Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64702 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64702 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
“While you’re sucking your thumb, considering options,” I snap, cutting him off, “Lawrence could make a mistake that allows Julian, not us, to get his hands on Red Dart. He’s scrambling now. Using my mother. Moving bullets. Trying to get his daughter back. Now is the time to move in. We’ll find the evidence we need once we have him in custody. We’ll find Red Dart. And even if we don’t, we’ll have rid ourselves of the hazard Lawrence represents.”
I fire all my attention at Caleb. “I know you worry that we’ll create enemies in our government if we take out Lawrence, but he’s creating their fear of us. They think all GTECHs are the same. Walking on eggshells isn’t going to make that go away. We take him, and no one knows we have him. We’ll hit Lawrence’s house, my mother’s place, and Taylor all in one night. We leave with everything we can, including Lawrence. Throw him in a cell here at Sunrise City. Force him to help us shut down Red Dart before Julian gets his hands on it and comes after us all.”
“Those bullets we now have in our possession have leveled the battlefield,” he argues. “Zodius knows we have them. They’ll hesitate to attack.”
“Which doesn’t end this. It simply opens a door for us to do that ourselves. Let’s get rid of one of the enemies. Let’s take out Lawrence.”
Caleb’s brow furrows, and then he nods sharply. “Tomorrow night.”
Chapter Forty-Four
Addie
I spend a good, long time sitting at a coffee shop and talking with Katie that afternoon. We talk about Creed, of course, and I’m just trying to digest what amounts to the meaning of life for me at this point. Creed has an extra chromosome, and I don’t know why that is anything but good news. He’s not like Julian. That’s what it tells us, but then I already knew that. We all knew that already, but Creed himself.
I have every intention of telling him as much, but as I return to his apartment, he’s not there. Katie has to get the door code for me, and that feels really bad. Does he not want me here? I almost ask Katie to find me another place to stay, but I remind myself that Creed is all over the board with me. He wants me. He wants to save me. He hates himself. He needs me to love him more than that hate.
But once Katie has left me inside alone for a while, at least until the next blood draw, with the scent of him permeating the air and the absence of him spearing my heart, the hours pass with excruciating slowness. I’m stuck with DVDs to watch, as there is no cable. I don’t know how Jensen gets phone service down here, but I assume it’s not by normal means. I know Creed loves me, but I just don’t know if he’ll ever allow us to be happy together.
A knock sounds on the door, and while it’s illogical that Creed would knock, he’s in a funky place right now. We’re in a funky place right now. With a little hope filling me, I race across the room anyway, hoping it’s him, and yank open the door, only to sag in disappointment when Katie stands in front of me.
“I take it you were hoping for Mr. Tall, Dark, and Incredibly Cranky instead of me?”
“Yes,” I admit dejectedly, stepping away from the door. “I would have welcomed his crankiness right about now.”
“I’m convinced that the extra chromosome I told you about earlier makes him incredibly stubborn,” she says, entering the room and shutting the door behind her. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear it’s time to give up more blood.”
I sit down at the table and offer her my arm. “Yes, please take my blood. I can’t wait.”
Katie laughs, sits down next to me, and places her bag on the table. “Sorry. I know being poked and prodded isn’t fun.”
“It’s fine,” I say, wishing something she discovers might offer Creed the peace he clearly needs, and I wonder how the other soldiers are managing their changes, which reminds me of Caleb. “When I was in the elevator yesterday,” I say. “Caleb seemed to read my mind. He responded to what I didn’t say out loud.”
“He reads human emotions,” she says nonchalantly, as if that’s no big deal. “It doesn’t work on GTECHs. He senses fear, worry, and happiness. He says it’s like seeing a color in his mind.”
“Does he have the extra chromosome? Is that what creates unique abilities?”
“He doesn’t have the extra chromosome. I check his blood regularly. As for Creed, his ability to communicate with the wind surfaced very early after his conversion to GTECH, as did Julian’s ability to communicate with wolves. Caleb’s ability is more recent. I really have nothing conclusive that indicates why certain GTECHs have special skills, though it would be interesting to know if Julian has that chromosome.”