Deceived Read online

  “I answered Lexi’s call two nights ago,” she said, as if that were answer enough. “That’s how I knew about Raven.” She turned to our newest friend. “So, how is it you can’t track down this group of clones? I thought that was your ‘special power.’”

  Raven shifted beside Kyle, whose brows tilted inward as he evil-eyed Bree. “I don’t know why I can’t pinpoint their exact location. I only can sense that they’re near. And that there are many of them.”

  Bree squinted her eyes as if trying to figure out whether Raven was to be trusted. After a few more beats she said, “Well, I’m sorry that this is our first meeting. I promise I’m not usually like this.”

  “Yes, she is,” Lexi, Jack, and Kyle all said at the same time.

  I chuckled. Bree backed up a step, and for the briefest of seconds looked like a cornered runaway puppy. Two vertical lines formed between her eyes, and she honestly appeared hurt. But that quickly disappeared, and she rotated her shoulders back like she was preparing for round two of a verbal assault.

  I pushed myself off the bed. “Look, we’re not going to solve anything tonight. Fortunately, thanks to a little creative persuasion with the motel clerk, Jack and I used Lexi’s money to get a couple more rooms next to this one. Let’s get some sleep and meet up for breakfast in the morning.” I guided everyone but Bree toward the door.

  If you think you’re staying in this room with me, you’ve lost your mind, Bree mindspoke behind me.

  I closed the door when everyone was out. Without turning to look at what I suspected would be a cold, hard expression, I said, “I don’t have to stay here, but you and I need to clear the air. And I’m not leaving until we do. That can be in an hour, sometime in the middle of the night, or tomorrow.” I faced her. Her hair had mostly air-dried and was drawn up in tight curls. More importantly, the barrier she’d erected between us appeared unbreakable. “I’m sorry I snuck up on you tonight.”

  “No you’re not.”

  “You’re right. I’m not. I knew you’d disguise yourself if you knew I was close. And you would have run. I just don’t understand why.”

  “So, you want to clear the air? Well… then, clear it.” She started digging through her bag, then threw a T-shirt and silky pants on the bed, which I assumed were for her to sleep in, and I lost all concentration.

  As she dug further in her bag, I stepped closer and placed a hand over both of hers, stopping her search. “Talk to me, Bree. Why did you leave without saying goodbye?”

  “My plane was there, and I knew you’d be tied up with healing the two clones.” She met my gaze. “Are they okay?”

  The sincere concern in her eyes for the two young clones threw me off a bit. It’s not that I was surprised that she would care for the two boys, it was what the little Addison-clone had said: that Bree had acted weird when she saw Tane. That she’d called him by the name Boone.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t let you examine Tamati sooner. I had no idea you’d learned more of your own special skills.” Seth hadn’t bothered to tell me that Bree was discovering her own abilities.

  Her face hardened, and she pulled her hand from mine. “No, you didn’t. But what’s done is done. Now, is that all?” The coldness had returned to her voice.

  I backed up and leaned against the dresser. “No, as a matter of fact, that’s not all.” I had to keep her talking. “What’s in Portland? Besides this Vance person.”

  Her lips lifted. “And you’re not jealous?”

  “If it makes you feel superior to think of me as jealous, so be it. But I’d like to know why you were with some jerk who couldn’t keep his hands off you and talked to you like you were his little pet. Not to mention he tried to drug you.”

  Her expression faltered a bit. She knew I was right. I didn’t need to read her mind to recognize that.

  “Vance is Vice President of Operations of my dad’s company.”

  Now we were getting somewhere. “You’re in Portland to see your dad?” Bree had never spoken of her father before.

  She looked away, went back to digging through her bag. “Yes. I wasn’t going to see him or my mom this summer, but Dad’s been pressuring me to come home. He wants me to go to school here in Portland. And to work for him. Thinks I’m without direction.” She put air quotes around “without direction,” as if her father had berated her with the phrase many times.

  “If you’re in Portland to see your parents, why are you in a motel?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Then uncomplicate it.”

