{Book Two} 108 | Intel

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∞ The Tethered Ones 

Chapter 38

━━─── • ───━━━

Luna •

Escape? What a lovely and fitting name for this club, Luna thought.

"It is, Moon," Amir whispered into her ear.

Ethan glanced over his shoulder and said, "I think the bouncer wants you, Amir."

He growled, "You have one more chance, Evil."

"I'm so scared," Ethan replied.

"Guys!" Luna yelled. "Let's go!"

Ethan laughed softly and took a step forward.

She walked along a short hallway with multicolored lights. It was unlike other clubs. The dark hallway included many locked doors and no exits. A strong alcohol smell and an odd aroma of sweat, cologne, and other substances filled the air.

An opened threshold exposed the dance floor.

Purple, green, and yellow lights dazzled the crowd while bare flesh glittered. A black-haired girl spun and danced gracefully above a high dance stage. Balcony cages held dancers with glitter and beads, and Luna looked at the skin showing between her shirt and hips. She could have gone wilder.

While lightly touching her back, Amir spoke to her. "A little out of your comfort zone, Moon?"

She smiled. "Me? What about you?"

He shrugged and returned his attention to the dance floor.

Strangely, Amir stood out. He was a head taller and moved differently from the other men. "I don't mind being here. We came for one reason. Intel."

The techno beat slowed as they followed Ethan around the back, and a new one with hammering drums started.

She couldn't determine who was who in a narrow hallway full of people. A man looked up from the neck he explored with smokey eyes and met Luna.

He smiled.

She turned away.

Before she realized what was happening, they reached a door marked Personnel Only with Monsters scribbled across it. Nice.

The door cracked open before Ethan could bang his fist on it. She glanced back and saw Smokey Eyes watching. Gross!

"We're here for Titus," Ethan said.

Ethan's spine tensed up, so whatever the voice from behind the door muttered didn't sound good. "Tell him it's Sergeant Trent." Then there was a pause as the back of Ethan's neck turned red. "I don't care how busy he is. He owes me."

"Perfect!" Amir murmured, tensing and exhaling. "We came here for nothing."

Ethan spun. "No, we didn't."

Another incoherent response widened the door further. "Dammit, Titus," Ethan hissed. "I helped Nadia escape St. Matthew's. Trust us. No rats here."

Rats?

Ethan looked at them, frowning. "Titus wants to talk to me alone."

Amir towered. "Yeah, I don't think so."

Ethan refused. "Then you can forget this whole thing. Or you've wasted your time. Your choice, Prince."

Luna knew Amir would punch Ethan's smart tongue. He had no right to use her pet name, but that didn't matter anymore. She hadn't endured a hellish car ride and dressed like a harlot for nothing. She caressed his chest. "Let's go." Amir turned slightly, his eyes gleaming, as she yanked his hand. "I want to dance."

Giving in, he turned completely around when she noticed Ethan slide through the open door. There wasn't much they could do while they were there, which gave her a bad feeling.

A familiar melody began after the drumming. As they squeezed past bodies, she moved him to the floor. She spun.

Closing her eyes, she stepped up to him and draped an arm around his neck, then placed her other hand on his waist.

Amir regarded her with intrigue, asking, "Are we doing this?"

They were. Dancing felt silly when so much depended on the knowledge they came for, but she ignored that.

She embraced Amir as the music played. Most people stood still. Amir wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her neck after she found the song's beat. She swayed to the song.

"Okay. I might have to thank Ethan for threatening our lives to help him," Amir said.

She laughed.

His arm tightened as the beat picked up, and so did her movements. "This feels... familiar. Like we've danced in a club before."

"That's because we have been in a club. You don't remember that moment."

Amir pushed back, jaw-dropping.

"We didn't dance," she added. "You connected to me while I was celebrating my friend's birthday."

"Wow!" he gasped. "I'm sorry for forgetting."

"Don't feel bad, A." She grinned a little.

Shimmering, damp bodies surrounded Amir and Luna after they walked onto the dance floor. When his hand went over her back, she noticed a white light behind his head. She caressed his cheeks, enjoying his kiss, and static from their bodies generated reddish-white light under the flashing lights. He put his hands on her hips and pulled her in, about to become like those ambiguous couples in the hallways.

Amir spun when a hand touched his shoulder. Luna grabbed his elbow in time to prevent him from punching Ethan.

