Born in Twilight Read Online Free Page B

this?”
    She blinked, lowered her chin, said nothing.
    â€œI hope not,” Fuller told her. “Because we deal harshly with employees who can’t stomach the work we do here, Miss Garner. Very harshly.”
    â€œI understand,” she said, meeting his gaze once more. And she knew when she looked into those chilling eyes, that she did. She understood perfectly. If she tried to get out, tried to walk away…she would die. Or disappear, just like pretty young Tamara had done so long ago. And no one would ever be the wiser.
    Fuller dismissed them, and one by one they filed out of his office. He stopped her at the door and nodded back at the notepad she’d left on the table. “Have those notes typed up and ready for me within the hour,” he barked, and then he pushed past her into the corridor with the others.
    Hilary only nodded and watched him go.
    â€œAre you feeling all right, dear?”
    She brought her head up fast, and searched Rose Sversky’s aging face as she gathered file folders from the table. They were alone in Fuller’s office, and against her better judgment, Hilary closed the door.
    â€œRose…how can you be a part of something like this?”
    Rose frowned, scanning a sheet before closing a folder and adding it to her stack. “Something like what? It’s research. It’s necessary.”
    â€œIt’s more than that.”
    Rose looked at her then, really looked at her. She pulled her glasses lower on her nose, tilted her head back and seemed to search Hilary’s face.
    Hilary moved forward, as if by being closer she could reach the woman. “This place is a prison. Do you know they have prisoners in the sublevels? Locked up in cells like animals?”
    â€œOf course I know, dear. I’m the head researcher.”
    She could have slapped Hilary and shocked her less. “You know?” Rose nodded. God, Hilary thought, she’d probably known all along. Hilary had found out only recently, and she’d stupidly assumed the kind-looking old woman would be as appalled and horrified by the news as she had been. “But, Rose…”
    â€œBut nothing. We’re not talking genocide here. These are animals, not human beings. They feed on human beings. For heaven’s sakes, it’s them or us. Surely you can see that.”
    Hilary took a backward step, the wind knocked out of her. “But…but what they want to do! A baby, for the love of Christ! And what will happen to it if they succeed?”
    â€œNot a baby. A pup. A young animal, no different from the rest.” She slipped her glasses back to their former position, and sighed. “It would be the most incredible research opportunity we’ve ever had.”
    Hilary swallowed the bile that rose in her throat. This was the stuff of nightmares, and she was going to throw up. Was this sweet little old lady actually getting wistful about the chance to carve up a child? Her hands were damp with sweat and shaking, and she felt dizzy as a sense of unreality washed over her. Her knees tried to buckle. She braced a hand on the table to keep from falling down.
    â€œHilary,” Rose began, taking a step forward, narrowing her eyes. “You do understand why this is necessary, don’t you? Because, if you don’t—” her face softened with a blatantly false smile and equally phony concern clouding her eyes “—I can arrange to have you taken off this case. Perhaps you weren’t quite ready for this promotion. Not everyone can handle the research we do here, and DPI is quite aware of that.”
    Her voice had changed. Become sugary. And there was a dark suspicion behind that fake concern in her eyes.
    Of course DPI is aware of it. And the ones who can’t stomach the work here disappear without a trace.
    Hilary swallowed hard, shook her head. “No, I think I understand it better now. You’re right. It’s necessary.