Ryan swallowed. He didn’t know. Nobody knew.
Dade scooted farther down the bed and closed his eyes again. “I think I’ll take a nap. Thanks for the pep talk.”
The next time Dade opened his eyes, he startled for a moment. He did that often. Ever since coming out of the coma, he found himself jolting awake as if there had been a loud noise or he’d had a nightmare. Except there never seemed to be evidence of any noises, and he couldn’t remember his dreams.
He was thirsty, but he didn’t have the energy or the will to bother reaching for the pitcher of water at his side, so he simply stared at the ceiling—his new habit.
He’d already been through a death. It had been devastating. It had taken its toll on him mentally. Not a near-death experience. He had died. For all intents and purposes, he had died. He’d known for months that he had been infected with a fatal virus that would kill him.
It didn’t matter that he had been aware there was a remote possibility in the future he could be revived. Remote was the key word. His team of twenty-one had worked on the cure for AP12 for over five years, ever since General Winston Custodio had come to the bunker infected with the virus. He hadn’t survived. He was the first person they had cryonically preserved.
After years of research, a broken beaker had caused the virus to become airborne and infect the entire team. Over the next few months, one by one, each of them had fallen ill. All of them had agreed to be preserved one floor below in this very bunker.
All of them had also agreed to be preserved before they died naturally.
They were scientists. They understood the likelihood of ever being revived would be slim if they waited for their bodies to completely fail. So, technically, yes, they had been legally dead at the time of preservation, but human intervention had been the cause.
The possibility that Dade might one day be revived had been too unlikely for him to put any real stock in it. He’d never truly trusted it.
Dade Menke had died.
So, fuck the weird deity with a strange sense of humor who thought it might be fun to toy with him by reviving him only to kill him again.
How was this happening? He had hoped if he went to sleep and woke up again he would find out it had all been a dream, but no such luck. He was still lying in this bed. He was still infected with two forms of anemia. He was still going to die.
As that realization settled over him for the second time that day, he squeezed his eyes shut. He’d already been through the process of accepting death once before. Only a cruel God would make him do this again. After two weeks of thinking he was going to get a new chance at life, he couldn’t believe how the path had taken this twist.
What had he done in life to deserve this fate? He was a good person. He’d dedicated his life to saving others. Surely the universe could see fit to give him another chance. Please, God.
Deep breaths. Pleading with God wasn’t going to help. He needed to swallow this pill and accept that he was going to die. Again. In this fucking bunker. He didn’t have much time. It would be spent in this damn room on this damn bed with Ryan and his team running around trying to slow time.
Why bother to join the let’s-have-hope bandwagon? How useless. He was weak and tired. It would be easier to accept his fate and let go of any plans he might have had to get out of this bunker and live a valuable life.
He let out a long slow breath.
“It’s not a bad idea, you know.”
Dade nearly jumped out of bed at the sound of the female voice coming from behind him. He lifted his head, heart pumping, and twisted to find a woman he’d never met sitting in an armchair in the corner.
No. She wasn’t just sitting. She was lounging. Casually. She was literally comfortably propped in the stupid vinyl olive-green armchair. Sideways. Her head leaning back against one palm, her feet dangling over the other arm. Totally incongruent was the fact that she wore a uniform. Navy pants. Medium blue shirt. She had to be one of the security detail.
He continued to stare at her, unable to form words. Her blond hair was pulled into a bun, so he had no idea how long it might be. She also wore minimal makeup. She didn’t need it.
What stood out was her eyes—piercing blue. They seemed to glow from across the room.
“What are you talking about? Who are you?” he finally managed to sputter, his mouth so dry the words came out scratchy.
She swung her legs around, set her hands on her knees, and pushed to standing. Silently, she came across the room and picked up the pitcher of water on the small table at his side. She poured him a glass and then had the audacity to grab the remote at his side and adjust the mattress so that he was forced to sit up straighter.
He watched her, mesmerized. Part of him assumed he was still asleep, imagining her, finally having a dream. He wanted to swat the cup of water out of her hand and tell her to leave him the fuck alone, but he couldn’t find the will.
When she apparently had him in the position she preferred, she picked up his hand and wrapped his fingers around the cup as if he were a damn invalid who couldn’t have done so by himself.
He didn’t bring the water to his lips, but at least he didn’t throw it in her face either. That took will.
Damn bossy woman. She hadn’t spoken another word yet, and already he could tell she was used to getting her way.
“I thought you were going to sleep all day,” she finally said. She met his gaze, those damn blue eyes piercing him, and continued. “I’m Blair Rollans.”
He lifted a brow. “So?”
She smiled condescendingly. “I’ve been assigned as your bodyguard.”
“My what?” His voice rose as he leaned forward, forgetting the cup which tipped too far. Water spilled over the side of his hand.
Blair gently reached out and righted his hand, her smaller one wrapped around his fingers, remaining a few seconds as if to confirm that he was aware and had the damn cup under control.
“What are you? Personal security detail? What the hell do I need a bodyguard for? Did the bunker start letting anyone who wants to wander onto the grounds and stroll down the hallways?”
