With the virus, maam, the young man clarified as he pulled into a parking space. He was armed, dressed as a soldier and barely old enough to shave.
She glanced at the name on his uniform. Mimms. It could have been much worse, she said honestly. As Im sure youve heard, this particular virus doesnt spread from person to person, and it does respond well to a particular antibiotic. Its also fortunate that the afflicted area thus far has been isolated and small.
Yeah, Private Mimms said, turning to her as he shut off the engine. I just kinda wondered why, you know? Why here? If someone wanted to attack the country this way, why not a larger city?
Shed asked herself the same question, and had only come up with one sensible answer. I believe this mustve been a test of some kind.
The young man blanched. That crossed my mind.
Since weve been able to treat the virus effectively, I would consider this test a failure, she said, trying to assure him that all would be well.
Private Mimms was not easily comforted. Since this test failed, what happens next?
They will try again. They will launch a new attack with something deadlier, quicker, tougher to treat. One crisis at a time, soldier, Faith said in a lighthearted voice.
Mimms escorted her to the clinic, past the reporters who shouted questions and to the second floor. When the elevator doors opened, Luke was waiting. Maybe hed been standing there awhile, then again maybe hed been watching the parking lot for her arrival. Whatever the procedure had been, he was definitely waiting for her.
Good morning, Faith said as she stepped off the elevator. It was difficult to treat Luke as she had since coming here, to speak and behave normally when she still remembered what had happened last night. She was thirty-three years old, he was older. Neither of them was romantically attached. She should not be at all embarrassed.
But there was no denying who she was. Last night had been an unusual event for her, one she did not regret.
Luke didnt look as if hed passed a restful night himself. As usual, he was coiled pretty tight. She half expected a smile but didnt get one.
They had never really spoken about Lukes late wife. Faiths heart did a sickening flip-flop. Did he still love the woman he had lost? Had he been thinking of her last night?
You slept late, he said, almost accusatory.
Yes, I did.
Private Mimms stepped away, leaving Faith and Luke alone. They wouldnt be alone long. The second floor was a busy place, and the lab called her, as it always did. Right now, the safety of the lab seemed very comforting. She couldnt get there fast enough.
Are you all right? Luke asked in a lowered voice.
Faith nodded. She wanted to ask him why hed left without saying goodbye, but she didnt really want to hear his answer. Whatever his reason for sneaking out, it couldnt be good. Maybe he had been thinking of his late wife and suffered from guilt. Maybe he was sorry. Maybe she had disappointed him.
Maybe he knew the truth about her.
I have to get to work, she said, turning away abruptly.
Luke said nothing as Faith walked quickly to the lab. Where she belonged.
He had to get out of the clinic for a little while. The patients were all stable, there were no new cases of the virus, and Faith continued to act as if he didnt exist. It had been a long damn day.
Luke walked toward home. He needed to see Abby, even if only for a few minutes. Since this epidemic had begun, he hadnt had time for his daughter. There was nothing to be done for what had already happened, but nowMaybe it was Faiths talk about having a child of her own that made him realize, in spite of everything that had happened, how lucky he was to have Abby in his life.
Lucky, yes, but was it enough? Or should he be foolish enough to try his hand at love again?
The last thing he needed or wanted was a woman who made him question everything hed done. Faith did just that. She confused the hell out of him! One minute he wanted to shelter her, the next he wanted her in a much more earthy way.
And last nightThis morning
Hey, Dr. Winston, an overly friendly voice called.
Luke sighed, grumbled and turned. The little redheaded reporter from Bozeman ran toward him.
I dont have anything to say.
Come on, she said, her smile widening as she pulled her coat close and quickened her pace. One teeny quote. This story is getting tedious and, in case youve forgotten, Im stuck here like everyone else.
Mitzi had a tenacious quality about her. He suspected she didnt give up easily. Sorry. I dont have anything newsworthy for you. If you want to know how long the quarantine will last, talk to the major who arrived with the National Guard. If you want details about the virus itself, talk to Dr. Martin. With that, he turned his back on her.
Mitzi didnt leave but fell into step beside him. What about that Dr. Martin? she asked conversationally.
What about her?
You two certainly have been spending a lot of time together, Mitzi said suggestively.
Luke glared down at the top of her red head. The last thing he or Faith needed was for their involvement, no matter how brief or unwise, to hit the newspapers. I suppose. This virus has affected my clinic and my patients, and shes in charge of the lab. The fact that weve spent time together is hardly newsworthy.
Dont worry. This is all off the record.
Off the record. Why didnt he trust her? Why did he feel like someone had crosshairs squarely on the back of his neck?
