by Diane Saxon
“I don’t think he was sneaking.”
“I know darned fine he was. Slimy, if you ask me.”
“And you consider yourself a good judge of character?”
“I do.” She picked her fork up, scooped food into her mouth, and gave a lopsided grin. “I’m still here, aren’t I? It must say something about my opinion of you. So far, I think you may be a nice man. However, I reserve the right to change my mind in the future.” She loaded her fork again and nodded toward the door Emilio had gone through. “But I suspect I won’t change my mind about him.”
»»•««
Barbara never complained when he gave her psychometric testing, nor did she object when she realized the testing was over and she could return to her minimalist bedroom to rest.
Dominic’s room wasn’t much better. It hadn’t been his intention to sleep at the facility, but something compelled him to. A dark suspicion of Emilio’s inadequacies made him want to stay close by his one and only patient.
Not entirely convinced his reasons were all professional, he rolled onto his side on the new bed. Body relaxed, it was thoughts of the attractive, mysterious pilot filling his head and distracting him from the reason he was there that kept him awake. He squeezed his eyes closed and buried his face in his pillow, but the soft scent of her still filled his nostrils. The satin brush of her skin still lingered against his fingers.
By the time he rolled out of bed the following morning, his eyelids scraped across raw eyes.
But his pulse still tripped over itself, and the uneasy feeling he’d had for days contracted his stomach as he was greeted by Zak in the hallway.
“What have you got?”
Zak shook his head and delivered the news he dreaded. “When I initiated the security last night, there was some interference, so I’ve been doing some checks.” Of course he would. Zak was programmed for efficiency. He’d been born a soldier. Lived his life in uniform. If he’d not been shot in the leg, he wouldn’t have taken a medical discharge and teamed up with Dominic. He’d be out there with the rest of his Special Forces unit doing what he did best. And what he did best was munitions. To him, this was lightweight. “I found some bugs.” Confusion swept through Dominic’s dull brain while Zak’s intent stare struck fear in him. “Listening devices, Dominic. Someone’s planted them. Your study’s clear now. I gave it a clean sweep, found two devices in there.” Zak’s jaw flexed. “I’ve dealt with them.”
Dominic nodded, not wanting to hear any more, knowing he needed to. Goddammit. He still didn’t want to believe it, even though the evidence screamed at him. Zak had installed security himself, and knowing the patients’ privacy was paramount, he’d left certain areas without. Their secrets had to be safe with Dominic.
He huffed out a breath and crossed his arms over his chest, looking askance at Zak, but he found no answer there, just a sharp shake of the man’s head.
“How would you like me to handle it, Boss?”
He had no idea. Honestly, he’d not seen the sideswipe from one of his own coming. Emilio wasn’t bright enough to install the equipment, but if he’d left the facility open and clear for someone else to enter, it wasn’t such a difficult task. And why would he do that? There was no reason other than their first and most recent guest.
Dominic opened his mouth to reply but closed it again at the sound of a soft shuffle coming from the kitchen.
“Hey.” Emilio stepped through the doorway, his wide smile infectious enough for regret to flash through Dominic as he studied the smaller man.
A frown creased Emilio’s forehead as Dominic and Zak remained silent. “What happened? Did someone die?”
Dominic gave a nod in Zak’s direction and watched Emilio’s face with interest. “Zak found some devices.”
Genuine surprise washed over Emilio’s features and gave Dominic every reason to doubt the conclusion he’d already reached. He glanced at Zak. The man was evidently comfortable with his own thoughts.
Emilio rubbed his fingers on his jeans. “Well, who planted them? Could it have been the decorators?” There was no hesitation in his assumption, nothing to indicate he thought it could be anyone else.
The answer was slick and practiced.
Dominic chewed his lip and studied the wiry frame of the other man. “It could have been.”
“So, what did you do with them?”
“With what?” Dominic wasn’t sure whether Emilio meant the decorators or the devices.
Emilio’s soft snicker was accompanied by a guilty shrug of his shoulders. “The two GSM’s you found in the study.”
