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"Has he asked you to do anything else?" asked Joseph

"Youyour compound to hell? No Not that I remember" She looked fro with oneon the bed with her, his body between them Lexi was pretty sure that wasn’t an accident

Zach clearly still didn’t trust Joseph around her

An odd sense of peace unfurled inside her Zach was protecting her No one had cared enough about her to protect her since her

Lexi wasn’t going toto step up and do whatever needed to be done to fix this "I need to go take care of the C-4, get it out of here so nothing bad can happen by accident"

Joseph’s jaw hardened "You’re not getting anywhere near those explosives, girl I’ve got acare of it"

"One who kno to handle explosives?"

He lifted a dark, ot it covered"

"It’s relatively safe stuff so long as the detonators aren’t connected Which they aren’t"

"Hoere you going to trigger the device?" asked Zach

"Ti uilty as she laid out their plans

"And if it wasn’t enough?" asked Joseph

Lexi shrugged, but her joints felt rusty and stiff Whatever Logan had done to her wasn’t wearing off fast "I guess I would have gone doith the rest of you"

Zach cursed, spitting out a violent word Joseph ly?"

"It wasn’tTired of being afraid all the time"

Zach took her hand and wrapped his around it, warers "You don’t have to run anymore"

Lexi eyed Joseph "I’m not so sure about that, Zach Looks like your fearless leader here would prefer if I hit the road"

"Like hell," said Zach

"You’re not going anywhere," ordered Joseph "I want you right here where I can keep an eye on you"

"So, now I’m a prisoner?" she asked

Zach’s dark face hardened to a stony scowl as he turned to Joseph "She’s not, is she?"

"I don’t want her leaving the co any calls Is that clear?"

"I’ve got to call the Defenders and let theuys"

Joseph pushed away fro to happen Let them think we found you out and killed you"

"They’ll only try again Souys aren’t the monsters they think you are"

Joseph shook his head "There’s no reasoning with ain We’ll be ready"

"What are you going to do?" asked Zach

Joseph’s shoulders seeht had settled atop the I can Erase the threat"

Zach leapt from the bed so fast it looked like he’d been launched from a catapult "You don’t mean to kill them, do you?" he asked in disbelief

"When they werein our way? No But now?" He shook his head in sorrow, but his eyes were rock hard "They meant to kill us all They ain I can’t let that crio unanswered"

"You can’t retaliate, Joseph They’re human"

"I can’t let thatto ain" Joseph’s eyes went to Lexi and she felt a chill glide over her spine There was no mercy inside that man No compassion "I want a list of names Every person you ever met as connected to the Defenders"

"I won’t give it to you," she told hi, but that doesn’tthem here, let them see what I have, and they’ll understand"

"It’s too late for that You will give me that list"

"No, I won’t"

"Then I’ll order Logan to take it from you," said Joseph as he turned to leave the room "It won’t be as comfortable for you, but it will be just as effective"