Page 100 of Blue Arrow Island
“Implement all storm protocols immediately.”
“Copy that, Ares.”
Nova’s voice is cool and calm. Marcus packs his radio and shoulders his pack, giving me a quick look. “Ready?”
I nod and we start the trip back at a light jog.
“God of war, huh?” I say, keeping my gaze ahead.
“I didn’t choose that call sign.”
“Who did?”
There’s a pause. “Finn.”
“The two of you were close?”
“We were. I’ll never forgive myself for what happened to him.”
I flick a glance at him, confused. “It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.”
His jaw is set in a tense line. “I should’ve turned my team back the moment I saw Pax.”
“Why?”
Almost a full minute passes. I don’t think he’s going to respond, but he finally does. “Pax was controlling the snake.”
On a surface level, it shocks me. But also ... I knew. A part of me knew and just didn’t want to admit it. His expression changed right before the snake flew out of the jungle. It was too convenient that the snake showed up right at the moment Pax needed to flee.
“He ran ahead and left me that day. I was so afraid you guys were behind me, planning to kill me.”
Marcus scoffs. “Pax is out for Pax. He’s not as evil as Virginia, but he’s a self-serving bastard.”
Wind whips hair around my face and I brush it away from my eyes. The snow has turned into sleet. Wet, mushy blobs land on my arms as we approach the jungle entrance.
“I asked Ellison to give you a pregnancy test when you were unconscious after you first arrived,” Marcus admits, scanning back and forth for any threats in the jungle.
“Me? Hell no.”
“When I saw you with Pax that day, I assumed the two of you were together.”
I’m jolted by the memory of kissing him. I genuinely thought I was losing my mind because of the way aromium made me feel around Pax. And he knew the entire time, but never told me.
“Absolutely not. He tried, but I’m smarter than that.”
I think. Who knows? If I’d never been thrown into that hole by Virginia, maybe my aromium would’ve just gotten stronger, and eventually I wouldn’t have been able to resist Pax’s advances. The thought of being pregnant with his robot soldier baby makes my stomach turn with a sick sensation.
“So if we ran into him right now, he could get that monster snake to attack us?” I ask.
“Yeah. If there’s a group of people, he can’t target exactly which one he wants it to attack. But if someone was hurting him, the snake would go for that person.”
“Why? How?”
He lowers his brows. “Aromium.”
I slow slightly, unable to keep Marcus’s pace. He matches me.
“I can’t believe any scientist with a shred of ethics would create that nightmare,” I seethe. “We have to destroy it. All of it.”
