Tested

by Stalder, Janelle

  “Are you looking for a new location?” he asked.

  “Already on it, sir. Unfortunately there are few options. The raid destroyed most of the larger buildings.”

  “What of the patients?”

  “The ones that were flagged were saved, but the others are presumed dead,” he replied.

  Douglas toyed with the pen lying on the desk before him. “Patient 2140?”

  John grinned at the use of his number instead of name. They both knew fully well 2140 was Tyler Scott, but Douglas wasn’t going to give the lying, betraying rat the honour of being addressed by his name. He had chosen to follow McKay and his band of deranged deserters, and therefore deserved to be treated like all the other scum they scooped off the street for their testing.

  “He wasn’t released,” was all he said.

  “That doesn’t really answer my question, does it?” Douglas said slowly.

  “It would be hard to confirm, sir. The building is still smoldering. It is literally falling apart second by second. I can’t see how he could have gotten out.”

  Douglas rubbed his jaw, reining in his rising temper. “Find the girl then,” he barked. “If he got out, he’ll be with her. I think we’ve left her alone long enough. It’s time to find out who she really is and just how she is connected to Tyler.”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll send someone out to find her. The technicians let her go right before the raid began. She couldn’t have gone far, if she made it at all.”

  “Fine. Find her and make sure he’s not with her. If he is, I want them both taken care of. Understood?”

  He nodded. “Sir.”

  “What of our other issue?”

  “It’s been rescheduled. We’ll be ready in time.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked, eyebrows raised challengingly.

  “Yes, sir. We will be more than ready.”

  He smiled coldly. “You’d better be.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  After a long and rather distracting shower, they ended up finding some canned food that was still good and sat eating it cross-legged across from one another on his bed. Both were still wearing only towels, and what should have been an awkward situation, for some reason wasn’t. Missy couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so relaxed or at ease. There was something about Tyler that made her feel completely comfortable in her own skin.

  She happily ate the tasteless food, simply enjoying the person she was with. The city around them was literally in chaos, they had no way of getting home just yet, her sister was probably freaking out right now and getting ready to throttle her by the time she got home, and yet she didn’t feel any urgency to leave the small apartment.

  “What are you thinking about that has that pretty mouth smiling like that?” Tyler asked, narrowing his eyes playfully at her. “You look like you have a secret.”

  Maybe she did, she thought. There was no way she could express the feelings that had been growing for him over the past weeks, solidifying now that they were together and he was back to normal. Putting herself out on the line like that was still a bit out of her comfort zone. Baby steps, she decided. Instead of telling him the truth she shrugged and simplified it. “I’m just happy right now,” she said.

  He raised both eyebrows. “We almost just died in a burning building, had to run through a city that was recently bombed, can’t get back to where our friends are, and are stuck in my small, messy apartment eating canned food, and you’re happy?”

  She blushed. It sounded even more ridiculous when he said it like that out loud. She just shrugged again, her smiling slipping a bit as she looked down at her food. How could she explain how she was feeling without revealing that it had everything to do with him?

  The mattress dipped as he leaned in to her, his knees hitting hers when he brought his face closer, forcing her to look up and meet his gaze. He stared at her in silence, those green eyes of his searching hers – for what she didn’t know, but all she could do was stare back. Finally he smiled softly, leaning in the rest of the way to plant a tender kiss on her lips.

  “I’m happy too, lass,” he said quietly. “But we can’t stay locked up here together forever.”

  She almost, almost, said why not, but bit it back. Of course they couldn’t stay hidden away forever. Even if that sounded like heaven to her. Going back to her house meant going back to her father’s watchful eyes, and her sister’s overbearing protectiveness. It meant dealing with prying eyes and curious minds. What she had with Tyler was so new and exciting, she wanted to keep it just for herself.

  With a sigh, she looked away from him, stuffing a mouthful of food in her mouth. “I know,” she said around it. “What do you suggest we do?”

  Tyler sat back and resumed eating his ‘meal’. “Any entrance to the western ghetto where the two fences meet will be impossible at this point. The northern one is too far, and the southern one is destroyed now by the bombing. That tunnel would have been our best bet if they hadn’t destroyed the institute. The only logical way is to go through the Upper section.”

  She laughed doubtfully. “That might be the most logical, but it sure isn’t the most realistic. The gates to the Upper section are monitored by soldiers twenty-four, seven. We’ll never get by them. Especially not after that raid. There’s no way they’re letting anyone from here into the Upper section.”

  Tyler nodded. “I know. That’s the part we need to figure out.”

  “That’s all?” she said dryly.

  He grinned. “Sarcasm does not become you.”

  She smiled and winked. Her can of food instantly disappeared from her hand and she found herself lying back on the bed with a two hundred pound Scottish man stretched out on top of her. Missy couldn’t understand how a man his size moved so quickly. Oh yeah, she thought as she took him in, he’s some sort of superman now. Somehow she kept forgetting his senses and abilities had been heightened. A giggle burst from her lips at the thought of this tattooed, bearded, sexy man was her own personal superman.

