Defective (The Institute Series Book 3) (26 page)

The elevator dings open, and she strolls in, dressed casually, holding a manila folder. I pick William up and pop him on my hip.

“Wow, nice apartment,” she says in awe, looking around the expansive living room.

“It better be, for how much it costs,” I mutter.

I still haven’t come up with a money solution, and I have no job. Kenna offered me my old job back, but the hours aren’t exactly suited to a single mother. Plus Ebb’s informed me of how good the new volunteers are, so I’d feel guilty going back when it’s only a job to me – not my passion. Kenna even offered one of them my old paid position when I said I couldn’t return. Jayce is out of a volunteering job, too, because the others are actual nursing students and can help with treating patients, as opposed to only administrative stuff that Jayce was doing.

“So… have they found Brookfield?” I ask Jenna. “Did the press conference work?”

She looks apologetic. “No. Sorry. I probably should’ve opened with that. At this stage it looks like the press conference was a bust. There’s been no movement on that front. We’re starting to wonder if we’ll ever see Brookfield again. He hasn’t even checked his bank account. I guess when Paxton died he just knew the payments would stop. We’re keeping an eye on it though. I actually came by to drop this off for you,” she says, handing me the folder.

I take it with my spare hand, but can’t open it while holding onto William. “What is it?”

“The officer who was guarding you before the press conference said you mentioned something about being interested in joining the force. That’s all the paperwork you need to apply.”

My mouth opens a little in shock. “Uh, yeah, I may have mentioned something to him, but it was kind of just for conversational purposes. I couldn’t actually join the police force.”
Could I?

“I think you’d be great.”

“Not exactly the right kind of hours when I have two kids at home now,” I say, looking for an excuse not to follow through on a spur of the moment idea that randomly popped into my head while making conversation with a complete stranger. “I’m guessing Jayce has filled you in on my… situation?”

She nods. “He did, but you know what the good thing about being a public servant is? Really cheap childcare. The government would even subsidise getting Nuka’s old nanny back.”

“How do you know about her nanny?”

Jenna shrugs. “Paxton’s case. General background check. I also looked into how much her wage is, and how much the government would fund her job for you. It’s all in the folder.”

“Why?”

She rolls her eyes. “You mean apart from the fact you’re my twin brother’s girlfriend and it would make you happy, in turn making him happy?” She pauses for a response I don’t give her, so she continues, “How about that I want you on my team? That your investigative abilities, self-defence, and problem-solving skills rival that of some of my co-workers. Not to mention everything we heard on the tape of your kidnapping. The way you kept calm, kept Zac talking, took a beating so Drew could get free. We need someone like you with us.”

My eyes focus on William, unable to look Jenna in the eye as I ask what’s going through my head. “When you say ‘someone like me’, do you mean Defective?”

“No. I don’t. What I mean is we need someone with your kind of drive and determination.”

“You barely know me.”

“I know enough. You can’t stand there and tell me this doesn’t interest you. I can see the glimmer in your eyes as you’re contemplating it.”

“Are there any other Defective officers out there?”

She purses her lips. “No. You’d be the first.”

I’m hesitant, but excited at the same time. I could be on the right side this time, not trying to arrest innocent people like when I was an agent for the Institute.

No. This is crazy.
“I—”

“Weren’t you the one who was on television just a few days ago, asking everyone to not back down? To make a difference? Teach the world to rid itself of discrimination? Every person in this country has seen your speech, don’t you think being the first ever Defective police officer would drive your point home?” she cuts me off.

I smirk. “Did you practice that speech? It sounded rehearsed.”

“Maybe.” She looks at her feet sheepishly. “Doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

“I’ll think about it. Thank you.”

“That’s all I can ask you to do. There’s a recruitment test scheduled for next month, and then there’s a six-week training camp you’d have to leave for, so I guess there is a bit to consider with the kids, et cetera, but I can assure you it’d be worth it. I know why you were working at the clinic. You want to make a difference in the world, and while this job isn’t curing the world of its stupidity, or ending the war you face on a daily basis, it’s a step in the right direction. You don’t belong in a treatment room, patching up someone who’s been wronged, you belong where you have the chance to prevent such an act to begin with.” She stares at me for dramatic effect. I’m guessing that part of her spiel was rehearsed as well. When I don’t respond, she starts back towards the elevator.

“Did you want to stay? I’m throwing a barbecue for Tate coming home from the hospital. Jayce will be coming later. Jamie too, he’s coming with Ebb.”

“Thanks, but I should probably get going.”

“Drew will be here,” I add. This makes her freeze. “Still haven’t talked to him?”

She shakes her head, turning to face me, “To be honest, I haven’t tried.”

I sigh. “Stay. Talk things out with him.”

She nods slowly. “I won’t know what to say to him.”

“Just tell him the truth,” I say, taking a step closer to her. She nods again. “So you’ll stay?”

“I’ll stay. Anything I can do to help? Chop something? Cook something?”

I smile. I’m glad she’s staying, and I almost want to kiss her for asking to help. “How about entertaining a nine-month-old so he doesn’t destroy the apartment?” I ask, hopeful.

“Done,” she says excitedly, holding out her hands for William to climb over to her. He takes to her immediately, and it puts a smile on my face. “I can really see you in him, you know,” she says.

“Really? All I see is his father. I knew he always reminded me of him, I just thought I was going crazy.”

“I guess that’s understandable. Most likely you’d be looking for signs of him, surrounding yourself with familiarity.”

I chuckle. “Now you’ve been hanging around Jayce for too long. He said the same thing once.”

