A Chosen Destiny (The Samantha Project Series #3) Read online

  He waited for a response. “I don’t know. More codes?”

  “It’s artificial! Just as the name says. It’s not real! Do you get what I’m saying? Even if this software exists, you’re still in control of what happens, Sam. You can make your own decisions.”

  “So you’re saying that it’s my fault. I did this to myself. I screwed up.”

  “Honey, I don’t know what happened between you and Erik. And I don’t need to know. But whatever it was, I know that you feel guilty about it. And it would be so much easier if you could just blame GlobalLife and some software program. But I can’t let you do that. You’re an adult now, Sam. You have to understand why you made the decisions you made. Maybe you’ll find that you’ve outgrown Colin. Maybe pursuing Erik was your way of moving on. I don’t know. You need to figure that out for yourself. And when you do, things will be much clearer.”

  Dave had definitely given this some thought. It was like he’d already prepared that speech. When I first mentioned the attraction software, he probably went to the lab and searched for it in my DNA. He’d probably decided then whether or not to tell me if it really existed. But I didn’t like his decision.

  “I’ll let you get some sleep. Jack and I have to meet with Preston early tomorrow, so I won’t see you at breakfast. Goodnight, Sam.” He left, not waiting for my response.

  That night, I lay in bed thinking about what Dave had said. If the software didn’t exist, then I didn’t know how to explain Erik and me. And if it did exist, how much control did I really have over what happened? Could it be overcome or was I destined to be with Erik?

  Since I met him, Erik had consumed my thoughts, but was that because of me or the software? Colin was the only boyfriend I’d ever had. Maybe part of me was wanting to see what else was out there. And when a hot guy like Erik began flirting with me, I went with it, just to see what would happen. It wasn’t at all like me to do that, so blaming the software was easier than trying to figure out what was really going on.

  When Erik and I were together at GlobalLife, I knew what I was doing. And I could have done things differently. But I didn’t wanted to. I’d always been the good girl. I knew being with Erik was wrong, but part of me liked not being perfect. Not doing the right thing. But facing the consequences was the down side of that. The software let me off the hook, at least I thought it did. Now I wasn’t so sure.

  “Sam, are you awake?” I heard Erik’s voice in my head.

  “Yeah. How did you know?” I thought back to him.

  “I didn’t. I just thought I’d try. Our telepathy seems to work even better now that we had the procedure. I used to have to try a bunch of times before you’d hear me from another room and tonight you heard me right away.”

  “I wonder if all of our abilities will get stronger.”

  “Maybe I’ll start getting premonitions, like you. Or maybe we’ll both get new abilities. If you could choose, what other ability would you want, Sam?”

  “I don’t think I want any more abilities, Erik. I’m still not used to the ones I have.”

  “Come on. How about flying? Or invisibility?” He laughed. “What’s wrong? You’re not coming up with a power.”

  “Erik, do you think the attraction software is real? And if it is real, do you think it works?”

  “I told you before that it wasn’t real. Well, not that it wasn’t real. I think it’s definitely in us. I just don’t think it can overtake free will. I don’t think it can make decisions for us about who we like or don’t like.”

  “Then how do you explain you and me, Erik? How do you explain this attraction we’ve had to each other from the moment we met?”

  “I don’t know. There’s probably some truth in what they told us at GlobalLife about how the telepathy makes us more connected to each other. Brain waves are electrical charges, right? And positive and negative charges are attracted to each other. So when we mind-talk, we have this constant attraction of positive and negative charges that creates this strong bond between us.”

  “So you don’t think the software has anything to do with it?”

  “Not really. So the software can identify our enhanced genes. Big deal. Or maybe it can mess with our hormones, but hey, at our age, our hormones are on overdrive anyway, right?”

  “I asked Dave if it works and he wouldn’t tell me.”

  “Because he wants you to realize that the software doesn’t matter. Hey, here’s an example of the software failing. Think back to when we first met. I had to put in a lot of effort just to get you to kiss me. And I never have to work that hard with other girls. In fact, Brittany kissed me right away. Several times. Remember when I was getting that DNA sample from her? And then when I went to see her that day—”

  “Okay. I get it.”

  “Well, think about that, Sam. If the software worked, I shouldn’t have had to try at all. We should have been all over each other the second we met. Why were you thinking about the software anyway? Is that what was keeping you awake?”

  “Yeah, kind of. But I was also thinking about Colin. I talked to him after dinner, which turned out to be a huge mistake. I’m such an idiot.”

  “Why? What did you say?”

  “I tried to explain what happened. I told him about the whole software thing and how GlobalLife made us dance together and wear fancy clothes and—”

  “Wait a minute. So you blamed the software? And the dancing and the clothes? No offense, Sam, but that was probably the worst thing you could have said. You were just making excuses for yourself.”

  “But I really think all of that stuff had an effect. It only made the software work better. You wearing those suits every day. And us being so close during those dance lessons. And then sleeping in the same bed.”

  “Sam, you controlled how those things affected you.”

  “That’s not true. Well, some of it maybe, but it was the software—”

  “No! The software can’t control you like that. Geez! Would you just get that already? What else did you tell him?”

