Superior

Chapter 52

Chapter Fifty-Two

Caleb

"Miracle?" I demanded incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

Miracle chuckled, her eyebrows raised. "Now, that's a silly question," she murmured. "Is it not obvious? I was looking for you." She flashed a predatory smile.

"Well, I'm flattered," I replied dryly. "But you should know that, as you were searching for me, you missed your train."

Miracle gave me a strange look.

"So he took the train," she murmured to herself.

I honestly doubted that Leary had intended for Miracle to be on that train. Though she was his favorite, his treasured first success, she was a part of the old generation. Leary was a psychopath, but I could understand what he was thinking. With the candidates, he could start fresh: they were young, naïve, and entirely dependent on his leadership. He could mold them in any way he wished.

Miracle seemed to know it, too, because her smile disappeared at my words. She stalked toward me with slow, careful steps, stopping only once we were less than a foot apart.

"Dr. Leary deserted me," she said quietly, her breath tickling my chin. "He left me here to die while he saved his precious, darling candidates. But not me, no; what use would I be of to him now? It's been too long, and I'm old news."

Above us, the shaking came to a stop, but a few stray bits of gray floated down and found their way into Miracle's hair. She took no notice.

"But," she went on, "when I die, I won't be alone." The smile came back now, creeping onto her lips with a fierce purpose. Her hands moved slowly to mine, threading our fingers together. "You'll be with me," she whispered.

And suddenly, our situation was forgotten. Immersed in a pleasant haze, I could no longer remember where I was, or why; or who those two people standing behind me were. All that existed was Miracle, her eyes locked on mine and her lips curled up into a beautiful smile that was oh so close. She tilted up her chin and I leaned down, closing the gap between us, when—

BOOM!

An earsplitting explosion rocked the floor beneath us, forcing me away from Miracle and propelling me back into reality. When I regained my footing, I remembered with a start that it was two o'clock, and within minutes, the city above our heads would be nothing but ashes and debris. Our escape was only a few steps away, and behind me stood Trai and Delaney, looking horrified but incredibly anxious.

I cast a quick glance at Miracle, who was leaning against the wall with one hand on her head and a dazed expression on her face.

It would have been so easy to leave her: all I had to do was say the word, and the three of us would scramble away, to freedom and to safety. Yet...when I looked at the Superior who had stolen me from my life and forced me to become like her, I felt a strange sense of sympathy. I pitied Miracle; she had lived her entire existence under the maniacal guidance of Dr. Leary, learning his twisted ways. It's no wonder she ended up being such a terrible person.

I didn't want to just leave her there.

I turned to Trai. "Take Delaney and get out of here," I said seriously. He looked surprised that I was addressing him. "Please. Just do it."

He took a deep breath and nodded, his expression hardening. "Delaney," he said, turning to her, "come on."

Delaney, pale and shivering, shook her head, her eyes widening. "No! What about Caleb?"