by S. S. Segran
“I . . .” Her shoulders hunched further inward. “I lost my way when I lost my husband. When Dr. Bertram offered me a place in the company, it became more than a job. It filled a gaping hole in my life.” Her voice trembled. “Maksim was killed on our third anniversary. The pigs that murdered him, they were never caught. They danced over his body as he bled out in the alley from his slit throat. They took whatever little money we had and told me that this was what he got for refusing to work with the Bratva, the mob. I was six months pregnant and . . . and lying next to my husband on the filthy lane, soaked in his blood. The pigs laughed as people passed through the alley, looking the other way out of fear. No one stopped to help.”
Gareth listened, his mouth closed firmly.
“I hated people that night,” she seethed. “I hated people as the corrupt police refused to investigate the murder of my husband. I hated people as I learned more about self-serving public officials and politicians who were in bed with the mob. I hated people who’d rather save their own skin than be decent human beings. And yes, I . . . hated people . . . when I created the virus.” A couple of tears trailed down her cheeks and she brushed them away. “The world had become a cesspool of the wicked, the corrupt. It needed to be cleansed.” She dropped her gaze to the floor. “I realized later, much later, that when you allow this kind of pain to consume you, it rages through your soul and leaves behind a husk. An abomination.”
Gareth tilted his head back to look at the warm ceiling lights. Pain is the devil that turns grief into madness. But nothing can justify the monstrosity that she’s unleashed.
Ina wiped her nose, then covered her face for a few moments to gather herself. “I was suspicious of you when you showed up with the flowers. But then you threw yourself in front of that car to save Anya, shrugging it off like it was nothing, and I . . . I had not witnessed such a selfless act in ages.”
“If you were so suspicious of me,” Gareth said, “why did you invite me into your home?”
“Besides the fact that you’d just saved my daughter’s life? Well, you piqued my interest. There was something about you; I couldn’t place it. A certain goodness.” When Gareth arched a brow, she hastily added, “And you were too careless with your mask. You didn’t seem bothered that it wasn’t covering your mouth and nose. Besides . . . you had some cuts and bruises that needed to be tended to.”
The Sentry expelled a breath as he realized what had happened. “I left you with a sample of my blood.”
“Yes.” She rested her elbows on the table and leaned toward him. “And when I tested it, I was completely floored.”
Gareth closed the distance between them. “Why?”
“Before I created the pathogen, I was given a tissue sample. The instructions I’d gotten was that I needed to design a bug that would not affect those with certain genetic markers in their DNA. When I tested your blood, I found that it had a similar marker.”
It was specifically designed to target anyone but those of Dema-Ki origin, Gareth thought, forehead creasing. Wipe out the whole world and leave the rest of us standing. But why?
“So that’s why we’re not affected,” he murmured to himself.
“We?”
“Ina, how well do you know your boss? And I don’t mean Bertram.”
“Well enough, but not on a personal level. Why?”
“My brother and I are descendants of a . . . certain group of secluded people. So is the head of your organization. That sample you initially received? I guarantee it’s from your boss. That’s why you see a pattern in our DNA.”
Ina’s gaze slid past him. “Dema-Ki,” she said, slowly. “You’re from Dema-Ki.”
Gareth blinked. “How—”
“I overheard Bertram speaking with another man once. It was sometime last year. I didn’t get to hear much and pieces of information were missing, but talking to you now, I understand better.” Color trickled out of her face and tears began to spill anew from her eyes. She hurriedly dabbed them but more kept coming. “Sorry. I can’t control this.”
“It’s alright.”
“I know I’m beyond salvation. I deserve what’s coming to me.”
Gareth wiped her teardrops with his thumb. She’s not wrong. This is her cross to bear. But if she’s willing to atone for her crimes, then we have to help her. And that means Reyor will come after her with everything under the sun. Hell hath no fury . . .
“Listen,” he said; Ina looked up, eyes puffy. “My people and I will do everything we can to protect you from your employer. We’ll keep you safe, you have my word, but we’ll need your help to get the cure.”
