Page 17 of Saint

“Yes. Except for one oddity,” said Gabi.

“Oh, shit,” frowned Hex. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t think either of them know it. It’s not a bad thing, just something we need to be careful about how we speak to it. I know she doesn’t know,” said Riley.

“She? What are we talking about?” asked Eric.

“Griffin.”

“No. Do not fucking tell us he and Marilisa are linked,” said Hex, shaking his head. “Saint will fucking flip out.”

“They’re not linked. Not like that,” said Gabi.

“Then how?” asked Eric.

“Griffin is her father.”

It was so quiet in the room no one said anything, afraid that something might break. Their spirit, their hope, their minds. Something was going to fracture with all this information.

“Her father.” Eric looked at Hex. “Her parents left her at that school. She remembers that. They were a waitress and carpenter or something. She remembers them.”

“Eric, we know that they could have planted those memories for her. Those images in her mind might not actually exist. Griffin said he’s never fathered children. The woman he was designed to be with, both romantically and through his skills, was a woman who committed suicide. Her name was Caroline Shui. I think when he was at The Depot and exposed, they knew that his skills might be exceptional. He was injured fairly significantly in the military, twice. I think while he was under one of those times, they used his sperm, and possibly the other males in the group, to father children.”

“Wait.”

“No. No,” said Riley, shaking her head. “None of the others match DNA to our little brainiacs. Just Griffin and Marilisa. That’s why he felt the nightmare so strongly, and that’s why he felt her fear and danger on the island. He’s her father.”

“Who’s going to tell them?” asked Hex.

“Who’s going to tell them what?” asked Luke, walking into the room. They all turned to stare at him and read their faces. “What the fuck now?”

“Have I done something wrong?” asked Griffin. “I’m sorry that I showed up at Saint and Marilisa’s the other night. I just heard her cries. I felt them.”

“You’ve done nothing wrong, Griffin,” said Luke.

“Then have I?” asked Marilisa. Saint clutched her hand, holding her close to his side.

“Listen, no one has done anything wrong. Please, take a seat,” said Luke. Riley, Gabi, and Adam walked in. They wanted to be sure that the two of them knew before they divulged it to the others.

“God, am I sick?” asked Griffin.

“Just tell us, for fuck’s sake!” yelled Marilisa. Griffin smirked at the young girl, admiring her fierceness.

“Sorry,” said Luke, chuckling. He nodded to Eric.

“Earlier today, all of our new teammates were put through a myriad of tests. We don’t know some of the results, but one something did pop up that was unusual and involves Griffin and Marilisa.”

“She doesn’t belong to him,” growled Saint.

“Saint, son, just hold on,” said Hex. “She doesn’tbelongto him in the way you’re thinking. Griffin is Marilisa’s father.” The silence was once again deafening.

“B-but I met my parents. They were normal. They were average,” she whispered.

“Honey, we think you met two people that they wanted you to believe were your parents, or they implanted that memory for you from photographs. DNA doesn’t lie,” said Riley. “Griffin is your father.”

“But I’ve never had children,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ve never been in a romantic relationship where I didn’t use a condom.”

“Griffin, you’re a smart man,” said Luke. “You were injured in the military and placed under anesthesia twice. They could have easily taken your sperm when that happened.”

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