“You’re leaving?” Davin’s gaze followed my nervous movements as I paced a few times in the kitchen.
“Yeah. In a few hours. I have to help with the rallies down south.”
He tapped a finger on the kitchen table but then stopped, as if noticing what he was doing. “And you’ll be gone for at least a week, maybe two?”
“Or longer. She doesn’t know yet.”
He nodded, the movement stiff. “I see.”
I stopped pacing to face him. Neither of us said anything as we stared at one another. With a start, I blurted out the words that almost scared me to say since I wanted so badly for them to be true. “There may be a vote next week, to free you all. Cate has a meeting this afternoon with the president.”
Davin’s eyebrows rose. “A vote?” His tone sounded more skeptical than surprised.
I wrung my hands together and nodded vigorously. “Maybe this time it will be in your favor.”
His gaze darkened as he tightly clenched his jaw. “We’ll see. So far, nothing’s worked in our favor.”
TWO HOURS LATER, Davin walked me to my car. We’d moved it the other day to be inside the reservation. It currently sat on the street outside of Davin and Sage’s house.
I’d already said goodbye to Sara, Sophie, and everyone else I could find in the short time I had. Sara had hugged me tightly. Her whispered, “Good luck,” had been fitting parting words.
It always seemed I needed luck on my side.
“So what will you be doing down there?” Davin asked as he brushed the snow off the front of my windshield. In a T-shirt and jeans, the hard muscles underneath his clothes were visible. Since he ran on the hot side, thanks to his high metabolism, it wasn’t the first time he’d left his coat inside.
I brushed the snow off the driver’s window. “I’m not sure to be honest. Cate said they’ve been getting the most resistance down south. She feels that my being there may swing more votes.”
His movements stilled. “Will it be dangerous?”
“I honestly don’t know. I’m not entirely sure what I’m walking into.”
Davin’s jaw tightened. His cobalt-blue eyes watched me intently. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I always am.”
He opened my door for me, and an awkward moment passed where I stood beside it. Both of us watched one another, as the sun shone down and cold wind whipped around, as if waiting for the other to do something.
Clearing my throat, I said, “I guess this is goodbye.”
He growled quietly and reached for my hand. “Come here.”
He pulled me to him in a move so fast, my head spun. Steel arms and intoxicating warmth wrapped around me. I closed my eyes and lay my head against his chest.
His scent flooded me—aftershave, soap, and that subtle scent that was all him. I inhaled deeply. Everything about this moment made me want to stop time. To stay like this. To be like this forever.
Resting his chin on the top of my head, his free hand ran up and down my back. Even through the bulkiness of my coat, it sent shivers down my spine.
“Promise me one more thing?” His quiet words jerked me back to the present.
I pulled back just enough to see him. “Sure. What?”
“Call me and let me know how it’s going. Let me know that you’re okay.”
With a nod, I reluctantly stepped back. “I will.”
THE MRI JET was waiting at Mobridge’s landing strip. Its sleek, shiny exterior was like a beckoning star amidst the snowy runway.
The pilot greeted me when I walked to the plane. The stairs were already down. It was obvious he’d been waiting for me. “Welcome aboard.”
“Thanks, sorry to keep you.”
The pilot smiled. “No problem at all. I grabbed a cup of coffee while I waited.”
An image of Davin in my rearview mirror flashed through my mind. He’d stood with his hands stuffed in his pockets, watching me drive down the snowy reservation road until I’d disappeared from view.
I might have driven slower than I needed to.
We were airborne fifteen minutes later. I tried to not feel sentimental that once again, everything I wanted in life was disappearing behind me. I stared out the window, biting my lip. With each minute that passed, I feared it would be longer and longer until I saw Davin again.
Five hours later, we touched down in Montgomery, Alabama. My mouth dropped at the sunny display. I’d never been down south before.
I knew my dad had. He’d worked at Compounds in the southern states. A twinge of guilt followed that thought. I still hadn’t called my mother to tell her I’d be home for Christmas.
