Shock tightened Mark’s body.Universal subjectificationwas what Jenna had figured out the countdown was to?
“Exactly,” Joaquin said. “I knew you were smart. The people working for me haven’t been able to do it. So far, they’ve only been able to synthesize the compounds for specific genetic profiles—the ones you used in your work. And unfortunately, we’re under a bit of a time crunch, so I’m going to need you to produce the universal formula immediately.”
Jenna laughed. “I can’t. It’s not real. There’s no way to do it.”
“Are you sure about that?” Joaquin’s voice was deadly soft.
“Like you said, I’m the expert.”
Jenna swallowed, and Mark realized she was bluffing, which was smart. If she gave Joaquin what he wanted, he would have no reason to keep them around.
“Hmm.” The sound was long and drawn-out as Joaquin turned and approached Mark. “You see, you might be the expert, Jenna, but you’re not the only one. The scientists I have—who know better than to lie to me by now—have told me itispossible. They just can’t figure out how do it.”
“I disagree.”
Joaquin’s eyes narrowed. “Disagreement isn’t an option.”
Jenna held her ground. “Well, I’m also going to have to disagree that disagreement isn’t an option.”
Joaquin didn’t continue the argument. He pulled a hand out of his pocket, and the knife blade flashed before Mark could fully register it, pain blazing through him as fire burst inside his thigh.
“Mark!”
Jenna’s scream was all he could hear over his own yell and the pain rocketing through his body. He forced himself to control his breathing and focus. It was just pain. He’d dealt with pain before, and he could take it.
The knife now sticking out of his thigh was large, but sharp. A clean wound that would heal. It was enough to tell him Joaquin didn’t want him to die.
At least, not yet.
“While you’ve been such sleepyheads for the past twelve hours, I’ve looked into you both,” Joaquin said casually.
They had been unconscious that long?Fuck.
Ian and Callum knew they were missing by now. That was a good thing. But there was no way to tell where they were. In twelve hours, they could be nearly anywhere.
Jenna ignored Joaquin. “Mark? Are you okay?”
He nodded. It was all he could do.
“You two have been almost inseparable for the past few days,” Joaquin continued over Jenna. “I’ve even found images of Mr. Outlawson here carrying you places. I personally think that’s a little over the top, but what it tells me is that you two are the key to each other.”
Jenna was yanking at her straps until Mark was afraid she would cut herself.
“So, every time you refuse to help me, Outlawson will be the one who gets the pain. And believe me, Jenna, I know how to inflict pain. I know how to make it last, and I know to make sure he survives long enough to take more.”
“Jenna,” Mark forced out. “I’m okay. Don’t do it.”
In one smooth movement, Joaquin turned and pulled the knife out of his leg, causing a whole new wave of shuddering pain, and Mark grunted as sweat beaded on his forehead.
But he still shook his head at her.
Just because he’d never been tortured as part of his military service didn’t mean he didn’t know how to outlast a man like Joaquin at least until the countdown had passed. She didn’t have to do this.
“You’re going to help me,” Joaquin said. “End of story.”
“No, I’m not,” Jenna said, looking straight at Mark. “Enough people have died because of me.”
Good girl.