The Pulse Series (Book 1): Pulse (35 page)

Bradley cast his eyes downward. "I wasn't. I know you won't believe that, but I had no idea what would happen to you. When you dropped what you did on me I…" He shook his head. "I didn't want to believe it. I wanted anything else to be true, so I made a bad decision."

I snorted. Understatement of the year.

He looked up at me, a fire behind his eyes that until this moment his features had been lacking. "If I could make it again, I would choose differently. That doesn't mean anything now, but it's all I have."

I nodded. "You're right. It doesn't mean anything."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry."

I glared at him. "You know I would almost believe you if it weren't for everything that came after. The things they did to me… I don't even remember most of it, but the things I do remember I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy."

"I didn't know about any of that—"

"Oh don't give me that bullshit!" I took a breath and tried to calm myself down. It was risky enough sticking around for this conversation, and I didn't want people rushing toward us at the sound of my voice. "You did see me. I remember."

Bradley lifted his eyes to mine. "That was the day I was almost executed for treason. Did you know that?"

I frowned at him. "What are you talking about?"

Bradley sighed. "It had been months since you were taken away. I was assured by the general that you were only being held to prevent harm from coming to you, and that you would be released when they were sure that you wouldn't try to attack anyone." I snorted, but Bradley continued on like he hadn't heard me. "That excuse got harder to swallow, and I decided to start doing some digging. It wasn't until two months later that I found one of the entrances to the area you had told me about." Bradley winced. "Can I lower my hands, please?"

I inclined my head and he let his arms fall to his sides. I kept the rifle on him as he stretched his shoulders. He began talking again once he had finished. "Anyway I went down into the area and found you there. Do you remember what happened?"

A sour taste entered my mouth. "Not… exactly. I remember that you saw me there, not much else. It's a bit of a blur."

Bradley nodded. "I was walking down one of the walkways overhead when I saw you walk out of your room. I rushed down there as fast as I could, but it wasn't until I was close enough that I could see the marks all over you." Bradley shivered. "You were covered in scratches. Gouges you had made with your own nails."

I frowned at him. I wanted to tell him he was lying, that there was no way I would do that to myself, but a flash of something in the back of my head convinced me that he was telling the truth. "Okay, fine. What then?"

"You refused to come with me." He shook his head. "Refused is the wrong word. It was like you couldn't even hear me. You were… gone." His voice sounded watery.

I shivered. There were flashes where I knew what he was talking about. Those are memories I would rather stayed lost. I didn't like thinking about what I had been then.

Bradley cleared his throat, and his normal voice returned. "When I got my wits about me I went right up to the general's office."

I smirked at him. "Oh did you go to submit a complaint?"

Bradley shrugged. "Something like that." When I raised an eyebrow, he elaborated. "I punched him in the face."

I felt my eyebrows raise of their own free will. "You… punched him?"

He stared at me, his eyes filled with passion. "I did. I wanted to kill him. I'd known he had lied to me, and I wanted to tear him apart. Shame his guards ran in and pulled me off him, or I might have been able to do it too. Catching someone off guard gives you quite the advantage."

I nodded. "Okay, so what happened then?"

He shrugged. "I was put into a cell for a few days while they decided my fate. One day Gus came to me and told me he convinced the general not to execute me as a traitor. I owe my life to that man."

I laughed. "Well isn't that just all nice and cozy for you. Meanwhile I was rotting in one of their torture rooms."

Bradley nodded. "I know. That's why I worked as hard as I could to get the general's trust back. It was the only way I could get you out."

I sneered at him. "You had nothing to do with getting me out."

He inclined his head. "At first I thought they were just keeping you for no reason. It wasn't until I got back in the general's good graces—two months later, I might add—did I discover what their real plans for you were." He looked like he was about to be sick. "I didn't know that they would stoop so low as to take away a human beings free will."

I felt my skin chill at the reminder. I still had no clear memories of my times as a slave. In a way I hoped they never returned, but I knew in the long run I would rather know than not. I could never be a whole person until I knew what I had become. I looked up at him. "So what was the plan? Order me around some, have some fun, and then what?"

