AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “You released those to the news?”
“Yes. All of them.”
“How could you do that? They were classified.”
“Not anymore. Now the whole world knows what Stuart Marsters did to those kids with the backing of the US government.”
Becca felt sick. She reached for the back of the sofa to steady herself. There was no way the CTA could survive this.
“Don’t you think maybe you and your sisters have been on the wrong side of this all along?”
“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“Stay here with me. Live in this apartment. Be a part of our future. Listen to what we are doing, what we have to say, and what we want to accomplish. You do that and you won’t be a prisoner. You can come and go as you like, visit your sisters, be on the right side of history.”
She watched in horror as pictures of her and her sisters as children filled the screen. How were any of them going to come back from this? How was Cat? She lived in DC. Her mother-in-law was a senator.
Emerich took her hand. “You agree to stay and work with us, to convince the other six subjects to join us, and I’ll let Cameron go.”
His words reached through the horror of what she was seeing on the screen. She turned to face him. “Just like that?”
He smiled. “Just like that. You can even walk him to the ladder and kiss him goodbye.”
A flicker of hope filled her. Cameron had to go back, to salvage his reputation. His career. If he didn’t, it would look like he was complicit, that he was a part of the cover-up. He had a lot of damage control to do and he couldn’t do that if he was locked in a cell here.
She took a deep breath. It took everything she had to say the words. “All right. I’ll stay. If you let Cameron go.”
Emerich smiled and clapped his hands together. “Wonderful. That is such good news. Come on, let’s go tell your soon-to-be ex-boss.”
Becca's stomach turned. She could do this, she thought, as she followed him out of the apartment and down the hall toward the stairs that led to the basement. It didn’t matter how long she’d be trapped here. All that mattered was getting Cameron out and back to Genie and Kyle, safe.
Chapter20
Cameron heard the footsteps approaching and looked up as the door to his cell opened. He was resigned for the worst as two men in uniform walked in.
“Get to your feet; you’re coming with us.”
He blew out a sigh, got up, and followed them. They didn’t say another word as they led him out of the cell and up the stairs. “Where are you taking me?” He figured wherever it was it wasn’t going to be good.
“How about a hot shower? I sure could use one of those,” he said when they still didn’t respond.
“Well, I guess that was too much to hope for.”
Not that he expected an answer or even some humanity. They continued down the same hallways, up the stairwell, and through the utility room toward the door leading to the watchtower and the roof. The same door Becca had tried to warn him against opening. If only he’d listened.
What was Emerich planning for him? Was he going to throw him off the roof? He wouldn’t be surprised in the least. The men opened the door and they all walked out onto the roof platform that circled the building.
Becca stood next to Emerich, the afternoon wind blowing her hair, regret swimming in her eyes.
“What’s going on?” Cameron asked, knowing instantly he wasn’t going to like it.
“Becca and I have come to an agreement,” Emerich said a smug look crossing his face as his arm rested on the small of her back. “And since I’m a man of my word, I’m going to let you go.”
“Let me go?” Had he heard right? “Or let us go?” he asked, but he could tell by the look on Becca’s face she wasn’t coming with him.
“Only you are leaving. Now, being the sensitive guy that I am, I’ll give you two a few minutes to say goodbye.” Emerich walked toward the watchtower room door but turned back before opening it. “I think that’s very magnanimous of me, don’t you?” He grinned, then walked into the room and shut the door behind him.
Cameron took a step toward Becca until he felt a guard’s hand on his shoulder to keep him from moving. “You can’t stay here with him. That man is insane.”
