The Syndicate Read online

  “Yeah. Crazed out.”

  “Why were they trying to get into her apartment? That’s calculated. Hybrids don’t plan things like that on their own. Or do they?”

  “That’s what I wanted to find out before I talked to Henri.”

  “Look, just don’t go doing any more crazy stuff on your own. If you plan on going there again, take me with you. Don’t be stupid.”

  I laugh as I stand up. “Oh, no worries. I won’t be going there again.”

  “What? Sounds like that’s where you need to be if you want answers.”

  My back is turned to him, but I’m curious as to why he’s not telling me to stay the hell away from her, so I turn back. “Why?”

  “Vasi, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that she’s got a hit out on her from the Syndicate, and three full-blown Hybrids were salivating on her doorstep. That chicky’s got a death warrant on her head, and if you don’t kill her..sounds like a Hybrid will. Sooner or later.”

  Somehow that’s not news to me, but I’ve done a pretty good job in the last twelve hours suppressing my concern for it, and I’d like to keep it that way.

  “Not my problem,” I say, turning to leave. Unfortunately, my calm façade starts to slip away and is replaced by an intense curiosity that has her name written all over it.

  Chapter 10

  THE FOLD

  There’s twelve days until the next Circle, and for a few of those days I do a pretty good job of distracting myself. Dani, Andre, and I went up to the mountains for two days with our ATVs, but, by the time we were headed home, images of Riley kept popping up all over the place. Even her voice. So here it is, Wednesday evening, and I’m hanging out in my room, thinking of her.

  I thought I was doing a pretty good job of not caring about her existence. I figured, even if she was evil, Henri would have her taken care of soon enough, so no need for me to ponder. But something in me is just pulling so hard. Hard enough to prompt me to get in my truck and drive.

  The normally crowded beltway is fairly peaceful at night, unlike at rush hour, and it gives me time to think about my conflicting emotions. But before I know it, I’m headed to Riley’s. By the time I get there, I’ve convinced myself that I’m just going to watch her from a distance…for any abnormal activity.

  I know she works until eleven, so I find a parking space that’s out of her view, but close enough to see when she comes back.

  Most of the time goes by with little activity. College kids coming and going. At first, I’m lackadaisical about all of them, until I remember the last Hybrids looked like regular college kids too, and then I start paying more attention. Still, nothing looks out of the ordinary. It gets boring real fast.

  Finally 11:25 rolls around and Riley’s black Accord pulls in. She parks right up front and wastes no time scurrying up the front steps. Like she’s cold, or just in a hurry. Right before she opens the main entryway door, she looks around, taking a quick scan of the parking lot. Then the door opens and she disappears.

  I expect the lights to come on, but they don’t. That makes me sit up, paying closer attention. Five minutes go by and still no light. Did she make it inside?

  I’m tempted to get out and check the inside hallway to see if everything’s okay, but catch myself. I’m not here for her safety. My mission is to see if she’s up to anything. At least that’s what I tell myself.

  Finally, I notice movement from the blinds in her bedroom window. They move again, and I feel myself sigh some sort of foreign relief, but why no lights? Looks like an avoidance tactic. Maybe even one I showed her. Next time I’ll tell her to park her car somewhere other than right in front of the doorway. What do you mean next time, Vasi?

  I stick around until about 12:30, and then boredom takes over. There’s nothing to see, so I put my truck in gear and head toward the street. Creeping past her window, I take one final look, knowing now why Rosie was so bored. Watching her really is like watching paint dry.

  I’m past her building when I take a final quick peek in the rearview mirror. A black shadow scurrying across the parking lot causes me to take a second look. I turn back to see the figure move between two cars and across the sidewalk. Its movements are odd enough to prompt me to pump the brakes and back into the nearest space for a better view. Once I’m facing forward, I’m stunned.

  What the…?

  The figure, in a black jumpsuit with bright white tennis shoes, is now sneaking a peek into Riley’s bedroom blinds.

