Syphons - There's No Denying Their Existence

Chapter 3: Edge Labs

The facility located in the middle of the boondocks, roughly forty-five minutes from downtown hidden behind a grove of pines and oaks that still grew wild. A lack of human influence among the native foliage created the perfect cover for the Edge facility. Out here, nature remained wild and untouched so long as it stayed outside of the perimeter of the facility.

AJ's silence during the ride meant that he wasn't happy with my decision. But I didn't care. My knowledge about Mindstalkers, Queens, and Entangling might be limited, but I'm not about to be used by anyone. Besides, my wipeout back at the apartment might've triggered AJ's natural urges. While he might've had a convincing solution, I know what AJ really wants, and I wasn't about to entertain a feeding from a parasitic vessel.

I can't give in.

The guard station resembled entry into a high-tech military base. AJ received clearance from the guard, and we sped along a winding road situated between rows of overgrown gnarled live oaks, and a grove of slash pines.

Unease stirred within me, and I just needed to tell the individuals at the facility my truth. But I wasn't sure of it myself. Spotty revelations and AJ's info was all I had to go by. All in all, I wouldn't know what to say if someone asked me what really happened.

My mind wandered from worry to the fever I had earlier. It all stemmed from AJ pinning me. It seemed like an inconvenient time for thoughts of me being bed by AJ to come up in my head. But, as soon as one concern died down, a new conspiracy popped up, what if AJ's lulling me to Edge in order to turn me over to dangerous people or possibly the government?

"You have quite the wild imagination," AJ muttered under his breath.

"Would you stay out of my head?"

"I tried, but I have front seat access to your thoughts, because of the entanglement."

"Stop saying we're Entangled."

He glanced at me from the corner of his eyes. Silent. He pulled into a parking garage and parked on the third level beside a large concrete building, surrounded by a number of squat, wider buildings.

"You may be in denial, but this is happening," he said, as he unclipped his seat-belt and shoved his door open.

"So, you're just using me to feed some internal need to mess with my emotions," I snapped, unable to contain my fuming anger. I hated games, and I hated being played even more.

"I would never." He cut himself off.

"You'd never what?" I said.

Someone tapped on my window. I turned and almost jumped out of my skin.

A man with coppery weathered skin, and a clean-shaven bald head, which glistened with sweat stared through my window with sharp hazel eyes. He focused into my window and wore a large white toothy smile that could brighten any cloudy day.

He stepped back from my door. I noticed his army fatigues, and a bright shiny chrome-tinted weapon hung from a leather holster off his waist. It resembled a Glock, but none I've ever seen in movies or on TV. In his other hand, he carried a thick black baton, outstretched with three prongs at the end.

"Hey, Maurice," AJ said, and greeted the agent with a fist-bump. Is this the man I needed to speak to?

"It's been a minute since I've seen you. Who's your friend?" Maurice asked and tossed his chin in my direction. I hadn't made any attempts to open the car door. Nor would I. But I did pick up on a bit of a down-by-the-bayou, Louisiana accent from him, and he flashed that gorgeous grin again.

"She's a possible eyewitness for a case I'm handling," AJ said and made his way to my door, prying it open. I frowned inwardly.

"Do you know if the director's available?" he asked.