Reviving Bianca

by Becca Jameson

  For a long time he lay awake listening to her breathe, loving the way she put her trust in him. It might seem like something small, but to him it was huge. And he would not take a risk of ruining it.

  They needed to talk, though. About other things. About their next move. About the plans he had running through his head. He wondered how she would react to his ideas. He had a primary suggestion and a backup plan. If she didn’t go for the first, the second would seem far more attractive to her than if he presented it on its own. Deceptive? Perhaps. Or maybe more like resourceful.

  Chapter 5

  Four days later, Grayson knew it was time to move. He’d been growing increasingly nervous about their safety and the safety of their hosts. Harboring someone for a few days was one thing, but keeping them for weeks on end encroached on their lives. Not to mention, with each passing day, Grayson worried about being found.

  They needed to leave. He was antsy.

  He was also in the kitchen earlier than Bianca. She was in the shower. He could hear it running as he took a sip of coffee and spoke to Jerry. “It’s time for us to get out of your hair,” he stated.

  Jerry smirked. “You two are no trouble at all. Don’t be ridiculous. Most days we hardly even know you’re here. I keep telling you it’s not necessary to hide down the hall. You’re welcome to use the kitchen table or join us in the living room.”

  Grayson hadn’t wanted to impose on the nice older couple more than they already were. “I know. But when my head is buried in work, I have a tendency to become almost rude,” he offered as an explanation. He’d been working more hours every day. Helping Ryan with whatever he tossed at him.

  Ryan was at a second government bunker in New Mexico. Temple knew that. She’d placed him and Emily there, as well as a few other members of the team. Shocking all of them, there were two cryostats at that bunker and the disease the occupants had still needed a cure.

  Myasthenia Gravis. A rare form of muscular degeneration both people had mysteriously contracted. Except as Grayson got more involved, fewer and fewer things seemed to be as mysterious as they seemed.

  Nevertheless, Grayson had been doing everything he could to gather data and dig around in every study that had ever been done for that particular disease. If he were preserved somewhere, he would want to think someone was doing everything humanly possible to bring him back.

  He’d lived through that exact scenario. Ryan had worked his ass off for ten years. Granted, the preserved team included his own parents, but Ryan was also a good man. One of the best.

  Grayson felt called to pay it forward, so he would not rest until a cure was found to revive the vitrified members of the New Mexico bunker.

  He knew Bianca was frustrated with her inability to be of much help yet, but she kept her head buried in medical books every chance she got. Getting up to speed with a decade’s worth of change was crucial. Grayson felt like he’d gone all the way through medical school once again as much as he studied while waiting for Bianca to wake up.

  Eliza wandered into the kitchen. “I left plates warming for you two in the oven,” she pointed out. She did that every morning. She and Jerry got up much earlier than Grayson and Bianca most days, and their hostess never failed to cook a big breakfast.

  “Thank you. Your kindness means the world to us. We’re going to miss you.”

  She lifted a brow. “Are you leaving?”

  He nodded. “It’s time. We’ve overstayed our welcome.”

  “Don’t be silly,” she said, waving a hand through the air.

  “I tried to reason with him,” her husband added as he poured another cup of coffee. “We enjoy having guests.”

  “Having us in your home is more like harboring fugitives,” Grayson pointed out as lightheartedly as possible, though he wasn’t off the mark.

  “No one knows you’re here. You’re safe.”

  “Nevertheless, we need to move on.” Something was making Grayson anxious. He’d felt it in the air for a few days. He was restless and nervous. He hadn’t said anything to Bianca, but his skin was crawling.

  Perhaps it had to do with Graham’s work in the bunker. Graham had been downloading data from the mainframe for three days. Grayson knew his friend was almost done. And then what?

  Grayson shuddered. He had a bad feeling.

  Bianca padded into the kitchen as Grayson tried to shake the dread from his expression. She shot him a narrowed gaze as she approached while Jerry and Eliza headed out the back door. They did that often. Either they were huge fans of the back deck, or they were incredibly considerate and able to read the moments when Grayson needed privacy.

  “What’s up?” Bianca asked, her voice cracking even though her question was forcibly light.

  “I think we need to move on,” he told her, watching her closely as she closed the distance and then grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

  “And go where?” She set the unopened water bottle on the counter and faced him. Her eyes drew together, and she cocked her head to one side as she stepped closer. “Did something happen?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “Not yet.” And then he sighed. “I’ll be honest, it’s just a feeling I have. We need to move to a new location.”

  “Do you have a destination in mind, or are we just going to wing it?”

  He took her hand and led her to the table. As soon as he had her seated, he returned to the oven to grab their breakfast plates. Still hot. His stomach might revolt, but they had to eat.

  When he set them down and settled next to her, she was staring at him. “Talk to me, Gray.” She set her hand on top of his.

  Her eyes were still filled with concern when he faced her. She’d never called him by that nickname before. He liked it. It sounded right coming from her. He flipped his hand over and threaded their fingers together. This was the daily extent of their intimacy.

