Saven Deception (28 page)

Wordlessly, I hand Jarod the binoculars. I
shouldn’t be surprised. It was my initial instinct when I first landed in the
Mock-Up Facility and spotted all the star tattoos. That there have only been a
handful of bullions and coins participating in “The Experimento” is no
accident.

The government has no intention of
rehousing the upper or middle classes to the new underwater cities. If this
construction site is any indication, then the word “city” is misplaced too.
These are underwater work colonies for the lower classes, nothing more, nothing
less.

Thalassic City is an illusion. A carefully
orchestrated entrapment. And we’ve all been duped into bringing the illusion to
life. Even my old life holds more appeal than this prospect. And I don’t admit
that lightly.

“This is sickening,” I fume. “This has
been their intention the whole time. And we’ve been part of some elaborate ploy
to convince the lower classes that moving underwater would be a step up, when,
in reality, it’s like journeying through time to the Dark Ages.”

Jarod rests his chin in his hands as he
leans over the railing. “I wish I could say I’m surprised but I can’t. I’ve
known all along that the government had an ulterior motive, but I didn’t think
they’d go this far. Do you think anyone will even have a choice?”

 “Not likely. Here, give me those again.”
I stretch across him and take the binoculars. I scour the entire land in all
directions, and all that peppers the barren landscape are warehouses and
clusters of living sectors. There are no forests or greenery here, no cascading
waterfalls or gushing rivers, no slick shopping districts or social boulevards,
and no residential suburbs with carefully manicured lawns. 

No realization of dreams.

Nothing but a depressing future as slaves
to the state awaits the lower class.

A heavy pressure settles on my chest. That
I’ve been an unwitting accomplice to deception on such a large scale sickens me
to the pit of my stomach.

“We should go,” Jarod says. “I don’t want
to be exposed when the others come out of the warehouse.” I follow him
silently.

When we reach solid ground again, we tiptoe
softly around the corner of the warehouse and walk in the direction of the
Humvee, taking care to keep our backs flat to the wall as far as we can. The
sounds of bickering tickle my eardrums and I’m instantly inquisitive. Fear
fights with curiosity and righteous anger inside me. Logan is a part of this.
Gut-wrenching disappointment and sorrow joins the melting pot of my mixed
emotions.

Has it all been a lie? 

Without any concern for my safety, I drop
to the ground and wriggle on my belly until I’m underneath the first lit
window. Jarod curses low on his breath as he follows me. I crawl under the
ledge and secure my back to the wall, tucking my legs up under my chin. The
window is open at the top and the voices carry clearly.

“Now that we’ve agreed on that much, can
you confirm when the next shipment will be ready?” a nasally voice says.

“Seventy-two hours,” an accented voice
replies. I recognize the intonation. He’s the man I saw in the Mock-Up Facility
with Dante, at the City Hall event, and that morning in the building outside
campus. Obviously another alien. That would explain the weird accent.

“Good, good,” the first voice says.

“What progress has been made in Sector Twenty?”
the alien says.

“The last batch look promising although
it’s early days,” Commissioner Williams says. I’d recognize his voice anywhere.
He’s never off the airwaves.

“What’s the average turnaround time?” the
alien asks.

“Eight weeks for this group. We’re
monitoring their stats on a daily basis, and we should be able to narrow it
down conclusively in the next week or two,” the commissioner replies.

“I want reports sent to my office
tomorrow. I need to understand the pattern so I can instruct our citizens.”

“Of course, Sir,” the commissioner says.

Jarod and I trade puzzled expressions.

“Assuming we’ve identified the correct
method this time,” the nasally voice says, “how soon can we start sending
residents of the Outer Circle for processing? The president is anxious to
colonize these cities as soon as possible and to start the reconstruction
project above ground.” So nasally voice is our esteemed VP. Go figure.

I stuff my fist in my mouth to quell my
vitriol. Jarod motions with his head toward the vehicle. I’ve heard about all I
can take anyway. I shunt forward on my belly until I’m beyond the second window
frame. Jarod helps me up and we edge toward the corner of the building. We can
scoot over to the Humvee from this end once we circle back and approach it from
behind. Stopping at the corner of the warehouse, I turn toward Jarod. I’m
wrenched back forcefully, and a hand clamps roughly over my mouth.

