Ava

The sounds of hands clapping filled the room as the strap over my forehead released and my chair reformed into a sitting position. All of our chairs had shifted to one straight line, and the officers in the center stood waiting for us to come back to reality.

Russ’s clapping lingered, his lips tugging with a prideful grin.

Mitch pinched his brows, a hint of amusement in those blue eyes.

“Wow.” Sabrina rubbed her chin. “That was intense. Congrats to Ava’s team.”

What team? I failed them. A team isn’t just me.

“What are you feeding Ava?” Alonzo chuckled.

Lies. They feed me lies.

I let out a phony, disgusting giggle.

“Whatever it is, let’s not give her more of it,” Courtney added to the humor in the mix of conversation.

“Well done, everyone.” Sabrina tapped her handheld TAB and met our gazes. “You have a half-hour break before we begin the physical training. You’re welcome to visit the garden or take a dip in the swimming pool. You’re dismissed. Courtney, Alonzo, prep the next teams.”

I bolted out before anyone could say a word to me. I was in no mood for questions or spurious discourse, especially with Drew.

Brooke caught up with me, and then Tamara did too.

“Why’re you headed out so fast?” Brooke poked my arm.

I rounded the bend, then another, and then halted when I thought no one could hear us. Brooke and Tamara nearly collided into me.

“I need air,” I breathed. “I don’t like the feeling of leaving you all behind and moving on by myself.”

“Awww. That’s so sweet of you to care, but we’re fine.”

Tamara’s tone soothed me for a second.

A new scenario hit me like a slap to the face. When I found my family, I would escape ISAN. Brooke would come with me, but what about Tamara? Would she? And how about Justine? Did I just leave Tamara and Justine behind or risk telling them, hoping they wouldn’t squeal?

My heart told me to trust Tamara, but my gut shot a warning tug. Justine was a flat-out bitch. She hid nothing. I questioned whether Tamara, with her sweetness and innocence, was genuine. I hated to have such suspicions, but when I recalled the memory of Mitch pointing a gun at me, I questioned everyone.

“I understand.” Brooke dipped her head slightly. “It was your first time leaving people behind, but it won’t be the last.”

Brooke’s eyes held mine and her words meant something different between us. She understood. As long as Brooke came with me, I would be fine.

I pushed all thoughts aside. “We have some time before we have to kick Drew’s butt again. Let’s go find the garden.”

Courtney had talked about the garden at breakfast during a private conversation. I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but no one knew I could. I didn’t see the harm in it. At first, I’d thought she was joking, but Sabrina’s comment confirmed there was one, even a swimming pool.

Why didn’t we have those luxuries?

“Garden?” Tamara looked over her shoulder when footsteps squeaked closer. “Did I miss something? I thought Sabrina was joking. We’re underground, I think, right? Where would—”

I took off, Tamara’s words lost behind Brooke’s boots, which pounded to match my pace. Tracing the scent of lilies and roses, and with Courtney’s directions, I veered left into a long hall.

Doors skidded apart from the center when I neared the sensors. I gasped in awe as color drenched the open, wide space. Rose bushes adorned the fringes of the pathway. Pink peonies and twining yellow honeysuckle crowded near the front entrance, and sweet scents percolated through the air.

Apple trees ran through the center, casting clawed shadows on the walkway. The painted blue sky ceiling and puffy clouds looked lifelike, and the soft breeze caressing my hair reminded me of summer.

Light as intense as real sunbeams poked through from the ceiling, highlighting the scorched-orange and molten-red leaves that had fallen to eternal rest.

Mother would have loved it here. Just like anything in life, if you tend to your garden with love and care, the flowers will blossom and flourish to their full potential. It will return to you everything you put in. Mother’s words were true. I hadn’t understood her lesson at age thirteen, but I did now.

“Wow.” Brooke spun in a full circle. “It’s beautiful.”

Her jaw still on the ground, Tamara remained quiet, soaking in the view.

“I wonder why we don’t have one.”

I flinched at Justine’s voice. She’d followed us?

Brooke’s smile faltered. “What ... how did you ... why are you here?”

