Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 53529 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53529 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
“What do you want?” I suddenly remember that he wants me dead, and I’m supposed to kill him. It’s time. I have to do it. I just wish I weren’t wearing a white bath towel with a semi-chub. Awkward.
I’m about to lunge when he holds out his hand defensively and says, “I never poisoned those cities!”
“Oh really?”
“Yes, really. I didn’t do it. How could I?”
“Maybe you used your big evil brain? Same one you used to kill a bunch of people at my university?”
“Fair point. But it would take ten million gallons to dose LA’s water supply.”
“I saw the news, Morris. Everyone in LA is looting, burning buildings, going totally crazy.”
He looks at me all funny.
“Yes, I know—not so unusual for LA, but the entire city?” I say.
“The government leaked the story. That’s what the public’s reacting to. They all think they’re going to die. I’m being blamed.”
“Why would the government leak that?” It’s created chaos.
“They’ve been after me for months, Huff. Me and Keni. I don’t know how they tracked us down in France, but they did. But I wasn’t home when they raided us, so they took Keni. Ever since, I’ve been going back and forth with them. They want me to figure out how you were made in exchange for Keni’s life. But I can’t do it. I’ve tried every possible variable and relooked at every test batch I dumped out into that pond. I can’t figure out what transformed you, Huff.”
Good. “So what about my blood? And the demand for MJP’s records? Where’d that land you?”
“I was only trying to buy more time. For Keni.”
So they were red herrings. “Why not tell me what was going on when we met in Paris?” Oh. I know. Because he’s a psychopath.
“I thought if I could entice you to my side with money and a promise to change the system that’s been hunting you down, you’d be more likely to help. Your brother’s a powerful man. He’s the one who had Keni taken.”
Kyle is in on this? Why am I not surprised?
“I get that you won’t ever trust me, Huff, but I swear it’s the truth. Just ask your brother. They took my sister. They set you up to go to Paris, where I was supposed to kidnap you.”
“Wrong,” I say. “They sent me there to kill you.”
“They knew you wouldn’t have the balls.”
“What? I have…all right, I didn’t then, but I’ve been upping my murder game, so don’t underestimate me now, Morris. Also, I don’t believe you.”
“You should because I’m the only reason you’re still alive. They sent you to Paris so I could dissect you.”
“They gave me a mild sedative so they could trace us back to your lab.”
“They lied. What they gave you would have knocked you out for hours. They were playing you, Huff. All they care about is the recipe to make more people like you. World domination.”
My mind starts replaying pieces of that day in my head. Something about it felt off—the overly theatric extraction, not to mention their crappy-as-fuck plan. It didn’t make sense.
Is it possible Morris is telling the truth? Kyle was pissed when I returned from Paris, but maybe it wasn’t because I failed to kill Morris. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to return at all.
But would my own brother have me killed? Part of me doesn’t want to believe it. The other part knows what he’s capable of. He’s a “win at all costs” sort of guy.
“So why didn’t you sedate me?” I ask.
“Like I said, by then, I already knew I couldn’t deliver what they want—a stable formula. My only option was to turn the tables on them. After I got your blood in Paris, I told them I finally figured it out, but unless they returned Keni—alive and well—then I’d sell to someone else.”
“So where does that leave things now?” I ask.
“They’ve shut down all communications and made me infamous. Which makes it a thousand times easier for them to find me.” He pauses. “They want that formula.”
My mind reels as more of the pieces fall into place. Kyle stopped keeping me in the loop, and refused to give me info on Morris’s whereabouts. Is it because Kyle knows Morris isn’t playing by their rules anymore, and he’s afraid I’ll find out what they’re really up to?
Also, Kyle was really pushing for me to give them my blood.
Oh shit. I never went. I got all distracted with River. I don’t have my phone on me since I’m just in a towel, but I bet Kyle’s been calling, wondering why I didn’t show. I’m glad I didn’t. Kyle was probably going to have his people chop me up. They probably think that if Morris could figure out the recipe with a little of my blood, then maybe they could too with just a little more effort.