again," I say with as little air as possible. "But I've made a decision. I'm ready for those injections. The sooner the better."
Rafe and Myers look at each other, communicating silently.
"And don't even think about asking Link," I add. "He is going to have a long and happy life."
"What about your life?" Myers asks me. "Don't you care what happens to it?"
I attempt to swallow, but my throat is too dry. "I've made many mistakes in my life doing what I thought was the right thing. People have been hurt because of my actions. One day, I will have to answer for my role in everything, but right now there is someone much more responsible for all of the heartache and deaths. The Institute. I want to destroy them once and for all."
The corners of Rafe's mouth turn up, but Myers tilts his head and asks, "How do you know this isn't another mistake?"
"I don't, but I do know that I can't go forward without being stronger, faster, and tougher. I need to save the people I love and avenge those who have died." I nearly choke on the last word.
"You're sure about this?" Leaf asks.
I square my shoulders. "I want this done as soon as possible."
"Your timing couldn't be more perfect," Rafe says.
"What do you mean?"
"Colt. We found him."
8
I sit up straight as if someone has shocked me. "You found Colt? Where?"
"He's in Terratas, an Institute holding facility just south of Boston. It's probably one of the worst places they could take him. We need to get him out and soon, but it's well fortified, so we'll have to have a solid plan."
A cold chill works it's way up my spine. "What do they do at Terratas?"
Myers snorts. "What don't they do? I've toured the facility. They breed Originals, experiment on them, keep them in cages. It's deplorable!"
"You're high up in the government," I say, looking pointedly at him. "Why haven't you done something about it?"
"I may have had the President's ear at one point, but that was a long time ago. As long as he and everyone else in the Capitol get their oDNA, no one will listen to reason."
"You look like you've had no problem taking oDNA for years, so what does it matter to you what they do at Terratas?"
"Careful, Sage," Rafe warns. "Myers has done a lot for the resistance. His position is invaluable."
Myers lifts his hand as if to silence him. "She has every right to ask that question. It is her people's DNA, I'm taking after all." His eyes meet mine. "When I was young, my mother was an Original just like you, but my father wasn't. He was a Prime, and an influential one at that. They kept their relationship secret for a long time. My mom even wore colored contacts so they could go out in public together without facing the ridicule that often accompanies such a mixed relationship."
I squirm in my seat. I understand a little of what that must've been like. People are a little more open to it now, but many still have strong feelings against a Prime and an Original relationship, but for different reasons. I once heard someone liken it to a fox dating a rabbit. One was clearly superior to the other. Others, like Anthony, thought the two races should stay separate to protect the integrity of Original DNA. They thought it was the only way to save the human race.
"There's much more to my history, none that I will bore you with now," Myers continued, "but just know that, because of my mother, I sympathize with Originals. The actions I've taken have been done with only them in mind. Yes, I took oDNA, but if I didn't, the President and others would've become suspicious."
"How do you keep your position secret?" I ask, looking toward the closed door. "At least a dozen people must've seen you walk in here."
He smiles and glances at Rafe. "I understand you have the entire layout of Enfield memorized, correct?"
I nod.
"Well, you were only given a portion of the layout," Myers says. "The upper part of Enfield. Very few know that there is a whole other network of tunnels that lie beneath this ground. They lead to almost every building here."
My eyebrows lift. "For what purpose?"
"Ebony sometimes used them for herself and her inner circle when she didn't want the other Primes to know what she was up to. She often smuggled out oDNA or specially engineered pDNA and sold them privately, keeping the money for herself."
"But why do it secretly?"
"Because of Abram Vortil," Rafe answers.
"Who?"
Rafe tightens his lips like he's tired of my lack of knowledge. "Abram Vortil is the leader of the Institute for the entire North American continent. Ebony works for him."
"How did I not know this? Do the others know?"
"Ice and Raven were just informed," Rafe says. "Tank will know soon. Ebony has been very careful on what information the people in the East have access to. She wants everyone to think she is in control. Our first step in destroying this is getting Colt back, which we fully plan on doing in four days. He's imperative in driving back the Institute's hold on the East. Morale is desperately low, so to get Primes to fight for us, we're going to need a big victory. Colt could be that."
"Will I be ready in time?" I ask, my heart suddenly racing. This is my only chance to save him. I need to be ready.
"I believe so," Rafe says, "but you'll need to leave with Myers. He'll take you to a special lab where they will complete the procedure. You can't tell anyone about this, not for awhile anyway."
I lean back into the chair. "Why?"
