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He turned toward the door…

… and went inside.

The office was extravagant, more than anything Nick had seen so far. Three of the four walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling bookcases, the shelves filled with tomes bound in bright colors. A ladder sat attached to a rail system that wrapped around the front of the bookshelves.

The fourth wall was a gigantic screen, the same BP symbol spinning in the middle.

A large wooden desk sat in front of the screen. There were three separate computer monitors on the desk, but Owen ignored them.

“I thought you said it was in the basement,” Nick said.

“It is.”

“Then why are we—”

“Watch.”

Nick took a step back when Owen touched the spines of three different books in quick succession, each one lighting up under his fingertips. There was a deep, concussive sound, and then part of the bookshelf moved backward before sliding out of sight, revealing an elevator.

“Whoa,” Nick breathed. He hadn’t known until that exact moment that a bookcase hiding a secret entrance was one of his kinks. It definitely was now.

“Pretty cool, right?” Owen asked. “Like I said. Dramatic.” He pressed a panel near the elevator doors. They opened.

Nick hesitated.

Owen saw it. “What is it?”

“Why are you doing this?”

Owen looked surprised. “I told you before. I want to help you—”

Nick shook his head. “You don’t help anyone but yourself.”

“Yikes.”

Nick winced. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Yeah, you did. But that’s fair.” Owen sighed. “Think of this as me trying to better myself. Being selfless, even.”

“Owen.”

“Okay, maybe notselfless,but you get the idea. Can’t a guy help a friend out?”

“What’s in it for you?” Nick asked suspiciously.

“I get to say I know a kick-ass Extraordinary.” Owen took a step back toward the elevator. “We’re going to change the world, Nick. Of course I’d want to be a part of that. Don’t you? Think about it. If you were given the power to make sure your dad would never be hurt again, wouldn’t you take it? Why would you want to go through the experience of losing a parent all over again? You couldn’t save your mother but—”

“Don’t,” Nick growled. “Don’t bring her into this.”

Owen held up his hands. “Sorry. I didn’t—that wasn’t what I meant. I’m just saying that this will keep those you love safe. And isn’t that the most important thing of all?”

Nick was moving before he even realized it. He shoved past Owen and walked into the elevator. He turned around, arched an eyebrow, and said, “You coming?”

Owen smiled, eyes alight with mischief.

They didn’t speak as the elevator descended. It was a longer trip than Nick expected it to be, lasting almost a full minute. There were no numbers counting up or down inside the elevator, only a single green button that Owen had pressed. Nick tried to clear his head, taking deep, even breaths. He was so close,so closeto having what he’d wanted for the longest time. He couldn’t back out now.

The elevator slowed to a halt.