She shrugged again. “There were hard copies of some files, though those contained very little information. Mostly training stats, genetic source, and so forth. Many of the photos are lost forever though. They’re still attempting to put their files back together.”
Tanner’s lips pursed. “We knew about the explosion, and the virus, but we had no idea how extensive the damage was.”
“Of course you knew.” She smiled. “I remembered your file though; I read it several times after you were appointed the head of Public Relations at Sanctuary. You and Cabal were created as twins, then separated after the first year for training purposes. If I read correctly, he wasn’t as cooperative as you were with the training.”
Her chest clenched at the thought of how uncooperative he had been. Cabal had been horribly abused at the German lab in which he had been confined.
“He was nearly dead when we found him,” he stated. “Which makes me wonder why you’re asking about him. Your father was the head of the committee that decided life or death, Scheme. His signature was on Cabal’s cancellation papers.”
“Mine wasn’t,” she pointed out.
She hadn’t known of the cancellation orders that had gone out that month. If she had, she would have made certain that one was shredded. The mode of death had been particularly horrific.
“I found him in that pit,” he suddenly snarled. “Half-dead, surrounded by the Breeds that had been thrown in there with him, their bodies already decomposing. He had almost bled out from the strikes those knives had made at him.”
The only thing that had saved Cabal was the fact that the soldiers had overfilled the pit with Breeds. The smooth stone walls were fitted with deadly sharp daggers that struck in a random pattern. The fact that he had evaded a deadly thrust was a testament to his training. He had managed to calculate the timing and direction of each thrust as other Breeds died around him.
Her father had helped design that pit. It was first implemented as a training pit; the random thrusts of the dagger-sharp blades were used to train and test the Breeds on their ability to sense where and when danger would strike. One or two Breeds at a time in the pit and the blades did little damage. But once it was determined that as a training tool, the pit was ineffective, then it had been used instead as a means of mass murder. It was quite effective in that.
“He survived,” she reminded him, steeling herself against the knowledge of the horrific crimes committed against the Breeds.
“And now you’re asking about him.” He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and staring back at her with a glint of anger.
“I was merely curious. The two of you are rarely seen apart now.”
“You don’t want to know about Cabal, Scheme,” he half-snarled. “His hatred for your father is deeper than most Breeds’. He would break your neck before I could stop him.”
“What difference, him or another?” She rose from the table, lifted her plate and cup and carried them to the sink. “Forget I asked.”
“Are you ready tell me why your father wanted you dead?”
She had known that question would return.
“I assume he believes I’m betraying him. It’s normally the only reason he goes to such extremes.”
She slipped the knife she had managed to slide her fingers over into the hand she had placed behind her back as they talked.
“He didn’t entrust me with as much information as the Breeds assume he did. I was a very small cog in the whole organization. But I know enough to make him uncomfortable with a few things that have happened lately.”
“Such as?”
She shrugged, forcing a mocking smile to her lips. “Various plans he had made with the pure blood societies, a few reports he gets on missions going out from Sanctuary. Nothing too incriminating, but as I said, uncomfortable.”
And he could tell she was lying. She could see it in his eyes.
“This isn’t helping you.” His golden eyes were narrowed on her and filled with suspicion as he rose to his feet.
Scheme tucked the knife into the band of her pants before pushing her hands into the pockets. He barely glanced at the movement as he rose from his chair and collected his own dishes before moving to the sink.
Dammit, she needed him to sit back down.
“I believe I told you I didn’t need your help.” But she did. She needed his help, his heat, his honest passion for her. And it was destroying her.
She retrieved the coffee she’d set on the counter and moved back to the table. Seconds later he did the same.
She had to escape and contact Jonas as soon as possible. She had to get away from Tanner before he stole her soul. She was desperate, suddenly more terrified of herself and her own emotions than she was of the risk she was preparing to take.
She needed that electronic remote she knew Tanner carried. It had to be the way out of there. She had checked every corner, every crack and crevice. There had to be a hidden doorway that remote worked.