Chapter 60
Peter stares at me as if I’ve suddenly sprouted a tail and gills right there on the lab floor. The sheer intensity of his visible disbelief is almost enough to make me second-guess myself. Almost.
"You…want to get into that machine? That one?" Peter asks, his voice thin with shock as he gestures to the genetic mapping device that looms ominously beside us.
I try to keep my voice steady, but my heart is hammering in my chest. “I don’t have much of a choice,” I say, locking eyes with him. “If we want answers, this is where we start.”
The machine begins to rattle violently as Wake decides the experiment is over. “Wake,” he mutters, trying to sound calm. “Please, don’t be rough with it—it’s very expensive—”
But Wake ignores him, prying the hatch open with brute force. He steps out of the enclosure, dripping with blood, his eyes burning with fury as the six-inch-long needles pull free from his muscle and bone. He doesn’t even wince, but the sight of it sends a wave of nausea through me.
"You’ll enter that machine over my dead body," he growls, eyes locked on me. "I don’t give a damn about your precious discoveries."
I swallow hard. "This goes beyond scientific discovery, Wake. If what you told me is true, it’s paramount that I learn what role I’m meant to play. That means unlocking whatever might be hiding inside my DNA."
Peter’s eyes go wide, his face paling. “Unlocking your DNA? What exactly are you trying to do here, Phoebe?”
“I’m willing to do whatever I need to,” I reply, trying to keep my voice firm. Inside, I feel like I’m unraveling. I don’t know what’s going to happen in that machine, but I can’t back out now. Not with the answers so close.
Wake steps closer, his anger palpable. “Why are you so adamant about putting yourself in harm’s way?” His voice is a low growl. “If you had just listened to me, we wouldn’t be here. None of this would be happening.”
I meet his gaze, refusing to back down. “Why is doing nothing a better option? How does that help your people, Wake? Isn’t that why you came looking for me in the first place? To save your people? I might be able to help, but you need to let me.”
For a moment, we glare at each other, the tension thick enough to suffocate. My heart is racing, but I’m doing everything I can to keep my fear from showing. The truth is, I’m terrified. The last thing I want to do is step into that machine, but this is bigger than me, bigger than all of us. If there’s even the slightest chance I can make a difference, I have to take it.
"I’m going through with this," I say, my voice trembling despite myself. "Whether you’re here or not, I’m doing it. The choice to participate is yours."
Wake’s eyes narrow dangerously. “Do not threaten me, woman. You are of no use to anyone dead.”
I roll my eyes, trying to muster some bravado. “A little pain won’t kill me, isn’t that right, Peter?”
Peter looks askance, suddenly unable to hold my gaze. “The…success rate hasn’t exactly been…perfect,” he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. “Please refer to the fact that this machine is currently in a closet in a secret laboratory and not out somewhere saving lives.”
Well. That wasn’t comforting.
But I push forward. “I've been part of a lot here that I'm not proud of. Let me do something right for once, Wake,” I say softly, the weight of my fear starting to press down on me. “Please, let me help.”
Wake’s jaw clenches, and for a moment, I think he’s about to argue again. But instead, he turns to Peter, his voice cold and steely. “What will you do to ensure her safety?”
Peter stammers, clearly rattled by the fact that Wake is even addressing him. “I—I can give her a heavy sedative,” he says quickly. “It might help keep her from going into shock.”
“Might?” Wake snaps.
I try to smile, even though my stomach is in knots. “That sounds like a great idea, Peter.”
Wake growls low in his throat but steps aside, taking the towel from my hand and dabbing at his still-healing wounds. "If you are truly one of my people, then you are strong," he mutters, his eyes locking on mine. "But make no mistake. If I sense anything is amiss, I will tear that machine apart. And then I will tear you apart," he snarls at Peter, whose forehead is now slick with nervous sweat.
Peter quickly turns back to the machine, wiping his face as he finishes the final preparations. My heart is hammering, but I give Wake a small nod. “It won’t be necessary. But you have a deal.”
Without warning, Wake grabs me by the back of the head, pulling me close, his touch surprisingly tender despite the raw power behind it. For a long moment, he just holds me, his breath warm against my cheek. I cling to him, taking in the strength of his presence before I force myself to pull away.
I step toward the machine, my legs trembling as I climb inside. Peter hesitates for a moment, but I give him a nod. “Don’t stop until the mapping is done. No matter what.”
Peter’s eyes widen, but he swallows hard and activates the machine. "Just…try to relax," he says, his voice cracking slightly. “I’ll count down from three.”
Three…
The machine hums to life, and the hatch begins to close around me.
Two…
I hear a faint ‘snick,’ and a searing pain rips through my body as the needles begin to pierce my skin.
One.
I scream, my voice muffled by the enclosed space, and the world goes dark.
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