Ethan grinned and yelled over the blaring music, "Are you guys finished having sex?"

Her cheeks flared while Amir growled at him. Then he gripped Ethan's collar and tossed him back into the crowd.

Ethan quickly raised his hands and said, "Sorry." He stood up straight and said, "Titus is ready to see us when you're done trying to have babies!"

"You can be so annoying, Ethan," Luna said, growling under her breath.

"That's just my charm, Mrs. Khan," Ethan replied. "Now, let's go."

They followed Ethan down the hallway, holding Amir's hand, past the crowd. Her chest rose and fell quickly, and her heart was racing. That dance.

Ethan knocked again, and the door opened. She halted, hoping her face wasn't flaming.

She expected a dark, smokey area with men cracking their knuckles in sunglasses and a huge man in overalls guarding them.

A young man with shoulder-length gray hair behind his ears astonished Luna. He wore a white bracelet with a strange blue flame stone with white and gold specks. She noticed Amir tense when he stared at the man in a black leather chair. He had high cheekbones, a reddish-brown complexion, and almond-shaped brown eyes. He was an American Indian and a Trojan, but Luna didn't perceive any darkness in him. Honest and gentle.

Her heart was pounding as soon as Amir took a step forward and stood.

Her darkest fears quickly swept through her. "What's happening?" Even Ethan looked anxious.

The silver-haired man laughed and cleared his throat. "Trojans. Our strange internal structure lets Pure Souls and Origins discover themselves. Guess no one expected to meet." As his deep voice and British accent faded, he grinned.

Luna faced him.

He could have been a teenager if not for his acute intelligence and strong facial features. Probably thirteen. "So, you lot want to raid one of BARDA's facilities, and you need my help?"

Luna gasped when his eyes suddenly became the color of the sun.

Titus was a hybrid.

Luna had trouble focusing. Titus, who was not only their messiah of information but also didn't appear to be old enough to own a club, was shown to be a hybrid. He belonged to a group she was still learning about.

Titus chuckled as if he had tapped into her thoughts. "Surprised? I would be, too. Especially if someone did what I did in front of you."

"What's he talking about, Luna?" Amir asked.

"She saw my eyes change color," Titus explained. "They went from pure white to a yellowish-orange color in a hot second."

"You're a hybrid?" Amir gulped, and Titus nodded.

When they moved closer to one another, it shocked Luna to discover he was almost as tall as Amir.

"Ah, yes. General Davenport is giving you half the story. Trust me. He doesn't even know the darkest parts of BARDA," Titus explained, clearly confirming that he'd read Luna's thoughts.

She blinked. "How did you escape from them?"

"With a lot of arse kissing." He moved over to the table, his steps soft and effortless. "I was their star pupil in Essex and passed every experiment thrown at me." His smile was contagious, almost disturbing. "Never put your trust in the one who's smarter than you, right, Ethan?"

Ethan leaned against the wall and gave a lopsided shrug. "Something like that."

"I see that you're still you, E." Titus sat on the edge of the desk. "Pupils can become smarter than the teacher, even if they have intelligent teachers. And I've had some excellent teachers in my day." He clapped his hands together. "So, you are the Khans."

If it surprised Amir that Titus spoke his name, he didn't show it. "That we are."

"I can't believe Amir Khan is standing in my club. Wow." Titus's insanely long lashes lowered. "I've watched your exposure over and over. I'm a big fan. So is Ethan."

Ethan raised a middle finger at the two.

Amir said drily, "I can't wait until Ethan is a fan of my fist."

Luna and the other man in the room snickered beside them as Ethan grunted.

"You guys are heroes. For a thousand years, no one has been able to achieve what you two have done," he said, glancing between them. "Anyway, this is my right-hand man. He may be a Trojan, but he's a good one. He calls himself Utah. Why? It doesn't matter."

Utah smiled tightly as he extended a hand toward Amir and Luna. "It's always nice to meet others who take a stand against the organization."

Luna shook his hand. "Likewise. So, why the name Utah?"

"It's where my reservation is. I miss my home," he told her.

Amir's brows furrowed as he kept his eyes straight ahead. "How did you two meet?"

Titus laughed. "Let's talk about that some other time—if there is another time." Those fiery peepers slid toward Luna. "Do you have any idea what they'll do to you if they find out you have more powers?" He leaned his head back and smiled. "There aren't many people like you, me, and Amir. It's crazy that there are three of us in the same room."

