Angel in Waiting

by Sharon Saracino

  “That was never my intention, and it’s unfortunate, but she’s alive isn’t she? It was imperative Chen never realize her true nature. If he suspected for a minute, she would have been fodder for experimentation. That or he would have simply killed her outright as he threatened to do every time I objected to anything he wanted. How do you think he kept me in line all these years? The only way to ensure her safety was to do whatever it took to drive her away once she was old enough to take care of herself and then make him believe I was glad to see her go.”

  “So how did he find out the truth? Someone sent animorti looking for her. I gather it wasn’t you?”

  “He still doesn’t know the truth. But he’s never stopped looking for her. She’s always been his leverage, you see, and I think he was afraid I would refuse to cooperate unless he could use her against me. He never realized I continued to cooperate to lessen his urgency to find her. He’s had the phone lines in and out of this place bugged for years, so when she called…”

  “He managed to narrow the search area. That’s how you knew where to send the letter,” Dimitri finished in a grim tone.

  “Exactly.”

  “If he knew where she was, why didn’t he just grab her?”

  “He decided he didn’t want her getting in the way or finding out too much. It was enough that he made sure I knew he could do so at any time.”

  “When do you expect him back?”

  “Back? Oh, he hasn’t left. He’s over in my library enjoying a brandy and gloating over having captured a Defensori. The entire lab complex is laced with Hell forged steel and the living quarters are separate, which is why you probably can’t feel him. My assignment was to create a retro-virus designed to kill Earthbound. His plan is to have me inject you to confirm the efficacy and then develop a distribution plan to infect you all.”

  “So we’ll have you to thank for our ultimate annihilation?”

  “Of course not,” Gatewick’s lips curled derisively. “But Chen doesn’t know that. Oh, he’ll find out eventually and then he’ll kill me, but at least I’ll be the one paying for my naiveté.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I’d been quite happily conducting independent genetic research when my brother and his wife, Arabella’s parents, were murdered. Ambushed in a cheap motel and stabbed to death. My sister-in-law was Earthbound, so I knew Fallen had to have been involved for a knife wound to take her life.”

  “Hellblade?”

  “One would assume. Chen approached me out of the blue shortly after their deaths and offered to provide unlimited financial backing for both my cryogenics business and my own personal research. That’s a carrot any scientist will bite if you dangle it in his face. Chen also claimed to be Earthbound himself, someone who was working against the Fallen. As a human, I couldn’t feel his evil and had no way of knowing the truth. I saw it as an opportunity to avenge the death of my brother and his wife. I began to suspect the truth when Chen told me of his lifelong quest to discover the whereabouts of a deadly poison that could destroy anyone or anything evil it touched—human, demon, or Fallen. I knew exactly what it was, of course.”

  “The Ampule of Tears,” Dimitri let out a long slow breath. “Damn Michael and his youthful indiscretions. How did Chen get his hands on it?”

  “He didn’t. My brother had been a Librarian. Centuries ago, the Order had obtained the ampule from one of Aandalena’s descendants, who wisely decided it was far too dangerous to be out in general circulation. When Lawrence left the Order to marry, the ampule was entrusted to him and his Earthbound wife for safe-keeping. The Librarians figured it was better to transfer it out of their possession lest someone discover its existence and begin to question their claims of neutrality.”

  “Why the hell didn’t they just give it back to Michael and take it out of circulation permanently?” Dimitri spat.

  “I don’t know, but again I would reference their concerns of being perceived as having taken one side over the other. Anyway, as soon as Chen mentioned it, I understood. I also understood why Lawrence and Penny had died. Why they’d left Arabella on my doorstep and gone on the run. They’d tucked the ampule in with her things along with a note explaining what it was and that I was to keep it out of Fallen hands at all cost. I knew then exactly what Chen was and that my family had died by his hand. He was hoping to acquire the poison and bastardize it into something that would kill Earthbound instead of Fallen. Failing that, he’d bought himself a scientist to create a virus to do it. But by the time I figured it all out, he had me by the balls. All he needed to do was threaten Arabella, who he believed was my daughter. She was just a baby at the time, so I had little choice but to play along if I wanted to keep her safe.”

