Tears streamed down her cheeks as she shoved to her feet. She threw her arms around him and held him as tightly as she could. “Oh, Wyatt. What have they done to you?”
His breathing turned ragged and he tightened his arms around her waist. “I don’t fucking know. That’s the problem. None of us know.”
She raised her head to see his face, his glistening eyes. “Us?” she whispered.
“There are eight of us. Now.”
Taking his hand, she led him back to the chairs. If she knew more about the situation, maybe she could help Wyatt, or at least assuage his worries. “Tell me about these experiments.”
“They’ve enhanced us, using dolphin DNA.”
Cross-species experiments existed, of course, like the salmon-eel hybrid that grew to full size twice as fast as natural salmon, not to mention animal-to-human transplants. But she’d never before seen evidence of any similar experiments on humans. Certainly none had ever been reported as successful. “And you think the enhancements worked?”
He arched a brow and traced a finger along her bottom lip.
“The breath retention,” she said, suppressing a shiver of desire at Wyatt’s touch. “Yes, that certainly wasn’t humanly possible.”
Wyatt stiffened. “I’m not some fucking science project.”
“I know, I know. I’m just trying to process all of this. What other changes have you noticed?”
“Well, there’s the extra speed and strength. Oh and we can echolocate. That’s a pretty useful trick, actually.”
“Echolocation? How does it work?” He certainly didn’t have the right body parts for it.
“I never asked.”
Fascinating. What else could he do? Wyatt and his team might be the key to learning more about marine life, the key to saving these amazing species that were in the process of extinction. She grabbed a notepad from Jane’s desk. Wyatt’s hand shackled her wrist. “No writing.”
She smiled weakly. “If anyone finds out, they’ll have to kill me?”
“It’s highly likely.”
“Oh. Well, we certainly don’t want that.” She dropped the notepad and sat back, forcing her mind to return to the issue at hand. “Given the successful introduction of dolphin DNA into your body, I see your concern regarding the possibility of contracting Streptococcus agalactiae from your little dip in the pool. In fact…” She paused, slammed by the enormity of what the Navy had done.
She wasn’t worried about an immediate crisis, but there were so many other illnesses, more easily transmitted illnesses, that could devastate communities and countries if they could leap across species to humans.
She cupped Wyatt’s hand in hers. “You and your team could be a bridge for the spread of innumerable bacteria and viruses between humans and the animal world. My God. We could be facing a pandemic of a size never before heard of.”
“Whoa! Pandemic? The team of doctors and scientists managing this program know what they’re doing.” He sounded confident, but she caught the flicker of doubt in his gaze.
“Do they?” Her tone hardened, and she pressed on despite the sick feeling in her stomach. Wyatt needed to understand the implications of what had been done to him. Even if he hated her for being the messenger. “Why are you so scared about catching this bacterium? Just tell your miracle workers what happened, and they’ll handle it, right? They’ll make sure you don’t spread it to your entire team.”
Wyatt didn’t respond, he simply stared at her. Now that she knew more, she put together the pieces. Over the years, the Navy had called her in numerous times to consult on new viruses, vaccinations, medications, and treatments. She’d always thought it was in regards to the dolphins and sea lions used in the Marine Mammal Program. But with this added insight, she understood what had really been going on. The military had been using her to garner information for their experiment. An experiment that involved human subjects.
An experiment that had changed Wyatt, and his team, into something other—something not quite man and not quite animal.
Everything Wyatt had held true in his adult life was crumbling under the weight of Claire’s words. He’d trusted the Navy to know what they were doing, to have some concern for the lives of the men in the program. His trust had been blind. Exactly the way he’d been trained to be.
He cleared his throat and rubbed his tight chest. “Can I give this bacteria to you? To my team?”
“Transmission usually requires trauma-to-trauma contact because organisms are usually only susceptible to Streptococcus agalactiae when the immune system is impaired.”