"I have a pretty good guess," she said.

"Do you?" His eyebrows went up. "Davenport and Ethan didn't tell you everything. You've seen some of the general's memories, but they're not even close to the mess they're about to create."

She asked, "How... do you know about that?" but Utah spoke up.

"Titus can do things that a normal tethered soul can't. It comes with being the son of a Defective and a Pure Soul."

"Right." Luna gave him and Ethan a quick look. His face went blank, and she got an icy sensation that had nothing to do with how cold it was in the room.

"You know things, Luna, things that they would want you to forget." Titus stood and stretched like he was just waking from a nap. "But you guys are still willing to take a big risk by being their test subjects again."

"We have to." Amir gave Ethan a threatening look. "Well, are you going to help us or not?"

Titus made a tight sigh. "Help you with what?"

"The codes to their facility," Luna replied.

He took a deep breath as he ran his fingers over a pile of cash. "I could go get them for you, but what's in it for me?"

"Titus, come on," Ethan said from the back. "Each of us has someone who is being held against their will. Don't you have a heart?"

Titus laughed.

And then he laughed, like stepping away from his desk and laughing. He looked at Ethan again and said, "You want to talk about having a heart? Did you have one when you gave Kai and Jamal back to them? And let's not forget you turned in your children and your surrogate."

"Hold up. You also told the mother of your children?" Luna remarked, looking at him.

"She told me to."

"From what I understand, she asked you to do that after you turned in the children," Utah said. "I'm not trying to insult anyone, but if you guys want to raid a BARDA center, you'll have to work as a team. I'm not seeing one."

"Utah is right," Titus said. "Teamwork makes the dream work. The same goes for you, Evil."

Amir laughed when Titus called Ethan by the name he had given him. The sergeant's words stunned Luna, who chuckled and shook her head.

"Here's the deal. I don't need power or money." Titus stared. "I just need a favor. One that I can collect at any time, no questions asked. In exchange, I'll help you find your information and save the people you want."

Luna's stomach turned. That sounded easy, but there had to be a catch. "A favor?"

"Wait," Amir murmured. "That's your payment?"

Titus nodded. "I'll do you a solid, and you do me one."

"Why would we agree to that?" Amir shot back.

Titus laughed. "You don't make negotiations fun, do you? My help doesn't come without something in exchange."

"You're like the mafia for hybrids," uttered Luna.

"In this day and age, sometimes I have to be," he said.

Utah folded his arms. "Not to be rude, but if no one is going to accept Titus's conditions, then you're wasting his time."

Amir and Luna exchanged looks. She honestly didn't know what to do. It was like making a deal with the devil, and she had dealt with plenty of them in the past.

"Guys," Ethan murmured. "Titus is legit. He's a hybrid and on your side."

"I don't like this," Amir groaned, but Luna gave him a stern look. "Fine. We owe you a favor."

Titus's eyes shifted to Luna. "And you?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Whatever you need, I'm there."

"Fabulous! Utah?" Titus held out his hand. Utah bent down, grabbed a small tablet, and handed it over. "This won't take long."

As they watched him punch the keyboard, she kept her mouth shut. When the side door opened, the girl on stage stuck her head in.

He jumped. "No, Nadia, not now. I'll look for you soon."

Her smile went away, and she shut the door. Luna started to say, "She was dancing—" but Titus cut her off.

"If I were you, I wouldn't finish that sentence. Don't even mention her. You've never seen her before in your life," he urged, his eyes burrowing into hers. "Understand?"

The three of them nodded, and Titus continued typing on the keyboard. After several minutes, he flashed a screen on the desk with five black-and-white sections with clear images, including woodlands, a lake, a front desk, a parking lot, and a guard patrolling the back of the building.

"Welcome to Ramsey Sanitarium—owned by BARDA, sponsored by FEMA, and secured by Homeland Security. Located in Covington, Louisiana. This building serves as a psychiatric hospital and is home to a fair number of terrorists," Titus said, chortling. "It's a tourist trap with a big forest and agriculture. There are a hundred rooms in a six-hundred-square-foot facility used to torture and train Trojans."

Utah winced when he said the last word.

Ethan watched. "You're sure our people are there?"

