Don't Let Go (32 page)

Mason sighed heavily. “Well, then. I suspect we’d better hurry. But please, no more escape attempts. I find them truly tedious.”

Nearly an hour passed before the phone rang again. Peter glanced at Noa. She gave him a small nod, and he picked up.

“This better be Charles Pike,” he said immediately.

“Peter?” It was a woman’s voice, fearful and uncertain. And utterly familiar.

“Mom?” He dropped down hard on the bed.

“What are you doing, Peter? They’re saying you’re a terrorist.”

Peter flashed back to the news broadcast, the way his parents had pretended this was all his fault. Flinging the words at her like they were arrows, he snapped, “You’re still pretending you don’t have a clue, Mom? That’s cold, even for you. Want to talk about your investment in Project Persephone? Because I do.”

A long pause on the other end of the line; Peter could picture her weighing what to say, knowing that others were listening in. Finally, she said querulously, “If you give yourself up, they promise not to hurt you. All you have to do is walk outside and leave the girl in the room.”

“Right, and no one will have an itchy trigger finger.” Peter shook his head with disgust. Noa was watching him with a look of concern. She mouthed, “You okay?”

He nodded, even though he really wasn’t. He hated himself for it, but in spite of everything, hearing his mother’s voice pierced him to the core. Sure, she’d sold him out for the promise of future cash, but still. It was his mother.

“Please, Peter.” His mom’s voice cracked as she said, “I don’t want to lose you, too.”

“You lost me a long time ago,” he spat. “As soon as you got in bed with Pike.”

He slammed the phone down on the receiver and stood there, breathing heavily.

“You better get back down and stay close to me,” Noa advised. “They might have had her call just to get you in their sights.”

Knowing she was right, he plunked back down beside her and wrapped his arms around his knees. His breathing was still ragged, and there was a hot ball of pain in his gut. More than anything, he really wanted to cry.

But he was done crying over them, he reminded himself. If his parents had managed to stop caring, the least he could do was return the favor. “Almost done?”

“Almost.” Noa glanced over at him and said, “You want to take a turn?”

He shook his head, then tilted it back and stared at the ceiling. “So you’re really sure about this?”

“I’m sure.” Noa looked up from the monitor. “Are you okay with it?”

“Yes,” he said decisively. “You’re right. It’s the only way.”

“All right, then. What time is it?”

He checked the clock in the corner of the laptop screen. “Almost eight.”

They sat in silence. Peter wondered if his parents would call back, maybe say the right things this time. Admit they’d made a mistake.

That was about as likely as Pike showing up in a bunny costume.

“You still haven’t cooked me dinner,” Noa said awkwardly. “I mean, all that talk about what a great chef you are, and for months now it’s been nothing but food out of a box.”

“Hang on. Are you actually trying to make a joke?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shrugged. “What? I’m funny.”

At that, he actually laughed. The phone rang. They exchanged a glance, then he slid over to the table and reached up to answer it. Dragging the phone back with him, he said, “Yeah?”

“We’ve got Charles Pike here.” Peter caught a harried undertone in the negotiator’s voice.

“Put him on.” Peter gave Noa a look, and her eyes went wide.

A second later, a different male voice said, “Am I speaking to Peter Gregory?”

“The one and only.”

“What can I do for you?” Pike asked.

He had an oddly cavalier tone.
The bastard thinks he’s already won.
“I want to talk, face-to-face.”

“I’m not sure that will be possible,” Pike said, clearly choosing his words carefully. “The agent in charge here won’t allow me to risk my life.”

“Well, you better figure out a way,” Peter said. “Because I don’t think you want to be holding this conversation over the phone. You’ve got five minutes. Any longer, I kill the girl.”

He hung up.

“I love how easy it’s gotten for you to talk about killing me,” Noa commented. “It’s heartwarming, really.”

“Maybe I should get into acting when all this is over.” Peter’s heart was hammering in his chest. Charles Pike was somewhere close by. He felt like he’d just invited the bogeyman in for tea and a chat.

“You really think he’ll find a way to get inside?” Noa asked hesitantly.

“Yeah,” Peter said slowly. “I do. He’s coming.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

D
aisy rushed to the bed as soon as they got in the room. Ella was lying against the pillows, looking even worse than before.

