They reached a bigger home and one with more bars on the windows. “Let’s check out that place,” Marcus said, liking the green shutters. It was kind of fun looking through houses and seeing how other people had lived, not knowing what they’d find in each place. “I guess this would be like a modern day treasure hunt?”
Jax nodded and put his boot to the door, which cracked in two. “Huh.”
Marcus pushed the boards apart, and stale air wafted out. He sniffed. “Don’t smell bodies.” There was no mistaking that scent, even after months of Scorpius.
“Good.” Jax kicked the lower part of the door out of the way and stepped inside.
“There aren’t any Rippers here,” Marcus said, following him. Hadn’t Jax said they were looking for the Rippers from their territory? They’d mainly just scouted neighborhoods and gone through a few interesting looking houses, finding a few gallons of water and some clothing.
Jax nodded and looked around the small living room with its lavender colored furniture. Knick knacks and pictures covered a mantel above a useless gas fireplace. “I thought you might want to talk about your session with Vinnie.”
Oh. Marcus moved down a hallway, checked out a bedroom, and then crossed to a room that had been set up as an office. Boxes and boxes filled the room. “I might’ve found something.” He opened the first box to see about twenty more boxes of instant diet food. “FastDiet,” he read, opening the first box to see a package of dried chicken soup.
Jax peered over his shoulder. “We’ll want to load all of this up in the truck. Not that anybody wants to lose weight these days. The cooks can use this, though.” He opened a second box to see protein bars. “Excellent. Maybe we should up our searches in houses. Hadn’t figured we’d find this stuff.” He set the box of bars back into place. “I’d love to find a medical stash.”
Probably unlikely. Marcus walked out of the room and down the hallway to the master bedroom, heading for the jewelry box on the dresser. Pretty bubbles filled the mahogany set, and he pulled out a necklace with a black stone in the middle surrounded by diamonds. It was beautiful.
“That’s pretty,” Jax said, rifling through drawers. “Ah ha.” He pulled out a Sig. “Found a gun. Let’s search for bullets.”
Marcus shoved the necklace in his pocket. Penny had said she didn’t want a birthday celebration, but since she’d called him her boyfriend, at least for now, he should probably get her a present. “Bullets will probably be in the garage.” They hadn’t looked there yet.
Jax nodded. “Should we talk about you and Doc Penelope?”
“What’s there to talk about? We’re together for a short time.” He didn’t need another sex talk from his brother. “I know I’m not good for her.”
“Why not? She seems to like you, and she’s a smart woman. Why try to limit your time?” Jax opened a door to reveal a small closet piled high with shoes. He shifted through useless heels for tennis shoes in the back, pulling them out. “Life will limit us enough.”
Probably a true statement. Marcus cleared his throat and told his brother about the therapy session earlier. “So I was thinking that maybe you could be there next time and just make sure I don’t do anything to hurt or scare Vinnie.” He slammed a couple of drawers closed. They didn’t need old doilies these days. “I’d rather you listened to my shit than anybody else.”
“Sure.” Jax’s eyes darkened and his voice thickened. “I’d rather I listened, too.”
“I’m probably not going to remember our past, Jax.” It was only fair to tell him the truth. “But I wouldn’t mind you telling me about it. It sounds like we were close growing up.”
Jax chuckled and walked out of the bedroom to search the other one, and Marcus followed. “You could say that. Our mother was addicted to drugs and bad men, and you and I survived by being a team. Sometimes I feel guilty about leaving you when I went into the service, but the judge gave me the choice of prison or the military, and I would’ve had to leave, anyway.”
“You made the right choice.” Obviously. Otherwise he wouldn’t have gotten the experience to create and run Vanguard. Marcus looked through winter clothing in a dresser. “Don’t feel guilty or bad. We are where we are, and nothing will change that.”
“You always were a pragmatist,” Jax said, shutting the closet door.
Was he? Interesting. Maybe his personality wasn’t completely altered from who he’d been before. He hadn’t given it much thought because it just didn’t matter. That must be pragmatism.
