Grayson glanced back at the screen, still showing the photo of the hidden entrance to a bunker in fuck-knew-where West Texas, where the sky went on for a million miles over red rocks and jackrabbits.
“You told me once that your brother was the one who made you the Dead Man,” Reece said, not much more than a whisper. “You said he became corrupted. That you tried to get him help, but you asked the wrong people.”
Grayson’s gaze stayed on the photo. “There was a time when my empath brother was the sweetest, sunniest person I’d ever met,” he heard himself say. “And then, one night when Alex was home from college, someone broke into our ranch and murdered our parents in front of him.”
Reece didn’t speak, just waited, big eyes on Grayson. Still not flinching.
“I was away, in Austin, and I’m pretty sure now the killer planned the strike for when I was gone, because they were trying for corruption on purpose,” said Grayson. “But even still, I don’t think they were prepared for what they unleashed. Alex was turned, exactly like Ms. Falcon, and a lot more people died before I could find him. And while I was looking, I talked to a pair of scientists who told me if I brought them my brother, they could use me to bring Alex back.”
In the picture, the mountains on the horizon were rocky and red, a world away from the mist-draped green mountains outside Marist’s skyscraper window. “A lie, it turned out. I just didn’t know it then. Corruption is permanent, and all they wanted was to see if they could use me to make Alex even more powerful.”
The sun was bright in the picture. There’d been no windows in the bunker, no way to see the outside world. “But those scientists weren’t prepared for Alex either. I walked in there thinking I was going to save my brother and walked out unable to care that I hadn’t.”
“You’re glossing over a whole lot there, Evan.” Reece’s voice had gone hoarse.
“You don’t need the gory details. And you won’t find them in this useless manual, because no one knows how Alex managed to destroy my emotions,” Grayson said. “And no one ever will, because he’s gone now.”
The memories were threatening like a tidal wave now—the fire, Alex, the sound of the Magnum.
Grayson place his finger on the screen, over one of Nichols’ annotations.
Completely emotionless.
Can do whatever needs to be done.
“Stone Solutions, the Empath Initiative, others—they came looking for us. But they were too late. And when they found out what had happened, they created the Dead Man, because they all know the truth.” Grayson looked at Reece. “That I’m capable of anything to defend people from corrupted empaths—that I made sure Alex was gone.”
He expected Reece to flinch away from him. Expected to hear him make a sound of horror.
He wasn’t expecting Reece to look him dead in the eyes and say, “Liar.”
Grayson drew back. “What?”
“You’re lying,” Reece said. “I can’t hear it, but I know it.”
“But—”
“You want everyone to think you killed your brother, even me,” Reece said. “I don’t know what really happened in that bunker, or why you’re lying, but save your breath; I know you better than that. You didn’t do it.”
Grayson stared at him.
Reece reached for the flash drive. “These fuckers can’t be trusted with this. We’re taking it with us.”
“We?”Grayson put his hand on the desk, in between Reece and the flash drive, and Reece was forced to stop before they made contact.
“Move your hand, I’m taking that drive,” Reece said.
“Did you just miss the part where I told you what was done to my brother?” Grayson said. “You think I’d let you set foot anywhere near the Dead Man’s past?”
Reece’s mouth pinched.
“In fact,” said Grayson, “where you’re standing right now is too damn close. Seattle is too damn close. You got a place in the south that you’ve always wanted to see? SoCal? Mexico?”
“Evan,” Reece said warningly.
“I got a couple folks I trust,” said Grayson. “We get you set up somewhere else—anywhere else—and then I’ll take care of this.”
“I’m not going down south.” Reece stepped closer. “I’m not going anywhere.”