  “I told him about the morning after the gala. How we woke up without our clothes.”

  “Are you serious? And you want this guy back?”

  “He asked why I believed that story about being pregnant. I was trying to be honest.”

  “You didn’t need to be that honest, Sam. Guys don’t need all those details. Especially if it’s details about your girl being with some other guy. We don’t need the image in our head. You should have just told Colin that you and I drank too much and messed around, then fell asleep before anything more could happen. End of story.”

  “Well, I didn’t say that. And now he hates me even more than before.”

  “He doesn’t hate you. I saw how he reacted when you almost died during the procedure. Trust me, he still loves you.”

  “I thought you were knocked out when that happened.”

  “I had the drugs in me, but I was awake. People were running around, Dave was yelling, my dad was coming in and out with equipment. I saw the whole thing.”

  “People react differently in that type of situation. Now that I’m healthy again, Colin’s back to hating me.“

  “I don’t know what to tell you, Sam. But what happened between us really isn’t that big a deal. If he was only mad about that, then eventually he’d get over it. Sounds like there’s other stuff there that only you and he know about.”

  There was other stuff there. I just didn’t want to admit it. But Colin had summed it up earlier. He did all the work in our relationship and I just went along for the ride. Enjoying the perks without putting in the effort. Not appreciating him. Keeping him at a distance. That was why he ended it. The thing with Erik was just the breaking point.

  “Thanks for talking about this, Erik. But shouldn’t you be telling me to let Colin go? To move on?”

  “Why? For my own benefit? Yeah, I guess. But I want you to be happy, Sam. I want us both to. Listen. You know I want to be with you. But I don’t wa
nt to be your second choice. You need to choose me over him.” He waited for my response, but I stayed quiet. “Well, goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, Erik.”

  The next morning, I found a note had been slipped under my door. It was from Rachel asking me to meet her in the common area at 9. When I got down there, Erik was talking to her.

  Rachel looked beautiful as always, dressed in an off-white cashmere sweater dress that showed off her curves. “Hi, Sam. I don’t have much time, so we’ll have to meet quickly.”

  “What are we meeting about?” I asked.

  “The dinner tonight. Drew and I are having Preston over. I moved it up to 6. It was 8, but with everything going on at work I—” She checked her phone and began texting someone. “Sorry. Things are kind of crazy right now. Anyway, tonight at the dinner we hope to get information from Drew about the genes and what GlobalLife has planned for the remaining samples. Preston and I mentioned this earlier, remember?”

  “Yeah. You said Erik and I were supposed to listen to Drew’s thoughts.”

  She glanced up from her phone. “Yes. I’ll have cameras and microphones hidden around the room.”

  “I still don’t think we’ll be able to hear his thoughts from that far away,” Erik said.

  “You should be able to now that you have that piece of DNA fixed. And they’re not regular microphones. They’re made to attract and transmit brain waves, so we’re hoping it will work. If it doesn’t, then you can at least hear what Drew has to say during dinner. He just found out that the board has approved firing him, so he’s officially unemployed now. He’ll be anxious to spill some secrets.”

  Rachel’s phone rang again. “Listen, I gotta go. A guy will set up the video feed around 5 in that room over there. Just show up around 5:45 or so. It’ll be a short dinner because Preston and I have to get back to GlobalLife for a meeting.”

  “Why don’t you just postpone the dinner?” Erik asked. “If you’re rushed, you may not get much out of him.”

  She was back to texting. “We can’t. Drew’s leaving Iceland later tonight. He hasn’t even told me where he’s going.” She noticed our silence and looked up. “Drew is on GlobalLife’s hit list now. He knows too much. He has to get out of here. I’ll see you guys later.”

  Erik and I went back to our rooms. I passed Colin in the hallway on his way to work out, but he wouldn’t acknowledge me.

  Later that day, I headed to the kitchen to get something to eat. I stopped when I heard Colin and Erik in there. It almost sounded like they were arguing. I listened, keeping myself hidden.

  I heard Erik first. “Hey, if you feel like you need to hit me again, go ahead. We’ve gotta move past this thing with Sam. We’re all stuck living here together. We might as well try to be friends.”

  “I can fake getting along with you, Erik, but we’ll never be friends.” Colin sounded really angry. I wondered if he’d accept Erik’s offer and hit him again. “I knew I couldn’t trust you. And I told you to back off when we were in California. Then you go and make up that shit about seeing Sam as your sister. Like I was really gonna believe that.”

  “Yeah, so maybe I lied about that. But what did you expect me to say?”

  “I expected you to respect the fact that I’m Sam’s boyfriend and stay away from her!” It got quiet, then Colin continued. “What the hell is wrong with you, Erik? Is this what you do? Go after other guy’s girlfriends? You can’t get your own?”

  “It’s not like that. She’s not just any girl. Sam and I have these genes. We have this connection.”

  “So that made it okay for you to sleep with my girlfriend?” Colin yelled. He took a moment to calm down. “God, you’re such an arrogant bastard, Erik. And you don’t even know it.”