She smiled again, this time broader. Devastating. If she graced whoever her significant other was with that smile often, the guy was surely putty in her hands. “We’re not going to be staying in the bunker.”
He lifted a brow again. Why did it seem like she had way more information about him than he did?
Suddenly he remembered her opening line. It’s not a bad idea, you know. “Please tell me this doesn’t have anything to do with my snide comment about a bucket list.”
Another earth-moving grin. “He remembers.” She patted his hand. “Drink your water. It might make you sound less growly. We leave tomorrow morning.”
Chapter 3
“This is a joke, right?” Dade watched as Blair leaned against the doorframe of his room, casually. She wasn’t wearing a uniform this time. In fact, he might not have recognized her at all if it hadn’t been for her deep blue eyes. She had on jeans that rode low on her hips, a cream-colored thermal shirt, and hiking boots. Her blond hair was in a long thick braid that fell over one shoulder. Her stature was slight compared to his. He put her at about five foot five. But he could also sense she was not a woman to be messed with.
She was definitely not a girly girl, but she couldn’t hide how attractive she was either. He imagined her with four brothers fighting to fit in with them as a child while insisting she could do anything they could do better.
He had to shake the absurd thought from his head. Why the hell did he care if she had siblings or not? He had no business even being curious.
She glanced at her watch. “Nope. If you want to take a shower before we leave, you should probably hurry. We’re leaving in fifteen minutes.”
Emily slid into the room around Blair, her face beaming. “Hey.” She switched to a frown. “Why are you still in that bed?” She snapped her fingers. “Get up. Get dressed.”
R
yan had already scolded him about an hour ago about getting out of bed. He didn’t need two women doing the same thing. “This plan is ludicrous. I’m not going to some mountain cabin to die.”
Blair lifted a finger. “This much is true. You’re going there to live.”
Dade crossed his arms and glared at the two women. “I’m bigger than the two of you put together.” He sounded absurd. After ten years in preservation and two weeks of inactive defiance, there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell he could so much as stand without swaying. He wouldn’t be able to fight a forty-pound five-year-old.
Emily giggled. “You’re weaker, though. I’ve been working out since my revival. And Blair works out more than anyone I know. She takes her job seriously. You’re going to have to hustle to keep up with her.”
He growled. “This is not happening.”
“So you intend to lie in that bed for the rest of your life, wallowing in self-pity?” Emily asked.
“Yep.”
She set her hands on her hips. “The Dade I knew was energetic, funny, and full of piss and vinegar. Even in the most stressful times, he managed to pull a prank or make a joke to break up the monotony so we could all be more productive in the lab.”
“Yeah, well, that guy died.” Apparently he’s also slated to die again.
Ignoring him, Emily continued. “So, by my guess, you won’t notice any of the symptoms from AP12 for weeks or months. I waited three weeks before getting treatment, and I hadn’t exhibited a single symptom yet. Not even in my bloodwork.”
“What’s your point?” He had no intention of finding the good in this situation. He was too tired to bother.
As if there weren’t enough women in the room, his boss, Temple, made an appearance. “Hey, I hear you’re going on a little vacation.”
Three fucking women now stared at him with forced smiles.
He scowled. “A vacation. Is that what we’re calling it?”
Temple nodded. “Yes. And I’ll have you know my cabin is amazing. It’s not some dusty, dank rickety shack in the woods. It’s a vacation property. I’ve been renting it out for years. I’ve never had a bad review.”
“The cabin is yours?” No one had mentioned that detail.
“Yep. Three bedrooms. Two baths. Fireplace. Modern appliances. It’s so far off the beaten path that it’s difficult to find. No one will ever know you’re there. The security system is top of the line. You’ll be safe.” She turned to face Blair. “Plus I can assure you Blair is one of the best. I’d trust her with my life.”
Emily agreed. “It’s true. I have trusted her with my life.”
Blair rolled her eyes. “I hardly think you’re a stellar example of my abilities at protection. I won’t be using you on my resume anytime soon. Did you forget the part where I got shot and you got kidnapped?”
“Wait? What?” Dade sat up straighter. “You got shot?” He shifted his gaze to Emily. “You got kidnapped?”
Emily nodded. “I did indeed. Have you not caught on to the fact that there are a lot of people out there who don’t approve of our existence?”
He had been told that. He simply didn’t care. It was never going to matter to him.
Temple came farther into the room. “Lucky for you, news of your reanimation hasn’t leaked. I’d like to keep it that way.”
Dade curled his hands into fists at his sides. “Has it escaped everyone’s notice that I’ll probably be dead before any news about me could possibly leak?”
“Not possible.” The latest person to enter the room was Ryan. Great.
“You can’t even give me a timeframe,” Dade pointed out. “It’s not as if I could stroll out the front gate and wander through society. I would infect half the population and start an epidemic.”
He’d read some of the updated information Ryan had provided him, but not enough. He was pretty sure he remembered reading that few people had been infected in North America, and all of those who were infected had recently traveled abroad.