  His eyes narrowed again, almost hiding those clear eyes she loved so much. “Now what is going on in that mind of yours?”

  She looped her arms around his neck, settling in beneath him. Who needed canned food when you could have this man instead? “Nothing,” she said with a grin.

  He growled, bringing his face closer until just the tips of their noses touched. “Just because you’re adorable doesn’t mean I won’t use any and all means necessary to get things out of you,” he warned.

  Her smiled widened before she scrunched her nose up in distaste. “You think I’m adorable?”

  His mouth pulled up into a smile as he dropped a kiss on one corner of her mouth. “Absolutely. Why, is that bad?”

  She shrugged, her finger tips playing with the ends of his hair.

  He dropped a kiss on the other corner of her mouth. “What about beautiful? Would you prefer I call you that? Or stunning? Sexy? Charming? Sweet? Funny? Brave? Loyal? Breathtaking? Everything I’ve ever dreamt about? Any of those work for you?” He’d placed kisses all over her face after each word, effectively striking her speechless with every touch and praise. He hovered over her mouth now, eyebrows raised as he waited for her reply. It was hard to do so when her voice was lodged in her throat beneath the lump that was there now.

  “Adorable was alright,” she answered.

  He laughed loudly before taking her mouth with his, stealing not only her breath now but every thought in her head. When they finally got up and dressed he was no longer playful Tyler anymore. Back was the serious, calculating rebel she had grown so accustom to. Except for the softness in his eyes whenever he looked at her. That small difference made her heart swell to the point where she half expected it to burst right out of her chest.

  “I think I have a plan, but I need to do it myself. Stay here until I return.”

  “What?” she said, gripping his arm. “There’s no way I’m staying here alone! What if you don’t come back?”

&n
bsp; Tyler gripped the back of her head, pulling her into his chest. “I’ll be back, lass. You won’t get rid of me so easy yet.”

  She shook her head, forcing his hand to drop away. Stepping back, she looked up at him pleadingly. “I’m serious, Tyler. I can’t stay here alone, I’ll go insane. I don’t want to be separated from you just in case something happens. We need to stick together.”

  He sighed loudly, running an agitated hand through his hair. “I don’t know what this is going to entail, and to be honest, I don’t want you around to witness it. I think it’s better and safer if you stay here.”

  She shook her head again. Missy didn’t care if she was being stubborn or childish, this man was not leaving the apartment without her. “I don’t care, I’ll hide somewhere close by while you do whatever you have to do, but I’m not staying up here by myself. Take me with you, or I’ll just leave myself when you’re gone.”

  This time when he growled she could tell it wasn’t playful or lust driven. She was getting him angry, and some part of her brain warned her to be careful. His mind was back, but some of the effects of those drugs were still very much in his body. She took a step closer instead of away, placing her hands on his chest. She looked up, keeping her voice soft when she spoke. “Please, Tyler,” she said, “don’t leave me here.”

  He breathed deeply through his nose before nodding slowly. “Fine. But you do as I say out there, no arguing.”

  She nodded, stepping back. His arm whipped out to snake around her waist, pulling her back against him so that her entire body was pressed to his.

  “I mean it. If I tell you to hide, you do it. Understood? I won’t have you in danger.”

  She swallowed against the dryness in her mouth, nodding her head slowly. “I promise,” she whispered. The intensity in his gaze was slightly frightening. It would be more so if she didn’t know it was just his concern for her that was putting it there.

  He tightened his hold, bringing his mouth down to hers, his tongue slipping past her lips in a way that branded her his. She held on to his arms, unable to do anything but give in to his demanding kiss. He pulled back, sucking on her bottom lip for one more second before lifting his head away from hers.

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  They always say hindsight is 20/20. Missy soon learned she should have listened to Tyler when he’d insisted she stay at the apartment. The streets outside were even worse than she remembered from the night before. Rubble littered the streets, the only other thing out there besides them.

  It felt as though they were walking through a ghost town. Missy kept her grip firmly on Tyler as he maneuvered them through the empty streets, keeping their bodies close to the buildings. At every turn he’d make them stop so he could look around to make sure everything was clear before they continued on. The whole thing was becoming sort of tedious to Missy, considering no one else was around, until at one corner he cursed lowly and flung his arm out to push her further against the wall.

  He brought his head back and motioned for them to retreat a bit to where there was a doorway set back in the building. Tyler pushed her into the corner, looking over his shoulder before speaking softly to her.

  “There is a group of soldiers just down the street there,” he said. “I need you to stay hidden here, understood? No matter what, you do not come out until I get back. Got me?”

  Missy nodded. Her hands reached out to grip his shirt of their own will. “What are you going to do?” she whispered.

  He gave her a look that said she probably didn’t want to know the answer. It made her mouth dry and her hands shook slightly as she pried them from the material.

  “Please be careful,” she said.

  He grinned, giving her a quick peck on the mouth. It wasn’t nearly enough, but she didn’t pull him back for more. “I’m always careful, lass. Don’t worry.”

  “Easier said than done,” she murmured.

  He kissed her forehead and eased his way back to the corner, peeking his head around before stepping out into the street. He turned back and pointed a finger at her with a single worded order. “Stay.” And then he was gone.

