Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Then Major and Abel should have gotten along perfectly. I didn’t think Major knew how to love anyone. If I lost my Variation today, he’d let go of me and never think about me again.
“What about my brother? That must mean he’s a Variant?”
I knew I had a brother, but he was a black void in my memory, a void full of what-ifs and childish hopes. My mother had never talked about him, and I couldn’t remember anything about him. The only thing I knew was that he was two years older than me.
Major leaned back in the chair. “I can’t tell you. But I hope for his sake that he has a useful Variation or Abel would have gotten rid of him by now.” He said it like a mechanic might talk about a defective car.
I held on to the backrest of the chair in front of me. I wasn’t sure if my legs were going to hold me for much longer. This was all too much to take in. “You really think he’d kill his own son?”
“Oh yes. If you knew Abel as well as I do, you’d believe it too.”
How well did Major know Abel? How much wasn’t he telling me?
“What about my mother? Did she know about Abel?”
“Your mother has always been weak. Exactly the kind of woman people like Abel prey on. She was under his spell. He knew what he was doing. And then he knew when she was no longer of any use to him.” There was a hint of emotion in his voice that I couldn’t place.
“But I still don’t get why you kept it a secret? I deserve to know about my family,” I said.
“I knew it would only bring you grief if you found out.”
Since when did Major care so much about the emotional welfare of others? He was a highly rational man who didn’t let emotions get in the way of what he thought was necessary.
“Sir, I know the man who kidnapped Holly mistook her for me. But if they know who I am—if they know about my eyes, why would they take her?”
“In the confusion of the attack, mistakes can happen. And since they know about your Variation, eye color isn’t really something they could trust. Plus, the chaos likely made it hard to look very closely. You could have been anyone in the auditorium. If they saw Holly’s appearance flicker, they could have easily mistaken her for you.”
Major folded his hands. “We should also consider the possibility that they took Holly as bait. They know they can’t ever be sure you are who you are, but Holly is your best friend and they might hope that you’re going to be part of the mission to rescue her. That would lead you straight into their arms. But this is just speculation.”
“But if Abel realizes I’m not going to look for her, and if we aren’t able to find her right away, what will they do to her?”
“I have agents who are working incessantly on finding Holly and the other missing agents, Tessa. We are doing the absolute best we can.”
That didn’t answer my question. “Will they hurt her?” The mere thought made my hands shake.
“Her invisibility is a useful talent; she’s worth keeping around. I don’t think Abel will harm her. If Holly is smart, she’ll pretend to go along with whatever he asks of her.” Major’s tone was indifferent. It was clear that this topic wasn’t his main concern.
“I want to help. Let me search for her,” I pleaded.
Major rose. “No, Tessa. I can’t allow that. Didn’t you hear what I just told you? That’s exactly what they want.”
I had to bite my lip to stop myself from saying I didn’t care if this was a trick to lure me into their trap. I needed to save Holly; that was all that mattered.
“Abel will stop at nothing to get his hands on you, and if he does, you’re lost. There are people in his army that would twist your mind. And if they couldn’t get you to work for them, they’d kill you. You can’t help Holly if you’re dead. If you get yourself captured, you’d only make things worse for all of us. You can’t leave headquarters until things have calmed down.” The phone rang. But Major kept his gaze trained on me. “You understand that, don’t you?”
I swallowed before I nodded. “Yes.” But I wasn’t sure I did. Right now, it felt like I didn’t understand anything. Major picked up the phone. I knew this was my clue to leave and that our conversation was over.
Slowly I walked out of his office and closed the door. Alec was already waiting in the corridor. Had he followed me?
Alec pushed himself away from the wall he’d been leaning against. “What did he say?”