Page 29 of Seeking Salvation

Knowing it was useless to argue, she followed him out of the conference room, but instead of going for the front door, he headed to the back and through a fire door with a secure access panel. “Where are we going?”

Watchdog ignored her as he pressed his thumb to an elevator panel and the doors slid open.

“If you’re going to murder me, can you at least promise to make it quick?”

They stepped inside and Watchdog pushed a button. As the doors slid closed he turned to her. “If I was going to murder you, you’d already be dead.”

Laughter sputtered out of her until she realised he wasn’t joking. “Man, that’s dark. What happened to you?”

“Hell happened to me.”

Unsure what to say to that, Maya remained silent. Every instinct in her body told her she could trust these people even when they kept giving her reasons to run for the hills. Her inner thoughts came to a screeching halt when the doors slid open and they stepped out into what could only be described as an underground complex. A wide, open hallway with doors leading off in several directions was painted in white.

“What is this place?”

“Home.”

Watchdog took off to the left and she followed, her gaze moving as they passed open doorways.

“That’s the common room.” He pointed to the left. “Over there is the gym, opposite that is the kitchen. Apartments are on the opposite end of the compound.”

“You live here?”

“We all have apartments here, but some choose to live elsewhere. Those with families, mostly.”

“Does Titan live here?”

“Mostly.”

“Who are you people, really?”

“We’re who the governments call when the job is too dirty. We clean up the scum of the earth and nobody will ever know it, save a few.”

“Is it legal?”

“It’s sanctioned but, if it ever came out, we’re on our own. We don’t exist.”

Maya followed blindly as Watchdog led her into a room that would make NASA jealous. Watchdog seemed to visibly relax, his demeanour changing like he could finally take a breath after hours without oxygen.

“This is where you work?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you showing me this?”

“Titan trusts you and I trust Titan. But you need to trust us if you want to keep him safe.” He dipped his chin at Tyrique who was now staring wide-eyed and alert at the man holding his carrier.

“How does it make me trust you?”

“Because you could destroy us with what we just revealed to you.”

“I won’t,” she denied hotly and she knew she’d take this to the grave. Not that she had anyone to tell, anyway.

“I know. Leave the child with me and I’ll protect him with my life.”

“Why would you do that? You barely know me or Tyrique.”

“He’s Titan’s and Titan is family to me and that now includes you and Tyrique.”