Starters

Author:[email protected]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2012-01-12T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

As we approached the Music Center plaza that night, I felt like a princess making her entrance at a royal ball. It was like a dreamscape, with tiny lights sparkling in the trees, larger ones highlighting the buildings, and spotlights illuminating the sculptural waterfall that danced in the center of the plaza.

We entered the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, where chandeliers as big as minicars glistened over our heads. We climbed the grand staircase to the second level. The pre-awards party was in full swing. Ender waiters weaved through the glittery crowd with trays of champagne and punch. The guests were mostly rich Enders, but there was a sprinkling of wealthy teens like Blake.

And then there was me.

“Where’s your grandfather?”

Blake handed me a glass of punch. “I’ll go find him. You’ll

be okay here?”

“I’ll be fine,” I said, looking at the buffet table.

166 He craned his neck to look over the sea of silver heads and then disappeared into the crowd. I walked up to the buffet laden with shrimp and crab and lobster. Tyler’s eyes would’ve bugged out of his head.

I was tempted to taste something when a voice surprised me.

Callie. You went after all.

It was inside my head. Helena. So she hadn’t left the body bank.

“You’re back,” I said quietly. “I need an exorcism.”

Everyone around me was too busy socializing or eating to notice me talking to myself. I didn’t know whether to be angry or relieved.

I’m glad you saw the light.

“Don’t thank me. I’m not here to kill anyone.”

The senator is a monster. You let him get away, he’ll be on that plane to Washington tomorrow, and the fate of thousands of teens will be sealed.

Her drama was not working on me. “You don’t know that.”

They say you can judge a man by the company he keeps. Well, the senator is in cahoots with the man who heads up Prime Destinations. The Old Man. He’s the worst excuse for a human being in the universe.

“Then maybe I should kill him.” I hoped the sarcasm was drippy enough for her.

You should. But he has too much protection. The senator is our immediate concern.

Sounded like her kill list was getting longer.

By stopping the senator from getting on that plane tonight, we can prevent this thing from exploding. I’ll pay you five times what Prime offered you. And I will give you a home.

I made a point of not reacting. I stepped out onto the

167 balcony. I walked past the red glow of cigars held by Enders no longer afraid of early death. When I reached the far end, I stopped and looked at the evening skyline. Beyond the borders of our luxurious surroundings, the graffiti-ravaged buildings were a harsh contrast.

That was some offer Helena had just given. I hated even considering it.

“Even if I wanted to do what you’re asking, I don’t have a gun.”

You do. I planted it earlier. This was my original plan, remember?

I felt sick to my stomach. This was Blake’s grandfather she was talking about.

I’ll tell you where it is.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.