by Ivy Barrett
“Silver Hills isn’t a whole lot safer than Old Towne,” Mal Ton said after inputting their destination. “Why would a successful scientist live in such a bad neighborhood?”
“Allen is living in Silver Hills?” She shuddered. The subdivision had been relatively upscale twenty-five years ago, but resources were tight and Protarian law enforcement had to prioritize. Many of the outlying neighborhoods had been declared black zones. Inhabitants were left to their own devices as long as their activities were contained within the zones.
“Why does that surprise you?” Fane asked.
“He was still living in Sanctum the last time I saw him.”
“And when was that?” Mal Ton wanted to know.
“Almost a year ago.”
“A lot can happen in a year.” Fane dismissed the topic and turned back to his instrument panel.
“Silver Hills should work to our advantage,” Mal Ton mused. “Surveillance will be minimal or nonexistent as will building security.”
Crime and poverty ran rampant in the black zones. Cassie hated to think of Allen in Silver Hills. He was brilliant and ambitious… And her father had ruined his life.
Her stomach knotted tighter and tighter as they neared their destination. Boarded-up windows and obvious decay made the buildings here nearly indistinguishable from Old Towne. She’d existed for years surrounded by these places without giving them a second thought.
“There,” Fane said, pointing toward an area on the view screen in front of him. “The buildings here and here will give us cover.”
“Works for me. Can you set her down in such a small space, or do you want me to take the con?”
“Bite me. I’m every bit as good a pilot as you are.” As if to prove his point, Fane sailed between two buildings with barely enough clearance for the ship’s wings. Cassie held her breath until the ship came to rest in the tiny lot behind their destination. Fane smiled triumphantly and Cassie exhaled.
After switching on the scanner located on his right, Mal Ton took a moment to study the area. “He’s either got the whole floor to himself or no one else is home.”
“It doesn’t look like real estate in this area is in high demand.” Fane activated the hatch and unfastened his restraints.
Mal Ton motioned him back. “I’ll grab him. You be ready to fly.”
“Make sure you bring his DPU,” Cassie reminded.
“I hadn’t forgotten.” Without a backward glance, Mal Ton crept across the lot and disappeared between the two buildings.
“No shields or alarms,” Fane told her. “This should be simple.”
Cassie released her straps and moved into the space beside Fane’s seat. “Where is Allen?”
“This is Allen.” He indicated a dot near the center of the screen. “And this is Mal Ton.”
She watched Mal Ton’s dot advance with steady speed toward Allen’s dot. A low-rumbling growl drew her attention away from the scanner. “What was that?”
“I’m not sure.” Fane activated external sensors. An image of the lot scrolled across the main viewer, panning from left to right.
Golden lights gleamed in the alley opposite from where Mal Ton had disappeared. “Wait!” She touched Fane’s shoulder. “Go back.”
Fane aimed the camera directly at the alley. Eight golden orbs glowed in the darkness, or actually four sets of two. “We’ve got an audience.”
“Mutants?” She still found it hard to use the word. According to the elite, mutants were deformed abominations, not people like Fane and Mal Ton.
“Looks as if.”
Without further warning their audience charged, crossing the clearing in a blur of gray and gold. The shuttle rocked violently and the external feed blinked out.
“Shit!” Fane closed the hatch and reactivated their shields. “They’re not the friendly sort.”
We have company, Mal Ton. Fane sent the thought to his friend, but Cassie heard it clearly. You might want to hold off for a few minutes.
Too late.
Fane motioned her back and reached across to one of the other panels. His fingers flew across the controls with confident skill. “Let’s see what we’re dealing with,” he muttered, bringing one of the cameras back online.
Contorted and misshapen, the creatures’ faces were barely recognizable as humanoid. She shuddered. This is what her father thought of when he mentioned mutants. Their guttural growls and menacing snarls reverberated through Cassie as guilt eroded her shock. Glowing like golden beacons, their eyes left no doubt as to the cause of their deformity. If Allen couldn’t help her break the cycle this might be Sarah or Mal Ton—or Fane.
The shuttle shook. She braced herself between the two seats. “Have you seen creatures like these before?”
He glanced at her, disbelief clear in his gaze. “You mean you haven’t?”
Muffled shots exploded in quick succession. Cassie could only see one side of the lot, but she presumed Mal Ton had returned. Fane launched a series of rapid commands through the small panel near his left knee and the creatures screamed in unison.
“What did you do?”
“Electrified the hull.”
Another volley of shots sent most of the aggressors scattering into the darkness surrounding the ship. An especially stubborn creature touched the ship twice more before abandoning the fight and retreating like the others.
I lost port scanners, Fane told Mal Ton. Are you clear to return?
Yes, but cover the opening. Our guest says they haven’t gone far.
Fane left the cockpit and drew his pulse pistol, standing to one side as the hatch lowered. Allen rushed up the stairs, followed immediately by Mal Ton. Allen’s DPU was tucked under Mal Ton’s arm and Allen’s lip was bloodied.
“Did you have to hit him?” She moved forward, examining the wound more closely. Several other bruises were rapidly darkening Allen’s skin.
