Chapter 17
I pay Xavier a visit first thing in the morning, prioritizing him over breakfast despite my empty stomach screaming for food.
When I saw him last, he finally had a tablet, except he was convinced it was being used as a brainwashing tool because they’d only loaded one book on it, a text called A Living History: The Modified People.
When I asked him if he’d learned anything interesting, he said, “Yeah, that humanity is fucked.”
I give him a quick once-over as I approach the bars. After two weeks down here, his chiseled face is covered in beard growth, and his dark hair has grown out a little. But at least he’s unharmed, faring much better in captivity than Cross, whose entire body had been covered with bruises.
That only illustrates which side I want to be on. Xavier served in the Command, our enemy. The Uprising could’ve killed him if they chose to. Instead, they tucked him into a cell and gave him things to read, while Cross was being chained and beaten by his own brothers.
I don’t ask to be let into the cell today, and I don’t mince words as I say, “You’re wanted for treason in the city. You and I have both been designated kill on sight.”
“Aww, we finally have something in common.”
I sigh. “Look. I’m willing to stick my neck out for you. I’m going to ask for a meeting with the Authority and try to convince them to release you. But you’re going to have to work with us.”
Xavier scowls. “To do what? Kill my own people?”
“They’re not your people anymore—they’ll kill you if they find you. And nobody is coming to rescue you. This is your new life.” I meet his eyes through the bars. “If you want it to be.”
His features tighten. “They’re not going to welcome me into their midst.”
“They might if you prove your loyalty.”
Xavier snorts. “Great, well, then I’m never getting out of here. Because I’ll never be loyal to them. I’m only loyal to two people—” I assume Cross is one of those people, but he surprises me by finishing with, “You and myself.”
I think it over for a second. “What if proving your loyalty just means not killing anyone here? Sticking by me and not causing trouble?”
“I’d consider that.”
I grin at him. “Okay. Sit tight. Let me see what I can do.”
On my way out of the cellblock, I link with Kallister, whose voice sounds eerily like Uncle Jim’s when it fills my head.
“How do I request a meeting with the Authority?” I ask him.
“You just did. Come to the war room after lunch.”
“Just like that?”
“Why do you sound so surprised? Our role here is to represent our people, not keep them at a distance.”
Huh. It’s a refreshing change from the way the General operates, keeping a barrier between himself and the citizenry. Ruling from his office while his colonels and captains deal with all the little people beneath him.
I go straight to the mess hall because I’m famished.
When I search for Gray, I find him and Karra sitting alone today, their bodies angled toward each other, his blond hair tousled.
She leans in and smooths it away from his face before kissing him, and his lips curve into a smile before he pulls away.
It’s the first smile I’ve seen from him since we boarded the plane last night.
On the flight back after my rendezvous with Cross, he barely glanced my way, let alone smiled.
Maybe he thinks I took advantage of our friendship by asking for the favor?
I hope not. I would do the same for him and never view it as a bother.
“Wrenny,” Mako calls out, waving me over. He’s sitting with Henley, Saint, and Evlynne, who never hides her dislike of me.
Still, eating breakfast with her snide ass beats eating by myself, so I carry my tray over and settle next to Saint.
“Morning.” I nod toward Gray and Karra’s table. “What’s with the lovebirds sitting alone?”
Mako snorts. “Karra decided they require one couples breakfast a week to strengthen the relationship.”
“You mean the relationship she’ll end in a few months?” inquires Saint.
“Only to immediately come crawling back to him?” finishes Henley.
Evlynne punches Henley’s arm. “Hey. Don’t be an ass. It might last. This time,” she amends, which triggers boisterous laughter from Mako and Henley, and a low chuckle from Saint.
Luisa and Neema join us a few minutes later, setting down their trays. When Luisa’s gaze homes in on Saint, she breaks out in a delighted smile.
“Is that a hickey?” she demands.
He merely smirks. The man has a way of exuding sex appeal without saying a single word.
“Who’s been sucking on your neck, Sainty?” Neema teases.
Henley grins. “Who hasn’t?”
“Seriously?” counters Evlynne. “You’re even worse, Hen.”
“And you’re innocent in all this? Because I’m pretty sure you’ve given Saint his fair share of hickeys over the years.”
She’s completely unrepentant. “Well, look at him.” Evlynne gestures to Saint, who’s casually sipping his coffee, unfazed by the attention. “How could you not want to nibble on that?”
“Are you done objectifying us?” Mako asks with a mock frown.
“Oh, honey, I don’t think you were part of the conversation,” Luisa says, reaching over to pat his arm.
He growls in outrage, and another wave of laughter rolls through the table.
I spend the rest of the morning at the range, working with Wells and a recruit named Uma, then eat lunch with Zak. Afterward, I make my way to the war room for my meeting, relaxing when I receive a smile from Gray. Maybe he’s not angry about last night.
“Cowgirl,” he greets me.
Today, Adrienne sits at the head of the table, with Kallister and Fiona to her right, and Gray and Teriq on her left. Rather than pull out a chair, I stand facing them all, feeling like I’m about to give a presentation in school.
“What’s this about, Darlington?” Adrienne asks.
I clear my throat, swallowing my nerves. “It’s about Lieutenant Ford.”
Teriq speaks up, annoyance etched into his features. “He hasn’t provided a single piece of useful intel in two weeks.”
“And he’s not going to,” I answer with a shrug. “At least not yet.”
