Tex remained quiet and listened as though that was the first time he was hearing of any of the events she recounted. His presence comforted her as well.
Erika told Dana a lot but left out the part about her time in A.H.D.N.A. and the Conexus. She didn’t tell Dana about the H.A.L.F. program or the Makers, either.
By the time Erika finished the story of her mom’s death and the terrible illness that had taken hold of her hometown, Dana had heaping plates of fried potatoes, pork chops, and green beans on the table. It was the kind of Midwestern meat-and-potatoes food that Erika’s dad had preferred but that her mom had never quite mastered how to cook. Erika blew her nose and wiped her eyes.
The smell of home-cooked food nearly made Erika cry with joy. Her plate held a mountain of potatoes and a small forest of green beans. She took two pork chops. Her stomach won over her conscience as she devoured the meat.
For his part, Tex began by taking a bit of each item. After a few bites of the potatoes, though, he heaped several large spoonfuls on and ate greedily, still wearing his hat and sunglasses. He was quiet throughout the meal.
I wonder what he’s thinking about all this.
Dana stared at them with a look of mixed wonderment and skepticism. She especially eyed Tex. Erika practically heard Aunt Dana’s thought bubbles as she likely churned over in her mind what could cause a person to look so very odd.
Erika’s stomach had hurt from hunger but was aching from fullness. She regretfully had to push the half-full plate back from herself before she ate so much she got sick.
“Don’t you like it? Oh yeah, I forgot you don’t eat meat, do you?”
“Oh, I love it. I’m just full.”
They stared at each other, so much unsaid filling the air between them. Dana had begun their reunion with a snarky attitude, but from where Erika sat, Dana seemed to have no cause to be upset. After all, she was the one who had hadn’t stayed in contact with Erika.
Dana took a sip of her tea and set the cup down. “I know your momma just died. But before you get too cozy here, I gotta know. Why didn’t you answer any of my letters? And not so much as a call or thank-you note for the things I sent you. I know your momma never liked me, but what did I ever do to you to be treated that way?”
“Things you sent me? Letters? Aunt Dana, I haven’t heard from you since my dad’s funeral. You stood there, looked me in the eye, and said you’d be there for me. And you bailed.”
Erika’s lower lip quivered, but she pulled it in and refused to allow the angry tears to fall.
Dana closed her eyes, and when she opened them, they glistened with tears. “I know you loved your mom.” Dana sipped her tea again. “But she and I… Well, we never saw eye to eye. After your dad died, I sent you letters every week. I sent you cards and presents for your birthday and Christmas. I did that for over two years, but I never heard from you. I called too, at first, but your mom got a new phone and never gave me a new number, so I had no way to contact you.”
Erika had spent many hours of her life being mad at her mom for a variety of things. When her mom died, she vowed to let all her anger go and focus on what few happy memories she had. Now, though, Dana was heaping on a whole new layer of reasons to be angry with her dead mother. She intentionally cut me off from my dad’s only family.
Dana reached out a freckled, weatherworn hand and put it on Erika’s. Her pale lips drew up in a wan smile. “Don’t be mad at her. Water under the bridge. You’re here now.”
Erika wanted to be angry, to shout and scream and cry and kick things, but she was too exhausted at the moment to do any of those things.
Dana’s smile faded as she looked at Tex. He was sitting so silently Erika had nearly forgotten he was there. He had a way of becoming a quiet observer, fading into the background. She was glad of it in that instance. She didn’t need or want him trying to interfere in her family business or, worse, doing something to reveal the truth about his powers.
“We’ve been rude, leaving your young man out of the conversation.”
Erika’s cheeks colored. “He’s not my ‘young man.’” But God help me, maybe I want him to be.
“Tex. Is that a nickname or something?”
“Sort of,” Erika said. She shifted in her seat, wishing she could skip the inevitable conversation about to happen and fall into a bed instead.
“Can’t he talk?” Dana’s eyes had never strayed from Tex.
His voice was low and steady. “I can.”
Dana shook her head slightly and blinked. Hearing Tex had that kind of effect on people. The voice didn’t match the body.