Nobody greeted me at the airport, and I was relieved that protesters didn’t line the runway. Cate had told me a car would be waiting. However, unlike my other ventures, this car wouldn’t have a driver. I’d be driving myself in a rental.
I called Cate after I finally found it. She answered on the second ring. “Are you in Montgomery?”
“Yeah, I just landed.”
“Good. I’m assuming you found the car? Please head to the hotel. Ian’s waiting there for you.”
Ian? My heart jolted. I had no idea he would be here. The thought of seeing him again brought a smile to my face. “So what’s the plan?”
“We’ve arranged for a rally tomorrow. You’re the main speaker. Can you use the material that highlights how all MRI employees have never been seriously harmed despite being exposed to Makanza repeatedly? I also need you to discuss how effective the vaccine is in immunocompromised people, the elderly, and children.”
I swallowed thickly. “Okay, I can do that.” The thought of speaking in front of thousands of people made my heart flutter despite doing this hundreds of times.
Cate and I said goodbye. With stiff movements, I shifted the car into drive.
The city of Montgomery was similar to all cities in the US. Large portions of it were rundown and overgrown with weeds. Occasionally, animals would appear that would normally only be found in forests. Like all cities, nature had reclaimed what was hers.
I pulled into the parking garage of the hotel fifteen minutes later. With my heart hammering, I walked to the lobby. Sure enough, Ian waited.
He grinned when he saw me, his dimple appearing through his reddish-blond beard.
A rush of happiness surged through me. “It’s so good to see you again. I’ve been wondering how you’re doing.” Impulsively, I hugged him.
He chuckled and held me close. “You’ve been wondering how I’m doing? I’ve been wondering how you’re doing. The last time I saw you, you were being hauled off by soldiers on the reservation. You have no idea how hard it was for me to leave you.”
I pulled back as a flush crept up my cheeks. My impulsive urge to hug him made my anxiety tingle, but I pushed it down. “You did the right thing. Cate had the power to drop my charges, but I’m not sure she could have released you too. I’m so happy you escaped. I worried that entire night that you’d freeze to death on the prairie.”
“Nah, I’m made of tougher stuff than that.”
The check-in staff watched us curiously. It was only then I realized they could hear us.
My flush deepened as I took out my wallet. “Meghan Forester, checking in.”
The woman’s eyes widened before she hid her expression. I knew she recognized me.
After checking in and being given my room key, Ian and I headed to the elevators. We were both staying on the sixth floor, and our rooms were directly across from one another.
Ian stopped outside my door. “You want to grab some supper?”
“Sure, I’m starving. I’ll just put my stuff inside and then we can go.”
I called the landline to Davin and Sage’s home to let him know I’d arrived. No one answered. And since none of the Kazzies had cell phones, my only options were to call the Reservation directly and leave a message with a guard, or contact Sara. I concentrated on my connection with the twin. She opened readily.
>
Hi! Are you there?
Yeah, just checked into the hotel and about to grab some supper. Ian’s here.
Ian? Oh, yeah. He’s that guy you broke into the reservation with, right?
That’s the one. He’ll be helping me with the rallies. Since Ian stood in my hotel room, I turned my back so he couldn’t see my face. Who knew what kind of expressions I was giving off. Will you tell Davin that I arrived? He wanted me to let him know when I landed safely.
Sure. I’ll track him down.
A few minutes later, Ian and I were back in the lobby and heading outside.
“Any idea which restaurants are open?” I surveyed the sidewalk.
Ian’s dimple appeared when he smiled. “I know there’s a diner on the corner. I ate there this morning, and the food was decent. Do you want to give it a try?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Our footsteps tapped on the sidewalk as we walked to the corner. Compared to the snowy prairies of South Dakota, it was wonderfully warm in Alabama. And since it was only early evening, the sun was still out. It hung low in the sky, a red orb amidst the wispy clouds.