Wyatt grimaced and indicated her body. “You’ve got more than one trauma.”
“I’ll be fine. We’ll both be fine.” Claire cupped his cheek with her small perfect hand and smiled sadly. “This experimentation can’t continue unchallenged though.”
His heart thudded as her meaning sank in. He gripped her hand. “No. Listen, they can’t find out that you’re aware of the program. I wasn’t kidding before.”
All the blood drained from her face. But then she squared her shoulders and shook her head. “They won’t touch me. The last thing they want is a senate investigation.”
“I’m not following.”
“My father? Senator Montgomery.”
Wyatt closed his eyes and sighed. A senator’s daughter. How had he never realized who her father was? When he spoke his tone was harsh. “Oh, he’s going to love seeing you with me, a lowly noncommissioned officer so stupid he let the military treat him like a guinea pig.”
“He’ll admire you for your service to our country. But I won’t tell him about the program. One Montgomery wanted by the Navy is enough.” She chuckled.
He brought their joined hands to his lap as a thought occurred to him. “Your father’s the one who pulled you out of the water?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Was it public knowledge that he would be attending the fundraiser?”
She nodded. “It wasn’t in the program, but once his aides confirmed his attendance, his name was added to the list of VIPs on the aquarium’s website. What are you getting at?”
“I need to see that list.”
Claire wiggled the mouse and Jane’s computer screen lit up. She typed in her username and password and pulled up the aquarium’s website. Once she’d located the list, Wyatt scanned the columns of names. Damn. Senator Montgomery had been the highest-profile guest.
“Wyatt, please. You have to tell me what’s going on.” Her knees were bouncing up and down. What he had to tell her wasn’t going to ease her worries.
“Has your father been involved in any issues of significance lately?”
A knock at the door interrupted them. He jumped to his feet, keeping his body between her and the door. “Who is it?”
“I’m looking for Claire.” It was a man’s voice he didn’t recognize.
“Daddy?”
Relaxing his shoulders, Wyatt let Claire’s father into the office. “She’s right here, sir.”
Senator Montgomery strode into the small room, his steps firm and confident. A proud man in his prime and at the top of his political game. He wrapped Claire in a tight hug. “Jane told me about the surgery. You must be exhausted.”
She smiled. “And hungry.”
“We still on for dinner?”
Wyatt melted into the shadows as he took in the father-daughter scene. The man wouldn’t take it well when he learned his presence here had almost gotten his daughter killed. Claire eased out of her father’s embrace.
“Actually, Dad, I have a date.”
The smile she gave Wyatt turned his insides to goo. Was this a side effect of the enhancements too? No woman had ever made him react this way to a simple look. Sucking in a breath, he stepped closer and held out his hand. “I’m Wyatt Black.”
The man took his hand, shaking it with a firm grip. “Senator Montgomery.” He raised an eyebrow at his daughter.
Her cheeks flushed. “Wyatt… uh… wor
ks with Jane.”
Wyatt had to press his lips together to keep from laughing. Normally so calm and confident, Claire was acting like a teenager caught necking on the front porch. “It’s an honor to meet you, sir,” he said to take some of the pressure off her. “Will you join us for dinner?”
The senator nodded. “Thank you. How long have you worked here, Mr. Black?”
“Not long, sir.”
“Dad,” Claire jumped in. “Jane’s watching Kirby right now, and I’ll give her a break when we’re done. Elliott’s Oyster House is too far and will take too long.”
Wyatt motioned with his thumb. “Anthony’s is right next door and their food’s pretty good.”
“Let’s go.” Senator Montgomery walked through the door with Claire close at his heels. Wyatt reached out and grabbed her arm as she passed. Claire turned wide eyes on him, wide eyes that had him grinning like a loon. He tugged her to him and was about to kiss her when her father called from the hall. “Move it, Black.”
He gave Claire a quick peck, then lifted her into his arms. “Right behind you, sir,” he said over Claire’s peals of laughter. Wyatt was certain he caught the senator smiling.
