Wild Keepers

by Dee Bridgnorth

  There was a sudden sound behind her. She turned. It was him.

  “You are right about wearing black,” she whispered, her heart thudding louder. “I didn’t see you at all.”

  He smiled. “All done. Todd is snoozing away. We need to get into the building now, Allie.” He stared at her. “Ready?”

  “Ready,” she replied.

  They ran to the building, using the back entrance. Caleb produced a swipe card, and the machine flickered green. The door clicked open, and then they were inside.

  They entered the lab. Allie put her hand on the light switch, but Caleb stopped her.

  “Best not,” he whispered. “Even though Todd is out for now, he might wake. It’s an inexact science, sedating someone. If he does wake, he won’t be alerted that anything is amiss if the lights aren’t on.”

  “How are we going to see to work?” she replied, frowning.

  “I know where there is a lamp,” he said. “I’ll put it near the microscope. It should shed enough light for us to get it done.”

  He moved away, opening a cupboard. Allie frowned, again, staring at him. He was still limping, moving so gingerly that it hurt her to watch him. Her mind flickered with a question, then stilled. She had to focus on what was going on. They didn’t have much time.

  Caleb got the lamp and switched it on. A pool of light illuminated the work space. Allie sat down and set to work.

  She cultured the sample, and then set the slide on the microscope, adjusting the lens. Almost immediately she could see that there was something present.

  “Caleb,” she whispered, clutching his hand. “It’s true! There’s an amoeba in here.”

  Caleb let out a slow sigh of relief. “I knew it! Is it like the one you saw in the water sample?”

  She nodded her head, still staring at it. “Yes, although it’s a bit difficult to remember, now. Even so, I would say it’s almost identical to it.”

  He reached into his pocket, taking out a piece of paper. He carefully unrolled it. It was a picture of an amoeba.

  “What is this?’ she whispered, staring at it.

  “Naegleria fowleri,” he whispered back. “Or, as it is commonly known, the brain-eating amoeba. Common in South American countries. Is our amoeba similar at all to it?”

  Allie stared back into the microscope then looked at the picture. “It isn’t identical, but there are some similarities,” she whispered, excitedly. “I don’t think our amoeba is naegleria fowleri, but it could be a brother or a sister. From the same area, if I was to hazard a guess.”

  “Which means it is probably just as lethal,” muttered Caleb, shaking his head. “It produces similar symptoms, at any rate.”

  “It was definitely introduced, then,” whispered Allie. “I don’t think its native to this part of the country.”

  “I really must congratulate you both.”

  They gasped, staring around wildly. Where had the voice come from?

  Suddenly, the lights flickered on. Dr. Morgan was standing there, facing them. He had a gun in his hand, which was pointed straight at them.

  “Bravo,” he said dryly. “If this was any other occasion, you would both get a commendation for how tirelessly you have both worked to solve this. But I am sure that you both realise by now that this isn’t a usual occasion.”

  Allie felt her blood drain from her head. “Dr. Morgan. Why?”

  The doctor laughed, circling them both. Allie could sense that Caleb had stilled, almost like a predator watching its prey.

  Except they weren’t the predators. Dr. Morgan was.

  “Ah, the enthusiasm of youth,” said the doctor. “I recognise myself in you, Allie, as I was thirty years ago. Ablaze with passion. Wanting to save the world. If it hadn’t been for one mistake, I might still be doing that. But it’s too late now.”

  “It was a good discovery,” said Caleb, keeping his voice neutral. “The amoeba. It would have advanced your career even further, if you had have published your findings.”

  Dr. Morgan stared at him. “You’ve been doing your homework, Mr. Stone. Assuming that is your real name, of course. They have been watching you.”

  Caleb nodded. “Of course they have,” he said. “I would have expected no less of them. Are they watching you as well, Morgan? What do they have over you that caused you to do this?”

  The doctor smiled wryly. “I trusted the wrong person,” he said slowly. “I let myself fall in love. And she wasn’t who she said she was.”

