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‘No. I should be helping.’ He looked me in the eyes. ‘Remember the task you gave me in the web?’

I nodded, apprehension steadily rising. ‘Of course.’

‘Well, I found an anomaly.’

I inhaled sharply. ‘Who?’

‘One of the scientist.’

‘What’s going on?’ Addy cut in, her tone hard and demanding.

‘We have a stowaway on the ship,’ I informed the room.

The room devolved into silence for a beat, and then pandemonium erupted. Voices shouted over other voices, fighting to be heard. Questions were lobbed at both me and Bromm.

I ignored everyone in favour of meeting Bromm on his cot, leaning in close to get the information needed to weed out the spy.

‘Who?’ I asked.

‘I couldn’t find a name. There’s no record of him anywhere. It’s like he’s been completely wiped from existence, but I’ll recognise him when I see him.’

I pursed my lips. It was probably my fault he was untraceable. After I’d let slip that I’d done my research on Demari it came as no surprise.

‘I’d bet my ass that The Program’s employees no longer exist in any database, not after they’d discovered how easy it was for me to run a background check.’

He smiled at me, a wicked glint in his eyes. ‘Did you spook them, my love?’I mirrored his smirk. ‘Probably.’

‘What are you two whispering about?’ Cadmus asked as he moved in closer, tilting his head down to our level.

‘We were just discussing how our woman is a badass that scared the shit out of the enemy,’ Bromm said smugly.

‘Damn straight,’ Cadmus grinned, wide and toothy.

Reece sidled up to us, filling in the open space between me and Cadmus and effectively cutting off Bromm from the rest of the room.

‘I can hear you from across the room,’ he admitted, his features slack with surprise.

‘Me too,’ Addy popped her head through a gap between our arms, joining the huddle.

Xander cleared his throat as he suddenly peered above all our heads, looming over us with a single thick eyebrow lifted to display how unimpressed he was. I matched his expression. They were the ones who had started that chaos. What did he expect me to do, sit back and watch?

‘Care to share with the class?’ he deadpanned.

‘I don’t know. Are you all going to shut up and let Bromm speak?’ I bit back.

‘Um… can I get back to my patient, please?’ Henrik asked from where he’d been inadvertently shoved outside of the huddle.

The crowd immediately dispersed, though Cadmus and I remained by Bromm’s side while Henrik took back his spot. He didn’t bother asking us to move. He knew it would be pointless. ‘Is this really necessary?’ Bromm whined. ‘I swear I’m fine.’

‘And I’m glad you are,’ Henrik said with a patient smile that reached his eyes. ‘But this isn’t just about you. Cadmus is experiencing the same symptoms as you were before you collapsed. I need to keep track of your vitals and any other emerging symptoms and such so I know what to do if and when it happens to anyone else.’

Bromm looked slightly cowed, but not enough to stop squirming. Instead, he held his hand back out for Henrik to replace to observations device back on his finger.

‘It’s giving main character energy,’ Cadmus leaned in close to whisper in my ear. I cracked a small smile at the joke and jabbed him gently in the ribs with my elbow, but I was too relieved that Bromm was awake and well to allow any other emotions through right now.

I glanced around the room one more time, taking in each and every person that had shown up for Bromm and realised someone was missing. ‘Hey, Addy. Did you tell Foryk that Bromm woke up?’

She bit her lip, eyes darting toward Xander as if seeking permission before levelling her gaze on me one more time. ‘No. I couldn’t find him.’