“How long have you been down here?” I glanced up at Ian.
His reddish blond hair fluttered in the breeze. “I arrived three days ago. Cate has three dozen staff here. We’re all trying to spread the word about the vaccine. As you know, we’ve had the most resistance in the southern states.”
“That’s what she told me.” I skipped over a large crack in the sidewalk. “So who’s running the Compounds in Washington right now?”
“No one.” He chuckled at my wide eyes. “Honestly, it’s fine. They really can run themselves for days at a time, and besides,” he lifted his shirt, showing a pager clipped to his waist, “I’m on-call should anything need my attention.”
We reached the restaurant, and he opened the door. Inside, it smelled like burgers and french fries. My mouth watered.
A hostess showed us to a table. I shrugged out of my coat and picked up the menu as Ian asked, “So, how was your time on the reservation after you were captured?”
I perused the selections as I answered him. “To be honest, my time on the reservation was quite uneventful. The soldiers took me to Dr. Roberts, we had a short conversation, and then they threw me in a room. I wasn’t allowed out until the next day. From there, a helicopter took me to Rapid City. I spent a few hours in jail before Cate got me out. It wasn’t an experience I’d like to repeat.”
Ian raised his eyebrows. “And you call that uneventful?”
I laughed at his expression. It felt so good to work with him again, and thankfully, our awkward encounter at the Bismarck hotel seemed long behind us.
“I hear you’re also responsible for removing Dr. Roberts from his position. Any idea where Dr. Roberts is now?” He set his menu down.
I shook my head. “No. I have no idea where he’s gone.”
The waitress returned and took our orders. Both Ian and I chose burgers and fries. He sipped on his water while I placed my elbows on the table and crossed my arms.
“So tell me about you. How did you reach Cash’s? How did you make it out of the fence without being caught?”
Ian launched into the story about what had happened. I listened fascinated as our food arrived. We munched on burgers and crunchy french fries as he recanted the harrowing few hours he’d spent running from the soldiers while hiding inside the reservation before making his mad dash to escape.
“I honestly didn’t know if I’d make it. My feet were so cold by the time I arrived at Cash’s, that it took over an hour to warm them up. Luckily, Cash left firewood and matches so I was able to start a fire. Without that, I probably would have been frostbitten.”
A stone settled in my stomach at how close it had been for him. “I never would have forgiven myself if something bad happened to you.”
“Well, luckily I’m just fine.” He grinned and winked.
I laughed again.
After supper, we strolled back to the hotel. My thoughts shifted to Davin as Ian and I rode the elevator. While I was happy to see Ian, I didn’t have the reaction to him that I had to the Kazzie waiting for me in South Dakota. No man had ever affected me like Davin. Just the thought of him got my pulse racing. And even though I’d seen him only twelve hours ago, I already missed him.
I had never felt that with Ian. I bit my lip as we walked to our rooms. When we reached our doors, we both said goodnight.
It was only as I slid my key card into the door and stepped into my room that I heard my cell phone ringing. I’d left it in my bag on the bed. After fishing it out, my eyes widened when I saw the two missed calls from Cate.
And she was currently calling again.
With a hasty tap on the screen, I brought it to my ear. Her screech of excitement rang through the phone line so loudly it practically burst my eardrum.
“We’ve got it, Meghan! We’ve got the vote! The president agreed to a vote next week. It’s finally happening!”
And just like that, everything changed.
20 – THE VOTE
The next morning I was a nervous wreck. Cate called to check in on me. When I asked her how many people they expected at the rally, she hesitated.
I knew what that meant.
“Over ten thousand?”
She finally replied. “Probably.”
I fell back onto the bed in my hotel room. “I’ve never spoken in front of that many people.”
“You can do this, Meghan. You’ve come so far since I’ve met you. I believe in you. And remember, the vote’s next week. We need more votes to win.”
No pressure or anything. We spoke for a few more minutes before hanging up. After we did, I stood and paced. I was so distracted, I barely heard my phone ringing on the bedside table.
