~ SASHA ~

Zev, teeth bared, his entire body taut and trembling, held Nick by his shirt. His muscles bulged as if they'd break through the stretchy material, and a vein appeared on his forehead.

Sasha barely breathed. She'd never seen Zev look so deadly. She blinked. If she'd seen him like that without knowing him, she would have run.

She didn't know what to say. He was stretched to breaking point and she worried that the wrong word would make him snap.

Nick seemed to have no such concerns. Although he looked nervous and had his arms braced on Zev's shoulder and chest, he didn't drop his gaze, and his jaw was tight too.

"Think it through, Zev,

" Nick said quietly, calmly, but firmly, like he was coaching a kid who was about to get out of control.

"We want the same thing here. I want that kid in your hands as much as you do.

"

"Bull. Shit,

" Zev snarled.

"Listen to me, Zev. You're proof. They just can't see it. I want that kid in your hands because it's going to finally work.

"

Zev's breath shuddered and Sasha hurried to his side, to intervene before Nick got himself killed.

"Nick,

" she said, her voice shaking with the combination of anger and fear this entire situation had unleashed,

"Stop being cagey. State it plain. Why do you want Zev to have his son? Why should we believe that you'd help us get him and not make it some trap to keep us at the compound?

"

"Because, Zev is proof that when a Chimera gets raised with someone to care for them, it makes them stronger, healthier, and… just better. What do you think the difference is between you and Lhars, Zev?

" Nick said gruffly.

"I don't give a **—

"

"Yes, you do, because it means I'm invested in getting your kid in your hands with no interference from **ing Nathan. I said think, Zev. Don't feel right now. Think: What is the difference between you and Lhars? Same DNA sources. Same medical and biological process from beginning to end. Same nutrition, same education until it became clear that Lhars wasn't you. So… what's the difference? What formed you differently than Lhars?

"

Zev just stared, shaking his head slowly.

"It's me,

" Nick said like Zev should have seen it.

"Core memories, Zev. Someone to put their arm around you. Someone to guide—not just train. A male in your life who cared.

"

"You didn't give a ** about me.

"

Nick blew out a breath and muttered a curse.

"Look, I get it, okay? I'm a manipulative bastard, but you know, Zev. You know I took hits for you. You know I gave things up for you. You might not like your dad very much, but I was a father to you. And it changed you.

"

"Think, Zev. Remember, I showed you all those tests done by the Nazis during the second world war? 01:02

Remember I showed you what the truly **ed up minds of this world did? And what did I tell you Sasha staggered back a step. Was Nick really saying that Zev was different because Nick cared about him?

Could it be true?

"Nick—

" she started. But he put a hand up to stop her, all his attention on Zev.

"Think, Zev. Remember, I showed you all those tests done by the Nazis during the second world war? Remember I showed you what the truly **ed up minds of this world did? And what did I tell you that they discovered? What?

"

Zev's breath was shallow and short, his chest rising and falling.

"Neglect of children damaged their brains.

"

"That's right. That's right,

" Nick said, encouraging. The teacher again. The coach when a kid was coming around.

"I tried to make them see it—you needed touch. You needed laughter. You needed a friend, as well as a parent. They can't see it, because they think they don't need those things. They didn't believe me. So I proved it to them.

"

Zev's eyes narrowed and his hands tightened on Nick's shirt so hard his knuckles were white.

"They still aren't listening,

" Nick muttered.

"But I'm not going to let them ruin this one. He's growing well. Growing fast. He's healthy. He's safe. And I'm going to make sure that as soon as he's strong enough, he gets into your hands. You and Sasha,

" Nick said, his voice brimming with conviction.

"By the time that kid's seven, they're going to realize that I'm right and then there's no more of this, Zev. You realize that, right? As soon as they realize the healthiest Chimera are the ones who were born naturally and got to stay with their parents… Suddenly they don't want to take the kids anymore. That's what you want, right?

"

"He's lying,

" Sasha hissed.

"He knew they took our baby and he didn't tell us.

"

"I didn't know until later!

" Nick spat, finally turning his head to look at Sasha.

"I didn't know until it was already done.

"

"I asked you,

" Sasha said, pointing at his chest.

"I asked you what they did to me, and you said—

"

"I said they made sure you weren't pregnant,

" Nick interrupted her.

"Because they did.

"

Sasha's stomach turned.

"You sick **.

"

"For the record,

" Nick added,

"They didn't tell me until after the procedure was done. Otherwise, I would have helped.

"

Zev snarled and pulled Nick higher, but the guy stayed calm and shook his head.

"You know I'm telling you the truth, Zev. I know you wish it wasn't true, but just think. You know I'm right!

"

"Even if you are,

" Zev said and Sasha's stomach dropped.

"That doesn't mean I trust you. You've **ed me over more times than I can count.

"

"And I've saved your ass even more times than that! C'mon, Zev, you know me: When I want something I go after it. The thing I want is to prove to these bastards that their degrees and training are for ** if they can't see the bigger picture. That's what I do. I see the bigger picture. That's why they keep me around. And now they're going to listen to me. I'm going to show them!

"

"Show them, how?

" Sasha asked tentatively, putting one hand to Zev's back. He quivered like a scared horse.

Or a wolf about to hunt to kill.

Nick looked back and forth between them and a smile crept up.

"By getting your kid back to you and keeping you hidden from them until the kid's at least seven.

"

Zev snorted, then started to laugh.

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