Remember Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker #3)(41)
I met his stare with unwavering confidence and waited for him to elaborate. His eyes narrowed, but not in anger. He was analyzing me. I knew I’d passed some test when he gave me the tiniest nod before continuing. “We have suspected for some time that Donovan is not working alone. The break-in at Dr. Rajeet’s office proves it. His new partner has to be one of the doctors Rajeet contacted about your test results.”
I nodded. “It makes sense.”
Major Wilks cleared his throat and got to the heart of it. “I think we should have you agree to further tests with Dr. Rajeet. Tell him you need to figure out what’s going on with you, and tell him you’d like to work with his colleagues. I think if we do that, Donovan’s partner would eventually approach you with some tale of giving you your memories back. He’d try to lure you in, and he’d lead us straight to Donovan.”
The ACEs murmured to one another and Ryan stiffened, but I wasn’t the least bit surprised by the plan. “You want me to act as bait. I can respect that, but what’s to stop him from simply sending more of his supersoldiers after me once I come out of hiding? They almost killed me yesterday. If he sent many more of them than he did last time, I wouldn’t be able to hold them off.”
“We would, of course, keep constant watch on you,” Major Wilks said quickly. “You’d have a permanent military escort.”
“Wouldn’t that be too obvious?” Eyes asked.
Ryan pointed a finger at Eyes, as if he’d just been thinking the exact same thing. “Yeah. Jamie’s not exactly the type to agree to a bunch of lab testing, and Donovan knows that. If she suddenly resurfaced with a military escort and wanted a bunch of tests done, they’d know it was a setup. Donovan’s partner would never approach her.”
Major Wilks shook his head. “They’ve already given her the perfect reason for needing the tests and a protection detail.” His eyes flicked over to me. “You were attacked yesterday, and your friend was kidnapped. You need to figure out who’s after you. The only way to do that is to recover your memories. Tell the doctors you have no other choice. And of course the military would protect the famous Angel if someone were trying to hurt you. No one would question that.”
His plan made sense except for one problem. “No offense, Major, but we’re talking about an army of supersoldiers. The only person strong and fast enough to fight them is me. Do you really think your team would be able to keep me safe?”
Major Wilks cringed, hating the fact that Donovan’s soldiers were stronger than his own. “Donovan doesn’t want anyone to know he’s still alive. He doesn’t want people to know his supersoldiers exist. He wouldn’t risk sending them after you if you had a military escort.”
“That’s an awfully big assumption,” Tyson grumbled. “And probably false.”
Everyone turned to Tyson, but it was Blake who explained. “Donovan is egotistical and power hungry. It’s a dangerous combination. He’s desperate, and he believes himself to be infallible. He may want to keep his operation secret until he’s ready to reveal it, but he needs Jamie.”
Blake risked a nervous glance at me and immediately turned his attention back to Major Wilks. Probably because Abiodun, Ryan, and Tyson had all gone stiff at the sound of his voice. The tension had become stifling instantly.
Blake took a breath and forced his voice steady. “Jamie is the only subject Donovan has ever found who wasn’t born with her powers. She was made into what she is. Donovan wants her more than he’s ever wanted anything. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was willing to take a few risks to get her back.”
My head started shaking before he was done talking. “That doesn’t make any sense. So what if I was created? Donovan’s already figured out how to give people my strength and speed. He doesn’t need me anymore.”
Now Blake gave me his full attention, ignoring my friends’ hostility. “It’s not permanent.”
“What?”
“A couple of hours ago, the men you captured became sick.”
“Withdrawals,” Dr. Haggerty chimed in. “Agitation, anxiety, sweating, muscle aches and spasms, vomiting…they’re showing classic signs of men going through very severe detox.”
“I don’t understand,” Ryan said.
At the risk of being murdered, Blake answered Ryan. “It’s become apparent that their powers are gone. They are no longer any stronger or faster than normal humans. They aren’t talking, but we believe Donovan has been injecting them with some kind of serum that gives them their abilities.”
“It’s like some kind of performance-enhancing superdrug,” Dr. Haggerty said.
Blake nodded. “But it’s far from perfect. Dr. Haggerty and I have been running tests on the soldiers. Whatever they’ve been taking is too hard on them. It’s tearing apart their internal systems. If they were to continue taking it, it would kill them. If they live through these withdrawals, you may have saved their lives by getting them captured.”
Well, that was completely disturbing and fascinating all at the same time. It was hard to wrap my head around.
“The point is,” Dr. Haggerty said, “the effects don’t last long. The superthugs probably have to take it daily judging by how fast they started experiencing the withdrawals, and the more they take it the faster it kills them. Donovan still doesn’t have the power he wants, Angel, and he believes you’re the key.”