Instinct kicks in and I thrash about in my
captor’s arms. Jarod flies around the corner and receives a fist in the face
for his trouble. Dropping to the ground with a thud, he is out cold. “Stop
kicking me,” Haydn says. “I’m going to release you, but you can’t scream or
move. We can’t alert others to the fact you are here. Okay?”

I nod and he lets me go. Twirling around,
I stagger back when I spot the thunderous look on his face. “This is beyond
stupid!” He’s livid. “What were you thinking?!”

“Maybe I’m fed up of being kept in the
dark!” I hiss, injecting venom into my words.

“Logan was planning on explaining
everything tomorrow. Couldn’t you have waited a few more hours?”

“It wasn’t—”

“Shush,” Haydn says, jerking his head
urgently. “I need to get you both out of here now. Quickly, follow me.” Bending
down, he swipes an unconscious Jarod off the ground with a grunt. Swinging him
over his shoulders, he pushes me in front of him, and we run along the side of
the building. Rounding the corner, I slam full force into a solid mass and fall
back against Haydn. His hand snakes around my waist as he steadies me.

An excruciating pain whips up and down my
arm and I cry out. Stars blur my vision and my head throbs painfully at the
point of impact.

“Well, well, well,” Dante says, in that
menacing tone of his. “This must be my lucky day.”

“Walk faster,” Dante growls, shoving me in the back. I
stumble, lose my balance, and crash to the ground. Twisting around at the last
minute, I narrowly avoid further injury to my wrist. Dante smirks and then he
kicks me savagely in the side. I scream as a sharp pain rips through my
ribcage.

“Sir,” Haydn says through gritted teeth. I
stare at him incredulously. “I don’t think the crown prince will be happy with
this course of action.”

“The crown prince can kiss my ass.”

Haydn shoots me an apologetic look as he
helps me off the ground. Jarod remains unconscious, slung across his shoulders.
Dante grabs my upper arm and drags me along.

We enter the warehouse at the rear of the
building and walk through a dimly lit narrow corridor. Dante pushes through the
metal door at the end of the passageway, and we enter a vast vaulted space equipped
like an assembly line. Humongous high-rise containers intersperse with rows of
silver-plated steel countertops that run the length and breadth of the
cavernous space. Rimmed by innumerable intricate pipes that flow in and out of
the vats, workstations are already prepped for operation.

The group of officials is huddled at the
far end of the space under a glowing light. They are engaged in an animated
discussion around an image projected on the holoscreen. At the sound of
approaching footsteps, a number of heads swivel in our direction.

Logan slowly stands and his eyes pierce
mine. His poker face gives nothing away. The memorable, tall dark-haired alien
male looks strangely amused. Alarm registers in the VP’s eyes as he stares at
me.

“Let me handle this!
”
A voice booms clearly in my mind. My eyes pop wide as I stare suspiciously at
Logan. This caution can only have come from him.

“What do we have here?” the alien male
asks, walking to my side. He glances from Dante to me to Jarod.

“Logan’s little pet and her human sidekick,”
Dante snarls. His nails dig into my arm. The movement causes the throbbing pain
in my wrist to intensify and I wince.

Logan takes a step toward me. “You’re
hurt.”

The alien male props a cautionary hand on
his shoulder. “Wait, son.”

That man is Logan’s father?

His father takes a step forward. He pinches
my chin in his hand, extending my neck uncomfortably. “What are you doing
here?”

“
Don’t lie. He can tell.
”

I’ve no option but to trust Logan even if
my faith in him is significantly shaken. “We were curious to see what was being
built alongside Thalassic City. So we snuck onboard the Subvee and followed you
here.” My voice trembles a little and Dante snickers.

“Don’t they say curiosity killed the cat?”
Logan’s father says. He looks me over with obvious contempt. His eyes are a
startling shade of blue and a close match to Logan’s. But the cold harsh
inhuman glare is all his own. If I was secretly harboring any hope that Jarod
is mistaken over Logan’s true identity, I’m not anymore. That his father isn’t
human isn’t up for debate. Outwardly, he looks like one of us, but I’ve never
met anyone with less humanity.

My knees knock together, and if Dante
wasn’t gripping me so forcefully, I’d probably collapse. Intense fear whips
through me, as I comprehend the extent of the danger we’re in. Jarod chooses
that exact moment to regain consciousness, emitting a low moan as he lifts his
head and surveys the scene. Haydn plants his feet on the ground and holds him
much the same way Dante is holding me. “Don’t move,” he advises.