Dominic’s blood turned to ice while regret shimmered through him as he stared at Emilio. Who was strong enough to turn a man as trusted as Emilio? What influence had they used to persuade him to betray his team? The distinct feeling that Barbara was intrinsic to it all rolled low in his gut.
He raised his gaze to meet Zak’s. Disgust twisted the other man’s mouth. “No one mentioned where I found two GSM’s, Emilio, nor were you listening long enough to know how many there were.”
Dominic raised his hand to scrub his fingers through his hair and noted the quick flinch from Emilio. Tempted though he was to strike the man, it wasn’t in Dominic’s nature.
“You want to tell me who asked you to plant them?”
The flash of fear in Emilio’s face indicated he was far more scared of them than he was of Dominic and Zak.
Sick of the sight of him, Dominic pointed a finger along the hall. “Gather your belongings, Emilio. Get out of here. Don’t bother coming back.” He didn’t need to ask Zak to escort him from the premises. The guy was already on it.
Dominic glanced at the time. It had flown by since they’d been there. He needed to check on Barbara, see if she was okay. It looked like rather than assess her, they were going to have to protect her. The shower had been running in her bathroom as he passed, so he doubted she would have heard the conversation. If she realized something sinister was going on and she was at the center of it, she was likely to rabbit again.
Zak narrowed his eyes as he returned to the kitchen. “He’s gone. For now. Perhaps you should have let me shoot him.” He tapped his breast pocket where he’d put the GSMs. “These are military issue. I can’t see Emilio taking orders from a civilian. He never respected any of them. So at a guess, I’d say there’s a high possibility your subject is under surveillance by someone.” Zak glanced out of the window. “Looks like she may have brought a whole heap of shit with her.”
Zak knew the content of Barbara’s file was highly confidential and Dominic would never disclose anything it held, nor would Zak expect him to. Then again, it was becoming pretty evident that whatever secret Barbara had, it had been important enough for someone to want to know if she’d divulged it to anyone else. Until she decided to open up, there was no way Dominic could define where the threat came from. Right now, all he could do was rely on his instincts, Zak’s training, and Barbara’s honesty.
Zak picked up a cup to fill it with black coffee. “I don’t think it’s going to take long before we find out who’s running this show.”
“I thought it was me.”
“Looks like you thought wrong.”
With a snort, Dominic glanced out of the window to watch the taillights of Emilio’s car flash down the lane. If he told Barbara, he’d probably lose her, and they’d barely just scratched the surface so far.
Who the hell was he supposed to inform? Dominic thought of the line of command, the lies he already suspected Strachan of. Who could he trust?
Chapter Five
Mellow golden sunshine bathed her eyelids to wash her mind clean. Heat spread gentle and inviting fingers over her skin, seeped through her flesh, and warmed bone-deep to cleanse her body and soul.
Barbara sighed, and pleasure rippled through her as she opened her eyes to cast her gaze over the bright sprinkle of early morning sunlight glittering over the lake. Rainbows bounced from the tranquil surface, refracting light
in all directions.
She leaned back to better appreciate the vision of geese and ducks crowding across the top of the water, their voices raised in perfect harmony.
She took a moment longer to delight in the sounds, the ease, the harmonious delight of the day.
More natural than she’d believed possible, she allowed the pretty golden retriever by her side to swipe his rough tongue over her cheek. Happiness flowed through her at the pure simplicity of the act. It had been too long since the sun had warmed her face, the downy sweep of dog fur had brushed against her skin, or the sweet swell of nature had filled her ears.
She reached into her rucksack. Her fingers dipped into the squelchy delight of the mulberries she had just picked. Beyond them, past the flask of coffee, she plucked out a slice of dense, moist chocolate cake. Amused by the desperate plea in the dog’s eyes, she handed him a dog cookie. “No chocolate for you, sweetie.” She scratched the top of his head with one hand while she filled her mouth with cake and experienced the pure deliciousness of it as her taste buds tingled with delight.
