Page 73 of I Married Kayog
“By all means!” he said, gesturing at the bottles of flavored water.
I grabbed one, intending to only take a couple of sips but ended up gulping down the entire thing. Feeling a little mortified, I gave him a sheepish smile while putting the lid back on the empty bottle.
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
“Have a second one!” he said, pushing another of the five bottles towards me.
“Don’t mind if I do,” I said, greedily accepting the offering.
This time, I showed a bit more restraint and only drank a third of it.
“Sorry,” I said while putting the bottle down.
He made a dismissive gesture. “Don’t be! It’s normal to be dehydrated after such an amazing performance.”
I gave him a look that made it clear he wasn’t fooling me. “So you’re here to recruit me again?”
“Of course,” Colin replied in a self-evident tone.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What if I say no?”
“Then we have a problem,” he said in a factual manner.
My brow shot up at the blunt and nonchalant way in which he made that statement.
“Is that so?” I asked, genuinely intrigued to see where this was headed.
Not for the first time, I hated being unable to read his emotions. I almost reached for my circlet to reduce the dampening effect. However, I had already made my peace with the fact that not only would I play by their rules, but that I would also accept joining the Enforcers so long as their requests weren’t immoral to me. Beyond the fact that I wanted a peaceful life by my mate’s side, I honestly owed them for this new lease on life they had given me.
“You’re far too powerful, Kayog,” Colin said in a reasonable tone. “The things you’re able to do exceed anything I’ve ever seen before. And you’re still not done.”
I stiffened at that. “What do you mean?”
“Most species reach full maturity by the age of twenty-five, whether physically, mentally, or psychically. You went into overdrive when you got to that age. Even now, you are continuing to grow. God only knows when you will reach your peak.”
“You can’t be certain of that,” I countered, my voice hesitant.
He nodded firmly. “I most certainly can. Your doctors have confirmed it. We don’t know just how strong you will get and what new skills you may develop. That makes you unpredictable.”
“And therefore dangerous?” I challenged.
“Potentially,” he concurred. “That means we can’t let you loose. Today again, there was an unusual spike during your simulation. It tapped into another part of your brain that had been mostly dormant before. Yinric will analyze the data where the computer indicated that you used a new ability against some of the targets.”
Although I attempted to keep a neutral expression, something on my face or body language gave away the fact that he had accurately assessed what had happened during the simulation. I didn’t know what new power I used or even how to deliberately replicate it. How many more new abilities would I indeed discover?
“As a member of the Enforcers or the UPO, you can receive all the support you need while we also get to keep an eye on you. If you evolve outside, we would be required to expend far too many resources to make sure you do not become a threat, whether willingly or through coercion by hostile forces,” Colin explained, his tone soft and reasonable.
“Then wouldn’t it be simpler for you to just kill me?” I asked with a hint of dare in my voice.
He scoffed. “Nobody wants to do that, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s not even an option worth considering. So we need to find a solution that will keep both you and everyone else safe. You also do not want to be alone if your brain continues to develop in unexpected ways. No one but the extensive resources of the Enforcers end of the UPO could have accomplished what we have for you.”
“So now you consider me indebted?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
To my pleasant surprise, he immediately shook his head. “Not at all. It was our choice to expend so many resources to fix you. You never agreed to anything in exchange for our assistance, and your mate made it clear that she would never make any promises or engagements on your behalf without your consent. We did it because we saw great potential in you, long-term benefits for other members of your species born with your condition, and because Linsea is one hell of a negotiator, especially when it involves the male she loves.”
I lowered my eyes, moved to the core by his words. I had a fairly low opinion of mega organizations like the ones he was working for. But the sincerity in his voice as he stated his position on the matter resonated loudly. However, it was his statement about my dove’s involvement that turned me upside down. I didn’t doubt she had gone to every extreme to protect me. And I still didn’t understand how I had deserved such a perfect female.
“I don’t know you, Kayog Voln, only what I read in your files—and you better believe I read the fuck out of them,” Colin said in a serious tone. “You have a stellar record, and the medical team working with you are major fans of yours. It is not an easy feat to accomplish, especially where Arafin is concerned. I like Linsea and want to keep her happy. But my duty comes first. If you had been a threat, we would have already dealt with you along time ago. Instead, everyone in this facility is desperate to make sure you will be fine and that no harm will come to you. So we must find a solution while honoring our galactic duty.”
