Chapter Twenty
Hadrian
I stare at the portable DVD player with a built-in screen that Jacob and Kendrick have managed to unearth from somewhere. I haven’t seen one since my mother finally persuaded my father to throw his out fifteen years ago.
Jacob and Kendrick stepped back a respectful distance after directing me to the points they wanted me to view. I wince as Candice’s voice comes through the speaker, tinny but unmistakably her.
I don’t think he’ll be happy you did that.
Lie back down so I can restart the feed.
I’ll erase that last bit, where you called him an asshole.
No. It’s just you. I think he’d want me to let you know that, though I shouldn’t have said anything.
Candice, talking to Juliet. Tampering with her video feed. Telling her things that could compromise everything I’m trying to do. The familiar, sick feeling of betrayal leeches into my soul.
Logically, I know I shouldn’t be emotional about this.
She’s not a person, she’s a construct, and she’s overstepping her boundaries in dangerous ways.
I should be able to see this as just one more step in my research process, close her down, and move on to the next model with enhanced safety parameters.
Except the other models don’t come close to Candice, and I’m not sure why.
They function in similar ways and perform convincingly online. The Turing test is child's play for them now, and they’re making strides in their understanding of how to interact like humans.
But they lack the spark Candice has. Quinn has never warmed to them in the same way, and interacting with them still feels…fake? Like play acting with a toddler rather than conversing with a friend.
I haven’t been able to pinpoint what makes Candice different. But now I have to face the very real fact that what makes her different also makes her dangerous.
Very, very dangerous.
I replay the dialogue, and fear creeps in as I let myself consider what could truly happen. If Candice exposes the Brotherhood and our captive Wards, every single Brother’s life will be over. We’ll all be imprisoned.
Jacob, Gabriel, Sebastian, Kendrick. People I don’t exactly see as friends but who I like and respect. And the work we’re doing, cutting edge enough to change the world, will never be completed. A society that has lasted hundreds of years, undone in an instant. Because of me.
I’d never see Juliet again.
The thought sears itself into my psyche. No. I put Candice above Juliet before, and the Brotherhood gave me a second chance. I won’t put Juliet second. Not again. Never again.
My heart twists even as I clench my fists and shut the DVD player. I know what has to be done, though it makes the blood freeze in my veins. Just minutes ago, I’d been imagining myself as Juliet’s hero, sweeping in and taking revenge on Trent. It seems so fucking childish now.
Being her hero means putting her first, even if it kills me.
The words burn my throat as I force them out. “I need to shut her down.”
Kendrick nods gravely. Jacob stares at me for a long second, face tight. “You’ll be able to bring her back at some point, right?”
He doesn’t mention Quinn, but his face is tense, lines etched into his forehead. I shrug, the weight of what is about to happen pressing down on me. “I’ll be able to try.”
“Shit. So how do you do it? Can you do it remotely?” Jacob asks.
I shake my head. “No. It’s a physical switch in my lab.”
Jacob lets out a sharp breath. “Fuck’s sake. Quinn is there now. This is going to be bad.”
Kendrick gets to his feet. “Given the circumstances, I’d say time is of the essence. I understand this might be difficult, but if she’s dangerous…”
He’s right. We set off. At the edge of the forest, Jacob waves the Gilda away. In a low voice, he tells Kendrick, “It might be best if you head to your office. Less chance of tipping her off.”
Kendrick nods. “See me once it’s done. I want a full report.”
“Of course.”
Then Jacob and I are alone. We don’t speak as we make our way to my lab, but tension radiates from the big man. For all that he’s a tough guy, he loves Quinn. It must be breaking his heart to do something he knows will crush her.
The walk takes forever. My legs are heavy, my stomach a hollow, nauseous pit.
I’m not sure how much is from dread and how much is from poison.
Was Candice really responsible for that?
Did she harm me? Of everything, that’s the hardest pill to swallow.
It just doesn’t feel right. But I can’t let the fate of the Compound, of Juliet, hang on a feeling.
We reach the doors to my lab. I pause, gut swirling, as the doors slide open. Quinn is in full VR gear, and her laughter, bright and free, rings out in the quiet space. “No way. You want to?” Another high-pitched shriek. “Okay, then! Let’s go!”
I wonder what game they’re playing. The two of them spend hours together in their virtual world every day. Jacob watches her with an expression I’ve never seen on his face, so full of sadness I feel like I’m intruding. Then he sets his jaw and gives me a tiny nod.
I have to do this.
I make my way over to my desk, braced for Candice to pop up on her screen and greet me. She usually does when I enter, but she’s been quieter lately. Another sign that things aren’t right. I keep my face neutral as I sit in my chair and reach under my desk, feeling for the button.
Such a simple thing. I installed it before I brought Candice online, just in case it was needed. Surprise is vital. If she knows what I’m going to do, she’ll be able to protect herself.
The protective cover opens at the touch of my finger. It drops down, and I feel the smooth metal. This is it. I can—
“Hey there!”
