Page 43 of He is… Creed: Part Three

“Lifebonding has nothing to do with protecting my country.”

“And yet, it does,” I counter. “We need to understand what makes the GTECHs tick. It’s, in fact, imperative.” I consider her a moment and then shift my gaze back to Dr. Chin, who, unlike Jocelyn, has a stomach for necessity. “I wonder what he’d do if we put her in there with him?”

“What?” Jocelyn gasps, grabbing the table. “I am not going in a cage with that…that thing you created.”

“Hypothetically, Jocelyn,” I snap irritably. “Get a grip on yourself and find some professionalism. This is a science experiment designed to save lives.” I saunter toward the cage. “Let’s get on with progress.”

Expediting my plans quickly is essential now that the GTECHs know about Red Dart, and Creed is not only inside the Renegades’ operation, but sniffing around in Jocelyn’s business. I have to claim control of the GTECHs and do it now, if not with the sound waves alone, then with Red Dart and the Green Hornets combined.

Losing West would be an inconvenience, but one must be willing to endure losses in war if one is to gain enemy territory. He can be replaced.

I stop just outside West’s reach and hold up the remote. “This is why you’re naked,” I say. “Because I’m going to introduce you to death, son, and you will be reborn my follower or not at all.” I punch the button on the remote, and West’s body jerks and then begins shaking. Excellent. It’s working. I turn up the volume, and West slides down the bars and crashes to his knees. Oh yes, I like this. Easing off the volume, I allow West to recover slightly.

West groans and lifts his upper body onto his hands, his face red and his eyes bloodshot. “What did you do to me?” he wheezes.

I kneel down to his level. “I didn’t do this. Jocelyn did. This was her invention.” I tilt my head and study him. “You said you would do what was necessary to be my commander. Now. Why don’t you tell me how Zodius got those Green Hornets?”

West snarls. “I don’t know.”

I hit the remote again, and West’s hands fall from underneath him, the shaking flattening him on the ground. I ease off and allow him to find reality again before I ask, “How did they get Green Hornets?”

West pushes himself up on his hands again. “I don’t—”

Again, I shock him, the wave on a slow simmer that keeps West flat on his face and shivering.

Jocelyn jerks on my arm. “Enough, General! You see it works. Enough!”

“Control yourself,” I warn. “Our agenda is bigger than one man’s pain.”

Defiance flashes in her eyes. “You have no agenda but playing God.”

“Careful now, Jocelyn, my sweet. You’re stressed and saying things you might regret later. Because if making weapons of mass destruction as Taylor does is not playing God, I do not know what is.”

But logic prevails. I need her. I turn to her and settle my hands on her shoulders, softening my voice. “I know how much you want to amend the past. We’re a peaceful nation. With super soldiers in our arsenal, we will force peace on others without ever lifting a hand. We are doing a good thing here. Circumstances simply demand we act swiftly.” The challenge in her eyes fades as I add, “We must know this man’s physical and mental limitations so that we properly gauge their effectiveness against the GTECHs.”

She hesitates, but shakes her head. “Yes. Yes, you’re right. Okay. I just…I can’t watch.”

“Then don’t,” I say. “Go to the other room, and we will call you when this is done.”

With an inhaled breath, she silently agrees, turning and walking away.

With her in check, I refocus on West, easing up on the remote. West’s body goes stiff, then limp. Brock abruptly pushes up on his hands again, blood trickling from his lips. “I was trying to protect our mission,” he hisses.

I arch a brow. “So, you did give Lucian those bullets?”

“They wanted proof that I could be trusted. I knew we’d seize the bullets back when we overthrow Zodius Nation.”

“So, you did betray me,” I say, hitting the remote and turning it to high volume. West’s body positively quakes.

I turn it off, and West screams, “No. I was trying to protect you.”

“What else are you not telling me, Lieutenant Colonel? Because when I capture Lucian and tag him with Red Dart, I will make him talk. He will tell me what you have not, and Lord, help you when he does.”

Inhaling sharply, West jumps to his feet and stands there naked and stiff at attention—prepared for pain. “Right before you called me to that bridge, sir, your daughter left her apartment with Creed of her own free will. Lucian believes she’s helping Creed try to find the Red Dart formula to destroy it, and Lucian’s plan was to use me as the middleman. Creed would convince Addie to find Red Dart, but I’d give her reasons to distrust him. When the time was right, I’d step in and save her from heartache, and she’d give me the information on Red Dart.”

Everything in my mind goes red. I hit the remote, and West falls to the ground like a stone block off a high-rise. Lucian will pay in pain for his plan to manipulate Addie. And Brock will live in pain for allowing this to happen.

I hate Creed—hate him for taking my little girl from me and destroying her trust. For holding that knife at my throat and making me beg for my life. But then, an idea forms.

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