Reverse

by Steven Tandberg

  The office had two matching desks on either side of the room. I grabbed the phone on the closer one. I dialed the phone Dr. Strayer had given me. It had ringed five times before someone picked up.

  “Hola. ¿Quien es?”

  “It’s me, Coyle.”

  “Aye Dios mio!” I heard a clack and knew he had dropped the phone. The sound of him running away echoed into the earpiece.

  “Hello? Anyone there?” I yelled into the phone. The line stayed live, and I could hear voices in the background. Footsteps approached the phone.

  “Who is this?”

  I recognized Manuel’s deep scratchy voice.

  “Manuel, it’s me, Coyle. What’s going on?”

  “Prove it,” he curtly replied.

  “Prove what?” I threw up my hand not holding the phone.

  “Prove you are who you say you are. Now! Or, I hang up and destroy this phone.”

  “Solitude. The very word that stopped your men from freakin’ killing me is solitude.”

  “They did kill you, Coyle. You died yesterday.”

  So I did die. How is this possible? What am I?

  “How am I alive then?” I asked the question Manuel obviously couldn’t answer.

  “That is the key question, señor Fénix. I am sending Tigre to come get you. Hang tight. Do not go outside. Do not turn on any lights. Do not use the phone again and stay away from the windows.”

  “Hey, Manuel?” I looked down at the lab coat covering my naked body.

  “Yes?”

  “Can you bring me some clothes?”

  Tigre arrived in just under twenty minutes. Coasting into the back alley, I heard his car pull up even though he cut the engine a few hundred feet away. He cautiously unlocked the back door and opened it just enough to slip inside. As he approached, he slowed, scanning me up and down with his eyes. After a few steps, he stopped abruptly with the table in between us.

  “Are you the devil?” Tigre asked, still eyeing me.

  “What do you mean?” I said.

  He didn’t respond, just crossed himself and then gruffly tossed me the clothes.

  I caught them with ease and responded, “I don’t know what I am.” Tigre, never much for words, left it there. He motioned for me to go back into the office to change. The clothes fit perfectly, although I had never seen them before. Did Jamie pick these out? Will she be there?

  I came out, and he pointed for me to follow him to the car. As I came outside, he tapped on the hood and motioned for me to push the car back up the alley. I placed my hands on the hood and braced a foot on the curb. Even in my weakened state, the car rolled easily up the alleyway.

  Tigre remained eerily silent on the way to the compound. I didn’t mind though; I wasn’t in the mood to talk either. The thought of dying and coming back to life consumed me. If I have the ability, what about my clone? I refused to believe that lunatic was the real me. But, is he really dead? That thought scared me more than all others.

  We arrived at the hacienda under the cover of darkness. Tigre had cut the lights for the last couple of miles, allowing the moonlight to illuminate our path. He pulled up to the front and indicated with his hand for me to get out. When I didn’t immediately jump out of the car, he started pushing my shoulder.

  “Wait, where are you going?” I asked, grabbing his arm.

  He shook it off gruffly and pushed me again. “To get your girlfriend.” He reached toward my seat belt.

  “What do you mean? Where is she?” I grabbed the seat belt blocking the button.

  “Get out. Manuel is waiting.” He reached over and pushed the door open.

  I relented and stepped out after realizing negotiating with Tigre would be futile. The hacienda itself looked the same as the night of Dr. Strayer’s murder, except for one thing: Instead of a single barrel sticking out of the tower, there were two and as we entered the gate, I noticed two armed men behind the trees. Heightened security, had Somatotech gotten to them?

  I walked to the same door Doña Maria had ushered me through my first night at the hacienda, the night Dr. Strayer had died. The door creaked as I opened it to the unlit hallway. The Doña stood dead center silhouetted by the light escaping the kitchen.

  “Doña!” I went toward her. I couldn’t contain my smile. Unfortunately, it wasn’t reciprocated. My own dissolved as I saw the concerned look on her face. She shook her head slightly, maintaining strict eye contact. Her heart beat hard and fast. She was nervous.

