“Maybe we should drive over to Bodian,” Claire said to Kate who was watching television. “We can see if their car is there. At least then we’ll know where they’re at.”
Kate turned the volume low. “I’m sure they’re fine. They probably just got busy sifting through information or maybe they went and got some lunch.”
“Then why haven’t they texted?” Just as she said it, her phone buzzed.
“That’s them,” Kate said.
Claire looked down. A message from Ethan read: I sent some documents to your email. Bring them up on your computer. We’ll be there in a few.”
She hurried and grabbed her laptop from her bedroom and carried it into the living room. By the time she had it turned on and her emails downloaded, Ethan and Logan had arrived.
“What took so long?” Kate asked.
Ethan joined Claire on the couch and gave her leg a gentle squeeze. “Did you get my emails?”
“I think so. You’ll have to look through them all to make sure. There’s a lot.”
“The lunchroom was packed,” Logan said. “It took a while trying to read everyone’s name tags.”
“By the looks of all these files, you obviously found someone,” Claire said. She was individually opening the emails from Ethan and dragging the documents onto her desktop.
“Two, actually,” Logan said. “The woman Jessica and a guy named Ryan.”
Claire looked through her faint reflection on the computer screen and stared at all the files. There must’ve been at least thirty. "I just hope we find something we can use against Bodian. I want this to end."
Ethan rested his hand on top of hers. "I’m sure there’s something here we can use.”
"Oh!” Kate said, startling them all. "I forgot to tell you, Claire. We’re practicing Saturday morning. You'll be able to come right?"
Claire tightened her lips. "I don't know. I don't think Smith will let me."
"Since when did he become your dad?" Kate said.
Logan swiveled his head in Kate’s direction. "Have you forgotten there's a psycho after her? She should be at home."
Kate picked at her nail. "Gage isn't stupid enough to attack her in public.”
"You don't know what Gage is capable of," Logan snapped.
"Will you guys stop it?" Claire asked. "Let's not think about this weekend right now. Let's just get through today, okay?”
Her gaze returned to the new files on her computer, potential viruses that could change the world. She still wasn't sure what to do if she found proof of Bodian's strange science experiments. Should she go public? And how does one do that anyway? She pictured herself standing in front of a news camera with a stack of papers accusing Bodian of turning people into monsters. And then she’s shot by a sniper. Inwardly, she groaned. What was she doing?
“Open them up,” Ethan encouraged.
Kate and Logan joined them on the couch.
“How did you know what files to send?” Kate asked.
“We didn’t find anything on the girl’s phone,” Logan said, “but the Ryan guy had a whole folder called Bodian. We just copied everything inside.”
Claire’s finger hesitated over the touchpad, her hand shaking slightly. She took a deep breath and pressed down. A file opened. Her eyes quickly scanned the contents. Notes from a meeting discussing holiday schedules. Nothing helpful.
“Go to the next one,” Ethan said.
Claire moved to open another file, but again she hesitated, afraid of what she might find. Her heart was racing.
“Here,” Logan said. “Let me do it.”
She easily handed over the laptop, stood up, and walked into the kitchen. She rested her hands on the counter and told herself to relax.
“Isn’t there a quicker way to do this?” Kate asked from the living room
“It’s not like painting your nails, Kate,” Logan said. “It’s going to take time.”
Ethan joined Claire while Logan and Kate continued to argue. "We can leave if you’d like.”
"No. I want to stay. Once we get the proof we need, all this will be over."
Ethan’s mouth twisted to a frown. "I don't think it's going to be that easy."
"Why?"
He opened his mouth to speak, but Logan interrupted him.
“I think I found something.”
Claire and Ethan hurried over and sat down. On the screen was a PDF document titled H371. They all took several minutes to read through the four-page report. No one said a word, and Claire knew they were feeling the same way she was: terrified.
When they were finished, Kate was the only one to speak.
"We're screwed."
TWENTY-FOUR
Albert was alone. Whether that was good or bad, he didn't know yet. Claire and the others had parted ways over an hour ago. Like him, they were probably still trying to process what they'd read. The report hadn't given them all the details of the project Bodian Dynamics called H371, but just enough that he was still shaking inside.
H371 was a program Bodian started over five years ago at the request of a company or a person called Blackbird. Blackbird had paid millions to Bodian. Their whole purpose was to create a person with super-human abilities without a conscience. For what purpose, the report didn’t say, but it did mention unexpected results: something dark and evil had filled the space where a conscience should’ve been. It actually used the word “evil”, which confirmed what Albert thought about Gage.
While the others had discussed what to do next, he had read the report again, specifically looking for any mention of a way to reverse the effects of the compound. This was all that mattered to him now. Gage must be stopped, especially after what Albert had seen him do to Gary.
Albert had tried many times to gain control of Gage while he tortured Gary, but Gage wouldn't let him. Somehow he had managed to keep a mental grip on him, making him watch the massacre. Albert fought, clawing at the fabric of his mind, trying to drag Gage back, but it was useless. Gage was too strong.