As they walked the short distance along the waterfront to Anthony’s on Pier 66, he considered their options. They could head up to the restaurant on the second floor, or stay and eat at the diner on the first floor. Both had security advantages and disadvantages.
When they arrived, he set Claire on her feet and enjoyed the blush coloring her cheeks. Ignoring him, she headed over to ask the hostess to seat them outdoors. “Maybe we should eat upstairs. I hear the view is terrific,” he said.
“It’s too formal up there. Besides, the weather’s gorgeous.” Okay, she had a point. Her father was still wearing a suit, but she and Wyatt were in aquarium uniforms. He’d just have to keep a careful watch on the situation.
At the table, he claimed the seat overlooking the Bay Street Marina. After holding the chair for Claire, he sat and noticed Senator Montgomery watching him. He met the man’s gaze.
“So what’s everyone going to have?” Claire said. Her cheery tone sounded forced.
He nudged her foot with his own and smiled at her. She answered his smile before turning to her menu. The waitress arrived a few minutes later and took everyone’s orders. Wyatt couldn’t wait to sink his teeth into the flash-seared lingcod. Like Pavlov’s dog, he was already salivating.
Picking up his water, he downed the entire glass in one gulp. When he set the glass down, Claire and her father were both staring at him. “Sorry. All the excitement today seems to have dehydrated me,” he mumbled. Actually, it was probably the fact that although he’d been in the salt water of Puget Sound for hours, he’d been wearing his wetsuit and hadn’t received its full benefit. And that dip in the contaminated enclosure hadn’t helped at all. If he was away from base for too much longer, he’d have to find a way to soak in a tub with sea salt or he’d suffer the consequences. He barely suppressed a shudder.
“So, Wyatt,” Senator Montgomery said. “What did you do before you started working at the aquarium?”
Stick as close to the truth as possible. He’d watched enough spy movies to know it was the best way to lie. “I was interning with the Navy Marine Mammal Program. That’s where Claire and I met.”
The man turned to Claire. “You’ve known each other a while, then.”
Be careful, Claire. If she told her father they’d met two years ago, he’d know something was up. Internships at the MPP only lasted a few months. But he shouldn’t worry. His girl was as quick as she was pretty. His girl? He grinned. Oh yeah. He liked the sound of that.
Claire kicked his foot under the table and he reined in his expression before her father got the wrong idea. Or the right one as the case may be. He couldn’t wait to get her alone. To taste her lips as well as every other silky part of her. Wyatt cleared his throat and forced himself to concentrate on the conversation between Claire and her father. “Dad, do the police know what caused the explosion?”
“Apparently it was some sort of bomb. I still feel sick thinking you could have been killed out there.”
She placed her hand over his. “But I wasn’t.” Her gaze slid over to Wyatt’s, filled with gratitude. He shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t want her gratitude; he wanted her.
“Sir, do they have any idea who might have done this?” Wyatt had a few ideas as to the “why” but not the “who.”
“No. They don’t even know what the target was.”
Claire seemed eager to change the subject. “When is the senate voting on your offshore-drilling bill?”
Offshore drilling. Wyatt’s ears perked up at that. The bomber had obviously been comfortable with diving equipment, and offshore-drilling companies often employed divers.
“Not until after the summer recess.” The senator buttered a slice of bread from the basket the waitress had left in the middle of the table, and settled back into his chair.
“What’s the bill about?” Wyatt asked.
“It’s an extension of section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Act with regards to offshore drilling. Do you know what Dodd-Frank is?”
Wyatt nodded. He kept abreast of anything that affected the oceans. “Under the act, US companies must disclose payments to local and foreign governments.”
“Exactly. It’s supposed to provide transparency and minimize corruption. Unfortunately, the US-Mexico Hydrocarbon Transboundary Agreement recently ratified by the US House includes a controversial clause that exempts companies from divulging payments made to foreign governments. It would essentially override Dodd-Frank. We can’t allow that to happen.”