Daisy took the girl’s hand gently and bent low to whisper something to her. Teo suddenly felt awkward and unsure, like he was intruding.

Zeke stared at Ella with a look of regret. “Shit,” he breathed.

“You know her, too?” Teo asked, puzzled.

“Yeah. Pike had me keep her company for a while, until he decided I was a bad influence.”

Teo watched Daisy brush sweaty strands of hair back from the girl’s forehead.

“She’s not so bad,” Zeke said in a low voice. “For a rich kid.”

Teo took a few hesitant steps closer to the bed, until he was standing just behind Daisy. Ella was awake. Her chest was working hard, moving up and down as she wheezed. Her face was flushed, her pupils enormous. She looked past Daisy toward Teo. Faintly, she said, “Is that him?”

“Yeah,” Daisy said in a choked voice.

Ella smiled slightly, then said, “He is hot.”

Daisy issued a surprised laugh, her eyes shiny with tears. She swiped at them with her free hand, then said, “Your dad will be back soon. He went to get something to make you better.”

At that, the girl frowned. “You mean someone.”

Daisy didn’t reply. Teo gaped openly at the girl, wondering how much she knew.

The nurse came over to fiddle with the IV drip, but Ella waved her away. “Just stop,” she said in a low voice. “It’s too late for that.”

“You’re going to be fine,” Daisy said fiercely.

“No way. I don’t want anyone else dying for me.” Ella raised her head slightly, her eyes blazing as she croaked, “Tell my dad I want him to stop. You hear me?” She shifted back to the nurse. “You too. Tell him I said so.”

The nurse gave her a funny look, but didn’t say anything. Teo wondered if she’d spent some of her shifts carving up his friends. All those kids had died, in a futile effort to save one teenage girl.

Still, looking at her now, so weak and riddled with pain . . . he wanted to hate her, but couldn’t. It wasn’t her fault, not really. Ella was as much a victim as the rest of them.

A small smile tweaked her lips. She turned back to Daisy and asked, “Do you think you would have been my friend anyway, if you’d had a choice?”

Daisy nodded. “Of course.”

“Liar.” Ella’s smile widened, and her eyes closed. Her chest shuddered a few more times, then fell still.

“Ella?” Daisy whispered.

“She’s gone.” The nurse looked composed, but as she reached out to smooth the blankets one last time, Teo could see that her hands were shaking.

Daisy turned and buried her face against Teo’s chest. He winced at the renewed pain in his ribs as he rubbed her back, trying to console her.

Behind him, Mason said, “Well. That’s unfortunate. I suppose I should let Charles know immediately.”

Teo had briefly forgotten that he was still in the room. While he watched, Mason started tapping away at his cell phone. Jesus, was he going to send that information in a text?

“Unfortunate?” Zeke said, his voice thick with emotion. “A girl just died right in front of you, and that’s what you call it?”

“I didn’t mean to sound callous,” Mason said dispassionately. “It’s just—”

“Shut up!” Daisy sputtered. “All of you, just shut up!”

The nurse was drawing the sheet up. Ella had gone still as a statue, the color already fading from her cheeks. Teo suddenly realized that this was their chance to run. Force their way past Mason and hope for the best.

Because now that Ella was gone, Pike had no reason to keep them alive anymore.

He squeezed Daisy’s shoulder, hoping she’d get the message. Caught Zeke’s eye; he gave a slight nod, and Teo knew that the same thought had occurred to him.

A cell phone ring pierced the stillness. Teo watched Mason check the screen. He sighed, then answered it. “Yes?”

Teo tensed. They should try to get past Mason now, while he was distracted. Bending low, he whispered in Daisy’s ear, “We’ve got to go!”

Suddenly, there was shouting outside the house. Mason looked up and frowned, muttering, “Now what?”

More gunfire, close by.

Zeke threw Teo a puzzled look. “What the hell? Are the guards shooting at each other?”

“No,” Teo said slowly, realization dawning. “The cavalry is here.”

A double knock at the door. Noa opened her eyes: Her vision was improving, she could actually make out individual pieces of furniture. Peter was right, this was definitely one of the ugliest motel rooms she’d ever seen.

“I think that’s him.”

She turned to face Peter: His face was pale, his eyes too shadowed for her to read. The fear in his voice was plain, though. “Okay,” she said. “We’re all set?”