“Okay, Erika, I know why you’re here, but that doesn’t explain why you’ve got him with you. Tex, do your parents know where you are?”
Erika tried to answer for him, but Tex talked over her.
“I do not have parents.” He wiped his forehead with his paper napkin.
Tiny beads of sweat had broken out on his forehead. That was something that wouldn’t seem strange if not for the fact that Erika had never seen Tex sweat. Even after pushing the car up the hill, her face had been covered with sweat, but his skin was dry. Erika didn’t know what to make of that. He did not show signs of alarm, so she ignored the twitch in her gut.
“You’re an orphan too?” Her hand flew to her face. “Oh, no. Did your parents die from the virus?”
Erika and Tex both spoke at the same time, but Erika talked more loudly and interceded with “Yes” before Tex could start down the road of telling Aunt Dana more than she needed to know. He remained calm and did not protest the interruption. His fingers shook as he wiped his neck with the napkin.
Something is up with him. She wanted to talk to him privately but didn’t want to be rude after not having seen Dana for so long. Erika yawned. “I know you have a lot of questions, and we have catching up to do, but we’re beat from the long trip. Do you think we can bunk down somewhere and talk more tomorrow?”
Aunt Dana nodded. “Of course. Place is so small, you can practically brush your teeth while still in bed, but I’ll show Tex here around.”
They all rose, but before Dana could make it to the narrow hallway leading to the bedrooms and bath, Tex fell to the ground. He lay on his stomach, his head turned to one side, the metal-framed sunglasses pushed up and askew, revealing his alien eyes.
Erika knelt beside him and put her fingers to this neck. His pulse was weak, and his skin was even colder and grayer than usual.
Dana stood behind Erika and gasped. “What the—”
“He’s very ill,” Erika said.
“More than sick. He’s not—”
“Human.” So much for hiding from her what he is.
Erika had hoped she could keep that fact from Aunt Dana for Tex’s protection. In hindsight, the idea was ridiculous. Tex couldn’t wear sunglasses twenty-four hours a day.
Erika picked up Tex’s hand and tried to rouse him, but he remained still. His condition wasn’t like the trance he voluntarily went into when he withdrew from the world and meditated to heal. She had no idea what to do for him.
“Does he need a doctor?”
Erika nodded but then sighed and shook her head. “We can’t take him to a regular doctor.” She stood and looked into Aunt Dana’s eyes. “If he falls back into the hands of the Makers, they’ll kill him. Or worse.”
“I’ve got a lot of questions,” Aunt Dana said.
“I’m sure you do, but we’ve got no time right now for answers.” Erika took Aunt Dana’s hand in hers. “I need your help. He needs your help.” She looked down at Tex, lying like a lifeless sack of flour on the floor. Her throat tightened again at the notion that he could die. He had become a part of her life that she didn’t want to let go.
Dana’s crinkled brow smoothed and she nodded. “Niyol.”
Erika had no idea what Aunt Dana was talking about. The question must have shown on her face.
“He’s an old friend. We’ll have to drive there. Niyol doesn’t have a
phone. Help me get him to my truck.”
Dana hoisted Tex by the shoulders while Erika lifted his feet. They struggled through the door and got Tex into the back seat of Dana’s crew-cab truck.
Erika had been sure she could fall asleep while standing, but she was fully awake and alert again. She scrambled up into the passenger seat.
Tex’s collapse was a mystery. She had seen him weakened and pass out from high humidity and exposure to water. She’d also watched him fade from overuse of his powers while weakened by moisture, but the humidity was super low at the cabin. He’d used his abilities all day and, though tired, had not complained of any ill effects. How can I help him when I have no idea what is wrong?
They drove in silence on the twisty, rutted dirt roads of rural New Mexico. They headed west and were soon in Arizona again. The sign announcing they were back in Arizona made Erika’s stomach twist. She had wanted to get out of the state, not back into it.
“Where are we going?” Her voice had an edge to it that revealed her nervousness.
“I told you. To see if my friend Niyol can help your friend.”
