Page 75 of Breaking the Code

Nova asks what’s happening and I go back to my intel, blocking out the continuing argument at least until I hear them yell, “Wait! He gets to go?”

Wait! What?

I don’t go out in the field. Never. Ever. I’m not a Ghost. I’m not trained.

Nova shouts, “Are you fucking kidding me? This is complete bullshit!”

I couldn’t agree more.

Nova storms out and West grumbles at Zayn about not giving them a heads up before he follows Nova.

This isn’t fucking good. This isn’t good at all.

Minutes later, I’m climbing in the back of a van with Zayn, Everly, Damon, Rayth, and Killian. Everything in me is screaming ABORT! Yet there’s no pause button. This isn’t a video game. This is real life and Daddy is going to whip my ass until I’m black and blue. He made me promise I wouldn’t do something like this without him.

Yet here I am.

Rayth says, “Almost there.”

My anxiety ratchets up a dozen or so notches.

“Everyone clear on the plan?” Everly asks.

I’m not sure what plan they're fucking talking about. I don’t remember a discussion or a planning meeting. I just remember being told I was leaving the mansion and going out into the field. I don’t know why the fuck I needed to be here. Everything I do for the Society can be done remotely. As in, not the fuck out in the field. I don’t even have a gun. And even if I did, I wouldn’t know how to use it.

Fuck! This is bad. This is very, very bad.

The others are talking about kissing and making up and offering advice to Zayn on how to get back in Nova and West’s good graces.

I mumble, “Candy is always a good option. I’d say chocolate, but that shit’s nasty.”

Zayn laughs. “You just want to add to your stash. Besides, what do you know about relationships? In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never exactly seemed the dating type.”

My face gets hot and I look back at my laptop.

It’s kinda hard to date when you're a sex slave.

Swallowing, I focus on the screen in front of me. That’s my comfort zone outside of the cocoon Draven creates for me. So I ignore the creepy feeling of being watched and make sure I have the security feeds loaded and that everyone is ready to go.

When the van rolls to a stop, Rayth says, “Alright, everyone ready to do this?”

I nod along with everyone else, but no, I am not ready to fucking do this. Whatever this is.

Zayn and the others pull on their masks, then Zayn says, “Let’s fuck him up.”

I watch as they pull together the rest of their gear and put in their earpieces. After I do the comms check I could’ve done from my computer desk, they move out of the van. They’re crazy if they think I’m going with them, so I stay put. I’m not leaving this fucking van unless I absolutely have to.

I check the security feeds. “Okay. I’m still not seeing any security, but keep an eye out just in case.” Tapping a few more keys, I check a couple more things before giving them the go ahead. “Going dark. I’ll be able to hear you if you need me, but don’t say anything else unless it’s necessary.”

Everyone agrees and they head out to follow whatever fucking plan they put together that I fucking missed. I really wish I had my stash of junk food now. That would really help my anxiety.

Minutes pass and things seem to be going fine until I hear, “Could use some backup.”

Scanning all the feeds, I see Zayn drop to his knees, surrounded by the police. A couple of the cops swarming the room and the one in the room is familiar to me. They’d been on Owen’s payroll, and it seemed like Elijah had roped them into his game plan.

“On it. Rayth, you’re the closest. But be careful. The place is swarming with cops now.”

Rayth responds, but I don’t have the time to keep up with what’s going on with them because there’s movement on one of the other cameras.

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