  “What’s going on?” She didn’t answer, just turned on her heel, walked down the hallway slowly and into the kitchen.

  A chill crept up my back as my ears picked up on the gentle sound of someone else’s calm breathing. I strode into the kitchen, rounding the corner with hesitance. Manuel sat at the tile island alone facing away from me. I walked to the other side and sat on the stool across from him. His hand rested on a Berretta 9mm, his finger toying with the safety. He fixed his eyes on the speckled marble backsplash behind the sink.

  The distinct odor of freshly cooked tortillas wafted through the air as we sat, the heat from the stove warming my skin. Memories of my time learning to cook with the Doña flooded back. She stood near the pantry with her back to me, apparently looking through ingredients.

  I spoke first, “Where is everybody?”

  Manuel slowly turned toward the entryway and then back to me, reminiscent of the first time I had met him at Salsitas.

  “Welcome back, Coyle,” he said, with his characteristic deep scratchy voice, “You are a most unexpected guest.”

  “I’m glad to be back.” That was an understatement. The afterlife sure didn’t seem as grand as people made it seem.

  “Unfortunately, your presence is unnerving for our household. Even the Doña has her misgivings about you now.” He nodded toward her.

  I looked to the Doña for some rebuttal. She stayed turned away from us though her heart picked up a beat. A sinking feeling hit my gut. The Doña?

  Manuel continued, “We all saw you die. You bled out in my arms. Lucky for you, Dr. Bartnev brought you back, stopped the bleeding, and took out your tracker. Later, you crashed. Heart stopped frozen. He called it at 4:25 p.m. on Wednesday. One day ago.”

  “I...”

  “Don’t speak, Coyle. Let me finish. While I do not know what you are…” He paused. “Where the others are afraid, I, on the other hand, recognize a tremendous opportunity for us.” He motioned to himself and then to me.

  “Opportunity?” I cocked my head and furrowed my brows.

  “You owe me. I gave you housing, food, weapons, and most importantly, protection. This is a great debt to repay. Thankfully, your abilities now can match that debt if utilized correctly.”

  A crash from the pantry diverted our attention. A glass bowl burst into thousands of pieces on the tile floor in front of the Doña. She sped out of the kitchen without a word. I attempted to stand, but Manuel grabbed my arm.

  “Sit,” he commanded. I sat.

  “I owe you, I know I do. And I will do what it takes, but Manuel, I don’t like the sound of what you are describing.”

  “You don’t have to like it. It is what it is,” he said while again handling the handgun.

  The creak of the front door echoed down the hallway, so I swung around in my seat. Manuel had put me on edge with all this talk of debt and repayment, not to mention him toying with that gum. Footsteps echoed out toward us, running closer and closer down the hall. I stood up and prepared for an assault.

  "Coyle!" Jamie’s voice rang out like sweet, unexpected music. She rounded the corner and barreled toward me.

  My angel had come. Her impact nearly knocked me off the stool. We embraced, holding each other with a tightness not even death could separate.

  "I thought I had lost you." She squeezed harder, burying her head into my chest.

  "I'm sorry, I…”

  She didn’t let me finish. Jamie lifted her head and gently pulled me in close, her hands on either side o
f my face. She paused a few inches from my lips, staring into my eyes. Hers welled up with tears. They dripped onto her blushed cheeks.

  “You promised! You promised not to leave me.” Tears now spilled over her lips, making her pause to wipe them away. “I woke in that van to blood everywhere and Aedan screaming. The guy driving said you had been shot and weren't moving. I couldn’t see you, I just couldn’t believe it.” She wiped more tears away. “I screamed at whoever kept us out, away from you.” Jamie’s cold eyes flashed toward Manuel and then she continued, “They finally opened the gate, and we raced up to you. When I got close, I could see the blood pooling all around you. You weren’t moving; you weren’t breathing Coyle! I ran to you and turned you over. Your eyes were open, but you weren't there. I couldn’t see any life in you. That look, the look I loved was gone. I shook you and slapped you. But you wouldn’t come back to me.” She stared into my eyes. “I hated you at that moment. You’d promised to not leave me.” I gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.