  “So you’ve actually been working against him all these years?”

  “Not overtly perhaps, but in my own small way. My first priority was to ensure he never found out the truth about Arabella, that she was actually half Earthbound. Instead of a means to destroy the Earthbound, I initially used Chen’s money to develop a virus that temporarily inhibits Earthbound powers. It required periodic injections to maintain the virus at a level that ensured the abilities remained completely suppressed, but it allowed me to keep Arabella’s true nature hidden for years. Instead of fairy tales and bedtime stories, I told her about the Earthbound and the Librarians, hoping that if she ever managed to escape, she would seek them out and learn the truth about her parents and who she was. Are her powers returning?”

  Dimitri nodded shortly.

  “Good. I had no idea what the cumulative effects of the virus might be. I did have concerns that after so many years of the booster shots I might have…” Gatewick swallowed hard. “Well, anyway, while Chen believed I was working on his goal, I was really working on my own. Development of a retrovirus whose genetic code could be manipulated to infect him with the poison in the vial, spread it to the other Fallen, and kill them all.”

  “And?”

  “Haven’t even come close,” Gatewick shook his head slowly. “That’s not how the poison was designed to work and because it was created supernaturally, it doesn’t conform to the laws of science.”

  “Where’s the ampule now?”

  Dimitri felt the color leave his face as Gatewick dug into the pocket of his pants and held up a small, golden vial encrusted with gemstones.

  “You’ve been carrying the damn thing around with you all these years? Don’t you think that’s just a little irresponsible, all things considered?” Dimitri growled.

  “Well, perhaps it would be if it contained anything more harmful than a simple saline solution,” Gatewick offered Dimitri a conspiratorial grin. “With the exception of the tiny sample I extracted to work with, which I destroyed when I was unable to convert it, I transferred the original contents to another receptacle years ago. It’s securely tucked away in a safe deposit box in Lucerne. I figured if Chen ever discovered Lawrence had passed the ampule to me and was able to get his hands on it, the only thing he’d stand to gain would be a pretty little bottle worth nothing more than its weight in gold.”

  “Well, when this is all over, we’ll need to retrieve the original substance and return it to Michael. In the meantime, don’t worry. You won’t need the poison or a virus to kill the bastard. I’ll be more than happy to take care of that for you with my own two hands.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Maybe you should have used a little more war-paint. You’re pale as a ghost,” Alec cracked as he handed Elle from the back of the limo.

  Gripping his fingers tightly enough to fracture bone, Elle glanced nervously at the camera above the entrance to the facility and smoothed a palm down the side of her navy wool jacket before tugging the hem into place.

  “Yeah, well, I feel like one. This isn’t a visit I ever thought I’d be making,” she answered while privately crowning herself the Queen of Understatement. “If this whole plan goes due south, you can get us out of here, right?”

&nbs
p; “In a heartbeat, sweetness. Now try to look like a woman who’s concerned with nothing in the world beyond the safe relocation of her cryogenically frozen potential bundles of joy, okay?” Alec grinned, slipping an arm around Elle’s shoulders and gently steering her toward the entrance.

  Elle stiffened and shuffled along beside him trying not to drag her feet in the three-inch heels.

  “And it probably wouldn’t hurt if you acted as though you actually liked me a little since we are supposed to be a crazy in love young couple desperate to have a child. Loosen up, kiddo.”

  “I do like you Alec and I am crazy in love, it just happens to be with someone else,” Elle retorted sharply, then blew out a breath and lifted her chin determinedly. “I’m sorry, it’s this place. I can do this, really. I just needed a minute to get myself together. This isn’t exactly a case of John-Boy coming home to Walton’s Mountain, you know. Being here doesn’t exactly give me the warm fuzzies. I’m ready now. Let’s start the dog and pony show.”