Jax moved down the hallway for the bathroom, emptying the medicine cabinet of toothpaste, prescriptions, and over the counter medication. “The settlement team should be back from the Willamette Valley tonight or tomorrow, and I need your plan for moving everyone north. We can’t hold out for another winter here.”
“I’ll have a plan for you, but I’m not exactly a strategic thinker.” Marcus looked inside a hamper. Sometimes the best goodies where there. Nope. Only dust bunnies.
“You think without emotion, which is what I need.” Jax moved past him to go toward the kitchen, grabbing a duffel bag off the counter to stuff with the toiletries and drugs.
Marcus began opening cupboards. “There are cookbooks here. Would Manny want those?” Manny was their main cook and a bear in the kitchen, but he could create edible meals out of pretty much anything. Although, last time somebody had brought him a cookbook, he’d thrown it at their head, so maybe not. “Forget it. He’s doing fine.”
Jax took a deep breath and opened the freezer compartment of the fridge, pulling out a frozen stack of cash in a plastic bag. He threw it on the ground and kept looking. “Do you want to talk about what the scientists did to you?”
“Nope. They experimented with pain, healing, and drugs. There isn’t anything else to say.” He was done with that part of his life.
“Why you? Have you ever wondered?”
Not for a long time. “My guess is that I was stubborn enough to survive. It’s probably that simple.”
Jax clapped him on the shoulder. “Probably. Let’s check the garage and then head back. I have work to do.”
“Apparently, so do I,” Marcus murmured. He’d been away from Penny for too long, anyway.
20
Marcus has only been gone a few hours, and I miss his constant presence, although I want him to get better and find balance. Being with his brother will help. I hate to say it, but it might be time to start trying to develop a cure of my own for pregnant women, and I don’t know where to start. How can I ask any of them to allow an experiment?
—Dr. Penelope Kim, Journal
Penelope leaned against the door to Lynne’s office, her head still aching. “I’m thinking of creating a concoction of Vitamin Bs, folic acid, Vitamin D and progesterone, if I can get the supplies. For the pregnant women. What do you think?”
Lynne looked up from her notes and twisted her lip. “I think it can’t hurt, but I’m not sure it’ll help. Scorpius is a bacterium.” She dug into her desk for a notepad and flipped through it. “When I was still with the CDC, we looked at different antibiotics—every antibiotic actually—and nothing came close to killing it. Until we discovered the B concoction.”
The B concoction wasn’t strong enough to save a fetus. “It’s possible a fetus has less of the bacteria in them and an antibiotic might help.” Although, which one would she choose, even if she had unlimited access?
Lynne frowned. “I don’t know, Penny. Any word on the other Bunkers?”
“No.” Frustration felt like pin pricks beneath her skin.
“Well, Tace and Sami are supposed to be back from the Century City Bunker any day, and maybe she will have deciphered that thumb drive. There has to be good information on it, or the president wouldn’t have wanted it so badly,” Lynne murmured.
Penny slipped her hand in her pocket. “Marcus mentioned a code and the thumb drive during his session with Vinnie. I’m thinking he might know something about it.”
“That
’d be awesome. Sometimes I wonder how much he learned while being used as an experiment, but it might be better for him if he never remembers all of that.” Lynne’s eyes clouded. “Jax said that Tace and Sami are bringing Zach Barter back with them, and maybe he knows something about a new concoction or even the thumb drive. Not that he hasn’t been questioned for months.”
Penelope didn’t want to know what consisted of questioning for Jax. Especially since Barter was the lunatic who’d infected Lynne and then shot her full of whatever had turned her heart blue. “In the records you reviewed before getting sick, did you find anything indicating that pregnant Scorpius survivors spotted before things went downhill?”
Lynne shook her head. “No, but that wasn’t my area. I was more focused on stopping the spread of the pandemic before I ended up with a blue heart trapped in a hospital.” She looked down at her chest.
