by T. G. Ayer
She smiled and straightened. And as she moved her head up and down her skin shimmered, and her features began to dissolve. The shifting of her physical form was almost liquid, like colored mercury, surging around in small waves. And then it slowed and fell into place. And I was looking at myself, only it felt weird as it wasn’t a reverse image of me like a reflection in the mirror. It was what others saw me as, and I found the experience a little surreal.
“Wow,” said Mel, aghast. “That’s just weird. Cool, and just so wrong.”
Everyone chuckled, though we kept the laughter soft. I nodded. “Sorry, Cass. I’m with Mel on this one.”
Cassie pursed her lips—or was it my lips—then smiled. “I quite like it.”
I snorted. “Don’t get too used to it,” I said as I turned to Mel. “I’m ready when you are.”
Mel smiled and glanced over at the chief. “Do you need anything else?”
The chief shook his head, and Horner said, “Get Kai her weapons then drop her off inside the van. If you could come back here to pick me up, I’d be most grateful. We can go straight to HQ, and you can keep a watch over the mission from there.”
Mel nodded and gave Horner a polite smile. I knew the tracker didn’t take to strangers too quickly, which explained her reserved response, but Horner didn’t seem affected by her tepid manners.
I walked over the Mel, glancing back at Cassie for a moment. I felt like I ought to hug her or something, give her some kind of support and thanks for doing this for me. She was putting herself in danger for me and saying thanks just didn’t seem to cut it.
I was about to speak when she narrowed her eyes at me, the expression most likely threatening bodily harm if I got mushy.
I gave her a nod and grabbed onto Mel’s arm.
For a moment, I felt the hysterical urge to click my heels and repeat “There’s no place like home,” three times.
But I shut my mouth. Things were nuts enough without me adding more crazy to it.
Chapter 38
I told Mel to take me to Grams apartment and as soon as we materialized in the living room, Grams—who’d been sipping a cup of tea as if she’d been expecting us—set her tea on the counter and pointed at the rucksack that sat at her elbow.
“Took you a while,” she said, an eyebrow arched. Then she smiled, and I suspected that affection was for Mel. “Hello, dear. My granddaughter keeping you in enough trouble?”
Mel went toward Grams to give her a hug, and I tuned them out as I grabbed knives for my boots, two guns filled with poisoned darts and my crossbow which I slung over my shoulder.
“Looks like you’re off to war,” said Grams, her tone now a little more serious.
I nodded then rounded the counter for my own hug. “Let Dad and Iain know, okay?” I asked softly.
“And how about your young man?” Grams asked, rebuke in her tone.
“And Logan too. I haven’t heard from him since Stella’s death. I thought maybe he’d gone back into his unconscious state.” I didn’t want to say that I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t have contacted me especially when he’d known I was so badly injured.
Grams patted my cheek. “I’ll give him your message.”
I frowned. “I didn’t—” Grams stopped my words with a finger to my lips.
“Be careful, dear. Don’t take unnecessary risks, but do try and come back in one piece. Or at the very least, alive.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, Grams.” Mel was grinning from ear to ear at my annoyance. “You need a Grams?” I asked. “I seem to have one spare.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” said Mel, giving Grams a peck on her cheek before reaching for my arm.
Mel had been about to jump me to the minivan in front of the ice cream shop when I whispered in her ear. I needed to make one more stop. Without a word, Mel jumped me home to Tukats, and we arrived inside the kitchen, the house around us echoing silence.
Mel smiled at me, then jerked her chin at the stairs. “I wish I could say take your time.”
I sighed and turned on my heel, taking the stairs two at a time. It was late afternoon, and the sun was low, shadows filling the corners of the house. Upstairs, the centrifuge hummed in Dad’s room-slash-lab, and on the other side of the building, Lily’s heart monitor beeped its confronting refrain.
But I wasn’t here to see either of them.
I hurried to Logan’s room, and knocked lightly before cracking the door open. Inside the room, darkness was gathering even though the drapes were still wide open. Logan, though, was not in bed. Instead, he was standing beside the window, staring out at the setting sun.
“It’s so beautiful,” he whispered, beckoning me to come to him. His skin shone a pale gold as he stared out the window and he seemed to me almost angelic.
I walked over to him, curling my arm around his waist. I leaned my head on his shoulder, marveling at how well it fit. He and I had always been perfect together. I knew I didn’t have time to marvel at the sunset and Logan must have sensed some form of urgency within me because he sighed deeply then rubbed my back.
“I heard things with you were a little insane.”
“You can say that again.” I smiled and touched his cheek. “How are you feeling?”
What I truly wanted to ask was why he hadn’t called or sent a message while I’d been in the hospital. But I bit my tongue.
“I’m better now. I had a small episode.” He cocked his chin at the far wall where the wallpaper was blacked and crinkled in what appeared to be a very neat circle.
“What was that?” I asked, trying hard not to laugh. “Did you burp, or was it a sneeze?”
Logan chuckled. “It was a fireball that went a little wrong, and I ended up passing out as soon as I threw it. I wasn’t conscious for the rush to put the flames out, but from what I was told the fireball’s bark was worse than its bite.”
