Saven Deception (31 page)

“I am. So, Jarod
did
tell you about
that.”

I nod.

“Do you know why he can’t remember that?”

I nod again.

“Tell me what happened last night.”

I tug my lower lip between my teeth. To
tell or not to tell? That’s the million-dollar question.

Vin clearly senses my inner turmoil. “Is
this to do with Logan?” His eyes hold steady on mine.

I’ve an odd feeling that my actions now
will somehow decide my fate. The burden of responsibility weighs heavy on me.

Do I trust Logan, or do I trust Vin?

My head wars with my heart.

Common sense fights against emotion.

Until I know more, I figure I’m best
acting cagey. There isn’t much harm in telling Vin about last night provided I
don’t divulge details of what we overheard or the things Logan confided in me
today. At least that way, I haven’t betrayed his faith in me.

Knowledge is power, and in the wrong hands,
power can be destructive. I can’t repeat what I’ve learned until I’m positive
I’m delivering it into the right hands, for the right reasons, and in support
of the right motivations and goals. Too many lives are at stake for me to make
a wrong move. To trust the wrong person. While I’ve always respected and liked
Vin, I don’t know him well enough to share what I’m privy to. Not until I’ve at
least had time to talk more to Logan and bring Jarod up to speed.

Vin is quietly surveying me while my inner
battle wages on. Summarizing quickly, I fill him in on what happened last night,
leaving out any mention of Haydn or Logan being present and omitting the
snippets of conversation we overheard.

“If you were administered the serum too,
how come you remember?”

“It didn’t work on me.”

He looks intrigued. “What about their mind
manipulation? Can you deflect that too?” I assume he means the foreign thoughts
that sometimes land in my mind out of thin air. It’s another aspect I need to
be briefed on. I add it to the growing mental checklist in my head.

“I think so. I hear the thoughts but I
don’t act on them. I’m able to discern that they aren’t my own.” Vin stares at
me with something akin to awe. “How do you know about that?”

“I figured it out,” he admits. “Dante
manipulated me a couple of times. You remember?”

“Yeah.” I easily recall the uncomfortable
moment in the Mock-Up Facility when Vin all but came on to me.

“Once my head was clear, I was immediately
suspicious, and I made a conscious decision to watch myself around him. The
next time he tried it, I was aware of the thought flying into my brain though I
couldn’t resist acting on it. Since then, I’ve been repelling the intrusion and
it’s working. I think with a strong enough will, and the right motivation,
humans can resist the alien mind trickery.”

Logan’s earlier words float back to me. He
said Jenna was
weak-willed
. Vin has definitely hit the nail on the head.
“I think you’re right.”

Vin looks visibly excited. “We need you
with us.” Reaching out, he wraps his hand around my wrist. “Will you join the
movement? I can ensure your application for a government position is approved,
and you can work alongside Jarod to feed us intelligence. Collectively, we
can
stop them. What do you say?”

Can I do it? Work for the same people who
wish to enslave me? Even if it’s to gather vital information for the rebels?

If I don’t do this, then I’m at Logan’s
mercy, and if he fails, or changes his mind, or if he’s misleading me, then
I’ll become a mindless drone, of no use to anyone. While I don’t want to
believe he’s lying to me, I can’t be naïve. At least this way, I can assist the
rebels in stopping the government before they destroy mankind, and actively
work to take back control of our lives and our destiny.

When I put it like that, there’s no other
choice. “I’m in.”

Vin hops up and claps me on the back.
“You’ll be a valuable asset. I’ll process the paperwork and ensure all the
loose ends are tied up.”

“Fine.” I step out of his embrace. “When
will I know?”

“I’ll confirm it in the next few days.
Don’t worry, our contacts are far-reaching. This is only a formality. Consider
it a done deal.”

“Good.” I smile tightly. Why does it feel
like I’ve just made a deal with the devil?

“One more thing, Sadie. You and Logan
appear to be close. Is that the case?”