She poured herself a coffee and took a long draft. The combination of flavors popped over her tongue, making her feel alive. Gone was the dull throb in her head, gone the tension in her neck. There was nothing for her to do but luxuriate in the oasis of calm. The only thing that marred the perfection of the day was the absence of the gorgeous professor.
If this was what it was like to be in the Dreampsych Transcender, she wanted more of it. It seemed the Irish devil had managed to seduce her with his dream machine and the promise of a peaceful world far more easily than he would have with threats and coercion.
His intention was probably to relax her so much that when she came out of the scenario, he only needed to ask and she’d blurt out the whole truth in one sitting. He may well be right, but she was going to take full advantage of the peace and harmony he’d wrapped her in.
She sank her fingers into the dog’s silky fur. He tilted his head to one side, liquid brown eyes bright and intelligent. Alert, his ears pricked up, the center of his forehead wrinkled, and he turned his head in the direction of a dirt track leading from across the fields to the small lake where they were relaxing. Eyes filled with awareness, the retriever clamped his mouth shut in serious concentration.
The dull throb of an engine reached her ears moments before the vehicle came into view, turning to make its way along the track toward them. The beaten up old flatbed truck hitched over the ruts and dipped into the pools of water, spraying mud up its own dirty sides.
Barbara came to her feet. Her instinct made her cautious as she waited for the vehicle to grind to a halt before she approached. She could have ducked behind the camouflage of bushes, but the game didn’t require her to hide. It needed her to come out and be seen.
Bowed and ancient, the man took his time getting down from the truck. As Barbara stepped forward, a bright, enthusiastic cream and tan Spaniel leaped from the vehicle with his tail spinning in circles to wag the dog’s whole body. He raced down the embankment to the lake, took a flying leap, and set the birds to noisy, quacking, squawking flight.
The old man ignored her, even though he had to be aware of her presence. Head down, he lugged a heavy sack behind him.
“Hi.” She raised her hand to acknowledge him, but as he continued to ignore her, she assumed he was hard of hearing. Stepping closer, Barbara raised her voice. “Hi. It’s a lovely morning, isn’t it?”
This time his gaze flickered over her, contempt heavy in his expression. “You know you’re trespassing, don’t you?”
She barely heard his mumbled words as he continued to drag the sack to the embankment, where in contrast, his happy dog frolicked in the shallows.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” She drew nearer to try and engage him with a friendly smile, the smile she always relied on to get a response. It rarely failed her. But it did this time. His mouth tightened as he assessed her, raking her from top to bottom with a hard gaze.
“You shouldn’t be here. You’re trespassing.”
“I’m sorry…”
“I’ve seen you here before.”
“No, I…” She came closer to him and was only two steps away when he opened the sack and poured grain over the side of the embankment. With a loud swooshing noise, it came to rest on the shoreline.
The retriever rested his face against Barbara’s leg in a show of unity, and she automatically placed her left hand on his head to give him a reassuring scratch. His gentle whine made her glance at him. Anxiety trembled through her fingers. She raised her head and narrowed her eyes to squint at the grizzled man. How dare he be so obnoxious? There was no need, she hadn’t caused any harm. She wasn’t aware of trespassing, had seen no signs through the open fields to indicate she shouldn’t be there. After all, it was her dreamscape, she had control. Didn’t she?
“I didn’t know it was private property.” There. That was more like her. Strength filled her voice while she pulled herself up to her full height.
“Well it is, and you’re trespassing.”
She raised an eyebrow at him with her best frosty look, but he ducked his head, refusing to meet her challenging stare. All the same, she wasn’t going to allow him to get the better of her with his ignorance. “You already said. I tried to apologize.”
“Well an apology isn’t good enough.” He raised his gnarled hand and waved it to indicate the lake in general and the birds flocking over the water as they tried in vain to get closer to the food while his Spaniel frolicked in the shallows, his excited yaps keeping them away. “You’re disturbing my birds.”