  “Mariana?” asked Caleb, his eyebrows raised.

  “Indeed.” Dr. Morgan stared at him. “You are good. I shouldn’t tell you anything, of course, but they do say that confession eases the soul. I am damned in any case. And you are both about to die.”

  Allie staggered forward, so much so that Caleb had to reach out and steady her. His green eyes imploringly stared into her own.

  You aren’t going to die, they seemed to say.

  Allie could barely turn away from those eyes. Those green eyes that had captivated her from the moment that she had first seen them.

  His eyes…

  And suddenly, she saw those eyes in her memory. But she hadn’t seen them in Caleb’s face.

  She must have always known. But why the truth suddenly leapt into her mind at this terrible moment was beyond her.

  The wolf had stared at her with those exact eyes. That impossible shade of green.

  She knew that if she pulled up Caleb’s jeans she would see that he was injured on the leg in the exact same spot, and in the same way, that the wolf had been. That was why he had been limping.

  Caleb Stone was the wolf, she thought with certainty.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Her mind was spinning so rapidly she could barely control her thoughts. Her eyes drifted away from Caleb to Dr. Morgan, standing there pointing a gun at them. Telling them that they were about to die.

  Caleb is the wolf, kept replaying itself, over and over in her mind.

  It was, of course, a ludicrous thought. And yet, she knew that it was true. It explained everything: his secrecy. His lies. His almost super human strength. What had he told her, about the wolf?

  The wolf is on the side of good. You were right when you said it was protecting you. It wants to defeat the demons.

  The wolf was protecting her and wanted to defeat the demons. That was why Caleb was here. That was how he knew about the demons, and how he knew that Dr. Morgan had been involved with them. He wasn’t an undercover cop. He was supernatural: a man that turned into a wolf.

  His arms were still around her, holding her upright. He had been protecting her almost since she had moved here. The wolf rushing to her defence after she had been attacked by the mugger. Had that been a part of this? Had the mugger been a demon in disguise and Caleb on its trail? Or had he just been in the right place at the right time?

  It hardly mattered anymore. They were both about to die, and she would never get the chance to ask him.

  “Mariana is a demon, then?” asked Caleb, staring at Dr. Morgan. “Or did they enlist her in this, just the same as you?”

  “I hardly know what Mariana is,” the doctor said softly. “But I know that she is working with them. They told me that they had taken her, holding her for ransom. That was why I did what they asked, at first. Gave them money. I was trying to save her.”

  “Except that she wasn’t being held for ransom,” said Caleb. “She was working for them. And you handed over all your money for nothing.”

  The doctor’s hand holding the gun wavered slightly. “Yes. For nothing. And then they demanded more of me. They made me put the amoeba into the water supply.” He took a long, shuddering breath. “They turned me into a killer.”

  “Dr. Morgan,” said Caleb slowly. “You don’t want to do this, you really don’t. If you turn and walk away, we won’t implicate you. Just let me inform the hospitals what it is and stop this madness, before more people die.”

  The doctor shook his head. “No, Mr. Sto
ne. I can’t do that. I’m in too deep, and I can’t possibly wade out, not anymore.”

  “Don’t kill us,” said Caleb. He let Allie go and slowly walked toward him. “Give me the gun. We can all walk away from this without anyone losing their life.”

  The doctor sighed, and for a moment Allie thought that he might do as Caleb asked. But then, he steadied himself, raising the gun high again.

  “Do you want to do their dirty work for them?” hissed Caleb, his eyes glittering dangerously. “If you kill us, there are two more people to add to your conscience. You still have a choice, Dr. Morgan. We can’t change what has happened with the amoeba, but you will know that you chose well, this time.”

  The doctor stared at him, almost vacantly. Has he lost his mind? Allie thought fearfully.

  “Did you sedate the guard?” he asked suddenly.

  Caleb nodded, still slowly approaching. “I did. It seemed the only way to get in here and test these samples after you banned us from entering today.”