  “I didn’t sleep with her, okay? And for all I knew we were never getting out of that place. So why the hell wouldn’t I try something? Shit, I thought my freaking life was ending in a few months. You would’ve done the same thing.”

  “No! That’s what you don’t get! I’m not like you! I don’t just do whatever I want and not care about the consequences. You really need to grow the hell up, Erik.”

  “You don’t know anything about me, Colin. And if it makes you feel better, then go ahead and hate me. But stop punishing Sam. When things were heating up between us, she was the one who stopped it. She kept pushing me away and it was all because of you.”

  Colin didn’t respond.

  “Sam and I didn’t do that much. If you’re letting her go over that, then you don’t deserve her anyway. Maybe your relationship wasn’t as strong as you thought it was.”

  “Our relationship is none of your damn business, Erik! And thanks to you, we don’t have one anymore!”

  “Then I guess you should be the one backing off. If she’s single, then she’s free to date whoever she wants.”

  “Seriously? You’re seriously going to keep going after her? Right in front of my face?”

  Erik raised his voice. “You don’t want her, Colin! You’ve completely ignored her since you found out! You could at least talk to her about this! But instead, she talks to me about your relationship. And the worst thing is that I have to listen to her go on and on about how she wants to be with you. You know, you should be thanking me. For whatever reason, I’ve even been on your side. I’ve been telling her how to get you back. I guess because I thought that’s what would make her happy. But I’m done helping you out. And since you don’t want her, just tell her that so she can move on.”

  “I never said I didn’t want her! I love her! Of course I want her but—” He stopped. There was a long, uncomfortable silence. “You know what? You’re right. This is between Sam and me. I’m not talking about this with you. And I’m not gonna fight with you, Erik. Since we’re stuck living together, I’ll just pretend that we get along.”

  “Fine. I can do that.”

  I heard Colin leaving. I quickly darted into a side room to hide. Erik stayed in the kitchen. Their conversation only left me more confused about Colin and our future together.

  Right before Drew’s dinner, Erik and I got together to practice reading brain waves.

  “Try to read someone who’s outside the building,” Erik suggested.

  “That won’t work. We’re underground in a remote section of Iceland. There’s nobody around. We won’t hear anything.”

  “Then try reading one of the guys in that computer room down the hall. I’ll try to hear the brain waves of someone working in the lab.”

  We sat there and listened. I didn’t hear a single thought. “I’m not getting anything. Are you?”

  “No. Keep trying.”

  After a few minutes more, I still heard nothing. “This doesn’t make sense. Rachel said our telepathy would be stronger after the procedure, but I don’t hear anything.”

  “Me, either.” Erik paused, trying to listen one more time. “Do you think Owens installed one of those brain wave scrambling things in this building?”

  “I don’t know. I guess it’s possible. But if he did, you know what that means.”

  “It means that he doesn’t want us reading his thoughts. Owens is hiding something.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Drew’s Apartment

  It was almost time for the video feed to start. Erik and I went to the room where the equipment was set up. The image on the screen showed the dining room in Drew’s apartment. The room was very clean and modern; just the type of place I expected him to live.

  We saw a flash go across the screen in front of us and then heard a voice. “Preston, so good to see you. Come in.”

  They were in a different room, so we could hear but not see them.

  “I can’t stay long, Drew. I have a meeting later tonight.”

  “Yes, yes. Rachel told me. Rachel?” Drew called out. “Preston’s here.”

  “Hello, Preston,” we heard Rachel say. “Sorry I didn’t greet you at the door. I was getting dinner ready. I figured we should eat right away. I
know you need to leave soon.”

  The three of them made small talk off camera for the next 10 minutes. I didn’t hear any of Drew’s thoughts. Or Owens’ or Rachel’s.

  “Did you hear anything, Erik?”

  “Yeah. I got a few words from Drew. So you know what that means.”

  “Owens installed a brain wave scrambling device in here. Then how are you able to hear Drew?”

  “His thoughts are in his apartment. I’m hearing them there, not here.”

  “But that’s so far away. How did you do that?”

  He gave me a smug smile. “I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you, Sam.”

  “Just tell me what you did.”

  “You need to make a connection. I’ve told you that before.”

  “I know. But it’s not working. I’ll try again.” I listened, but still had no luck. My mind kept focusing on what Drew was saying, not thinking. “I can’t do it.”

  “Then I’ll listen to Drew’s thoughts and you listen to what he’s actually saying. I’ll tell you what he was thinking later.”

  Around 6, Rachel, Drew, and Owens sat around the dining room table so we could finally see them.

  “You know that I usually avoid talking business over dinner,” Drew said to Owens, “but I have no choice since your time is limited and I have to leave in a couple hours.”

  “It’s no problem, Drew. I don’t mind. And thank you, Rachel, for putting together this lovely meal. I’m sure you’ve been overwhelmed with work lately.”

  Drew smiled at her. “I don’t know how she does it all. She’s been there day and night. I’ve barely seen her.”

  “Oh, sweetheart. Don’t worry about me. Let’s talk about you,” Rachel said, signaling him to get down to business.