“No, you can do them both here, in my presence.”
“Ah, they told me you’re like that, too possessive to let your Zeds alone with anyone else. Well, we’re backed up today and already didn’t have the time to do them both separately. If you want to be present for each of them, you’ll need to stay overnight and have one done in the morning.”
“I’m sure we can fit them both in today.” The thought of staying any longer in this horrid place made Malcolm almost as uncomfortable as leaving one of his Zeds alone with the Geneticists.
“Sorry, can’t.” The man went back to preparing his materials. “It’s still going to be a minute or two until I’m ready. You can walk one of them next door.”
Kaleana’s slim hand slipped into Malcolm’s, her caution to think before he acted. Malcolm merely nodded and took a few steps down the hallway, out of sight of the Geneticist.
“We can’t stay the night.” Will’s nerves slipped into his voice. “Nick and Stu would freak out. They’re all fretting enough as it is.”
Malcolm appreciated his concern for the others, but he also wondered how much of his reluctance was due to his own desire to not stay in the Eval Center. Besides, he had to know that Malcolm would choose to stay with him.
“I promised I’d be there for both of you. Your safety comes first. The boys will get over it.”
“Nothing has ever happened. Better to get it over with quickly and back home.” Kaleana was right, as always, but that did little to soothe Malcolm’s nerves. However, the sooner they got home, the sooner Malcolm’s nerves would calm down.
The door to the second exam room opened, and a Geneticist stepped out. “I’m ready.”
Kaleana squeezed Malcolm’s hand and whispered, “Go with Will. I’ll be fine. He needs you more than I do, and you need him.” She stepped away and let the Geneticist escort her into the room, throwing a smile over her shoulder at him just before the door closed behind her. Malcolm looked to Will and thanked the Spark Kaleana had taken the choice from him. He didn’t want to hurt her by choosing Will.
“Are you ready?”
“Of course. Thanks for staying with me.”
“I couldn’t leave you alone.” Malcolm placed a hand on the small of Will’s back and gestured to the still open door. Once they crossed the threshold, the door slid shut, blocking out what little sound that came from the hallway. For a moment, Malcolm had the distinct feeling of suffocating in an airtight chamber but resolutely pushed the feeling aside. He had nothing to fear. Only good would come from this visit. For the first time, he entered one of these exam rooms as a revolutionary. After years of constant work, he was taking the first real step toward toppling the Geneticists. He knew the collars they had made held the key to finding a weakness to exploit. If nothing else, they would reveal the truth. That’s all they needed.
“Get up on the table. You don’t need to undress. We won’t be doing an evaluation.” The Geneticist took charge. He didn’t appear as foul as Stanton had, but Malcolm didn’t trust any Geneticist. He hovered behind Will, close enough so his lover could feel his presence and so he could stare down at the Geneticist who sat on a rolling stool in front of the table.
Without a word, the Geneticist grabbed Will’s arm and disinfected the skin with a perfunctory wipe. He shoved a needle in Will’s arm and sighed as a vial filled with blood, as if the speed of Will’s circulatory system was a great inconvenience. When the vial filled, the Geneticist replaced it with another.
“I thought only one blood sample was needed.”
“No, we’re taking three.”
Malcolm didn’t like surprises. He didn’t doubt that the collars would pass whatever tests the Geneticists threw at them, but it still irked him.
“Now we’re just going to get a last scan on the old model.” The Geneticist held his tab over the back of Will’s collar. “All right, time to make the switch. Lie down on your stomach.”
Will twisted and stretched until he lay prone. Malcolm moved to the head of the table to ensure Will could still see some part of him. A slight chill went through Will, likely due to the cold metal table. Deciding not to care about appearances, Malcolm placed a hand on Will’s shoulder.
“If you think he’ll move, you may want to hold him still. The connection between the collar and the spine is quite tenuous. One move at the wrong moment and you’ll be back down here with another Zed.”
Malcolm didn’t need any more encouragement. He removed his suit coat, draped it over Will’s legs for a bit of warmth, and sat on the head of the table, taking Will’s head into his lap.