"Your father is a great man, but do you think he would approve or understand your reasons for doing this? Would any of them?"
I lower my gaze to the floor. He's right. I can't tell a soul what I'm about to do. My father would talk me out of it, and Link would probably want to take my place. As for Tank and Jenna… I'm not sure what they would say now. Maybe they would approve. I'm partly trying to avenge Anthony, after all.
"When do I leave?" I ask.
"Right now," Myers says. "We'll go through the tunnels."
My stomach sinks, then flips until I think I'll be sick. "I can't leave. Jenna and Tank are still in the hospital. What will people say if I just disappear?"
"Don't worry about that," Rafe says. "I'll come up with a believable excuse. As for your friends, the best way you can help them is by going with Myers. You won't be gone long."
I twist my hands together. Not say goodbye? The idea feels so wrong, but in the end, if I can actually save Colt, maybe they will forgive me.
I lift my head. "Let's go."
Myers comes to his feet and walks to the back wall that is covered by four wall TVs. I go with him followed by Rafe. I stop near a round table and look around wondering where Myers is going. There isn't a door or even a space that looks like it could hold a secret entrance.
Myers reaches low on the floor and touches a six-inch square panel. The whole tile lights up a numbered keypad that wasn't there before. "It's fingerprint activated," he says, his voice upbeat. "Only a few people have access to these tunnels."
"Did my mother?" I ask. She definitely had some control at Enfield, but would she have been given this much clearance? She was still an Original, after all.
His whole body stiffens like I've said something wrong. "Possibly." He presses five digits, but before he pushes anymore, he looks back at me. "You need to move."
"Excuse me?"
"Take three steps back."
Rafe takes hold of my arm and pulls me to him.
Myers presses the last digit. The floor vibrates and a giant panel opens where I had been standing, revealing a narrow staircase. Lights near the bottom illuminate the beginning of a passageway. He walks down several steps then turns around. "Are you coming?"
The space is small, plus it's a tunnel, and I really hate tunnels, but that's not the reason for my suddenly tight chest or weak legs. What I'm about to do is huge. It's going against everything I believe in…do I still believe all those things? Anthony had taught me that my words were power, that I didn't need anything else. But my words couldn't save him the night he died. My father had done everything he could to keep me safe, hiding Max and me until he could get us to Eden. He was a big believer in protecting Originals, and yet, he had given Max pDNA. Clearly being an Original wasn't always the best option.
My world has changed drastically. It's time I did too.
9
I walk down the steps, my skin cooling the closer I come to the tunnel.
"I'll see you soon," Rafe calls from above. "Oh, and Sage? You're doing the right thing."
I keep moving, not looking back. I know his motives are self-serving. He wants me to become this super Prime, to be his secret weapon against the Institute. A man like Rafe, who lives to battle and wage war, is probably thrilled by the idea of turning me.
But I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing it to save Colt, Max, Link and the others. And to kill Ebony. This is the only way.
Myers is already down the passageway almost as if he has forgotten about me. The tunnel is all concrete, cold and gray. It isn't dirty or stuffy like I expected. Instead, it's surprisingly clean and smells faintly of tulips.
I draw my attention away from the narrow walls, keeping my breathing even, and focus on Myers. He takes a left, limping slightly on his right side. He must've been injured at some point, a bad one too. Primes usually have an amazing ability to heal well. My heart skips a beat as realization dawns on me. I will have this same ability soon! The thought of no longer hurting for days on end has me walking faster. I ignore the small voice in my head reminding me that those days are limited if I go through with this.
"How far does this tunnel go?" I ask.
We've been walking for ten minutes. Every once in a while, another opening will appear, shooting off in another direction. They seem to go on forever.
"It's not much further. Each tunnel goes to one of the main buildings in Enfield, and one of these actually leads outside of Enfield about two miles. That's how I sneak in."
"There's a secret entrance?" Had we known, it sure would've saved us a lot of trouble, not to mention lives.
He glances back at me. "I had it built several years ago right under Ebony's nose. She might've noticed had she not been so busy trying to control everyone."
"But how did you keep it secret from everyone else?"
"Oh, some people knew, but just the ones that frequented these tunnels, like the few that worked in Ebony's secret lab. It was easy enough to buy off the manager, then, over time, I replaced Ebony's people with people of my own. She trusted her manager so never questioned the new staff."
"Replaced? What happened to the people who were working there?"
He keeps walking and doesn't answer my question. I repress a shiver. I know so little about Myers or Rafe, but from what I have gathered so far, they are in this battle for the long haul. They probably have the philosophy that the end justifies the means.