The irony of the situation struck her as funny, but she couldn’t gather the enthusiasm to laugh in the face of his ignorant aggression. “I don’t think so. You’ll find it’s your own dog disturbing them.” The cold snout of her Golden Retriever pressed closer, proving her point, as the man’s voice became louder.
“I know I’ve raised them to be shot in hunting season, but you’re still upsetting them by being here.”
His rat-like expression morphed before her. His lips pulled back from his yellowed teeth, his sallow cheeks broadened, and Strachan’s features filled her vision.
With no time to think, Barbara raised her right arm and felt the weight of a pistol in her hand. “Not as much as a bullet to the head will.” She aimed and fired. The report blasted the air into complete stillness. The ducks and geese ceased to make any noise, and the damnable Spaniel quietened.
A crimson spot appeared dead center of the man’s creased forehead. It spread outward like the unfurling petals of a rose. Surprise widened his watery eyes a split second before his body hit the ground at her feet.
“What the fuck are you thinking?” Dominic ripped the helmet from her head, almost yanking her hair out by the roots as he wrenched at the connections. His voice vibrated with anger, his dark brows pulled low over eyes spitting fury.
Barbara bolted upright. “I’d had enough of this scenario. I wanted out. It seemed the easiest way to stop the game.”
Genuine shock raced over his features and gave her a guilty start. It was a fucking game, right? The edges of his mouth pulled down in disappointment, stirring the pot of remorse. Her stomach burned, and she knew if she raised her hand to her mouth like she wanted to, he’d see her fingers shake. Not because she’d shot an asshole, because that was a game, but because his response had made her heart flip thinking she’d done the wrong thing, made the wrong move.
“He’s a fucking farmer, Barbara. You were trespassing on his land.”
But he wasn’t a farmer. He was the enemy.
Mouth dry, she tried again. “There was no need for him to be so nasty about it. I tried to apologize.” Had he any idea the old man had changed into Strachan? Could he not see what she’d seen?
“You…” His finger shook with the power of his rage. “You just shot an innocent.”
Swift and deadly, a chill swept over her. She’d never killed an innocent in her life. Even i
n a game, a fantasy. Insult warred with the ice that encased her heart. She ground her teeth, swung her legs over the side of the chair, and hopped down, bumping him out of her way with her shoulder. He grabbed her around the waist as she passed him by, and when she would have elbowed him in the stomach, his soft brogue whispered in her ear.
“Wait. You’re still connected.”
Frozen, both physically and emotionally, Barbara held still to allow him to remove the small electronic connections. In an effort to unclench her jaw, she tried to relax, and this time the heat of his hand against the top of her breast elicited no desire except the overwhelming one to kick his ass.
“I’d like to return to my room now.” She held herself rigid, transmitting her fury with him better than any words could.
He stood right in front of her, every muscle in his body vibrating, but she refused to look up at his face. Instead she concentrated on the steady pulse beat at the base of his throat.
She dropped her gaze. He was guilty of nothing but doing his job.
“Let me go.” Her throat constricted, making her voice a husky whisper as she repeated herself.
Dominic stepped to one side to allow her to pass. She reached the door, but before she stepped through, she hesitated. Perhaps if he understood, he wouldn’t be so unreasonable. “It wasn’t real. The scenario, the man, the situation. I’ve lived through reality and I’ve played computer games a million times. I don’t get them confused. I know the difference between reality and fantasy. That was definitely fantasy.” Just as she pulled the door closed between them, she looked him straight in the eye. “It had to be fantasy. I’ve never lived in a world so idyllic.” She clicked the door shut and wandered back along the passageway, wondering if he would pursue her.
∙•∙
Cool head, cold heart. That’s what they’d told him, and it was precisely what the data indicated. She’d pulled the trigger, not a hitch in her heart rate or a trip of her pulse. From his own experience on the previous version of the Dreampsych Transcender, he knew it engaged in a different way from a simulator. The state it induced was more akin with a genuine dream where heart rates could elevate. He’d experienced his own nightmares there.