  “I’m sorry. I just had to get in. Aedan… ”

  “I know, I know. It’s just hard. Hard seeing the one you love escape your reach. I had nothing. Nothing I could do would save you.” She rested her hand on my heart.

  “How did you save me?”

  “I didn’t. Manuel ran to us, grabbed you from me and carried you into the house. I ran after him, but Tigre stopped me at the door.”

  “Why?”

  “I was hysterical, basically a basket case. Tigre said only Manuel could save you.”

  “What about Dr. Bartnev? How did he know all this went down?”

  Manuel spoke up, “Dr. Bartnev, just as Dr. Strayer, is a former companion in crime. We called him the moment you stopped the firing.”

  “The moment I stopped the firing?” I released Jamie and gave Manuel a hard stare.

  “We couldn’t take any chances, Coyle,” he said without looking at me. “I gave the orders and they were to fire until we were certain you were who you claimed to be.”

  That was the agreement; he couldn’t risk it. My clone would have killed them all. I turned to Jamie, not wanting to relive the terror of that night. “But later I came to. I felt your kiss, your tears.”

  “I knew you could hear me. But then you… ”

  “I died again.”

  “And now, miraculously, you are alive,” Manuel again interjected.

  “What kind of trickery did they work on you?” Tigre, uncharacteristically, spoke up.

  “Miracle patient.” Dr. Bartnev entered the room. Surprisingly, I didn’t hear or sense his approach. “Cells, Coyle’s cells, hold much ATP. Remarkable indeed.”

  Manuel and Tigre turned to Dr. Bartnev with confused looks.

  “Adenosine triphosphate, the molecule that directs energy transfer in cells,” I explained to everyone, eyeing Tigre. Death hadn’t killed my nerdy side.

  “Correct, ATP runs cells. I analysis your blood. Intracellular levels five times higher than normal person. Your cells stop working with lots of trauma but no go into apoptosis, cell death.”

  “So he can’t die?” said Tigre with a hand resting on his holstered weapon.

  “He dies, in a sense, but it is more a shock. His cells no function for a time.” Dr. Bartnev rested his hand on my shoulder. “But this wonder never quite stays dead.”

  A muted gasp escaped Tigre’s mouth.

  3 Captivated Captives

  “I’m sure there is a way to kill this young man. It may prove difficult, but there is always a way,” said Manuel, eyeing Tigre.

  “Um, I am right here, Manuel.” I waved to him as if he didn’t see me. “Can we stop talking about how I’m gonna die? I’ve kinda had enough of that in the last few days.”

  He nodded and then whispered something in Spanish to Tigre. He eyed me with the same look he gave me at the mortuary. Tigre grinned and looked at me as well. I made a mental note to learn Spanish as soon as possible.

  Jamie squeezed her arms tighter around me. I wrapped my arms around hers in response, savoring the smoothness of her skin. Nothing made me feel more alive than loving her. Will I ever die? The thought of living forever struck me as so diametrically opposite to my last year of life I almost chuckled. No wonder Manuel sees me as an asset and possibly a threat; I am the most powerful person in the world. Did the army know about my true nature? Are all the cancer patients Somatotech treated like me, immortal? Jamie stared into my eyes, sensing my reflection.

  “Hey guys, can I have a moment with Jamie?” I looked at the three men in the kitchen with us.

  “Only a moment, we have business to discuss,” said Manuel, while motioning to the others.

  “Business?” Jamie said with a sharp look at Manuel.

  “Take your moment,” Manuel said with an air of antipathy.

  All three strolled out of the room. Manuel stayed close; I could hear his breathing only a few yards down the hall. My neck hairs stood on end. Something was amiss.

  “How are you doing?” I asked Jamie while gazing into her misty eyes.

