Fear flickered over Phoebe’s face.
“May I touch you?” Alex softly asked.
Phoebe hesitated but then slowly nodded.
Alex gently took her hand and squeezed it. “I’m not going anywhere, and you don’t have to talk to the doctor yourself. You can talk with me, okay?”
Phoebe nodded again.
Alex looked over at Dr. Ember. “She’s responsive. What do you want to know?”
“Ask her if she needs more pain medication and if she wants something to help her sleep.”
Alex relayed the doctor’s request even though he knew Phoebe had heard it.
Staring at his face, Phoebe shook her head.
“Can you say the words?” he coaxed.
Phoebe stared at him. Suddenly, something resembling a reluctant grin pulled at the corners of her mouth. “The pain’s bearable,” she said in a soft, clear voice, “and I don’t want to sleep. I never want to sleep again.”
Gently squeezing her hand, Alex looked over at the doctor. “Are you satisfied?”
Dr. Ember nodded. “We’ll keep her in this ward. You’re staying with her?”
“Yes,” Alex said simply, drawing up a chair while keeping his hand clasped with Phoebe’s. “I’m not going anywhere.”
At his words, the tension eased from Phoebe’s face.
“Nurse Warner has been hired to monitor Phoebe’s progress,” the doctor said. “She’ll be at the nurses’ station. Use the call button if you need her.”
Alex looked down at Phoebe. Her eyes were fixed on his face with an unblinking stare. “I think we’ll be fine for now,” he said.
* * *
After church, Nicole sat across from Brandon at Café Charbon and tried to concentrate on what he was saying. She sighed. He’d never seemed more tedious and pretentious. He went to her church, and she’d thought he was a nice guy when they started dating, but she was beginning to realize he was extremely shallow. Truthfully, she wasn’t sure if he was attracted to her or to her success.
Biting back a yawn, she began picturing someone else sitting across from her. Someone with thick glasses and a big, crooked nose. Someone who would actually listen when she talked. Someone who cared when her feet hurt. Someone whose gaze seemed to see right through her slightly frivolous exterior and into her soul.
“He looked quite ridiculous, you know,” Brandon’s voice drawled. “Did you see the holes in his jacket? His suit looked as old as he was. Really, my dear, I don’t know what you two found to talk about.”
Nicole’s daydream shattered. “Are you talking about Zeke?” she asked in a frosty voice.
“Who else? I can’t believe you let him fawn all over you. It was disgusting to watch.”
“He wasn’t fawning, and I don’t appreciate your comments.”
“Why? Do you have a soft spot for him? Are you thinking of going slumming?”
Nicole stood stiffly to her feet. “How I conduct myself is none of your business.”
“It’s my business as long as we’re together.”
She threw some bills on the table. “We’re not together anymore.”
Brandon grabbed her arm. “No one breaks up with me.”
“Get a clue,” Nicole said sharply, pulling her arm away. “Someone just did.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Zeke studied his computer screen. He still hadn’t found a connection between the attack on Wade and the attacks on the cadets. Bile rose in his throat at the memory of Drake’s slashed throat. Black pinwheels started dancing in front of his vision. His head began to throb. Blinking, he breathed through the pain as Thomas bustled into the lab and handed him a church bulletin.
“Thanks,” Zeke said, rubbing his tired eyes. “Was it a good sermon?”
Thomas nodded. “One of the best I’ve heard. It was about the ax head that floated by faith.”
“I’ll look forward to hearing it online.” He massaged his temples. “How did the choir sound?”
Thomas gave a sputtering chuckle. “About the same as we always do when you and Dan aren’t around to carry us. Let’s just say we made a joyful noise unto the Lord and leave it at that.” He looked at Zeke’s computer. “Was there any contact from Peter and Laura?”
Zeke shook his head. “In my opinion, things are out of control. Dan needs to be informed.”
“Not yet,” Thomas said. “Peter’s instructions were explicit. We’ll give them their full seventy-two hours.”
Hearing someone at the door, Zeke rose to his feet. “Poppa,” he exclaimed as the old man entered the lab, “why were you lurking in the hall?”
