Page 141 of Conform
“Why don’t you lie?”
“That’s your first question?” Gerald asked calmly, assessing me. “We have limited time.”
“It’s unheard of.”
“It’s simpler. Oftentimes the lies cause more damage than the truth.”
“What was that cube?”
“We call it a black hole. It’s complicated to explain. It’s the same technology as the cuffs. That’s what we based it off of. Most rudimentary explanation: It interferes with the tracking technology, but on a larger scale, by absorbing the energy.”
“Did you invent it?” I asked.
“No, but I altered it to make it effective for our purposes.”
“Do you believe in the Reaper’s cause?” I asked.
Gerald’s jaw flexed as he nodded. My heart found my throat. I needed to know.
“Have I met the Reaper?”
My name filled the hall.
Gerald froze, and my eyes went wide.
“I thought you said he couldn’t run?” I whispered.
“It’s not Hal,” Gerald said confidently. I swore his shoulders sagged. “Someone must have gotten the elevator to work when the systems were coming back.” He quietly put the panel on the wall.
“Emeline.” Footsteps sounded outside the room, but they carried on toward my office.
“Our questions are done for now. Go.”
“What about you?” I whispered as a door creaked open.
“I’m relying on you to keep him distracted so I can get back,” Gerald said.
“Are you not afraid of who might be out there?”
“No, your Mate would only send one person to get you, and I don’t fear him. Go. Your brother is waiting for you.”
I wanted to ask him why he knew that, and why he didn’t fear my brother, but I heard my name again. I turned and left Gerald behind.
The hall was empty when I entered it. I had only taken three steps when a head of curly hair poked out of my office. Phillip stepped into the hall, holding my bag and Comm Device. His hair was a mess, his cheeks pink like he had run here, his clothes wrinkled. I had expected Gregory.
“Where were you?” Phillip demanded.
I ran a hand through my hair, sure my curls were equally as disastrous. “I was looking for a way out.”
“You shouldn’t have left your office.” Phillip took me in. “You’re a mess. We have to go. We can talk in the living quarters. They’re bringing the grid back up now.”
Nerves snaked down my spine. Had the ten minutes been enough for everyone out there? Wherevertherewas? I suddenly felt I had missed a vital question: What had they actually been doing?
“Why did Collin send you?” I asked, my nerves on fire as we walked past the door Gerald was behind. Phillip’s device dinged. He stopped, taking it out. “Don’t we need to go?”
I swore Phillip looked at the door, and I reined in my panic. “He was needed elsewhere. You’re an Illum’s Mate. A rebel might go after you to get to him and the Illum.”
He kept moving until he came to the elevator. He lifted a wrist to the scanner, but nothing happened.