  What is the deal with these people? She’s not that cute. Well, maybe she is, but damn.

  The longer I sit here and watch him move around for a better view between the blinds, the more irritated I get.

  I’m tempted to get out of this truck, but remind myself that she’s not my problem. If she didn’t want to risk perverts sneaking peeks, then she should’ve rented on the top floor.

  Even still, I don’t attempt to put my truck in drive. I decide to stay until this John moves along, when something about him catches my eye.

  He’s swaying his neck back and forth, and at first it looks like he’s trying to get a better angle. I stare harder, and sure enough he keeps shifting his weight uncontrollably.

  Couldn’t be.

  Again?

  You can’t be serious.

  This chick has another Hybrid outside her apartment. My nerves are about to squeeze the life out of me in a slow, painful death. Why me? I just fixed my stitches and all I came over here for was to quench my curiosity, not throw myself right into the middle of the crazy orb hovering around her like a plague.

  “Damn it,” I mumble.

  I can’t leave a Hybrid anywhere. It’s code.

  I find a knife under my seat and climb down from my truck. Quietly closing the door, I make my way around the backside and follow a path behind the row of cars lined up across the street from her building.

  This shouldn’t be too hard if I get him away from the open space next to her building. Quick deliberation leads me to pick up a pebble and throw it far enough to hit him in the back.

  He turns scanning the parking lot, but doesn’t see anything. As soon as he turns back to her window, another rock hits him. He turns again, and, this time, the yellow glow from his irises can be seen all the way from where I’m standing.

  I throw another rock while he’s facing me, and once he discovers the source, he lets out a low grumble and runs straight toward me.

  Idiots. They let their emotions control them, so all he’s thinking about is savagely attacking me. I wait…wait…and once he lunges I roll to the side so he misses. He’s too worked up and off balance to counterattack swiftly, so I pounce on him while his back is turned. Confined between two cars and a chain-link fence, he starts flopping around like a caged beast, but his movement is cut short as I slice his throat and thrust my knife in his spine.

  Once he’s down, I look around to make sure we’re still alone, and then swiftly drag him behind a nearby tree and pull my truck up. Nervous that someone might see, I just shove him into the truck bed.

  I make my way home, not really knowing what went down. My kill gets stuffed in a bag after pulling into my driveway. Then I lug him like garbage and burn him. No longer wanting to hide these extra kills from Henri, I plan to confront him first thing in the morning.

  I don’t sleep too well, so rising early comes easy, and I’m able to catch Henri at breakfast. The first half of the meal is eaten with cordial conversation about nothing much, but eventually I switch gears.

  “Henri. There’s something you need to know.”

  “Is that so,” he says while casually adding cheese on top of his bread.

  “Yes.” I pause to maintain caution in my words. “I’ve been observing Riley…to figure out what’s suspicious or dangerous about her…and, in the few times I’ve surveyed her place, I found four Hybrids trying to kill her.”

  He finishes chewing, never looking up from his plate. “Vasi, it sounds like you have stepped outsi
de of your responsibilities.”

  “What?”

  “Your responsibilities don’t include surveillance.”

  “Henri, with all due respect, I think you are missing the point. Four Hybrids tried to attack one girl. The same girl you think is a danger to us. Don’t you think that’s odd?”

  Taking a sip of his cranberry juice, he swallows slowly and wipes his mouth with his napkin. “Vasi, you passed on completing your assignment. It’s not your place to concern yourself with her surroundings any longer.”

  It’s very clear he’s not bothered by the fact that Hybrids seem to think her apartment is a feeding ground, not to mention the fact that they weren’t singled out by any Readers.

  I stand, satisfied that I’ve done my part in reporting my findings. “Okay. I just thought you should know. I’m just trying to make sense of a strange situation. That’s all.”

  I walk past him and he reaches for my arm. “We will decide what the right thing is at the next Circle. I told you we’re approaching unprecedented times. I understand that you’re confused, and for that I have excused your one-man-renegade show. But now, your orders are to stay away from that threat.”