“I wasn’t lurking—I was cleaning. Dan’s office was a mess.”
Zeke blinked. “I don’t understand.”
“That’s all right, my boy. In this instance, you don’t need to.” Leaning forward, Poppa peered into Zeke’s bloodshot eyes. “How bad are the migraines?”
Zeke shifted uncomfortably. “I’m fine.”
Poppa gave him a stern look. “You’d say that if you were being eaten alive by ants. I know TEMCO’s short-staffed, but you need some time off before your migraines escalate. Crystal’s still in town. She’ll be happy to give you a break.”
“I don’t want to wreck her vacation.”
“That’s nonsense! She’s waiting by the phone just hoping to get a chance to help. Call her and arrange for some time off.”
As Zeke hesitated, Poppa looked over at Thomas. “See that it gets done.”
Thomas nodded. “He’ll have a break tomorrow. Now, how can we help you?”
“It’s more a matter of me helping you. I have some explicit instructions for you to follow.”
Thomas nodded and prepared to take notes. “We’ll follow them to the letter.”
“My instructions are for you to do nothing and say nothing.”
Thomas’s pen dropped from his fingers. “Pardon me?”
“Do you need me to repeat myself?” Poppa asked calmly.
Thomas sat down a little too quickly. Seeing the way his chair was teetering, Zeke put out a hand to steady it.
“Surely,” Thomas said, “you don’t understand what’s going on. Peter, Laura, and Phoebe are missing. After the seventy-two-hour limit expires, I plan on informing Dan.”
“Under no circumstances are you to do that,” Poppa said firmly. “If Dan becomes involved, the situation will become explosive and uncontainable.”
“But, Poppa,” Thomas protested, “Phoebe’s condition must be desperate by now.”
“Her condition is well under control. She’s in room 413 at the Charles Shipley Medical Center under the watchful eye of Dan’s younger brother, Alex.”
Rubbing his throbbing temples, Zeke said fervently, “Thank goodness!”
Poppa nodded. “Phoebe will be fine, but please don’t visit her yet. Give her and Alex some space.”
“What about Laura and Peter?” Zeke asked anxiously. “Are they safe too?”
“I’m afraid not,” Poppa replied. “They’re prisoners.”
Thomas ran an agitated hand over his bald head. “We can’t let that man get his filthy hands on Laura. We need to attempt a rescue.”
Zeke nodded eagerly. “I’d be more than willing to volunteer. I’d—”
“Absolutely not!” Poppa barked. “This situation has deeper implications than you realize. Currently, TEMCO isn’t facing a Time Tsunami, but if things aren’t handled properly, it’ll make Dan’s D-day look like a child’s tea party. We’ve run extensive GAP scenarios in my time, and the solution, while not ideal, is definitely clear. For now, you must let things run their course. Say nothing to Dan, and do absolutely nothing on your own. Be patient and wait.”
Zeke looked at Thomas in dismay. Waiting was the last thing on his mind. He wanted to act.
Thomas gave a reluctant nod. “I don’t like it, but we’ll follow your instructions to the letter.”
Poppa placed a Wave Trapper in the lab’s doorway. “That’s all I ask.” A
s cloudy blue light filled the silver grid, he said, “I’d talk longer, but Twinkles will skin me alive if I’m late. My brother and his wife are coming over for supper tonight, and I’m supposed to be manning the grill.”
Blinking past pinwheels, Zeke muttered, “I see that steaks are more important than our current crisis.”
Poppa laughed. “Oh, my boy, I lived through this crisis forty-five years ago, and many crises since then. Steaks are always important—especially if your wife is expecting you to cook them. A happy wife is the priority of a wise husband.”
As Zeke raised his brows, Poppa smiled. “You need to start looking at things from an eagle’s point of view rather than a caterpillar’s. There will always be some sort of crisis on the horizon. The trick is learning how to address it without letting it take over your life. Remember, there’s more to living than work—especially in your case. I know what you desire, and if you don’t move fast you’ll miss your opportunity. A pretty lady doesn’t wait for a man to tie up loose ends at the office.”
Zeke rubbed the bridge of his large nose and remained silent.
