Page 19 of Rawest Venom

Nodding, I keep the words I want to say to myself. Always backing away from her, my eyes memorize the tiny dots sprinkled along her nose and the exact way she pokes her tongue out of the corner of her mouth with concentration until I reach the curtain of the warehouse.

Then, and only then, do I turn my back on her.

Striding to my primary hacker’s domicile, the wall opens with a loud shuffle as concrete crumbles fall in the doorway, dust blowing up with the change in air pressures. The stench of baby powder deodorant and some type of microwaved food invites me into Echoes’s lair like a dirty welcome mat. Alpha sits next to her curvy figure, the two going over the scene between Jane and me. But they quickly feign disinterest as I waltz in and sit on the futon behind them.

“What’s the sacrifice?”

Echoes turns slowly in her chair and shoves her thick black frames up her nose. “Hello to you, too, Cal.”

Ignoring her, I slide my glance to Alpha, who still hasn’t turned from the monitors. One eyelid involuntarily twitches at watching her watch Jane. “Money? Fame? An appendage? Death? What is it, Alpha?”

Echoes places a hand on the back of Alpha’s chair as she continues to click through the screens in front of her. Maybe she hasn’t forgiven me like I thought. Oh, I loathe groveling. It’s so tiresome.

“What are you talking about?” Echoes asks.

Lifting a finger to the back of Alpha’s dark brown hair, I say, “Alpha? What’s the sacrifice?”

With great effort, she turns in her office chair, which lets out desperate cries for oil. Her bright blue eyes narrow at me, a tiny sneer coming to her upper lip. “Sorry, why don’t you ask yourgenius?”

Deep breath in. And out. “Do I need to fuck you both here to get you to obey?” It’s what they both want. Well, Alpha wants and Echoes wants her. The thing is, Ihave no interest in fucking Alpha unless I’m desperate. And I’m not.

At my question, Echoes’s eyes dart between my face and Alpha’s like she’s watching a tennis match and hoping her side wins.

“You think you’re so desirable.” Alpha scoffs.

Apparently, I had walked in on a girlfriend bitching session about the boss. Pulling out my phone, my finger hits the fourth contact. “Hey, it’s me. I need you to do something. Find out what kind of sacrifice?—”

“Hang up! Hang up right now!” Alpha yells across the room, the sound shrill and irritating.

Holding the phone out to the side of my face, my eyebrows raise at Alpha’s insistence. “I’m talking with Delta. He says ‘Yes, sir’ when I call.”

“Hang the fuck up,sir, and I’ll tell you. I don’t want him involved.” Alpha’s leather-covered arms cross and a pouty little huff pushes past her lips. Echoes returns to her wall of screens.

“Delta?” I check with my second spy.

“Yes, sir. I heard. If you need me—” I end the call.

Resting my elbows on my knees, I ask, “Well?”

Alpha lowers her fingers to her sides as she fiddles with the bottom of her seat. A loudwhooshinterrupts her thoughts as she deflates in the chair. “I don’t know.” Raising my phone again, she yells, “Wait! Stop. Don’t call him back. When I went to the spot where Halcyon meets the representative, a-a woman approached me. Her face was covered by an owl mask, and she was wearing a dark crimson cape. She said she knew who I was and who I was working for, but she wouldn’t tell meher name. When I said you wanted a meeting, she demanded an appropriate ‘sacrifice’ before you would be worthy.”

“And? What is thissacrifice, Alpha?”

She shrugs. “She said, ‘He’ll know what it is.’ Then she disappeared back into the woods. Echoes followed her as far as the cameras could, but she walked for miles.”

Echoes nods her black tousled hair bun emphatically and agrees. “To the west.”

Leaning against the scratchy cushion, I stretch my arms across the back of the cheap metal frame. My head flops against the wall, resting there. If I let the lenses in my eyes relax enough, I’ll go blind.

Is there a difference between life and death? Does one know the moment they cease to be living? Or is death the place we are supposed to be? Our natural state. Everything dies that was once alive and we only live as long as the last person who last remembers us.

What happens if I don’t rage against it?

“I’ll figure it out. Thank you so much, Alpha. That was quite helpful.” A bright smile warms my cheeks. “I love a good puzzle.” The women before me hesitantly monitor my movements toward the door with cautious glances. “Have a nice day.”

There. That was pleasant. God, I am such a swell guy.

May as well get actual sleep. When was the last time? It’s all starting to run together. The car will take me to bed. And it knows exactly what to do. Like a machine. No thoughts or feelings. Noquestionsabout myintentions. Only pure obedience, while I have total power. In a world filled with chaos fighting order, I bring a piece of control.

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