The Operator

Silas’s foot scuffed, and Michael’s head snapped around. Eyes wide, Silas said, “Put it under your tongue. Like glycerin.”

Head hurting, she folded the paper into a funnel and angled it in. It hit with a soft hush and flash of warmth. Another breath, and her headache vanished. She straightened from the hunch she hadn’t known she was in, shoulders easing as the last of the grit dissolved to nothing. The relief had been immediate. “Thank you,” she said softly, and Silas flushed. It wasn’t just for this, but what it meant. If they managed to survive the next few hours, she’d have her freedom back—such as it was.

“That’s good enough for me,” Michael said as he angled his head back and dumped it in. “No one move,” he mumbled, looking at his watch as the powder dissolved. “We’ll just wait the required two minutes. You do realize I have no need of either of you anymore?”

Silas glanced at the monitors. “That’s why I hit the silent alarm when you busted through the front door.”

“Shit,” Michael swore as he saw Helen striding through the building, at least six armed people with her, two in combat gear. “Damn it,” Michael added as he took the syringe with the accelerator from his front pocket and flicked the cap off. “That woman has the timing of a seventeen-year-old. Both of you.” He looked up, motioning with his head. “Over there where I can see you both.”

Peri obediently moved, her resolution beginning to waver. He was going to push poison into his veins thinking it would make him a god. It was going to kill him even as it gave him everything he wanted. Was it wrong to want something so bad you were willing to kill for it? She wanted her freedom. Was it any different from what Michael desired?

“Is there a back door?” she whispered as she and Silas backed even deeper into the lab.

“No. If there was, I would have been through it five minutes ago.”

His expression was grim, and she found his hand, giving it a squeeze. “This isn’t your fault. I did this, not you. I wanted you to be safe, and this was the only way I could think to get to you.”

Silas’s attention jerked from Michael to her, the man currently staring at his watch and cursing. “Trapped in a lab with a crazy man is safe?” Silas asked.

“I won’t let you die,” she said, and his expression blanked.

“Don’t promise me that,” he said, but it wasn’t his decision.

“I’m sorry for leaving you with LB,” she whispered. “I shouldn’t have done that. I was scared.”

“You were scared?” he echoed, but his wonder vanished when Helen came in, flanked by her security. Brow furrowed, he edged in front of Peri. “There’s a cuff key on my key chain,” he said. “Back pocket.”

Thank God, she thought, fingers awkward as she fished for them.

Michael grinned, tossing the used syringe of accelerator away. It was done.

For three long seconds, Helen stood there in her pristine white dress suit, seeing the facts and trying to guess what had transpired. “I told you to retire Reed. Explain this,” she said, motioning for two of her security to circle around behind them. Peri reluctantly dropped back, the key still in Silas’s pocket.

Michael stood unmoving, his expression slack as he listened to his body, feeling the change, exalting in it. “I will retire her. I had some unfinished business first.”

Helen’s brow furrowed as she looked from Michael to Peri and Silas. “I had been hoping that you would fill her place, Michael, but I can see you aren’t ready for even that yet. Security, put Reed in my car. I will take care of this myself.”

But the sound of Michael’s weapon cocking stopped everyone, and the half-mad look in his eye kept them unmoving. “After I finish talking to her,” Michael said. “You should be pleased. I’m thinking for myself, ma’am, just as you suggested.”

Irritation flickered over Helen. “No one shoot him. You understand me?” Helen pushed forward, seeing as he was aiming at the men, not her. “What did she tell you? Lies to manipulate you into making a mistake, I’m sure.”

Peri’s lip curled up. This was the person behind everything Bill had done to her. It had taken two years, but she’d found her. “I told him nothing,” Peri said. “You did this yourself by suspending the program after promising to accelerate him. You really think you can string one of us along, then fail to make good on a promise and live to complain about it when we force the issue?” Peri said bitterly. “As much as we hate each other, we share a common thread you will never comprehend.”

Helen went white as she reassessed Michael’s smug satisfaction. “Accelerated,” she breathed, her eyes dropping to the used syringe. “What did you do?”

Peri had delayed long enough. Even if someone drafted now, they couldn’t erase the past. Michael was accelerated. Catching Michael’s eye, she tapped her wrist. Michael smirked. “It’s done,” she said, and Helen flushed, livid.

“I told you to wait!” Helen exclaimed.

Silas took Peri’s arm, trying to get her to back up with him. “Ready or not, here he comes,” Peri said. “And you’re stuck with him. I’m out of here.”

“Dart him!” Helen shouted, and Peri gasped as everyone moved. “Both of them!”

Peri flung herself at the floor, but she never hit as the air was suddenly flooded with blue sparkles. The world froze for an instant: Silas’s worry, Michael’s satisfaction, Helen’s ugly expression as she pointed . . . and the dart gun being raised a half second too slow.