“But Tex and I just came from Arizona.” More like escaped it.
Dana turned onto a deserted two-lane paved road without using her blinker or even looking for oncoming traffic. “Yeah, well, you’re back.”
The sun had completely set and the air had turned cold by the time they pulled onto a primitive dirt forest-service road winding its way up a mesa. Dana finally came to a stop next to a pickup truck parked near a small house. The truck could have been the twin of the one Erika had taken from Ian’s house.
“Let me go in first and talk to him. Stay in the truck. Niyol wouldn’t like you out snooping around his property.”
Erika hadn’t planned on leaving Tex. She nodded and blew a warm breath into her cupped hands. “Don’t be too long, or we’ll both be frozen when you get back.” Though no immediate danger seemed apparent, the things Erika had been through made her jumpy about new situations. She wished she had had the presence of mind to bring the pistol with her.
Dana knocked on the door of the small, stucco-covered house and rubbed her arms to stay warm. Someone peeked through the curtains in the front window, then the door opened just a sliver at first then wider.
Yellow light spilled out of the open doorway, casting the person at the threshold into a silhouette. Whoever it was, he was small in stature, standing at least a few inches shorter than Aunt Dana. He threw his arms around her, and Dana hugged back then went inside. The door closed behind them, sealing them off from Erika.
Tex had been entirely silent on the drive to that lonely house at the top of a mesa. Erika leaned over the seat and whispered, “Tex?”
He did not answer, not that she had expected him to. She took his wrist in her hand and felt for a pulse. It was still there but even slower and weaker than before. His skin was covered in a thin film of sweat, but she saw no evidence of injury.
“Dammit, don’t die on me. Come on, Aunt Dana. He’s running out of time.”
Erika sat back in her seat, her eyes boring a hole in the door into which Dana had disappeared. She hadn’t planned on leaving the truck, but as the minutes passed, her urge to barge into the house grew.
She was about to disobey Aunt Dana’s request to stay put when the door to the house opened, and three figures emerged. The small man and a women flanked Aunt Dana.
Aunt Dana opened the door on Erika’s side of the truck. “Erika, this is Niyol Taya and his wife, Kai. He’s a healer.”
Erika jumped out of the truck and took Niyol’s outstretched hand in hers. His hand was warm, the skin leathery. His face was weathered with age. Even in the dark, his eyes shone brightly, and his lips offered a small smile.
“It’s very nice to meet you. I’m Erika, and this is Tex.” She motioned to the truck with her head. “He’s very ill. Do you think you can help him?”
The smile disappeared from Niyol’s lips. He looked down then cast a glance backward to his short, round wife. Her deep brown eyes looked sad, and her lips were pulled down in a frown.
“I do not know if I can help,” Niyol said. He quickly added, “But it will be my honor to try. Let’s hurry and get him inside. I have many questions for you before I will know what medicine your friend needs.”
11
JACK
Jack was more than motivated to get to Phoenix. As the cities gave way to open range and the range gave way to distant mountains and mesas, Jack felt more and more at home.
Jack considered giving Alecto a chance to sit in the front seat so she could see the towering spires of rock that made up Monument Valley, but they couldn’t risk someone sighting her. Even at eighty miles an hour, she was hard not to notice.
The directions Sewell had given Anna were detailed and accurate. Jack had no problem finding the building housing the regional office of the Centers for Disease Control in Phoenix. They arrived at midafternoon on a Friday. Traffic into the city was light, by Phoenix standards.
He pulled into the visitor parking lot. “I’m guessing Alecto should stay here. For now.”
Anna agreed. “Thomas, will you stay with her? Jack and I will go in and see what’s up.”
Thomas had his head buried in the New York Times crossword puzzle. He didn’t look up but grunted, “Whatever.”
Though November and chilly in the eastern part of the country, Phoenix was nearly eighty degrees. Jack jettisoned his jacket and flannel shirt. Being in just a T-shirt felt good.
Anna’s mood seemed to have lightened. Her brow was crinkle-free, and her hair bounced about her shoulders as she walked.
