Hostage to Pleasure

CHAPTER 26

Amara’s lips curled upward when Ming LeBon’s face appeared on the large communications panel at the other end of the lab, a lab located somewhere in Death Valley—they’d moved her there after she’d told them she could find Ashaya, but only if she was in the same state. It was a lie, of course. One that got her closer to her twin. “Councilor. I trust your hunt was successful.”

Ming looked at her with those too black eyes of his. Conversely, one side of his face was covered in a bright red birth-mark. Some problem with pigmentation, Amara thought, unconcerned. Very few things concerned Amara.

“No,” Ming finally replied. “Your coordinates were incorrect.”

“Truly?” Amara played innocent. “She was there.”

“There were indications she might’ve been in the area. But the net was too wide.”

“Ah.” She smiled and spread her arms open, palms upturned. “I’ll try to do better next time.”

“I would rather you tell me how you’re able to track her in the first place.”

Raising a finger, she waved it in a chiding manner. “No, no, no. That would break the rules.”

“Rules?”

“Oh, no, Councilor.” Amara laughed, and it was a premeditated act. “We both know I’m not quite right in the head.” She took a cold delight in being deliberately offensive to his calculating Psy mind. “But it doesn’t affect my intelligence so don’t treat me like I have the IQ of one of the rehabilitated.”

“My apologies.”

She knew the words were meaningless. He was humoring her because he thought she could hand him the implant that would allow him to control the entire Psy race. Perhaps he would share it with the other Councilors. Perhaps he wouldn’t. It made no difference to Amara. “As to how I track Ashaya, I—” She broke off with a theatrical gasp. “Oops, I almost let the cat out of the bag. Naughty me.”

Ming stared at her and she wondered if he expected her to break. However, when he spoke, it was nothing expected. “You and Ashaya are identical genetic specimens. You gestated in the same womb, were brought up in the same environment.”

“Until you made me run away.” She pouted. “Why did you have to go put a rehab order on me?”

“And yet,” he continued, as if she hadn’t spoken, “you are fundamentally flawed, while Ashaya—despite her unfortunate political bent—has always been the perfect Psy.”

Amara wondered if Ming really was as blind as he appeared. Or had her twin managed to perfect her mask to that high a degree? Well, now, if that was true, then the game was going to be very, very interesting. Goody. “We are an enigma. Perhaps you’d care to study us before you eliminate us?”

“You speak of your death with ease.”

“I’m no fool, Ming. The second I hand you the implant, I’m dead and so is Ashaya.”

“Which gives you good reason to delay.”

“True,” she agreed with a careless shrug. “However, I find the thought of immortality quite… enticing. The implant will live on long after we’re both wiped from existence.”

“Then you’re certain you can deliver?”

She raised an eyebrow, giggling inwardly at the secret only she and Ashaya knew. Ming would forget all about the implant if he realized there was something far better already in existence.

But that was their secret. Hers, Ashaya’s… and Keenan’s.