Terror Read Free

you looking out for me and all, but I have something else to attend to right now. A friend needs me. And as for leaving Manhattan with you, all I can say is that it’s not happening. But thanks…”
    Gaia flashed Oliver her best sympathetic smile and shouldered past him.

Boiling Over
    OLIVER GRABBED GAIA’S SHOULDER FROM behind and jerked her to a standstill. He didn’t use enough force to hurt her, just enough to let her know he meant business. She couldn’t just walk away from him. He was trying to help.
    â€œPlease don’t grab me,” Gaia said, and Oliver could hear that she meant it.
    â€œI’m sorry. I was just trying to get your attention.”
    Sometimes force was necessary to get a point across. Oliver knew this as well as anyone. As Loki, he had used force to manipulate all kinds of situations, usually to further some evil scheme. But rarely had he felt the need to use force to protect someone fromharm. It was a confusing dilemma, too, because verbal logic didn’t seem to work in persuading Gaia of the danger she was in. He also knew for a fact that she didn’t respond well to force. But
something
had to be done.
    â€œI think you’re in serious danger. I’ve been tracking those two phony agents who came asking about you, and I don’t like the looks of it. I’m pretty certain you’ll be their next target. We need to discuss this.”
    Gaia’s arms were wrapped around her chest but more in a comforting than a defiant way. “I’m supposed to be somewhere… right now, actually.” She looked at her watch. “I’m already late.”
    â€œHey. Don’t blow me off, Gaia.” Oliver could feel his patience slipping. He lowered his tone. “Just because you’re brave doesn’t make you immortal.”
    The look on Gaia’s face was something he’d never seen before. That last line seemed to have hit her hard. If he hadn’t known her better, he would’ve called it
pure terror.
Which made no sense, but at least he was getting through to her. Then again, her facial expression was now morphing like a fast-moving storm cloud toward something like angry resentment.
    â€œI’m not kidding, Gaia,” he said. “These people are playing for keeps. My research shows that big money and lots of people are behind this movement. And judging from the attacks so far, they’re not out to sendmessages. They’re totally prepared to liquidate whoever gets in their way.”
    Gaia was sucking on the inside of her cheek. Oliver had seen her do this. It meant that he had her attention. “So,” she said. “What do you want me to do? You keep talking about
they,
but who are
they?
I guess I can take your word that someone’s out there, but still, your accusations are so vague that I wouldn’t even know who to watch out for.”
    â€œFair enough.” Oliver put up his hands in a conciliatory gesture. She seemed willing to cooperate now. He had pierced the outer layer of her armor. “Maybe if you answered a question or two, it would help lead me toward some more specific answers….”
    â€œSo shoot,” Gaia said.
    â€œWho have you been visiting at the hospital?” Oliver asked.
    â€œI can’t say.”
    â€œYou should be wary of letting doctors get too familiar with your body,” he said. “If they find out how unique you are, you’ll spend the rest of your life as a science project.”
    â€œYou don’t think I’m aware of that?” Gaia asked loudly. “If that’s all you came to say, you can just save your breath.”
    Oliver felt the urge to pound something. That was another thing that hadn’t changed over the years—Gala’s ability to irritate him to theboiling point with that petulant tone of hers.
Calm yourself,
Oliver thought.
If you get pissed, you’ll lose her.
She was getting defensive, though,