  Alec kept a firm grip on her as he reached for the tinted glass door with Gatewick Cryogenic Sperm and Embryo Storage written in small, white block letters. A flock of butterflies rising into her throat, Elle remembered Dimitri’s instructions and did her best to discreetly breathe in through her nose and out through her mouth without looking like a panting dog. Rivulets of sweat trickled down between her breasts as the door whooshed closed behind them and she blinked rapidly. She looked around like a wild animal caught in a trap as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim interior.

  The lobby reeked of expensive elegance with sleek modern furnishings in shades of teal and brown and thick, plush carpeting as opposed to the standard commercial grade. Classical piano music tinkled faintly in the background. The only other sound disturbing the stillness was the sharp staccato of the receptionist’s nails on the computer keyboard on the counter in front of her. She looked up brightly as they approached the desk, moved the laptop she’d been working on to the side, and stood to greet them. About Elle’s height, with golden blonde hair pulled into a tight knot at the nape of her neck, she exuded cool competence. She was also a complete stranger. Elle released a restrained sigh of relief. The woman hadn’t been employed when Elle was here, therefore she was unlikely to recognize her, disguise or not. The blonde held out a hand, first to Elle and then to Alec, lingering over Alec’s a little longer than Elle thought was strictly professional.

  “Good morning and welcome to Gatewick Cryogenics. I’m Yvonne. How can I help you today?”

  Elle opened her mouth to speak, pausing to clear her throat when no sound was immediately forthcoming. “Hello. I’m Jennie Barrow and this is my husband Alec. We’re relocating from the West Coast and we’re interested in transferring our embryos to a location nearby,” Elle said in a voice that sounded shaky even to her own ears.

  “You’ll have to excuse my wife,” Alec offered his most charming smile complete with dimples. “This whole infertility issue has been very difficult for us both. This will be our second move in three years and the last time we transferred embryos…well, let’s just say it didn’t go very well. We’re both more than a little nervous about doing it again. Still, it’s not really feasible to fly cross country for implantation.”

  “I understand completely,” Yvonne responded in a mechanically soothing voice as she moved from behind the counter and gestured toward a small furniture grouping across from the reception desk indicating Elle and Alec should precede her. “I’m so sorry about your previous experience. I can assure you Gatewick has an excellent track record with transfers and we work very closely with the transferring facility to ensure everything goes smoothly. What can I tell you to help put your mind at ease?”

  “Well,” Elle began with deliberate hesitance. “Can you tell us a little about Gatewick’s overall process for embryo transfer?”

  “Of course,” Yvonne smiled. “Well, first of all, you don’t need to do a thing. Gatewick Cryogenic will arrange every detail. Once your completed embryo storage contract and paperwork is received, we will contact your current storage facility and schedule the transfer of your embryos to Gatewick.”

  “And how exactly does the transfer occur?” Alec leaned forward in the micro-suede club chair that was comically inadequate for a man of his size, propping his elbows on his knees and favoring the woman with an intensely earnest look. Elle gave him props for his acting skills. He really appeared to be deeply concerned about the fate of his fictitious unborn children.

  “All embryos are shipped in liquid nitrogen dry shipper tanks and transported via private courier. The dry shipper tanks keep the embryos frozen for seven days from the date shipped but that’s simply a precaution as all shipments within the United States are sent using priority overnight delivery.” Yvonne reached a beautifully manicured hand to select a brochure from a plexi-glass holder on the small chrome and glass table next to her chair and held it out to Elle. “I think you’ll find all of the information you’re looking for in here, but of course I’m happy to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have.”

  When Elle continued to grip her hands together in her lap and stare at the pamphlet as though it had teeth, Alec reached for it instead and flipped it open. His dark brows knit together as he scanned the contents, and Elle couldn’t help noticing the appreciative glances Yvonne was sneaking in his direction. Elle pressed her lips together tightly. Okay, so maybe she and Alec weren’t actually a couple, and maybe he was extremely pleasant to look at—okay, he was freakin’ stunning—but Blondie had no way of knowing they weren’t happily married and her obvious interest annoyed Elle on principle alone. Of course, Alec could read the woman even better than Elle could and if he could successfully distract the woman by feigning interest, it would certainly work in their favor. With a pointed look at her ‘husband,’ Elle reached over and plucked the brochure from Alec’s fingers.