After seeing who it was, my heart leaped. “Hello?”
“Sara said she’s been getting steady surges of panic from you for the last hour.” Davin’s voice was steady and deep.
I closed my eyes as my heartbeat slowed. “Thanks for calling.”
I’d called him last night to tell him about the vote. He’d taken the news in stride. I could tell he wasn’t getting his hopes up.
“What’s going on?” Genuine concern filled his voice.
“A crowd . . .” I stopped to take a breath as my ever-present anxiety threatened to consume me. “Ten thousand or more. That’s how many I’ll be speaking to this morning.”
“Breathe, Meghan. Just breathe.” For months, Davin had helped me with my anxiety. When I’d begun this crazy journey of public speaking at Cate’s side, panic attacks had started too. Each time I was positive my heart would burst from fright, Davin’s calm words had worked their magic.
“One . . . two . . . three . . .” He talked me through the breathing.
I followed his lead as love so fierce it choked me welled up inside me. When I finally felt like my head wasn’t spinning and I wouldn’t pass out, I sat on the bed.
“Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” The words slipped out so naturally.
His reply was quiet. “I’m always here for you. You know that.”
THE NEXT HOUR passed in a blur. I showered, got dressed, and tried to style my hair and makeup into something somewhat fashionable. I knew first impressions were lasting ones. And if Davin and the Kazzies were to ever be free, I needed to convince the southern states to vote on our side.
Ian’s eyes were bright when I saw him. He assessed me from head to toe. “Looking good, Meghan. Quite professional.” He winked.
With Davin’s calming presence still in my mind, I merely nodded, my heart rate even. “Wish me luck.”
“You don’t need luck. You got this.”
When we arrived at the outdoor rally, thousands of people had already gathered. Bright sunshine streamed over the crowd in the park. A bandstand had been erected in the front. My stomach somersaulted a few times, but it wasn’t unbearable.
The wo
man in charge of the event hurried to me. “Thank goodness, you’re here! We moved you up. You’re on in ten minutes.”
Ten minutes? And just like that, my carefully erected control crumbled. I turned to Ian. “I need a second.”
Before he could reply, I hurried off the side of the stage. I ran to the dressing room they’d provided, closed the door behind me, and sank to the floor. Closing my eyes, I tapped into my connection with Sara.
She opened readily. Hey, what’s up? I hear you’re doing better after you spoke with Davin.
I was, but now . . . Can you channel me to him?
I could tell she sensed my urgency. Hold on.
A moment later, Davin entered my mind. Just the feel of him slowed my breathing. Hi.
Are you ready to speak?
Yes, and I think I’m going to throw up. I was doing so well, but then . . . I don’t know. I panicked.
You’ve done this speech a hundred times, Meghan. You can do this. Just remember what to do if you feel yourself slipping. Picture me in the crowd, focus on that. It’s just you and me.
Hearing his voice, and hearing his confidence, instilled something in me that made me rise from my crouched position. I stood straighter and glanced into the dressing room mirror. My hair still looked okay, and the little makeup I’d put on hadn’t smudged. This one could be a game changer, Davin. If we convince these people to vote on our side, I’m certain we’ll sway the vote in our favor.
Nothing like a little pressure to up the stakes, he joked.
I smiled despite the weight that the next hour held. If I fail, I’ll have failed you. I’ll have failed all of you.
No, you’ll never have failed us. You’ve done more for us than anyone. Now go out there and tell them what we’re like. Tell them they don’t need to be afraid of us. Tell them that we’re people just like them.
Tears filled my eyes. You’re right. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.
WHEN I RETURNED to the stage, my back was straight, my hands warm, and my breathing even. The woman in charge shifted her microphone headset to the side. “You ready?”
Ian stood beside her. He gave me the thumbs-up.
“Yes. I’m ready.”
The Complete Makanza Series: Books 0-4 Page 81