  “Well done,” said the doctor slowly. “You are very tenacious, Mr. Stone. And clever. But you made one mistake, which is why I am here now.” He took a deep breath. “After they informed me of the attack on Miss Holloway last night, I came here to sign some paper work. Supposedly. But the real reason was that I wanted to check what you had had really been doing.”

  Caleb didn’t reply. But Allie could see that he was getting closer to the doctor, inch by inch. She didn’t think that the doctor was noticing, so intent on speaking his mind.

  “And I found my letters missing,” he continued. “Sloppy, Mr. Stone. It alerted me straight away that you were suspicious of my involvement, and it wasn’t just that you thought me incompetent.”

  Caleb shrugged. “I had to make a snap decision, to take them or leave them. They were very informative, Dr. Morgan. It was how I knew that you had discovered the amoeba, although I already suspected something. Those photos of you trekking in the Amazon made me curious, I must say.”

  Dr. Morgan stared at him. “Who exactly are you, Mr Stone? They have made enquiries, of course. There is no one of your name at the university you claim to work at.” He paused. “How you fooled us and got on this team is a mystery. I would say that it would require a well-oiled machine to accomplish.”

  Allie stared at Caleb, her heart pounding. What would he say? She had always known it was true, that he wasn’t who he said he was. But whether he would reveal himself to Dr. Morgan was another matter.

  “Let’s just say that I work for an old organisation,” said Caleb. “One that’s been around, and protecting this city from your blackmailers, for a very long time, Dr. Morgan. This enemy is well known to us, and we understand the way that they work.” He paused. “It’s a pity you didn’t go to the police immediately, as soon as they started to demand money off you. It could have ended very differently, if you had.”

  The doctor laughed softly. “I have made my peace with what I am now,” he replied. “Which is why I know that I can kill you both and barely bat an eyelid.”

  “Really?” asked Caleb softly. “Yes, you are a killer now, Dr. Morgan. But it is a very different thing killing two people right in front of you than killing random strangers through the water supply. Pulling a trigger is harder than you think.”

  Dr. Morgan kept the gun pointed at them, but Allie could see that his hand was shaking slightly. Despite his bravado, the doctor wasn’t as comfortable with this as he claimed. She could see beads of sweat on his forehead. She could tell that Caleb saw it, too.

  “Just put the gun down,” he said, in a soft, mesmerising voice. “I know that the real you is still in there, Dr. Morgan. The good man who dedicated his life to finding causes of outbreak and illness. You have saved many lives as well. You can choose here, too.”

  The doctor sighed, lowering his gun slightly. He stared down at the floor.

  Allie watched as Caleb took the opportunity. He suddenly lunged, his right hand coming down hard on Dr. Morgan’s arm that held the gun.

  Allie expected that the gun would drop to the floor with the force of the movement, but Dr. Morgan was stronger than she expected. He twisted away and the gun fired, before dropping onto the floor.

  Caleb pounced, grabbing the man securely. He pinned Dr. Morgan’s arms behind his back, panting heavily.

  “That was stupid,” he growled into the man’s ear. “You will have woken the security guard and the police will be coming. I tried to give you a chance, Dr. Morgan, but you have dug your own grave now.”

  The doctor collapsed, suddenly, and wept. Caleb looked down at the crying man, his face impassive. He didn’t feel sorry for him in the slightest. He had tried to talk him down, but the doctor had stubbornly refused.

  He was weak, and Caleb had no tolerance for weak people. Dr. Morgan had made wrong choices every step of the way. He could have gone to the police for help before this situation had gotten as bad as it had, but he had chosen not to. He could have refused to put the amoeba in the water supply—it would probably have meant his death, but that would have been braver and more honourable than this.

  What had Thad said?

  Good people can be compromised, too.

  Dr. Morgan had never intended any of this, but he had been susceptible. The Vilgath had targeted him because they had sensed his weakness. They had known that he wouldn’t stand up to them. They had used him for their own purposes, and now, he was the sacrificial lamb. He would be charged with this, and they would melt back into the shadows, as always.

