Page 17 of Surge of Heat

I shoot him a look, even though it’s true. “Pro, I’m literally in danger everywhere I go right now. Except, maybe, here.”

“Pro,” Granger says. “The green dragon is still out there looking for you, and you can’t take him on your own, so you need a safe place to go.”

There’s silence in the car. We’re going so slow we’re practically crawling.

“Pro,” I whisper. “I don’t see another choice.”

The car goes faster. We come to the large, black gates and stop. Aydan reaches over and takes my hand, squeezing it. “Are you sure about this?”

I’m not. “Yes.”

He nods and unrolls the window. There’s a little black box to speak into, but nothing else. It’s weird. Like something out of a science fiction novel.

“Hello?” Aydan says.

“Name and purpose,” comes from the box in a sharp, no-nonsense voice.

“Uh, well, you see–” Aydan begins.

I lean across him, cutting in. “I’m the woman who can turn into a dragon. I’ve been talking to someone at your base. Evander, one of your employees, was with me until recently.”

There’s no response, but the gates slide open. Inside, there’s a security booth and another fence, this time a chain link fence. We pull forward and stop at the security booth. A man in a dark green uniform comes out and asks for our IDs. Granger and Aydan have their IDs, but I don’t. Mine happens to be back at the Phoenix Institute in my room.

Luckily, the security officer says nothing about my lack of ID, probably because he’d been told to expect me. He takes theirs into the security booth and comes back a few minutes later, giving them back. “Park your car in the parking lot. Someone will be there to greet you and take you the rest of the way.”

The next gate opens, and we drive into a parking lot that’s fairly empty, easily finding a spot. Beyond the parking lot are sleek, white buildings spread out, with walking paths between them, big trees, and well-trimmed bushes. The evening sun spreads over all of it, giving it a warmth I’m sure the buildings don’t actually have.

Aydan kills the engine, then turns to us. “Remember, the first sign of trouble, Samantha goes dragon, and we get the hell out of here. Don’t let them inject you with anything or get any of us trapped in a room, and we stick together, no matter what. Got it?”

Granger pipes in from the back. “And if all else fails, I’ve been taking jiu-jitsu. I can handle any problems that come our way.”

Aydan and I exchange a grin, and then I look back at him. “Just save those moves for them, okay? I want to keep my head attached to my body.”

He laughs.

We climb out of the car as a serious-looking man comes between two of the buildings, walking rapidly on the sidewalk. When he sees us, his gaze instantly focuses on me, sweeping from my head to my toes in a way that makes me uneasy. He looks entirely uninterested in Aydan and Granger, just hurries up to meet me.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Tiro, and you must be–?” He offers his long bony hand, and I reluctantly offer mine in return. His hands are cold and clammy, but I wait an appropriate second before tearing my hand away from his.

“Samantha.”

“Samantha,” he repeats, waiting, as if for my last name. I don’t give it to him.

When I say nothing else, he pushes his glasses up his long nose, and for the first time, eyes Granger and Aydan. “Are these gentlemen your ride or–?”

Aydan interrupts before he can finish. “Anywhere she goes we go.”

The man’s dark eyes flash with something I can’t quite identify, but then he gives a sharp nod. “Of course, of course, right this way.”

Turning on his heel, he begins to lead us through the buildings. Aydan, Granger, and I exchange a look and follow more slowly after. I’m not sure what they’re thinking, but I’m trying to decide if I’m getting evil corporation vibes from this place because it’s an evil corporation or because I’m just nervous.

As we walk, we see other people that look like scientists. Most of them are wearing lab coats, and they, like our guide, have lanyards around their necks with identification cards. Probably security passes to work the doors. The people we walk by give us funny looks, but none of them appear particularly threatening or evil.

We make it across the campus and break free from the buildings.

“Whoa,” I say.

Aydan and Granger stop beside me, and Granger says, “Whoa is right.”

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