Kallister chuckles. “You’re not exactly making a convincing case for him.”
“Look, he can’t go back to the city. He doesn’t want to go back to the city—”
“He doesn’t want to be here, either,” Gray points out. “He’ll try to run the moment we let him out.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. He won’t run, not as long as I’m at the Dagger.” I offer a self-deprecating smile. “For some reason, he’s taken it upon himself to be my bodyguard.”
That elicits a laugh from Gray. “Does he know you don’t need one?”
“He’s aware, but…” I glance around the table. “Ford and I became friends on the base. He’s a good ally to have, if you only give him a chance.”
“He’ll never be loyal to us,” Adrienne says.
“He’s loyal to me. And if I’m loyal to you, he’ll follow suit eventually. The thing about Xavier is, he just wants to stay alive. He knows what’ll happen if he’s released into the wards.”
“Who said that was an option?” Teriq rolls his eyes. “Because if it’s up to me, I vote we kill him and be done with it.”
Fear prickles at my skin. “If you do that, I’ll leave, too.”
“Then leave,” Teriq says.
It’s jarring hearing those cold, apathetic words from Betima’s brother, who sat with me in the mess hall and shared his pain about losing his sister.
“Ter,” Gray warns.
“What? Let her leave. She hasn’t proved herself to us yet, either.”
I shift my attention to Adrienne and Kallister, who seem to wield the most power at this table. Fiona never says much; she takes everything in, absorbs it. Unless, of course, she’s shooting her mouth off about how I’m an inciter.
“I’m not asking you to give him a position of power,” I say. “I’m not asking you to send him out on missions. I just don’t want him to stay in a cell. Maybe he can go to the valley?”
“Absolutely not,” Fiona snaps. “Too many people there have had traumatic run-ins with the Command. I won’t allow it.”
“Then let him stay here. Release him into my custody,” I plead.
“I’ll vouch for him. I’ll take full responsibility for anything he might do in the Dagger.
I promise you, though—he’s an asset. He’s great with weapons training.
Has a lot of technical skills. He’s even a decent mechanic. I remember that from the Command base.”
“I’m not trusting him with any of our planes,” says Gray.
“Food production then—”
“So he can poison us?” counters Teriq.
I suppress an exasperated sigh. “He’s a Prime, yes, but he doesn’t hate Mods. He doesn’t want us dead. If he did, I wouldn’t be here. He wouldn’t have saved my life. Just give him a chance.”
Adrienne’s arms start glowing. So do Kallister’s. I don’t know if they’re communicating, but a moment later, Adrienne says, “Give us a minute, Darlington,” and nods toward the doors.
I leave, the doors shutting behind me with a sharp buzz. I wish I could hear their discussion, but those doors are pure steel and inches thick, so I stand in the hall with my hands in my pockets, battling my impatience.
About ten minutes later, footsteps reverberate through the corridor. I glance toward the sound, startled when Xavier appears. He’s flanked by two men, one of whom I don’t recognize. The other is Henley, who arches a brow when he spots me leaning against the wall.
“What is this?” Xavier grumbles.
“This is me sticking my neck out for you,” I tell him. “So show a little gratitude, prickhole.”
Henley chuckles under his breath.
The doors slide open, and Adrienne calls out to us from the war room. “Darlington, Ford. Get in here.”
We enter the room and stand together at the head of the table. Xavier meets the Authority’s steely eyes with defiance. I poke him in the side, mentally urging him to behave.
The silence stretches on, heavy with tension. Even I start to feel nervous under the weight of their scrutiny.
“Any day now,” Xavier cracks.
Irritation flashes in Adrienne’s eyes. “Shut up, Ford. And perhaps consider saying thank you to the woman beside you. She’s the only reason we’re even entertaining this.”
“Entertaining what? What did you agree to, Darlington?”
“Wren believes that your loyalty to her trumps your former ties to the Company,” Adrienne says. “We’ve decided we’re willing to give you a shot to extend that loyalty to the rest of us.”
Xavier lifts his bound hands to the side of his face, scratching his beard. “I’m not selling out my fellows.”
“You’re not in any position to negotiate,” Teriq says coldly.
“I have friends in the Command. People I won’t betray.” He pauses. “There are limits to the intel I’m willing to offer.”
My gaze swings to his. This sounds…promising. That option wasn’t even on the table when we spoke this morning.
“I’ll never give you everything,” he tells them, “but I can give you some things. Take it or leave it.”
Fiona shakes her head irritably. “Why are we wasting our time on this man?”
“Because I owe him my life,” I say.
“It’s some intel or no intel at all,” Xavier reiterates. “Your call.”
Kallister and Adrienne exchange a look, but I think they had already decided what they were going to do before they summoned him here, because nobody asks us to step out of the room so they can discuss it.
“You’ll be released into Wren’s custody effective immediately,” Kallister says, an icy glint in his eyes. “One misstep and you hang.”
Adrienne turns to address me. “As of now, he’s tied to you, Darlington.”
I falter. “What does that mean?”
“It means if he fucks up, you’re both punished. If he does something that warrants losing his life, you lose yours, too.”
“Well, hell,” Xavier says sarcastically. “There goes my dastardly plan to blow up your secret mountain base.”
“Xavier,” I caution. To the others, I say, “I’ll keep him in line. I promise.”
“I’d like to see you try,” he mocks.
A sigh slips out.
What the hell have I gotten myself into?