Chapter 58
My blood runs cold. Why are Kallister and Hawkins secretly meeting on the bluff?
And what won’t Gray like?
“Gray will fall in line once he recognizes this is the greatest weapon we have and the fastest way to end this pointless war.”
There’s a muffled chuckle from Hawkins. “Don’t be stupid, Kal. He’s not going to let me corrupt on a mass scale.”
I swallow my gasp before it slips out.
Hawkins is a corrupter?
“We’re not ready to go mass, anyway. There’ll be time to convince Gray to come around while you perfect the process.”
“Then find me some better targets. I need stronger minds if I’m going to have any impact,” Hawkins responds, sounding bored. “Kids are too weak.”
“Without the Authority breathing down our necks, I’ll get you access to as many Primes as you want.”
Holy fuck. This is actually real. They’re talking about corrupting minds. Innocent minds. Kids.
Cross was right.
I had dismissed his concerns as paranoia. I told him Adrienne would never do that.
I was right, too. Adrienne wouldn’t do that.
But apparently Kallister would.
I suddenly feel sick. Gulping down waves of nausea. If Hawkins can both incite and corrupt, that makes him one of the most powerful Mods on the Continent. Maybe the most powerful.
I think about all those times I saw them training in the Temple. Chatting in the mess hall. I thought Kallister had taken Hawkins under his wing because he felt sorry for him. Meanwhile, he’d been scheming and colluding with him this whole time.
“…your head down until I handle this Adrienne situation.” Kallister’s voice cuts into my thoughts. “No more solo flights to the wards until it’s taken care of.”
The low thud of their footsteps approaches at the entrance and Kallister strides out of the cave. My heart leaps into my throat, but he doesn’t see me.
I watch his retreating figure, walking away. I wait for Hawkins to do the same, but when he emerges, he doesn’t head for the path. He moves in the other direction, continuing up the ridge.
Where the hell is he going?
Pulse racing, I wait a few seconds before easing away from the wall. I keep my distance, moving like a ghost as I ascend the narrow trail that leads up the bluff.
The path grows steeper, the rocks more jagged, but I use the rugged terrain to my advantage to tail Hawkins. Anger burns in my gut as I stew over what I heard. They’re using corruption against children. They’re planning on using it on every Prime they can find.
When Hawkins reaches the top, he stops to light a cigarette, and I seize the opportunity, moving in behind him to catch him off guard. I don’t have a weapon on me, but he’s unarmed and I’m confident I can knock a scrawny prickhole like Hawkins on his ass.
And if all else fails, incite.
“You’re a corrupter?” I demand.
He slowly turns, amusement on his face. “Didn’t your parents ever teach you that eavesdropping is bad manners?”
My parents were both traitors. I don’t think they were overly concerned about etiquette.
“You’re not going to deny it?” I say coldly.
Posture relaxed, Hawkins lifts the cigarette to his lips and inhales. “Why would I? You heard what you heard.”
“How long have you been working with Kallister?” I shake my head in disapproval, repulsed by them both.
I feel stupid for believing Hawkins just liked to take those planes out for a spin, to get off the base and “clear his head,” when all this time, he was flying to the wards and experimenting on Primes.
There I was, outraged that the Company was experimenting on us, and now I find out the Uprising is over here doing the same damn thing to them.
“Kallister got tired of having to rely on Adrienne for his corruption needs,” Hawkins says, chuckling.
I don’t return the laugh. “Adrienne doesn’t want to corrupt innocent minds.”
“No? Then what do you call the General’s wife? Was she not innocent?”
I falter. “Vinessa Redden was an unfortunate casualty.”
He sneers. “Adrienne corrupted her to try to weaken the General. She doesn’t have a moral leg to stand on. What I’m doing is no different. One mind or a thousand minds, what’s the difference if they’re innocent?”
“A thousand?” Surely he can’t be that powerful.
“Eventually,” he says. “With more training.”
“I can’t believe Kallister has allowed this.”
He barks out another laugh. “Kallister understands who those people are. That a new world order is needed.”
“By killing the majority of the world?”
“We’ll keep some of them around,” he says, eyes gleaming.
“We need bodies to work in the mines and pick up our garbage. Kallister sees the bigger picture. He knows what needs to be done. Adrienne was too weak for leadership, and if she’s too hesitant to use her gifts, that’s on her.
I told you—we have these powers to use them. ”
Fury boils in my blood. I have a hundred more questions, but Hawkins doesn’t let me voice them. He lifts his hand as if he’s going to flick his cigarette away, only to snap his other hand to his waistband and draw a weapon.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Irritation tightens my gut. “What are you going to do, shoot me? Seriously?”
“I think Kallister would agree that getting rid of you would be neutralizing a threat.”
“He would never approve of you killing me,” I retort. “Put down the gun.”
“Eh.” He shrugs. “Then I’ll just apologize later.”
He cocks the weapon. I freeze.
I can’t grab my comm out of my pocket to dispatch help, but fortunately I have other means of communication.
Since Gray can’t do telepathy, I quickly open a path into Saint’s mind, but he doesn’t link with me.
I try Tana next, also to no avail. I don’t know who the hell to try next.
Adrienne is in a cell. Poppy and Luisa are in the valley. Evlynne’s a traitor. Mako!
Relief floods my body when he links.
“Get to the white daggerstone bluff right now!” I shout in his head.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Now!”
I can’t rely on Mako to save me, though. Who knows when or if he’ll get here before Hawkins decides to pull that fucking trigger. I’m already harnessing the gold, allowing it to flow through my body. Not for the first time, I’m overcome with gratitude that my veins can’t betray me.