"The plan was to get you back to who you were before. I worked my ass off to get back to a position where I could become your controller. From there I was going to develop a plan to get you back to us. Back to me."

I spat on the ground in front of him. "No matter what happened, I would never have been yours again."

His shoulders dropped. "I know."

I shook my head. "How could you even think it?"

He shrugged. "It was a foolish dream. I don't know. Just know that, no matter what happened, I never meant to hurt you. Or anyone."

I shrugged. "That still means nothing. It won't ever."

He nodded. "Fair enough. I can't change that now, but I did intend to help you."

I smirked. "Well it looks like you were beaten to the punch."

The moment the words left my mouth I realized they were a mistake. His eyes widened and he stared open mouthed at me. "Someone else got you out? But… who?"

I waved a hand. "That is none of your concern. I'm out now, and I'm never going back there."

Bradley nodded. "I understand." He turned and pointed toward a bush nearby where he had entered the clearing. "In there is a pack I made up for you. It contains enough supplies to last a few weeks. If you head southeast from here you will hit a town before it runs out as long as you keep up the pace."

I felt myself falter. He had tried. He really had. I opened my mouth to thank him, but then remembered Sarah. My mouth snapped shut. I took a few breaths to get my heart rate under control again.

I looked Bradley in the eyes. "She was my only friend."

His eyes filled with water. "I know. I think about her every day."

I felt my spirit falter. I knew it was stupid, but I said it anyway. "Come with me."

His mouth fell open. "What?"

"I said come with me."

He looked lost for words. "But… why would you want me to?"

I snorted in laughter. "I don't. I am seconds away from pulling this trigger and killing you. I don't know that I could even stomach being in the same forest as you, let alone have you traveling with me." I sighed. "But, like I said, I wouldn't wish what happened to me on my worst enemy."

Bradley gave me a small smile. "That means a lot, it really does, but I can't come with you. I have my reasons, and I'm going to stay. Don't worry about me though, I've put measures in place to make sure that no-one will know I helped you. Also if I stay I can sabotage the search mission. I can still help you from here, even if I have failed you."

I felt disappointment fill me, but I pushed it away. I was better off alone. "Fine. Tell me one thing, though."

He lifted his eyes to mine. "Anything."

I took a breath and swallowed my pride. "I just want to know. Did you ever really care about me?"

A moment passed between us where I wanted to take the question back, but that moment passed and he responded.

"More than anything."

Tears threatened to sprinkle my eyes, but I fought against them. There would be time for sorrow and remorse, but now was not that time. I nodded and lowered the weapon. It fell from my grip, but the strap around me neck prevented it from falling to the ground.

I gave him a small nod. "I guess this is goodbye then."

He nodded. "I guess so."

Another voice came from the other side of the clearing. "Not so fast."

Bradley and I both spun to the source of the comment, and the blood left my face when I saw who it was. General Walker was standing alone holding at large pistol aimed at my head. There was no way I would be able to get to my own weapon, which now hung at my side, before he could pull the trigger.

The general smiled at me. "I knew he would lead me to you. Gus tried to convince me he could be trusted, but I knew better. There is something about you that makes him forget his duty."

I grit my teeth and opened my mouth to respond, but Bradley beat me to the punch.

"You always knew how to make an entrance, didn't you, dad?"

FORTY-SEVEN

I stared between them with my mouth hanging open. "Dad?"

General Walker inclined his head. "Yes. This miserable excuse for a soldier is my son."

Bradley snorted, but didn't say anything. I grit my teeth and looked at the gun that the general was holding. It was the pistol he had used to kill Sarah.

"Admiring my revolver are you? This right here is a .357 magnum. If I pull this trigger we wouldn't be able to find every piece of your head."

I believed him. The thing was massive compared to the pistols I was used to.

"So what's the plan? Take me back and brainwash me again?"

