Imagine Me (Shatter Me, #6)

by Tahereh Mafi

Every morning and evening, I make this two-mile hike to base. My commander says it’s necessary. He did not explain why.

“Are you missing your family?” he asks. “I have no family, sir.” “Friends? A boyfriend?” Vague irritation rises up inside of me; I push it aside. “None, sir.”

“Your beauty is excessive,” he says. “I don’t know what your mother was thinking.”

When he commands me to, I look up. “Now say it,” he says softly. I blink at him. “Sir?” “Tell me that I am your master.”

WOAHHHH NAHH

“Good,” he says softly. “Very good. How strange that you might turn out to be my favorite yet.”

I’m almost positive Anderson told James the truth about Warner.

But somehow I can just tell that James knows.

Someone told him. I can tell by the look on his face. This is the come-to-Jesus moment.

This is the moment where Warner and James finally come face-to-face not as strangers,...

I decide to do something truly reprehensible: I go invisible, and step farther into the room.

The moment I do, Warner stiffens.

“And no one told me. I can’t believe no one told me. Not even Adam. I’ve been so mad at him.”

“Did everyone know? Did Kenji know?” I stiffen.

Warner turns again, this time staring precisely in my direction when he says, “Why do...

Warner almost smiles. James’s eyes go wide.

This was not the reunion I was hoping for.

Still, James’s face breaks into the biggest smile, which—I’m not going to lie—does wo...

James shrugs. “He mostly left me in solitary confinement. They didn’t beat me,” he says, rubbing absently at his ribs, “but the guards were pretty rough. And they didn’t feed me much.”

James is rapidly shaking his head at me, his bottom lip trembling. He looks like he’s about to cry again.

Warner almost smiles when he says, “They weren’t kidnapped.” My eyebrows fly up my forehead. “Say what now?”

“Kent tracked down Anderson on his own,” Warner says, his gaze shifting to James. “He offered his allegiance in exchange for protection.”

It’s James who says quietly, “He gave them his power.” I stare at the kid, blinking like an idiot.

“He was desperate, but he’s not an idiot,” James says angrily, his eyes refilling with tears.

There’s only one place he’d go in a state like that.” I blink at him. “Where?” “Oceania. Back to Maximillian Sommers, the only person capable of piecing him back together.”

We’re going to find Adam and bring him home and make all of this okay. Your job from here on out is to relax and eat chocolate and sleep. All right? Don’t worry about anything. Do you understand?”

I enjoy this power, this feeling of unapologetic dominion. Dopamine floods my brain.

The beeping is coming not from three machines, but seven, all of which seem to be affixed to the unconscious body of a boy.

Its gotta be adam

“No.” His jaw clenches. “But he reminds you of someone.”

“Yes, sir.” Anderson’s eyes narrow. He waits for more. “Sir,” I say quietly. “He reminds me of you.”

He stares at me with something resembling fascination, and it’s such a pure moment, a moment so untainted by malice that he strikes me, suddenly, as beautiful.

More than that.

“You— You are extremely handsome, sir.”

He’s becoming flustered, I realize, and I don’t know what to do about it.

“It’s almost funny,” he says. “This is exactly what I wanted, and yet, somehow, I’m disappointed.”

“What would you do,” he says, nodding his head an inch to his left, “if I asked you to throw yourself out that window?”

“Juliette,” Anderson says, “this is Darius.”

I turn to face Darius. Darius says nothing. He looks paralyzed.

“I won’t be requiring Darius’s services anymore,” Anderson says, glancing in my direction. Darius blanches. Even from where I’m standing...

“Sir?” I say, confused. “Isn’t it obvious?” Anderson says. “I would like you to dispose of him.” Understa...

I lift my hand and Darius’s body lifts off the floor, his head thrown back in agony, his body run through by invisible rods.

Warner reappears so close to my face I nearly scream. I take a sudden, terrified step backward.

I know you were even thinking about proposing to her—and that must’ve—”

“I did propose to her.” I suddenly stiffen. I can tell just by the sound of his voice that he’s not joking.

This is the data I’ve been missing. This is the source of the agony that’s been drowning him.

This is not a good look. All these muscles need to eat.” I poke at his bicep. “Feed your children.”

Warner jerks away from me and takes a long, irritated breath. The sound of it almost makes me smile. Feels like old times.

I am a thief The tape rewinds. Plays back. The file corrupts.

The girl’s not even eighteen. Even I am not as depraved as that.” Max shakes his head. Holds up his pen. “Actually, she’s been eighteen for four months.”

I am simultaneously confused and mortified.

“Can I fix it? Can I fix the fact that she can’t help but be attracted to the man who spawned the two faces she’s known most intimately?”