by Aimee Laine
Despite herself, Lily had listened. None of the rooms sounded dangerous or even scary. That Herri’s answers never made mention of Mimics in the testing brought Lily a new level of respect for the doctor. She hadn’t given up any secrets. For all Cael knew, as a supposed outsider, they tested energy sources and their effect on humans.
Cael hitched his pants, nudged his glasses up his nose. Lily eyed Leigh, stared back at Cael and gave him a little shrug. He tilted up and raised a brow. Lily gave him a single nod, wiping at her nose in the process.
“What’s that girl doing?” he asked.
Thank you for picking up my signals.
Herri smiled. “Ah … well, she walks along there when she thinks.”
“Along a tightrope?” Cael asked. “A little kid like that walks back and forth twenty feet off the ground to think?”
The smile didn’t even break on Herri’s face. “We all find ways to cope with our lots in life, don’t we? I’m sorry, but I really do need to keep going.”
Cael dipped an invisible hat at Herri. “Ma’am,” he said to Lily. “I’ll be seein’ ya.” With that, he started again with Marlie.
“Now …” Herri said. “Where were we?”
“You were going to confirm what I can and can’t do.”
“Well, let’s just see. Shall we?” Herri opened the door to the little room.
“Wh—why in there?” A need to stay in the open tugged at Lily and rooted her to her seat.
Herri cocked her head to the side. “Each room is equipped with high-speed video cameras and sensors. If we did anything inside this big lab, we’d have no control over the results. This room is our control. It’s made of the same materials as the building and allows us to test what you can do naturally.”
“What about all the other rooms? I see at least a dozen little boxes.”
“We call them testing pods, and they’re all the same.” Herri pursed her lips, the first sign of frustration Lily received from her. “Each room is equipped the same way. But each has different properties. Some metals prevent some Mimics from transforming. Some natural substances do, too. We’ve learned, over the years, about a few, and have these set up to both test and allow you to learn yourself what you can and can’t do. And if it’s something on the can’t side, we’ll work with you and, perhaps, find a way to alter that.”
“So, like a school for Mimics?”
Herri’s smile bloomed. “Sure. And others … “
School for Mimics. How cool is that?
“… You don’t have to do these tests, Lily. But it’s the only way I can gauge—”
A sense of control came over Lily. She breathed in deep. “I’m ready.”
Herri’s smile bloomed. “Excellent! We’ll run the same steps in here and in the other eleven rooms. From there, we’ll have some answers on what you’re capable of.”
For the first time, despite her misgivings, Lily wanted to know.
24
Cael followed Marlie around the lab. She explained very little, letting lab-coated people talk instead. From what he gathered, the rooms gave the scientists a picture into the abilities and capabilities of a Mimic, though they never once said the name. Cael had even considered, at one point, suggesting he and James go through the testing themselves to see what the government thought of their own talents.
Had James been with Cael, he’d have growled a firm ‘no’, citing his advanced age and complete lack of interest. If they hadn’t been on a mission, Cael might have volunteered himself, anyway.
His vibe-o-meter hadn’t gone through the roof in talking with the good doctor or Marlie, even when she’d come to get him for his tour and hadn’t commented on his change of appearance. Maggie taking control of the administrative side left him some measure of calm with the project, too.
Only Kevin and Roy’s lack of a presence unnerved him, though neither of them showed up during their tour.
“And that’s it.” Marlie clasped her hands in front of her. “Where can I take you now?”
The question stalled Cael. Inner desire had him itching to rescue Lily, but keeping cover always took precedence over direct attack, especially when the person in question seemed at ease. Lily had smiled, and that alone told Cael she’d be okay—at least for a little bit.
“Perhaps back to Matthew then?” Marlie asked when he didn’t respond. “Lunch will be served soon, and our residents generally dine with each other or in their suites. We can have lunch brought in.”
