Cipher by Aileen Erin Read Free Book Online Page B

and lying about how fantastic our way of life was would be too hard to fake. But beating the shit out of Oliver? That I could do.
    The temporary barracks for Black Helixes was set up next to the Trials site. Thirty rows of bunks filled the utilitarian space. It wouldn’t give me a lot of privacy, but I wasn’t planning on staying here at all—except to sleep. Lady Eva had sent me the info on a safe house that I could use for whatever I needed. First I needed to figure out where Dex and Oliver were, and then I’d head to check out the space. I always preferred to know the hiding spot before I needed it. I put in a text to the guys, telling them to get their asses back here, and went about finding a bunk.
    Most of the beds were already claimed by the other Black Helixes working the Trials, but I found one with the mattress still rolled up at the bottom of the bed frame. The locker beside it was empty except for the standard white sheets and towels. Making the bed took little time, and I was unpacking my little bit of stuff when Dex and Oliver came in.
    “What is up, douchebag?” Dex said. His blond hair fell to his shoulders and he was definitely going to get reamed for it.
    “What’s up, girlyman?” I loved making fun of Dex’s non-regulation hair.
    “Don’t dis on the locks.” He flicked his hair back with a flourish. “You only wish you were man enough to pull off my hair.”
    “Right.” He pulled me in for a quick hug. I hit him on the back before shoving him away with a laugh.
    Oliver towered over the both of us. He was a beast, and looked it—at seven feet and change, thick with muscle, and bald—he’d scare even me if I didn’t know him. Truth was, he was the biggest softie I’d ever met. The dude cried during sappy movies. “What’s up, Ollie?”
    “Not much.” We did the hug, back hit routine. He tapped a finger to his ear, telling me to engage my blocking tech.
    I reached in my pocket and activated it, nodding to him when it was done.
    “You found your girl?” he asked.
    My girl. The responsibility of the mission weighed on me. I hoped I’d found her. “Maybe.”
    “Oh, man. That means you’re going to settle down. That blows,” Dex said as he sat on the closest bunk.
    The guy had lost his mind. “No way. I don’t have any romantic interest in the girl. Hell, she was just a kid last time I saw her. You know me. I don’t date. I do one-nighters. Emma included.”
    Dex and Oliver shared a look.
    “Fuck off,” I said. “Just because we’re paired doesn’t mean we’re going to end up together. Working together, sure. But that’s it.”
    “Yeah. You say that now, but we’ll see when the two of you are together.” Dex crossed his arms as he stared me down. “You’re paired because you’re compatible in every way. Every way.”
    “Michelle’s a Red and she’s not romantic with her paired partner.”
    “Dude. Her partner is her sister. You’re not at all related to Emma.”
    “Whatever.” I wasn’t sure how I felt about getting involved with Emma romantically. Even if I did the whole girlfriend thing—which I didn’t—Emma was still an eight-year-old kid in my head. Anything beyond brotherly platonic care was out of my realm of perception. I placed my five black T-shirts, neatly folded, into the locker. “Where were you guys?”
    “Went to a gaming club called Marx’s. Totally up your alley. We should check it out tomorrow night.”
    I lined my toiletries along the edge of my top shelf, labels facing out so that I could see everything, and then rolled up my bags and placed them on the bottom shelf of my locker. Everything was precisely stored. Not that any of this mattered. Five black shirts. Five black pants. Five black socks. Five black boxer-briefs. Plus two civilian outfits—jeans, a gray T-shirt and a white button-down. All generic brands. That’s all I brought with me. Easy enough to replace. None of it said dick-all about myself should I need to run.