Part 10 (1/2)

”Juniper, knock it off,” he grunts, red faced. ”This isn't you.”

”How do you know?” I push back. ”I don't even know who I am.”

”Yes, you do.” He twirls me around and his arms sneak around my stomach. ”And this isn't it.”

”Maybe it is,” I huff and stomp on his foot. ”Maybe you just never wanted to see what I really was.”

”I know you better than anyone.” He stiffens in pain, but doesn't let me go. ”And the Kayla I know is kind anda and she loves me.”

”I can't love someone I barely know,” I breathe softly. ”I'm sorry, but I can't feel it.”

He embraces me tighter, refusing to let go. I meet Sylas' eyes and regrettably mouth, a little help please.

His eyes twinkle as he pops his neck and knuckles. ”I thought you'd never ask.”

In a flash, he's next to us. Before Aiden can react, he bashes him over the head with his elbow. Aiden collapses to the dirt. In reaction, I catch him. But he pulls me down with him and his heavy limbs confine me to the floor.

I try to scoot out from under him. ”Sylas, a little help please.”

He rolls his eyes and hauls Aiden off. ”You're starting to ask for my help a lot.”

Ignoring him, I sit in front of Ryder. She stares at the wall blankly and the circle on her neck is faded to a dull glow. ”Ryder.” I snap my fingers in front of her face. ”Can you hear me?”

She c.o.c.ks her head to the side. ”Monstru.”

”She called you a monster.” Sylas bends down and claps his hands inches from Ryder's face. ”Ryder, give Kayla's memories back.”

Astonis.h.i.+ngly, Ryder listens to him. She reaches her hand out and places it to my temple. Then with her free hand, she gently touches Aiden's arm.

”Conecta,” she whispers.

There's a flash of blue light so blinding I soar backward.

Sylas' face appears above me. ”Do you remember anything yet?”

”No,” I say mutely. ”I don't.”

Because all that fills me is blood. Blood that stains my hands. Blood from the lives I took.

Chapter 12.

I'm standing in a gla.s.s cage, fenced by others just like it. My hands are pressed against the gla.s.s as I stare at a girl trapped in the cage across from mine. Her skin's like snow, her hair like ash. She's crying, tears staining her cheeks and eyes. Outside the gla.s.s, Watchers roam, dressed in their black suits, masks concealing their ident.i.ties. Belts strap their waists, securing Tasers.

Up and down, up and down, I watch them march, never taking my eyes off them.

”Kayla.” Monarch's voice drifts through my cell. I glance up at the white ceiling, at a speaker mounted in the concrete. ”Do you think you can try for me one more time?”

I nod, numbly. A beep and the door to my cell glides open. A Watcher steps in and I robotically show him the numbers on my wrists, like I've done it a thousand times. He scans my wrists with a hand-held machine and the screen glows red. The Watcher steps aside and I troop out. The girl across from me sobs hysterically and I consider shutting her up in ways I didn't think were possible.

Sharply turning to the right, I march down the long, narrow hall squared with gla.s.s cages. Some are empty, others hold people. Some are crying, some dazed, others are asleep. I focus on the red door at the end. Above it, reads Cell 7 and I read it like it is the most natural thing in the world. When I reach it, I know it's time. The Watcher slides a card through the ID scanner. It flashes red and beeps twice. Then the door clicks open. The Watcher backs away and I enter. The room is a square sheet of concrete and chains hang from the walls and ceiling. Blood stains the floors and walls. There are no screams, no noise, not even the beat of my heart.

I walk to a circle in the center of the room and stand with my arms slack to my side. Then I wait, unafraid. From the hall to my right, two figures descend. One stands tall, the other dragging their feet. Their heart's pounding and fear leaks off them, tainting the air.

Monarch enters the room and beside him is a girl maybe twelve-years-old. Her blond hair is tied in knots and her blue eyes are bloodshot. She blinks at me, hopeful. But something in my expression sets her off and she starts to bawl. She falls to her knees and drops her hands over her head.

”Please don't hurt me,” she cries, her shoulders trembling. ”I didn't do anything.”

”No one said you did,” Monarch's voice is harsha”this is not the Monarch I know. ”But we all have to make sacrifices. Kayla, whenever you're ready.”

I inch forward, my eyes targeted on the girl.

”And whatever you do,” Monarch backs up to the wall, ”don't mess it up this time. Remember, this girl is not your friend. She is your enemy. You will not back down this time.”

I shake my head. ”No, I won't.” I creep forward and stare down at the girl. Feelings of guilt and a heavy conscious rise in me, but I shove them away. I grab the girl by the hair and hesitate.

”Turn it off,” Monarch commands. ”Don't let it get to you.”

I nod and attack. I'm aware of every detail in the horrible crime I commit. When I'm finished, I back away with the girl's blood on my hands. Monarch proudly smiles, but sadness hues his eyes.

”Very good.” He nods and motions at the door at a group of people in white coats. There are ten maybe twelve of thema”short, fat, bald, male, femalea”all kinds of varieties, but each one of them wants the same thing. They want to be like me. I recognize one in particular. Dominic. Only he has fewer wrinkles and more color to his hair.

”You think the virus is ready then?” A taller one with a crew cut asks. ”You think it's finally perfected?”

Monarch gestures his hand at me. ”If she's not proof enough, then I don't know what is.”

A woman with gla.s.ses framing her narrow face nods excitedly. ”Then it's time.” She pens a few notes on her clipboard.

A shorter man with a bald head steps forward, his eyes disagreeable, ”You said it was perfected the last time and it wasn't.”

Monarch gestures at me. ”Do you see her flesh decomposing? Her eyes bleeding? Do you see her feel anything but to obey?”

”Well, we don't want to obey,” he says and the rest of the white-coat group is suddenly paying full attention. ”We want to control.”

”Oh, I can a.s.sure you she can control,” Monarch says. ”But if you want, I can show you.”

The man eyes Monarch warily. ”Fine, show me.”

Monarch steps aside and motions the man to step forward. ”Whenever you're ready.”

The man reverses, taken back. ”You want her to try and kill me?”

Monarch slips his coat off and drops it to the floor. ”No, I want you to try and kill me.”