I open a path into Hawkins’s mind, like I used to do when he allowed me to practice on him. Only this time, I encounter resistance. And not the kind of resistance Gray offered during our incitement sessions.
This is an attack.
Agony explodes behind my eyes even as I attempt to voice the command, “Put the gun down and kick it away.”
Laughter echoes between us. “Would you stop that? You’re just going to give yourself a migraine.”
“Put the gun down.”
The pulsing waves of pain inside my head make it hard to focus. Fuck. Hawkins can’t be incited, not without substantial training.
The moment I release my grip, a wave of relief washes over me, the pain in my head dissipating.
“If it makes you feel better,” Hawkins tells me, “I don’t want to kill you. I sort of like you, Darlington.”
“Then don’t do it,” I say irritably.
He mulls it over, head slanted like a dog listening to its owner. Finally, he sighs. “No. I can’t have you walking around telling people I can corrupt. I’m a very private person, in case you haven’t noticed.”
I draw a breath, gauging the distance between us. If I lunge and tackle, he’ll get at least one shot off. And he’s aiming for my chest. He’s smart. The bigger the target, the better your chances of hitting it.
My muscles coil as I prepare to spring to action. I can’t move too quickly, but I’m not standing here so he can play target practice. Our gazes lock. He knows what I’m planning. He’s not stupid. His finger hovers over the trigger. I draw a breath.
Footsteps thud from the path and we both freeze.
“Wrenny, what’s going on—” Mako stops, his confused eyes shifting from me to Hawkins.
He’s ten feet away, too far to disarm Hawkins. But if we work together, maybe I can get close enough to do it.
Mako takes a step, slow, deliberate, but Hawkins snaps the gun toward him.
“Let’s not do that,” he calls out. “Stay where you are, Mako.”
Mako blinks as he tries to make sense of the standoff between me and Hawkins. “Hawkins, man. Put the gun down.”
“Yeah, sorry, man, can’t do that.” Hawkins releases another cold laugh. “Darlington was sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. Gotta take care of that, unfortunately.”
I step forward, and the gun swings back to me, allowing Mako to close the distance, lunging toward Hawkins.
He’s maybe six feet away before Hawkins turns with a dark expression. “Stop.”
Mako stops.
Horror spirals through me when I realize what’s happening. Hawkins is harnessing gold. Even beneath his clothes I can see his body glowing.
But maybe this is good. If he’s focused on inciting Mako, it gives me an opening to incite him. There’s no way he’ll be able to keep his grip on Mako and repel me at the same time—
Pain shoots behind my eyes as he once again pushes me out.
How the fuck can he do that?
Fear skitters along my spine. How can one Mod be this powerful?
“I told you to stop it, Wren.” Hawkins keeps the gun aimed at me, along with his gaze. His back is completely turned on Mako as, in a bored tone, he says, “Don’t move a muscle.”
Desperation tightens my throat. I stare at Mako, who stands there with his mouth agape. His entire body is frozen in place. Every muscle in his face is stretched taut. He looks like a marionette with its strings pulled tight, and Hawkins is the one controlling them.
“You…fucking…prick…” Mako knows exactly what’s happening to him. Why his body is stiff. Why his boots are rooted to the ground. “Stop…inciting…me.” The strain with which he’s fighting the incitement shows. His face is slack, chest heaving as he breathes harder. “I’m going to kill you, you asshole.”
Hawkins clicks his tongue, sighing with what sounds like regret. “Yeah…I think you could, Mako. Fuck. And I actually don’t mind you that much.”
The regret in his tone sends another chill down my spine.
“I need you to walk toward Darlington now,” Hawkins tells the motionless man.
Mako’s body sways as he tries to fight the command.
“Come on,” Hawkins encourages.
There’s a deep furrow in his brow. His mind is working hard, as evidenced by the silver glow beneath his sleeves and running up his neck.
“Walk,” he orders, and the other man starts to move. “That’s it. One foot in front of the other.”
The cords of Mako’s neck are vibrating. He’s fighting as hard as he can, but he’s no match for Hawkins’s power.
As worry tears through me, I prepare to lunge, but his aim doesn’t waver. “Stop that, Darlington. Keep walking, Mako.”
I’m filled with panic when I realize he’s forcing Mako to walk past me, not join me. I try to grab Mako’s sleeve, but it slides through my fingers.
“Mako, stop,” I beg.
I try to harness my own gold, but I can’t get into Mako’s head. Hawkins has full control.
He chuckles at me. “Doesn’t work that way, Wren. You know that. I’ve already got him.”
I’ve never felt more helpless as I watch Mako walk by. He’s nearing the edge of the bluff.
“Stop!” I glare at Hawkins.
He ignores me. “Mako,” he calls out, “I really do like you, buddy, but you’re going to have to jump now.”
“Mako!” I shout. “Don’t you dare!”
His back is to me, and I see his shoulders shaking with exertion. He twists his head toward me, slowly, like he can barely move it, and my heart hurts when I see his blank expression.
“Jump,” Hawkins tells him.
Dread widens my eyes when Mako’s boots move toward the edge of the cliff.
Oh my God.
Fuck this.
Let Hawkins shoot me.
I dive toward Mako, my pulse screaming in my ears.
“Jump,” Hawkins commands.
“No!” I scream.
I lunge at my friend, trying to grab him, to pull him back, to save him. Hope explodes inside me when my hand connects with the back of his shirt. I feel the fabric whisper over my fingertips, but I’m not fast enough.
I cry out as Mako topples over the edge.