Jarod looks sideways at me, a puzzled look
on his face.

“Who are you?” Logan’s father asks him.

“Who are
you
?” Jarod retorts.

Dante slams his fist into Jarod’s temple
without warning and Jarod stumbles back. Haydn steadies him. “You will address
King Adjani with respect,” Dante growls.

My eyes bug out of my head.
Good God.
Logan is not just any alien. He’s alien royalty?

“Screw you,” Jarod says. I’m unsure if
he’s addressing the king or Dante.

Dante releases his hold on me and throws a
savage punch direct to Jarod’s gut. He lands blow after blow to Jarod’s upper
torso and face and blood spurts forth spraying his white shirt. “Now look what
you’ve done,” Dante grumbles, glancing at his stained T-shirt. The next blow
whips Jarod’s head back with such force that I scream involuntarily.

“Stop hurting him! Please. You’re going to
kill him!” The king still has my chin clasped in his hand and he’s obscuring my
view of Logan.

“
Logan!
Do something
!” I
shout silently, hoping the message somehow gets through. Dante grins
psychotically before throwing another punch at Jarod.

“Father,” Logan says, stepping forward.
“It would be prudent to interrogate him to ascertain what he knows. Killing him
will achieve little.” He sounds maddeningly calm.

“Dante,” the king says. “Your brother is
right. Put him in that chair.” He releases my chin and snags my arm. Thrusting
me toward Logan, he says, “Secure her to the other chair.”

Logan gently takes my arm. I glare at him.
Not once did he mention the fact that The Hulk was his brother.
“It’ll be
okay, Sadie. Let me handle this. I won’t let them harm Jarod or you. I love
you.”

Dante drags two chairs from the table and
positions them side by side. I stare blankly ahead as Logan helps me into a
seat. Taking my damaged wrist between his fingers, he softly probes the swollen
tissue at the bone. My eyes water as pain lances through me. Concern shimmers
in his eyes but he hides it well. He ties my uninjured hand to the side of the
chair as Dante pulls Jarod’s hands around the back of the chair and pins them
together.

The king looms over us. “Look at me,” he
commands. Jarod’s head is tilted forward and blood pumps out of his nose. He
doesn’t look up and I follow suit, staring defiantly ahead.

A searing hot pain whips across my cheek,
and my head flies back with the force of the slap.

“Father!” Logan says. “Stop.”

The king stares at him inquisitively.
“Why?” He surveys his son as if he’s a foreign species he cannot understand.
“You said you weren’t interested in her?”

Logan clears his throat. “It’s not that.
She’s already hurt and there will be questions asked if they arrive back in
Thalassic City with obvious injuries.”

“Who said anything about letting them go
back? They’ve seen too much. They need to be eliminated.”

Rampant terror washes over me.

“King Adjani,” the VP speaks up. “I must
protest. We’ve been screening highlights of ‘The Experimento’ throughout the
nation, and both these young people are known to the populace at large. If
either of them should disappear without explanation, too many questions would
be asked. We can’t afford for anything to derail our plans when we’re so close
to achieving our aims. Surely, there’s another course of action that can be
taken.”

“My esteemed King,” Logan says, bowing
deferentially. “If I may pose a suggestion.”

“Tool,” Dante mutters. Logan ignores him.

“Continue,” the king replies, his mouth
set in a displeased line.

“Apply the targeted memory erase serum.
Then anything they’ve witnessed will be lost to them and the operation will be
secure. They can return to Thalassic City and no one will be any the wiser.”

“What?!”
I hope I’m screaming it at Logan.
“Are you insane?”

“
It’s the only way, Sadie. You don’t
know what he’s capable of. I do.”

“It won’t work on her,” Dante says,
directing his statement to his father. “I’ve told you she has adequately
deflected mind implant, and her will is too strong. She should be terminated.
The unknown is too much of a threat.”

“Fuck you, Dante.” The words shoot out of
my mouth.

Dante crouches down in front of me. “Oh,
sweetheart, I’d happily sign up for that.” He glances briefly at Logan and
smirks. Super-fast—so fast I don’t see it coming—he reaches out and rips my top
right up the middle, exposing my bra and oodles of naked skin. His hand slips
into the left-side bra cup and he squeezes my bare flesh. My whole body
trembles with fear and loathing. I puke a little in my mouth.