There was a moment, when Gary had been covered in blood, when Albert had felt the full scope of Gage's evil. Gage had been in a perfect state of bliss, while Albert was in the worst kind of hell imaginable. And Albert thought he'd be trapped there forever. But then dawn had come and, as darkness retreated, so too had Gage.
The next day Albert had tried to take his own life. That was the only way he could think of to stop Gage from hurting anyone else. He’d picked up a loaded gun from inside his dad’s desk drawer, held it to his head, but no matter what he tried he couldn’t get his finger to pull the trigger. “You can’t destroy me,” was the thought that appeared in his mind. Gage was still with him, but Albert wasn’t sure how close. Could he hear his conversations with Claire? Could he see what Albert saw?
To find out, Albert had tried to communicate with him, had tried different things to elicit a reaction from Gage. But only two things caused his interference: when Albert tried to die or when he tried to tell someone about Gage, which is what he’d tried to do with Claire, or when he tried to go to the police station.
If Gage was that close, Albert wondered why he didn’t just take over. Maybe he needed time to recuperate. Whatever the reason, Albert had to do something to stop him. Who knew how long he had before Gage returned?
Albert turned away from the open window and paced his room. There had to be a way to fix him! He'd been a fool to believe a drug could bury his emotions. Instead, it had awoken a monster.
Albert collapsed on top of his bed and rolled to the side to view his reflection on the opposite wall. It made him sick to look at, and his stomach churned, creating a pain deep inside his gut. Instead of thinking of ways to get rid of the hurt, he thought of Claire. Saw her face. Heard her voice. A calm passed over him and settled his racing pulse. In just a few short minutes, Albert fell asleep.
TWENTY-FIVE
Claire shoved books into her locker. She hadn't heard a thing in math class; there were bigger things to think abo
ut than binomials.
A sudden slap on her back made her jump. She whirled around fists ready.
"Easy there," Kate said, stepping back. "Why so jumpy? A teenage Mr. Hyde after you?"
Claire turned her back and slammed the locker shut. "That's not funny."
"Not really, but at least you don't look so scared anymore. You look like the normal pissed-off girl I love. You going to the lunch room?"
Claire turned the opposite way and began to walk toward the parking lot.
Kate caught up to her. "Ah, come on. Don't get all pissy. I'm just trying to relieve some tension. It's really more for me than you."
Claire stopped. "So you believe me now?"
Kate pulled her to the side of the hall away from passing students. "How can I not? What we read yesterday made me sleep with the light on!"
"Me too." Claire pulled her forward. "Let's get out of here."
They were almost to the door when Corey, seeming to appear from nowhere, stepped in front of them, blocking their path. "Want to go to lunch, Kate?"
"Can't. I've got more important things to do," Kate said, surprising Claire. Usually there was some wavering before she rejected him, and that’s if she rejected him.
He nodded his head in Claire’s direction. "Like hang out with Miss Anger Management?"
"Move it," Claire said, attempting to get around him.
Corey took hold of her shoulder. "Did you just talk to me? Cuz you're going to want to stay out of this."
She jerked her shoulder away. "Stay out of what? Last time I checked, you and Kate were over months ago."
"You don't know how to stay out of other people’s business, do you?" he said, stepping close to her.
Two more steps and her back would be against the wall. Claire was really getting sick of being cornered. "What are you talking about?"
"Ethan. He used to be normal but now all he wants to do is hang out with you, and I can't figure out why. Unless you're following in your mother’s footsteps."
Claire stared at him. To the average spectator she probably appeared calm, but only she was aware of the storm brewing inside her. The turmoil left her fist when she swiped it at Corey’s jaw. His head jerked back, but she wasn't strong enough to knock him out, which she regretted.
Kate gasped, and then laughed. Corey looked at her and then Claire. The veins on his neck appeared larger than she remembered. She traced them down his muscular arm until they ended at his balled fist. When it began to move, she tried to duck, but it smashed against the side of her head.
Claire stumbled into the wall and slumped to the floor. Through blurry vision and a sudden massive headache, she saw Ethan tackle Corey to the floor. Over a high-pitched ringing in her ears, she heard shouting and screaming. Ethan was sitting on top of Corey raining punches down on his face while Kate tried to pull him off.
Someone came to Claire's side. Her head lopped to her shoulder to see whom. Steph was kneeling and saying something but Claire couldn't hear what. Her gaze lowered to the tiled floor, to Steph's drumsticks lying near her knees.
Claire missed singing. She let her eyes close, and let the stage in her mind come alive. A single light turned on and shined on the stage. She took hold of the microphone and began to sing. All of her emotions poured into the music, leaving her empty.
"Claire?"
The ringing in her ears was gone. Claire opened her eyes. Logan was by Steph. Both of them looked worried. She didn't like it. "Is there something on my face?" she said, and forced a smile.
"She's awake, Mrs. Summers," Steph said over her shoulder.
Mrs. Summers hurried over. "Let me look at that head," she said and nudged Logan and Steph away.
Claire quickly struggled to stand. "I'm fine. It's no big deal." She touched her head. Extremely tender, but no blood. And if it was bruising, her hair would cover it.
"Don't do this," Logan said. "Not now. You are not okay."
