Mercury Striking (The Scorpius Syndrome #1)(64)

“Right. Bret already had his people in place. They took me back to the temporary CDC in D.C. afterward, and I started planning my escape that day.” She shuddered. “I stole a phone from one of the labs and called Uncle Bruce, who had already gathered supplies. Getting out took over a month, but we finally had the opportunity, which I already told you about. The second I got free, Bret created the Elite Force out of men from the Secret Service, the FBI, and the army to hunt me down. The EF’s sole purpose for now is to find me.”

Jax lifted his chin. “Why?”

“Bret says it’s because he loves me, and because of my research on a cure for Scorpius. But what he really wants is to hurt me.” God knew what he’d do to her if he actually caught her.

“So it’s personal.” Jax gave no indication whether he believed her or not, his voice remaining level and distant.

“Yes.” Was it ever personal. “After the fever, he changed, became obsessed with power.” Hell. Obsessed with her, too.

“Once and for all, are you carrying any sort of new infection?” Jax asked.

She shook her head, plucking a string on her worn pants. “Of course not. There’s no new infection. That’s just a ploy to get people to turn me in.”

“Last I heard, the Brigade was the first line of defense against the Scorpius disaster.”

She nodded. “Yes, but the Brigade is putting out fires all over the country by protecting nuclear supplies and other situations like that. The EF is a singular purpose or mission organization, and right now, I’m their target.”

“Is the Brigade working with the EF?”

“No, I don’t think so. When the EF caught up with us and killed my uncle, the Brigade, or rather, the McDougalls, weren’t anywhere around.”

Jax watched her like a hawk eyeing a defenseless field mouse. “Where is Myriad?”

She sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I think I found the coordinates of Myriad Labs in the data you secured from Baker and Baker.”

Tension filled the space with a heaviness she could feel in her flesh.

Jax crossed his arms. “Why not just tell me instead of trying to force my cooperation?”

She hugged her legs. “I was afraid you’d turn me over to the Elite Force. I’ve got to get to Myriad before Bret does.”

Jax lifted his chin, his gaze scorching. Did he believe her? “The president is going to Myriad?” he asked.

“He wants the records and tests at Myriad that may lead to a cure. If he has a cure, or even a way to help people survive the contagion better, he’ll be able to control every nation in the world. Hopefully he doesn’t know where I’m heading. But I know he’s been tracking me,” she murmured. “He confiscated all of my research notes, and I really need to get them, but I don’t know how. I remember my research, but there were so many tests and so many different concoctions, I can’t remember everything, even with my brain working better than before.”

Jax rubbed his chin. “Tell me everything you know about the research that was being done at Myriad.”

She lifted a shoulder. “Promise you won’t turn me over.”

“No. Talk now, Lynne.”

Damn it. She really didn’t have a choice. Somehow, she had to convince him, and maybe the truth would do it. “Fine. They’d managed to synthesize vitamin B in the lab in concentrated amounts, and I think their results showed promise. Enough to investigate further.” She gestured with her hands as she spoke. “Bret was busy consolidating power and didn’t pay much attention to my work or contacts at that point. He’d already survived the fever by then, and he’d changed. I didn’t realize it at the time, though.”

“His focus went from dealing with the crisis to consolidating his own power?” Jax asked.

“I guess.”

Jax rolled his shoulders against the door. “You haven’t seen him since he supposedly killed the sitting president?”

Supposedly. So much for trust. “That’s the truth.” Enough of this crap. Either Jax believed her, or he didn’t. She shouldn’t care. But her stomach hurt, and her temples pounded. Tears clogged her throat, but no way would she let them fall.

“Where’s Myriad located?” he asked.

She settled. “If I have the coordinates right, it’s in Century City.”

“Good. I want those coordinates.”

“Fine. What happens then?”

He watched her, no expression, filling the entire world with Jax Mercury. Even the atmosphere altered with his mood. “I haven’t decided.”

The constant fear living inside her slowly abated. If she died, she died. “Make me one promise.”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“If you decide to contact Bret, and he comes, kill me before he does.” Without question, death at Jax’s hand would be a hell of a lot less painful than letting Bret have a go at her.

“No promise.”

She coughed out a laugh. Well, that sucked. Would Jax trade her to Bret to save his people? To obtain more vitamin B and medical supplies?

“Did he attack you?”

“No,” she whispered. “I’m done sharing my story with you.”

“You’ll share whatever I want you to share,” Jax said evenly.