“He wouldn’t listen to reason and I didn’t have time to argue,” Mal Ton defended.
“Let’s get the hell out of here.” Fane secured the hatch and motioned her toward one of the passenger seats.
“Cassie?” Allen’s disbelief was clear in his breathless tone. “What are you doing here?”
“Long story.” She said nothing more until they were airborne.
“What is this about?” Allen demanded. His voice was clearer and anger hardened his features. “Why did you drag me out of my home in the middle of the night?”
“Cassie, you wanted to come along,” Fane said without turning his attention from the controls. “Fill him in on what’s going on.”
She looked at Allen more closely, noticing for the first time that he wore a white t-shirt and pajama bottoms. His blond hair was mussed and his jawline shadowed with whiskers. “Did we wake you up?” A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She suppressed the reaction, suspecting he wouldn’t share her amusement.
“I wasn’t asleep, but I was in bed.” His bright blue gaze swept her from head to foot. “You’re dressed like one of them? What the fuck is going on?”
Allen never cussed. He must be really upset. “This is all my fault, I’m afraid. I need your help with a project and I couldn’t risk my father finding out about it.”
A bit of his tension eased and he rubbed his forehead before he replied. “You need my help with a project?”
“Not just a project,” she stressed. “The lives of hundreds of people depend on our combined knowledge finding a solution to their problem.”
“More like thousands of people,” Mal Ton put in.
Allen leaned toward her and whispered, “Are they… Are you asking me to commit treason?”
“I suppose I am. I hadn’t really thought about it like that.”
“I’m a Stilox rebel,” Mal Ton informed.
“And he is one of the mutants.” Cassie nodded toward Fane.
“Would I have access to others with varying stages of mutation?”
Allen glanced at Fane then back at Cassie. “Are the mutations as widespread as I thought?”
“Perhaps more so.” She smiled. “You were right about so many things and helping me now will allow you to prove it.”
“I will not allow my people to be exploited,” Fane snapped.
“Your people?” Allen’s brow arched and his gaze filled with speculation.
Fane ignored the question. “If you cannot be respectful and compassionate, you will not be allowed to interact with anyone but Cassie—and me.” The last phrase rang with warning.
“It won’t be a problem,” Cassie assured. “I’ve never known Allen to be anything but respectful and compassionate.”
“If you say so.” Fane turned his full attention back to piloting the ship.
“Does your father know where you are?” Allen asked after a strained silence.
“I don’t give a damn what my father knows. The past few days have been… illuminating.”
Allen inclined his head, accepting her comment without qualification. “What do they want us to do?”
“Stabilize and reverse the mutation cycle. I know we can do the first. I’m hopeful about the second.”
A slow, gently mocking smile parted Allen’s lips. “How can we reverse something that doesn’t exist?”
“I’m sorry I ever doubted you. I should have fought harder, should have—”
“There was nothing you could have done. If your father admits the mutations are ongoing and widespread, he has to deal with the people suffering through the changes. We both know it’s easier to turn a blind eye.”
Mal Ton blindfolded Allen as they neared Old Towne. Cassie crossed her arms over her chest and watched the shabby buildings speed past. Fane was confident enough in her loyalty not to take the same precaution. The realization left her feeling oddly guilty. Escape still teased her imagination from time to time. She wasn’t quite as settled as he presumed.
The blindfold wasn’t removed until Allen was in the infirmary. He blinked repeatedly and looked around.
“How is she doing?” Fane asked Ostan as Allen acclimated himself to his surroundings.
“Stable. For now.” The doctor stared at Allen, suspicion clear in his night black eyes. “Can we trust him?”
“Mal Ton will tail him until we know for sure,” Fane assured.
Allen walked over to the large screen and scrolled through Sarah’s chart. “This is amazing.”
Cassie joined him in front of the readout. “Go ahead and say it.”
“I was right,” Allen whispered then smiled and repeated with far more enthusiasm, “I was right!”
“How do we help her?” Cassie asked.
“I can stop her deterioration with one injection.” He rubbed his chin, his expression distracted and thoughtful. “Reversing the mutation, however, will be a lot more complicated.”
“We don’t have access to blank nanites, but mine are self-replicating. I figured we could reprogram them and get started.”
Allen looked at Ostan and said, “I need an extractor.”
Ostan pulled open one of the drawers in the cart beside him and handed Allen a small cylindrical instrument. “Can you really help her?” he asked as he placed the extractor in Allen’s hand.
“We’ll know by morning.”
Allen filled the extractor with Cassie’s blood. She had his DPU open and ready to use by the time he found the supplies they would need. A cluster of nanites were separated from the blood sample and suspended in a conductive liquid. She launched the interface sequencer then stepped aside, allowing Allen to revise the programming.
Most of Protaria gave her credit for the counteragents. In truth, most of the major breakthroughs had been Allen’s.
“That should do it,” he said some time later.
“Just like that?” Fane asked.
“I told you he was good.” Cassie smiled, feeling a bit outshined. “We should be able to apply the same principles to Lorelle’s illness. If Sarah responds favorably, which I have every confidence she will, we’ll prepare a treatment for Lorelle.”
