A/N: Welcome back to Cade's perspective! This chapter was very interesting to write, so I hope you all have fun reading it. Comment and like if you're enjoying the sequel so far!

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06 - 01 - 2089

C A D E

Gis and I are in the middle of eating when Yaun enters and orders me to follow him. I stare, breathing through a growing sense of anger. My face throbs with increased blood flow, a fresh reminder of Yaun's potential for brutality. I refuse to respond, instead taking another bite out of the roll on my tray. 

Gis looks from Yaun to me. "Cade?" She's holding an identical tray in her lap, upon which sits a piece of meat, pile of rice, and some bread. She's holding a cup of water in her hands.

"What do you want?" I finally growl, directing my attention back to Yaun. My body is tensed in anticipation should he try anything. "You caught us. Isn't that enough?"

Yaun rolls his eyes. "Don't be dramatic. I was just following orders. Alex wants to see you."

Gis pushes away her tray and begins to stand, halting when I put a hand on her arm. "No," I mutter. "We're not going with him. I don't trust anything he says."

"Not her," Yaun says. "Just you." He eyes me, hand drifting to the taser holstered on his belt. 

I swallow. "I'm not leaving her. I already told you I'm not coming."

"Chill out. I'm not going to hurt you or her. Just come with me." Yaun looks bored of this conversation. Does he even care about the damage he's caused? I wonder why Alex would even employ someone of his sort. He seems to have very little reason to be in this band of rebels. Or maybe he just longs to commit acts of violence, and this was the best way to do that. 

"Why does he want to see me?" I'm seated on Gis' bed, legs hanging off the side. My posture is relaxed, but my mind is alert. Ready to react at a moment's notice. 

"Do I have to tase your sorry behind and drag you myself?" Yaun snaps, done with the conversation. "I have better things to do than be your babysitter."

I start to rise and open my mouth to snap back, but Gis pulls on my arm. I look down at her, hesitating. She lowers her voice. "Please just do as he says, Cade. I don't want to see you hurt again." 

I stare into her eyes for several moments. My pride rages against backing down. Against showing weakness or submission. I nod. "Okay." 

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It's nothing short of a miracle, but somehow Yaun and I arrive at Alex's office without tearing each other to pieces. He watches me enter, still staring as the door shuts behind me. I do a quick survey of the room, noting the simple bookshelves lining both walls, fluorescent lights less harsh than in the hallway. A large oak desk rests in the center of the room, taking up a good amount of the space. Alex sits behind it, nodding as I meet his gaze.

"Thank you for coming. I'm sure it's hard to be away from her for any amount of time," Alex says. "Please, sit." He gestures to a chair situated on the opposite side of the desk, near me. 

I comply, noting the appreciative tone of his voice. He offers me a glass of water, but I decline. I watch as he pours himself one, then sits back down. We face one another, separated by his large desk. For several moments, no one speaks. I take the time to study him, noting the same dark hair that Gis has, soft and straight. But his is a tad bit lighter, closer to dark brown than black. 

I suppose he is doing the same thing, studying the boy who loves his daughter. Noting the bruises along my nose and jaw. I run a hand through my thick hair, now uncomfortable with the staring. 

"You wanted to see me?" I ask, breaking the thick silence.

Alex nods. "Yes, right. I needed to speak with you alone. I didn't want Nova to be present for this, given her condition. She is still very fragile, and I know you care for her as well."

My apprehension is growing with every word he says, wondering what in the world he needs to speak with me about. I keep my mouth shut, jaw tense as he continues. 

"Well, I'll get right to the point. Who's side are you on, Cade?"

The question catches me off guard. I frown. "I'm on Gis' side."

Alex folds his hands, resting them on the desk as he leans forward. "Please don't think I'm trying to be accusatory. I merely have Nova's-"

"Gis," I interrupt. "Her name is Gis."

Alex nods. "Of course. I merely have her best interests at heart."