"We're almost there," he says.
"The lab is under Enfield?"
"Where did you think it was?"
"Rafe made it sound like you were taking me to your lab, somewhere far away, I assumed."
"You assumed wrong." He turns another corner. A door prevents us from going further. "We needed a lab as close to Enfield as possible to have access to all of their supplies."
He presses his finger to a black box near the top. The door slides open revealing a small room with a long, wide counter that runs almost the whole length of the room. It's covered in all kinds of instruments, including a large metal box-like machine that looks like it could be used to bake bread, although I don't think that's what they are using it for. The walls are all white and the dozens of lights on the ceiling make the room seem even brighter.
Three heads turn our direction all at once. Two are female Techheads, who don't look much older than me. Their high foreheads are accentuated even more by their blond hair pulled back into tight buns. They look so similar, with matching neon green eyes, that I wonder if they are related. This would surprise me if it were true. It's rare for a parent to have more than one child. One of the consequences of messing with everyone's DNA for decades was low birth rates. The girls glance away, neither shocked or alarmed by our presence.
The other Prime, a tall, skinny male with caramel eyes, making him just a regular Prime, walks over to us and says, "You're early. I wasn't expecting you until morning."
"Things moved quicker than we expected." Myers's eyes flash to mine. "Sage, this is Zander, manager of DNA specialties."
Zander straightens but does not offer his hand. "I was hoping to meet you. I knew the moment Rafe suggested you for our project that you would be a perfect candidate. Originals with your skills, mind, and courage are rare."
I shift my gaze away from his. "Thank you, I think."
There are three rooms that I can see beyond this one. In one of them, the lights are turned low. There's a bed, much like the beds in the medical unit in Enfield. A large metal-looking box with some sort of robotic arm hangs from the ceiling. I wonder if that's where I will be changed. I sort of wish it could be somewhere more familiar and warm, somewhere that felt less mad scientist-ish.
"How long are you able to stay with us?" Zander asks Myers.
Myers glances down at his wrist pad. "Not long. I have to be back in DC in six hours."
"I don't know how you do it." Zander shakes his head and walks around to the other side of the long counter. "Sage, if you'll come over here, I'd like to draw your blood. Penny and Paisley are going to test it to make sure we give you the right dose."
I walk over to him, my legs heavy. Penny and Paisley—they must be sisters with such similar names—both eye me as I draw closer. Their blank expressions give no indication as to what they are thinking.
Zander motions at Myers to follow him into a back room. The door closes behind them. I attempt to swallow around a growing tightness in my throat, but it doesn't quite work, and
I have to clear my throat.
"Roll up your sleeve," the closest woman says, her voice smooth with a slight accent.
I do as she says. "Which one are you? Penny or Paisley?"
"Paisley." She ties a rubber strap around the top part of my arm.
"Are you two sisters?"
She nods.
"Twins?" I ask.
She nods again while preparing a syringe. I'm tempted to ask if they were bred by the Institute much in the same way the Institute created the Canines that had tracked me all the way to Eden, but I remain silent. It seems like too personal of a question.
Paisley presses a needle into the crook of my arm. Its sting is sharp, but I don't say anything. A few pumps of my heartbeat later, she removes the syringe and hands it to Penny.
"So what's next?" I ask.
"We make sure your blood is truly pure. We also need to check for genetic markers that might react to our modified pDNA."
I twist my fingers together. "What would happen if there was a reaction?"
The two sisters look at each other. Finally, Paisley says, "I'm sure everything will be fine."
"That's not what I asked. Are there any potential problems I should know about?"
Paisley returns to some paperwork in front of her. "You can speak about this with Zander. He knows more than we do."
"He knows more than Techheads?"
She actually cracks a smile at this and can't resist saying, "Of course not."
"Then tell me," I say, knowing exactly how to get a Techhead to talk, a result of spending too much time with Ebony. "You two are clearly the brains of the operation, and I want to know from the best."
Both of them open their mouths to answer, but Penny speaks faster. "The highly concentrated pDNA injections we are about to give you have been aggressively modified with every positive trait, like muscle strength, speed, heightened senses, but the pDNA may react differently if, let's say, your genetics have a predisposition to diseases like diabetes, certain cancers—"
"What will happen to me if they do?"
Paisley answers this time. "It could make the pDNA not as effective, or it could make it too strong and kill you within minutes of administering the drug."
Saving Eden (Original Series book 3) Page 6
