My head was buzzing, lips quivering. My God, what Merrick had said was true—Leon was a snake. I’d hitched my wagon to a viper. He’d arranged with the guards at the front to let people he’d gathered come inside to take over these homes? Who were they? Desperate people he knew from the show business world who’d been offered a spot in exchange for this? Told they could die outside these gates or take this community over? Given maps and numbers and… Oh my God.

“You said they wouldn’t harm anyone—”

“They won’t,” Leon said. “Not if it’s not necessary. These aren’t bloodthirsty killers. They’re going to gather everyone and those considered…non-essential will be walked out the front gate.”

Merrick’s shoulders sagged further. “It’s as good as killing them, Leon. You know that. And there’s no such thing as a nonessential human being.”

“Unfortunately, Merrick, that’s simply no longer true.”

The front door burst open, the sounds of a group of men entering the home and I startled, letting out a small squeak. My heart pressed against the wall of my chest as my stomach dropped. “Watch him,” Leon said to whomever had entered the house. Oh God. I turned to run, but Leon had heard me and before I could make it to the staircase, he was on my heels. “Stop, Emily.”

I skidded to a stop, looking slowly over my shoulder to see Leon standing there with the gun pointed in my direction. “I do not want to shoot you, but I will if I have to.”

I turned toward him, my mouth dry, heart pounding. “You’re not who I thought you were.”

“I’m exactly who you thought I was,” he said. “It’s why you wanted me on your team.”

I stood there, my mind filled with static, fear and disappointment cascading through my limbs. But maybe he was right. Maybe I’d liked the fact that he was a cutthroat businessman. I’d valued him for his dog-eat-dog attitude and ability to be callous. It’d meant he always got what he wanted and when he was working on my behalf, it meant I did too.

And evidently, he wasn’t afraid to up the level of “cutthroat” depending on the circumstances.

He gestured with his gun. “You’re valuable here, Emily. Don’t worry, you can stay as long as you cooperate. Go on up to your room. I’ll walk you there.”