Justine gently rubbed the red rose petal, brought her nose closer to it, and inhaled. “I love the smell of roses. The garden doesn’t belong to you. Besides, Aubrey told me about it and I was going to tell you.” She met my gaze, and I saw she wanted to tell me something. “Russ and Mitch should tell Mr. Novak we deserve a garden too.”

“Perhaps you should.”

I cringed and ground my teeth at Drew’s voice. Why must he be everywhere I was? At least he hadn’t come alone. Maybe he’d keep his mouth shut.

Tamara lit up a shy smile at Gene, and he returned it. I was surprised to see Payton with them, but I was glad he’d come. Then more trickled in, Chelsea’s and Vince’s teams. They mingled about with one another.

“I’ll be back,” I whispered to Brooke, who was admiring butterflies fluttering about the small water fountain.

“Where are you going?”

Her accusatory tone told me she knew I was up to no good.

“I’ll tell you later. Do me a favor and keep an eye on Drew. Make sure he doesn’t follow me.”

With Brooke’s agreement, I scrambled away. I had no idea where I’d go first, but I was determined to find answers, especially about my twin and my father.

Being dismissed with time to roam freely gave me a perfect opportunity. If anyone questioned me, I could pretend to be lost even though the facility was almost identical to ours. Closing my eyes, I inhaled a deep breath and put my mind at ease like one would during meditation.

In the quiet space of my core, I saw my mother’s beautiful smile. She wrapped her arms around me with unreserved love. “I love you,” she said and kissed my forehead.

My blood tingled and Helix bloomed from my own making. Summoning Helix became easier with practice. Sometimes, it worked through my body on its own, like in the MM with Drew. Then I opened my eyes.

I raced down the gray halls one after the other, the most vibrant gray I had ever seen. The scent of the garden lingered even though I had put enough distance behind me to lose it.

Soft voices resonated in closed-off chambers, but the thick wall made it impossible to distinguish words. I slowed at a “Restricted Area” sign on the wall, but the door slid open at my approach.

Strange. Too Easy. Go back, Ava, before you get caught. Not worth it.

Sometimes my inner voice unnerved me. I shut down that timid voice and passed through. More doors and more hallways. I frowned, but crept along, pulling out my map. A few hologram bodies appeared inside the left door.

I hooked right at the dead end and stopped when murmurs reached me. I made out a few sentences and words but couldn’t understand the context. For sure one was a female and the other—Sabrina.

What I would give to be the fly on the other side of the wall. A dose of Helix, mixed with my own, would be an advantage right about now.

I planted my ear against the cold plaster when voices grew urgent.

Female speaker: “HelixB88 has proved to be successful.”

Sabrina: “ISAN from all regions have confirmed?”

Female: “Yes. Also, others confirmed using HelixB88 on females proved disabling or lethal.”

Sabrina: “Same symptoms?”

Female: “Yes. Blood pressure drops. A few have had a heart attack or stroke, and some fell into a coma.”

Sabrina: “It will be unfortunate if 88 is given to the wrong gender and we lose a soldier. Please inform the assembly team to label with care and send the serum in different containers according to the number. I will hold you responsible to carry this out.”

Female: “Yes. What about Dr. Hunt?”

My heart jumped out of my chest. My dad was alive. Was he here?

Sabrina: “Dr. Hunt is my concern, not yours. Besides, his hands are full. Though I will give you credit for helping him refine HelixB88.”

Female: “Thank you. We failed numerous times, but we finally perfected it. As you know, the HelixB77 binds with testosterone. HelixB88 destroys testosterone levels and drops them to almost nonexistent state. Therefore it eliminates aggression on males.”

Sabrina: “Amazing.”

Female: “And how about Abby? It’s remarkable how much Abby is like Ava. Their DNA is very similar. They might as well have been twins.”

My stomach and heart crashed in the middle, and the ring of my name sounded wrong and dirty. My twin?

Sabrina: “What do you mean? Clarify.”

Female: “She’s like a compass. Her genetic makeup is similar to Ava’s. I verified the finding through her blood sample and her DNA structure.”

Sabrina: “Is she new? How old is she?”

Female: “She recently turned eighteen, but she’s been in the network since the beginning.”

My heart pounded faster and faster.

