The Descendants Series Vol. 2

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

My heart dropped into my stomach.  “What do you mean you’re leaving in a little while?” I asked.

“That’s what Roth and I’ve been talking with Luke, Eli, Logan and Adem about,” he said.  His fingers traced patterns on my bare back.  “You seen, Division Twelve is the Directrix’s test sight.  That’s where they develop all their weapons.”

“What about Xander?” I asked.  “Does he know anything?”

“Yeah, but he’s been trying to keep you out of it,” he said.  “I didn’t want you to know about any of this.”

“Too late now,” I sighed.  “So what are you going there for?”  

“The Directrix has been developing a weapon for over sixty years now,” he said.

“That’s when my great-grandfathers started developing the Directrix,” I said.  “So does that mean…?”

“Your great-grandfathers developed this weapon,” he said. 

“I’m tired of hearing about what my family’s done for the Directrix,” I said. 

“Which is pretty much everything,” he said.

I put my face close to his and put my hand on his cheek.  “I’m going with you,” I said.

“What?” he asked.  “No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am,” I said.  “I’m not letting you out of my sight until you’re safely back here.”

“I don’t want you to go,” he said.  “I don’t want you to be in any situation where you can get hurt.  Division Twelve won’t be empty like Division Four was.  There’s going to Guards there and lots of personnel.  This is their test facility after all.”

“I know,” I said.  “That the precise reason I want to go with you.”

He smiled a sad smile.  “I’m not going to be changing your mind, am I?”

“Not any time soon,” I said.

“I know one thing I can try to persuade you to stay here,” he said. 

“And what would that be?” I asked.

His hand ran down my body and went behind my leg, hitching it around his waist again.  He rolled until he was on top of me, smiling.

“So, are you persuaded to stay here yet?” he asked. 

“Nope,” I said, smiling, as leaned up until my lips were millimeters from his.  “But you may continue if you’d like.”

Everything was still quiet as we walked down the hallway toward the control room.  It was still early, so no one would be up, unless McKenna was up with baby Jack. 

“I’m still going,” I said.

“I know,” Kade sighed, squeezing my hand.  “We’ve just got to tell everyone else.”

“So who was in on this?” I asked. 

“Luke, Eli, Adem, Logan and Roth all knew that the Directrix had assigned someone to kill me…”

“Only they didn’t know that it was going to be me, right?” I asked.

“Right,” he said, looking down at me.

“You still think I’m going to do it, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t,” he said.  “I just don’t know why they picked you.”