Betrayal: Book 3 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 8.3 From Explosion to Nuclear

"Calm down, Morgan, they would have made gumbo of you by now if they could get through. Of course, there's still me." She motioned slightly with the gun. "Ease up on that syringe."

"It looks like I'm the trapped one." Morgan shook the syringe. "Give me a reason why I should be deprived of the pleasure of killing this freak."

"Whoa!" Alex's panic satisfied him. "I didn't say we couldn't make a deal. Ease up . . . please."

She looked back behind the force field. Grange punched on the controls above the hand scanner, his face set in concentration.

Gabe motioned to Alex and she realized that they were not alone for long. Josef Hermann's men were on their way.

"Here's the deal. I know the back way out. You drop the syringe, I drop the gun, and you're on your way," Alex said.

"How can I trust you?" But Morgan looked eager for an arrangement.

"Hand Rile over to his brothers. I'll drop the gun before they actually have him and if I don't, you inject the syringe. Deal?"

"Lower the force field? Are you crazy?" Morgan asked.

Alex blew out an exasperated sigh. "Didn't you research this lab? Hermann installed that one-way force field at the entrance of his private sector for security. He could screen everyone who entered, but not have to be bothered when they wanted to leave."

"How do you know this?" Morgan challenged.

"Hermann's been a pet project of mine ever since he kidnapped one of my friends. I spent all my breaks and lunchtimes at my various jobs researching him. When I was online, I remembered some links and passwords that gained me access to locked sites."

Grange muttered, "Good thing. It's how I found her. Electronic trail of electronic bread crumbs."

Alex, oblivious to Grange, motioned with her gun. "Now hand Rile halfway through and I'll drop the gun. Okay?"

Morgan nodded and dragged the limp Rile over to the protected doorway. He began to push him through and Alex made a show of dropping the Glock.

"Stop."

Alex whirled at the voice. Faster than she believed possible, Morgan hauled Rile back through the doorway before his brothers' eager fingers had a firm grasp.

He held the limp Rile in a choke-hold of his elbow and kicked the gun. It skittered across the floor, disappearing under a panel of machinery.

Dr. Hermann inclined his head toward them. "I believe we can come to an understanding. After all, Morgan, is it? I allowed you to break into my building after these two."

They all stared at the white-coated figure standing in front of the plain wooden door.

"One million dollars for that dragon creature and I'll take care of your friend, gratis," Dr. Hermann said.

"I could take you out with one blast," Alex countered.

"Forget it. One spark and I'll kill him," Morgan said.

"Morgan, look, a million dollars is peanuts. I can offer you something worth more than mere money," she pleaded, a frantic edge to her voice.

"You?" he looked at her with condescension.

"Yes. Me. Think," she implored. "You can sell me to a lab. Man has dreamed of flying forever, what do you think he would pay for the chance to do it? Or to cut apart someone who could do it and learn how? Millions, Morgan, plural of million."

Morgan, unconvinced, clenched his jaw, lip jutting out in childish stubbornness.

Dr. Hermann held out a hand. "You wish to bargain, do you? Two million then, plus you may keep the body of your friend to sell. All I need is the dragon creature. He's priceless fame to me as a scientist. I'll be forever remembered as the man who discovered dragons."