When Senator Montgomery took a sip of water, Wyatt asked with another question. “How will your bill help?”
“We’ve included parameters limiting the power and scope of any possible exemptions. For example, any business that affects national security cannot be exempted. Furthermore, businesses wanting the exemption would need to provide long-term studies of the impacts to the local environment, including marine life. They need to account for the entire lifecycle of the company and company assets. The language is not specific to offshore drilling, but it hits the industry on many levels.”
The conversation paused as the waitress arrived with their orders. Wyatt barely managed to hold onto his manners. He waited impatiently for Claire and the senator to begin eating before he tore into his lingcod. It was perfectly seared, still raw inside. Claire glanced at him, her eyes dancing with amusement. Yes, he’d admit that since receiving the enhancement injections, he enjoyed seafood a lot more. His entire body seemed to fill with energy and strength. Beef and chicken only left him feeling sluggish.
He refilled their water glasses and drank deeply. He could almost feel his muscles and skin expanding. “I take it you’re against offshore drilling, sir.”
“Not at all. But I do believe it needs to be carefully regulated, otherwise, our entire coast and the Gulf of Mexico will become marine oil fields. Greed fuels the oil industry and leads to carelessness. Think of the BP oil spill. I’m only trying to put up some caution signs.”
“I’ve read that there are over four thousand active oil platforms along the Gulf coast, and that’s just on the US side,” Claire said, setting down her fork.
“Has there been much opposition to your bill?” Wyatt asked. The senator’s answer could tell him more about today’s bombing.
The senator laughed. “From almost every business involved in the oil industry.”
“What about diving companies? Are they making any noise?”
Claire’s eyes widened, and the senator frowned. “As a matter of fact, yes. One or two have been very vocal in their opposition.”
“Any threats?”
“Wyatt?” Claire said, her voice thick with worry.
“What are you getting at, young man?”
Wyatt met Claire’s gaze and raised a brow in question. When she nodded, he said, “I’m suggesting that
there might be a link between your political position and today’s explosion.”
Very carefully, the senator wiped his mouth with his napkin before setting it down beside his plate. His movements were stiff, his shoulders tense. The silence held for several long moments. “The explosion occurred several miles from where I was. Why would you think they were linked?”
From his tone, Wyatt knew he’d become one of the senator’s suspects. How could he reassure the man without giving everything away? His phone went off, and he recognized the ringtone as the master chief’s. While he couldn’t ignore the call, he would have to step away so he wasn’t overheard. “I have to take this call, Claire.” He leaned in close. “Don’t go anywhere.”
As he walked away, Wyatt kept his eye on Claire and her father. He couldn’t hide his smirk when he heard the senator ask Claire, “Are you sure this Black is who he says he is? Intern, my foot. He looks like military or law enforcement.” The man was sharp.
“Master Chief,” Wyatt said.
“Where the hell are you, Black?”
“Just went for a hike in the woods.”
“Don’t fucking lie to me. We were watching the news coverage of the mysterious explosion in Elliott Bay. And guess what we saw? Something that shouldn’t have been there.”
Shit! Had the news crews somehow caught him on camera? He wiped his sweaty palm against his shorts and switched the phone to his dry hand. “What did you see, Master Chief?”
“A woman seemed to be moving through the water rather quickly and through no effort of her own. Even odder, she appeared to have her arms around something, something invisible.”
Wyatt didn’t understand. He’d stayed down deep and hadn’t even come up for air to avoid being spotted. “That is odd,” he said, keeping his voice light and amused.
“Stop fucking lying. I know it was you. What I don’t know is why the hell you’re mixed up in this bombing when you were told to stay on base. You’re in deep shit, Wyatt. So fess up. Then as usual, I’ll help you clean up your mess.”
Shadows in the Mist: A Paranormal Anthology Page 32