A vaccine had been developed, but it hadn’t been widely dispersed yet since it hadn’t been necessary in the States with so few cases and a perfectly effective cure.
Naturally, everyone who worked in the bunker or on the grounds had received the immunization.
“You’re absolutely right,” Temple agreed. “That’s why we’re going to sneak you off the grounds in the back of a delivery truck that will take you and Rollans to a specified location where you’ll switch to a car and take it to the cabin.”
“You have this all planned out so well. Why exactly didn’t anyone bother to check with me before you plotted out how my dying days would be spent?” He didn’t give a single solid fuck that he was being an asshole. Nor did he care that any psychologist would point out that feeling sorry for himself was not the best use of his remaining time.
“It’s more than that,” Temple said. “The struggle to keep your team alive is real. After what happened yesterday, I need you to do this for the team.”
Ryan groaned.
Dade narrowed his gaze. “What happened yesterday?”
Temple’s shoulders fell. “Sorry. I thought you knew.”
Dade stared at everyone in the room with wide eyes. “Apparently not.”
Ryan took a deep breath. “My parents were found and attacked where they were hiding on a ranch in Montana.”
“What the fuck? Ryan? Why didn’t you tell me? Are they okay?” Dade could feel the heat rising on his face. This was serious. Emily had been kidnapped, and Tushar and Trish had been attacked? Holy fuck.
“They’re fine. They escaped. They’re heading this way tomorrow.”
Dade blew out a breath of relief. He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand while trying to piece this story together. “Why on earth would you want me to leave the bunker if it’s so damn unsafe out there?” He shuddered. Tushar and Trish had been the anchors of his team. They had not only been the oldest members, but also the first to join the team. Everyone had answered to them. Everyone adored them.
Ryan glanced out into the hallway and then shut the door. He stepped farther into the room, rubbing his hands together. “The truth is, we have a mole.”
“Pardon?” This saga kept getting worse.
Ryan nodded. “Not a single living soul outside of this room is going to know where you went or even that you left this bunker. We can’t take the risk that someone will find you.”
Dade smirked. “Unless one of you is the mole,” he joked.
No one laughed. Apparently they took this seriously.
“I was joking. Geez.” He glanced around at everyone in the room. Ryan had spent his life ensuring the team could be reanimated. Emily had been on the first team herself. Temple was the general who had been in charge of the bunker from day one. That only left Blair.
Dade didn’t know Blair, but he had to assume the rest of the people in the room trusted her enough to put her in charge of his safety. Besides, she had been shot protecting Emily. That wouldn’t lead anyone to think she was playing for the enemy.
“We take everyone’s life seriously around here,” Temple added. “Look, I’ll be blunt. I don’t like you cooped up in this bunker, moping around. It’s not fair to you…”
“And it’s not good for morale inside the bunker. I get it.” He sighed. Of course. It would be hard on everyone who already worked long shifts seven days a week to have to skirt around a dying man with a surly disposition.
“That’s not what I meant,” Temple defended.
“Yeah. It is. How hard would it be for someone to find me if I’m going to your personal cabin?”
“You aren’t. I don’t own a cabin.”
He gave his head a quick shake. “What? I’m starting to think I’ve suffered brain damage.”
Temple smiled. “You haven’t. We all just created that story so that it would spread around. If anyone starts digging, they’ll find nothing and waste their time trying.”
He lifted his brows. “You’ve
thought of everything.”
“Yep.” Emily’s infectious smile thawed him a little. She even stepped right up beside him and took his hand. “I want you to go. Enjoy life. Breathe. The entire team will be here working hard to find a way to cure you. Have faith in us. I don’t want you to wander around here half aware of our daily accomplishments. It would be too stressful for you.”
Dade glanced past her to find Blair watching him closely. “Even if I did agree to your plan and the elaborate reasons you’ve all presented, I wouldn’t want a soul to have to spend their days trapped with me in some remote location watching me die. Do you all dislike Blair so much that you want her out of your hair?” He couldn’t help but shoot her a half smile.
She cocked her head to one side. “You are not going to die. Not on my watch. I’m a trained bodyguard, Dade. It’s my job to guard whoever I’m assigned to. I take that job very seriously. Nothing will happen to you in my care.”
He stared at her. How many people had she protected? She could have been military. She had that vibe. He wondered if she’d been in combat situations, perhaps even overseas. He didn’t even know what wars the country was currently fighting or might have engaged in over the past decade.
“Blair, I’m going to die,” he pointed out.
She shrugged. “We’re all going to die. But you’re not doing anything of the sort in the near future. I forbid it.”
At that, he actually laughed. For the first time since Ryan had told him about his condition yesterday morning, he found something funny. “Are you always this bossy?”
“Only when I’m awake.” She shoved off the wall where she’d stood this entire time and clapped her hands together. “We have to get going.”
He didn’t respond as she turned around, opened the door, and left the room. A sense of loss climbed up his spine at her exit. Her energy had filled the space, and she took it with her, leaving the room with less oxygen.
Reviving Dade Page 2
