No One (Element Preservers, #3.5) Read Online Free PDF Page B

could do to me whatever they wanted. It seemed like my world was starting to crumble bit by bit. Stone walls of hope that I'd built around me were crashing to the ground and turning into powder.
    I opened my mouth and the fire disappeared. Quinn tossed in the pill, and clamped his hand over my lips. "Swallow it." I did. Quinn backed off and observed me, getting a hold of a small notebook and a pen. What did he expect to happen? What kind of pill worked so fast? My stomach contracted so hard that I nearly doubled over. The pain was barely tolerable, and I wondered how I didn't pass out from it. Quinn only watched me and didn't say a word, scribbling from time to time into his notebook. After what seemed like an eternity, he got out of the room and left me alone to fight strong waves of nausea. That was the first, but not the last time someone tried to test unknown pills on me.
     

Chapter 13
    Now
    It seemed unreal to walk down the white halls and see familiar doors and faces. Everyone was immersed in their tasks, so they barely glanced at Alan and me, no visible signs of recognition in their eyes. How easy it was to forget people you hadn't seen for two years? Alan knocked on the silver door, which indicated that the room behind it was an office of an important scientist. Maybe people here had forgotten me, but I'd never forget any detail of this lab. Never.
    A voice I knew way too well told us to come in, and Alan pushed the door open. Quinn was seated in a huge leather chair, his eyes focused on the computer screen.
    "Quinn," Alan said cordially. Quinn's eyes shot up, and his smile faltered when he saw me.
    "Alan." As usual, Quinn chose to ignore my presence. "How can I help you? I didn't think I'd see you here again."
    "I came for that favor you owe me."
    Judging by the pinched look on Quinn's face, he hadn't expected that. I had no clue what Alan had done for Quinn, but it had to be something major.
    "I need your help with something. I have a new carrier who is having trouble controlling herself," Alan said. Awesome, now he was ignoring me too. I supposed I could have sent Alan to get the necessary information alone, but I couldn't trust him to tell me the full truth.
    "Why don't you bring her here?"
    "I can't. Her family is very influential."
    "Do they have the disease?" Quinn's voice was spiked with curiosity.
    "No. The girl hung out with wrong people."
    "How serious is her condition? Maybe she'll be fine. Especially now that the new president of the Element Preservers revealed some crucial information. Does the girl have an element?"
    "Yes, she does," I said, stepping forward. I was done with being ignored.
    "What's the problem then?" Quinn raked his eyes over me.
    "She's losing the control over the element and the disease because she was in contact with another carrier every time she felt weak."
    "Ah, that's interesting, but even though I owe Alan a favor, I don't owe you anything, carrier." Quinn curled his lip, watching me with contempt. "I knew you were hiding something, but a sub-element..." So Quinn was pissed off that he hadn't managed to break me completely. That miserable son of a bitch!
    "Look, Quinn." Alan spread his arms. "I'm sure you can give us something."
    "Bring the girl here." Quinn didn't want to give up on an opportunity to experiment on another carrier. "No one will find out. I can promise you that much."
    "That is not possible." I wanted to rip Quinn to shreds, or make him a new home in a block of ice. "Tell me how she can be in control of herself again or I won't respond for my actions."
    "Adrian," Alan said, a warning heavy in his voice, but he couldn't force me to back down this time. A ball of fire flew toward me, but I enveloped it in ice and left a puddle on the floor. Quinn's eyes widened, and he straightened his coat, clearly surprised.
    "I was merely testing your abilities," he stated, but I didn't believe him for a second. The man wasn't as stupid as he looked, so he realized I was