Poppa shook his finger. “Now, remember, not a word to my younger-self. Dan needs to be kept in the dark for a while. I’ll be in touch.”
Poppa stepped through the portal. Through the blue wave, Zeke could hear Twinkles’s bustling voice. “There you are, you old rascal! You almost lost your cheesecake privilege. Alex and Phoebe will be here any moment. I’ve wrapped their anniversary gift, but the steaks are sitting on the counter still mooing! Wash your hands and get to the grill. I declare that if—”
Poppa turned off the Wave Trapper from the other side. The blue light faded away.
Zeke looked over at Thomas. “I guess we wait for further instructions.”
Thomas nodded. “I don’t relish the prospect, but a direct order from Poppa should never be ignored. Speaking of which, are you going to call Crystal, or shall I?”
Zeke started to argue, but he changed his mind. “I’ll call her in the morning,” he promised.
* * *
Alex heard a tiny whimper that jerked him awake. The room was pitch black—some over-helpful nurse must have shut off the light. As his eyes adjusted, he could see Phoebe curled up in a tight ball on the bed. Leaping out of his chair, he stumbled over his feet in his haste to turn on the lamp. By its soft glow, he could see that Phoebe was trembling. Sweat stood out in beads across her brow.
Kneeling beside her he said softly, “Phoebe, it’s Alex. I’m sorry the lights were off, but you’re safe. I’m right here. Do you want me to hold your hand?”
Phoebe shook her head so violently that Alex felt as if he’d been slapped. Clasping his hands in his lap, he said gently, “It’s okay if you don’t want to be touched. I’ll just sit by your side and keep you company until you feel better.”
She shook her head again.
“Phoebe,” he said uncertainly, “what do you want from me?”
Looking up with horror-filled eyes, she whispered, “Don’t just hold my hand. Hold me!”
Understanding washed over him. “You’ve got it. Hang on. I need some help.”
Seeing Phoebe’s nod, Alex rang for Nurse Warner. When the nurse came bustling in, he said, “Someone shut off the lights, and it frightened Phoebe.”
Alex could tell from Warner’s guilty look that she had been the culprit.
“Phoebe would like me to hold her for a while, but I don’t want to pull out her IV or dislodge any wires. If you’ll move the medical equipment, I’ll move her, if that’s all right.”
The nurse nodded. “Dr. Ember instructed me to give you wide leeway.”
Alex bent down. “I’m going to pick you up now, okay?”
Nodding, Phoebe raised her arms toward him. Alex lifted her up, and with Nurse Warner’s help, he took Phoebe over to a big leather chair and sat down. Phoebe immediately scrunched herself into a tiny ball on his lap. Grabbing his shirt tightly in her fists, she buried her face against his chest.
Reaching over, Alex grabbed the blankets from the bed. After covering Phoebe, he looked at the nurse and requested in a tired voice, “Please dim the lights and turn off the lamp.” As the nurse followed his instructions and prepared to leave, he murmured, “Thanks for your help.”
Nurse Warner smiled and shut the door.
When they were alone, Alex looked at Phoebe’s bowed head. “Can you tell me why you’re frightened?”
A strong shudder passed through her. “Whenever I’d fall sleep, he’d be there when I woke up. He was always there, waiting in the darkness.”
“And when the lights were off, and you woke up, you thought he was coming.”
She nodded.
“Phoebe,” he said, tightening his arms around her, “look at me for a second.”
She raised her head slowly.
“I won’t let him come. I won’t let him hurt you again. Go ahead and sleep. I’ll keep watch. I won’t let him near.”
Alex knew his words weren’t logical, but they seemed to make sense to her.
Giving a soft sigh, she asked timidly, “You’ll watch all night?”
“All night,” he said, stroking her hair. “You don’t have to stay awake. I’ll stay awake for you. I’ll hold you and keep you safe. Promise.”
Phoebe smiled and snuggled close.