I shook my head. “When did that happen? You look okay to me.”
Logan shrugged. “Early hours of yesterday morning. I was out for almost the whole day, but I’ve been fine since I got up.”
My stomach did a somersault. Now I knew why he hadn’t come to see me. He’d been unconscious the whole time, and yet nobody had told me.
I shook my head. “Sienna came by to see me at the hospital. She didn’t say a word.”
“Yeah. I didn’t know a thing about your little hospital adventure until this morning, and then they were telling me you were already discharged. I had to cancel my Get-Well-bouquet too. Pity.” I grinned and slapped him lightly on his arm. “Hey, don’t abuse the patient.”
I turned and looped my arms around his neck. “You do not appear to be very patient-like right now.”
“Oh really?” he asked, his voice a low rumble. “And what is it that I appear to be.”
“Kissable,” I said before leaning toward him and kissing him.
He crushed me in an embrace filled with heat and electricity, taking my breath away with the power of our combined passion and desire. When we parted for air, I said, “I came to see how you were doing. And…”
Logan put his finger to my lips. “I don’t need you to explain to me. You do what you have to do.”
I stared up into his eyes and shook my head, in awe at the emotion brimming within his eyes. “I love you, Logan Westin. Or whatever your name is,” I whispered, loving the sight of his smile.
“I love you more, Lady Kailin Odel.”
He leaned close, and I planted a kiss on his lips and stepped backward, out of his embrace.
“I don’t have any more time, or my ride will leave without me.” I gave him one last, longing glance, then hurried to the door. On the threshold, I stopped and said, “When I get back we have a thing.”
“A thing?”
“Yeah. I don’t have time. But it’s to do with Saleem, and its crazy dangerous and crazy important so rest up, soldier.” I waved at him before stepping out into the hallway.
“Take care of yourself,” Logan c
alled, “and don’t do anything stupid.”
“Why does everyone keep telling me that?” I grumbled shaking my head as I hurried down the hall.
Chapter 39
Mel jumped me directly inside the dark interior of a minivan, one a little too reminiscent of my recent kidnap experience. I shuddered as we materialized, jolting the floor of the van enough that the driver up front turned around to stare at us.
“I was expecting you, but just not like that,” he said, his voice a little high.
“Sorry,” I said giving him a short wave. “You ready to leave?” I didn’t want to spend any time on small-talk, especially when I didn’t have any idea how much this cop knew. Just because he was a member of Chief Murdoch’s team didn’t mean he was totally trustworthy.
“Ready when you are, ma’am.” Seemed like he wasn’t in the mood for chitchat either. Good. We were on the same page.
Mel let go of my arm, and I looked up at her. “Thanks, Mel.”
She nodded and held out a small notepad and a pen. “If you want to send me a message just write it here. Don’t use your mobile phone, just in case.”
I nodded and then repeated my thanks.
“Pleasure. Just make sure you stay safe.” Mel paused for a second her face shadowed, but her worry clear in her eyes. Then she took a breath. “I need you to help me with Saleem.” She winked to make light of her seriousness then took a step back.
“I will. Don’t worry. I’m going to be right beside you when we go bring home the djinn.”
“Gonna hold you to it.” Mel smiled and waved before disappearing into thin air.
Behind me, the cop whistled. “Man, that is just cool as fuck.”
Under my breath, I mumbled, “Dude, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
The driver of my getaway vehicle turned out to be Steve Jardine. He was pleasant enough, warning me in advance that he was taking off.
I sat in the shadowed darkness at the back of the van and listened to the engine rumble to life. I thought about Mel who’d taken time out from her own crazy life to help me out. She’d never failed me once, and I understood then that she was a lifetime friend, someone I could put my trust in and know I never needed to question it.
My mind was focused on Cassie and how she was doing playing me, hoping that she was safe and realizing I was so out of touch that if anything should happen to her, I’d have no way of knowing.
I looked down at my hands and saw my fingers curled tight around the little notepad. Opening it, I wrote in large letters.
Is Cassie doing ok?
I wasn’t sure how Mel was planning to respond and when I saw the letter Y appearing below my question my heart jumped. Mel was a genius.
I scribbled down a second question.
Have they left yet?
Another Y appeared.
Let me know if anything happens.
This time a small tick appeared, and I smiled, satisfied that we had a way to communicate that wasn’t trackable or hackable.
I checked my weapons one more time, glanced at my watch for the umpteenth time, and then looked over at Jardine. He’d been quiet, but mostly on the respectful end of the silence spectrum. I didn’t feel like he’d been weirded out by our strange arrival, but though tempted to strike up a conversation, I reminded myself again that this was not the time.
I recognized that I was restless. So instead of fidgeting, I looked within myself. I was on the run from the Walker Council. I’d run even though I’d been so against it. I had to admit that my back was against the wall and I needed all the help that I could get. The people around me had banded together to help me, and I’d have been stupid to ignore them.
Yes, I had to consider my family, but then again they would prefer me alive.
Lights flickered on Jardine’s face which was odd, as if a car was coming at him from the right.