"And why would that lead you to question my priorities?" I demand. "I'm the only one in her life that has shown her continuous loyalty and honesty." My gut pinches, the tendrils of guilt wrapping around me a bit at that last word. I cross my arms, comforted by the long, gray sleeves of the shirt I'm wearing.

"Please, don't be upset. You have to understand, as her father I merely want to make sure. You can't fault me for questioning, Cade. I know who your mother is."

Ice and dread coat my veins. "I don't know what you're talking about." I struggle to keep the tone of my voice careless, unconcerned. 

Alex shakes his head. "Drop the act, Cade. I know that the only reason you were able to meet Gis in the first place is because of your mother. Because she gave you a job working at the GIADA lab."

I scoff. "What does it matter who my mother is? My actions have proven that all I care about is protecting Gis. I was the one who broke her out of GIADA's clutches in the first place. I took a bullet for her. And I tried to get her away from you guys when we realized you were tracking us, just like GIADA."

"Ilene Lestat is an incredibly smart woman. And I know that any child of hers would be held to high standards for intelligence as well. The same child could also know how to manipulate and deceive people to achieve his aim."

I stand, shoving the chair back. "Stop. I'm nothing like my mother."

Alex holds up his hands. "I apologize, my intent is not to accuse or antagonize."

"And yet..." I growl, two seconds away from storming out of the office.

"You saved her life. No one can deny that your actions have proven you have feelings for her. But I know Ilene Lestat, and I also know how far she will go to get her way."

"You have no idea," I grumble, slowly settling back into the chair. I rub a hand along the thin scab on my neck, where Gis cut the tracker out of my neck. 

Alex lowers his hands. "I'm sorry," he says, eyes tracking my hand. "Even though we had suspicions that you were still working for your mother, Gis begged us to save you. You were close to death with a bullet in your gut. So I had our surgeons fix you. But I also ordered them to run some tests to see who you were. When we found out you are Ilene's son, everyone wanted to have you killed. They were all high on adrenaline and anger from the fight. I was the one who said no. That's why we put in the tracker. It was the best compromise I could get everyone to agree to without rioting."

I lower my hand, considering his words. "Why should I believe you?"

Alex's expression softens, sympathy coating his gaze. He looks at my arms, still covered by the shirt. "Your life hasn't been easy. I know your mother did things to you that no child should ever experience."

His words are like a trigger going off in my brain, lighting the spark. Setting my mind on fire. I bite my lip, face heating. I hate how any mention of my past does this to me. How someone can have so much control over me with just a few words. I hate her for it. For all the things she did to me.

"My intent is not to make you relive it. But I want you to know that I'm on your side. I'm on Gis' side."

His words fall on deaf ears, my mind already struggling to hold on to the present and not slip away. But the damage is done, and my hands are shaking as memories flood across my eyelids. Sadness, anger, fear. Each emotion pulls up memory after memory. 

"Cade, I know your mother didn't treat you like her son. That you were treated more like a science experiment than a child. But I have to be sure that she hasn't found a way to twist your loyalty. To bind her intentions to you."

"How dare you," I gasp, breathing heavy. "You have no right," my voice cracks. "No right to talk about those things. My life is none of your business."

"I know why you choose to wear long sleeve shirts, even in the middle of summer." His voice is soft, gentle. But his words are acid. They cut straight through the walls I've spent years building up. 

 I stand, arms crossed and tight against my body. "Stop."

"I need to be sure," Alex insists, standing as well. "That you will fight with us. That you won't take her away again."

Alex keeps talking, but I'm done. I turn and walk to the door, yanking it open. I'm relieved it isn't locked, and no one is standing guard outside. I scan the hallway, then take off to the left. I know Alex is still calling to me, but I keep going. Walking, then running, picking up speed until I am sprinting away. 

Trying to convince myself that I can outrun the onslaught of painful memories chasing me. 

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