The Gender Game 2 by Bella Forrest (audio ebook reader .TXT) 📕

be from neither nation? Who was he, and why was he lying to me? Instantly, I distrusted him. “I think I’ll walk myself,” I said.

Owen shrugged. “Suit yourself. After you.” He stepped back out of the doorframe and held out an arm toward the hallway.

I moved into the hallway, heading for the door at the end. The doors to all of the rooms were closed, and I wondered if Viggo and Tim were in one of them. I started to reach for one of the doorknobs, when Owen’s hand grabbed my wrist with a firm but strong grasp.

“You will be permitted to see your companions after your debriefing,” he said. “Until then, please keep your hands to yourself.”

Grimacing, I snatched my hand out of his grip and stalked to the door. I wanted to get to the bottom of this.

We moved downstairs quickly. There was sign of activity everywhere, but I couldn’t see anyone anywhere. I commented on it, but Owen just smirked at me and urged me to continue down.

I really wanted to punch him, and hopefully I would get the chance to. However, regardless of how empty the levels were, I needed more information before I planned my escape. Like where Viggo, Tim, and Ms. Dale were, and how many other people were with Owen.

He opened the door to the lab, and I stepped through. The area had been cleaned up, but I saw the two bodies lying in the middle of the floor covered with a tarp, and I paused.

“The twins,” Owen said behind me.

I shot him a contemptuous look. “I figured that out,” I said dryly.

A soft sound coming from Dr. Jenks’ office caught my attention, and I turned toward it. An older woman was sitting behind the desk, staring at the computer from behind a pair of spectacles. Her hair was dark, with white streaks running from the temples. It was casually styled. She was wearing the same uniform as Owen.

Owen held out his arm with a flourish, pointing me into the room.

I ignored his antics and strode inside.

“Who the hell are you?” I demanded.

The older woman turned her head toward me, her blue eyes flicking over me.

“Violet Bates,” she said, settling back in the chair.

She watched me for a long moment in contemplative silence. I could feel her gaze like a weight. Whoever this woman was, she had a commanding presence. I felt uncomfortable under her scrutiny.

“Owen, you are dismissed,” she said.

Owen said nothing, but closed the door behind me, sealing me in with this woman.

“Sit down, Ms. Bates,” the woman said, her tone brooking no disobedience. I contemplated standing in open defiance of her, but I realized it was a childish ploy. I sat down in the chair.

“Who are you?” I asked.

She arched an eyebrow at me, tapping her fingers on the table. Taking off her glasses, she studied me.

“Who do you think I am?” she asked, interlacing her fingers.

I paused. “I don’t know. The guy—Owen—he said you weren’t with Matrus or Patrus. Are you a rebel faction?”

She inclined her head a fraction of an inch. “There are some that would say that, although we have taken great care to remain on the periphery of both societies.”

“Why?”

“Why do you think?” she asked.

“Because you don’t agree with either society’s position?”

“Is that a question, or are you certain?”

I sighed in frustration. “Look, to be honest, I don’t care. All I want is my people returned. If you have no allegiance to either side, then that should be easy enough.”

She nodded at me. “That’s true. But let me ask you this: Where would you go?”

Hesitating for a moment, I shrugged. “I haven’t really gotten that far ahead,” I admitted.

A small smile played at her lips. “I figured. What if I were to offer you a solution?”

I stared at the older woman across from me warily. “At what price?”

The smile on her lips grew. “I knew I would like you, Violet,” she said. “You don’t ask what the solution is—you skip to the price. That’s practical, and very clever.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“To be fair, I haven’t answered any of them,” she replied. “But I will, eventually. First—tell me what you know of this place.”

I frowned. “You’ve already read the computers. I’m assuming you’ve seen downstairs.”

“I have. I’m more interested in your observations at the moment.”

Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. “It’s a laboratory.” She gave me a look of impatience, but I ignored her. “A Matrian facility for experimenting on humans.”

“Go on.”

“They’re… trying to do something. Enhance people.”

“How?”

I shrugged, but as I did so, I realized I knew the answer. “Make them stronger. Faster. Smarter.”

“Why?”

I paused, thinking about it. “I… I don’t know.” Rubbing my hands on the front of my dress, I contemplated the question. “Because, if they can make people stronger—better—they can have an advantage.”

“What do you think they would use that advantage for?”

I looked at her. “Defeating their enemies,” I replied, a hard knot forming in my stomach.

The woman leaned back, an extremely satisfied look on her face. “Exactly.”

I had been reaching, trying to come up with answers regarding the why of things, and I finally had an answer. My eyes flicked over to the egg sitting in the case.

She followed my gaze, shifting in her seat. “Mr. Jenks’ perfect human,” she said, pinching the bridge of her nose between two fingers. Abruptly, she stood up and walked over to the door. “Come with me,” she ordered as she strode out of the office.

After another look at the egg—the real egg—sitting behind the glass panel, I obeyed, quickening my stride to follow her.

40

Violet

She led me downstairs to the lowest level before stopping, resting her hands on the handrails and staring out at the rows of cubes hanging suspended over darkness.

“Mr. Jenks’ test subjects,” she said without looking at me. “I dedicated a huge part of my life to trying to find them, but I never thought I would find them like this.”

I studied her. “Who are you?”