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before we destroyed the alien genes.” Rachel looked at Erik and me. “I tried to keep you two as safe as I could when you were at GlobalLife. If Preston hadn’t been able to get you out, I would have found a way. I wouldn’t have let them keep you there.”
    She seemed sincere and I already trusted her more than I did Owens.  
    “And I’m really sorry that I made that stuff up about you,” Rachel added. “It was the only way. Otherwise they would have forced you.”
    “What are you talking about?” Erik asked. “What did you make up?”
    Rachel gathered her things and got up to leave. “The pregnancy. I had Ridley fake the results to make GlobalLife think Samantha was pregnant.”

CHAPTER FOUR
The Procedure
    Erik stood up. “Rachel, why would you do that?”  
    I went over to her. “Do you know how much trouble that’s caused us? Do you even understand what that—”
    “I had to do it,” she insisted. “They were going to force you to, you know, and then if you really did get pregnant—well, never mind.”
    She turned to leave, but I grabbed her arm. “What? What were you going to say, Rachel?”  
    “Well, it’s just that they had plans for any offspring that came from you and Erik. I can’t get into it right now. Just be glad that they bought the story.”
    “Did you have anything to do with what happened that night of the gala? Erik and I couldn’t remember anything the next day.”
    “Well, I did slip a little something in your champagne. And I’m sorry for that. But it worked, because you both assumed that something happened. We needed you to believe the pregnancy was a possibility or the plan would’ve failed. If you’d remembered everything, you would’ve insisted that the pregnancy wasn’t real, causing GlobalLife to run more tests and find out the truth.”  
    “But we woke up without . . .” I was too embarrassed to say it front of Jack. But in my head, I still couldn’t figure out why we woke up the next morning without clothes. Did Rachel have something to do with that? Or had something really happened that night between Erik and me?
    “They had cameras watching us,” Erik pointed out. “GlobalLife would’ve seen that the pregnancy wasn’t possible.”
    Rachel smiled. “The cameras weren’t working that night, Erik. Convenient, huh? Only you and Samantha know what really happened in your room that night. I’ll see you all later.” She quickly walked away and left out the door to the parking garage.  
    Erik sat down again. “I liked her until I heard that part about the fake test results.”  
    “What was she thinking? Drugging us? Making up a pregnancy?” I took a seat next to Erik.
    “I wouldn’t be so hard on her,” Jack said. “It sounds she did a lot for you two. She put herself at risk. And so did that other scientist, Ridley. Being undercover, they couldn’t tell you things until you were out of there. And I think she’s right to have concerns about Owens. Dave, I know you like the guy and he has been helpful, but we need to know what his motives are.”
    “I agree. But I don’t want to assume anything until we know more.” Dave glanced at his watch. “Lab results should be in by now. I’m going to go see if anything came up that might complicate the procedure.”
    Jack got up. “Yes. I had the exact same thought. We’ll see you two at dinner.”
    Erik and I stayed behind. Before either of us said anything, Colin walked in, heading to the kitchen. He darted past where we were sitting.
    “Colin, wait. I need to talk to you.” I followed him into the kitchen. He was getting a sandwich from the fridge.  
    “I’m not here to talk, Sam. I just wanted to get something to eat.” He grabbed a plate for the sandwich and headed back to his room.
    I kept close behind him. “But I only need a few minutes.”
    He stopped when he reached his room. “Just go, Sam. We have nothing to talk about.”
    I wasn’t used to Colin acting that cold toward