As Marlie continued to talk, Leigh entered Cael’s peripheral vision again. She stopped in the middle of the tightrope, bent her knees and lowered toward it. Her hands grasped the rope and, in one singular move, she flipped until she hung underneath it like a monkey. One slip and she’d land on her head.
Cael wanted to stand under her and hold out his arms. Just in case.
When she let go, his gaze stayed riveted on her. She dropped to the roof of one of the buildings, climbed down the side and wandered through the lab to the far door marked “Pod 2”, while Cael’s heart restarted.
“Where does that go?” Cael asked. What did Leigh figure out for herself up on her thinking rope? And why did she have to hang like that?
“That’s our children’s wing,” Marlie said. “We have a number of children in the facility who’ve shown tremendous mental and physical acuity. They join us for summer camps and week-long job shadows with our scientists.”
“In the Bahamas?” Cael asked.
“This area is a diverse and eclectic locale that attracts nationalities from around the world.”
Political speak for, we deal with kids from every country.
Cael eyed the door in the farthest corner.
“Oh!” Marlie clapped her hands. “I’m sorry, but I forget Matthew told me to show you the lab. Shall we?”
Cael nodded.
They walked toward a door on the same side of the children’s area, but in the opposite corner. Within Cael’s peripheral vision, Leigh snuck her head back through the doors but disappeared just as quickly.
Marlie pushed through, Cael following. “All our specimen-related work is done in this section. Most people aren’t as interested in seeing this because it’s a bunch of giant chemistry sets.”
“We’re—I’m interested.” Cael poked at his glasses again. “I like getting a feel for an entire place before making any decisions.”
Marlie smiled as she swiped a card in a slot. “Matthew didn’t say what you were here for.” The door slid in through a hidden pocket just like other doors.
“Interview.”
“Ah. For REM or another group?”
Cael wanted to dig in and find out more about the so-called ‘other’ groups but left that to Maggie and James.
“REM,” he said.
Marlie nodded as if the answer explained everything. “So, this is our smaller lab that serves REM only. It handles most of the biological processing, and through that door …” She pointed to the right side. “That’s our main lab. Again, REM only. The two pods, the center testing area and these two labs are REM exclusively. The rest of the facility is in use by other organizations.”
That answers that, then.
“So, in this section, we handle more of the chemistry side. It’s equipped with a clean room …”
Cael counted five benches spanning the length of the room, with microscopes and computers at each of ten stations. One to three people waited or worked in each area, either chatting or with their heads fixed to the eyepieces.
“Over here we have …” Marlie continued, telling him about each of the stations.
One for genetics. One for contaminants of some sort. Another for something else Cael ignored.
He focused instead on the faces, searching each one. Cael expected any visitor to be a noticeable sight. If Roy hid within the lab, curiosity would, eventually, get the better of him; his own human-like nature would ensure it.
“Now, I can’t take you into the other lab as they have the red light o
n, which means they’re asking for complete privacy.”
“Why would they do that?” Cael asked.
“Generally, it’s to ensure they can finish out an experiment or testing in the clean room, and they don’t want anything to mess it up. Even breathing in that room can alter a test.” She moved to the single-windowed door.
Cael joined her.
The room beyond took up an even larger area. Ten tables held as many people at each station.
Heads popped up.
The man in the middle of the closest station tilted up as well, his lavender eyes and freckle as obvious as the white coat he wore. He’d altered his appearance from their time in Rune. Tortoiseshell glasses topped a straight nose, and a full head of well groomed light brown hair framed smooth skin. From disgusting to relatively handsome.
“So, that’s it. Lunch then?”
“Lunch would be grand,” Cael said. Because it’s time to find out why Roy is here and kick his ass.
• • •
Lily walked out of the little house made solely of steel with a smile on her face. “So, how’d I do?”
Herri grinned back at her as she fiddled with her laptop. “For the fourth time, Lily, I’m completely impressed.”
Her heart swelled with pride.
