“And if I say no?”
“I don’t know if I’m giving you a choice here. And I’d think you’d want a guy around to protect you in case somehow the Corps comes sniffing around. You already know they’re ready to kill people without too much restraint.”
Selena’s eyes widened, and she looked away. “I have to go hang out at the secret hybrid hideout?”
“Hell no,” Cornelius said. “No wa—”
Maximus stern look shut the other hybrid’s mouth. “My men need to concentrate until the raid. I’ll stay with you in your hotel room until it’s time.”
Selena sighed. “What a day.”
Cornelius looked satisfied. CJ and Tiberius both did a poor job of hiding their smirks. Maximus didn’t care.
“We’ve got a raid to plan,” he said. “And I’ll need you three to get the men ready.”
Chapter Sixteen
Selena flopped onto the bed and spread her arms out. She stared at the ceiling thinking about how much her life had changed in the last few weeks. The new job was exciting as it was frustrating, and now she found herself caught up with a group of hybrids and their mysterious enemies. While she’d always pitied the hybrids based on what she’d heard on TV and was curious about meeting one, she could have gone without two thugs trying to kill her.
Maximus tucked his sunglasses into a pocket and settled into a chair. The poor piece of furniture groaned under the massive man’s weight. She wasn’t sure if it’d survive, but if it broke, that’d be one of the least annoying and surprising things that happened that day.
“Is it always like this with you?” Selena asked.
“Tracking down guys in hidden labs with guns?” Maximus replied with a smile.
“Basically.”
Maximus shook his head. “If we were always able to find them easily, they would have been finished a long time ago, but it’s not like being a hybrid means you have a life free from risk. That’s why the Luna hybrids left America. They should have been safe, but no matter what they did, they were targeted.”
Selena sat up. “But the Horatius Group is finished.”
“It doesn’t mean everybody in it is dead or in jail,” Maximus said. “We’re hoping to finish off the Corps here, but there’s always going to be some guy out there with money and a plan. It’s not that I think there will never be a time where hybrids can live without keeping an eye open at night, but it’s probably going to be at least a few years after the destruction of the Group and the Corps.”
Selena gave him a sympathetic smile. “It makes all my whining about my job seem petty.”
Maximus shook his head. “It’s important to you, and I wouldn’t suggest otherwise. I don’t want other people’s lives to be harder because mine has been. That’s petty bullshit.”
“Are you really going to run into some secret base at night by yourselves?” Selena wrapped her arms around her knees and pulled them up against her chest. “I know you’re special, but you said it yourself. They know you’re coming.”
“They might run.” Maximus shrugged. “If they do, we can hit them when they try to board a boat or a plane. That would be best.”
“But you don’t think they will, do you?”
“No.” Maximus stared down at his hands, the same hands he’d used to save her life in the forest. “Especially if it’s Doctor Quinen. That’s who we’re looking for. He was a big deal involved in the research concerning us, and the guy’s an arrogant bastard in addition to being a complete sociopath. He might think now that he knows that he has the upper hand. I wouldn’t be surprised.”
Selena let out a strangled laugh. “Doesn’t he? I mean just because you know you might be walking into a trap doesn’t mean you can avoid it.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Her eyes widened when she saw the multiple missed messages and calls. “Oh crap.” She tapped through the messages, her stomach churning more with each one she read from Bill.
Where are you? We have an emergency meeting to discuss shooting plans.
Why haven’t you responded?
If you don’t respond in the next five minutes, you’re fired. I’m already having to alter my vision because of your incompetence.
Don’t bother coming back. You’re fired. You’ll need to find your own way back to the mainland.
“What’s wrong?” Maximus shot to his feet, ready for action.
Selena tossed the phone on the nightstand and flopped back down onto the bed. “Oh, well, that’s that. I just got fired. I forgot I turned my ringer off before we headed into the forest, and then we didn’t have any signal. Oh well.”
“I’m sorry.” Maximus settled back into his seat with a frown. “I wish there was something I could do.”
Selena waved a hand. “It’s not your fault. If anything it’s that Quinen bastard’s fault. When you see him, kick him in the balls for me.”
Maximus chuckled. “I’ll try and remember.”
“It’s not like I even liked the job, but it was supposed to be a steppingstone.” Selena raised her hand and spread her fingers out. “To a better future.”
“That’s something I can relate to.”
“It’s silly.” She dropped her hand and rolled onto her side to look at Maximus. “Yesterday, getting this location crap taken care of seemed like the most important thing in the world, like a matter of life and death, and that’s before we even get to the pretzels.”
Maximus furrowed his brow and let out an annoyed grunt. “I can’t believe that asshole was making you waste time getting him snacks.”
“That’s what it means to be a star.” Selena sighed. “You can leave, you know. You don’t have to waste your time hanging out with me. I’m not going anywhere.”
Maximus shook his head. “I don’t think leaving’s a good idea.”
She gave him a soft smile. “I know Cornelius thinks I’m one step from being a spy, but I know you don’t.”
Maximus frowned. “And how can you be so sure?”
“I