Sabrina: “How was she not found earlier?”

Female: “She never led a team. She’s not a star like Ava, doesn’t have her drive.”

Where? North or South?

The clicking of shoes. Crap! Too close. I peeled away from the wall and froze. My muscles locked. The familiar, disgusting scent blasted a warning. Too late. Too engulfed in Sabrina’s conversation, I’d been impetuous and sloppy.

I’m an idiot. Think of something.

“Ava?”

His deep, menacing voice rumbled in my ear, prickling like tiny ice picks jammed through every pore. Slowly, ever so slowly, I rotated with my head downward.

I blinked as black, spit-polished dress shoes came into focus. His dark trousers came next, and matching suit jacket, silver tie, and then the hideous smirk and murderous dark eyes. I shivered. My foster father’s face flashed in my mind.

Hold it together, Ava. You’re not that little girl. You’re an assassin. Helix is already in you.

I swallowed the nervous lump. Rolling back my shoulders, I straightened my spine and held up my chin.

“Mr. Novak.” I gave him my biggest fake smile, my tone so cheerful I wanted to gag. “I’m glad you found me. I mean, not that you were looking for me. I was in the garden with the others and I went to look for the bathroom. Gosh, the halls on this side are like a maze. If I’d had an extra dose of Helix, I would have found my way out.”

Mr. Novak kept silent, studying me with his hands in his pockets. His eyes drilled through mine for what seemed like eternity. “Did you fail to read the sign posted?”

“What sign? There was a sign?” I widened my eyes. “I ran so fast I must have missed it. The doors opened right up. I mean, if it was restricted, it wouldn’t have let me pass, right? Are you sure there was a sign?”

Wrong choice of words. Sometimes I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.

Mr. Novak’s eyebrows were so high, they could have slid off his forehead. His clenched jaw told me he wasn’t buying my story. Which I figured he wouldn’t, but I planned to keep up my charade.

“I was just about to knock on all the doors to get someone’s attention to help me, but I’m glad you’ve come to my rescue.”

Had he just rolled his eyes?

Mr. Novak adjusted his tie as if he needed air. It would be so easy to yank at either end of that fabric and choke the life out of him. But I was no cold-blooded murderer. How would that help me find my family? If I got caught, I would most likely be executed.

“Apparently, Sabrina doesn’t have a trust issue with her teams. Lying doesn’t suit you, Ava. There’s nothing here for you. I’m not sure what you’re looking for, but I suggest you run along before I change my mind and reprimand you in front of your team.”

That tone, like a teacher lecturing, irritated me.

He wouldn’t dare. Maybe when we got back to our facility, but his ego and pride filled up this space and then some. Mr. Novak would never give Sabrina any indication he couldn’t control someone like me.

“Just in case you need a little hint.” He pointed in the direction he’d come from. “Take the first left. Then you’ll see the door. Not so hard is it, Ava?”

I shrugged in passing and murmured, “I still need to use the restroom.”

So close.

I clutched my chest and released the breath I held. Easing my shoulders, I shoved my trembling hands inside my front pockets. A close call. Why the hell was he here?

“Oh, Ava.” Mr. Novak’s voice ricocheted in my mind when I neared the garden door. “Be careful which guard you aim at. Shooting at or killing ISAN guards is a crime. Punishment is death.”

Seeing him brought back the awful memory of the moment I’d aroused from MM to have him gawking at me. Novak knew. I’d thought by some miracle ISAN guards had failed to mention I’d been at the Abandoned City with Rhett, but of course, they would tell.

Whether Mr. Novak believed the story I had told Russ, I didn’t know, but I knew one thing for sure. He was holding on to the information I had shot at the guards to use it against me. He would have killed me already if he didn’t need me. But what did he want with me?

Nausea bubbled in my gut. My blood ran cold. My hands were not the only part of my body trembling now. Regardless, the information I’d uncovered was worth the price of Mr. Novak discovering me there.

Hold it together. Breathe. You’re okay.

I dashed back to my friends, needing to put a healthy distance between Novak and me. When our break ended, we were paired up for physical training. Afterward we practiced the ballroom dancing with partners, and then the directors went over the itinerary.