That was a jab at me and what I’d done, calling in Jacobs. “If you have something to say—” I began.
Ford ignored me. “I’ve run the scenarios,” she said to Ariane as she emerged from the alcove into the hall. Strangely, she seemed unsteady on her feet, wobbling as she approached. “We are fairly well matched.” She folded her arms across her chest, but not before I saw her hands shaking, like she was in withdrawal.
Maybe she was. I knew from our last encounter that it was not easy for her to be separated from the others. Well, now just Carter, I guess. I didn’t know what that looked like, but this might be it.
“Killing him,” Ford inclined her head at me, “which I’d very much enjoy, would even the competition, making it a true test of our skills and ingenuity.”
“You can try,” I snapped, my blood heating for battle once again.
“But I suspect that would only fire your desire for retribution,” Ford said.
Ariane nodded slowly. “That would be accurate.”
“Or maybe Ford’s just afraid we’ll team up against her,” I pointed out. In her weakened state, Ariane and I probably had more than a decent chance of putting Ford out of commission.
Ariane frowned at me. Don’t stir up more trouble. It came through as a barely intelligible whisper in my head, beneath the noise, but clear enough, particularly with her expression.
“In exchange for his life, I want you to stay away,” Ford said to Ariane flatly.
That was…not what I’d expected. Ariane either, given the look of surprise on her face.
“Carter is gone, removed from the premises,” Ford said, after a long moment, as if it pained her to speak the words. “But Laughlin has promised to return him, unharmed, and let him continue with school and live out the remainder of his life as he chooses at the facility, if I win.”
“And you believe that?” I asked.
Ford looked at me directly for the first time. “I believe it’s better than what he’ll do to us if I lose. And Carter is family, mine to protect.” The fierceness in her words spoke to how far she was willing to go to see him safe.
She returned her attention to Ariane. “The two of you will likely seal your own fates with disobedience. All I ask is that you do so far from me and the target.” Her shoulders were tense, her mouth tight as though she were being forced to chew gravel and trying to keep from spitting it out.
Ah, this was Ford asking for a favor.
Ariane’s gaze dropped to the floor. “I don’t know if I can do that,” she said.
I felt a stab of fear. She didn’t know about Justine. She didn’t know about the other possibilities. But her defeated manner spoke to something more; a vital part of her had changed. She’d always been lit by this inner fire and determination. I’d seen that at every turn, even when she was locked in GTX with Rachel and me staring at her through that observation window.
But now…had she given up?
Ford nodded, a curt jerk of her head that looked more like an involuntary muscles spasm than actual communication. “Understand that you cannot split your priorities, sister.”
Ariane jolted at the word. It was, I was sure, the first time anyone had ever referred to her as a sibling. Powerful, even if it was only a blatant attempt at manipulation.
“It will be either his life or your success,” Ford continued. “You cannot have both.”
She turned on her heel and disappeared into the closed restaurant. Maybe they should try locking those doors. Not that it would have stopped her. Or any of us, I guess.
“Are you all right?” Ariane asked me, her voice guarded. She hadn’t moved from her spot at the other end of the hall, her posture stiff as if she was holding herself back, and the gap between us felt uncrossable suddenly.
I swallowed hard over the lump in my throat. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“I’m glad you’re alive,” she said, but her words held awkwardness and distance, like she was speaking to someone she used to know.
“So you believe me?” I had to ask.
She tilted her head, considering her answer before speaking. “I was giving you the opportunity to hurt me. You didn’t take it.”
I winced. “Ariane.” I started toward her.
“No.” She held up her hand, stopping me. She pulled out her Committee-issued phone from her pocket, checked the screen, and then let her breath out slowly, collecting herself. “Listen to me. I have about thirty seconds more before Jacobs sees the two of us here alone and assumes we’re collaborating and decides to start hurting people.”
“Who?” I asked, holding my breath with dread. Had he dragged my mom or Quinn into this mess again?
“My mother.”
I blinked. “Who?” As far as I knew, Ariane’s only family had been her adoptive father, Mark Tucker.
She shook her head. “I don’t have time to explain. You need to get out of here. Forfeit, run away, have them send in that other…Adam. Whatever you need to do to leave the competition, do it. Go home and hope they all forget they ever saw you.”