Page 111 of The Love Interest

Tears fill his eyes. “They are not lesser for having to be controlled by me! They are the future.”

“They’re puppets,” I say. He winces like I hit him. “Just big, scary puppets.”

I recall the Nice’s head being cut off. I imagine this man’s hand squeezing, doing the deed.

“No!” he screams. “They are genius brought into this world! They are perfection! They are mine!”

“Shut up,” says Juliet. She walks to his computer. “And tell me your password.”

He glances at me, then says, “It’s Layla. It’s my—”

“No one cares,” snaps Juliet, putting her gun down on the bench. She types the password and the screen lights up. The sound of her fingertips hitting the keys is the only sound in the room.

Juliet leans backward and puts her hands over her mouth.

“What is it, Juliet?” I say.

She looks up. “I can’t access the files. It scanned my fingerprints and came up with an error message. It says the control program can only be operated by Dr. Scheinman. He’s the only one with a clearance level high enough.”

What does that mean? Why does she look so sad?

“I don’t get it,” says Dyl.

Juliet is shaking. “It means that that man”—she looks down at the doctor—“is the only person on earth who can control a Stalker.”

“Of course I’m the only one,” says Dr. Scheinman. “Do you think someone as smart as I am would trust the world’s most secretive spy organization? I did this to keep myself safe. If they could get rid of me, they’d do it in a heartbeat. I made sure that…”

His voice trails off as he realizes what’s about to happen.

I turn to Juliet. “Hand me the gun, Juliet.”

His face falls.

Juliet shakes her head. “Caden—”

“Just… just give me the gun, all right?”

She picks up the gun and passes me the handle.

I grab it and she meets my eyes. “Your thought is right,” she says. “It has to be done. It’s the only way to stop them. Getting rid of him will save so many people, Caden. It needs to be done. If you can’t do it, I will.”

The scientist is on his hands and knees, whimpering.Don’t think about it.He runs his fingers through his thin hair. He looks so small and weak, groveling on the floor. He reaches into his wallet and pulls out a photograph. It’s beaten and tattered, and the corners have yellowed. It’s of a woman holding a baby girl.

I aim the gun at him.Can I do this?I don’t know if I can, but I know that I must. I failed Trevor, and I need to keep the others safe. This will destroy me, but I must do it to protect them. If someone is going to be ruined it must be me.

It has to be me.

It has to be.

“Please,” he whimpers. “I have a—”

A gun goes off. I look down and see blood welling above the doctor’s heart. He gasps, then falls face-first to the floor. A red circle of blood appears on his back.

But I didn’t pull the trigger.How?I look up and see Natalie aiming her smoking gun at him.

“He took more from me,” she says. “And I can survive this. You probably couldn’t. You’ve done so much, Caden, but you’re not the only hero in this story. So let’s play to our strengths, huh? You tell us what to do and I’ll deal with anyone in our way. Okay?”

“You’re right,” I say. My brain is all over the place, but I need to focus. “Okay, Juliet, you have to blow up the Stalkers. Just in case we were wrong.”