Page 61 of Peak’s Code

Peak’s eyebrows rose. “You have a safehouse Captain doesn’t know about?”

Warden shrugged. “I have hobbies.”

Maeve stared at him. “Building secret houses?”

“Staying alive.” The answer made sense.

Peak walked toward the chair where his kutte hung. “We aren’t going anywhere until we know why you came instead of Ruin.”

Warden’s face tightened. “Ruin is watching Mercer.”

“Mercer is still alive?” Maeve asked.

“For now.”

Maeve stepped closer. “Has he said anything else about Wren?” Warden looked at her. The hesitation lasted only a moment, but it was enough.

“What aren’t you telling me?” she demanded.

“He gave us a name,” Warden said.

Her heart pounded. “Whose?”

“A woman named Dr. Elaine Voss.” Maeve searched her memory but came up with nothing.

“What does she have to do with Wren?” she asked.

“Mercer claims Voss runs a facility where the Director keeps people he considers useful.”

Peak pulled on his shirt. “Programmers?”

“Programmers, chemists, accountants—anybody with skills the organization can exploit,” Warden said.

Maeve’s stomach turned. There was a facility. The word sounded cleaner than prison, but that was probably the point. “Where is it?” she asked.

“He wouldn’t say,” Warden said.

“Then make him say.”

Warden’s gaze remained steady. “We tried.”

“You didn’t try hard enough,” Maeve shouted.

Peak stepped beside her. “Maeve.”

“No.” She turned on him. “Mercer knows where my sister is. He’s been carrying part of her code in his jacket, and all anyone keeps telling me is that he won’t talk.”

“We can’t kill him before he gives us the answer,” Peak said.

“I didn’t say kill him,” Maeve said.

Warden raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that?” Maeve looked toward the window. She didn’t know anymore. Eighteen months ago, she would have been horrified by the idea of hurting someone for information. Now she could picture Mercer tied to a chair while she asked him the same question until he answered. Where was Wren? What had they done to her? Was she alone? Was she afraid? Was she still waiting for Maeve to find her?

“I need to talk to him,” she said.

Warden shook his head. “Not happening.”

“He knows me,” she said.