BENEATH SURFACES II

Samantha's POV I shivered along my spine the instant Royce's gaze locked with mine. Calm, cool, and radiating total control, he stood there in the moonlit courtyard. Though he wasn't armed, every stride he made toward us felt as though it were a threat. That arrogant look on his face, the one declaring he had already won before the game had begun? I forced myself to stand my ground by swallowing hard. Beside me, Alex tightened; his eyes narrowed as he moved slightly in front of me, his protective sense triggered. Lila trailed behind us, her faint, short gasps faltering. We had the software, we were so near to escape, but now, facing Royce personally, I could feel the triumph slipping through our hands. Royce replied, his voice smooth as silk but with an underlying malice, "You've caused quite a bit of trouble." He looked at Alex then back to me, his smile broadening. But Samantha, I really respect your tenacity. Have you not always been good at that? I answered nothing; my heart thumping in my chest, I attempted to figure out a way out of this. Our program included the tools. We carried evidence to bring him down. But here he was, sandwiched between us and our freedom, as if the entire evening had turned out just the way he had planned it to. Alex moved forward, his voice low and steady but with an edge of peril I knew well. Royce, get out of our path. Royce laughed gently, like though Alex had just cracked a good joke. Hello, Alex. Always extremely straightforward and consistent. You are thus easy to manage. He swung his eyes back to me, glistening with something far more deadly. However, Samantha—you are unique. I never really know what you might do going forward. That is why you are interested. The fire of wrath boiling behind my skin, I closed my fists at my sides. I wanted Royce not to be fascinating. It was me that at last pulled him down. "You're not getting away with this," I muttered, my voice trembling only slightly as I battled to hang on to my will. Is that what I am? Royce arched an eyebrow and then moved slowly forward. "You believe you have won, don't you? Because you pilfer a small portion of my empire. One thing, though, you are neglecting: you are still playing my game. He waved around us, to the vast estate all around, to the armed guards I knew were just a call away. his domain. His principles. Alex snarled, moving once more toward Royce, but I grabbed his arm as he reached out. There was no time for a conflict here. Not right yet. Not exacerbate things; we had to leave here. Whispering urgently, "Alex, no," I said. "We have to get out." He paused, the conflict between him and Royce clear-cut. Though he knew I was right, I could sense his heat of wrath and his will to stop this once and for always. Not on his territory, not here, we were unable to fight Royce. We simply had to go away alive; we came for something else. Royce urged listeners to pay attention, his voice a mocking purr. She is smarter than you credit her for. Alex gave him a terrible glare, then stepped back to my side. Though the terror still twisted in my gut, I sighed a little in relief. Royce wasn't done. We hadn't considered his other plans, which were somewhat different. Royce said, his smile widening as though he were about to reveal the punchline to a long, cruel joke, "now, you've taken something from me." You will also pay for that. Still, I am not without compassion. You only need to hand up the program; we will forget this ever happened. One chance for you to walk away is here. Blood went to ice in me. The only item we could not afford to lose was the program, the means to destroy his dominion. Should we turn it over, all we had done—all the dangers we had taken—would be useless. "We're not giving you anything," I answered, my voice hard now even as anxiety seized my chest. Royce, we have finished playing your games. His smile darkened somewhat, and for the first time I sensed something flickering in his eyes—perhaps even wrath. You really do think you could win this, don't you? I omitted responding. Every thread of my life was urging me to go, to get as far from Royce as I could, but I couldn't let him see my anxiety. not right now. Not at such close proximity. Royce's voice dropped to a chilly, intimidating tone and his posture became stiff. Samantha, you're making a mistake. The air around us was weighty and packed with conflict; I knew the next few minutes would determine everything. Royce wasn't going to let us leave this place without struggle. We lacked options, though. We had to leave. Alex leaned toward me, his hand lightly brushing against mine in a quiet sign of encouragement, so he must have felt the change too. We were in this together, irrespective of what occurred next. My heart thumping in my ears, I inhaled deeply. "We're going to leave." Royce motionless, his eyes narrowing as he studied us. You will come to regret this. I waited not for him to finish. Taking Alex's hand, I whirled and shot for the car, my legs ablaze with adrenaline as I sprinted. Already there, Lila was fumbling with the keys trying to open the door, her hands shaking. Royce yelled behind us, but I turned away not looking back. We had what was required of us. We merely needed to leave. At last the car doors opened, and we rushed inside slamming the doors closed behind us. Alex sprang into the driver's seat, his hands tightly clutching the wheel as he turned on the engine. "Leave!" With half expecting to see Royce's men closing in on us, I yelled, my voice terrified as I turned back at the estate. Alex depressed the throttle pedal, the car lurching forward as we rushed away from the estate, the tires screaming on the road. My heart was hammering so fiercely I felt it may explode from my chest. Still, we were on our way. We were departing. None of us daring to talk as we raced down the road, the atmosphere in the car was stifling. Expecting to see headlights after us, I continued staring in the rearview mirror but there was nothing. The estate vanished from behind us into the gloom. I let myself believe, for a tiny instant, we were safe. The phone in my lap buzzed then, though. I paused, picking it up with shakable fingers. Still another, from an unidentified number. Opening it, my tummy turned as I knew what I would discover immediately. Samantha, you cannot run ahead of me. One stride ahead will always be my constant. I studied the words, my chest constricting in a mixture of anxiety and annoyance. Royce still had unfinished business. not quite by chance. Deep down, too, I felt this was not done. He was engaged in a far more expansive game than I could yet completely grasp. Alex murmured, his voice disturbing the quiet in the car, "We need to regroup." Though his expression was hard and concentrated, I could detect weariness in his eyes. This was not the way he had projected events. "Decide our next action." I nodded, but my head was flying in a thousand different directions. Royce's intended course of action: Why had he not halted us? It felt overly simple, too deliberate. From the rear seat, Lila exhaled shakily; her voice was almost audible. "What are we supposed to do now?" I looked at Alex and then back to the road ahead, my head whirling with alternatives. We are not done, I whispered softly. "Not quite yet." The only sound surrounding us as we drove more into the night was the silence of the automobile, which made me unable to get rid of the impression Royce was still observing, still waiting. And deep down, I knew—when my phone chimed once more—that I was correct. Though the main game is only getting started, you believe you have won something.