They checked in at the security officer’s station, and Jack let Anna do the talking. She used one of her aliases.
Anna followed the direction Mr. Sewell had given her, and she asked for the Regional Director of the CDC. “We’re here to see Dr. Montoya. I believe she’s expecting us. Yes, Stacey Adams.”
As they waited for Dr. Montoya, Jack’s palms grew sweaty. He was excited to see if Erika and Ian were with Dr. Randall. He would even be glad to see Tex, but the roiling of his stomach was more than just the excited expectation of seeing his friends. He had difficulty hiding his feelings, especially from Erika and Ian. He had tried to hide his growing desire to know Anna better, even from himself, but he knew Erika would see through any charade he attempted. He kept imagining the glare on Erika’s face when she found out that while she had been on an alien planet by herself, he was spending twenty-four hours a day with Anna.
Not soon enough, the elevator dinged, and a petite, dark-haired woman of at least middle years stepped into the lobby. She held out her hand to Anna. “You must be Ms. Adams.”
Anna took her hand and smiled. “Yes, but please, call me Stacey.”
Dr. Montoya gave her a slight wink and nodded. She then turned her eyes to Jack and held out her hand to him. “And you are Mr. Harper?”
Jack quickly wiped his hand on his jeans and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Dr. Montoya gave them a warm smile. “Please, come with me. Let me introduce you to my team.”
Her team? Sewell had only mentioned Dr. Randall. Can it be? Jack’s heart hammered away.
They went to the fourteenth and uppermost floor of the building. Jack wondered if Dr. Randall enjoyed being above ground for a change. Plentiful Arizona sunshine poured in through floor-to-ceiling windows.
The halls were painted a blue so light it was nearly gray and were well lit with fluorescent lights that reflected off the highly polished blue linoleum floor. The building was too warm for Jack’s taste, as if the heat was on even though the day called for air conditioning. Jack wished he was wearing shorts and flip-flops instead of jeans and heavy black work boots.
Dr. Montoya used a key card to gain entry to another hallway to their left. They zigzagged a few more times and finally arrived at a laboratory. It was filled with tables full of large microscopes, computers, and other machines and eq
uipment Jack couldn’t identify.
Jack recognized a familiar face at one of the computers. Ian stared at the screen, engrossed in something. His hair was longer than Jack had ever seen it, but the length suited him. His cheeks were hollow and his frame overly thin.
Ian barely looked up when they entered. At first, he just took notice of Dr. Montoya, but then his eyes caught Jack’s, and he lit up. “Jack!”
Ian was up and away from the desk, his arms around Jack in a hug before they had fully entered the room. They hugged like two old friends that hadn’t seen each other in years, and that’s what it felt like.
Ian tousled Jack’s hair. “What happened to you?”
“I was tired of being a blonde,” Jack said and winked. “Whaddya think?”
Ian put a finger to his chin and scrunched up his face. “I don’t know. While I do prefer brunettes, blond worked on you.” He smiled warmly. “You look good, Jack. Damned good to see you.” As he stared at Jack, the smile faded, and his eyes filled with tears.
Jack let out a nervous laugh. “You look like someone died.”
Ian looked away and wiped at his face. He clapped a hand on Jack’s shoulder and forced a wan smile. “I’m here for you.”
Before Jack could ask Ian what he meant by that, Dr. Randall strode quickly toward them, beaming. “Jack Wilson, you made it. And Anna. My goodness, what a beautiful young woman. Why, the last time I saw you, well you were just a sprout. Look at you.” He gave Anna a hug, and she stiffly hugged him back.
“Yes, look at her,” Ian said. His voice was low, and he shot Jack an impish smile.
Dr. Randall had had the appearance of a crazy hermit the last time Jack had seen him. Now, though, he looked like a respectable old professor. His face was cleanly shaven, save for sideburns that were a bit too long and thick to be in style. His glasses were clean and repaired and sat evenly on his nose rather than crookedly. His clothes were fresh, his body bathed, and his hair trimmed and combed.
H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS Page 8