  “I’m…” she hesitated. “I’m OK. It took me awhile to wrap my head around things. You know, the whole clone thing.” Her eyes drifted to the floor. “The way he touched me like he knew my body and he felt some, some ownership over me. I couldn’t help but project that on you. I’m sorry.”

  “You have no reason to apologize. I can’t even imagine how awful it must’ve been,” I said, clenching my fists, “if only I could have broken you out earlier.”

  “You, Aedan and the others risked your lives for me. I am eternally grateful to you all, especially you.”

  She drew close to me and landed a soft one on my lips. The smell of her hair, the touch of her skin and her soft lips, convinced me I was truly alive. I savored the sensation, breathing it in, letting the moment linger.

  “Have they treated you well here?” I asked while holding her tight.

  She hesitated again. Her heart picked up, and she started to sweat. “Yes, yes they have.” She looked out toward the hallway. “But Coyle, I have a bad feeling about this place. They’ve kept me away from Aedan. I saw him only once. I wanted to thank him and check up on him, but they forbade it. Why would they do that?”

  “Manuel is a power freak, plain and simple,” I said. “Is Aedan OK?”

  “Manuel tells me he’s getting better. Coyle, they wouldn’t let me around you unless you were unconscious. Dr. Bartnev, he helped.” Her eyes shifted to the entryway.

  “Why would they want to keep us separated?” I asked as Manuel’s footsteps approached.

  “OK, time is up. It is late Jamie; you should be on your way. Coyle and I have business to go over,” Manuel said as he walked into the kitchen.

  “Yes, sir,” Jamie responded obediently.

  “Wait.” I held onto her.

  “Why have you kept her from Aedan?” I said while placing myself between Jamie and Manuel.

  A flash of anger crossed his face. He quickly masked it with his trademark stone face. “Aedan has suffered a great injury. By the time we were able to get the bullet out of his leg, it had become infected. Dr. Bartnev ordered him to be quarantined for his own safety.”

  “Why did it take so long to take out the bullet?”

  “Our more important asset required more immediate attention. We were saving your life, Coyle. Besides, Roxanne handled your friend.”

  Roxanne had tended to Aedan in the getaway van after he had suffered a gunshot wound to his leg at Somatotech headquarters. Roxanne and the Special Forces guys had played a crucial role in the escape. Why hadn’t I seen them?

  “Where is Roxanne anyway?” I asked as Jamie came close behind me. Tension radiated from her body.

  “Your little-covered friend and her compañeros escaped, er… took off after Aedan went to the operating room. We have been searching for them, but they seem quite skilled in evasion.”

  “Why bother searching for them?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

&nb
sp; “You brought them here. A stranger with untrustworthy punks. Now they know the hacienda, they know our faces. We have to find them and convince them to remain quiet. In fact, that is your first and most important mission.”

  “Coyle isn’t some slave you can order around!” Jamie yelled from behind me.

  Manuel slowly turned toward her. “Young lady, you of all people should understand debt for you are indebted to us as well. Without our resources, do you think Coyle and his ragtag team would have been able to extract you? You have a debt to pay as well. Your mission will begin soon.”

  “She is not doing anything for you. I will pay hers and mine, Manuel. Don’t think you can drag her into this business.” I stepped toward him, the anger boiling up.

  Manuel’s hand rested on his sidearm and eyed Jamie.

  “Don’t do anything stupid, Coyle. You are intelligent but are you wise?”

  My muscles tightened at his insinuation. I stepped toward him. Jamie came close to my ear and whispered, “Coyle, my dad once told me, that with children of God, actions against us do not always require a reaction. True disciples control their agency. He’s a bully, and he just wants to rile you up.”

  While I wasn’t sure about the whole child of God and disciple stuff, she had a point. Manuel didn’t deserve a response. I stepped back; my anger ebbing. This wasn’t the same anger or rage I had felt before. This seemed more natural, almost defensive rather than murderous.

  Jamie’s closeness retreated suddenly. Before I could switch focus from Manuel, Jamie hit the tile floor without the slightest attempt to catch herself.