Cate’s mouth tightened. “We’ll need to discuss a few things with the president first and assess how bad this situation is. I’m afraid our agenda has just changed. Until we can convince the public that the Kazzies are not a threat to them, we won’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell at defeating Reservation 1.”
We were ushered into the White House through a simple side door. Inside, we followed two men. I tried to look around and take in what I was experiencing, but my mind had focused on one thing and one thing only.
The public doesn’t want the Kazzies freed. They want them to stay prisoners in the Compound.
The men walked briskly through a maze of wide hallways. Oriental rugs covered the floor. Antique canvas paintings hung on the wall. Several past presidents smiled down at us from the portraits we passed.
When we reached a broad staircase, they stopped. A different man and woman, both housekeepers I presumed from what they wore, greeted us.
“Dr. Hutchinson and Dr. Forester.” The woman nodded. “The president will be happy to see you first thing in the morning. Until that time, she’s ordered rooms readied for you. Please, follow us.”
I swallowed tightly as my anxiety kicked in. Sweat erupted across my brow. We climbed the stairs and continued on down another wide hall. Armed guards lined this one. I felt their eyes on me.
My fingers sought my shirt collar and tugged.
“Your rooms are here.” The woman stopped at the end of the hall and indicated two doors. It appeared Dr. Hutchinson and I had bedrooms across the hall from one another.
“Please, follow me.” The man opened one door and waved Cate forward. She nodded a goodbye to me and stepped into her room.
The woman opened my door and beckoned me to follow. She smiled and smoothed her hair along the side of her head. A severe bun was tied at the nape of her neck. She appeared to be middle aged yet was trim and fit. Her uniform was clean and pressed. Assurance and efficiency oozed from her.
“My name’s Molly Crane. I’ll be here throughout your stay. May I unpack your belongings?” She held out her hand.
I awkwardly handed her my suitcase.
She took it and swiftly crossed the room to a large wardrobe. With quick movements, she emptied the two weeks’ worth of clothes I’d packed.
Turning, she clasped her hands and addressed me again. “The supper meal is served at 7 p.m. Someone will return at that time to escort you. In your free time, feel free to wander around this wing. However, you’re limited to this wing and this wing only. Is that clear?”
Her words were soft yet steel rang in her tone. I had a feeling she was a head housekeeper and was used to giving orders.
“Yes, that’s fine. I’ll stay in this wing.” Or in this bedroom. My stomach fluttered at the thought of all of the personnel and guards I’d encounter in the halls.
“Thank you. You may use the phone by your bed to contact me. There are instructions on the notepad for who to reach if you should need anything else.”
I nodded mutely.
Molly turned on her heel and strode out the door. With a soft click, the door closed behind her.
For a moment, I just stood there. My head was still spinning from being back in D.C., the crowds we’d encountered at the airport, and this sudden change in travel plans.
The room they had me staying in was huge. A four-poster bed with an ornate canopy stood by one wall. The large wardrobe was directly across from it. In the corner was a TV surrounded by a couch and two chairs. The colors in the room were dark. Navy blues, dark browns, and deep reds. Everything was spotless and smelled fresh.
Kicking my shoes off, I padded silently on the thick carpet to the window. I pulled the curtain back. The large lawn in front of the White House stretched all the way to the perimeter. My breath caught when I saw the protestors lined around the distant fence.
There were more than at the airport. Many more. Hundreds of people stood outside the gates. Most had fists rising in the air. Several held large signs. This far away, I couldn’t read the signs or hear what they were yelling, but I could guess.
And it wasn’t pretty.
Letting the curtain fall, I spun away from the window. My heart hammered a hundred miles an hour. I loved the Kazzies more than anything, and the thought of others intending them harm…
A scratch filled the back of my mind. I sighed. Sara had no doubt picked up on my sudden and explosive reaction. I closed my eyes and imagined opening our mental door.
Our connection clicked.
Hi, I said. Sorry, I’m fine.
Are you sure? A wave of such intense anger and protectiveness surged through me. I thought something happened.
No, nothing happened. Not really. Things are just worse than I thought they would be.
Worse? What do you mean, worse?
I wanted to smack myself. Sara didn’t need to worry about what was going on here. She wasn’t supposed to know about it. The president didn’t want this hateful epidemic spreading.
Nothing. Really, it’s nothing. There are just a few protestors, but it’s not a big deal.
Protestors? She paused. I watch the news every morning, and I haven’t seen anything about protestors.
Exactly. There are so few of them, ANN isn’t bothering to cover it. I ran a hand through my hair. I hated lying to her, but she had enough stresses right now. By the end of the summer, she could be moving to the reservation, and Sophie too.
How’s Sophie?
This time Sara sighed. Fine. I guess. She’s still really quiet about being moved. I think all of us, as excited as we are to get out of here, are a little nervous too. There’s… what? 1200 Kazzies in the nation? That means we’ll be meeting 1,193 new neighbors. And considering how some of us look, we’ll probably look like a giant freak show.
I knew she was trying to lighten the mood, to alleviate her own worries about the potential change, but I still heard the catch in her voice.
