She takes a deep, steadying breath. “You know it’s time for this to end, Wyatt. We’ve fought for this since the beginning.”
His eyes connect with mine and I see the guilt behind them for spreading this virus in the first place. It’s his boulder. The one thing he can’t fix. Except maybe now he can? Maybe this is the solution he’s been looking for.
“Wyatt.” It comes out a stronger warning than I intended.
Walker continues speaking low and quick. “He’s telling Erwin right now where he stands and that he wants the Ramsey’s to destroy the vaccinations and start clean. No mutations. No manipulations. Just a vaccine that protects us from the E-TR virus.”
I shake my head. “A lot has changed since you’ve been gone. So much.”
The tone of her voice and the hard edges of her eyes make me know better than to reveal that we took the EVI-3 injection. I can still feel the lingering results. But that injection saved my life. It saved all of our lives.
“Hamilton has a strong vision for the future. A good future. Clean and safe,” Walker says. “He has resources, weapons, food, and supplies. He’s what left of the actual government. He can help us get back on track and we can be a part of it, as long as we follow his plan.”
I glance uneasily at the two men in the house. They look casual. Like they’re having a normal conversation, but there’s a vibe rolling off the room. I don’t know if everyone feels it or if it’s the spidey-sense that comes along with the injection. I take a breath and say, “That’s not going to work. You do realize that Erwin is a Mutt, right?”
Immediately her expression and demeanor changes. She curses and says, “I knew something was different.”
She pushes past me. Benjamin, who’s closest to the door, runs in after her. I haven’t moved, instead watching frozen in my spot through the wide picture window as Hamilton leans back, the metal of a gun in his hands. Erwin lunges across the table, reflexes like a cat. But Green dives between them just as the gun fires.
He lands with a thud, taking the table down, under his weight. A second shot fires and it goes straight through the center of Erwin’s forehead.
I look back at Paul and Cole. “Get the hell out of here. Now.”
I rush into the room, two steps behind Wyatt but it’s too late. Erwin and Green are both dead. Their lifeless bodies are in the middle of the room. The rest of us have our weapons are drawn. Jackson, Walker, me, and Wyatt. We’re caught in standoff, friend against friend.
Hamilton rubs the tip of the barrel against his sleeve. “It was my understanding you and General Erwin had a challenging relationship, Alexandra.”
“Why did you do that?” I ask, trying not to look at the bodies of my two dead allies on the floor. It’s impossible and I swallow back nausea at the blood pooling beneath Green. “Erwin’s done nothing but fight against the Hybrids and for this country for years.”
“He’s an abomination, as all of the mutants are. We simply cannot become a whole society again until each and every one is eliminated.”
“That’s impossible. The Hybrids ran tonight. There were hundreds left. The Mutts, too. When they hear Erwin is gone they’ll run,” Wyatt says. “The Mutts are a useful asset.”
Hamilton raises an eye at Wyatt. “I’m surprised to hear such talk from you, Sergeant Faraday. You’re known for being such a patriot.”
“This has nothing to do about patriotism.”
The Colonel laughs, flashing his white teeth. “Oh, you’re wrong about that.” He leans forward. “Let me make this clear. The Hybrid wars are over. We’re reestablishing society, one I’m hoping you’ll be a part of.”
“Have you been out there?” I ask, still reeling from the murders. My voice cracks when I speak. “The whole country, particularly the South, is falling apart. There’s not enough vaccine to go around. The Eaters are not under control—the best ones to keep them under control are the Mutts. Don’t you understand that?”
“What I understand is that there’s no gray area here. It’s black and white. Human or not. Only one can survive.” What he says rings true, but at the same time I see one friend and one ally dead in the middle of the room and it’s not okay. Hamilton must sense my hesitation. “Change is difficult but you’ve proven yourself a useful asset, and your references,” he nods at Walker and Jackson, “are impeccable. I’m willing to give you a chance. All of you.”
“What do you want us to do?” Wyatt asks.
Hamilton smiles knowingly at him. “Accept the invitation to join my new world order. I think I have the perfect job for everyone, specifically you two.”
I fight to keep my face blank. Everyone else in the room is much, much better at it than I am. I ask, “And what exactly is that?”
“I plan on having you and Sergeant Faraday lead the Bounty Hunter Initiative.”
“Bounty hunters?”
“You’ll be in charge of rounding up the Hybrids and Mutts and exterminating them,” Walker says. “Under my command.”
I open my mouth to speak. To tell them to shove their crazy plan where the sun doesn’t shine, but I feel the pressure of a hand on my back from Wyatt and a glint of urgency in Walker’s eyes.
“We’ll do it,” Wyatt says, speaking for the both of us.