She pulled back slightly and gave him a lackluster smile. “Phoenix is looming over me, Gareth. Don’t make a promise you can’t keep.”
“I know a place where they won’t be able to find you,” he said. “It’s off the grid. You’ll be untouchable. You and Anya both.”
He could see her teetering on the precipice, wanting to believe him but wary of putting her faith in someone else. He took her hand in his. “You can trust me.”
Her expression softened as she finally gave in. She picked up the glass and downed its contents. “Ugh, I wish this was something stronger than water. Okay, first order of business: I’ll need to get to my office. Not today, but tomorrow. Everything we need is stored on a secure server there.”
Gareth squeezed her hand, letting himself smile in respite. “I was led to believe that you have the formula for the cure in your head.”
“I do. Most of it. But we’ll need details, blueprints. Plus, I think you’ll want to know about future plans in the pipeline. I’ve also got a file detailing how to properly deactivate the Marauders.”
“That would be incredibly helpful.” Gareth knocked his knuckles on the table. “By the way, why did you decide to meet me three hours away from Moscow?”
“I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t easily followed. Like you said, Bertram—and by extension, the company—has become suspicious of my loyalties. I need to watch my back.”
“You’re not alone anymore,” Gareth assured her. “Do you have anything at home?”
“Relating to my work? Definitely not. You won’t believe how paranoid Phoenix is about this stuff.”
“I think I would. So what’s the plan?”
“Before we do anything, we’ll have to find a safe place for my daughter.”
“Done. I have a couple of friends who can help. They’re trustworthy.”
Ina relaxed slightly in her chair. “Perfect. Once Anya’s with them, I’ll head to my office.”
“I can drop you off.”
“No! The workplace security parameters are wide. Even the parking lots are guarded. It wouldn’t be wise if I stepped out of someone else’s car. Just be ready. I’ll leave for the office first, and you’ll follow a few minutes later. It won’t take long to retrieve what we need.”
Gareth stopped her as she pushed her chair back. “Wait a minute, now,” he said. “If it’s all on a secure server, how do you plan to get the documents?”
She managed a grin. “By removing the hard drive. The alarm will go off, but I’ll trigger the fire bell first to create a diversion. Should confuse the guards long enough for me to run out and hop into your car. Then we’ll fetch Anya and you’ll take us to safety. I hope you know what to do after that, because my employer will be on us like bloodhounds.”
“I’ll have a getaway plan in place by the time we’ve secured Anya,” Gareth replied.
They made their way to the door. As they trod out into the cold, Ina turned around and grasped the front of his jacket, pulling him close. His breath hitched involuntarily.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for giving a monster like me a chance at redemption.”
38
Gareth glanced at the rearview mirror at Anya as she slept in her booster seat, bundled cozily in her little orange parka and boots. The six-year-old seemed so at peace, the Sentry couldn’t help but smile just a
bit. Beside him, Ina stared out of her window as bare aspen and birch trees blurred past against the wintry backdrop; she’d been silent for most of the ride.
After their meeting the evening before, she’d returned home to pack some belongings while Gareth pieced together their getaway strategy in his hotel room. He’d stayed up all night finalizing the plan and slept through the day until Ina clocked out of work as usual late in the afternoon, just to make things look normal at the office. Once he’d picked up the Deols, they headed northwest where they would drop Anya off before returning to Moscow for the hard drive.
Gareth, noticing Ina’s constant fidgeting, cleared his throat twice to catch her attention. “So tell me about Anya. Is she—was she—homeschooled?”
Ina lurched out of her reverie. “What? Oh. No, she wasn’t, though I wish she had been. I don’t like being away from her for hours at a time, especially considering that she can’t hear. But as it goes, my work requires my full attention. She has hearing aids but more often than not, she doesn’t wear them.”
“She’s not comfortable with sound?”
“More like she’s not comfortable having things in her ears.” Ina wore a wry half-grin. “I actually planned on setting up a surgery for her when she was a little older so she wouldn’t need hearing aids at all.”
