The Children of Hypnos

[Vol. 3] Chapter 24: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

"You should at least tell me the plan before we go in," Wes said.

Trevor, sitting across from him in the limousine, straightened his cuffs. He pursed his lips, thinking, then said, "No."

"Why not?" Wes's hands clenched against the black leather seat. "I don't even know why you want me to go in with you. I shouldn't go in at all—they'll know we're up to something."

"I don't underestimate my opponents like that," Trevor replied coolly. "Especially not when they have the power of dreams on their side. We don't know what information they already have, but there's some we should assume. We should assume they know the students are at my house. We should assume because those students at my house, they know you led them there. We should also assume that at this point, they know that you know that Emery is in danger, and you wouldn't sit back while I went and got her."

Wes huffed through his nose. "Yes. I understand all that. But if I go in with you, they're going to take me and put me wherever Emery is. I won't be any help."

"They're not going to take you." Trevor looked out the window, a smile curving up the corners of his mouth. "You underestimate me, too."

Wes schooled his face into indifference, but it was difficult. His eyes wanted to roll out of his head. Van der Gelt thought money could get him out of anything. But money didn't matter to the Hypnos State. The heads of the Somniferum had something much more valuable: security. They didn't need money to buy it for them.

When they'd left Van der Gelt's house, Morrigan had disappeared back into the Dream, showing little desire to hurt any of the other students and none at all to accompany them to the Hypnos State Center. She'd be sensed right away by the dreamkillers there, anyway, and they would terminate Emery before Morrigan could cause problems. Only Wes and Trevor had gotten into the limo. Veronica had promised to do her best to keep Jacqueline out of the Dream and away from Fenhallow.

"We need her, Wes," Jacqueline had said to him before he ducked into the limo. She stood on Van der Gelt's curved driveway, wide-eyed and intense. "Get her back in one piece. We all need her."

"I promise," he'd said. But he couldn't promise anything except that he would try. Trying was the best he had.

Trevor van der Gelt hadn't seemed apprehensive in the slightest in the hours between speaking to Morrigan--during which he also didn't seem that bothered by talking to Emery's doppelganger--and making the appointment with President Delafleur. The president had wanted to speak to him directly, and Wes had overheard them on the phone, Van der Gelt speaking with a charm and cordiality that belied the clear anger on his face. After they'd gotten into the limo, that anger had sunk down, hidden behind a mask of calm, even amusement at times.

Wes envied him. He wished he could hide his own anger so easily. But it always came out, and it always made him look like a fool.

They pulled up to the front of the Hypnos State Center. A valet opened the doors for them. Two dreamhunters stood outside the front doors, weapons stowed but armor on. A woman in a smart suit stepped up to them with a smile on her face. The crisp wind, smelling of impending rain, cut her short brown hair across her face.

"Welcome, Mr. Van der Gelt," she said, having to speak loudly to be heard over the wind. "If you'll follow me, Mr. Delafleur is waiting."

She said nothing to Wes. Didn't even look at him. The dreamhunter guards didn't, either, which was strange. Trevor had been right, then--the Somniferum expected Wes to be here with him. Was this some kind of trap, then? Wes swallowed, chest tight with apprehension, and followed Trevor inside.

The lobby bustled with activity, mostly non-dreamhunter staff. Wes scanned the area for anyone he knew. A sign of Moxie, or Dean Ashworth. Every face was unfamiliar. He checked over his shoulder, unsure what he expected to find--a dreamkiller with an executioner's axe?--but there were only the two dreamhunters escorting them, looking bored.