Page 37 of Taken

“I’m aware of the timing,” Creed snaps. “There have been new developments. This takes priority.”

Cole’s posture stiffens almost imperceptibly. “What kind of developments?”

“You’ll know soon enough,” Emerson says, studying Cole’s reaction. “The witch knows more than she’s telling us. You claim a deep connection to her mind, yet you’ve detected nothing about this?”

His connection to her mind.

The reminder of their bond scrapes against something raw inside me. Cole has access to parts of Lila I haven’t touched—the intimacy of shared consciousness. The thought makes heat flare under my skin, an irrational emotion I have no right to feel.

“The binding allows me to buffer her visions,” Cole says carefully. “Not access her memories or personal thoughts.”

Creed’s eyes narrow. “Convenient limitation. Almost as if it were designed to keep secrets.”

“The binding was created to your specifications,” Cole reminds him. “Its parameters were set by your research team.”

“Regardless,” Creed dismisses, “the extraction proceeds immediately. Prepare her.”

Cole nods once, turning to leave. His eyes meet mine for a fraction of a second—long enough to convey volumes. Alarm. Desperation. A silent plea.

“Reeve,” Creed calls as I move to follow, “your assignment. The energy readings. I want a complete analysis within the hour.”

I force myself to nod. “Yes, sir.”

In the corridor, I catch up to Cole, keeping pace as he strides toward the north quadrant. I say nothing for a moment, waiting to see how he handles this.

“They’ll kill her,” he says under his breath. “This level of extraction so soon after the last…”

“I don’t like it,” I mutter, drawing a sharp look from him.

“Neither do I,” he exhales, seeming to have decided that he can discuss this with me.

“Can you minimize it?” I ask, matching his low tone.

He shakes his head minutely. “Not at the intensity they’re demanding. And if I try to resist, they’ll just remove me from the equation. It’ll be even worse for her.”

His genuine concern for her safety cools some of my territorial instinct. Whatever his feelings for Lila, he wants to protect her as much as I do.

“Do you know what she’s keeping from them?” I press.

His eyes dart to mine, conflicted. “I’ve felt… something. In her dreams. Moments when her guard drops during visions. A presence she reaches for. But nothing concrete enough to report.”

A presence she reaches for. The words echo in my mind, connecting to the memory of our kiss—how she’d seemed to be searching for something in my eyes afterward. How vulnerable she’d looked. It made my chest ache.

“She’s hiding something,” I say.

Pain flashes across his face. “If she is, they’ll tear her mind apart to get to it.”

We reach a junction in the corridor. Cole stops, glancing at the security cameras before leaning closer.

“I can’t stop this,” he whispers. “But I might be able to modify the serum. Dilute it slightly. Give her a fighting chance.”

“Do it.” I nod. “And I’ll try to monitor from security. Find a way to intervene if things go too far.”

His eyes bore into mine, desperate and determined. “If she survives this…”

“She will,” I say firmly, though my voice roughens with emotion I can’t fully hide. “And when she does, we’ll… weigh up other options.”

The words hang in the silence between us, their meaning hinting at something bigger than what’s being discussed here.

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