Dr. Martin is kind of attractive, I guess, Mitzi continued, undaunted by Lukes silence. Well, she would be if shed put on some makeup and maybe invest in some clothes that werent so baggy you can hardly tell shes a woman.
Luke bit back his defense of Faith. He had a feeling that was just what Mitzi was fishing for.
Shes smart, too, the reporter continued. Very smart. Do guys find that kind of intelligence a turn-on? Or does it just make you worry that maybe shes smarter than you are?
Given the situation, Luke said tersely, Im extremely grateful for Dr. Martins intelligence.
Mitzi grinned. I can understand that.
Home was close, straight ahead. Goodbye, Luke said. Sorry I couldnt be of any help.
She did not turn back. Why dont you introduce me to the family? You have a little girl, right? Abby.
A chill danced up his spine. How did she know about Abby?
Dont look so worried, she added. Im not stalking you. This is a small town, and Ive been here more than a week. Almost two! People talk. I listen. Thats my job, Dr. Winston.
He only had a few minutes to spend with Abby before hed need to return to the clinic, and he didnt want to share his daughter. Not tonight. Maybe another time.
Sure. Mitzi took a step back. Judging by the grin, her feelings had not been hurt by his refusal. See you around.
A few more dull days like today, and the crisis would be over. The quarantine would be lifted, his clinic would return to normal, the reporters would leave townand so would Faith.
In so many ways, he prayed for the day when his life returned to norma
l. But he would miss Faith when she was gone. More than he wanted to admit, more than was wise. Shed been in his life a matter of days, so why was he so certain that life would be changed forever if she wasnt in it?
Sex, he decided with a frown. That was what muddled his mind and made him think he might actually need Faith in some bone-deep way. What they had was just sex, and he was too old and too smart to be confusing physical intimacy with the real thing.
When he opened the front door, Abby, who was sitting on the floor surrounded by her favorite dolls, smiled widely and clambered to her feet. She walked toward him, that smile never fading, her chubby little legs carrying her as fast as they could.
Luke forgot everything else as he dipped down to greet his daughter with open arms.
Ten
F aith closed the door to Lukes office and sat at his desk, impatiently dialing Jake Ingrams cell phone number. Molly insisted that hed sounded desperate to talk to her, when hed called an hour ago. Faith had just now been able to bring herself to leave the lab and the virus.
Jake answered on the first ring.
This is Faith Martin, she said, immediately realizing that the addition of her last name was unnecessary. Jake Ingram was, after all, her brother. She could no longer deny that as fact. The memories were coming to her too clearly now. They came broken and startling and unwanted, but they did come. Faith, she said in a lowered voice.
How are you? Jake asked, sounding as if he were truly concerned. Has there been any trouble? Anythingunusual?
Dreams. Shocking memories. A new lover. No, she said. Everythings fine. Is that why you called? She had dragged herself out of the lab simply because Jake wanted to know if she was all right? She didnt know whether to be annoyed or touched.
No, he answered in a lowered voice. I know a lot has been happening to you lately, and its bound to be difficult to take it all in. Trust me, I understand.
She couldnt deny that there was compassion in Jakes voice. And she did believe that he understood, in a way no one else could. He had learned the same truths about himself, not so long ago. Thank you, but you really dont have to continue to monitor my daily activities by phone.
I know, Jake said. I do worry, but I trust that youll take the proper precautions until we can get you to a safe place. Thats not why I called.
An unexpected chill washed through Faiths body, her physical reaction to her brothers words much stronger than shed anticipated. She didnt need any more surprises in her life, not now! Why did you call, Jake?
He sighed. Now that you know who you are and whats going on, I want to keep you updated on whats happening with the investigation.
Did she want to know any more than she already did? All her life shed wondered about where she came from, what her life had been like before the Martins had adopted her, and now she knew more than she cared to know. What is it? She could tell, from the tone of Jakes voice, that what was coming would be big.
Theres no easy way to tell you this. Im still struggling with the discovery myself. There was another sigh, a short pause, and then Jake continued. In studying a number of previously secret government documents, Ive learned that when Gretchen and I were born, there was a third child. Wed always assumed there were only the two of us, butthat was incorrect. We were triplets, not twins. Violet was told that the third baby died, but he didnt. He was born blind, so they sent him away. There was a touch of wonder and anger in Jakes deep voice. He didnt die, Faith. We have another brother. Gretchen and I are doing everything we can to find him.
Another brother. Why was that news so shocking? In the past few days she had already uncovered three brothers and a sister.
