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I cock my head at these words.
“What do you mean?” I question.
“You know full well what you did,” Hunter snaps back at me. “Don’t play dumb.”
“Dumb.” I step forward with a menacing stance.
“You chose them over her.” Hunter pushes Samara to the side and snarls toward me. “You abandoned her and left her with nothing after everything they’d done. I picked up the pieces. I rebuilt her when you destroyed her.”
“Hunter, please.” Samara wraps her tiny hands around his arm and pleads with him to stop.
“No, he needs to be told. While he swans around playing the big boss at The Factory, forcing kids into God knows what, you have been struggling to rebuild your life after what they did to you. Does he know everything? Does he know Dr. Chamberlain raped you? Dr. Monroe cut out your womb?”
The world freezes on me, and I look down to where my release still drips from within her. We didn’t use protection, but it doesn’t matter because she can’t have children. Memories start to hit me like a stampede of elephants. They rip through me: Samara and I growing up together, disappearing at night to be together, breaking the rules, tears, arguments, our best friend’s death. I double over and encircle my hands around my stomach. I feel sick when the realization hits me: I chose them over her. I’ve become a monster.
“Archer?” Samara steps forward.
“You finally realized what you are? What you’ve done to people?” Hunter sneers.
“Hunter,” Samara shouts.
“I abandoned you.” The pain in my stomach shifts to my head. “I became a toy soldier, a killer.”
The pain in my head intensifies. No, I can’t let this happen again. The chip implanted inside me will erase the memories from my mind. I’ll take a step back again and become a killer. Hunter and Samara have no idea what they are about to face. I bolt upright and reach behind my back to bring the gun into my hands.
“Take it quick.” I offer Hunter the weapon.
“No.” Samara jumps in front him. They both wear a confused expression on their faces. I have no time to waste though. I dig down into my boot and retrieve the knife I know is there. I hold it out with the gun.
“Take them, for fuck’s sake. You got a safe? Put them in it.”
“Archer?” Samara’s face pales.
“You got chains in this place?” I ignore Samara for the moment and speak man to man with Hunter.
“What the fuck?” He looks at me like I’ve gone insane. Maybe I have.
“Listen. Both of you need to fucking listen to me. In less than two minutes, I’ll forget we both just fucked Samara into oblivion. I’ll forget I know her, and I love her. All I’ll remember is you two killed Dr. Hickson and Dr. Monroe, and I’m tasked with bringing your heads to Rebekah Ward. So, if you like your heads where the fuck they are, I suggest you tie me the fuck up and quickly.” They both look at each other and then back at me like I’ve suddenly grown a full-on dragon head or something. “Move!” I shout.
“The chest.” Hunter nods at Samara.
“Yes.”
Hunter disappears out of the room at high speed.
“I don’t understand?” Samara comes up to me. Her brows are furrowed.
“I’ve got a chip implanted inside me. It makes me forget.” I stick my hand into my pockets and pull out the memory stick. “Everything is on here.” I hand it to her. “I didn’t leave you, Dollface. I don’t think I did anyway. They made me forget.”
The pounding in my head intensifies. It’s bordering on blinding. I know I don’t have much time.
“I don’t want to forget.” I stroke my hand down her cheek when a tear tumbles from her weeping eyes.
Hunter races back into the room. He carries handcuffs and a long metal chain. I nod to him to bind me.
“No.” Samara steps in between us again.
“Go wash up and put some clothes on,” Hunter orders her and closes one of the cuffs around my wrist.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Please, Dollface. Do as he says.” Another blast of debilitating agony hits me, and I cry out. The sound echoes around the room. Cries of pleasure from moments early replaced with terror.
“Archer.” Samara wraps her arms around me when my legs threaten to give way. I’m too heavy for her, so Hunter has to support us both. I give him a nod of gratitude when the pain passes momentarily.
“Buttercup.” Hunter softens his tone. “Listen to me. I need you to please go clean up. I’ll stay with Archer. You have my word I won’t hurt him.”
“Go,” I reassure also.
“You won’t know who I am when I come back.” Her voice sounds so tiny. She’s the little girl I remember when she was so scared for her future. Another memory, one of the last time I saw her before she left The Factory, threatens to come back to me, but it is too much. I cannot face that now, so I suppress it.