Trust him to ask the one question I don’t
have the answer to. “I’m not sure. Things are kinda complicated between us
right now.” I shuffle from foot to foot.

He tilts his head and scrutinizes me. “Is
that on his side or yours?”

“Mine,” I freely admit.

“We need you to stay close to him. His
father is the main negotiator for the alien race, and Logan could be a valuable
source of information. Do whatever you need to do to get him to trust you. To
confide in you.”

Nausea makes an unwelcome appearance.
Though I’m confused over my feelings for Logan, and I’m still angry with him,
I’m not comfortable spying on him, or developing a relationship with him purely
to bleed him for information. But I don’t think Vin would appreciate those
sentiments. And I need that job because it’s looking like my only way out. Composing
my features, I nod my assent.

Vin grins widely, his over-white teeth
blinding me. “I’m so glad we had this conversation, Sadie. Keep your head down
and I’ll be in contact.” With that blatant dismissal, he leads me to the door
and we say our goodbyes.

I walk to Dante’s apartment like a zombie,
barely conscious of my feet moving. My mind grapples to adjust to this latest
development.

I can’t decide if things have gotten more,
or less, complicated. If I’ve gone from one snake-infested cesspit to another.

I rap on Dante’s door and he opens it
before my hand has even returned to my side. He stretches his arms out on top
of the doorframe. “Changed your mind, sweetheart? Decided to test-drive a real
man for a change?”

“Cut the crap, Dante.” I duck under his arm
into the room. “I wouldn’t be with you if my life depended on it.”

“Interesting choice of words.” He smirks.

“I’m here to speak to Jen. Where is she?”

I want to get down and dirty
with him.
The thought plops into my mind.

“Nice try.” I conceal my smug grin. No
sense in totally riling him up. I can’t forget that he could crush me in a
split second.

“I wonder if my father knows the extent of
your ability to deflect our influence?” Dante ponders, lounging comfortably
against the kitchen counter. “I think that’d definitely pique his interest.”

Dammit. I should’ve said nothing.
“Logan?”
I call out silently, but there’s no reply. I guess we need to be in the same
room to converse telepathically. Something else for my list. I’m sorry now that
I didn’t stick around earlier to find out the rest of what he had to say.

Deciding that casual indifference is my
best weapon, I school my features into a disinterested look. “Whatever, Dante.
Knock yourself out.”

Dante pushes off the counter and saunters
toward me. I reject my fear and straighten my spine. “Jen!” I call out.

“She’s resting.” He clasps my wrist
firmly. “And you’re leaving.” He starts dragging me back toward the door.

“Let go of me.”

“Sadie?” Jenna materializes in the bedroom
door. I’m shocked at her appearance. Her red shirt and black sweats hang off
her skeletal frame, and sunken cheekbones rise to meet ghoulish dark circles
under her eyes. Greasy hair falls to her bony shoulders in matted clumps. She
sways unsteadily and clasps the doorframe for support.

Dante releases me and strides toward her.
“You need to rest.” He cups her face gently.

I slip around him and dart into the
bedroom. He growls. “Go sit on the bed, Jen,” I command. She shuffles awkwardly
and flops down on top of the comforter. She moves as if she’s ninety years old.
I glower at Dante. “I’m talking to my friend. Go play with the traffic or
something.” Bravely, I slam the door shut in his face.

“No, Sadie,” Jen mumbles. “He’ll …”

The door flies inwards and I’m flung back
into the room. Dante stalks toward me. Dragging me up by the arm, he nearly
wrenches it from its socket. “You can’t hurt me. Remember what your father
said.” I’m pleased that I sound coolly collected, despite the terror running
riot within me.

He halts abruptly and his eyes narrow.
“What?”

Shoot. I think I’ve just let the cat out
of the bag. Time for some damage limitation. “Logan told me about being his,
eh, Eterno, and that your father has said I’m under the protection of the
Eterno Commandments.” I contort my mouth and inject as much disgust into my
facial expression.