  Standing there, simply waiting, had to be the hardest undertaking of her life. What was Tyler up to? What could he possibly do against a group of New World soldiers? He does have abnormal abilities now, she reminded herself. Perhaps he’d be safer than she thought, but it still didn’t help with her nerves. The urge to pace was strong, but the limited space in the doorway didn’t allow for it.

  All she could do was stand there, biting at her nails, something she hadn’t done since she was a young girl. It felt like forever had passed before she heard the sound of someone approaching. Missy wanted to look and see if it was Tyler, but her better instincts told her just to wait for him to get to there. She found herself squeezing her eyes shut, her breath held as the footsteps drew closer.

  “Ah, there you are,” said a familiar voice.

  Missy’s eyes snapped open. “Geoff?”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  The air was cool and smelled musty, like wet dirt. Phoenix could feel a sheen of moisture on her skin that made her feel sticky and in need of a good shower. She blinked a couple of times, letting her eyes get used to the darkness that surrounded her. Where the hell was she now? And where was Trent?

  They’d been separated initially, as soon as the van had stopped at an abandoned looking warehouse. Inside had been two rows of large, human-sized cages. Hers sat across from Trent’s, so at least she could still see him. Funny how that had become reassuring suddenly, when before she’d been nothing but sick of looking at him all the time.

  The time spent in those cells had been torture. Not that they’d actually tortured them in any physical sense, but being caged up for a long period of time like that was excruciating for her. It was hard to tell how much time had actually passed since they’d been taken off the streets. If she’d had to guess, she would have said they’d been locked up there for definitely more than a week. Actually, she suspected it could have been more than two, but she didn’t want to admit it.

  One day, the same men walked in and simply opened the cages and brought them back outside, stuffing them in the same van again. No explanation, no nothing. She’d never admit it out loud, but Phoenix had just been thankful to be near Trent again. When they’d sat down inside the vehicle, he’d instantly put his arm around her, and she’d melted into his side willingly.

  The men ignored any questions she threw at them, not unexpectedly. They’d driven for hours again before the van stopped. This time they’d blindfolded them, separating her from Trent again. Phoenix couldn’t remember ever being as panicked as she’d been at that moment. Her hands had reached out to grip Trent’s arm when everything had suddenly gone black again, and not just from the blindfold.

  It didn’t take a genius to realize she’d been knocked out. Her mouth felt dry and cottony again, and there was a sore spot in her arm where another dart must have gone. The back of her head was throbbing too, which meant they clearly hadn’t been gentle with her while she’d been out. She reached back gingerly, probing the area with her fingertips gently. Definitely an egg, she thought. Sighing, she looked around, trying to take stock of where she was now.

  They were underground, that was clear. The smell alone said they were beneath the surface. The floor was a crude, rough stone work that looked particularly old. The walls were the same, the stones themselves slightly smaller than the ones on the floor. It looked like, in her opinion, some kind of old dungeon. It was definitely a cell of some sort.

  What kind of trouble had she gotten herself into now? She wondered wearily. Leave it to her to first get set-up by her own people, beaten by a group of soldiers, saved by her arch nemesis, only to be thrown into a van and then into a dank cell. She didn’t even know where they could be calculating by the length of time they’d driven, but they were nowhere near New Berlin. How they would have managed to get out of the city was beyond her, but certain
ly not impossible. She was sure there were plenty of secrets within her city that she didn’t know about.

  Letting her head fall back against the stone wall, a mistake she realized as soon as her tender spot met the hardness, she started to listen to the sounds around her. There was shuffling from the other side of the walls that told her she wasn’t the only one down here. She couldn’t decide if that made her feel better or worse.

  She rested her head back a bit more gently this time, and closed her eyes. How long she sat like that she didn’t know, but soon her ass became numb, and she could hear sniffling and movement from all around her. Whatever was going on here wasn’t good.

  At some point she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew she heard someone approaching the door on the far wall a second before a key scraped into the lock. Instinctively she backed further into the corner, bracing herself.

  One of the men she remembered from the van stepped in. He had a large gut and greasy looking black hair that seemed to be considerably thinning on the top. His teeth were yellowed when he grinned down at her. To make him even more disgusting, just in case his appearance itself didn’t do the job, he snorted loudly then spat on the ground beside him. She literally had to swallow back the vomit in her mouth.

  “Hello there, Red,” he said happily. “It’s time to get up.”

  “Fuck you,” she replied. Man, that felt good. Up until the swift kick he landed in her still recovering ribs. She was starting to worry they were actually broken as she struggled to breathe past the pain.

  “Not nice, Red. Let’s try that again, shall we?” He reached down and gripped her arm roughly. “Up you go,” he said, pulling her to her feet.

  Her father had always said she was the hot head out of her and Missy. Her foot kicked out, slamming into his shin, just as she elbowed him firmly in the nose. He cried out, holding his face as blood trickled between his fingers. Ha, she thought happily, got him good. Success was short lived as he backhanded her so hard she saw stars. She fell against the wall, bracing herself while she tried to clear her vision.