Page 58 of The Program

‘Arty?’ asked Henrik, the shock evident in his tone.

‘Uh, yeah. Yup. Um… Hi…,’ she stammered, dared a peak through her fingers, then squeaked as she snapped them back into place. ‘Please cover up.’

In anextremelyrare show of embarrassment, I watched with barely concealed amusement as Cadmus turned a few shades darker than his natural skin tone and fumbled around with his clothes. He even struggled through putting on his harness, strapping down his wings that he quickly hid under a loose shirt.

‘Cameras,’ Urman hissed out, but Arty shrugged in response, clearly unconcerned.

‘I already looped them,’ she admitted, which gave us all the freedom Urman and Henrik needed to burst out into full-bellied laughter. I thought I actually caught a tear glimmering in Urman’s eye.

She peered through her fingers again and when she saw Cadmus fully dressed, she dropped them. Until her eyes rested on me, then with another squeak they flew back up to cover her sight again, causing another round of laughter from the two idiots by the bathroom.

‘Dorian, man, put your damn clothes on,’ Cadmus snapped, and that was when I realised that I, too, had stripped and was standing bare-ass naked in front of our guest.

‘Shit,’ I hissed and went light-headed from the speed in which all the blood in my body rushed to my cheeks. I’d been so focused on Cadmus and his nudity that I’d completely forgotten about my own.

So, like the gentleman my mama raised me to be, I jerked my hands in front of my free-swinging dick as fast as I could to save the lady’s honour. Except I moved too fast, miscalculated, and smacked myself so hard I felt my balls suck up inside my body while my breath was squeezed from my lungs.

I wheezed, my body bending over protectively despite the fact that I was currently my dick’s biggest danger.

Now Cadmus joined in when Urman and Henrik continued laughing, though they were now leaning against the wall to keep themselves upright. Bastards.

‘I wasn’t sure if you’d be happy to see me or not, but I guess I got my answer,’ Arty teased, her comment unhelpful in calming everyone down.

She let me finish dressing before cutting through the levity.

‘I’m sorry for barging in on you like this, but Bromm gave me the location of the rendezvous point and there’s a problem.’ Her words dried up any lingering humour and we all snapped to attention.

‘What problem?’ asked Henrik at the same time Cadmus asked, ‘Why come to us?’

She addressed Cad’s question first. ‘I tried to find Captain Hironimus’ room first, but it looks like he has a permanent residence outside the academy. Then I found Markus, but he and Colonel Granger are in some sort of meeting with Program officials. High ranking ones, too. Interrupting would have blown the entire operation before it could start. I considered going to Bromm and Foryk, but the two new guys are a problem. So here I am,’ she finished with her arms extended as proof.

Then she answered Henrik’s question. ‘The problem is that the chosen location is where I just came from, and where I left everyone behind. If we head there to rendezvous then we’ll be putting usandthem in danger.’

‘Shit,’ I swore.

‘So what now?’ asked Cadmus.

‘If you want to get out of here then you’re going to have to blast through this place right alongside me,’ she answered.

‘Blast…?’

Her grin was positively wicked, the glint in her eyes bloodthirsty in a way I’d never seen from her before as Arthur Mercer. Artemis, it seemed, was a completely different person, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. This person standing before me was a stranger, but waseverythinga lie?

Only time would tell, but that was apparently one thing we were currently out of.

Still, I took the time to study her, attempting to merge the man I’d known with the woman standing before me today. The stubborn clench of her jaw, the way she squared her shoulders as she stared us down, silently begging usto cooperate, not to mention the fact that she wasn’t leaving us behind even though by all rights she should… that was all the Arty I remembered. Still as self-sacrificing, still as stubborn, and still as mysterious as ever. It was all I needed to trust her intentions, and I jumped into action.

‘Grab your go-bags. We move out now,’ I ordered.

My team immediately mobilised, throwing their already-prepared bags onto their backs and lining up in front of me as they waited for further instruction. Except I had no clue what the plan was, or how this was going to play out.

I levelled my eyes on Artemis, who matched my gaze steadily. There was an entire swarm of emotions swimming inside those dark brown depths, but her posture was relaxed, albeit still primed for an attack, her demeanour calm but ready.

‘There won’t be any time to go back for the others once we’re inside the facility, so we need to get them now. Discretion with such a large group will be impossible, so scrap that. I’ll need your help carrying everyone out. Besides Reece and Adara there will beat leasttwenty-three small children I’ll need help carrying out, so keep your arms free and leave any fighting to me.’

‘Stars above, this is actually happening,’ Urman muttered under his breath, but we all heard him.

‘You really are a girl,’ stated Cadmus unhelpfully, apparently still stuck trying to wrap his head around that fact.

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