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I WOULDN’T TRUST YOU TO FALL OUT OF BED SUCCESSFULLY

RORY

The best thing about being me is that I’ve learned to cover my distaste and mistrust of the species that subjugated our kind with a brilliantly handsome mask. It’s kept me in a relatively comfortable lifestyle even while I endured indignities to secure it. However, watching Sydney simply face things with such honest emotion makes me wonder who I might have been if I hadn’t developed my outer shell. She’s not stupid—she pushes hard enough to be heard, but not so far that our chirpy coordinator feels it’s necessary to report her.

Our team leader is very politically savvy, even if she pretends not to be.

It also makes me feel a tiny bit… tainted. That’s not her fault, of course. Sydney hasn’t once accused me of what I’m sure she and her lovesick companions know I’ve done. Hell, even the vampire hasn’t made a fuss, but I get the feeling that’s because he, too, has secret shame. It’s wafting from him in thick waves of emotions that hit me like a tsunami when I get anywhere near him. I don’t know what his story is, nor am I going to ask. Life in the sectors has taught me not to worry about others; I can only be responsible for myself.

“I think using black and white with the red and blue is brilliant,” Krista says as she writes on a white board. “It’s patriotic but edgy.”

I arch a brow with the girl in question, smirking like she’s won something. If I were to guess, I’d bet she absolutely did that on purpose and has some sort of devious plan brewing in her head. Since she gave in and provided Krista with the team name, she’s been acting the class suck-up. “Seems like she’s right, Vicious. It fits with the FHSA colors perfectly.”

Huck rubs his fingers over his lips but I can see the wheels turning in his head. He thinks she’s got a scheme, too, but he’s not sure where Sydney is going yet. “I like it, sweet pea. The dark hues compliment my flawless complexion.”

Krista looks excited as hell, clasping her hands together in front of her. “I am so pleased with this cooperative turn-about. Using the re-branded national flag hues, giving me a catchy name, and even being moderately less snarky… oh, we are going to give every team in this building a run for their money!”

As if that’s more important than us staying alive or gaining our freedom.

The dragon and the vampire have been suspiciously quiet as Sydney took the reins for this discussion, only nodding occasionally to confirm their agreement. I don’t know what that’s about, either, because Sebastian definitely enjoys pissing everyone off every chance he gets. I cross my arms over my chest, watching them carefully for signs of what their game is. Elias seems to favor the tough blond, but her enmity with the bloodsucker has overshadowed common sense consistently since we were matched.

“To sum up,” Thad says, looking at the notes for a second before he continues. “We have the name, the brand colors, and Syd is our captain. Krista is going to present logo options by the end of the day to the tablets once her design team works them up. Did I miss anything?’

Our human shuffles some paper, glancing at them quickly. “Nicknames are big in sports, but I think it’s better to wait until the fans give them to you so we can make hashtags to support it. When they take, we can amend your competition gear to reflect them to keep it continuous.”

“Great. Absolutely marvelous. Are we done now?” Sydney asks with a flicker of her previous irritability finally seeping in. “Because if so, I’d love to go to lunch and not hear the word synergy again for a month.”

Elias chuckles, the sound dark as his grin spreads over sharp teeth. “Eloquently put.”

“No, we have a few more things to nail down and I have homework to give you for tomorrow.”

For the love of Merlin’s scraggy-ass beard…

“Homework for tomorrow?” Sydney scoffs as she flops backward in her chair, almost pouting at the word. “We have two days of this crap?!”

A flash of frustration comes over the woman’s face, but it’s gone as quickly as it came. “Yes, Sydney. Marketing and branding is an on-going effort. While you are preparing for the first reveal, we will have quite a few sessions, but as the Games begin it will become a minimum weekly meeting. There will be ad hoc sessions, though, if need be. Your ability to win hearts is as essential as your ability to compete in the field.”

“Fuck, that’s awful,” Sebastian says as he pushes off the wall like a cranky cat. “I was hoping Miss Helpful took care of the bulk of this shit today.”

Sydney points at him. “What the dickface said. I hate agreeing with him, but that was the point of cooperation, lady.”

Drawing in a deep breath, Krista puts her hands on the table where her materials are spread out. “Look. I can’t keep fighting with you the entire way through this. You are my team and more than simply your destiny is tied to your success. Otherwise, I could let you fuck yourselves over and get killed, capiche ? Instead, I’m actively pushing you to do things I know you don’t want to do so we all get through this with as little damage as possible. Stop making it harder than it needs to be.”

I squint at her, noting she’s positioned away from the camera in the corner and her voice is low enough that only supes can hear it. This is a big risk for her, and she’s trying to hide her admission of the truth from whomever might review these tapes. Unless they’re enchanted, she’s probably covered her tracks, but the new information changes everything.

Huck scratches his face, blocking the view of his mouth as he says, “You’re being threatened as well. We should have known.”