  Suddenly she spun and narrowed her eyes, the color of brown sugar just not as sweet. She stepped closer. When I breathed in, the scent of some exotic flower from her shampoo intoxicated me. I wanted to put my arms around her and close the remaining distance between us. But I knew she’d fight me.

  Surprisingly, she lifted a hand and ran her fingers along the length of my arm, following the touch with her eyes. When she reached my hand, she looked up and into my eyes again. “You don’t want complicated, Jonas? Want me to make everything a little easier between us?”

  “That would be nice.” I tried to take in a breath without letting her know how difficult it was to breathe right then.

  She moved closer—so close that I could feel her breath feather across my lips. Her fingers lingered on my hand. They were warm and smooth. She blinked once, twice. “Tough!” she spat. “You want uncomplicated, go find some other girl to spend time with, to protect, or whatever it is you think you’re doing here. You’re not getting easy or uncomplicated with me. And I certainly don’t need your warning about Addison. You were right. I already knew she was here. I can handle Addison.”

  She grabbed the clothes off the bed and turned toward the bathroom. With her back to me, she paused and said, “I wish you guys all the luck in finding your mysterious pack of clones. But I have other problems I need to deal with. I want you gone before I come back out.”

  I flinched when she slammed the door.

  ~~~~~

  Lexi opened the door. Her face fell when she saw mine. “Wow! You guys are a hot mess! I don’t know what you did to her on Palmyra, but…” I shot her a look of warning. With a heavy breath, she turned and grabbed some of her things. “I’ll stay with Raven tonight. You, Jack, and Kyle can have a boys’ night.”

  I thought a boys’ night sounded good, because boys knew not to kick their friends when they were down. And since everyone was tired from travels, we pretty much went to bed immediately.

  Except I couldn’t sleep, and three hours later I found myself sitting in a chair, watching a hypnotic neon light in a diner across the street flash on and off. I couldn’t stop analyzing where I’d gone wrong with Bree. Well, besides the insensitive comments about seeing her topless. That probably hadn’t helped matters. I raked a hand over my face, partly trying to erase that amazing image, but also trying to stamp it to my permanent memory in case she never let me get anywhere close to her again.

  But besides that fortunate incident, I thought I had done the right thing by her. I had saved her from a relationship with me—a messed-up individual who had nothing to offer her—on an island that she would have grown to hate once she realized how trapped she was. It was stressful there. It was lonely. And it was no place for a woman like Bree who was ready to go be somebody in this world. Bree should have the chance to have the time of her life at college, not be forced to be a surrogate mother to dozens of troubled clones.

  When I promised Lexi I would run the labs on Palmyra, I knew it was something I had to do. I had to make sure Sandra’s clones had the chance to become human beings with real lives. As much as I wished my mother hadn’t grown human clones the way a botanist grows plants, she had—and for some insane reason, I had decided it was my job to clean up the mess she left behind. It was the same for Jack and Lexi. They had agreed to run Wellington, to help clones discover the abilities that were hidden in their genes when Sandra Whitmeyer and the other crazy doctors created them, because t
hat was something they had to do.

  But Bree… she didn’t yet know what she wanted to do. She didn’t know where she fit into this world yet. And I didn’t want to be the reason she chose wrong.

  I leaned my head back against the chair and closed my eyes. Was I wrong to push her away? Seeing her tonight—seeing the fire in her eyes, the determination in her expression to keep her reason for being in Portland a secret—I was reminded that Briana Howard didn’t do or say anything that Briana Howard didn’t want to do or say.

  But what was done was done. Now I had to find a way to help her move past it and tell me how she found the tumors in Tamati and Tane. If that happened to any more kids, I needed to be able to help them. I couldn’t have these small children dying on my watch.

  These thoughts continued to turn over in my mind as I rested my eyes…

  ~~~~~

  The sound of a car door startled me. I lifted my head and realized I must have fallen asleep. I raked my hands over my face to clear the cobwebs. Then I heard another sound—three distinct pops. I pulled the curtain back and looked outside just in time to see Bree’s rental car speed away and two people dressed in dark clothing standing in the middle of the road shooting after her.