We’re doing everything we can so you never have to be locked away on a reservation. You deserve to live like everyone else. Nobody should live in a cage.
I felt her nod. So when do you meet the president?
Tomorrow.
And the hotel? Did you get another good room?
Oh, right. There was a slight change of plan. We’re staying at the White House.
The White House? Her screech made me wince. What the heck. Are you serious?
I padded to the window again and peeked out. The protestors hadn’t left. Very serious.
Why? What happened to the hotel?
Nothing. The president thought we’d be more comfortable here. It wasn’t a complete lie. The president did think we’d be more comfortable here, but that was because our safety wasn’t in jeopardy.
Far out. So how’s your anxiety? No panic attacks?
No, thankfully. I paused. How’s Davin?
I’m not entirely sure. He’s been really quiet since you left. He hasn’t said much to anyone.
I swallowed thickly. Has he been back to his cell?
His cell? I dunno? Why do you ask?
No reason. I knew I said it too quickly. Curiosity strummed from Sara’s end, so I rushed to say, I should probably get going. I think I’ll check out this wing. I was told I could wander around it but had to stay within certain boundaries.
I felt Sara nodding. Okay, yeah. I think it should be an unspoken rule that whenever one stays at the White House that no excuses are needed when one wants to go and explore. In fact, exploration of the White House should be most definitely encouraged.
Smiling, I pushed my hair over my shoulders. It was getting so long it was halfway down my back. Agreed.
We closed down our connection. Pulling my phone from my bag, I checked my messages. Nothing. Maybe he hasn’t received my messages yet.
I peeked out the window again. It was only early evening so the sun wasn’t high, but it had still been incredibly hot when we’d arrived at the airport. Bright green leaves on the sur
rounding trees fluttered in the breeze. I eyed the protestors again. They had to be hot standing under the sun with no shade.
With a decisive turn, I let the curtain fall. I definitely planned to do some exploring, but it wouldn’t be within the White House walls.
IT TOOK SOME finagling, but I was finally able to find a guard who agreed to escort me to the outer door. I knew Dr. Hutchinson said not to engage the protestors, but until we understood why they were so angry, there wasn’t much hope in subduing that anger. Or so I told myself.
The summer breeze rolled across my cheeks when I stepped outside. I wore pants and a short sleeved shirt. My hair fluttered around my upper arms. With a deft movement, I pulled it into a ponytail.
“You’ll need to come back to this door to be readmitted.” The guard stood in the door frame. He was young. Most of the staff here seemed to be around my age. I wondered if that was because the former staff had been killed in the First Wave.
“I’ve alerted security that you requested a short walk outside. They’ll have eyes on you, however, I strongly suggest you stay away from the gates.”
I swallowed uneasily. “Of course.”
His cool green eyes narrowed. Before he could change his mind about leaving me unescorted on the grounds, I turned away and jogged down the steps.
“I’ll be back within the hour. I promise,” I called over my shoulder.
I dashed out of his view before he could reply.
I tried to act like I wasn’t walking anywhere in particular, but as the distance grew between me and the White House door, I hurried my pace. The protestors became visible. I could hear their shouts now. They were no longer a hazy murmur in the distance.
Chants of, “Lock ‘em up! And keep it shut!” was one of the popular ones.
So was, “The virus kills, no more fall ill!” also rang in the background.
As I strode closer to the gate, I was able to see the crowd more clearly. It seemed that the majority were men, but at least thirty percent were women. Their angry chants and glazed eyes alighted on me as I drew within their vicinity.
My gaze darted around the people gathered here. At least nothing was thrown at me. Not yet, anyways.
A few tried to engage me. Not in actual discussion but in hate spewed accusations. I wasn’t surprised that they recognized me. My face had been flashed across the news. The MRI had done a good job at making me the poster child for the vaccine.
“Hey, Kazzie lover!” one man yelled. “Why don’t you and your freaks both go live on the reservation? If you love them so much, why not stay with them?”
I hurried past him and made sure to keep my distance. Police officers lined the fence, but the protestors still outnumbered them. I hated to think what would happen if this mob grew out of control.
As I approached the end of the crowd, my eyes fell on a young woman. She stood near a man and woman, but didn’t appear to be yelling or jeering. Instead, a look of anxiety was plastered on her face, the same way a look of horror flashed across everyone’s eyes when they knew a bomb was about to drop.
She caught me watching her. For a moment, our gazes locked. An understanding dawned in me at the frightened and horrified expression I saw there. She doesn’t want to be here. She wants no part of what’s taking place.
A police officer yelled at the man and woman who stood at her side. They’d been yelling and screaming at me since I came into view. I kept my focus away from them and sought the girl again.
When she found me watching her, she backed away. With a turn, she hurried out of the crowd and pushed her way to the side. When she emerged on the sidewalk, I ran to catch up with her even though the fence still separated us.
Her hands stayed stuffed in her pockets. Thankfully, the rest of the unruly crowd stayed where they were. More guards had appeared on the lawn, heading my way. The crowd had turned their attention on them. I could only guess those guards were coming to retrieve me.
I didn’t have much time.
