Page 78 of Anarchy Chained: Alpha Thomas

But I’m not done. Not even close. “Whose fault was it that I was left behind?”

I’m talking to Uzi, but I can feel Cyan looking at me.

“We did our best,” Uzi growls. “And I cannot believe you’re taking this asshole’s side over us. It makes me sick thinking of what they did to you while you were there. Just like it makes me sick thinking about what they did to Iziah.”

I don’t know what to say after that. I just want to leave. But I can’t. I’m stuck here. And it sucks that I feel this way about my sister and my friends, but I do.

Something is wrong. Something has happened to the two of them while Iziah and I were still at school. Something very, very bad.

“Hey,” Sullivan says. “I’m willing to tell you almost anything you want to know. About the past, anyway,” he clarifies. His tone is calm now. Like he’s interested in smoothing things over. But we’re linked. I can feel that link right now. It’s a buzz. A feeling of being… occupied. And I like it. And just when I think that, he sends me a message. Just stay calm and let me handle this.

I look at Uzi, since he’s the one who’s supposed to be in my head, not Sullivan. But I haven’t felt a link with him since I kicked him out when I made them take me to Thomas. Sullivan. God, that’s confusing.

There’s been no humming, at least. No electricity. No feeling of occupation or completeness.

He’s not in me, I realize. He’s not in me and this is probably why Cyan is pissed off. They think I’m compromised.

“But let’s eat first,” Sullivan continues. “I feel like I’ve been starved for weeks.”

I smile. Almost laugh. But Iziah sends me a warning look to hold that shit back.

“No hard feelings though, right?”

Iziah squints his eyes at Sullivan. “You sure about that?”

Cyan huffs as she cooks.

“Look,” Sullivan says, walking over to the living area and taking a seat in a chair. “I really appreciate the fact that you got us out of that tunnel.” He looks at Uzi, then Iziah. “And I know I hurt one of you with a mind blast, but I’m not sure which, so I’ll apologize to you both. I’m sorry. I thought you were from Prodigy School. Sadie was out from the gas and couldn’t tell me otherwise.”

“And I didn’t remember, anyway. I was sick, you guys. Sul—” Shit. “Thomas saved me, OK? That’s why I trust him. He saved me. I already told you that Prodigy sent me to kill him. Then my memory got fucked up, or reset, or something, when he did this massive mind blast in the hospital. Whoever that girl was who walked into the hospital with orders to kill wasn’t me. This is me, you guys. I’m back. I’m safe. And all of you helped me get here. All of you,” I repeat, looking at Cyan. “Including Thomas.”

We all just stare at each other for a few seconds.

“So we need to forget the past and focus on the future.”

Cyan and Uzi share a knowing look. This, I decide, is the issue I’m having. They’re up to something. And Iziah and I aren’t in on it.

“Before we go any further,” Uzi says, walking over to a chair across from Sullivan, “I’d just like to know what your intentions are.”

“With?” Sullivan asks, glancing at me.

“Not her, you asshole. With Prodigy.”

Sullivan shrugs. “Kill the fuckers. What else? So they can’t do this again, and again, and again. So they can’t hurt any more kids.”

Uzi thinks this over. The rest of us wait in silence.

“Now let’s hear your intentions,” Sullivan says. And even though Uzi wasn’t asking about me when he asked first, Sullivan is. And all of us pick up on it.

“Sadie and I are a team,” he says, staring Sullivan down. “Just like Iziah and Cyan are a team. So I’m just not sure you fit into our intentions.”

“Fair enough,” Sullivan says. “But you’ve got a problem.”

“Yeah?” Uzi says. “What’s that?”

Sullivan smiles. “You’re not linked to her anymore, my friend. I am.”

I watch Uzi’s reaction very carefully. He doesn’t blink or flinch. He doesn’t scowl or get angry. So he knew.