No Pain: Book 1

Chapter 49: Mason

"Long time no see." I look the doctor up and down, "how's Star been?"

"Still interested in her?" Adler rolls his eyes at me "she's stubborn enough for you."

"No one controls me, not her and not Najee." I smirk at him "not you either."

"Of course not." Adler says, "we're partners."

"Don't forget it either." I warn him. "Star found your plans by the way."

"She's got a hard head, I thought she'd run the second her team got the order to leave her but she kept rummaging through my office."

"I can't believe she found anything in there." I walk past Adler "it's such a mess."

"Geniuses are often disorganized." Adler smirks at me.

"Whatever man, let me see her now, I've got a score to settle." I roll my shoulders and pull on my arm to stretch it. Star wasn't the person to pick a fight with before, at sixteen, after five years of training I can't imagine how lethal the boss made her.

"No." Adler says.

"Excuse me?" I step into his path and stare him down "I said let me see her."

"Not yet, I need her to ask for her defect back first." Adler brushes past me.

"You said we were partners." I grab his shirt and yank him back "let me see her and she'll be begging for her defect back."

"No, I want her to ask for it back on my terms, not yours, Mason." He narrows his eyes at me "remember, you still need the antigen." Adler threatens me. I let his shirt slip out of my grasp and smooth it out.

"I'd be careful with your threats, I get what I want one way or another."

"Except control." Adler smirks "Najee's more stable than you, he can hold control for longer periods."

"I could just kill you," I remind him "Star found your plans, I'm sure I can find your case of antigens, find the one labeled DID."

"You could." Adler agrees "but then you'd run out, they're not permanent right now, the second it wears off all the other personalities will drag you back in and hold you down for another few years."

I narrow my eyes at him for a moment but I can't help but smile "you learned from the last time you made a deal with me."

"I did." Adler smiles and I back up to let him off the wall.

"We have to begin before the antigen wears off on Star, she still thinks my plan is tomorrow."

"Moved it up a day to throw her?" I ask. "nice, but your impatience is showing. You made it sooner."

"There are some things we just can't help." Adler says

"You'll tell me where she is after I help you?" I ask, "and you'll give me the antigen?"

"Of course." He says.

"You know I'll kill you if you don't." I remind him.

"I do." Adler falls into step beside me.

"Good." I smile inwardly.

Hear that guys? Soon it's only gonna be me. I can feel a sense of panic that isn't mine but I'm not letting any of them come close enough to take control.

It's gonna be all me. I smile to myself, no more Najee, no more Thierry or Noah or any of them. I'll finally get to do what I want to do.

"So, this is the team now." I watch the monitors, of course Kader and Keller are attached at the hip. "Keller really grew into those curves these last three years." Thierry's right, she is pretty. Kader beefed up too, but he's still too relaxed, he can't protect Keller, not from Adler and not from me.