“Well, you survived. That’s good.” The blue had something to do with the dye from jellyfish, which were known to rebuild themselves and were chock full of vitamin B.
“Yeah, I’m a medical miracle,” Lynne sighed. “Too bad my blood didn’t change with some miraculous cure.”
Penelope smiled. “That’d be nice, wouldn’t it? I have no doubt they researched your blood until you were a pincushion.” Whatever the concoction had been was long gone.
“Yep. With no results of consequence.”
Penny stretched her neck, not surprised that the headache held on.
The back door opened, and Lena walked inside, a doll in her hands. The guard shut the door and stayed outside. “Hi, sweetheart.” Penelope moved away from the door and walked toward the girl. “Are you here to see me?”
She shook her head.
Vinnie stepped out of her office. “You’re right on time. Come on in.” Her eyes twinkled and she smiled at Penelope. “Lena and I have fun once a week. We talk and see if she’s psychic.”
Penelope faltered and then headed for the shrink’s office. “Can I watch?”
Vinnie looked at Lena, who nodded, smiling. “Okay. Also, you should know, I might be psychic, too. If Scorpius changed the brain like we think it did, it’s possible new abilities have been enhanced, and some of us might be psychic. Or just crazy. I could go either way.”
Lena jumped up onto the sofa, crossing her jean-clad legs. Her hair was in cute braids to the sides of her head, and she wore a green shirt today.
“I have heard that some folks are more empathic,” Penelope agreed, taking the same chair she’d had earlier. “Of course, some are less so to the point of being sociopaths.” She wasn’t sure she felt any differently than before, but that didn’t mean others hadn’t had different reactions. These days, anything was possible. “So. How do you two test each other?”
“We play.” Vinnie dug a deck of cards with animals on them out of her side table and gave half to Lena. “I’ll go first.”
Lena mixed her cards together and then pulled one out of the pile, holding it up so Vinnie could only see the back. A smiling brown bear was on the front, wearing a pink ribbon in his hair.
Vinnie closed her eyes and tapped her lips for several seconds. Then she opened her eyes. “Dog with a spiked collar?”
Lena shook her head and flipped the card around.
“Hmm. Not even close.” Vinnie didn’t seem bothered. “Were you thinking really hard about it?”
Lena shrugged.
Penelope had been thinking about Marcus, but that was just a coincidence. She wasn’t even playing the game. Right?
Vinnie then held out a card, the blue back facing Lena.
Lena stared at it for a minute and then reached for a notebook that had been set on the table. Her lines were wobbly, but she drew what looked like…a chicken?
Vinnie flipped the card over to reveal an eagle. A cartoon eagle that looked kind of like a chicken.
Penelope cleared her throat. “How often do you two use these cards?”
Vinnie slipped the card back into place. “A lot. All the time, really.”
So it could’ve been a good guess. Or it could’ve been accurate. Did it really matter?
Heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway, and Marcus Knight poked his head in the door. He saw Lena and held out a hand for a high-five. The girl slapped his hand and smiled, emitting a slight giggle.
Penelope stilled. Vinnie straightened. Marcus didn’t seem to notice. “Hey, Docs. Penny? Want to grab dinner?”
Penelope shared a look with Vinnie and then acted casual. “Sure. I’ll let these two get back to their game.” She took his hand and led him out of the room, her brain spinning. Maybe Vinnie should get Marcus to play the game with Lena.
The girl had made a sound.
Night was falling outside, and while the rain had stopped, the horrible humidity had failed to return. Marcus led Penelope into the cafeteria, where he’d already grabbed two bowls of green soup and placed them on an old barrel with two lawn chairs.
Penny paused. “Is that a cola?”
He nodded, pulling out her chair. Several heads turned to watch them, other soldiers eating in the cafeteria, and he ignored them. If he still felt things, he’d probably feel like a dork. Good thing he didn’t give a crap. “Yes. Jax and I found them while scouting earlier.”