“Wait!” I yelled to the girl. She stood on the other side of the fence, only yards away. She had brown hair like me, but it was shorter. Fear coated her expression when she turned to face me.
“I shouldn’t be talking to you.” Her voice was small and hesitant.
I approached the fence and wrapped my hands around it. The metal spindles were black and felt cool. “Why shouldn’t you be talking to me?”
“Because you’re that researcher that wants the Kazzies free. My parents would kill me if they knew I was talking to you.” Her eyes alighted back to the crowd. I guessed the man and woman she’d stood beside were her parents. However, they were so engrossed in yelling at the approaching guards, they didn’t seem to know their daughter was missing.
“Please.” I gripped the fence tightly. “Tell me why they’re so angry. Tell me why they don’t want the Kazzies free.”
“Because they’re carriers.” She said the words as if it should have been obvious.
“Yes, but we’ve all be vaccinated. None of us will catch the virus.”
“You don’t know that.” While she didn’t seem infused with the hate that coursed through her parents, I still caught the fear in her tone.
They really don’t know. They don’t understand how effective this vaccine is.
My heart broke at how much we still needed to do. We’d never sway the public to our side if the majority thought they’d still die, even after being vaccinated.
“I do know that. I helped develop the vaccine. I’ve been exposed to the virus, just like hundreds of other researchers have been, and none of us have died from the virus. It’s safe. The Kazzies are not people we need to fear.”
Her gaze shifted to her parents again.
Her parents no longer seemed so caught up in yelling and chanting with the crowd. They were looking around. Most likely for their daughter.
“I need to go.”
“Please!” I gripped the fence tighter. “Please go home with your parents and explain to them that the Kazzies are nothing to be afraid of. They’re people, just like you and me. Some may look different from us, but they’re still the same people that they were before they caught the virus. And it’s not their fault they survived.”
She swallowed sharply.
I couldn’t tell if anything I’d said had resonated with her or not. I opened my mouth to tell her more about the vaccine, but she darted away. She reappeared a moment later within the crowd, back at her parents’ side.
With slumped shoulders, I turned away from the crowd. The guards were getting closer. I knew I needed to return before Dr. Hutchinson caught wind of what I was doing. I felt one hundred percent certain she wouldn’t approve.
I turned away from the gate just as a black sedan rounded a turn in the distance. It was driving toward the White House and slowed as it approached the crowds. Since it was the telltale black and had tinted windows, I knew whoever rode in it was affiliated with the government.
It slowed as it pulled closer.
I meant to turn and hurry back to the White House, but something made me pause. It was strange, I had no idea why, but I felt like I was being watched. Raising a hand to shield my eyes from the sun, I peered closer at the vehicle. It wasn’t far away now, maybe twenty yards.
The back window cracked. It rolled down as the vehicle grew closer. My eyes widened as an image of something being thrown at me flashed through my mind, but just as quickly, I told myself I was being paranoid. It was a government vehicle. Whoever rode in it was on our side, not the crowd’s.
A face appeared through the window just as the window began to roll back up. When the vehicle drove directly in front of me, it was only yards away. Gray, narrowed eyes stared at me for a brief second before the window fully closed, sealing the occupant’s image inside.
My heart hammered.
Those eyes. I’d seen those eyes before. No, it can’t be!
But he worked in Washington D.C. now. That was the last I’d heard about where he
went.
I stared after the retreating sedan as a stone sank in my stomach. My chest rose and fell quickly with my rapid breathing. The sunshine continued to beat down on me as sweat coated my brow.
I knew without a doubt I’d just seen Dr. Roberts.
IT WAS HARD to focus for the rest of the day. I still hadn’t heard from Davin, but after calling and speaking with his evening guard, I was informed that Davin had received my earlier messages. However, he was once again out of his cell.
I tried to shove down the feeling that Davin was avoiding me. He’d know the only way for me to reach him would be if he stayed by his phone. He was obviously upset.
Really upset. And yet, this is what he claimed he wanted. For me to move on with Mitch. It only solidified in my mind that he didn’t want me with anyone else.
“Would you like me to tell him you called?” The guard seemed curious. I’m sure having a MRI scientist desperately trying to reach a Kazzie wasn’t normal.
“No, that’s fine.”
We hung up, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep calling. While the guards knew Davin and I were friendly, I’d never been in the situation in which Davin ignored me. That would definitely raise eyebrows. It wasn’t wise to bring that kind of attention to our relationship.
I’ll have to wait for him to contact me.
I tapped my phone and bit my lip. It had to be close to nine at night when I stepped out of my room and walked across the hall. We’d finished supper an hour ago, but we hadn’t been able to speak freely due to the housekeepers. I could only hope Dr. Hutchinson was still awake.
I knocked softly on her door.
The sound of muted footsteps on the other side followed. The door opened with a flourish. I was relieved to see her still dressed in daytime clothes.
“Meghan.” She opened the door wider. “Come in.”
I stepped into her suite. It was similar to mine. It held a huge bed, large wardrobe, and a comfortable seating area around a cold fireplace. The moon was visible through her window as stars peeked through. A hazy red sky lined the western horizon. Being the height of summer, the sun had just set.
Reservation 1 Page 18
