Page 88 of Victorious

The news should have landed like a blow. Instead, Noah felt only grazed. His eyes fell back to the blood on his hand. Still wet. There had been a moment, hadn’t there? Before the dark. A sound echoed through his skull.

But then Gabriel’s voice was back. “It was a necessary step,” he said. “But you’re fine now.”

Noah searched himself, and found he was. “Why did you do it?”

“I had to,” said the doctor, eyes creasing in apology. “It’s part of my power, you see. Not the death. The resurrection.

“When I resurrect someone, I gain control over them. Humans return as little more than puppets. But the EOs have proven more resistant. You’re the first one who’s come through it. You see, Noah. You are the evidence I needed. The proof it could be done. So thank you. For trusting me.”

Gabriel’s pleasure wrapped around him.

Noah smiled.

It felt good.

The doctor shifted his attention to Helena Roy. “Where is Rios now?”

She consulted her tablet. “She was part of the team who brought in Tills and Olipett. She should still be on-site.” She frowned. “But she isn’t. It appears she broke protocol and left.”

“Please instruct her to return.”

Gabriel turned his attention back to Noah. “Agent Harris,” he said, rising to his feet, “do you have a knife on you right now?”

“Yes, sir,” said Noah, standing, too.

“Draw it.”

He did, limbs moving before his mind had even processed the command. The blade sat open in his palm. He turned it, offering the hilt to Gabriel, who shook his head.

“Put the tip against your palm and press down just enough to draw blood.”

Again, his body moved on its own, a shallow prick of pain, blood welling in his palm.

Noah stared down at the cut, confused not by his obedience, but the sheer lack of hesitation. It should have bothered him. But it didn’t. He trusted the doctor.

“Now,” said Gabriel, holding out his own hand, “put the knife against my skin.”

For the first time Noah felt himself resist. He brought the tip of the blade to the doctor’s palm, but he didn’t press down. His mind warned him not to do it. His hand clenched around the grip, unwilling.

“What’s wrong?” asked Gabriel.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said.

To which the doctor murmured, “Interesting.” Then, “Put the knife away.”

Relieved, Noah did as he was told.

Helena cleared her throat. “We have Agent Rios’s location,” she said. “But she’s not answering.”

“I see,” said the doctor, turning his attention back to Noah. “Time for a new test.”

XNOW. THEN.MERIT METRO GYM

RIOS still told herself she wasn’t running.

She just needed a beat to clear her head.

At this hour, the gym was almost empty, but she still kept one eye on the door as she spun the dial on her rented locker. In her pocket, the EON-issued cell began to buzz. She let it ring, reaching through the gym gear for the small black duffel she kept in the back. Just in case, she’d told herself when she first left it there. Just in case, she thought as she unzipped it on the bench, fingers grazing the cash clip, the fake ID, the gun, before finding the cell phone.