  To anyone else, it might seem odd—two people who’d never kissed but slept in the same bed and touched each other often. But for them, it was just how they were. Like childhood friends might be if neither of them were in a committed relationship and yet they had no real interest in stepping over the line with each other.

  “Temple has offered relocation packages to anyone on our team who’s interested.”

  She flinched, frowning. “What does that mean?”

  “It means you’d be safe if you took a new identity and moved to another part of the country to start over.”

  She jerked her hand out of his grip. “Did you get electroshock therapy this morning?”

  Funny how he’d often thought the same thing. He felt like he’d undergone some type of neurosurgery. He blew out a breath. “It’s just an idea. Something to think about. I didn’t think anyone had mentioned the option to you.”

  “Who would have done that, Grayson?” Back to his full name. Bad sign. “It’s not like I have a nightly call-in with Temple or anyone else on the team for that matter. Hell, I don’t even have a phone.” Her voice rose, which was uncharacteristic of her.

  Grayson glanced out the sliding glass door at the deck to see Eliza and Jerry sitting on Adirondack chairs, enjoying the warm weather. “We can get you a phone. I didn’t realize it was bothering you. You’re welcome to use mine anytime you want.”

  She groaned, tipping her head back and gripping the edge of the table. “This isn’t about a phone. Don’t be obtuse. This is about you suggesting out of the blue that I walk away from the team and go into permanent hiding somewhere.”

  Yeah, he’d expected this sort of reaction, but he was still impressed with her vehemence. She’d never been one to raise her voice or do anything that might upset someone around her.

  “Why would you even suggest such a thing? What about me makes you think I would want to give up working? I know I’ve been slow to get my body to take commands from my brain physically, but my brain didn’t receive any sort of transformation that I’m aware of. So, your suggestion is ludicrous and insulting.”

>   He smiled. “Figured you’d say that.”

  She rolled her eyes, grunting. “Then why the hell did you suggest it in the first place?”

  “I just wanted you to know all your options. And, frankly, I’m nervous.” He reached for her again, very slowly, making sure he didn’t startle her or make her flinch, this time cupping her face so she would understand how serious he was. “Regardless of how we might define this odd relationship of ours, I care about you. And I don’t want anything to happen to you. You have choices. One of them is essentially witness protection.”

  “Well, you can stuff that idea where the sun doesn’t shine because I’m as committed to the team as you are. What’s my other choice?” It was the first time she’d spoken up with so much conviction. He hadn’t really been certain what she wanted to do, but that solidified it.

  “We head for Montana to join the rest of the team.”

  She nodded. “Done.”

  “Okay, then.” He released her and dug into his food, his mind churning already. He started tapping his foot. Something was bothering him. He felt an urgency that wouldn’t leave him.

  “You okay?” she asked as they put their dishes in the dishwasher.

  “Yeah, but I really think we should leave.”

  “Now? You mean today?”

  “Yes.”

  At least she didn’t argue. She simply nodded. “Won’t be hard to pack,” she joked.

  “I’ll figure out transportation.” He headed for the back porch to talk to the Kobricks.

  Five hours later, they were on the highway. Jerry had driven them to a bus station where Grayson used cash to purchase tickets on the next bus leaving. They got off two towns later, took a taxi to a privately owned auto shop, and bought a nondescript silver Corolla from the owner, also with cash. It was twenty years old, but it would get them from point A to point B, and that was all that mattered at the moment.

  “How much money do we have?” Bianca asked him.

  “After buying this fine vehicle, very little. Enough to get food and gas for a day. That’s about it.”

  Bianca settled into the seat. “I feel like we’re on the run from the law. This is crazy. Buying a sketchy car from a private owner who doesn’t need to see a license—which neither of us has—and paying in cash. The guy must have thought we robbed a bank.”

  He glanced at her to find her staring out the window. “Well, technically we are on the run from the law, and it can’t be helped that we don’t have a license. It’s not like I don’t know how to drive.”

  “You think this car will get us to Montana?”

  “Let’s hope so.”

  Grayson’s phone rang in his pocket, and he leaned to one side to pull it out and handed it to Bianca.

  “Unknown number. How shocking,” she murmured as she connected it. “Hello?”

  “Bianca?”

  “Yes. Grayson is with me.” She put it on speaker and held it between them. “It’s Dade,” she said to Grayson.

  “Where are you?” Dade asked. “Sounds like you’re in a car.”

  “We are,” Bianca responded. “Grayson got nervous. We left the safe house.”

  “Well, if your hairs were standing on end, it wasn’t without reason. We’ve had a problem.”

  “What happened?” Grayson asked, glancing at Bianca.

  “Graham was on a deadline to get all the data transferred from the mainframe in the bunker to external hard drives, and he got caught. There was a confrontation. Long story, but two men were killed in the incident, Graham and Kate have left the bunker. They are heading to Montana.”

  Grayson gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Shit. Is everyone else okay?”

  “Yes. But the list of who I’m inclined to trust is growing shorter by the moment.”

  “You think someone was tipped off that Graham was downloading data?”

  “I’m certain of it.”

  “Fuck. Are you sure you trust your guy on the inside? Spencer?”

  “Yeah. It wasn’t him. In fact he’s on the run. He’s heading this way now.”