“All right, just hold his head still and I’ll disconnect the old collar.” The Geneticist picked up what appeared to be a small, thin screwdriver and disconnected the sides of the collar. When the front of the collar was free, Malcolm removed it from around Will’s neck. All that remained was the back half. It was the first—and likely only—time Malcolm would see Will without the metal encircling his neck. He’d seen every part of Will, memorized every bit of skin in their time together, but here was something new.
An irrational part of him wanted to rush Will away as soon as the rest of the collar was removed. Without his collar, Will would no longer be a Zed. The Geneticists didn’t even think of the possibility of Will escaping without a collar, otherwise there would be enhanced security. It would never have occurred to them that an Alpha would want to free his Zed. Certainly not the dark, mysterious, and cruel Malcolm Price.
The Geneticist continued his work, removing the part of the collar that covered where it fused with the spine. “Your new model is really amazing technology, Mr. Price. We were all quite excited when we were given the prototype to mess with. I can’t wait to see how it works on a live subject.”
Malcolm wished the man would shut up. His prattling grated. Once the Geneticist lifted away the outer covering, it was time to remove the heart of the collar: the sensor. As soon as the Geneticist began to pull the bulky base of the collar that held the sensor, Will’s breathing accelerated, and he squirmed.
“Calm down, Will. Don’t move.” Kaleana had been right. Will needed him. He tried to act brave, but the trauma of his past was too fresh to be so easily dismissed. Malcolm pressed his hand more firmly on Will’s head, trying to comfort him as much as he could under the circumstances.
Will settled, and the last part of the collar was lifted away. All that remained was the little metal anchor that the new collar would be attached to. If Will grew out his hair, there’d be no sign that he had ever been a Zed. A few minutes in a Med Machine and his leg could be fixed. That’s what Will would be like if the system didn’t exist. This moment was the closest Malcolm would ever get to seeing that version of the man he loved.
Will would be furious if he could hear Malcolm’s thoughts. He held absolute faith that they would change the system. Neither one of them knew what that world looked like yet, but deep down, Will held out hope that someday he would live without the collar. Malcolm marveled at his faith. He needed to believe it too. So when the Geneticist placed the new collar and prepared to attach it, Malcolm tried to convince himself he’d see Will’s bare neck again someday.
A shrill scream pierced the air.
Malcolm’s heart clenched.
“Master!” Will’s hands scrambled for purchase on Malcolm’s sleeves, his fingers digging into the flesh once he got hold.
Will. Will needed him. Will wouldn’t have ever used that word to refer to Malcolm unless he was calling on their old signal from Walken’s house. It was probably the only thing that could have shocked Malcolm back to the present. Malcolm needed to stay still, to crush the instinct that urged him to his feet, ready to defend. That split second of having to hold on to Will to protect his spine from injury allowed him to regain himself.
But Will hadn’t been the source of the scream.
Kaleana. The scream had come from next door. He needed to get to her, but he couldn’t, not until Will’s collar was safely in
place. The Geneticist continued his work as if nothing had happened. How many such screams had he been the cause of?
In Malcolm’s lap, Will held still, but his breaths came in an erratic rhythm. All Malcolm needed to do was stay calm. His anxiety would only make Will’s worse. The only sound in the room was the occasional scratch of the Geneticist’s tool against the metal of the collar. At least it appeared to be going on without complication.
Once all of the pieces of the collar were clicked into place, the Geneticist scanned it with his tab to make sure everything was in working order.
“Looks like we have a good seal. The sensor appears to be fully functional, and we’re receiving data.”
“So it’s safe for him to move now?”
“Yes, if he could just sit up, I can finish.”
A slight tremble permeated Will’s movements as he complied.
“I need to check on my other Zed. If you can wait for just a moment before doing the injection.” As soon as Will’s head rose from his lap, Malcolm stood and was halfway to the door by the time the Geneticist spoke.
“Go on, I’ll be done by the time you return.”