  “Allie,” Caleb called, not taking his eyes off Dr. Morgan. “Can you get me some rope from the cupboard? I want to tie him to a chair, secure him before the police come.”

  There was no answer.

  He glanced up, sharply, staring at her. She was as white as a sheet, and he could see beads of sweat on her forehead. Her large blue-green eyes stared straight at him.

  He stared at her, appalled. What was wrong with her? His eyes travelled down her body. She was holding a hand to her left side, pressing against it, hard. He could see blood seeping out from between her fingers.

  Dear God. She had been shot!

  He swivelled around, expertly administering a hard blow to the back of Dr. Morgan’s neck. The doctor slid to the floor, unconscious. Then he ran to Allie, just as she took her hand away from her side and collapsed.

  He held her in his arms, pressing against the wound desperately with his hands. His eyes resisted looking at it, but he knew he had to. More blood was spurting out now.

  It was bad. In the left side of her abdomen.

  “Allie,” he screeched desperately. “Stay with me! Can you hear me?”

  Her eyelids fluttered, staring at him. Up close, he could see that a fine sheen of sweat covered her entire face, which was still as white as chalk. And getting whiter by the minute. She was losing too much blood. He had to get her to the hospital, now.

  “Caleb,” she whispered. Her lips were starting to crack. “I know. I know about the wolf.”

  He stared at her, not knowing what to say. Was she hallucinating?

  “Stay where you are.”

  Caleb looked up, dazed. Todd, the security guard, was standing there, his gun drawn and the trigger pulled back. Pointed straight at Caleb.

  “You bastard,” he hissed. “What have you done to her?”

  Todd’s eyes travelled over the scene, taking in Dr. Morgan in a crumpled heap on the floor, and coming back to rest on Allie and Caleb.

  “Todd,” Caleb whispered imploringly. “It’s not what you think. Dr. Morgan did this.”

  “Yeah?” Todd’s eyes narrowed. “Well, that’s funny. Because Dr. Morgan is out cold on the floor, and you are the one with blood on your hands.”

  Caleb sighed. He didn’t have time to explain. Allie was the priority.

  “We need an ambulance,” he implored. “Urgently. She’s going to die soon.”

  “Ambulance and police are on their way,” barked Todd, not taking his ey
es off Caleb. The gun in his hand was steady. “I called both as soon as I heard the gunshot. For some strange reason, I was in a deep sleep. Know anything about that, Stone?”

  “I can explain everything,” said Caleb.

  Todd’s eyes glittered dangerously. “Yeah, well, save it for the police. I’m not interested in your lies. I had a bad feeling about you from the start. You’re going to pay for what you have done here today, you bastard.”

  Suddenly, they could hear sirens wailing frantically. The emergency services were close. Caleb breathed a sigh of relief, clutching Allie tighter. He leaned down and whispered in her ear.

  “It’s alright,” he said. “Everything is going to be alright. I promise you.”

  His eyes glittered with tears. He had done this to her. He hadn’t pulled the trigger, like Todd thought, but he had let her come. Against his better judgement. He had promised to protect her, and he had failed.

  It was all his fault.

  ***

  Caleb paced the small holding cell, barely restraining himself from lashing out and punching the wall. He had been in here for five hours now, and there was still no word as to what was happening.

  He couldn’t stop the image of Allie, bleeding in his arms, from replaying in his head. He had wanted to hold her forever, but as soon as the paramedics had come in, he had let her go. They had stabilised her, but their faces were grim. They refused to answer any of the questions he had barraged them with.

  And then, she was on a stretcher, being carried out. Away from him.

  He had no idea whether she was alive or dead.

  The police had come and taken him away. He could only just remember their narrowed eyes as they talked to Todd, and he had told them what he thought had happened. Dr. Morgan had been taken to the hospital, too. And the gun, which had still been lying on the floor where it had landed, was bagged and taken away.

  He could see a cockroach scuttling in a corner against a wall. It pricked its antenna, then disappeared beneath a floor board, so quickly and suddenly that Caleb blinked. He could hardly believe that it had actually been there.