Feeling stunned by the beauty of her smile, Alex blinked. Within minutes, he could feel her body droop and knew she’d fallen into an exhausted sleep. He focused his eyes on the clock. He knew it was going to be a long night, but looking down at her sleeping face, he decided that a long night would be worth it if she could find some peace.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Peter stood protectively in front of Laura as Spider raged above them. Their lack of response seemed to be driving him mad. More mirrors shattered and violent curses ripped through the air. In gruesome detail, Spider shouted what he was going to do if they didn’t show themselves. Feeling Laura tremble, Peter gave her a reassuring smile.
Suddenly, a ball of fire fell from above and landed on the mattress. The mattress exploded into a firestorm of florescent green. Their prison filled with bright, angry light. Feeling scorching heat against his face, Peter quickly pulled Laura to the ground.
Laura whispered in his ear, “You were right to avoid the mattress. Those flames aren’t a natural color—a chemical has to be involved.”
Nodding, Peter grabbed a blanket to cover their noses.
Smoke bellowed and rushed up the hole. Above them, in an eerie voice, Spider began singing a gory song about birds dying in a fire.
Peter felt a shiver running down his spine, but then, listening to the lyrics, his lips began to twitch. “Now I know how Bilbo Baggins felt.” He chuckled.
“Spider’s quoting Tolkien?” she asked.
“The Hobbit. Fancy Spider treating us to an off-Broadway rendition of the goblins’ melody. I know he’s trying to be dramatic, but anyone acquainted with Middle Earth would recognize the song the goblins sang when they were burning the dwarves out of the treetops. Spider’s either flipped his lid completely, or he has an overdeveloped flair for the dramatic. What do you think the odds are of us being rescued by Gandalf?”
Laura’s eyes were tearing because of the smoke, but they twinkled up at Peter as she replied, “You’re slipping! If you remember your Tolkien, Gandalf was up in the trees with the dwarves. It was the King of the Eagles who came to the rescue. But I’m afraid neither Gandalf nor the eagles are coming to our aid.”
“You’re probably right, but you have to admit, it’s pretty nice of old Spider to provide us with a floor show. His voice isn’t the best, but hey, entertainment is entertainment.”
Laura gave a little giggle. “Maybe so, but if Spider starts singing Tolkien’s song about the spiders, be prepared for me to climb up on your shoulders. I never could read about the Mirkwood spiders without shuddering! I’ll take flames over spiders any day. Especially these flames—they don’t seem too dangerou
s.”
Peter hugged her close. “I never thought I’d be so grateful that our prison is encased in cement. The flames should stay on the mattress, but try not to breathe the smoke.”
Above them, Spider stopped singing and stomped away. Peter watched as the blaze began to dim and soften. Soon, only the glowing metal springs of the mattress were left.
“At least it was warmer for a while,” he said, smiling at Laura. “I always did like a good campfire.”
Laura smiled back at him. “I wish we could’ve made s’mores. I’m dying for some chocolate. I need my antioxidants.”
* * *
Around 3:00 a.m., Phoebe woke and stretched. Alex’s arms were still around her, and for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime, she felt safe. She peeped up at Alex and saw him smiling down at her.
“Sleep well?” he asked.
She nodded. Gazing at his face, she saw deep black shadows under his bloodshot eyes. “You stayed awake,” she said simply. It was a statement of fact, not a question.
“I told you I would.” He tightened his arms around her. “I’ll never knowingly lie to you. If I say I’ll do something, I’ll do it.”
She looked at him and gave one of her rare smiles. Putting her head down on his chest, she murmured, “Sleep now. I know I’m safe. You need to sleep too.”
She felt Alex laying his cheek on her head as he held her close. Snuggling down in the blanket, she nestled in his arms. Soon, they were both fast asleep.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
June 1st, 6:00 a.m.
Riverview Apartments, Washington D.C.
Crystal yawned and rolled over in bed to answer her ringing phone. “Hello?” she mumbled.
“Hi, Cris. It’s Zeke.”
Sitting up quickly, Crystal tossed her covers aside. “Do you need me at TEMCO?”
“That depends. When are you leaving for your cruise?”
“Not for a while,” she replied, not wanting to admit that she’d already missed the trip. “How can I help?”
“If possible, I need to arrange for some time off.”
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