  “Jack, Kyle, get up!” I said in a loud whisper.

  In seconds, both were peeking out the window. “IIA agents?” Jack asked.

  “That would be my guess,” I said. “Warn the girls.”

  “Already done.” Kyle cocked his gun.

  The men outside turned—and came running right toward our ground-floor window. When they raised their weapons, we hit the floor. Gunfire rang out. Glass shattered above us. Wood splintered. Debris showered us for a good thirty seconds before I was able to get inside one of their heads and stop him. The other man stopped firing as well, and I assumed Lexi had managed to penetrate him. She had the same power I did, to control the actions of others with our minds.

  Sirens sang in the distance. Police were on their way.

  I grabbed the gun from Kyle’s hand, and after struggling with the door’s locks, I bolted outside and pointed the gun at one of the men. He was young, early twenties maybe, dressed from head to toe in black. His blond hair, spiked in the front, contrasted with his dark suntan. He looked like a stereotypical California guy more than an Oregonian.

  Drop the gun! Put your hands up! They both did as I ordered. Who are you? Who do you work for?

  Mr. California breathed heavily. Beads of sweat formed along his hairline. His partner, a thirty-something with brown hair tied in a short ponytail at the nape of his neck, said, “We have a message.”

  “And what might that message be?” I cocked the gun.

  “Get out of Portland. Or the next time you face gunfire, you won’t escape it.”

  Both men’s eyes rolled back into their heads, their legs buckled, and they fell to the ground, their heads hitting the pavement with a thud.

  Lexi ran over. “Trackers. They’re dead.”

  chapter nine

  Briana

  “Crap, crap, crap.” I beat my hands on the steering wheel as I sped off. The fact that the two goons had missed my vehicle completely told me they weren’t truly trying to shoot me. They had me at practically point blank range—if they’d wanted to hit me, they would have. I could hear them shooting long after I was gone, too, which meant they knew Jonas and the others were back at the motel.

  I dialed Jonas’s cell. Got voicemail. I tried mindspeaking. Jonas, can you hear me? Are you guys okay?

  Nothing. Perfect. “Now he ignores me.” Or he was hurt. Or dead. I tossed my phone in the passenger seat. Did I turn around? Keep going?

  Lexi? I mindspoke. Can you hear me? Are you okay?

  We’re fine. Will call you…

  Her mindspeak faded away.

  It was five a.m., and I knew that Vance would be up and at his gym already. I didn’t need my recent gumshoeing to know that, either; I’d heard all about his daily morning workout last summer, when I interned under Vance as part of a special high school program. Dad had wanted me to learn more about what the scientists did at Howard BioTech, and I thought the knowledge would help me get into The Program at Wellington. Joke was on me, though—little did I know that clones like me were created to be The Program, and that my dad had lied to me. Just like Lexi’s dad had manipulated her before he was killed last year.

  I turned onto the Banfield Expressway, which would take me to downtown Portland and Vance’s gym. My phone rang, and I grabbed it from the seat. “Jonas! Are you guys okay?”

  “So you do care?” He was breathing hard, a smile in his voice. I didn’t stoop to answer such a ridiculous question. Of course I cared. “We’re on the road,” he continued. “Cops got there quick. Do you know who those people were?”

  “No idea. I tried to lead them away from you. I had hoped they were only after me.” I swallowed hard. “I’m sorry.” My voice lowered to almost a whisper in hopes that I could hide the emotion. “You guys need to get out of Portland. I can handle what’s going on here.”

  “What are you talking about? You think we’re going to leave you? You think I’m going to leave you after what I’ve witnessed in the last twelve hours?”

  I cupped my hand across my forehead and massaged my temple. I had to push him away. “Jonas, you all have to leave Portland. Today.”

  “Forget it, Bree. It’s not going to happen.”

