Defiant: Quantic Dreams Book 2 by Elizabeth McLaughlin (reading list txt) 📗

“I do. Are you ready to hear it?”

“Yes. Let’s begin.”

I recounted everything. No minor detail was left uncovered. The better picture I could paint, the more convincing the truth would be—at least I thought so. It was a story that I knew almost as well as my own, at this point. After the ordeal in the virtual world, versions of it had spread throughout the shelter but none of them matched the truth. When I got to the part about Sophia and Daisy my voice choked. You’d think telling this tale as many times as I had would impart some degree of separation from the events themselves, but the opposite was true. In a way, having to recount the horrors of the past year ripped the scarred wounds open anew. I shoved the pain aside, deeply inside me where I could lock it in a box. I did that a lot with my feelings these days. As I spoke I watched Alexander’s face carefully, trying to divine the ensuing consequences for my actions. I had no such luck. He face was impassive the entire time. When I had finished speaking, he was silent. My heart beat in my ears as I awaited my judgment.

“Okay.”

“Okay? Just..okay?”

Another thin smile. He was trying to look friendly but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. I wasn’t off the hook yet. “You’re not nearly as isolated as you think, Jacob. I’ve been hearing stories ever since you brought us back to the shelter. As has Mr. Evans. I daresay you’ve become something of a legend with your people. Now I can’t say that I entirely believe or understand the idea that such an advanced being as Gabriel could have taken over someone’s mind. Nor can I really sign on to the idea that no one noticed that George was behaving strangely.” He paused. “Let me go speak to someone for a moment.” Alexander stood and whisked away the curtains, revealing four men, each armed with a shock stick. All four of them gave a brief nod in greeting and lowered the shock sticks, keeping their thumbs on the triggers.

When Alexander returned, I was surprised to see Eliza and Marcus with him. They both ran to me and Marcus caught me up in a strong embrace.

“Jesus Grandpa. What the hell happened?”

Before I could open my mouth, Alexander held up his hand. “I don’t want to march you out of here in handcuffs, Jacob. You’ve done a lot for us and until now I can’t think of a single time you’ve sought to cause harm. That said, the couple of days are going to be rough. I hear you’ve done your job in trying to convince people that we need to leave the shelter. If we’re going to transition out of this place successfully, I need to maintain order.”

“Of course.”

“We will need every able body we’ve got. We still have too many ill. I am to understand that we’ve lost five more in the past four hours.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ve had a discussion with Mr. Evans and a few others. For now, we’re going to confine you to your quarters with a round-the-clock guard. I need some assurance from you that we won’t have any more issues. Otherwise I’m going to have to take some more drastic measures that I’d rather not consider. Understood?”

I held my hands, the stabilizing patch Shannon had attached to me protesting as I did so. “You’ll get no further trouble from me.”

Eliza cleared her throat. “Alexander has been kind enough to let the two of us escort you. You’ll be supplied with three square meals a day and an hour of exercise time. They’re also going to let you bathe and shower by request-you’ll be escorted by at least one other person every moment you’re out of your room.”

“No more trips to the infirmary that aren’t absolutely required, either.” Marcus helped me off the bed. “If you need medical care, you can request it from your tablet.”

“Got it.”

Before they left my room, Eliza shooed Marcus outside to talk with me. “What’s the plan, boss?” She had warmed considerably to me since this whole thing began. We weren’t quite friends, but I could count on her as an ally. I had a feeling I was going to need as many as I could get.

“We transition outside.”

“That’s it? You think it’s going to be as peaceful as that?”

I sighed and put my head in my hands. “I don’t know, Eliza. I just murdered a man. I think people are scared, and scared people frequently do stupid things. I tried my best to get them moving I that direction, but I honestly have no idea what’s going to happen. In the past two days…it’s been a lot.”

She reached out a hand and gingerly prodded the stabilizing patch on my ribs. I hissed and swatted her hand away. “I guess you have! Touchy, touchy.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

When Alexander returned, I was surprised to see Eliza and Marcus with him. They both ran to me and Marcus caught me up in a strong embrace.

“Jesus Grandpa. What the hell happened?”

Before I could open my mouth, Alexander held up his hand. “I don’t want to march you out of here in handcuffs, Jacob. You’ve done a lot for us and until now I can’t think of a single time you’ve sought to cause harm. That said, the couple of days are going to be rough. I hear you’ve done your job in trying to convince people that we need to leave the shelter. If we’re going to transition out of this place successfully, I need to maintain order.”

“Of course.”

“We will need every able body we’ve got. We still have too many ill. I am to understand that we’ve lost five more in the past four hours.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ve had a discussion with Mr. Evans and a few others. For now, we’re going to confine you to your quarters with a round-the-clock guard. I need some assurance