Slow Burn(103)

    “Classified,” said Knox. “You gonna let us in or not?”

    “Oh, sure. Fine, fine,” said the guard, pressing a button on the wall.

    The doors behind him swung inward. We went through them.

    As soon as we were away, Knox shoved Griffin up against the wall, face first. He spoke in a furious whisper, presumably so that any cameras or sound equipment wouldn’t pick up his words. “What the fuck was that, huh? You trying to screw everything up?”

    Griffin’s jaw twitched. “He said—”

    “I heard him. Control yourself.” Knox let Griffin up. We all continued to walk down the next hallway, identical to the last. Bright, bland, institutional.

    At the end of the hall was an elevator. We climbed inside, and we went down.

    Finally, the elevator settled, stopped, and the door opened.

    Someone was waiting for us there. He stood in a white lab coat, his face eager. “Leigh?”

    I choked, suddenly unsteady on my feet.

    “It is you,” he said. “I saw you on the cameras, and I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t think we’d ever find you.”

    I was shaking all over. “Dad?”

* * *

    I was in a small, white room, the lights brilliant overhead. I sat on one side of the table, my father on the other. He’d untied my hands. He was very excited.

    “You’re supposed to be dead,” I said.

    “I am?”

    “Griffin said that they captured you and that they’d kill you,” I said.

    “Oh, when I was on the run, I did think they wanted me dead,” said my father. “Burt Caldwell, the man in charge down here, he’s a difficult man sometimes. He’s quite committed to his ideas. And I had upset things for him. He was angry. I assumed he would have me killed.” He leaned across the table, his eyes shining. “But I misjudged him. He allowed me to live, and he’s willing to allow you to live as well.”

    “I don’t understand,” I said. “If you’ve been alive all this time, then why have I had to keep running?”

    “Well, it took some time to negotiate the deal.” He studied the table. “When they informed me that they had found you in Thomas, I suppose I was a bit easier to work with.”

    I didn’t know if I liked the sound of that. “Dad, did they hurt you? When you say negotiate, do you mean torture?”

    He reached across the table to pat my hand. “Of course not, sweetheart. I’m fine. I’m taking care of you. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

    “Look, you don’t have to work with these people anymore. We have a plan, and we’re here to dismantle this entire operation.”

    He leaned back in his chair and laughed. “Oh, I assure you, that’s not going to happen. Operation Wraith is solid. There’s no way you could hurt it. Besides, there’s no reason to do that. Not when you and I are going to be working together now.”

    “What?”

    “That’s the deal,” he said. “You’ve got the serum, so you’re uniquely qualified for a position here. We’ll be close, and we can spend more time together. I think it will be quite nice. I’ve missed you.”

    “A position...?” Then it dawned on me. “They’re going to make me an assassin.”

    “Indeed,” said my dad. “And you’re going to do such a good job, sweetheart.”

    A gnawing horror was growing in my stomach. “Dad, no. Don’t do this. You could help us. We could tear this whole place down. You’d be free.”

    “I’m telling you, that would be impossible.”

    “But Griffin—”

    “Oh, let’s not talk about him. I was watching the cameras and I saw that outburst he had on the way in, after the guard at the door made a comment about you.” He made a face. “That was totally inappropriate, of course, sweetheart. I’ll have a talk with that guard. But I have to say, I was flabbergasted that Griffin reacted that way. It was almost as if he thought the two of you—but that would be ridiculous.”

    “What are you talking about?” I said.