I start towards the kitchen, and Jenna follows me with William still in her arms. He’s reaching up and twisting her hair in his fingers. I don’t have the heart to tell her he’s about to pull on it. She’ll find out soon enough.

“I’m sorry I ever told Jayce to stay away from you. I realise I haven’t apologised for that yet.”

I wave her off as I start getting what I need out of the fridge and cupboard. “Your brother was crushing on one of your investigative targets. I get it. I didn’t at first, but that was when I thought you were a journalist.”

“Well, I’m sorry anyway. And I’m sorry for lying to you, and I’m—”

“Seriously, no need to apologise. The fact you’ve lied to me only makes you like the rest of my family.”

Her eyebrows fly up at this. “Referring to me as family already, huh? You and Jayce must be pretty serious.”

I try to hide it, but I can feel myself blush. “We’re taking things slow because of the kids.”

“I probably shouldn’t say this, he’ll kill me, but I don’t know how taking it slow is really going to work for Jayce. He’s head over heels in love with you. Kids or no kids, it doesn’t make a difference to him.”

“Really? He seemed pretty eager to take a step back.”

“Well, he was a little freaked out, but to be fair, so were you by the sound of it. Do you know what he told me after he first met you?”

I shake my head at her.

“He said that there was this inexplicable thing, something inside of him that was yelling at him to ask you out, to get close to you. He’d never had that with anyone before. I was actually shocked when he told me he
did
ask you out. And that he was rejected.” She chuckles. “He’s usually the one getting asked, not doing the asking. At first he thought it was his hormones just wanting to screw you—”

“Charming,” I interrupt.

“That’s my brother for you.” She smiles. “And even though he found out through me who you were, he still volunteered at the clinic anyway. He told me he couldn’t help himself, even though he was under the impression you were taken. He never planned on making a move, he said he just wanted to spend time with you. I think his head nearly exploded when he found out you and Paxton weren’t real. He kept his promise to you, though – he always kept everything you ever told him to himself. It drove me nuts, especially because of the case I was building against Paxton.”

I bite my lip to prevent myself from grinning like an idiot. “I felt the same way. I knew I shouldn’t have gotten involved with him, but I found myself wanting to spend time with him anyway.”

“I’m glad he’s found you,” she says quietly, matching my shyness.

***

The sound of sizzling meat makes my mouth water. It’s real meat that Dad trekked out to the Eminent Falls farmers markets to buy, not the laboratory-manufactured fake stuff. The charred barbeque smell only fuels my hunger.

“Smells good, Dad,” I say, as I walk past him to check on Nuka and William playing in the corner of the roof top courtyard.

People are scattered around, Jamie and Ebb are talking to Jenna, Jayce is talking to Shilah, Mum is chasing after Tate, fussing over him and making sure he’s comfortable.

Aunt Kenna has brought Vic along, but they’re downstairs in the apartment getting drinks. They announced they’re officially ‘dating’ upon arrival. Ebb threw up her hands at the news, screaming “Finally!” It made me feel guilty for not picking up on their feelings earlier. I asked them how they could even date when their schedules had them working opposite shifts. My mind briefly flashed to what Jayce and I got up to in the supply closet not all that long ago and shudder to think Aunt Kenna and Vic had done the same. They reassured me, though, when they told me that it’s all a recent development.

The clinic has been doing so well with donations and support from the medical industry that they’ve been able to reopen twenty-four seven and take on a third doctor so their workload is a lot lighter now. Vic suggested they go for dinner on their first day off together, so they did, and now they’re a couple. Simple as that. I couldn’t be happier for my Aunt. She put her entire life on hold to work for the Resistance and the Institute, to protect Shilah and me. She deserves happiness.

“Got yourself a nice entertaining area up here,” Drew’s voice comes from behind me.

I turn and give him a hug. “Thanks. It’s a shame we won’t be here for much longer.”

“Oh?”

“Can’t afford to stay here.” You can’t miss the disappointment in my tone. I really do love it here. I never thought I’d feel so comfortable in the city.

“I heard about that, and I’ve had some thoughts on the matter. You know I can afford to buy out your mortgage, right?”

“You what?” I practically shout. Everyone stops to look at us. I wave them off and turn back to Drew. “You what?” I whisper.

He lets out a single laugh. “My parents are rich. I have a trust in my name that’s been gaining money since before I was sent to the Institute.”

“Since when are your parents rich?”

“Since always.”

“But your dad’s working as a janitor,” I say, confused.

“Because he and Mum feel terrible about turning me over to the Institute when I was a teenager. They said they wanted to make it up to me, that they wanted to spend time getting to know me again. So I told them they could work for me.” He grins.

“That’s horrible!” I say, laughing. “You make your parents clean toilets as punishment?”

He shrugs. “Yup. Wouldn’t it have made you feel better if I spent the rest of my life scrubbing your toilets?”

“Actually, yeah… that would be pretty good.”

“But anyway, as I was saying. I want to buy out your mortgage.”

“You want to buy the apartment?”

“Not the apartment, just the half the bank owns. You can pay me a small amount of rent each week to pay me back, or you can live here rent-free and give me half if, or when, you sell the place. We can work something out that works for both of us.”

My excitement skyrockets before I realise the gravity of the gesture. “I can’t accept that. It’s too much.”

“You can, and you will,” he says, hugging me again. “Besides, real estate is a smart investment, you know. If it makes you feel any better, we’ll have contracts and all that legal crap drawn up. So much paperwork will be coming out of your ears. In a few years, if one of us wants out, we can sell the place together or buy the other out. It will be a partnership – fifty, fifty.”

“You don’t want to move in or anything, do you? Because I was only your roommate for three months, and that was long enough,” I say with a smile.