"Whatever." Claire pushed through them all. "Where's Ethan? I hope he beat the crap out of Corey." She tried to see through the crowd of teenage gawkers. "Can you guys move? Freak! Like you've never seen a fight before!"
"They took him to the office with Corey," Kate said quietly behind her.
Claire turned around. "What for? He didn't do anything wrong."
"He was fighting on school grounds," Mrs. Summers said. "You should really put some ice on your head."
"Fighting? That's bull crap! He was defending me! Tell her, Kate."
"I did."
Claire glared. "Apparently not good enough. Ethan should not be in there. Time to storm the castle." She moved to go toward the principal’s office, but Logan took hold of her arm.
"Let's go, Claire."
She tried to shake his hand off, but he wouldn't budge.
"We're leaving,” he said. “Now. This is what I want from you, and then we're even. You’ll never owe me anything ever again."
That got her attention. She glanced toward the office and then back to Logan. "Forever?"
He nodded.
"Fine. Let's go." Claire turned to Steph and Kate. "Tell Ethan to call me when he's out. I'm going home."
Logan opened the front door for her.
"Wait!" Mrs. Summers said. "You need to check out."
Claire walked through the doors, leaving the entire school staring after her, but she didn't care. She felt nothing.
As soon as she closed the passenger door, Logan, who was already in, said, "What was that back there?"
She tipped her head against the window. "Can you just take me home?"
"But there's nobody there, and you can't be alone."
"Call Smith then, or stay with me, but you can't talk. I want to sleep."
"Headache?"
"Something like that."
"You got hit pretty hard." He started the car and drove out of the parking lot.
"You saw it?"
"Just the tail end. I was right behind Ethan."
"Corey's such a jerk. Do you think he'll get suspended?"
"Yes. And I’d be surprised if the cops aren’t called."
"Good. It will ruin his perfect record. Totally worth it."
Logan was silent.
"What?" Claire said. "Say it!"
"I'm worried about you."
"Why? This was nothing."
"You're wrong. I know you better than anyone, and I saw what you did back there."
"What I did?"
"You went all I-don’t-care-about-anything, like you used to do. Before."
"Before what?"
Claire heard his swallow. She could practically see him gathering his strength as he prepared to say it, but she didn't stop him. She needed to hear it.
"Before you discovered that dead girl. Ever since then, you've been different. In a good way. It's like a wall came down and you finally allowed yourself to feel again."
"I've been feeling scared! That's a good thing?"
Logan nodded slowly. "It's called emotions. What your father did to you stripped you of this. But any emotions are better than feeling nothing. It’s what makes us human."
Claire turned away from him. "I disagree."
"I know it sucks to feel scared, but if you let yourself feel that then maybe you can start feeling other things, too."
"Like what?" she mumbled.
It was a second before Logan said, "Love."
"How do you know I don't feel that?"
Logan shrugged, his eyes sad. "Maybe you do. I don't know. I just don't want to see you going back to how you used to be. It's okay to cry. Corey hitting you had to hurt more than just physically."
Claire focused on the pain at the side of her head. She wasn't ready to focus on the other kind. "It's fine. I just want to go to sleep."
Logan reached over and rubbed her back. "Okay."
A few hours later, Claire got out of bed. She hadn’t really slept, but she did replay events over and over in her head, from the first time she saw Mindy all the way to what Loga
n had said. He was right. She had changed, too subtly for her to notice. But now what? Everything hurt, especially her head. She touched it lightly and winced.
Claire heard the television in the living room click off. Logan was still here. Her shoulders slumped. Time for an apology. She ignored the light blinking on her phone. Ethan had called her several times, but she needed some time to sort things out, to make a decision on who she wanted to be. Whatever she decided would affect him, too.
Opening the door, she walked down the hall and into the living room. Before she could speak, Logan stood up and said, “Forget about what happened earlier. We need to stay focused, get this thing with Bodian resolved so you can feel something other than being scared—”
“Logan—”
“Ethan will be here any second. I have a plan.”
She parted the blinds on the window and looked out. Ethan was just outside talking to a police officer parked out front. She breathed in and turned around. “Thank you, Logan, for everything.”
He looked directly in her eyes. “I want this to end just as much as you do.”
His gaze was so intense that she turned away, her pulse suddenly racing. Before she could analyze why, the door opened.
Ethan walked in and looked from Logan to Claire.
“What’s the verdict?” Logan said.
Ethan went to Claire. “Detention, but just for a week. Corey, on the other hand,” he stopped in front of her and looked her over as if to make sure she was all right, “has been suspended for at least two weeks. And the cops charged him, too.”
“Good,” Claire said, staring down at Ethan’s bloodied knuckle. “But I am sorry you got in trouble.”
“It was worth it. Besides, you have detention with me. You’ll be told tomorrow.”
She chuckled, not at all surprised. “It’s been awhile since I hung out with Mr. Frank. I bet he missed me.”
Logan cleared his throat. “So, Bodian. We need to blow this whole H371 thing wide open.”
Claire looked at him. “But how? We don’t even know who’s behind it, other than someone called Blackbird. And besides, who would believe a bunch of teenagers?”
“No one if we don’t have more proof,” Ethan said.
Unleashed Page 16