“No.” Malcolm turned to find Will trembling under the suit coat that he had pulled off his legs and around himself. Everything should be fine. It was a simple serum injection like Will had experienced every year of his life. Perfectly normal. But what if the serum was what had caused Kaleana’s scream? He couldn’t leave Will. “Go ahead. I’ll stay until it’s done.” Only a few more minutes. Kaleana would be fine for a few more minutes.
Malcolm took his place behind Will, his heart rate increasing with each passing second. He had half a mind to grab Will and take him next door with him, but he needed to be wise. Getting to Kaleana sooner wouldn’t change anything, but his actions could endanger them. They couldn’t risk any suspicion. Kaleana was fine. He couldn’t endanger Will and the rest of his family by doing anything that might lead the Geneticists to take a closer look at him, especially now that they had successfully infiltrated the DGI. Malcolm couldn’t do anything that deviated from the possessive, sadistic aura he had cultivated. He’d been able to hide his concern behind possessiveness in the past, but that wouldn’t work here. Kaleana had been right: he needed Will. If something was wrong, Will was the only person who could keep Malcolm from making a terrible mistake.
The sharp hiss of air being sucked through Will’s teeth focused Malcolm. The injection always burned. That wasn’t anything unusual.
“He’s all done. I know you’re in a hurry to get home, and I’ve got another appointment I’m late for. We’ll contact you if there appears to be a problem so you can fix it.”
Malcolm didn’t know if the Geneticist had anything else to say. He was putting on his suit coat as he followed Will to the door. His partner hadn’t needed any prompting to leave.
A Geneticist stood outside the open door to the next room. “Mr. Price, I’m sorry, but—“
Malcolm didn’t hear anything else. Will ran past them to the table, to Kaleana’s lifeless body.
Chapter Eleven
Will’s mind whirled. She appeared asleep, but her skin was already cold. He pushed aside her chestnut hair to see her collar glowing red.
Red. The sign of death.
Will’s heart broke. She couldn’t be dead. Kaleana couldn’t die. Their family needed her too much. Malcolm would be devastated.
Malcolm. He’d kill the Geneticist who did this. Will couldn’t think about anything other than keeping the situation under control. A houseful of people he loved needed him to keep a cool head because Malcolm would be incapable of it. Only a second or two had passed, and every thought and instinct in Will’s body focused on getting them out of the Eval Center alive and back home where they could fall apart. He needed to manage Malcolm’s reaction.
Tears sprung to Will’s eyes and he flung himself on Malcolm, wrapping his arms firmly around his neck. “She’s dead, Master,” he sobbed loudly enough so the Geneticist could hear. He didn’t think a silly code word would really make much difference, but it had appeared to work earlier. The only hope he had of them getting out of here safely was to focus Malcolm on him. He stood on tiptoe and put his lips to Malcolm’s ear, whispering as softly as he could, “Get us home. Please.”
Will had never felt so alone as when Malcolm refused to embrace him. He needed the support. His hold on Malcolm tightened as all life poured out of his legs, leaving his knees hollow. The weight of the situation threatened to crush him. Malcolm’s arms hung by his sides, his fists clenched, knuckles white. It could all end here.
“We’ll dispose of the body for you.”
As soon as the Geneticist spoke the first word, Will lowered one of his arms to take Malcolm’s fist in his hand, trying to relax it. “We need you,” he whispered. For a second, Will didn’t know whether Malcolm would attack the man who had spoken or not.
His fist relaxed in Will’s hand, fingers entwining, and Will felt a reassuring squeeze. Malcolm would know what to do.
“There’s no need. I can take care of it.” Malcolm’s voice sounded hollow to Will, but he hoped it came off as cold and detached.
“Nonsense. We’ll need to do some tests to see if it’s the new collar that caused the problem.”
Malcolm’s jaw clenched against Will’s cheek, and Will tightened the grip of his arm that still encircled Malcolm’s neck. Malcolm wouldn’t do anything that would physically harm Will, so the safest thing he could do was stay as entwined as possible to the other man. “Please. Let’s leave. She’s not here anymore.”
“We’ll contact you with the results of our investigation.”
