Deviant Games (The Controllers #8) - L.V. Lane Page 0,35

our first time getting a direct visual on Cohen for over five years. If Olson is there, it’ll be our first verified sighting since she was taken."

One of Cohen's elite Alphas had been feeding us information for the last year. I didn't trust the source entirely, but enough info had stacked up to give him credibility. He wanted out. Wanted into the Empire.

That was never going to happen, but we'd strung him along for a while, knowing the risks were minimal for us.

Then we'd betrayed him.

"Did it go to plan?"

"It did. Ethan was subbed in as a lower-ranking Alpha. It was then a matter of him exposing the man's corruption and killing him. It's their way. You take what you kill. Black was praised for his part in eliminating the threat. They'll be alert to the internal corruption now, but that couldn't be helped. And it was worth it to have one of our own inside the circle, even so briefly."

My hands shook a little as I picked up the decanter. I pointed a glass to Woodrow in askance. When he shook his head, I poured myself a generous measure and took a sip.

"You don't need to do this," Woodrow said. "There are other ways. Say the word, and I'll snap that little prick's neck as I leave and call the cleanup team in."

I huffed out a tired breath because we both knew I did.

"No. We need to let it play out. The Uncorrupted power-mongers are determined in their quest to obtain a member of the ruling council. Better they're focusing on me and this little game plan than my pregnant daughter or what Black is up to. We can't expose them fully unless we let this run the course. I trust you. I trust the team you have in place to protect me." And I did. "We need to flush the rats out before we can put them down. I need to know if this is ubiquitous to the caste or a corrupt few."

"We already know it's more than a corrupt few," he said. "We're at war, Governor. When at war, you sometimes need to prioritize who you give a fuck about."

"You're talking about the eradication of a caste. The repercussions will be extreme."

"Not as extreme as losing," he said. His hand, as he collected the tiny black box, did not shake. "Good to catch up, Governor Brach. I'll be in touch."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Once upon a time, I presumed the Uncorrupted Alpha program was a rumor. I could see no plausible reason why a movement based on an aversion to the virus, would use the virus on themselves.

My personal experiences, unfortunately, revealed it was all too real.

Doctor Lillian Brach

Larissa

THE CONFERENCE ROOM was at capacity as the Uncorrupted general provided an update to his elite force. We had docked at Pilgrim Point, the ironically named Uncorrupted base, and a rare planet side location, a few days ago. They had tens of thousands of Alphas now, while the elites numbered several hundred. Cohen took any opportunity to personally update those on rotations that coincided with his own schedule.

The words washed over me—I’d trained myself not to listen because listening gave me nightmares.

I stood a little to his right and behind, a silent observer of the persons present.

His precious Omega prisoner.

His spy.

There was little to spy on within this select crowd. I didn’t want to help Hammond Cohen, the Uncorrupted general who had claimed me as his Omega prize. This was my life, and as much as I despised the man, he was not the worst to be found within their ranks.

The Alpha program had been running as long as I’d been a prisoner. The occasional new placement joined his elite team as others were lost to the war. But these were carefully vetted, and my presence during such updates ensured any dissension was weeded out early.

I took no joy in helping him. There had been a time, much earlier on, when I had tried to let deceptions run their course. He had grown wily to my activity and had taken to planting tests.

Punishments had been swift and severe, and I discovered that I had no desire to die.

I struggled to remember my old life before I was taken. The people I once knew were relegated to vague specters in my dreams. Thinking about the past brought only pain and an aftertaste of loss.

They had taken me when I was nineteen; I was twenty-nine now, old to be an unbound Omega. It was