The Program (The Program 1)

Roger pulls back, examining my expression. “You think you’re in control?” he asks, his peppermint breath warm on my face. “Do you think you’re beating The Program?” He laughs softly. “Sloane,” he whispers. “You used to love someone. Do you remember?”

His words hit me harder than any slap. There’s a twist in my gut, a pain in my heart. Love? I . . . I did love someone, I think. It was . . .

Roger moves away with a satisfied grin. “I should go,” he says. “Michael should be out of therapy by now.” He starts to walk away, but then turns back. “Forgot.” Roger pulls a needle out his pocket and stabs me in the thigh. He covers my mouth as I cry out, but it’s only minutes before things start to get hazy. He pulls back the blanket to untie the drawstring of my pants and pulls up my shirt to expose my stomach, making it look like I’ve been struggling.

My head falls back against the pillow as he watches me carefully, waiting for me to pass out. I can feel the tears leak from the corner of my eyes and slide across my temples.

“Sorry I had to strap you down, Sloane,” he says. “But you were a danger to yourself.” He pats my shoulder consolingly and walks out.

• • •

There’s a soft slap against my cheek. “Sloane? Sweetness, wake up.” There’s another quick tap, and I open my eyes. “Oh, thank God,” Realm murmurs, moving to undo my restraints. “What happened?” he demands.

“Roger,” I choke out, my voice raspy. “He—”

Realm stops dead and stares at me. “Roger did this to you?” His breathing quickens as he covers me with the blanket, a deep flush on his cheeks.

“He didn’t,” I assure him, knowing he’s thinking the worse. “But he’s baiting you. He wants you gone.” Realm’s jaw is clenched so tight it sets his face in sharp, hard angles. He undoes the other strap and then rubs my wrist where it’s red as he sits on the edge of my bed.

“Sloane,” he begins quietly. “I’m going to be leaving for a few days, but you’ll be safe, okay? I will come back for you.”

I widen my eyes. “Wait, what?”

“I need you to be strong,” he says. “Just be strong until I get back.” He stands up, looking at me like he doesn’t want to leave. Then he says good-bye and walks out the door, shutting it behind him.

I’m still groggy, but I get out of bed anyway. The tile floor is ice-cold under my bare feet. I fumble with the door handle and just as I get it open, I see Realm stalking toward the nurse’s station. Roger’s poised there, laughing with the nurse. I’m about to yell for Realm to stop, but before I can, he cocks back his arm and decks Roger, sending him flying over the desk.

“Michael!” the nurse yells out. But Realm jumps over and grabs Roger by the neck, his fist pulled back to hit him again.

“Which arm?” Realm snarls.

Roger looks at him, his cheek already puffing out from where Realm’s fist connected. I lean against the door frame, barely able to stand.

“Don’t do this, Michael,” Roger says. “You’ll expose us all.”

Realm punches him hard in the face again, and I wince, sure that Roger’s nose is broken. The nurse is still screaming for them to stop, but she doesn’t dare intervene. Not when Realm looks so crazed.

“Which arm did you touch her with?” Realm demands, his face close to Roger’s bloodied one. And when the handler doesn’t answer, I watch as Realm grabs Roger’s right arm and yanks it so hard behind his back the snap is audible.

I stumble in the doorway and fall to my knees. Roger howls and Realm lets him go, backing away. Roger’s arm hangs at an odd angle below the elbow and I try to catch my breath, horrified by the sight. Just then security rounds the hall, and I’m afraid for Realm.

But instead of pulling out their Tasers, the guards skid to a stop in front of him. While one guard helps Roger to stand, the other takes hold of Realm, whispering something to him as he leads him in the other direction. And rather than fight, Realm seems calm—eerily calm even though he just broke a guy’s arm and is being hauled off by The Program to God knows where.

“Realm?” I call after him, the start of a cry in my voice. What are they going to do to him?

He looks over his shoulder then and his eyes widen when he sees me. But he doesn’t say anything. He just nods as if we have an agreement.

And then he lets security take him away.

• • •

I wait for Realm to come back. When I ask Nurse Kell she says she doesn’t know what will happen, a disapproving look on her face. I feel exposed and empty with my only friend gone. Roger had been right: I’m not in control of anything.

The first day without Realm, I see Roger in the hall with a security guard on his left. Roger’s right arm is in a cast. He has a bandage over his nose and has a black eye. A twisted satisfaction stretches over me. I watch him carry a box of his things, his career here clearly over. And since I haven’t been pulled into a meeting, it looks like my name stayed out of it. Realm really did find a way to get rid of him.

When he passes me, Roger pauses long enough to glance sideways at me. I don’t smile because the look in his eyes is pure hatred. It’s a look that says, “This isn’t over.”

I turn away, not acknowledging him, and halfway down the hall I see Tabitha standing in her doorway. When she catches my eyes, she nods—just like Realm did. As if we all have a secret pact I don’t know about. Maybe now that Roger’s gone, we’ll all sleep a little easier.

The day drags after that, and when I finally make it to dinner in the dining room, Derek and Shep are at my table. “Hey,” they say when I sit down.

“Hey.” I’m not used to talking to them without Realm around, and they look as lost as I feel. “Cards tonight?” I ask, hoping they’ll distract me from missing Realm.

“Naw,” Shep says, pushing away his hamburger. “I want to wait until Realm comes back.” His green eyes are sad, and I want to reach out and touch his hand, but I don’t.

I feel strange, as if I’m hollowed out somehow. I feel vulnerable and empty.

“So you know how he kicked the shit out of that handler?” Derek asks me. I nod, nervous about what will come next. “I heard some of the nurses talking, and they said Roger was dealing medication and Realm busted him. But then the handler said he’d hurt us if Realm turned him in.” He puffs up his chest. “Now obviously I can take care of myself. So I’m going to assume the threat was made on you. It explains why Realm went crazy on him.”