“Abbie, did you know that dolphins can communicate with humans?”
“What is commu…commu—”
“It means talk to them.”
“Have you ever talked to a dolphin?
“I sure have.”
“Really? What did he say?”
“He said for me to tell my daughter to stop peeing in the water where his kids play.”
Her mother’s tinkering laughter echoed through her heart as she fought the tide in search of the sandbar.
Abbie’s arms eventually grew weary and her lungs began to burn, leaving her no choice but to kick her way up for air.
Her head broke the surface to a wall of water so high it blocked out the sun. She opened her mouth to scream a second before a powerful wave crashed down on top of her, taking her back under.
Her body spun head over heels along the Gulf floor, leaving her powerless to stop the undertow. Panic gripped her as sand scraped her face, entering her mouth and eyes. The need to breathe became too strong, and Abbie gave up the fight. Pain. Darkness.
* * * *
Cold. Abbie felt chilled to her bones. Her chest burned, and something was caught in her throat. A spasm gripped her and she heaved.
A voice she didn’t recognize. She screamed for someone to help her, to remove the heaviness from her neck.
Something slid along her arms to her hands. Tingling warmth. Heat spread out from her palms through her stomach and legs. The shivering stopped.
“Salutem.” The strange word came from a deep voice above her. Was she dead?
She slowly lifted her heavy lids and stared up into the brilliant green gaze of a teenage boy. His eyes were a color she’d never seen before, resembling a few of the marbles she’d been recently collecting.
“God?” she wheezed.
He cocked his head to the side as if he didn’t understand.
She tried to lift her arm, but he held it down. His hands were covering hers, palm to palm. He tilted his head to the other side, and more tingling heat pulsed through her skin. The pain in her chest receded.
The boy peered down at her in open curiosity, similar to the way she’d seen her dog do when he spotted an insect crawling through the grass.
“Who are you?” Abbie whispered, realizing the boy had saved her life.
He glanced up at something in the distance before returning his gaze to her once again. She wondered if maybe he didn’t speak English, and pulled one of her hands free of his to point at herself. “Abbie.”
“Abbie,” he repeated in a strange accent.
“Yes.” She touched her finger to his chest. “And your name?”
Shouts could be heard over the crashing of the waves, and the boy suddenly stilled. Abbie watched in wonder as he sprang away from her and dove into the water.
She pushed up onto her elbows in time to see him swim out toward the sandbar with the speed of a dolphin before disappearing from view altogether.
“No, wait.” She rose to her knees at the edge of the Gulf. Her gaze flew over every wave of the rolling water, but there was no sign of her savior. Fear gripped her, and she forced herself forward. She had to find him.
“Abbie!” her father’s terrified voice shouted in the distance. “Abbie, sweetheart, don’t move! Daddy’s coming.”
How could the boy stay under the water so long? she wondered, searching the sandbar and beyond.
Henry was suddenly there, scooping her up into his arms. “Somebody call 911!”
“Daddy, we have to help him.” Abbie tried to wriggle free, but he only held on tighter.
“Help who, sweetie?”
“The boy.”
Her father turned in a half circle, scanning the beach without slowing his steps. “What boy?”
“The one who pulled me out of the water.”
“There’s no one there, honey. And don’t ever scare me like that again.”
He began to run toward the dunes where a small crowd flocked in their direction with cell phones in hand.
“Is she all right?” an older woman with bright red lipstick yelled as she stumbled along the sand. But Abbie was no longer listening.
She twisted her head around, frantically searching for the boy who had magically disappeared in the great pool of God’s tears.
Chapter One
Twenty-five years later
“You really should eat better, young lady. Your mother would have my ass if she were alive to see some of the dreadful things you consume.”
Abbie hid a smile at her father’s scolding. “I’m thirty-two years old, Henry. I doubt she would go all June Cleaver on me.”
“You shouldn’t call me Henry, you little brat. It makes me sound old and boring.”
“If the toupee fits.” They both laughed a moment before falling into a comfortable silence.
Abbie’s mother had died from cancer twenty-five years earlier, and Henry had never remarried. He hid his loneliness behind a mask of indifference and immersed himself wholly in his work.
Being the lead epidemiologist for Winchester Industries had become Henry’s proverbial crutch, and he spent entirely too much time alone at the lab.
Abbie worried about him constantly and planned evenings such as the one they had tonight to spend quality time together. It didn’t always work. She knew he saw her mother every time he looked into his daughter’s eyes. The exact replica of the only woman he’d ever loved.
The trill of a phone broke the silence and her father excused himself to take the call.
Work, no doubt, Abbie thought, taking a bite of the burger she’d just made to her liking.
He reappeared a moment later with a guilty look in his eyes. “That was the lab, honey. They need me to come back in.”
“What could be so important that it can’t wait until morning?”
He avoided her gaze. “I’m not sure, but I’ll call you later. Don’t wait up. It’s going to be a late night.”
Something in his voice kicked her curiosity up a notch. He never could hide things well, and the whole no eye contact? Yeah, he was definitely keeping something from her.
“I’ll come with you.” She pushed her plate aside and stood.