Gareth picked up the bitter melancholy in her words and tried to comfort her but was held back by a painful truth. Many others are suffering far more from her hands than she is. His grip on the steering wheel hardened. Then why am I struggling to not feel sorry for her?
Ina turned to the backseat and brushed a few strands of hair from her daughter’s face, her own knotting in grief. “My greatest fear,” she confessed under her breath, “is that one day she’ll find out just what kind of a fiend her mother is. And she won’t look at me with love anymore, but with fear. Shame. Disgust.”
“The only thing she’ll know,” Gareth said, finding his voice, “is that in the time of crisis, her mother did the right thing and helped put an end to the madness.”
Ina gave one last long look at her daughter before facing the front. “So our getaway plan is in place?”
“Everything’s ready. All we have to do is make a few hops after you get the hard drive to shake off anyone on our trail. Which reminds me; I have a few questions.”
“Questions?”
“Aye. Before I go into anything I like to have a feel for the lay of the land.”
“Ask away, then.”
“Have you noticed anything different or out of the norm lately? With your boss? With Bertram?”
Ina twirled the end of her side braid, brow furrowed. “Bertram’s been nice to me. I mean, he always is, but since I started being questioned, he’s been extra nice.”
“Hmm. Anything else?”
“Um . . . Last week, we got a new set of guards at the office. They were appointed specifically from Arcane Ventures, so they have a good idea of what’s going on with the clandestine part of the organization.”
“Tightening security. Not surprising. Sounds like they’re certainly on to you. That’s it?”
“Nothing else has changed as far as I can tell. This is a modest-sized site where biotech prototypes are designed. Besides the tight security, this place is pretty inconspicuous. The full production facility is farther east in the countryside. That’s where my creations come to life.” She scowled to herself, then vigorously shook away the dark cloud over her head. “So these friends of yours Anya will be with—”
“They’re great people. I met them when some mates and I backpacked across Europe years ago and I always drop by when I’m around. It’s just a few hours, Ina. She’ll be fine.”
“A mother’s worry never ceases.”
“I know.”
They turned right, heading off the beaten road and rolling along a lengthy driveway toward a farmhouse with a rusty old truck parked just outside the front door. They got out of the car and as Gareth rang the doorbell, Anya stirred in Ina’s arms, blinking owlishly.
A slim woman and a plump man, both bespectacled with silver hair and sunny demeanors, welcomed the trio. Gareth planted a quick kiss on their cheeks and introduced them to the doctor and her daughter in Russian. Ina greeted them, though she was clearly still hesitant.
The older Russian man gave her an understanding smile. “She’ll be safe with us, dear.”
Ina glanced at Gareth. He gave her an assuring nod and watched her swallow her reluctance. As she passed her daughter to the couple, Anya shrunk away.
“Anya, darling, it’s okay,” Ina soothed, making sure the girl’s hearing aids were properly placed. “They’re Gareth’s friends.”
“You’re staying, right?” Anya whined.
“We have to go for a little while, but we’ll be back before you know it.”
“No! Please stay! Don’t go!”
“I have to, darling. Mommy has important work to do. We’ll be back soon.”
Anya squeaked and latched tightly to her mother’s neck. Gareth gently rubbed her back. “Hey,” he said. “Hey, it’s alright. Anya, come here.”
The girl immediately reached out to him and he lifted her into his arms. “Uncle Sergei and Auntie Nika took very good care of me when I first came here. They’ll take good care of you, too. Oh, and you know what?” He grinned. “Auntie Nika makes really yummy cookies. Mostly chocolate chip. I know you love those, don’t you? Their pantry is full of them.” When she still didn’t look convinced, he added, “They also have a cat somewhere in the house.”
Anya’s eyes became full moons. “A cat?”
“Yes! His name is Isidor and he’s always playing hide and seek, so you can help them find him.”
Anya squirmed eagerly, forcing Gareth to put her down. Ina bent down to kiss her. “Be good, darling. And make sure you keep your hearing aids in, hm?”
