Page 58 of Seductive Architect
I forgot he didn’t speak the lingo. “There are no electronics connected to the outside world. No signals can come in or leave. It’s a?—”
“A Faraday cage.”
I raised an eyebrow. “How do you know that?”
“I noticed the books on your shelves.Truth: The Hidden Worldwas all but falling out of the spine. I figured if you’d read it that many times, it’d be worth checking out. Did you know I can read an entire book in under an hour?”
He readTruthfor me? I sheltered my exes from my hobbies, worried they’d think me one of the eccentric people who see conspiracies at every turn. The few I introduced to a fraction of my hidden world had bolted for the door. None had nodded their heads, determined to add their perspective. To stop and read the book that first opened my eyes…
I wrapped my arms around Hudson. I didn’t have the vocabulary to explain the feelings storming inside my chest. Excitement. Worry. Intrigue. Awe. Terror. Hewrapped an arm around my back, pulling me in close. An underlying fear wanted me to want to run, but the cacophony of emotions… I wanted to run toward him.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
The door hissed, and Hudson whipped me about, standing between me and the entrance. As fast as I could summon my gauntlets, he had already positioned himself to leap. Whether or not he realized it, when necessary, his super soldier program shined.
“Put your clothes on.”
I relaxed as Janet stepped into the bunker, her hand covering her eyes. Of course, she had them parted, as she hoped to catch a bit of skin. When she spotted us, she dropped her hand with a frown.
“Well, that’s not what I was hoping to see.”
Hudson didn’t move. His fists remained clenched until I rested a gloved hand on his shoulder. “She’s safe.”
“That’s what you think,” she said. She didn’t question the bunker or the crates of food on shelves. While the door sealed behind her, she hopped on the leather couch, propping her feet up. “Not bad for a doomsday shelter. Could use a little more chrome. Maybe swords.”
I didn’t tell her the blades were hidden in a closet in the back. I took Hudson by the hand, guiding him to the chair across from Janet. He had softened, but I wasn’t entirely sure he wouldn’t attack.
“Why here?” Janet asked.
“They’ll think to look at my apartment.”
“They?”
How did you tell somebody you met their “father” and that he’s an evil machine hell bent on enslaving mankind? I’m not sure even Kiki could help with this discussion. Worse yet, I unknowingly created said evil machine. Would that make me Hudson’s— Nope. I’d ignore that.
“I broke into Synergy and found the missing link.”
“The architect?”
Hudson didn’t just read the book; he had synthesized the material. We’d have to discuss his other gifts when we weren’t on the verge of a societal collapse. That’d be perfect pillow talk for our next sleepover.
“Yes. Apex.”
“Connie’s boyfriend?” asked Janet.
“Connie?”
I took a seat on the ottoman and for the next hour, I explained everything from the beginning. To my surprise, Janet didn’t interrupt once. I got a few mhmms and nods, but she let me speak. Her silence might as well be the first sign of the apocalypse. Now my allies were my aggressive co-worker and synthetic boyfriend.
Boyfriend? Mental note made for after we saved the planet.
Hudson’s jaw dropped as he leaned back in the chair. “Wyatt is Mr. Supreme?”
“I taught him everything I know,” Janet said. “Someday he’ll make quite the hero.”
“Apex is controlling everybody?”
I nodded. “That’s the code that I’ve been hearing for the last couple of weeks. I thought it was a project at Synergy, but it must have been when Apex started reaching out to the people in the office.”
