Deviation (Clone Chronicles #2)(45)

We slow again, taking a sharp left curve. The trees drop away and, even in the dark, I can see a well-manicured lawn stretching as far as the darkness will reveal. It feels familiar. I scan the sparse scenery, trying to place it. It’s all open, moonless sky and grassy lawn until suddenly a gray wall slides into view. It rises high into the air and spans wider than my vantage point will allow.

The smooth stone, the glass front that disappears high into the sky like a pointed finger; it’s so familiar …

I twist sharply toward Titus. He’s watching me with a glint in his eye. “What are we doing here?” My tone is snapping to cover the fear. He’s changed his mind. My assignment is finished. “Am I … terminated?” I ask.

“No, you’re not terminated. You’re my daughter,” Titus says with such dripping sarcasm I don’t know whether to take him seriously.

The guard on my right stares up at the building like he’s never seen it before. Alton shifts uncomfortably, making a point not to look out the window. The car rolls to a stop and I hear the driver’s door open and close. No one moves. The door to my left opens and Alton slides out at the same time a gust of cool air whooshes in. It tucks underneath the collar of my coat, trickling a cold sweat down my back.

In this moment, all of the daydreaming and longing I’ve done over returning here is thrown in my face. Now that I’m back, I’m paralyzed with fear over what it means.

“Coming?”

I blink and find Titus out of the car, leaning in and watching me expectantly. His leather-gloved hand extends toward me. I slide out without taking it and he steps aside to let me through. I stare up at the expanse of stone walls in front of me in awe. It’s an imposing structure even if you don’t know the bulk of its space is hidden below ground; a prison barred by the earth itself.

“Alton, Deitrich, come along,” Titus snaps. “The rest of you wait here.”

The second guard pushes past me, his mouth hanging slightly open as he sends curious glances back and forth between Alton and Titus. “Is this …?”

“Yes,” Titus snaps. “And you’ll do well to keep your mouth shut. Don’t ask questions or this won’t be the last car ride to nowhere you’ll take.”

Deitrich blinks and keeps silent. Message received.

Titus shakes his head at no one in particular. “One of these days I’ll get that DNA structure right and won’t have to deal with imbecile humans.”

I wonder why he’s risking bringing a new guy for … whatever it is we’re doing here. I can only assume it’s because he’s done away with all of his regulars. I think of Williams. I haven’t seen him since the night he let himself into my room, thinking he’d find me in bed. I can’t bring myself to ask about him. The answer is too frightening. I shiver and fall into step behind Alton as we make our way toward my former home.

It’s strange to be on this side of the walls. The day I left is such a blur of movement that I don’t remember noticing much about the outside of the City. My memory contains a flash of stone and glass as I’d glanced out the back windshield just before the trees swallowed it up and I was delivered to Titus. Now, I take the time to look around. The drive is a large paved circle with a stone fountain in the center. It is turned off now but I can see the mirrored glint of water in the tiered trough. On the top is a carved tree with gnarled branches extending outward over the basins.

Other than us, there are no other vehicles. No visitor parking. There isn’t even a guard tower or sign of security. I wonder how Titus keeps it secure out here in the middle of nowhere. And then I realize security is unnecessary. No one is aware of the secrets this place contains.

Maybe I’ve returned to become one of them.

It isn’t until we reach the smooth stone to the right of the mirrored glass front that I realize the other reason Titus is most likely unconcerned with a security force. There is no door. Or, at least, not as far as Twig City’s residents know. The only exit I am aware of is the hidden passage inside Marla’s office that I left through. No one has ever seen a front door—not that any of us Imitations ever return from the surface once we’ve gone.

I shift and peer around Alton in an attempt to see what Titus is doing at the wall. Titus jerks his head toward me and glares. “Step back,” he says. Alton swivels and notices me watching. He repositions himself so that my view is blocked.

From my place behind him, I watch Titus reach into his front coat pocket and retrieve something. There is a click and then a beep that seems too loud against the silence. After a pause, I hear the slow sound of stone grinding against stone and vertigo threatens. The world seems to spin—or maybe I’m falling—and then I realize it isn’t me. The wall is sliding away. An opening is revealed.

Titus replaces whatever it is he took from his pocket and leads the way inside. Alton and I follow with Deitrich bringing up the rear. I can’t tell who is more taken aback by the fact that we just stepped foot inside Twig City, Deitrich or myself. I wonder what he knows of this place. It’s clear from the way he stares with a slack jaw that he knows enough.

“Come,” Titus says before stepping inside.

The lobby is large and open, the tip of the ceiling extending farther up than my eyes can reach. Through the sculptured glass far above my head, stars wink back at me. Secret keepers befitting of a hidden city. The floor beneath my feet shines despite the lack of light. Titus moves quickly across it, his shoes clicking as he hurries toward his destination.