Page 16 of Red Marked

Bad lighting?

Not this utter crap again.

I catch Atlas’s eye. He’s already looking back at me, jaw set hard. Across the row, Rift’s face has gone tight, brows pulled low. She knows exactly what she saw. So do I.

We’re not wrong.

“Given that there are so few males in that area and due to the treacherous nature of the terrain,” Cairn goes on, “the range, the ravine cutting into it, and the entire northern face are closed to this program, effective immediately.” Nothing in his voice changes. “We don’t want you within ten miles of those mountains, just to be safe.”

“It makes perfect sense.” Pryce steps forward and looks around the room. “Our mandate is feral males. There are very few in that range to begin with, and none of them are the ones this program is looking for. The northern face was never part of program territory. It’s simply been made official now.” He spreads his hands. “This is not up for discussion.” The asshole looks at me when he says it. “There will be repercussions if this mandate isn’t adhered to.”

“On to some good news.” Cairn smiles at us. “The Council is pleased with the pace of this clinic. The second facility remains on schedule. And I can now confirm a third has been funded. Site selection begins within the month.”

That gets a murmur out of the room. Even Cindy sits up, her eyes brightening.

“Three clinics mean we need a permanent staffing structure across the whole program. There will be leadership roles becoming available in the coming months.” His eyes move over us and stop on me. “Mistveil will need a head of security across all three sites. Someone who understands feral behavior in the field.” He lifts his brows, then keeps looking across the room. “They will need team leaders and management over all three sites.” He looks pointedly at Rift and Atlas, as well as one or two others. “We will first look to fill them from this pool before asking for outside applications. There is massive potential for growth within this organization.”

I’ve wanted this for a long time. I’ve felt the real possibility of achieving many of my career goals since coming to this island. This feels like a carrot being dangled in front of my face. It also feels very much like a bribe.

It feels like they’re trying to keep us quiet and complacent.

Dr. Pryce claps first; it’s loud and enthusiastic. The rest of us join in, myself included.

What choice do I have?

“Extraordinary work, all of you. I mean that.” Pryce beams at us. “I couldn’t be prouder of all of you.”

Cairn shakes Pryce’s hand, says something about a follow-up call, and he’s gone, his aides trailing him out.

The room empties fast, chairs scraping back, and I catch Pryce before he reaches the corridor.

“Alastair. Please, can I have a quick word?”

“Not if it’s about the mountain, or anything we just discussed.”

“A word, please. I would rather we didn’t have it out here.” A few of my team turn and look at us.

Pryce doesn’t look happy, but he nods and walks to his office.

I follow. Once inside and the door is closed, he turns.

“You heard Cairn. Can you please drop it, Flint? This discussion has now become tedious.”

“What was that?” I ask, yet it’s not really a question. “Why is the Council denying those females exist when several of us saw them with our own eyes?”

“Flint—”

“What are they hiding?”

“Nothing,” he tells me. “There isn’t anything to hide. Leave it alone.”

“You heard what Quake said yesterday. I believe him.”

“He’s feral and traumatized. Not much more than an animal right now,” he says.

“He looked just fine to me.”

“I told you not to put any stock in what he said, and I’m standing by that. Who are you going to trust, a feral or a Council representative?”