Logan is on him in an instant, flinging
him off to the side. He trembles with rage. Stalking toward his brother, they
get into it straightaway, trading jabs and punches, both of them ducking and
darting, slamming and crashing.

“Isn’t this entertaining,” the king says,
his eyes roaming the swell of my breasts.

“
Logan!
” My heart thuds
frantically.

“Leave her alone,” Jarod grits out as
Logan manifests in front of me. His hair is all messy and his cheeks are
flushed from exertion. Shucking out of his sweater, Logan tenderly pulls it
over my head. He threads my uninjured arm through the long sleeve, bunching it
up to my elbow. His fingers brush the skin on my collarbone, and I jump from
the contact. “
I promised I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, and I intend
to keep that promise. Trust me, Sadie
.”

“This is an unexpected development,” the king
says, pondering his son. “Have you chosen her after all?”

“Not exactly,” Logan replies with a neutral
expression. “It’s a little more complicated than that.” Jarod risks a quick peek
at me, and I have to smother my anguished gasp. His nose is still oozing blood,
and he has several lacerations and cuts to his face.

“Explain,” the king demands.

“She’s my Eterno,” Logan says, exuding
superiority. “She can’t be harmed.” He shoots a warning look at Dante.

The king staggers back, a mixture of
shock, awe, and horror on his face. His mouth hangs open. “It can’t be, Logan.
She is human!” His jaw slackens.

“I don’t claim to understand it, Father,
but I’ve told you the truth. Check for yourself.” Logan steps forward, his
posture stiff.

The king fixes his large hand over Logan’s
forehead, and his brow furrows in concentration. He stumbles back, astounded.
“It’s true. The first in … How can this be?” He looks to Logan for answers.

“I don’t know, Father. But you’ve verified
the truth for yourself. Sadie is my intended, and from this point on, she has
the protection of the Eterno Commandments. She cannot be harmed. I formally
accept responsibility for her.”

My head is swimming with the revelation
though I barely understand a word of it. Irrespective of the exact specifics,
he has openly declared himself in front of his father. At any other time, I’d
be swooning. But it rather pales into the background when there’s such a direct
threat dangling over my head.

The king clasps Logan’s hand and bows. “I
confirm formal responsibility. However, I request that you refrain from
accelerating the Eterno process until we’ve had some time to digest this news
and opportunity to research the implications. I take it you’ve not had sex with
her yet.”

Logan’s fists clench by his sides. “No,
sir.”

Anger and humiliation churn in my gut.

“Can you keep your hands to yourself?” the
king inquires. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Commissioner Williams
smirking. Dante looks like the dog just chewed his favorite toy. My cheeks
flush.

“I am in control, sir, and I’ll treat
Sadie with respect.”

The VP looks decidedly on edge. Jarod
growls and I caution him with my eyes.

“Good. Until further notice,” the king
says, eyeballing Haydn and Dante, “Sadie is protected by the Eterno
Commandments. This will remain a private matter for the time being. When
confirmed, it will be announced via public edict. In the meantime, this is
strictly confidential. You can inform Neve.” He faces Logan. “Sadie is to
receive the memory erase serum for her own protection.”

Logan’s father bends down, inspecting me
with shrewd eyes. His fingers flit through my hair and he looks pensive. When
his eyes zone in on my lips, I have to fight my visible trembling. His cold
eyes soften at the corners as he kisses me on the cheek. Inwardly, I cringe. “I
look forward to getting to know you, my dear.” He pats my hand and straightens
up. “Take some blood, from both of them. And fix their injuries.”

Logan opens his mouth to object, but the
VP gets in there first. “Is that really necessary?”

I can’t see the king’s expression from
this position, but it’s obviously enough to quell any objection and the VP
clams up. “Let’s be done with this,” the king says. “I have a prior engagement
arranged, and I need to return to my quarters.” He wipes his hands in a
cleansing gesture.

Logan removes the cuff around my injured
wrist and carefully helps me pull my arm through the other sleeve of his
sweater. He sets a light kiss on my forehead. “I will take care of you,” he
says publicly. In private, he says, “
I’ll explain everything to you later.
For now, please go along with this.”