Her fears about her past were not soothed by this news. A child of the experiment had been born blind, so the scientists in charge had discarded him. If she had been born less than perfect, would she have been discarded? She, her sister, her brothers, they had never been anything more than lab experiments. Perhaps the woman she vaguely remembered as her mother had loved them. Perhaps not.
She didnt want to care about any of these peoplebut she couldnt help herself. They were her family. They were blood. What about Gideon?
Gideon, a child who had shared a womb with Faith and Mark, the boy who had been left behind when the other had been rescued, had been presumed dead for many years.
Nothing new, Jake said in a low voice. I finally managed to get a meeting with the intelligence heads I told you about, and I did my best to convince them that Gideon, the man they know as Achilles, is not a criminal, that hes been forced to commit crimes. They were skeptical, but at least they listened to me.
You told them about the experiments, too, and that wed been the word caught in her throat programmed.
Yes.
Did they believe you?
I think so. Eventually.
Faiths fingers played absently with a dull pencil she found sitting on Lukes desk. Her life, what was left of it, was spinning out of control. Control was all she had, and it would soon be completely gone. Did you tell them youd found me?
She held her breath until he answered. No. And I wont, not until we can have Maisy take you through the process of deprogramming. I cant trust everyone. Some days it seems like I cant trust anyone at all.
To Faiths logical mind, none of this seemed likely. How could hypnosis force a person to do something, anything, they would not ordinarily do? She didnt believe it was possible, especially not when the supposed programming had taken place more than twenty years ago.
In Gideons case, though, those twisted scientists Agnes Payne and Oliver Grimble had had a lifetime to exert their influence over an exceptional child who had no doubt grown to be a brilliant man. She wanted to believe that her brother was innocent of all crimes, but the truth was, neither she nor Jake knew Gideon. Not now. They remembered the child, perhaps, but they did not know the man or of what he might be capable.
All the money, all the good intentions in the world might not be enough to save any of them. She knew that. So did Jake, she imagined.
I want you to call me before the quarantine is lifted, Jake said, using a tone of voice he probably called upon when he expected to be obeyed. The minute I can get in, Ill have a helicopter there to whisk you out.
Surely thats not
Necessary? Of course it is, Jake snapped. If I found you through the press coverage of this epidemic, then so did the Coalition. As soon as they can get to you, youre in danger. Well transport you to a safe place and bring in Maisy to do the deprogramming.
I havent been programmed, Faith insisted sharply. She would know if anyone had done such a thing to her, if the remnants of some evil experiment slept in her brain. Wouldnt she? Wouldnt she feel that something was wrong?
Yes, you have, Jake said gently. Faith, you dont have any choice about this. Neither do I. Until the Coalition is stopped, you need to be on Brunhia with Gretchen. Youll be safe there.
She didnt want to bring her life to a halt, but already she knew better than to argue with Jake. It would be an endless exercise, neither of them giving in. But she couldnt keep herself from asking, What if the Coalition cant be stopped?
Jake didnt have an answer for her. Call me again tomorrow and le
t me know whats going on, he said. I wont rest easy until youre safely out of there. He laughed lightly. I cant wait to see you in person. And Marcus is champing at the bit to get to you.
I remember him most clearly of all, she confessed. Mark. He was called Marcus now, Jake had told her.
That doesnt surprise me.
Well, it surprised the hell out of her! She didnt admit as much. Ill call you in the morning, if I have the time.
Make the time, he ordered in an insistent but loving tone of voice. Jake laughed lightly; she got the distinct feeling he was laughing at himself. Dont give your big brother a heart attack. If I had my way, Id have you checking in every thirty minutes.
Ill call in the morning, she promised.
Jake took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Belatedly, and not very convincingly, he answered her question. Faith, we will stop them, he said. We have to.
Luke found Faith sitting at his desk. According to Molly, shed been closed in his office for over an hour. Hed expected to find her talking on the phone, or going over case files, or maybe even sleeping.
Instead, she just sat there, staring at the phone as if she were in a daze while she played mindlessly with a yellow pencil.
Hi, he said, closing the door behind him. Are you okay?
Faith glanced up sharply. Im fine. Why do people keep asking me if Im okay?
He wasnt put off by her sharp tone. How could he be, when she looked so miserable? Maybe because you look like youre about to pass out.
She didnt argue with him. In fact, her face seemed to fall. I didnt sleep well last night, she said softly, blushing and lowering her eyes as she, perhaps, remembered why she hadnt slept well.
Come on, he said, stepping closer and offering Faith his hand. Let me take you back to your room.
Family Secrets: Books 5-8 Page 83