“Okay!” Anya sang.
The elderly couple beamed as the girl shot past them, calling for the cat. “She’ll be well taken care of,” Nika promised, and Ina finally offered an appreciative, believing smile.
Gareth wrapped the old woman in a hug. “Of course she will. You’re both here.”
Sergei rested his hands on the Sentry’s shoulders. “It’s wonderful seeing you again, my mischief-maker. I know you’re in a hurry, so go. Be safe, both of you.”
As Gareth and Ina retreated down the driveway and sped back toward Moscow, Ina said, “Let’s run by the plan one final time.”
“We’ve done it four times already,” the Sentry pointed out.
“Humor me.”
Gareth acquiesced. “You go to the office in your own car. I’ll wait a few blocks away, just outside of the security perimeter. It should take you ten minutes to get in and out of the server room.”
“Remember, there won’t be a cell signal when I’m inside.”
“I’ll try not to panic if you don’t answer my call, then,” Gareth said. “Don’t want to seem too clingy.”
That got a twitch of a smirk out of her. “Just remember, when everything’s in place, I’ll give you a ring right before I pull the fire alarm and remove the hard drive. That’ll give you—”
“—less than a minute to get to the front of the office and Speedy Gonzales us away,” he finished. “Ina, I’ve got it. Really. Now try to relax. You can’t go walking in on edge. You know what’ll help? Music. For instance, classic rock calms me.”
Ina laughed, delighted. “Me too!”
“What? No way.”
“Mmhm. Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, Blue Ӧyster Cult, Zep, Foreigner, REO, you name it.”
Gareth turned to her, slack-jawed. She tucked her hair behind her ear, blushing. “Stop looking at me like that!”
“Sorry! It’s just been so long since I’ve met someone who’s more than just a casual listener.” The Sentry fished his phone out and connected it to the car’s speakers. “Go on, then. Relax yourself. We’ve still got two hours of driving left.”
* * *
> Gareth leaned against the hood of the car, taking in the subzero night and the darkened office buildings on either side of the wide street. Though the entire area was empty, it nonetheless surprised him that Moscow had yet to impose a mandatory curfew on its civilians. Can’t complain, though, he thought. If they had a curfew, tonight wouldn’t be possible. He checked his phone. 9:05. Ten minutes. She’s already been gone for five.
He loathed the fact that her office was several blocks out of view, but the shots were hers to call. And call them she does. Guilt is an incredible motivator when one wants to right their wrongs. The Sentry turned on his phone; the time hadn’t changed. A watched pot never boils, mate.
He maxed the volume on his phone, placed it on the car’s hood and stretched out any stiffness in his body. A short man waddled past, a beak-like mask covering his face. Gareth’s skin crawled. Why on God’s green Earth would anyone casually own a plague doctor costume? That’s downright disturbing. Oh ho, and he’s staring at me as if I’m the oddball! That’s right, old fellow, keep walking. Perhaps you’ll find your way to, oh, I don’t know, literally any drug store that carries surgical masks to catch you up with the times.
Gareth finished his stretches and picked up his phone. Ten minutes and no call. He chewed his thumbnail. Give her a bit more time. She might’ve run into someone and got stuck chatting with them.
Five minutes passed and still nothing. He paced around the car, picking up speed with every revolution. I should go. Something must’ve happened. I should go. But what if she just got caught up? What if she misjudged how long it would take? Agh! If I go in now, it could blow everything!
He dialed Ina’s number but the call immediately went to voicemail. “It’s alright,” he muttered. “It’s alright. She said there would be no signal in the server room. Just wait.”
The seconds and minutes dragged on until the clock hit 9:20.
Gareth shoved his phone into his pocket. “Screw it.” He threw himself into the driver’s seat. The engine came to life and he took off, foot cemented to the accelerator. As he neared the office building, he noticed color bouncing and reflecting off nearby glass towers, hues of orange, yellow, deep red; flickering, dancing . . .