A muscle flexes in his jaw as he stares at
me. Then his expression changes to one I’m more accustomed to. Grimacing, he
looks like he wants to rip me limb from limb. I work hard to keep my composure.
I refuse to appear visibly rattled. He presses his mouth to my ear and I
shudder. “I can’t touch
you
for now,” he snarls. “But I can, and I will,
hurt
her
if you don’t leave.”

For someone who isn’t human, he sure has a
good understanding of human nature. That’s the only thing he could say in this
moment to make me leave. I thrust his arm away. “You’re dead.” I eyeball him.
“Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day soon. If it’s the last thing
I do,” I hiss.

Amusement lights up his eyes, and he howls
as if I’ve told the funniest joke imaginable. “I’m quaking in my boots.” He
cracks out another laugh and my fists itch to acquaint themselves with his
face.

“I’m sorry, Jen. I’ll see you soon.” Her
eyes plead with me, and I feel like the worst friend in the world. My shoulders
hunch over as I make my exit.

I’m walking down the corridor toward my
apartment when Neve rounds the bend. “There you are,” she exclaims. “Haydn and
I have been looking for you.”

Tension ties knots in my stomach. “Well,
now you found me.” I avoid eye contact. Neve concealed all this from me too,
and I’m mad at her as well. Stomping ahead, I deliberately ignore her.

“Logan has to convene with his father
tonight, so he asked us to call in on you.” She catches up to me and easily
matches my strides.

“I don’t need a babysitter. And I need to
talk to Jarod.”

“Jarod is asleep. He won’t be waking up
anytime soon.”

That stops me dead in my tracks. Twisting
around, I push her into the wall. “What did you do to him?”

Neve’s eyes widen in alarm. “I didn’t do
anything to him! I called around earlier to check up on him. He told me he was
exhausted, which is usual by the way after the memory serum. He should be right
as rain by tomorrow.”

She speaks as if all this is totally
normal. Which I suppose it probably is for her.

“You know that I know about that?”

“Logan explained.” I wonder how much he
explained.

“You promise you didn’t mess with Jarod?”
I ask, narrowing my eyes.

She looks hurt. Removing my hands, she
shoves me away. “Of course, I didn’t! He’s my friend.” I pin her with a
skeptical look. “Look,” she says, putting her face in mine, “I get that you’re
pissed. Okay. But both of you mean the world to me, and I would never willingly
or knowingly place either of you in harm’s way. I called over because I was
concerned for him, and I wanted to make sure he was okay. That’s all. I can’t
believe you’d think I would deliberately hurt him.”

“Oh, please. Lose the wounded look. I know
you don’t have a conscience.” The words unwisely let loose on my tongue.

Neve’s eyes dart to the ceiling, and I
silently curse my impulsiveness. I look up and emit a relieved sigh at the
absence of cameras.

“Let’s talk back at your apartment. Come
on.” She attempts to coil her arm through mine, but I shoot her a glacial look
and she backs off. We walk in complete silence.

Haydn opens the door as we approach. He
winks at my unspoken question.

Sitting down on the couch, I kick off my
shoes. Neve goes ramrod straight beside me and her eyes glaze over. I stare at
her intently. Snapping out of it, she smiles. “It’s safe to talk.”

“What did you do?”

“Projected a shield.” She twists in her
seat and beams at me, beyond pleased with herself.

“Explain for the human?”

Haydn guffaws, surprising me. “Imagine an
invisible bubble surrounding us,” he says, “and those inside are mentally
shielded from those outside the bubble, so anything spoken in here can’t be
heard from outside. That’s what Neve has done.”

“Got it. What other powers do you guys
have?” I’m imaging Thor and Loki and a whole host of cool abilities.

“Our powers emanate from our minds,” Neve
says, angling her chin. “We can embed thoughts in others and ensure they act on
it. I believe you’re aware of that one.” Elegantly, she crosses her legs and
levels a knowing look at me.