“How could we? She’s been an automaton since the second we met her,” Sydney says as she puts her face in her hands to obscure the view.

We’re all fucking spymasters now that we’ve caught onto Krista’s gambit. Unlike her, the Confession Enforcement Zones have trained our people to do this for four years. We know exactly how to defeat the government’s spy bullshit.

The question is… is she trustworthy or are we being set up?

“That was excruciating,” Sydney says as we walk to the main lobby. “I’d rather they put me in a chair and pry up my fingernails with bamboo shoots.”

I bet she would, actually.

I wink at her as I push the button on the elevator bank so we can head down to the level just above the bottom one where the gym is located. “I’d love to hear you scream, but that’s not the way I want it to go, Vicious.”

Thad smacks me in the back of the head and I glare at the bear. He doesn’t flinch, simply says, “Don’t rile Syd up. She’s on the edge as it is, and we agreed to keep her on an even keel until we’re alone.”

“The bear is correct.”

Groaning, I roll my eyes. “You two and the demon are the death of fun, I fucking swear. Just because this place and this reality since the Sweeps sucks doesn’t mean we can’t occasionally have a little joy. No wonder you all look like your asses are sewn shut with fishing wire all the time.”

They all stare at me as I get into the elevator until Sydney bursts into laughter. I gape at her in surprise—I wasn’t joking and I’m definitely right about their tight-assed misery faces. She stomps up to me, her eyes bright as she shakes her head. “Stormbringer, you’re probably right. This place is meant to crush our spirits and we let it. Perhaps getting through this stupid shit with our brains intact will require unclenching, so to speak.”

What.

“Very good, sweet pea.” Huck’s eyes flash with a slight golden tinge as he joins us, jerking his head for the rest to follow us. “I think you’re learnin’ how this lil’ game needs to be played.”

“Whatever. Let’s go eat.”

The irritated huff doesn’t stop her from letting Thad and the demon move in close to her as she turns to face the doors, and it makes me smile to myself. She’s an ice queen, but she’s warming up, and that means they aren’t the only ones who have a chance. I like my odds, especially compared to the criminal and the bloodsucker. I don’t know why I care this much about a girl who’s giving off ‘get bent’ vibes when I could find all too willing ones—it doesn’t matter, though. My sights are set on her and I know I can win her over.

I continue plotting my approach until the doors open to the enormous cafeteria, noting it’s extremely busy, and not just with the teams. Those tables are obvious—six supes crowded together as they chow down and send occasional glares to other groups. There’s also a section in the back that looks like it’s for the staff—everyone from coordinators to mysteriously unfamiliar humans in the branded polos that must do something here, but who knows what.

“Looks like they want everyone to know we’re being well taken care of,” Elias mutters. “Though damn near anything would be better than what the lockdown facilities are like.”

“They won’t be serving bugs here. It’ll be a step up,” Sebastian says and the dragon whips around to give him a dark look.

“Your existence is required for this event, but don’t think I will hesitate to force you to heal yourself from a beating if you earn it.” The royal scans the room for watchful eyes, then faces the vampire again. “Having the privilege of living well after The Unveiling because your kind betrayed the rest of us doesn’t make you better—only more hated.”

Sydney looks worried when scales appear on his arms and I dart between the two. “Look, dudes. We asked Vicious to calm her roll and now it’s your turn. Bas, shut the hell up about shit you have no experience with. Dante, back off him before you end up in chains again. It will fuck up our training.”

The big guy rolls his neck, a loud crack making me wince. His angry glare doesn’t lessen, but he steps back, letting me move away from them. “Fine. But I will keep my promise if he opens his fat mouth about the supernaturals kept in chains and cages because they are too powerful for them to control with Markers alone. In the five camps I’ve been imprisoned in since my capture, I have yet to meet a single actual criminal amongst that brethren.”

His declaration surprises the entire group, and even Sydney has her jaw hanging open. When she unfreezes, she looks at Elias with a confused expression. “None? I thought only some of the ones like you…”

“Not one. They may say these people committed crimes, but the stories of how they were all captured and their exotic or rare species convey a much different set of circumstances. Like me, there are many royals, alphas, lunas, and other leaders who have been torn from their families and scattered to the winds to prevent them from hiding or rebelling.”

Thad leans in, murmuring in a very low tone. “This is fascinating, gents, but I believe we should discuss this in a space we know isn’t filled with prying ears and video. I swear, it feels like none of you remember this isn’t the normal F.E.A.R. facility or open air.”

I hate it, but he’s fucking right again.

“Fine. These two will shut up and Sydney will let me escort her to the buffet because I’ve behaved so well.”

She looks at me for a minute, then sighs heavily. “Fine. Let’s go, Rory. We have to eat before it’s time to head to training. I’m not very friendly when I have a weapon and I’m hungry.”

Somehow, I don’t find that hard to believe.