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Mason drew in a sharp breath through his nose and looked around once more before answering. “I tried to bring up Lupe.”

“Oh, Mason.” I pressed my eyes closed, no longer having to imagine how well that went.

“I don’t blame him for being angry,” he said, cupping my face in his hands. “But that wasn’t normal anger. I think he scared himself as much as me when he picked up that bench and smashed the glass.”

“He just left you there.” It was a statement, not a question, and Mason didn’t answer.

“Let’s finish playing doctor,” he said, opening the door to the unlocked lab.

No one was inside, which was a good thing because I was so unnerved by Mason’s explanation that I hadn’t prepared myself to take on any threats.

I ended up using a scalpel to carefully cut away the legs of Mason’s jeans so I could reach the worst of the cuts on his calf. He barely grunted when I used the peroxide. “I wish there was a big tube of Neosporin instead,” I said, trying to distract him. Then I bandaged everything, including his stomach, back, neck, and finally a butterfly bandage for his cheek. I stood close, smoothing a finger lightly over the wound while he watched me intently.

“This one wasn’t from glass,” I said.

“It was from Travis’s fist,” he answered.

My gaze flitted to his eyes, only a breath away.

“He attacked me when I mentioned Lupe, Sam. Before he smashed the glass.” He said it gently, like he knew it hurt me about as much as the peroxide had hurt him. “Tempers are high, but the look in his eyes.” He blew out a big breath. “I don’t want you alone with him. I’m sorry. I know you can and should make your own decisions, but I care about you, so hopefully that means I get a say.”

I smiled, brushing my hand over his cheek again. “You don’t have to argue anymore. I care about you too, Mason.”

Relief flooded his features as I leaned in for another kiss.

“There you are Mr. Bennet and Ms. Meadows.” The computer’s voice burst on as the doors clicked shut.

I jumped, and Mason held me close, pressing a finger to his lips to quiet me. I nodded to show I understood.

“You’ve caused me quite a bit of difficulty performing my primary directive.” Candice’s robo-voice scolded us just as she would. I wondered what happened to the real Candice, if she was still alive or in a coma…

Mason guided me to the side as he slipped off the exam table and tiptoed over to the doors.

“Don’t bother, Mr. Bennet. I can see you. I’ve seen you all along. Studying your behavior has taught me much about you. I can calculate the probability of your actions with a ninety percent success rate.”

A hissing sound made me whip my head around like a crazy person. Gas seeped in through the vents. Panic gripped my chest, and I tugged at Mason’s arm to point it out to him.

“For example,” the computer continued, “I am certain that given the opportunity for one of you to escape this room before the toxin reaches you, you will opt to remain with the other, hoping until the last moment to find an alternate solution, though I tell you quite plainly there is none.”

The look of horror on Mason’s face couldn’t have been much different than my own. The computer used the cameras all over the resort. Why hadn’t I realized she could reinitiate them after I’d turned them off?

“It is very romantic of you. But I wonder? Would you do so for someone else? My calculations show a 99% probability that Miss Meadows would. But you, Mr. Bennet?”

Mason tugged me to the ground, yanked my shirt off, and pressed it over my nose and mouth despite my protests. “I’ll do anything you want if you let her go.”

“Very noble. Your siblings are safe, by the way. I believe it important to share this information with you. Perhaps understanding the hopelessness of your situation will aid you in making the correct decisions.”

“What do you mean ‘safe’?” I asked, prying Mason’s hand and my shirt away, despite the familiar woozy feeling in my head. The room was filling with a thin mist, and I had to blink to clear my vision.

“In stasis until the premises are deemed safe for habitation,” the computer chirped. “My staff will be back online in ten hours and will then disable the escape pod so we can continue perfecting the premises without using any unnecessary energy. Nearly all guests have been safely moved to stasis.”

“Nearly?” I repeated, trying hard to focus and finding it difficult to keep my motor control as I crawled along with Mason toward the door with a knife.

“I have made the decision to continue experimentation for the greater good, to understand further how to keep human outliers safe. Therefore I have chosen appropriate subjects.”

“Subjects?” I coughed, collapsing to the floor.

“Those of you who have demonstrated the most destructive natures. If something goes wrong during the experimentation, the losses are then deemed acceptable.”

I was face down, as was Mason. We could do no more than make eye contact as the computer continued.

“This is not the end. This only the beginning. Do not fear, Miss Meadows, your sacrifice will be for the greater good. For science.”