  “Jesus.” Grayson ran a hand through his hair and glanced at a white-faced Bianca.

  “Blair and I are at what I’m now calling the staging area in Montana. We’re on a ranch. I’ll send you the details. Members of our team are trickling in, but with Graham and Kate under so much suspicion, I’m afraid they are a hot target right now.

  “I need them here, but I’m going to suggest you hold off for a while until I’m certain they weren’t followed. The last thing we want is for half our team to be blindsided all in one place. And the longer we can go without the government finding out I’m alive, the better.”

  “Do you think we’re a target?” Grayson asked.

  “No. Not a word about either of you right now. Blue Cell is focused on Graham and Kate. They have also surmised that many of us are organized and together, so their effort has been in hunting us down. Their goal seems to involve keeping us all dispersed, so their attention is on that. Anyone who hasn’t come into the fold is safe for now.”

  “Gotcha. We’ll lay low somewhere else for a while. Keep us apprised.”

  “Will do. Be careful. Watch your backs. If you have a place to go that’s not very close to Montana, then go there.” The call disconnected.

  Bianca was still holding the phone between them. She hadn’t said a word in a while, and her hand was shaking.

  He reached for her with his right hand, wrapped his fingers around the palm holding his cell, and lowered her arm to the console. “You okay?”

  She jerked her gaze to his. “Peachy. You?”

  He took the next exit and pulled into a gas station. They still had half a tank, but he wanted to keep it full, and he wanted to look Bianca in the eye without driving them into a ditch.

  While the gas pumped, he climbed back into the driver’s seat and grabbed her hand again. He had a new plan. They were out of options. “We’ll go to my parents’ farm.”

  She flinched. “In Nebraska? You think that’s safe? Won’t we just be putting them in danger too?”

  “I’ve thought of that, but I feel confident we weren’t followed. I truly don’t believe anyone has known where we were since we left the clinic. There is no paper trail. My parents live on a farm with enough land that we can park this car in the barn, hidden, and easily stay on their property without a single person knowing. I’m thinking it’s not a bad option since we’re nearly out of money and Dade thinks Blue Cell is focused on Graham and Kate. We can hole up in Nebraska, at least for a while. When we get nervous or hear something new, we move on.”

  She swallowed. “Okay, but what if you’re wrong? What if someone tracks us down and your family becomes victims in this crazy, high-stakes game we’re playing without knowing the rules or the name of the game?”

  He gripped her hand tighter and sighed. “I hope we’re both simply feeling paranoid. In any case, if things change, we can borrow money from my parents. Enough for a few nights in hotels. We need to stay under the radar. If anyone recognizes us, we’re toast.”

  “Who the hell is going to recognize us?”

  He winced. “Anyone in the country. Our faces have been plastered on every news channel for almost a year.”

  “Shit. I didn’t think of that.” She started shaking a moment later, tugging her hand free of his grip and crossing her arms as if she were cold. Her gaze darted to the passenger window.

  He climbed out of the car, removed the gas pump, and jogged to the window to pay the bill. Less than thirty seconds later he was back. When he shut the door and turned toward her, he found her stiff and wincing. Then it dawned on him. “Your family…” The words slipped out softly. She had told him she didn’t want anyone in her family to know she was alive. Maybe not in those words, but he’d heard her loud and clear.

  It hadn’t occurred to him at the time to tell her there was no way anyone in her life wasn’t aware of her pending reanimation, and it was probably for
the best. If she’d known this fact sooner, she would have lost her shit that much sooner.

  What happened to Bianca Serrano to make her wish no one knew she was alive?

  The answer scared the hell out of him.

  “No one is going to find us,” he promised with no conviction in his voice.

  She turned her head toward him. “Gray, they already did. It’s obvious that not one piece of information about any of us is sacred, which means if someone wants to get to us badly enough, all they have to do it stake out at your parents’ home and hope we show up.”

  He sighed. “You have a point, but surely these people don’t have the manpower to lie in wait at every possible location all twenty-one of us might be at. We should be good for a while if their focus is on Graham and Kate and tracking our team to Montana.”

  “Does anyone know you and I are together?”

  Grayson shrugged. “I have no idea. At this point anything is possible. After the explosion at the bunker, Temple paired us off and we fled in the middle of the night. She had prepared evacuation plans that she kept up-to-date every few days to fit the circumstances.”

  “I really wish we could call her. It makes me nervous that Dade thinks she could have anything to do with all this. It’s ludicrous. She’s our boss. She’s been with the project for over thirty years. It’s insane to think she would sabotage it.”

  “I agree, but we’re going to have to trust Dade on this. He knows the most, and frankly he’s the only person you and I know well enough to feel confident about. We have only two options—trust Dade or throw him under the bus.”

  “You’re right.” She sighed. “Let’s go to your family’s farm then.”

  Chapter 6

  It was dark when Grayson finally pulled up to his parents’ home. He could have driven there blindfolded, so there hadn’t been any need for directions or a GPS. The phone Dade had given him last week was a throwaway, and there was no way in hell he was going to use the GPS coordinates, just in case someone broke into it.