“Once again, these materials have no effect on your ability to change your shape. You did everything in this test, beyond what I expected. You have no idea how exciting this is.” Herri snickered. “You’re absolutely amazing, you know that, Lily?”
She shrugged.
“I’ve worked with Mimics who could blend into walls …”
Roy’s face popped into Lily’s mind.
“… and I’ve worked with some who thought themselves Mimics but were in fact Leapers or, well … in one case, we’re not really sure what.” She tapped a few keys. “And the fact that you can still change shape … well, it’s just astonishing.”
“Oh … um … why is that again?”
Herri tilted her head up, creases in her forehead taking hold. “In your condition, it’s nearly impossible. No, it is impossible.” The good doctor stood up straight, her hands on her hips. “To have been able to make changes to your hair color, length of your arms and legs, growth of fingernails … the simplest of changes took you no effort.”
Oops.
“This has to be related to your genetics.”
Lily tried for a small smile. I can do the simple changes because I’m not pregnant.
Herri’s smile bloomed again. “You’re too cute.” She opened her mouth as if to speak when a lab-coated somebody-or-other approached.
“Dr. Ontawabe?”
As she shifted to the side, the man behind her came into full view.
Tall and elegant, with broad shoulders and strong hands. He reminded Lily of Cael and James, even Wyatt. A reluctant stir of attraction took hold of Lily—one she attributed only to viewing a fine specimen of man. He offered Lily a brilliant smile, the lavender eyes telling her she shared a race with him.
At his wink, she knew.
Roy?
Attraction dipped to disgust and worry.
“Yes?” Herri said.
“We’ve found a problem with the lab results for Miss Crane and need to rerun them.”
“There are additional samples in my office. You are welcome to get them.”
Roy shook his head. “We need new—”
Lily’s head shake started without her thinking about it. Her vision wavered at the idea of being poked again when she’d just managed to stop the jitters from the last time.
“I’m sorry, but …” Herri twisted her watch toward her. “Once a day, Randall. There can’t be anymore blood drawn.”
Oh, thank god.
“Until tomorrow.”
No. No. No. No. Never. No more blood ever.
Roy, or Randall as Herri had called him, hung his head as if remorseful for his inappropriate request. “I’ll borrow the material in your office then.”
Herri gave him a nod before returning to Lily.
Lily clung to the back of the chair, desperate to stay in the safety of Herri’s control and not be some lab rat or Roy’s minion. Maybe he was using that as an excuse to find you, Lil. Her body’s panic receded a little at the thought. They had arrived together. He’d been swept away. For all she knew, he’d come to get her and would be back in an hour to help break up whatever went on in the lab.
With the exception of the blood work, Lily realized she hadn’t been treated badly. The staff had been kind; only Roy, Kevin and the first two women she’d met had given her any reason to pause.
It almost made her wonder why Roy worked to eliminate it. What else is going on that he knows about?
“Do you need an escort to the cafeteria for lunch today? Or would you like to return to your suite?” Herri asked, her bright eyes sparkling.
“Um … actually, I think I’ll go to my room.” And see if I can find Maggie and Cael.
“All right. I’ll be at the organic materials house just over there—” One finger extended to the opposite side of the room. “—when you return. Once we get a baseline in the last two environments, we can start some more specific tests and then some human ones.” Herri chuckled. “The human ones will be a cakewalk.”
Right. Human I can be.
• • •
Cael returned to Matthew’s office to find Matthew, head down, at his computer, and James on the couch by himself. Matthew waved him over to the area where James sat.
“I’ll get lunch,” Marlie said.
“Just for me, please,” Matthew said. “Our guests will be leaving shortly. And, Marlie, you can take the next hour for yourself. I’ll see these two out, and I need to check in on the lab.”
She tilted her head and without a word exited the room.