  I white-knuckled the steering wheel with my free hand. “Don’t you get it? I don’t need—” I paused. “I don’t want your help.”

  I heard shuffling and muffled voices. Finally, Lexi came on the phone. “Bree, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. We’re already ten minutes behind you.”

  “How did…?” Crap. “Raven.”

  “That’s right. Raven knows your location. And if you continue trying to ditch us, you’re only putting us in danger. So pull over and tell me what’s going on.”

  I drove in silence for several seconds. “Fine. I’ll text you an address where to meet. But I have to make one stop first, and I need you, and especially Jonas, not to follow me there.”

  ~~~~~

  Vance was doing chest presses with a spotter when I arrived at his overpriced downtown gym. I pulled my hair from its ponytail holder and let my waves fall around my face as I slid inside the mind of his spotter. I couldn’t control minds quite as well as Jonas or Lexi, or especially Addison, but I could do a little damage.

  Vance grunted. His eyes widened. “What the hell, man? Take the weight.”

  I let go of the spotter’s mind and watched as he put the dumbbell back in place. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened.” In response to a flash of anger from Vance, the spotter turned and left.

  I got a little closer. When Vance saw me, a flicker of surprise registered. I was already manipulating his mind to see me with a full face of makeup, lips painted the perfect shade of berry, and a low-cut, form-fitting dress. I hated how I was using my body to reach him, but he was the kind of spineless jerk that would react to such tactics.

  He sat up. Looked at his watch. Grinned at me, having already forgotten his spotter’s mishap. “Well, look who’s up bright and early.” He wiped a towel across his brow, then draped it across the back of his neck.

  “And look who’s all hot and sweaty,” I said as I ran my fingers along his bicep. I wanted to beat my head against a wall.

  He eyed my wandering hand, then lifted his gaze to meet mine. “I thought we had plans for later tonight.” He was acting more nervous than I would have expected.

  “Me too, but plans change. Did you tell anyone I was in town?” And don’t even think of lying to me.

  “I haven’t told your father, if that’s what you’re asking. Pretty sure he’ll get all your time once he knows, so as long as it’s in my favor, I’ll keep your secret.” He stood from the weight bench, standing way too close for my comfort. “How about we go back to my place, and after I’ve showered, we can get some brea
kfast.” His eyes wanted way more than breakfast. I threw up a little in my mouth.

  “I would like that, but don’t you have to be at work soon?”

  He straightened. “Yes. I do.” He smiled. “What is it about you that makes me forget everything else?”

  I shrugged and tried to give him a bashful smile. “Don’t you shower here, anyway?”

  He looked at his watch again, and luckily he didn’t question how I would know such a detail. “I do, normally, but I was willing to make an exception.” He meant he was willing to go back to his apartment if I was willing to come along. What a disgusting excuse for a man. Like I’d just go back to an apartment with this guy after what happened last summer.

  “I have an idea.” I batted my eyelashes. “How about you show me around the newest section of Howard BioTech laboratory this afternoon? You know… the part they were working on last summer. Then you can knock off early from work and take me out for dinner.”

  His face fell slightly. “I wish that was possible. But I have appointments away from the labs all morning, then I’ve got to race back after lunch for a meeting with your father. In fact, I meant to tell you, he told me to plan on working late tonight, so our date will have to be on the late side—maybe a late dinner? How about I call you when I’m done?”

  I stuck out my lower lip and pouted. “I guess that will have to be good enough.”

  He slipped a finger under my chin and leaned his face close. Just before his lips touched mine, I turned my head slightly so that he would place a kiss on my cheek.

  His face was serious when he drew back. “That will do. For now. I’ll call you later.” He skirted around me and headed for the men’s locker room.

  A chill moved down my spine, and I shivered at the icky feeling that his kiss gave me.

  Looking around the gym, I located one of the male staff members. He was dressed in a black polo shirt with the word “staff” printed on the back and the name of the gym on the front. I immediately began projecting the image of him onto myself, including the colorful tattoo peeking beneath the sleeve of his shirt.