Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles #1)(84)

“We’re at the submersibles dock, Mother. There’s nothing you can do,” I say.

There’s a long silence, and I wonder what she’s doing. Then the speakers hiss again. “That’s what you think,” she says softly. “You know? Killing those girls was not very smart. How do you expect you’ll find the power room now? Though I doubt they would have helped you anyway.” She laughs, and it isn’t just me that hears the madness behind it.

Gavin looks at me and narrows his eyes. “We’re getting to her,” he finally says.

“It’s such a shame, really,” Mother says, either not hearing Gavin or ignoring him. “Because you were right about his eyes. And his genetics. The child you would have made together would have been perfect for my plans. An indestructible Enforcer.”

“Indestructible? What are you talking about, Mother?” It comes out as a sigh. I’m over all this nonsense. I just want it to end.

“Didn’t Veronica tell you?” She clicks her tongue. “Your genetics are superior to anyone in this city. You were the perfect Enforcer. Your body was quite literally designed for it. A wunderkind, so to speak. I should know; I made sure of it. You did everything perfectly your first time out. Sadly, your brain is constantly rejecting the Conditioning, but that’s easily fixed. In your children. A few modifications and we would have had the perfect Enforcers.”

Rage tears through me. “Is that why you kept me alive, Mother? When it would have been easier to kill me?”

“Yes. But once we were quite sure the children were what we wanted, you would have been destroyed. Just like anything defective.”

“Sorry to upset your plans, but that’s not going to happen,” Gavin says.

“Oh, it will,” Mother says. “Her Conditioning will take over, then she’ll kill you and return to me and we’ll put all this nasty stuff behind us.” She pauses. “Oh, and Evelyn, do be safe, will you? I’d rather you not get killed by those defectives running around Sector Three.”





CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN



The War has corrupted the Surface Dwellers. They have been consumed with hate and violence, and should be considered extremely dangerous. Any Surface Dweller who attempts to break into Elysium should be shot on sight.





—ENFORCER STATUTE 104A.1





The speaker crackles, then cuts off. I glare at it before moving my gaze to the console.

Gavin rubs a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Evie. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I don’t say anything because I’m still staring at the console. There’s not a single light on it. Just like in the corridors. Apparently the emergency power doesn’t extend to these.

“Damn it!” I pound my fist against the glass.

“What’s wrong?” Gavin demands.

“There’s no power,” I reply with a sigh.

The news doesn’t surprise him. He only shrugs. “Well, that’s easy to fix, right? I mean, we’re in the Engineering Sector. Didn’t you say that the power control room is in this Sector?”

“Yes, but I don’t know where it is.” I look at the ground. I’m having trouble looking at him again. Partly from embarrassment, partly because just looking at him makes me want to snap his neck.

Unaware how hard I’m fighting, but obviously sensing something is wrong, he rubs a hand up and down my bare arm. Unable to control myself, I grab his hand and toss it aside.

“Don’t touch me,” I growl. “Don’t you realize what I want to do to you?”

“For God’s sake, Evie! You’re hurting. I can see it. Do you expect me to just do nothing?”

“Yes. Yes I do. Because I want to kill you. I want to take my hands and wrap them around your neck and watch as you die.” Gavin blinks and takes a step away from me. “Now will you please stop touching me!”

“I’m sorry,” he says quietly.

Seeing the fear in his eyes, I curse and pull at my hair. “No. I’m sorry. It’s just getting harder and harder for me to be around you.”

“Do you want to split up? Will it help you not kill me?” He grins, but I only shake my head.

“No. I can— I will control this, and we shouldn’t split up. Not with those … things walking around. All in all, you’re still probably safer with me.” This time I force a smile. “We’re in this together, right?”

“For better or worse,” he says. “Besides, I suppose if anyone was going to kill me, I’d rather it be you.” He kisses the side of my cheek, just to the left of my lips, and watches me as he pulls away, as if to see what my reaction will be.

Surprisingly, the kiss and his words make the haze of hate fade. Just a tiny bit.

“We need to find out how to get to the power room. Any ideas?” he asks.

I slowly shake my head. For the life of me, I can’t remember anything about this Sector. It seems the harder I fight the Conditioning to kill Gavin, the less I remember.

Gavin purses his lips and for just a moment he reminds me so much of Mother, my hand is at my plasma pistol before I realize it. It takes every ounce of self-control I have to pull my arm back.

I want to kill him. He’s a dirty, filthy Surface Dweller. He means nothing to me. He’s not my friend. Why am I helping him escape?