  Naturally my brain tells me to nod respectfully, so that’s what I do. But the “threat” reference bothers me.

  I end up spending the rest of my day at home, blowing off some steam. I work out in our gym, do some training, try out a few new weapons, and then take a shower.

  All the distractions don’t take my mind off of Henri and him telling me what to do. Four Hybrids is unprecedented, and he still calls her a threat to us. I can’t stop wondering why he thinks that. Or why she’s attracting monsters. Something doesn’t add up, so of course I do exactly what I’m not supposed to.

  That night, I head back over to her apartment. Surveillance is not my thing, but I still want to find out if there are any more untargeted Hybrids sniffing around her place. And if I’m being truthful to myself, something in me wants to make sure she’s safe too.

  I do that every night through Saturday, at which time I find myself no longer bored that nothing’s happening. There’s a pinch of relief and satisfaction that things seem normal, until she surprises me, because this time she glances my way.

  That wouldn’t have caught me off guard, because she usually scans the parking lot as if making sure no one’s following her, but tonight her gaze settles right on me. I freeze, tempted to duck, but don’t. Then she nods and smiles before going inside.

  Does she know I’ve been watching her?

  No way. Let’s see, the last time I saw her, I pretty much called her the devil and told her to stay away from me, even if monsters came back to haunt her. No, she didn’t see me. Otherwise, she’d have probably given me the finger instead.

  Or would she? What is this confusion I feel, and what is this urge to go find out? I carry on a conversation with myself for about thirty minutes, then decide I’m not a coward and that this is not the first girl who’s smiled at me.

  I break the rules further by getting out of my truck and heading for her front door. It’s like an out-of-body experience. Everything I’ve ever been taught is telling me to turn around and listen to Henri, but my emotions and instincts are running this show. And right now, they’re telling me to go inside.

  It’s midnight when I knock on her door. Some would find that rude, but I don’t. At least not until she doesn’t answer.

  After a minute or two, I’m about to back away, feeling stupid for intruding, when I see the peephole darken. I feel uncomfortable. If she doesn’t open the door, then my emotions are going to make me look like an idiot.

  Another few long seconds pass, and then the door pulls open, revealing an empty foyer.

  I’m not sure if I should enter or wait, so I opt for the latter. Then, she peeks her head out from behind the door.

  “I’m sorry,” I say, feeling intrusive.

  “No, it’s okay. Come in.”

  Momentarily relieved, I step in and suddenly feel like I’m trespassing again. She’s wearing a red cotton nightshirt that comes down to her thighs, with those pink slippers again, and her hair is wet. Gone are her trademark curls, replaced by darker, wet ringlets hanging heavily behind her ears. Damn, she’s still cute even when she looks like a wet puppy.

  Knowing she’s just had a shower makes me start to feel like a peeping Tom myself, but I refuse to say I’m sorry again. Because I’m not. It’s time for me to man up, so I stand firm and give her a look-over.

  Her tiny hands are acting like they want to be in her pockets, except she doesn’t have any. Instead, they end up somewhere behind her back.

  “I thought you wanted to stay away from me,” she says.

  “I do.”

  “Then…why are you here?”

  I smile, because she’s so perfect even as she struggles to stay composed. “I just came by to make sure you weren’t being attacked by monsters.”

  “Oh…right.” She doesn’t sound surprised. “Like last night and the night before?” Her eyebrows travel further up her forehead as she waits for my answer. My lips part, but I remain silent. I’m looking for words to explain, when she adds, “I saw you kill that Hybrid the other night.”

  My throat tightens. “What?”

  She brings her hands back around to the front and crosses her arms. “I heard a growl outside my window…so I looked out and saw it running…then I saw you.”

  I don’t say anything, because my concentration is fading and I don’t know what to say or deny.