The moment the door closed and the privacy engaged, Matthew began his transformation back to Maggie, her hair lengthening and going almost blond. “Now. Go. To Lily’s room and fast.” She cocked her head back at the stirring form of Matthew.
“Another sleeping pill?” Cael asked.
Maggie shook her head. “Too dangerous right now. And we’ve got what we need. You two go. I can’t pretend to be him if I’m in the same room.”
“You’re staying?” James asked.
“Yeah. Given the number of pictures he has on his computer, his favorites are busty blonds. I’ll just fulfill his ultimate dreams.”
At James’s growl, low in his throat, Cael eyed his friend.
Maggie shook off her change like someone shaking out a pair of wrinkled pants. “Based on their daily schedule, Lily should be in her room at any moment. Mags, the white Maltese puppy, will return soon.” At that she rolled her eyes. “Take those card keys and IDs.”
Cael picked up the two sets from the table and handed one to James.
“Hurry up.” She shooed them out the door with turn-by-turn directions to Lily’s room.
It didn’t take long to find.
Lily, though, hadn’t arrived.
Cael paced the room, back and forth across the carpet, his bare feet sinking low into the pile. “Where is she?”
James stretched out on the couch, one arm slung over the back. “Your guess is as good as mine. You saw Roy, then?”
Cael filled James in on his tour, including Roy’s new description. “So, what do you think he was doing?” Cael ran his fingers through his hair.
“Not a clue.”
The door to the room slid open. Lily stood outside, her eyes wide. It took only a second before she launched herself into Cael’s arms, smothering his lips with hers. As the door closed, he slid his tongue between her lips, meeting hers, tasting and tempting himself into a frenzy.
“As Stuart says …” James chuckled. “… get a room.”
Cael kept Lily in his arms but added one more kiss to the side of her lips. “How are you?”
“I’m okay.” She slid down his body until she stood on her own.
/> He took her arm and lifted it, adding a soft touch of his lips to the Band-aid. “That’s all they did, right?” Fear for her gripped his heart.
“Yeah. Apparently, they have to do it again, though.”
Cael pulled her forward against his chest again, running his hands through her hair. “I’m sorry, Lil. Let’s find Maggie, grab Leigh and go. The boats—”
Lily pushed away. “No. I—I need to tell you something.”
“What?” Concern laced his tone.
“They think I’m pregnant.”
James stood from his spot on the couch. “We know.”
“And I screwed up.” She walked to the window, pressed the button to make the glass slide across. “She kept saying it was amazing what I can do given my ‘status’.” The breeze and the sounds of the ocean brought a calm down upon her.
“But, Lil, you could be.” Cael ran a finger down the side of her cheek, having joined her at the frame of the door. “And I won’t let anything happen to you or the bab—”
“No.” The softness in her voice tore at him just as much as the thought of putting her through any more torture in the name of testing. “It’s not that, Cael.”
“What then, because you can—”
“No.” Her gaze stayed fixed out into the space of the ocean.
Hadn’t she said she wanted to be? She knew the chances were greater that she’d get pregnant than not.
Cael stood in front of her to ensure her gaze met his. “We’ll be great parents.”
Her lids closed. “We won’t, Cael.”
“There’s only a half a percent chance you aren’t, Lil. That’s how it works. You. Me. This is the week. I thought you—I should have stopped.” He ran a hand across his brow. “You didn’t want this. Shit!”
Lily grabbed him in a fierce hug, her breath hitching against his chest. “I needed you then. I still do.”
“Okay. Okay.” He rubbed his hands up and down her back. “Hey, you know … Leigh didn’t look unhappy.” Cael opted to change the subject, wanting to bring Lily’s mood back up. He didn’t understand her avoidance of the issue given how much she loved Chase, and her desire for family.
Lily slunk away and wrapped her arms around herself. “I know. I talked to her earlier today. She refused to talk about Angela, though. She missed her dad and brother but no comment on her mom. Even mentioned her grandmother, but again, not her mom.”
