58
“Scion Graves,” Ada says, her wild gaze darting around the room. She steps in front of us, her arms held out as if she can single-handedly shield us from his sight. “What are you doing here? How did you find us?”
A moment later, several Fog members surround my father, each one gripping a stunner aimed right at his heart.
“I followed Poet,” he says, slowly raising his hands and backing up a tentative step, only to be met with the tip of a weapon pressed into his spine.
His hair droops, and he’s dressed in his usual button-up shirt and pressed gray slacks, though it looks like he might have slept in them last night.
“Please. I’m not here to threaten or expose you. I promise.”
“Where’s Mom?” I ask.
“At home. She’s safe.”
My gaze narrows. “Why did you follow me?”
“I suspected you were up to something,” he confesses. “And I was worried about you.”
I roll my eyes. I can’t help it. Several people around the room exchange looks that mix worry with a hint of amusement.
“Why are you suddenly so fucking worried about me lately?” I bite out.
I watch as the words land like shards of glass, mincing through layers of delicate skin. He flinches, but I refuse to feel bad about it.
“Explain yourself,” Ada says. “Why did you just say you could answer her questions?”
My father drops his hands and rubs a palm across his face. The people surrounding him don’t move, keeping their weapons trained on him. I don’t blame a single one. In fact, I want to ask for a stunner of my own.
“I know who’s responsible for the murders,” he says. “It hasn’t been Keepers, and it certainly wasn’t this Solitude you claim you’re in love with.”
I feel my cheeks warm as every eye in the room falls on me.
“Aww, I knew you loved him!” Navy says, and several people laugh.
I can’t help but offer her a shy smile before I refocus on my father.
“Who’s responsible?” I ask, but I have a feeling I already know.
“General Sol,” he says, sucking the air out of the room thanks to everyone’s collective intake of breath.
“The infection has twisted her mind. She experiences long bouts of lucidity, but sometimes she loses control. It’s actually been happening for years, infrequently enough to brush aside.
It wasn’t until last year that things started to change. ”
I don’t think anything could have prepared me for this.
“How?” Ada asks. “How did no one know?”
“Because I’ve been erasing the security footage,” he says.
“I have access to all the cameras through the Patrol, and she came to me asking for help when she realized what was happening. Her Guard has been protecting her, too. Cleaning up her messes. Sometimes ‘dealing’ with anyone who might have seen something. Feeding fake footage to the chancellors and the news outlets. She knew if anyone found out, she’d be removed, or . . . worse.”
For a moment, everyone is too shocked to speak.
“Why would you help her?” Ada demands. “Those were innocent people!”
He sighs, his shoulders sinking. “She threatened to expose Poet to The Shield. But the whole thing became so complicated because if she did that, I’d have no reason to lie for her anymore.
We’d both lose if any of our secrets came to light, so we had no choice but to become allies in a twisted kind of way. ”
“What is she planning?” Ada asks. “What does she want?”
“She’s trying to save herself. She believes that only she can protect the city and without her, New Manhattan will fall. Ultimately, I believe her heart is in the right place, but she’s gone about it all wrong.”
“And what exactly is she doing with Rook?” Ada asks.
My father spreads his hands. “That . . . I don’t know.”
I turn back to Dr. Mowry. “Tell us, and maybe I won’t kill you,” I say.
He lifts his chin, defiant, but his lower lip wobbles. “You think I care if I live or die anymore?” Tears fill his eyes. “The things I’ve done. The horrors . . .”
“What does that mean?” Henry demands.
Mowry shakes his head. “She’ll use him. She already knew about the girl, but then she found the Solitude—two of you—it was like her prayers had been answered . . .”
“And she figured no one would miss him?” I ask.
Mowry shrugs.
“I’ll kill her,” I hiss. “I’ll destroy her if she hurts him.”
“It may already be too late,” Mowry says.
“We don’t have time for this bullshit,” Justin says, pressing the muzzle of his gun against Mowry’s temple. “You know where our brother is?”
The doctor’s lips press together in a thin line.
He doesn’t want to tell us.
“Your daughter,” I say, and his gaze flicks to me. “Sol was threatening her.”
A tear slips from the corner of his eye as he brings his hands together. “Yes. Please. I just want to go home. I want to see her. I want to see my grandchildren.”
I take a step toward him and lean in. “I’ll find them,” I say, and he nods eagerly. “And if you don’t tell us where Rook is right now, then I promise you’ll wish I hadn’t.”
My voice drops to some bottomless depth I don’t recognize at all.
I’m bluffing. Probably.
It feels like even I don’t know what I’m capable of right now.
I want to tear the world apart.
If we don’t find Rook, nothing will stop me from fulfilling this threat.
“That’s right,” Justin says, appearing beside me. “We have friends in the Neo-Cities. A few phone calls and . . .” He snaps his fingers, and Mowry flinches.
“Please,” he whimpers.
“Enough,” Fisher grunts as he stomps across the room, grabs the doctor by the arm, and hauls him to his feet.
“Wait, I have more questions!” I say.
“How far is this place?” Fisher asks.
Mowry’s expression crumples. “An hour on foot, give or take.”
“Perfect,” he says. “Then you two can chat while we walk.”