The general inclined his head. "If at all possible. You're a useful tool. One of the best young performers I have ever seen, in fact." I sneered at him to hide the pride that I felt upon hearing those words. He disgusted me, but I still held the opinion of this man in high regard. Maybe there was something wrong with that, but I wasn't about to question it now. The general sighed. "It's that attitude that's the problem."

My mouth dropped open. "Attitude? Are you kidding me? You're all a bunch of murderers! You hide behind this mask of protecting the people, but all you're doing is grasping for more control and power. You people make me sick."

A small smile played over the general's lips. "That's quite the bold statement coming from someone who just killed seventeen people."

My blood went cold. Seventeen? Had there really been that many? I wanted to be sick. "T—That was self-defense."

"You keep telling yourself that, Alex. I'm sure it will help you sleep soundly each night."

I glared at him. "Don't you dare try to compare what I did with the atrocities you have committed."

The general shrugged. "Everything I've done has been for the greater good. It is not my issue that you have so narrow a world view that you can't see that. I sleep like a baby."

I felt my lip curl in disgust. "You're a psychopath."

The general sighed. "I grow weary of this. You can't fight me, not when I have my weapon on you. I know you used your pulse, and there's no way it's back up already, even at your best estimates. You can either come quietly, or with bullets through your knees. The medicine we have can fix you up either way. Your choice."

I felt myself start to sweat. He was right. There was no way out of this for me. I swallowed hard and tried to think. My mind was running at a hundred miles a second, but I couldn't see a way out of this.

I grit my teeth and looked him in the eye. "I'd rather die."

The moment to words left my lips I knew them to be true. There was no way I would ever go back to being the thing they made me. Death was better. I tensed my legs, ready to run. I wasn't going to survive, and I accepted that. With a deep breath I started to turn.

"Stop."

I froze and turned to look at Bradley. I had almost forgotten he was there. He looked between me and his father, and I could tell he was torn with what to do.

General Walker sneered. "Stay out of this, child."

Bradley seemed to come to a decision. "No. I'll not let you do this."

The general turned to look at him with his eyes wide. "Let?"

Bradley raised his chin. "She might not have her pulse, but I have mine. Lower the gun now, or I'll take you down."

The general stared at his son, his gun still trained on me. His focus was away from me, but I didn't want to risk making a run for it. A twitch of the finger was faster than my best speed. After a tense few seconds a smile began to spread on the general's face. "I'd like to see you try." He turned back to me and sighted me up again.

Fear tore through me as I realized I was about to die. I closed my eyes. That exact moment I felt a wave rush through me. My eyes flew open and I turned to see Bradley running at his father. It was like the world was in slow motion, but I wasn't able to move faster than anyone else. The general's head swung around and he turned to train the pistol on his son, but he was too slow. Bradley leapt forward and tacked his father to the ground.

Time sped up again and I tore toward the two rolling on the ground. One of the general's large hands wrapped around Bradley's neck and squeezed down hard. Bradley's eyes bulged and he grasped at his father hand, trying to pull it away from his throat. He didn't see the general's other hand lift the gun up toward his head.

But I did.

I reached their side just as the gun was placed against Bradley's temple. I launched my foot forward and kicked Walker's hand hard, sending the gun flying end over end. I watched as it landed on the other side of the pond, two feet shy of the water.

The general screamed in rage and struck out with his now free arm at me. I stumbled back and fell to the ground just out of his range. I saw the murder in his eyes as he glared at me from his position on the ground. Bradley was still struggling in his other arm, and his attention went back to his son. He closed his free hand into a fast and brought it around hard. He released Bradley's throat as his other hand connected with his face. Bradley fell straight to the ground. His face impacted the dirt and he didn't move.

"Bradley!"

My scream made the general turn back to face me. He threw himself forward, but I was in the better position and tucked myself into a backwards roll and out of his reach. Within moments I was up on my feet, but to my dismay so was he. I stepped backward to put some space between us. The man was huge. I had known he was strong, but seeing him in full fighting mode gave me a whole other perspective on him. I had assumed he was getting too old to fight anymore. I was mistaken.