“Ready as we’ll ever be.” He squeezed her hand. “Hey, is this the dumbest thing we’ve ever done or what?”

“Definitely the dumbest.” Noa’s throat had gone dry, and her chest throbbed painfully. Still, she was possessed by an overarching sense of calm. She’d waited a long time for this. She was ready for it to end, one way or another. “Peter?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for everything. Just in case.”

“Great,” he groaned. “Can we at least pretend this might work?”

Grinning, Noa climbed up on the bed and leaned back against the pillows. She tried to keep the pain from showing—her sight was returning, but it felt like the rest of her body was one big pulsing wound. She swiped away the fine sheen of sweat from her forehead and croaked, “Ready.”

“Showtime,” Peter muttered. He perched on the edge of the bed, just out of the window’s sight line, and called out, “It’s open!”

Charles Pike stepped into the room and closed the door.

He was smaller than Noa had expected, probably no more than five-eleven. Lean and tan, and dressed like he’d just strolled off a golf course, save for the bulletproof vest. As he surveyed the room, his lips curled up with distaste.

“I know it’s not much to look at,” Peter said. “But it’s home. You got here faster than we thought.”

“Yes, well. I figured time was of the essence, so I took the company helicopter.”

“Must be nice,” Peter said. “How long does it take to get here from Boston, anyway?”

“I didn’t come from Boston,” Pike said curtly. His eyes had settled on her. Noa had to resist the urge to shrink back: It was a predatory, hungry gaze, like he was considering vaulting across the room to consume her. “Noa Torson,” he said in a deep baritone. “I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you.”

“We’ve been trying really hard not to meet you,” Peter offered. “But it hasn’t been easy.”

“So I’ve heard.” Pike eyed the desk chair they’d set in front of the bed, facing them. He gestured to it and said, “May I?”

Noa nodded, and he settled into it, crossing his legs as if he was completely at home. “So,” he said. “I understand you want to have a private conversation.”

“We have a proposition for you,” Peter said. “A kind of trade.”

Pike’s eyebrows shot up. “A trade?”

“Yes,” Peter said firmly. “You probably caught the show we’re putting up on the billboard out there.”

A flicker of rage flitted across Pike’s face, but his voice remained level as he said, “Yes, I had noticed. Mind you, all of that is easy enough to explain away.”

“Well, we started with the small stuff,” Peter said. “I’m happy to go bigger, really give the folks something to go with their popcorn.”

The way Pike was staring at her made Noa feel naked, exposed. She had to fight the urge to wrap her arms around her chest. The thymus was throbbing again, probably reacting to the adrenaline coursing through her bloodstream. Her breathing got ragged, and her vision started to blur again.
No
, she thought.
Not now. Don’t have another seizure, not in front of him.

“You don’t look well, Noa,” Pike noted. “I have doctors who can fix that.”

“It’s like you’re psychic,” Peter said with a whistle. “That’s the deal. You fix Noa and Amanda.”

“Amanda?” Pike’s brow furrowed. “I’m afraid I don’t know who that is.”

“Amanda Berns, the girl Mason injected with PEMA,” Peter spat. Noa saw his fists clench, and she mentally willed him to stay calm. This would only work if Pike agreed to their terms, and he was less likely to do that if Peter broke his nose.

“Right, your parents have spoken of her. I’m assuming you want her to be cured?”

“Yeah, that would be nice,” Peter said. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Then I need Noa.” Pike leaned forward and said urgently, “You can save so many people. Don’t you want that?”

Noa hesitated. It was like he’d read her mind; this was exactly what she’d been grappling with for months. She finally said, “So the only way to cure them is for me to die?”

“Not necessarily,” Pike said. “If the thymus is removed, you might be fine. The PEMA has probably already been negated.”

“You injected her with PEMA, too?” Peter exclaimed.

Pike continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “You’re already dying, Noa. If there’s even a chance that we can save you, and help others, don’t you want to try?”

Helicopter rotors reverberated overhead; probably a news crew. Speaking loudly to be heard over them, Peter said, “Here’s the deal. If Noa survives the operation, I won’t release any more of the files. But they’re set on a timer. If I don’t enter a password every few hours, they’ll be leaked. And trust me, there’s no way you’re figuring out that password.”

Pike smirked. “That’s your plan?” he said incredulously. “Blackmailing me?”