Soon more hands joined together, forming a human ring around her—other agents, and her friends. The combined force of their life and energy filled her like a drug, healing the wounds that threatened to steal her from the world. Internal organs regrew, and a white light infused her in radiant love. She opened herself to it, like she had in the valley, and allowed herself to connect with them all, to become one with them in a way she never had before. She saw for the first time how interconnected everyone was, how joined they were to each other. The warmth in her grew and she closed her eyes. The other light still called to her, and it would have been easy to go to it, but this new light surrounded her now.
A soft breeze filled the air with the scent of star flowers. An echo of Mr. K's voice rippled on the wind. "You have more to do in this world, more lessons to complete. Choose the harder path for the greater reward."
A tear fell down her cheek as she considered all the people who had given of themselves to save her.
Two roads. The easy one or the hard one? To sleep, or to wake up to more?
Lucy opened her eyes and gasped.
Chapter 119 - Steele
Steele examined himself in the full-length mirror and adjusted his silk tie. The Italian pinstripe suit fit him like a glove, and his polished leather shoes shined, but his eyes still looked tired with dark circles framing them. Last night he'd worked non-stop to complete the last critical piece of his project: altering Sam's mind.
The simple alterations he'd made to keep her from contacting her friends had proven effective, though she fought constantly. He'd never met a more stubborn specimen, pushing at every turn, weakening his control on her. A few times she nearly managed to connect mentally with someone else. He'd had to maintain non-stop vigilance to keep her under his control, and he paid for that today, but nothing could ruin what he had planned.
The eyes were a problem, a show of weakness. He grabbed his makeup bag and lightly powdered the dark rings. The cameras would pick up any flaw, and he couldn't allow that.
Someone knocked on the door.
Another dab on the left eye. "Enter."
Beleth walked in, with a presence that controlled a room. Steele hated that presence.
He faced the man, who also looked tired. "Were you successful?"
"No. They escaped back to the IPI base."
"How unfortunate. You would have had a particular interest in one of them."
Beleth raised an eyebrow at that. A rare site: getting him to show any curiosity or interest.
Steele said nothing more. There had been a time when they would have shared truths and secrets. That time was long past. Now, information was a weapon, and Steele used it better than anyone. "Is everything prepared?"
"The conference room is ready. Grunt is in position." Beleth paused, his voice strained as he continued. "You have yet to give the order to start Operation Harvest. Would you like me to begin?"
Beleth had never agreed with experimenting on children, but he wasn't in charge. Still, sometimes he would push, sometimes he was a problem, so Steele had been cautious.
"No need. I've handled it."
Beleth took a step forward, his fist curling. "Has it begun?"
"It has been completed." Steele motioned to the balcony. "See for yourself."
They walked out to the balcony. Below them, hundreds of children were being led out of the facility, dressed in rags and chained together in lines. They looked pale, hollow and weak.
Beleth clutched the rail. "No. What will happen to them?"
"Some will be sold. Some will be gifted. They have served their purpose." Steele reached into his pocket and drew out a syringe with purple liquid.
He could almost feel the energy pulsing through it. He had extracted powers from dozens of kids, picking the best ones, compiling them in this syringe. Some kids he had left alone, like that girl with the healing powers. He'd used her to heal his daughter, and he still hadn't discovered how to take away the side-effects. That didn't matter. He'd have all the powers he needed.
He admired the miracle in his hands. "Years of work, and I finally have my chance."
"So do I." Beleth slapped the syringe out of Steele's hand and it flew over the balcony.
Steele reached for it, but it slipped through his fingers and landed below, shattering into pieces and staining the cement a purple hue.
Beleth collapsed, sweating.
That much defiance should have been impossible for him. How could he have broken from Steele's control that long?
"You will never have what you want," Beleth said, his voice weak and raspy.
Steele loomed over the man. They had been partners once, working towards the same goal. How had things come to this? Beleth no longer shared Steele's ideals, but Steele had known that for a long time, so he always planned for contingencies.