Page 112 of The Protégé

Perhaps he was being paranoid? There were shows on the internet about conspiracy theories and other weird stuff, but I’d never paid any attention to them.

“I’m not trying to dismiss anything. It’s just hard for me to grasp what you’re saying.” I looked at him. “Is there proof?”

“I have that equipment, Elena. But I choose not to use it. Not in those ways. My company, SIGMA, is more advanced than NASA and NOAA. I have the technology because I want to understand it, learn its complexities and capabilities. This way I can plan and anticipate the enemy’s next step and how to stop them.”

“You have enemies?”

“Of course I do. People who disagree with what I do are enemies. There are a few of them, and they’re extremely wealthy. Wealthier than me. You don’t hear about them, but they run the show behind the scenes.”

Who could be wealthier than Orion, who was a quadrillionaire? Amazed, I glanced around the room, pondering on the eclectic collection.

He knew what I was wondering and said, “Yes. Everything in this room—and all the other rooms around the world—is stolen from those who have hurt people and plan to do worse. Sometimes I take things that aren’t tangible—ideas, formulas—and make them better. My version. Does that make me a bad person?”

I waited a beat, letting the question hang between us. Did he believe I saw him that way? Did he see himself that way?

“No,” I said with conviction, touching his face. “It makes you anextraordinaryperson. You care in your own way. I understand you better now.”

His anxiety had stemmed from so much more than what he’d told me. It wasn’t just the stressful childhood crammed with tough classes and strenuous activities. It was also his innate ability to foresee dangerous things and gathering all the data to create an action plan toprotectanddefendwhat he believed in. He had a good heart.

“That was the intention.” He smiled, looking more relieved. “I have more to share with you, but I think this is enough for now.”

Orion had resources most of us didn’t, and I was so proud he was using them to better the world. I’d always considered those with privilege didn’t do enough. Or care enough. But today, this man who filled my heart with love proved me wrong.

He was so brilliant, shedding light on things I had never even considered. It blew me away.

With emotions filling me, I embraced him, hugging him so tightly, he muttered, “I think my liver just moved to the other side of my body.”

Loosening my embrace, I laughed. “Can I come into this room whenever I want?”

“Yes, I’ll give you the code.”

A light bulb flashed, reminding me of the question I’d wanted to ask earlier, but had forgotten when all this wonder took over.

“You were tapping at little bits on the wall. What were you tapping? Was that the code?”

He nodded. “The seven major stars that outline the hunter in the Orion constellation.” He tallied them with his fingers. “Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka—those are the three stars that make up his belt—Meissa, Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Saiph, and Rigel.”

Amused, I stared at him. “You’re such a nerd. No one is going to decode that.”

“Good. That’s the idea.”

There was no way I’d remember the code. I’d need him to sketch out a map for me to enter this room. I spun and studied the room, realizing I could spend all day here and not get bored.

“There’s so much to explore here,” I said. “Unique and magical things that could make this world better. Inspiration, innovation, new technology, and concepts that haven’t been introduced yet.” I looked at him. “It’s like I’m wandering inside your mind. It’s beautiful and scary. Thank you for inviting me.”

“You’re welcome.” He took my hand—a gesture I loved—and swung it back and forth as we wandered around the room some more.

I’d held hands with my previous partners, but it didn’t seem as intimate as it did with Orion. Everything done with him was amplified tenfold. His presence alone heightened my senses.

We walked by sculptures, a dagger with various gems on the handle, a necklace that looked really expensive, a book encased in a glass display, and so much more. It was like a curated Orion museum, and I was a child in awe.

“Don’t tell me those are ancient scriptures.” I stopped at a stone tablet with hieroglyphics etched on the surface.

“From the Great Pyramid of Giza,” he said casually, as if it was normal to have something that had been inside a pyramid.

“From the Great Pyramid of Giza,” I repeated, gawking at him. “I can’t believe it. You’re lying.”

“I don’t lie.” He eyed me. “Not to those who matter to me.”

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