Page 79 of The Program

And damn him, even if I hated to admit it, and even if I didn’t want to take him or his sister with us, it was a good deal.

‘How?’ Artemis stepped forward, her confidence shining through along with the threat running through her veins. There was a lethal quality in her glare that sent shivers cascading over my skin, and I was suddenly glad I’d gotten to know her as Arthur Mercer before seeing her this way. Mercer was a tender soul, even if he did break through unbreakable punching bags. He was sensitive and tormented, yet still remained kind and compassionate. He was a true friend to those he cared about, even to his own detriment, which he’d proven when he’d sacrificed himself during the take-over to keep us all safe.

I saw those qualities in Artemis, too. She was here for the children, but she’d come for us as well. She was putting herself on the line yet again to ensure our safety and wellbeing, and my respect for her grew tenfold, but so did my fear. She was a dangerous woman, through and through, and despite the moments I’d seen of her ability to completely obliterate anything she touched, it was this moment that it really, truly sank in. She was the predator here, and though she was currently in a cage she wouldn’t remain so for long.

And stars help whoever got in her way.

‘I know what technology they used to create the barrier. I can help you neutralise it,’ he confessed.

‘And why should we help you?’ Reece asked. ‘If you can actually help us get out of this room, why should we take you with us? We can’t trust you. For all we know, you could be playing with us. Or it could be another trap.’

The Terran man huffed as if he was put out by the whole ordeal, but I could see the lines of exhaustion in the corners of his eyes. ‘Do you have another choice?’

Artemis looked to Reece who wrenched his own gaze away from the newcomers, unwilling to take his eye off the threat. He met her eyes with steady confidence, a silent conversation occurring between them. I didn’t know what was happening, exactly, but I could see a range of emotions on both of them. Artemis looked pleading, which was met by stony stubbornness which melted into curiosity. That curiosity was countered by a tentative smile in which Reece responded with one of his own. Then, their expressions mirrored one another’s with a determined confidence as they turned to face the Christianson siblings again.

For a moment there I thought they were going to make the decision for all of us, but Artemis asked for some privacy so we could deliberate instead.

Reluctantly, the siblings moved away from the door and we listened as their footsteps retreated further down the hallway. They were still around, but at least we could talk without them watching.

‘He’s lying, Artemis,’ Adara spoke up from beside me, and I startled at the sound of her voice. She was still lying on the table, but her bright pink eyes were wide open. I hadn’t even realised she was awake.

‘Maybe,’ she admitted thoughtfully. ‘But we need to get out of here and he might be our only choice.’

‘I don’t like it, but Artemis is right,’ Reece conceded

‘I don’t think they’re lying,’ I said, and every eye swivelled to look at me. I tried not to squirm under their scrutiny, reminding myself that I wasn’t sticking up for the Terran man but pointing out my observations. ‘He and his sister didn’t want to come to us, and I don’t think anyone knows they did.

‘Theywereacting rather squirrely,’ Urman backed me up

‘Why don’t we just hear them out, see if they’re telling the truth?’ asked Henrik

‘We can agree to their terms without following through if it comes to it,’ Urman suggested. ‘If we can get out, that’s all that matters. I say we leave them behind if they’re dead weight.

‘I’m good with that,’ I agreed.

‘Me, too,’ said Henrik.

‘We might need them to collect Xander and my mother,’ came T’s input.

‘Where are they, anyway?’ asked Artemis.

‘Hangar bay,’ T answered brusquely.

‘Oh. Well, that’s useful. It’ll be easier to grab the kids and go straight there.’

‘Too many,’ he said.

She turned her frown on him. ‘What?’

‘There’s too many kids. Hundreds, not dozens. Can’t get them all out.’

‘We can help with that, too,’ a soft feminine voice spoke from the doorway. The Christianson siblings had returned and were clearly eavesdropping despite their agreement to give us privacy.

‘How?’ asked Artemis, ignoring the breach in favour of more important matters.

‘The laundry carts,’ the other woman answered, her voice barely above a whisper. She seemed to shrink in on herself at all the attention directed at her.

She was raped and beaten, I reminded myself. Just because she put the wrong man behind bars doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

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