“Nonsense. Stay and eat your heart attack on a bun. You worked a twelve-hour shift at the hospital today. You don’t need to be running around behind me.”
Abbie had worked at Winchester Industries with her father for several years and often assisted him in the lab before she’d been unceremoniously laid off due to supposed budget cuts.
She knew the higher ups had purposefully kept things from her during her time working in the lab, but whatever Henry hid from her now had to be awfully big for him to outright lie to his only daughter.
And she had no doubt he evaded the truth by the way his left eye twitched. That little trademark had always given him away. “What are you not telling me?”
He pursed his lips. “Okay, you got me. I didn’t want to have to say this, honey, but you are adopted.”
A chuckle bubbled up before she could stop it. She stood on tiptoes and gave him a quick peck on the chin. “That explains a whole hell of a lot.”
“You look so much like your mother, Abbigail. She had the same hazel eyes and dark hair. Her butt wasn’t quite as big though.”
Abbie playfully smacked him on the arm before stepping back. “I inherited the infamous booty from you, Henry.”
She knew he didn’t like her to call him Henry any more than she appreciated him referring to her as Abbigail. They were incorrigible teases, but it was their way.
“I really do have to run, sweetie.”
“At least let me pack up your food to take with you or you won’t eat.”
He nodded and began gathering his work paraphernalia while she bagged up his dinner.
Abbie followed him to the car and held the door open as he deposited his things on the passenger seat.
“You are welcome to stay here tonight, Abbie. Jax would love the company.”
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“I probably will. If I leave, I’ll feed him before I go.”
He gave her a two-finger salute and slid behind the wheel.
Abbie stepped back as the door closed and the engine roared to life. He backed out of the drive without another glance in her direction.
She waited until his tail lights disappeared around the corner before going back inside to put food out for Jax.
He followed her around with a rubber ball in his mouth, bumping into her legs. The big German shepherd had been with Henry for nearly ten years and had become part of the family.
“You know what’s going on, don’t you, boy?”
His tail wagged in response from the attention.
“Wanna give me a clue? No? I didn’t think so. You are a male after all.” She snagged the ball from his jaws and tossed it across the room, grinning as he bounded after it.
After a quick shower, Abbie brushed her teeth and strolled to her old bedroom in search of something to wear. Henry kept the room exactly as Abbie had left it before she’d gone off to college, right down to the blue pom-poms hanging from the bedpost.
She dressed in a pair of jeans and a black tank top, pulled her long, dark hair back in a ponytail, and made haste cleaning up the mess from their earlier dinner.
Her gaze landed on the bag of food she’d packed him. He’d obviously forgotten it in his haste to get back to the lab.
With a sigh, she plucked up the bag, grabbed her keys and left the house.
* * * *
Abbie pulled into the parking lot of Winchester Industries and switched off the engine.
Her father’s car sat in its reserved spot in front of a sign that read H. Sutherland. She exited the car, and glanced up at the camera situated on the corner of the building.
The evening security guard waved from his perch behind a small, less than clean window. Smudges on the glass blurred his smile, but she couldn’t mistake the shiny gold tooth displayed so proudly from its position in the front of his mouth.
The door buzzed once, and a click told her the lock had released. She pulled it open and stepped inside.
“Hi, Willie. How are you this evening?”
Willie had been one of her favorite night watchmen. His uniform always appeared clean, neatly creased, and he smelled nice. The badge he wore shone perfectly to match the bald spot on top of his head. He had a toothy grin for everyone and a heart of gold.
“Doing good, Miss Abbie. I sure have missed your face around here. The place hasn’t been the same since you were laid off.”
“Thank you, Willie. I miss you too.”
Willie cleared his throat. “What brings you here?”
“Henry forgot his dinner.” She held up the brown paper bag for him to see.
“I hate it when that happens. My wife is always harping at me about how forgetful I’m getting. I reckon she’s right. It’s hard getting old. He must be working on something pretty big to bring him down here at this hour. It’s almost nine o’clock.”
Abbie couldn’t agree more. “He’s always been eager to please when it comes to Newman. This lab has become his whole life, it seems.”
Willie nodded and waved her on. “Tell him not to work too hard.”
“Have a good night, Willie. Tell that beautiful wife of yours I’m ready for more of her fried chicken.”
“I sure will.” He beamed.
“See you, Willie.” She winked at him and hurried off down the hall.
The cameras strategically placed along the corners of the ceiling caught her eye.
Abbie knew Winchester Industries pushed the limits and sometimes experimented with drugs not previously approved by the FDA. But whatever her father had rushed to the lab for had nothing to do with illegal testing. He wouldn’t have been asked to come back in for that alone.
Taking the elevator up to the third floor, Abbie waited for the doors to open and stepped out into the hallway.
The door to her father’s lab lay straight ahead. She trailed across the hall and turned the knob.
The predictable sounds of a lab in use met her ears as she eased the door open and entered her father’s domain.
He obviously hadn’t heard the door shut behind her over the consistent beeps and humming of the equipment surrounding him.
