The tapping stops. I turn to my right, and at first I’m too stunned to react.
“Hello, Sloane,” Roger says. “I think we need to have a little chat.”
I open my mouth to scream, but Roger is across the room in a heartbeat, his hand over my mouth. “Now, now,” he says.
“Don’t make me cut your throat.”
I continue fighting anyway, thrashing my head from side to side. Roger takes a step back, wincing and cupping his side where Dallas stabbed him. The minute his palm slips from my mouth and my first scream breaks through the room, his grip on my neck promptly cuts them off. I choke, my eyes widening as air is strangled out of me.
“Let’s try this again,” he growls as my chest starts to burn.
I try to gasp, but I can’t get any air in or out. “I’m going to kill your friend,” he says, “but first I need to locate him. Where is Michael Realm?”
I don’t know, I mouth, struggling against my restraints, but it’s no use. Roger’s weight is too heavy, his strength far out-286
weighing mine. It feels like he’s crushing my bones. He’s going to kill me.
“Here’s the thing, Sloane,” Roger says conversationally, even as small black dots are starting to appear in the corners of my vision. I’m about to pass out. “Realm has something that belongs to me. I’m willing to trade for it, but first I need to find him. Now, you’ll help me, or I’ll destroy Dallas.” Roger lowers his face until it’s just over mine. I try again to take a breath, and fail. Roger smiles sweetly. “I will break her, Sloane. She’ll wish she were dead.” His threat is enough to send me renewed energy, and I use what little strength I have left to bring up my knee as hard as I can. It strikes his thigh, knocking him off-balance and sending him sideways. I start to scream, but my voice is raw, ripping at my throat as I beg for help. I choke on the air I try to take into my lungs. I watch helplessly as Roger staggers to his feet, holding his chest. He must still be healing from where he was stabbed, and I have a wild hope that his wounds will reopen and he’ll bleed to death.
“I will find him,” Roger says, pointing at me as he moves for the door. “Michael Realm is dead, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Help!” I try to yell, but it comes out only as a whisper before another coughing fit starts. Roger is out the door, and I’m crying, rolling from side to side to somehow free my bonds, tearing the flesh on my barely healed wrists. “Help!” I call again, worried that he crushed my windpipe and I’ll never get my voice back.
There’s the sound of footsteps, and I lift my head. The door flies open, and Asa looks in. The minute he sees me, he grabs his radio and calls in a code. I try to tell him about Roger: He’s going to kill Realm, do something horrible to Dallas, but he’s shushing me, working frantically to undo my restraints.
More people arrive, but they never let me talk. I’m strapped to a gurney, white coats whizzing by me as I continue to struggle for breath. I’m watching for Roger’s face, but he’s gone. Like a phantom who came to haunt me, he’s disappeared, making me wonder if he was really there at all. But at the end of the hall, just before they push me down the medical wing for X-rays, I hear one of the nurses say, “Oh my God. What happened to her neck?”
And I knew Roger had really been here after all.
I’m momentarily untied, surrounded by handlers in an infirmary while we wait for Dr. Beckett. “It was Roger,” I rasp to Asa as my throat continues to ache. He nods, his shoulders rigid and his posture alert.
“Yeah, I saw him run past me. I thought he’d come from Dallas’s room, but then I heard you calling.” His eyes lower as if they’re heavy with guilt, and I reach to put my hand on his forearm. The minute I do, he flinches away as if I’ve burned him.
I broke his trust by going after Dallas. I don’t think he’ll help me again.
The doctor walks into the room, and Asa moves quickly to pull him aside before he can talk to me. I watch, anxious to tell Dr. Beckett exactly what happened so he can stop Roger from hurting Dallas or from finding Realm.
The doctor takes out his phone and begins talking; shooting concerned looks in my direction. Is he calling Roger?
Would The Program get the police involved? After a moment Dr. Beckett hangs up, walking past Asa to stop in front of me.
Absently, I touch my neck.
His smile is apologetic but warm. “Leave us for moment,” he tells the other handlers, glancing back at them once. They exchange looks but then leave—including Asa. Soon it’s just me and the good doctor, alone in a tiny white room. I’m starting to panic—afraid the doctor will try and hurt me like Roger did. I’m vulnerable. I’m scared.
“I must admit . . . ,” the doctor begins, “I came here expecting Michael Realm. I’m disappointed he hasn’t come for you. I guess he doesn’t love you after all.”
His barb hurts, but I move past it, focusing on what really matters. “You can’t let Roget get away with this,” I say after an extended silence. My voice is strangled and weak. “He’s a psychopath and he’s going to kill Dallas and Realm. I know he’s part of the boys’ club here, but even you must to have limits.”
“Measures are being taken.”
I laugh but then grip my damaged neck to alleviate the burn. The doctors are the ones who are crazy. Not us. Not the patients. “He’s going to get away with it,” I say. “Just like last time.” I look him directly in the eyes. “He was blackmailing patients to have sex with him in exchange for memories.”
Beckett’s expression falters. “Are these rumors? How do you know this?”
“I was a patient, remember?” I pause. “I was a victim.”
“You retained memories?”
“Are you not getting the point? He’s raping underage girls, Beckett. Who gives a shit if he lets them keep one inconsequen-tial memory? They’re losing so much more. And this should all be documented,” I add. “He was fired while I was a patient.” Again Dr. Beckett looks perplexed. I can’t believe this.
“Dr. Warren knew all about it,” I say. “Realm broke his arm, they fired Roger and escorted him out. Why did The Program hire him back?”
“We didn’t. Roger no longer works for The Program—not on a public level. And neither does Dr. Warren for that matter. Her position was terminated after you went rogue.” Beckett exhales, looking weary. “Sloane, we’re going to have to talk about Nurse Kell.”