Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 88673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“You were watching me?”
Hattie’s scoff is now a condescending rumble of laughter. “Of course I was, Riggs. Do you really think anyone from the Colony trusts you? Please. That’s absurd. You’re a traitor.” She grits that word out between her teeth with disgust. Like she just got a taste of spoiled food. “No one trusts you. Especially your father. That’s why he sent me along to keep an eye on you. And this little story you’re cooking up about bringing her back with you? Save it. I heard your whole plan. It was like…” She stops here to smile at me. “Like I was in the room with you.”
Then she pushes off the wall, laughing, and walks around behind me again. Her fingers once again playing with my hair. “This was nothing but a test. And you failed. So guess what happens next?”
Involuntarily, my mind conjures up an image of the tunnels. Of me, stuck in them for the rest of my life. Dirty, and hot, and starving, and sick and coughing from the dust and debris of the job.
“Those tunnels are your forever home, Riggs. The darkness is your future. You will never get another chance. And I’m sad for you, I really am.” Her fingertips begin tickling my neck, sending a chill down my spine.
I grit my teeth, putting a stop to the reaction she is so carefully cultivating. “You’ve never been sad for anyone in your life, Hattie.”
“It’s not true. I love you. You’re my best friend, Riggs.”
“You’re delusional.”
“Maybe.” She walks around in front of me again, her fingertips lingering in my hair until the last second when she has to pull them away. “It’s a weakness, I know. My fatal flaw, or something. But my misplaced sense of love and loyalty to you can save you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your father’s not here yet, so I’m in charge.”
“So what?”
“I could… make a deal with you. In fact, I have the authority to do just that.” She reaches into the long pocket along the right thigh of her tactical pants and pulls out a piece of paper folded into quarters. I watch as she carefully unfolds it, all the while grinning.
I don’t wanna ask, but the question comes out anyway. “What’s that?”
“This?” She holds up the unfolded paper. “This is the deal I’m gonna offer you.”
I swallow and steel myself for what’s coming. Because it’s not going to be good.
“The offer is… your freedom in exchange for Clover’s life.”
I scoff. “You want me to kill her?”
“To save yourself, Riggs. Yes. I want you to kill her. Then, when your father gets here, I’ll back up your story about why you brought her down here. With one minor substitution. You weren’t bringing her home to keep for yourself, you were bringing her as a hostage. He’ll believe it.”
“No, he won’t. Do you think my father is stupid?”
Hattie takes offense to this. “Of course not. And if this story were coming from you, there’s no way he would believe it. But from me, Riggs?” She smiles at me. “He’ll believe anything I say. I’ll destroy those recordings, I’ll back up your story, I’ll mark your assignment complete and give you a commendation. You’ll get all the perks and privileges of being the general’s son. A new house, a wife.” She points to herself. “You’ll come home to me every night.” Hattie pauses here. Sighs. “Or… you go back down to those tunnels and die there the way a traitor deserves.” She straightens her spine, lifts up her chin, and crosses her arms. “I’ll save you from that fate and you’ll get your life back.”
“If I kill her.”
“That’s right,” Hattie says. “If you kill Clover Bradley, I will save you.”
CHAPTER 21 - CLOVER
Iwake up tied to a chair in front of a metal table in some kind of concrete block room with one door and no windows. My head is pounding and my ribs are screaming, but I manage to look up and around and note the cameras. It’s some kind of interrogation room.
When I look down, I’m wearing gray surgical scrubs and my feet are bare.
At first, I’m confused. Unable to recall how I got here and why I am wearing these hideous clothes. But then the face of Hattie Miller fills my mind and I replay what happened in the embassy penthouse.
They found us. I was right. I knew it. The broken trains were a ploy, not so Ike could spend the day with me, but so Hattie could catch up with us.
Of course, I wasn’t really expecting it to be her. But I felt it. I knew our plan was failing and someone was coming to get us.
I gasp, then look around for Riggs.
But I’m alone. He’s not here.
The moment I think this, the door comes bursting open, scaring me so bad, I squeak.