“This was the easy part,” Allen reminded. “This will only neutralize the cycle of mutation, not make her whole again.”
Fane took a step toward him then stopped. “You can make her whole again?”
“I don’t honestly know. It’s possible. I need time to study your records and not just Sarah’s. I need access to all the information you have on the mutations.”
Ostan stepped forward, a cautious smile curving his lips. “I’ll see that you have everything you need.”
* * *
“Was Allen your lover?”
The question caught Cassie by surprise. She turned to face Fane and shrugged with forced nonchalance. “We were lovers for about four months almost two years ago.” This was the first time they’d been alone since they arrived in the Underground and Cassie didn’t want to waste time arguing. They’d retired to Fane’s room soon after Allen injected Sarah with the reprogrammed nanites, leaving the supervision of Allen in Mal Ton’s capable hands.
Cassie glanced around. The room was neat and functional, the furniture obviously scavenged. An occasional touch of color kept the décor from being drab, but there were few luxuries. When every day was a struggle to survive, materialism lost its importance.
“Why did you ask about Allen?” She shifted her gaze back to Fane and awareness arched between them. For good or bad, right or wrong, their lives were undeniably entwined.
“There’s a familiarity between you that only develops with intimacy.”
He was fighting hard not to reveal his feelings, but she could sense jealousy smoldering beneath the surface. “I was lonely.” His gaze gleamed with possessiveness and desire. Still, she wasn’t willing to let him off the hook without squirming first. “My husband was dead and the man I wanted to be with had mysteriously disappeared. Allen was a shoulder to cry on, nothing more.”
“But you did more than cry on his shoulder.”
Putting her hands on her hips, she raised her chin and said, “Only because you weren’t there for me.” She wasn’t really angry, though she probably should have been. Seeing into his mind, experiencing his memories had irreversibly altered her perception. Fane had many faults but selfishness wasn’t one of them.
“I’ll never leave you again, Cassandra. You have my solemn vow.” He stalked toward her, his gaze focusing on her lips.
She didn’t doubt his sincerity. Determination pulsed through every word. Still, his life was controlled by forces stronger than his will. If he had to choose between his people and her happiness, she wasn’t sure his determination would be enough.
“What did he do to your finger?” Fane asked after several moments of strained silence.
She’d done her best not to draw Fane’s attention while Allen reset her injector. As usual, Fane hadn’t missed a thing. “For some odd reason, I felt vulnerable after you seduced me. I had a transfer tube implanted beneath my fingernail so I would never be caught without a weapon again.”
His fingers closed around her wrist and he raised her hand toward his face. “You’ve been armed this entire time?” He turned her hand, studying the tiny transfer tube. “Is this how you knocked out Max?”
“Yes and yes. The injector has two levels. The first incapacitates. The second kills. It’s been stuck on level two ever since you rescued me. I couldn’t reset the nanites without a DPU.”
“All you had to do was jab me with this thing and I’d be dead?”
“That’s right.”
He guided her hand to his chest and flattened her fingers over his heart. “So why didn’t you?”
“You never did anything overtly threatening. I had no justification for murder.” His warm palm pressed over hers, emphasizing his strength while teasing her senses.
“Is that the only reason?” His gaze challenged and caressed, tempting her to take the final step, to s
urrender her heart as well as her body.
“I’ve done everything you asked. What more do you want from me?” She tried to tug her hand out from under his, but he wouldn’t budge.
“It’s not what I want from you, but what I want for you. I want you to be happy, to find a future free of your father’s manipulation.”
She scoffed softly and dragged her gaze away from his handsome face. “My father isn’t the only one who manipulated me.”
“I’m sorry I used you. I’ve never regretted anything more.” He raised one hand to her face and cupped her chin. “Leaving you that night was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
Weariness crept over her soul and her shoulders slumped. She was tired of conflict, tired of being alone. “Words are easy, Fane. You’re too damn good at telling me what I want to hear.”
“Then let me show you. I’ll spend the rest of my life demonstrating what you mean to me.”
His face lowered slowly, his gaze sinking into hers. Their lips pressed, exchanging warmth and breath as his mind opened to hers. Hot and vibrant, his being passed through her and curled around her. She tensed then relaxed and drew his mouth back to hers.
The kiss was slow and gentle, lips sliding, tongues teasing. She buried her fingers in his soft hair. Sex had always been amazing with Fane. It was only when the rest of the world intruded that their relationship became complicated. She focused on the warm press of his mouth and the patient touch of his tongue, savoring the momentary peace.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. Her breasts pressed against his chest and one of his thighs eased between her legs.
Your mouth is so soft and your taste intoxicates me, makes me anxious to sample more. His voice sounded breathless and husky even in her mind.
With one arm wrapped around her waist, he tangled his other hand in her hair and slowly drew her head back. She clutched his shoulders while his mouth explored her neck and the underside of her jaw. His lips slid and his teeth nipped. He soothed each sharp sting with the warmth of his tongue. Her head began to spin and her body felt weightless, floating within the circle of his arms.