  “We’ll have to look it over and get back to you,” She snapped, jumping to her feet.

  “Of course,” the woman replied smoothly while rising gracefully to her feet. “Let me just assure you our facilities are equipped with the latest technology. Embryos are stored in state of the art vapor phase liquid nitrogen tanks. This area of the Northeast takes some heavy hits from ice storms in the winter so it’s imperative we’re not dependent on electricity to keep embryos frozen. Our cutting edge technology provides for the storage of specimens in the vapor phase one hundred percent of the time and our storage tanks are monitored twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The safety of your embryos is as important to us as it is to you.”

  “I doubt that,” Elle snapped.

  “Well, of course I only meant…” the blonde stammered.

  “I’m sorry,” Elle lied, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger, hoping she looked suitably contrite. “This whole process…well, it’s just very stressful. Especially after…” Elle broke off in a choked voice, sniffling softly and swiping at the corners of her eyes.

  “I understand completely,” Yvonne assured them in a slightly cooler voice.

  “We appreciate your time.” Alec rose to his feet and slung a beefy arm around Elle’s shoulders, gave her a squeeze, then held out his other hand to Yvonne. “We’ll look over the information and get back to you later in the week, but it certainly sounds as though Gatewick Cryogenic offers everything we’re looking for.”

  “I’m sorry, but before we leave, do you have a ladies’ room I could use?” Elle asked.

  “I told you to go before we left home,” Alec teased.

  “Bladder the size of a lima bean, I’m afraid.” Elle offered the receptionist an apologetic smile.

  “Of course. Just down the hall there, take the first left.” Yvonne smiled briefly at Elle and then turned the full force of her professionally enhanced smile on Alec.

  “You know I can read your mind, right?” Elle heard Alec’s amused voice in her head and her gaze snapped in his
direction.

  “Yeah, well then you know I think Blondie missed her calling…maybe she should rethink her career choice. She’d make a great Santa since she’s got the ho-ho-ho part down pat.” Elle thought back sourly, Alec’s deepening dimple confirmed she’d successfully sent the thought back to him. Her heart leapt at the realization that if she could now communicate telepathically with Alec, then surely she could do the same to find Dimitri once she managed to disable the security. Assuming she actually could disable the security.

  “Remember what we discussed. Find the door, locate the scanner, see if the chip gives you access, and then get your ass right back out here. No deviations from the plan, Elle. Got it?”

  “Absolutely. Got it. No deviations. You just play nice with your new girlfriend while I check it out. Gotta go and pretend pee now, buh-bye.”

  Elle stretched up to peck Alec’s cheek like a good “wife”, and offered him her most dazzling smile. “I’ll be right back, darling.”

  “Don’t make me come looking for you, sweetheart,” he warned in a teasing voice Elle knew was for Yvonne’s benefit alone. The message he conveyed to Elle with a look was anything but lighthearted.

  Elle tuned out Alec’s flirtatious banter as she hurried down the hallway as familiar to her as her own reflection in the mirror. Quickly passing the doorways of the tastefully appointed restrooms provided for the use of the center’s clients, she yanked open the door marked ‘Private’ at the end of the hallway, slipped inside, and pulled it closed behind her with a muted click. Leaning back against the door to support legs turned to rubber, Elle closed her eyes and waited for the blood pounding in her ears to quiet. Blowing out a long breath through pursed lips, she looked around the small vestibule and was hit with a serious case of déjà vu. To the left was the door that opened to a tunnel leading to her old home, her old life, the endless years of lies and subterfuge. Her chest tightened at the realization Gatewick’s betrayal still had the power to hurt her. It was unexpected, but she supposed she shouldn’t be surprised. When you discover the only family you have in the world regards you as nothing more than a clinical specimen, a means to an end, it damn well should hurt. Elle swallowed hard and swiped a finger under each eye. Enough. She was here to free Dimitri, not kiss and make up with the man who created her. That ship hadn’t just sailed, she’d jumped in a lifeboat and paddled off in the opposite direction a long time ago.