Titus nodded. "I was their star student. Hacking their system was easy." He smiled then. "Look here. Since it's a 'secret' entrance, the guard protects the fence. ET knows about it." He stared at Ethan.

"What does that mean?" Ethan asked.

Titus said, "Evil Traitor."

The room chuckled.

Titus hit the space bar to move the camera to the front gate. "This Monday at ten o'clock is your best bet. It'll be Labor Day, and two guards will be patrolling that gate. Holidays will keep the majority of staff away."

Utah grabbed a notebook and pen.

"The back gate is your first hurdle. You have to take out the guards. I'll switch off the cameras between ten and fifteen so you can pull a Mission Impossible. You'll have fifteen minutes to get in, get everyone together, and scram. And don't let a bloodthirsty Rougarou kill you."

Luna choked on a laugh.

"Fifteen minutes," Ethan said. "That's feasible. The facility entrance leads to the stairs. The building has three floors, so we'll go up to the third floor and find our people there."

"You know where to go," Titus remarked. "Strange."

"I've transported patients there," Ethan said. "I remember."

"Who's going to get Kai?" questioned Amir. "You guys are tethered," he said, peering at Ethan.

"We are immune," he said. "He was my bully in high school, so we met before our powers activated."

"That explains everything," Luna said. "You seriously need an attitude adjustment."

"I could say the same about you."

Amir growled.

"Okay. Moving on." Titus tapped the screen. "Invictus is the code for this door. Do you get the meaning behind the name?" He smirked. "The lobby has two doors."

Ethan nodded. "Left door. What's the code?"

"Wait. What's behind the other door?" Luna asked.

"To the Garden of Eden," Titus murmured, tapping the space bar to zoom in on the doors. "Nowhere fun. It's just an office with actual patient information. Does anyone know how to get in that room?"

"Through the window?" Luna threw.

Titus shook his head. "The front desk holds a key card. But there's only one problem."

Luna shifted. "What is it?"

Titus grimaced. "There's a code to get into the safe."

"Figures," Amir huffed.

"They don't make things simple, do they?" Titus moaned. "The safe's code is 0976. That's when they did their first experiment on Tethered Souls."

Luna remarked, "They've been doing this since then?"

Titus nodded.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she muttered.

"Guys, this organization has monitored specific people for years. Imagine the lives they've impacted throughout time." Titus stood. "Enter the code once. Entering the wrong numbers can get ugly. Then, as 'ET' instructs, you guys will hurry up the stairs and enter GENETICS—all caps. Voila!"

Amir sneered. "Codes are the way in? With all the super people in the world, they choose hackable codes for security?"

"Ha!" The screen returned to the facility's webpage after Titus tapped a few buttons. "I'm just giving you the codes, BTA. I'll deactivate their fingerprint and eye recognition systems. Turning it off for a few minutes every day doesn't look unusual."

Ethan snorted. "BTA?"

Titus stared. "Best Tethered Ally."

Luna nodded and laughed at Amir.

"What if we don't get out in fifteen minutes?" she questioned.

Titus clasped his silver head. "Like a plane about to crash. Put your head between your legs and bid them farewell."

"Oh, that sounds eventful," she said. "You're like a mutant hacker."

Titus winked. "Guys, be careful. I'm not removing their extra security. That will bring issues for me. No, thanks."

"Whoa." Amir looked up. "What extra security do they have?"

"They change the codes every other day. Some guards are Trojans. The killer kind."

"We'll be fine," Ethan said. "We can make it work."

Utah supplied a page with the codes.

Amir grabbed it and put it in his pocket before Ethan could. "Thanks for this," he said.

"Whatevs," Titus muttered, returning to the couch. "You don't need to thank me. We've never met. I'm nobody until I need that favor. Comprende?"

Luna nodded.

"Remember that on Monday at ten o'clock p.m. Fifteen minutes is all you get."

"All right," Luna said, eyeing Ethan.

Titus's voice then entered her thoughts.

'You haven't told him? Amir.'

She swallowed as he returned to his iPad.

'About Davenport.'

She saw Amir and Ethan talking to Utah behind her.

'Don't worry. This is a two-way radio.'

Luna laughed. 'I'm still thinking about it.'

'He should know.'

She sat still, twiddling her thumbs. 'I'll tell him. But after this mission.'

'What if your plan fails?'

She inhaled and kept calm. She had to hold back from

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