I only had time to blink before we were hit by something. At first, I assumed we’d been T-boned by a crazy driver, but almost instantly I agreed with my gut that that would have been too convenient.
The van began to somersault, tumbling from the impact and as I reached out to support myself, I felt the energy rip through my body so strongly that I was glad I’d had my mouth shut or I would surely have bitten off my tongue.
Stunned, I lay on my back, staring up at floor of the minivan. Sounds filtered toward me and I sucked in a breath. The silence was odd, and I waited for gunfire. I let out a soft groan, remembering Jardine. I needed to check on him.
I tried to pull myself up, to wrench myself from the hold of the electricity that seemed to be tugging hard at my very muscles. I sobbed, desperate to get free, the need increasing as my panther senses began to pick up sounds. My feline senses were stunned but only for a few seconds. Despite the hold of the electric field, my hearing and smell had fought for freedom and had won.
Heartbeats echoed outside, first a tumult of throbbing but then separating out into four identifiable patterns. Two of them possessed a pattern of heartbeats that felt incredibly unnatural, far faster than any living person could handle and survive. I’d identified the two Shadowmen.
The other two possessed what felt to me like human heartbeats. I knew one of the Shadowmen was busy keeping a hold on me, using his electricity like a net, with me caught unable to move within his power.
From the front of the minivan, I heard a moan. Jardine was waking up, and I tried to lift my head to warn him. But warn him of what. It was unlikely that the team now surrounding the minivan would leave him alive.
Tears filled my eyes, frustration, fury, and sorrow all rolled into one. All I could do was listen as the second shadowman walked over to the front and sent a shower of electrical sparks at Jardine. I heard his heart race and then stop, as the power of the lightning hit him.
A part of me felt relieved to know that he’d died instantly. The rest of me raged at these monsters who treated life with so little respect.
But my fury was impotent as I lay there, vulnerable, unable to defend myself, unable to escape.
“Do you have her?” came a voice from beyond the minivan.
“Yes. She is still conscious.” The voice was tight, as if it took a measure of effort to speak. This was my captor.
“We need to move. Put her out.”
Another blast of electricity hit me, and as I fell into the pool of swirling darkness, my last thought was of Cassie.
For Ailuros’ sake, Cassie, please be okay.
Chapter 40
I awakened in a box again.
Only this time the walls of the narrow box were made of glass instead of concrete, and surrounded me on three sides with enough space for a single narrow cot that backed up to a thin low concrete wall. The wall hid a small white porcelain toilet.
I squinted at the toilet, unable to understand the incongruity of providing a wall for privacy when each cell was openly visible to the occupant of the next cell, and to the many cameras located around the room.
A door had been built into one wall, in what I assumed was the front because it ran parallel to the white-painted concrete wall behind me. My cell was one of half a dozen identical glass boxes lining the white wall at my back.
My physical location was surreal, and struck fear right to the heart of me.
It was so reminiscent, too reminiscent of another time, a time when I’d been thrown into a box just like this, a time when I’d been forced to watch as my uncle Niko had tortured my friend in the name of science.
In the hope of saving himself from his own disability.
I’d remembered that night recently. When Dad had explained that he was ready to trial his serum on Lily, I’d recalled the horror that she and I had been put through, the feeling of utter helplessness as we’d had no choice but to watch Anjelo’s agony.
I dragged my eyes from the glass that seemed to make my eyes glaze over, and studied the rest of the room, my heart sinking lower and lower into my stomach as I took in the white walls, the medical
equipment, the shelves, and glass cupboards filled with bottles and vials.
And the two stainless steel autopsy tables in the far corner of the room.
This was Uncle Niko’s lab all over again, only this one was far more advanced, and much larger, capable of running through a higher volume of experimental subjects than my deranged uncle could ever have imagined.
At the other end of the wall was a set of steel double doors that appeared to be hydraulic and lacked handles or locks. A security panel with what looked like a biometric scanner for both fingers and eyes, was located at the left of the doors.
The more I saw, the more I realized that the prospect of escape was abysmally low.
I studied the cells now, concerned and curious in case there were others like me, locked within these cells awaiting their turn at being pumped full of drugs and tortured until they died either from agony or of deformation.
A slight form lay unmoving on the bed in the cell to my right. The woman had her back to me, and lay with her black locks cascading onto the thin mattress. My stomach tightened, but I pushed the suspicion away. It couldn’t be.
I sat there staring for what seemed a long time, and perhaps the woman had sensed my gaze, because she stirred and straightened, her profile now clear as she began to turn to lie on her back.
Mom?
Horrified I stared at my mother, unable to get my head around the fact that she was also here, had also been abducted and thrown into a glass box. Then I stiffened. How long had she been here? Had they already experimented on her?
Frustration and anger filled me now. Dad had been so confident that Mom was capable of taking care of herself. He’d sounded so sure of it. And here she was, and he had no idea.
How stupid could he have been? How lax to just trust that she was okay. Had she responded to his message through that secret method he’d mentioned? He hadn’t gotten back to me though, which made me wonder if he’d suspected something, but hadn’t told me.
