Absolution of Fate (Fate Series Book 3) by S. Simone Chavous

hide the irritation in her voice.

    Cami didn’t say anything, knowing that she would have been livid if the situation had been reversed. Instead, she turned, gave Rachel a reassuring smile, and pulled the door closed before she gave her attention to Jared.  

    The pair didn’t speak, only exchanging a knowing glance before they flashed away to the containment unit. Standard Elite protocol was for Cami to report to the pit and await the Commander’s orders, but there was really no point. She knew the source of the alarm and, if the security footage was reviewed, it would probably reveal her part in the current state of chaos, leaving her with a life-altering choice to make so, fuck protocol. She needed to know what happened to Ethan, Alexa, and the others, and Jared wanted no less.

    It only took a couple of minutes for the pair to travel the distance to the containment unit and the ensuing pandemonium that was just outside the door. Clearly, Cami hadn’t been the only one to ignore protocol.

    “How the fuck did this happen!” Commander Claesson roared rhetorically as the guard who’d been assigned to the containment unit cringed in the corner, trying to make himself invisible behind some of the other soldiers.  

    He’d been just as surprised as anyone when the alarm sounded a few moments after the Commander let one of the scientists into the area. Clearly, something had happened inside, causing the researcher to sound the alarm, but it shut him and the prisoners in until the system reset in five minutes, practically an eternity to a vampire who is in a hurry. Because of the panels that came down, they couldn’t even see into the interior corridor.

    Cami glanced toward Jared just as the nervous guard caught sight of them. He opened his mouth, but then closed it again when Cami glared at him. His silence wouldn’t mean much either way with Jester rounding the corner shortly after, no doubt to report what he’d found on the security footage at the Commander’s request. Cami imagined she’d be shipped off before the door even opened, separated from Jared and wondering about her brother and the others for God knew how long.

    The Commander locked eyes with Jester, who shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know, sir. The footage for this sector was quiet, exactly as I would expect normally. It showed the guard alone at his post up until you opened the door, then alone again until the moment I came here to report. Inside looks completely normal; just the two prisoners in their cells. If there had been anything out of the ordinary, sir, I would have reported it as it happened.”

    Cami looked toward the guard again, then at Jared, finding him looking as confused as she did. It made sense, since Jester didn’t see anything abnormal in the lab because Dante had implemented the loop on the cameras, a loop Jester had unknowingly provided, but they hadn’t tampered with the camera on the outer door. She gave Jared a more pointed look. When his expression remained the same, she nonchalantly tapped her temple while lowering her mental shields.  

    Understanding dawned on his face and he pushed into her mind.

    Can you read Jester’s thoughts? Why didn’t he mention we were here close to the time all this went down? she asked in her mind.

    Jared nodded and turned his attention to The Elite’s IT specialist.

    Jester glanced at Jared, and then gave Cami a wink.  

    Shit. Neither of them knew why, but Jester was covering for them. Perhaps he hadn’t been as in the dark about why Dante wanted the looping program as they’d thought.  

    “Smith, you want to tell me exactly what the hell is going on?” Commander Claesson bellowed, his eyes narrowed on the guard who was still a bit groggy.

    “I, sir, I just, I…,” the confused guard stammered.

    “For the love of God; spit it out, man!”

    “Sorry, sir,” Smith continued, trying to regain his composure. Cami actually felt sorry for him; he had no idea about