“See that you do.” Malcolm tugged on Will’s hand, and Will let go of his neck. As they turned to leave, Will took one last look at Kaleana, burning the image of her into his mind. He wanted to scoop her up and take her home with them. The thought of leaving her was abhorrent to him, but he’d been correct: she wasn’t here anymore.
As they walked out of the exam room, Malcolm’s eyes were cold, cavernous depths. Will didn’t know how he’d be able to help him, and it was no use thinking about it. All he needed to do was get them to the car, and that could prove challenging enough.
The door slid shut behind them and Malcolm’s strides lengthened along with his pace. Will struggled to keep up as his left leg practically dragged along, his hand clasped in Malcolm’s almost painfully. “Master.”
Malcolm squeezed his hand tighter, a signal to stop calling him that, but he also slowed. Will kept his eyes firmly on his Alpha, searching for any sign of trouble that he might need to head off. If they could just make it through the building without being stopped by anyone, he thought they’d be fine.
No, not fine. Fine was a far way off. Fine might forever be a dream. But they’d at least be able to make it home.
The elevator was empty. Will’s hand hesitated over the buttons. What floor had they parked on? It seemed like a lifetime ago. Malcolm pulled Will behind him and touched his Glass Tab to the panel. Of course—their parking ticket.
Alone with Malcolm, Will wanted to talk, but there was no sense in starting something they couldn’t finish. The elevator stopped, and the door opened to the parking garage. Malcolm led them straight to the car.
In the passenger’s seat lay Will’s Glass Tab. He grabbed it and silenced all calls and notifications as he sat. Malcolm handed him his before he walked around to the driver’s side, and Will did the same to it. They couldn’t take any calls. Once they were both seated with the doors closed, Will automatically turned to see Kaleana, only to be greeted by her tab where she had left it. He couldn’t indulge any feelings; all he could do was silence her tab as he had the others.
“It might be a good idea to set the autopilot.”
All Will got was a grunt in response as Malcolm’s hands curled around the steering wheel. He chose not to fight it. Malcolm needed something to concentrate on. The car sped out of the garage and onto the busy street
. Only Alphas could manually drive their vehicles. Betas were required to use the autopilot function, another way for the government to control and monitor their movements. One advantage to this control was smooth traffic patterns, but Malcolm couldn’t drive as fast as Will knew he wanted to.
Malcolm’s thumb tapped over the button that would allow him to take to the air and fly out of the city, yet another perk of being an Alpha, but it lasted only a few seconds before he settled into traffic, gripping the wheel as if he were racing. Will took a little comfort in Malcolm following his predictable patterns of behavior. It gave Will the illusion of control—or at least comprehension—of the situation.
Malcolm’s gaze darted to the rearview mirror, the empty seat, and tears leaked from the corner of his amber eye.
“Keep it together. Just wait until we get home, where we know we’re safe from prying eyes.” Will wanted nothing more than to have Malcolm pull over and let him scream and shout. Then again, that wasn’t in his nature. Perhaps he was projecting his own desires onto Malcolm. But he didn’t have the energy to be angry. All he had was a dark pit that filled his insides. How would he help Malcolm? How would he continue life? They all depended on Kaleana for so much. But none of those questions mattered right now, because how would he tell the others of her death?
As soon as they left the city limits, Malcolm pushed the bullet car faster than Will had even known it could go. By the time they were halfway home, Malcolm’s silent tears had slowed. When the gate to the compound came into view, the tears had stopped altogether. Malcolm’s eyes were dry, cold, tormented, and distant. The sight of them sent a cold lance through Will that twisted his gut into a painful knot. Had he just made a terrible mistake? Malcolm’s wall stood firm. The drive had given him time to build his defenses. They should have found a private place to talk. He should have had Malcolm pull over as soon as they were out of the city. There’d been a small opportunity when Malcolm had allowed himself to feel, to shed tears. It might be gone forever. Will should have anticipated this, broken through the wall before Malcolm had a chance to fortify it.
[In Distress 02.0] In Pain Page 8