  Somewhere over my confused thoughts, I hear her whisper, “Thank you.” And before I can say anything back, she steps forward…so close, and the fresh scent of mangos and strawberries races up my nose, causing me to inhale a deep, intoxicating breath. She tilts her head up so her mouth is just below mine. The closeness sends my brain spinning.

  I don’t even know what’s happening, but I feel my palms on the sides of her soft face as her body presses against mine. The unfamiliar temptation I feel causes me to pull my hands back until she puts her arms around my waist. Then I find myself kissing her like I’ve never kissed anyone. Like if I don’t kiss her now, I’ll never have another chance.

  As a need to hold onto her takes over, I pick her up. In the same motion, she wraps her legs around me, like she feels the same way.

  Not sure where to go, I lean her against the wall. Suddenly her lips no longer satisfy my hunger. I need more, so I taste the left side of her neck. When that’s not enough, I taste the other side until she groans in my ear, luring me back to her lips.

  I never noticed her nails before, but I feel them under my shirt, pressing into my back. It causes me to hold her tighter, and the next thing I know she’s pulling off my shirt. Lifting my arms that high sends a sting through my side, but I don’t falter.

  Here we are, me bare chested, and her in only a T-shirt. What are we doing? I think. I don’t even know this girl. Then I decide that I don’t even care.Pulling her away from the wall, I carry her down the hallway, hoping my memory serves me well in the darkness. On my way, I’m still kissing her. I pull back briefly to give her a chance to tell me no, but she just leans her lips back into mine.

  By the time I reach her room and lay her down, I’m ready to fall into nowhere and everywhere with her, but my thoughts are clouded.

  “Riley,” I say, pulling back. “I’m in your bedroom, and I shouldn’t be.”

  She softly kisses my neck, sending all my muscles into overdrive. “Why not?” she asks.

  “Because I don’t want to sleep.”

  My answer sends her leg around my waist, locking me to her. She whispers, “Then don’t.”

  Right then and there, I decide she can keep me this way all night. Without any further hesitation, I press myself to her and enter into a place where I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

  Chapter 11

  THE AFTERMATH

  I wake up, almost forgetting where I am. But a quick glimpse of purple and tu
rquoise polka-dot sheets tells me I’m not at home. And my bare chest and boxers tell me I’ve done something I probably wasn’t supposed to. I sit up and find myself alone in her bed. I look around for anything that’ll knock some sense into me, and see Riley in the corner. She’s sitting there with her knees pulled to her chest, all wrapped up in a blanket.

  For a minute, our gazes lock, but she breaks away, clenching her eyes shut and shaking her head.

  “Um,” I say. Then I shake my head too, because I’m pretty sure that was a stupid thing to say. “Are you okay?” I add.

  She buries her head into her knees. “No.”

  “Um.” Damn it. I shake my head again, but I don’t know what else to say. All I know is that something feels wrong. Like I’m in trouble. When you wake up half naked with a girl and she says she’s not okay, you should probably worry.

  I start the rundown of what happened last night. Did I do something wrong? Well yes, Vasi, you dumbass. You slept with a target. I shake my head at my stupidity, but somewhere else inside there’s a feeling that it wasn’t wrong. It didn’t feel wrong. In fact, everything about her felt so right.

  “I’m sorry,” I say, and then wince, because I say that phrase way too much around her. But I can’t help it. I don’t want her to be hurt, and right now she’s not looking so good.

  “No, don’t be,” she says. “It’s my fault.”

  Now I’m confused. My memory tells me that I’m the one who came to her house. The one who picked her up, the one who took her to this room. But she is the one who made a move to kiss me, and she’s the one who took off my shirt.

  I stand up and find my clothes. “Why does it have to be a fault?” I ask.

  She muffles a laugh between her knees. “Because you don’t even like me, and I can’t believe we just did that.”

  My words are caught in the back of my throat, so I take a brief moment to pull my pants up. I can’t bring myself to tell her otherwise, because I don’t know what I feel for her, so I say, “I don’t dislike you.”