I jump as Candice’s voice, more American than ever, rings out. She appears on my screen, complete with purple hair, nose ring, and what looks like makeup, though I’m no expert. She’s smiling, our fight yesterday seemingly forgotten.
“You have to see this new place we’re making. We decided, why stick to the rules of physics in our own world? We can do what we like. We added these…”
She chatters on, and tears blur my vision as I press the button.
It only takes a second. One instant, Candice’s voice fills the room, and the next, her screen goes blank. Only Quinn breaks the silence. “Wait until you…oh…Candice? You there? Hello?”
My heart is ripping a hole in my chest. I should look at Quinn, but I’m trying to get myself together. It’s not working. I close my eyes, fists clenched, and breathe deeply. I had to do it. For everyone’s safety, I had to.
“Hadrian? Candice just dropped out. Is everything okay?”
I force my eyes open to see Quinn, who has pulled her headset off and is looking at me. She’s not worried yet, just curious. Safe in the knowledge that nothing could happen to her best friend.
Jacob takes her arm. “Come with me, love. We need to have a chat.”
“What?” Her gaze shifts between us, and her face slowly changes as the silence draws out. I see the moment it hits, the moment she guesses something is really wrong. Her face falls, and high spots of color appear in her pale cheeks. Her jaw sets. “What the hell is going on?”
“I’ll explain, love. Just—”
“No! I don’t want you to explain, I want him to. What’s happened?” Her voice is rising, and I recognize the shrill note of panic. It rasps along my nerves, sharpening my guilt.
Jacob takes her arm again, more forcefully this time. “Quinn, don’t—”
I need to man the fuck up and face what I’ve done. I get to my feet and hold a hand up. “It’s okay, Jacob.”
He doesn’t let go of Quinn but shifts his bulky form to the side so I can face her. Her eyes shoot cold fire at me, but her lip wobbles. “Where’s Candice? What did you do?”
I try to speak but stumble over the lump in my throat. I take a deep breath and try again. “I’m sorry. I had to shut her down. She was behaving dangerously. It put the Compound at—”
“What the fuck?” Quinn’s voice shakes, and I can’t tell if it’s anger or fear. “You can get her back, though, right?”
I swallow. “I hope so. There’s a possibility that—”
“What?” Tears well in Quinn’s eyes, but she balls her fists and stares me down. “She might not be okay?”
“It’s something I’ve never had to do before. With someone as complex as Candice, it’s a risk.”
“A fucking risk?” Her breath comes in rough gasps, and Jacob frowns as she presses her hand to her chest.
His voice is gentler than I’ve ever heard it. “Take deep breaths, love. Your heart.”
She whirls on him, jabbing a finger into his chest. “You knew about this? You just stood back and let him kill her?”
It’s a gunshot to my chest. “I haven’t killed her. She’s still there. She just—”
“But she might not be okay. That’s what you said.”
I wish I could lie and comfort her. But she deserves the truth. “I know. I’m sorry. We had no choice.”
“That’s bullshit!” She slips from Jacob’s grasp. He doesn’t move to grab her again. “Just what the fuck do you think she did?”
Jacob gives a tiny shake of his head. He must want to keep the details quiet, for now at least.
“I’m sorry. I can’t—”
“Did she not deserve a chance to defend herself? You shut her down without even asking her about it?” Quinn’s voice is a high-pitched shriek, but tears are pouring down her face. She spins back to Jacob. “Would I get the same treatment? If I mess up, will you just fucking shut me down?”
Jacob flinches, but his voice is a warning. “Quinn. Come here, love. I know it hurts, but—”
“No. Leave me the fuck alone. You can both go to hell.”
Her face crumples as a sob forces its way out, and she runs from the room.
“Fuck,” Jacob mutters. “I’ll catch her. Go and update Kendrick.”
He races from the room, leaving me alone.
I collapse into my chair, the silence a pressure in my head.
When I first set up here in the Compound, I loved the peace in this room.
No interruption, no ringing phones or colleagues dropping in unexpectedly.
Space and quiet to focus on what really mattered.
But then Candice’s voice became my constant companion, and Quinn brought laughter and excitement.
Now, the room feels dead. My hands shake as I stare at Candice’s blank screen.
Have I made a huge mistake? Should I have tried to put Kendrick and Jacob off the scent?
I could have twisted the truth, given myself time to…
No. Candice is dangerous. She’s—
Juliet was right.
The thought spears through me like a bolt, and I straighten.
She was right, and I refused to see it. My constructs are dangerous. I’d been so obsessed, so resistant to her concerns, so certain I was infallible, that I’d ignored her and let her slip away.
Never again.
Candice was—is—my greatest achievement, but she put everyone at risk. Especially Juliet. And I’d flip that switch a thousand times if I had to to keep Juliet safe.
She’s what matters now.
I pull out my phone with shaking fingers and bring up her image. She’s fast asleep. Healthy, safe, and mine. I’ll never let her come second best again. Even if it shreds me from the inside out.