Toxic (Denazen #2)(65)

Kale was a tornado, spinning through the room and taking out everything in his path. Deadly to confront but too amazing to take your eyes off. Even one of the agents had stopped to stare.

When the last guy went down, Kale crossed the room to where Jade was still playing dead. I wanted so badly to call her out, but now wasn’t the time.

Heaving her over his shoulder, Kale nodded to the doorway. “We need to find the others.”

No arguments from me. The less time we spent hanging here in the dark with piles of Denazen trash scattered at our feet, the better. I glanced over my shoulder. Able was long gone.

We snaked back through the lobby and into the hallway around Rosie’s desk. Through the door and into the stairwell. Everything was silent.

“We can’t search the whole place with Little Miss Sunshine slung over your shoulder,” I whispered. Leaning over the railing, I lifted my head and listened. You could have heard a feather hit the ground. Not a good sign—and creepy to boot.

There were Denazen men in the building. There should have been sounds of struggle. Of fighting. Could they have gotten everyone out already? Nightmare images of Denazen suits marching Sixes out the back door to waiting vans made me shudder.

I held my breath and listened harder. When all that came was eerie silence, I pushed off the railing and turned back to Kale. He was setting Jade down on the landing, taking care not to slam her head against the wall.

“I could slap her a few times.” I said, wiggling my fingers. Half joking. Okay. Less than half. “Try to wake her up?”

He got down on his knee, bending close to her face. For an insane, drawn-out moment, it almost looked like he was about to kiss her. I didn’t know whether to scream or cry. My Prince Charming off to wake up some other princess.

“I think she’s waking up,” he said.

I folded my arms and leaned back against the wall. “Maybe ’cause she was never asleep to begin with?”

Liquid chocolate eyes fringed by annoyingly long lashes fluttered open. Her head listed sideways just enough for several springy curls to fall across her cheek. “Wha—what happened?”

“You ran away to save your own ass, remember? Didn’t make it very far. Then you got captured.”

I swear to God, Kale rolled his eyes and sighed. He stood and held his hand out to help her up. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

I pushed him aside. “I’m betting it was the phone call telling Dad to send in the second wave.”

She did her best impression of surprised, but I wasn’t buying it. “What are you babbling about?”

“This place is locked down tighter than a nun’s chastity belt. No way is someone getting inside without help.”

Her eyes went wide. She took a step toward me. “Are you’re trying to say you think it was me? I wasn’t even here! I was with you.”

For a split second I might have believed her. That whole wide-eyed, but I’m innocent routine could’ve been pretty convincing, except I knew better. Had some insider information. Something Dad said at the post office echoed in my head.

“Has anyone survived?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. One. A very unique girl with a gift I think you’d find very appealing. Especially in your current situation.”

Jade was a spy for Dad. And not just any spy. She was the Supremacy survivor. Now that it’d all come together, it made total sense. Her invincibility. The immunity to Kale. Dad saying I’d find her gift appealing. So her plan was what? To charm Kale’s ass off, then deliver him right to Dad? Such a girl move! Seduce and conquer. I didn’t know if that made the way she was drooling all over him better—or worse.

I matched her step, fists tight. “I’m not trying to say anything. It was you. You’re Supremacy.”

“Supremacy? Is that some kind of lame-o skater slang?” She shoved me. “Like I said, I wasn’t here. I was with Kale.”

“You set it up before the dance, then.”

“You’re a piece of work, you know that? You think flinging crazy accusations is going to get rid of me? You’re the only one who believes this crap!”

Kale tapped me on the arm. “Dez…”

“Just because I’m the only one willing to see it doesn’t mean I’m wrong. I know who you are.”

“Jade…” Kale tried again. From the corner of my eye, I saw him looking up into the stairwell. For once, Jade didn’t hang on every syllable like a groupie.

“Who I am?” she squealed. “Yeah. I’m the girl who’s tired of your shit. It never occurred to you that someone else is leaking information? That maybe one of your buddies is a traitor? Are you really that insecure that you need to pin this on me?”

Insecure? Fingers stiff, I let loose. I did her a favor, though. Something I’d never done before. I slapped her. I’d kicked, bitten, kneed, hell, I’d even head-butted, but slapped? No way. Too much of a girl move.

She didn’t as much as flinch.

Oops. Invincible.

“Bitch!” she snarled, letting her own fist fly. The blow struck my left shoulder, and, as a scream split my lips, I went toppling backward. In that moment, I actually wished I was dead. The spasm that spread from the impact point and out through my limbs was agony. Involuntary tears stung the corners of my eyes as I dragged myself up.