She sat, reaching for the soda like it was pure gold. Or what gold used to mean. “I haven’t had a soda in eons.”
“I know.” All supplies were supposed to go into the warehouse for cataloging first, but he’d filched this one, and Jax hadn’t seemed to care. “Thought you’d like it for your birthday.” He sat, knowing he should be fumbling or something, but that wasn’t him. He didn’t have those types of feelings, if he had any.
“I love it.” Slowly, as if savoring the moment, she flipped open the tab on top. Fizz sputtered out. Delight filled her eyes.
Marcus grinned. “I didn’t realize it would be this easy to make you happy.”
She laughed and reached for the can, taking a small sip. “Oh,” she breathed, looking like she had the other night right after sex.
His groin tightened and he adjusted his weight in the flimsy chair. Pleasing her pleased him. That had to mean something.
She held out the can. “Here.”
He shook his head. “It’s your present.”
She smiled, her teeth even and white. “And I want to share it. Have some.”
The doctor truly was a sweetheart. He took the can and drank, feeling the jolt of sugar in an instant, and then he handed it back. “I wish dinner could be better.” The green soup looked...green. Maybe some type of canned peas?
She shrugged and reached for her spoon. “We’re lucky to have food, and Manny always manages to make it edible. Plus, peas or beans or whatever is in here is probably good for us.”
The sugar had tasted beyond delicious, although the chemical aftertaste had been a surprise. Had cola always tasted like that? He couldn’t remember. “Any luck with the notes?”
“No with the Reno Bunker notes, and yes with the new Rippers. Bob Jones and Greg Andez were both part of the security force around the warehouses, and Rachel Liab was a scout. Jones is dead. Did you know any of them?” She ate some of her soup, drinking the soda once in a while as if savoring it.
“No,” Marcus said. “You?”
She shook her head. “Did you and Jax find any sign of the other two when you were scouting?”
“Nope.” He ate the soup, letting it warm his belly. Even so, he couldn’t tell if it was beans or peas, but either way, somebody must’ve found seasoning, because the stuff wasn’t too bad. “I think Jax just wanted to get out of here and spend some time together?” His brother had been trying to reach out since he’d rescued Marcus, and maybe it was time to make that easier. “The weight of the world, or what’s left of it, seems to be on his shoulders.”
Penny finished her soup. “He does seem stressed, although taking the entire territory north would do that. How’s your plan coming?”
They were
talking like a normal couple over dinner, and damn if that didn’t warm Marcus more. At least, this was probably how normal couples worked. Who the hell knew? “The plan is going fine.” He shifted, his skin suddenly too tight. “Um, Penny? You know this is temporary, right?” She had to find somebody good for her—maybe in the trek north. Or after getting settled in Oregon.
“So you’ve said.” She sipped quietly on her drink.
He pushed his empty bowl away. “I know, but even though we’re acting all normal, we’re not.”
“Says who?” She held the can as if it was something special.
“Everyone.” He gestured around. Most folks had gone back to eating, but a couple still threw glances at them once in a while. “I don’t feel stuff like other people. I don’t feel attachment or love.” She was a woman who deserved love.
She lifted her chin, meeting his gaze. “How do you know that?”
He paused. “Know what?”
“What attachment or love feels like to other people. Are you inside their brains? Their hearts? Their bodies?” Her voice was thoughtful with no judgment.
He sat back, his mind clicking but no puzzle pieces forming. “No.”
“Then how do you know what love feels like to them?” She took another drink. “You only know what you see, and most folks, including you, don’t show everything going on inside them. None of us do.”
She had a point, but so did he. Didn’t he? “They feel things differently. I know they do. Have you ever seen the way Jax looks at Lynne? Or the way that Raze looks at Vinnie?” He didn’t have that look inside him. Whenever he looked at Penny, he saw an angel who needed protection. From everything and everyone, including him.
“Sure, but how do you know what you look like all the time? It’s not like you carry a mirror around.” She took another drink, a bigger one, and then moaned in pleasure.
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