Abbie took in the room with a quick glance, noticing a big pair of feet hanging off the end of a bed her father stood next to.
Curiosity took hold as she crept farther inside. The closer she got the more confused she became. It was definitely a man lying on the bed; only, she’d never seen one that size in her lifetime.
A sheet covered his lower body from waist to ankles, leaving his upper half bare. His chest appeared devoid of hair and stood off the bed about two feet. He was massive and had to be at least six foot ten by her estimation.
Warmth enveloped Abbie as her gaze slid to the stranger’s face. Beautiful would be a gross understatement.
He had a smooth, strong jaw that angled up to slightly pointed ears. Pointed ears?
His dark hair lay haphazardly tousled on the pillow. Full lips and a faintly crooked nose made up the rest of his face. She wondered what color his eyes were.
Without conscious thought, Abbie inched forward on shaky legs. Why would they have him here? Is he sick?
Her father must have sensed her approach. He stiffened a second before spinning around. “What are you doing here?”
He seemed more nervous than surprised.
“I brought your dinner. You left in such a hurry, you forgot it.”
“You shouldn’t be here,” he snapped, reaching for the bag she held.
“What’s going on, Henry?” She nodded toward the incapacitated stranger taking up far too much bed.
His face paled slightly. “You have to leave. Now.”
Anxiety surged. “What is that man doing here? This isn’t a hospital, so don’t lie me. I knew something was going on when you got that phone call earlier. What sort of illegal activity do they have you involved in this time?”
“Honey, please. You’re not supposed to be here. You need to go home. Now. I’ll explain it all in the morning.” He glanced toward to door several times as he spoke.
“Not until you tell me what you’re involved in. You promised me you wouldn’t participate in anymore illegal activities, Dad. No matter what Newman threatened you with.”
Henry took a deep breath and pinned her with an impatient stare. “Fine. But then you must go. And it’s not what you think. Newman didn’t threaten me, but he might if he finds you here.”
Abbie raised an eyebrow. “Am I not allowed up here? And Willie let me in. He doesn’t know what kind of illegal dealings go on in this lab. He thinks that I was laid off due to budget cuts.”
Henry averted his gaze. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
Chapter Two
Abbie stared at her father as he attempted to explain away the man’s presence with some fabricated tale.
“This is all I know. It…” Henry took a deep breath and started again. “It washed up on the beach a few hours ago. Newman called me in to run some tests before they extradite the corpse to Area 51.”
“Wait.” Abbie held up a hand when he would have continued. “Newman is the CEO of Winchester Industries, not a doctor. Why would he personally call you in? And it?” She jerked her chin toward the bed.
Henry hesitated. “It’s not human, Abbie. I don’t know what it is, but I need to get these samples taken before the crew from Area 51 arrives. You have to go. No one else is to know about this.”
“Not human? That’s impossible.” Other than the stranger’s size and pointed ears, he appeared the same as any other man. “And how did he get here?”
Henry turned to a computer near the head of the bed and tapped a few keys. The screen came out of hibernation within seconds to display a chest X-ray.
“Someone ran across the thing on the beach. Apparently it drowned somehow and floated up on shore. Local PD had
the creature sent to the morgue and Newman had it delivered here. He told the police this was a Hazmat situation and needed ‘him’ contained until they cleared the scene. No one questioned Newman since he owns the hospital and this lab. The cops had no idea it was an alien.”
“Why would they think he’s not human? Did the coroner open him up and find a little green man in residence?” She would have rolled her eyes if the situation didn’t already resemble a Twilight Zone episode.
“Come look at this.”
Abbie stood next to her father to gaze at the unbelievable evidence of a six-chambered heart. It took a moment to register the truth, but there was no mistaking it.
“How is that possible? I’ve never seen anything like it. Do you know what this means?” Her voice sounded strained to her own ears.
“Neither have I. And it doesn’t mean anything to us. Once it leaves here, we forget it exists.”
“But, Henry—”
“No.” He glanced at his watch. “The crew will arrive in less than three hours to retrieve it, and then I develop amnesia. Do you understand?”
“We have a little time before they get here. Show me please? This is too amazing to be true.” Several questions ran through her mind at once. She couldn’t voice them all.
With a click of the mouse, another image appeared. “Do you see that?” Henry pointed to an object on the screen.
“Yes, what is it?” She leaned in to get a better look.
“The equivalent of lungs.”
“But what is that?” She indicated something winged that grew from the sides of the organs.
“They’re gills.” His voice took on an awed tone, which she could understand. She was in the same frame of mind.
“It can’t be.” Yet the evidence of it mocked her from inches away.
Henry glanced up at her. “They’re gills, I tell you. I saw them on the back side of his ribs. His arms cover most of them and they wouldn’t be noticeable to someone that didn’t know what to look for.”
“Do you realize what this implies? Gills for God’s sake.”
“I’m seeing similarities to humans, amphibians, reptiles, and fish here, Abbie. The heart of a fish only has two chambers, one to receive blood and the other to send it out to the rest of the body. A human heart has four.”
Torn: Fallen Angel Series (Fallen Angels Book 1) Page 11