The Complete Makanza Series: Books 0-4

by Krista Street

  I met his stare despite fear quaking inside me. “I’d like to know how the Kazzies from Compound 26 are doing.”

  “I’m sure you would.” He crossed his arms, a smug look on his face.

  “Where’s Davin?”

  “He’s contained.”

  I gripped the chair tighter. “Contained where?”

  Dr. Roberts cocked an eyebrow. “Is this why you came here? Twenty questions?”

  “I came here to ensure that he’s safe.”

  Amusement entered his eyes. “He’s just fine.”

  I made myself breathe deeper and used the chair to steady me. Since Dr. Roberts seemed hell-bent on not revealing anything, I tried a different tactic. “The president is aware of what’s going on here.”

  “I’ve heard.” His gaze turned hard.

  He has? I knew if I dwelled on that, I’d lose my train of thought. Shaking myself, I said, “If she hears of how you’re treating Davin, you’ll be removed from your position.”

  He smirked. “Why do I find that hard to believe? The president knew certain measures would need to be taken. She approved a number of the practices here. I’m calling your bluff, Dr. Forester. You don’t fool me.”

  I swallowed tightly as an angry expression grew on my former boss’ face.

  “And just so you know,” he said coldly, “I’ve heard you’ve been busy. Just yesterday you were in Washington D.C. From what I hear, you were once again trying to sabotage my career. This time you were asking the president herself that I be removed from my position.” Fury emanated from him.

  For a moment, I just stared. If he knew about my meeting with the president then he had insider contacts in the nation’s capital. It seemed that Dr. Roberts’ reach stretched wide and far.

  He has even more power than I’d realized.

  “I . . .” I cleared my throat as I felt myself losing this battle. “You have to understand my concerns. At Compound 26, you hardly treated the Kazzies fairly.”

  He sneered and stepped closer. I resisted the urge to step back even though the tips of his shoes nearly brushed mine. “So that warrants you trying to fire me? That warrants you again interfering with my career? And for what? Your damned love for those Kazzies?” Rage glowed in his eyes.

  “I just want them safe. That’s all.”

  Dr. Roberts’ gaze stayed on me. Silence filled the room before he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He smirked again. “I have something to show you.”

  “What?” I eyed the phone warily.

  He hit a button and a video opened. My breath sucked in. It showed Davin and my friends by the entrance gates to the reservation. There was no sound, only our silent images. A flash of me appeared in the background. It’s a video of the day they were admitted to the reservation.

  “What is this?”

  Dr. Roberts smiled as the video continued. The recording jostled and swung to the side. Dr. Roberts appeared in the frame. He stood behind me.

  In the video, I spun slowly toward him, my long hair whipping around my shoulders. You couldn’t hear what we said, but it didn’t matter, only a few words emitted from our mouths before Davin lunged at my former boss.

  I gasped as the struggle ensued. I’d seen it firsthand, but somehow, seeing it on video made it seem a hundred times worse. It looked like Davin was an out-of-control, dangerous man. Dr. Roberts looked like an innocent bystander.

  That’s not at all the reality!

  The video cut out after Davin was drugged and the guards helped Dr. Roberts to a stand. My hands shook. I could barely get my next words out. “Why did you show me that?”

  “Because I’m going to show this to the world. They’ll all see what your Kazzies are like and why they need to stay contained.”

  My entire body began to shake. Frustration constricted my throat, making it hard to speak. “You know that Davin’s not normally like that! You know that you tortured and abused him for years! You treated him appallingly and never paid the price for it!”

  “Well, Dr. Forester,” my former boss pocketed his phone, “that’s simply your opinion. You have no proof of that.”

  It felt like the room was spinning, like I was on a horrible never-ending roller coaster ride. Taking deep gulping breaths, I said, “What do you want? What do I need to do so you don’t show anyone that?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think I’ll negotiate with you?”

  “Because you’re not the only one who can blackmail. I have access to the Compound’s archived video feed. I can pull up the videos of you torturing the Kazzies, of the barbaric practices you’ve done to them. I can show that to the world.”

  His smile disappeared. Never mind that I could never do that without incurring the president’s wrath. She was aware of Dr. Roberts’ previous actions yet still decided to keep him in charge. She wanted to maintain the façade of order and control. I could only hope he never learned that, otherwise, he could call my bluff.

  Crossing his arms, my former boss leveled me with an icy stare. “You don’t have the guts to do that.”

  I squared my shoulders. “Go ahead and show the world that video. You’ll see what happens if you do.”

  With a furious growl, he turned and stormed to the opposite side of the small room. He paced the room as his hands clenched into fists. “I still have control of them! I can still drug Davin for as long as I want!”

  Hearing that he was indeed drugging Davin made my stomach sink. “You can’t keep doing that! You could kill him!”

  Dr. Roberts stopped pacing. His eyes brightened in manic glee, and in that moment I saw it. He’s crazy. He’s completely insane!

  “You have no control here, Dr. Forester. I’m still the Director. I make the decisions on how dangerous Kazzies are contained.”

  He’s not going to stop. No matter what I say, he’s going to keep abusing Davin. I knew my only chance at keeping Davin safe may fall on the officials that the president promised to send to the reservation. But what if she doesn’t? Or what if they never find out what’s really going on?

  With a deep shuddering breath, I wracked my brain for what I could do. I didn’t have much time, but I needed to do something. With my mind racing, it suddenly dawned on me what Dr. Roberts may agree to. It was exactly the kind of thing that would please him. It felt like my heart ripped from my chest when I said the words. “I have a proposal for you.”

  “A proposal?”

  I licked my dry lips and nodded tightly. “I know you blame me for what happened at Compound 26, that you feel it’s my fault you left your job there. So what if I promise to never come back here? You know how much that would hurt me. It would be an eye for an eye. If you promise to release Davin from where he’s being kept, and if you promise to not drug him, I promise to never speak with or contact the Kazzies again.”

  Dr. Roberts crossed his arms. An aching ten seconds passed. “You’ll never set foot on the reservation again in exchange for Davin being released and not being drugged?”

  I nodded shakily. “Yes.”

  He laughed. “An eye for an eye. It does seem quite fitting. You’ve tried twice now to ruin me. And since I can’t ruin your career since you’re the golden girl of the MRI, it does seem fair to take the next best thing from you. Your Kazzies.”

  The world around me grew smaller and smaller. He’s going to do it. He’ll agree to this. It felt like the ceiling was caving in on me. I gripped the chair back more. Breathe, Meghan. Just breathe.

  When I finally felt like I could speak, I said, “If I never come back here, and if I never speak to them again, you’ll give me your word that you won’t harm them?”

  “Yes.”

  I felt like I was making a deal with the devil. I swayed against the chair. Keep it together, Meghan!

  “I’ll need more than just your word. I’ll need proof that they’re not being drugged.”

  His gaze hardened. “Fine. What kind of proof do you need?”

  I th
ought quickly. “Weekly blood tests from not only Davin, but Sage, the twins, Victor, Dorothy, and Garrett too. I’ll process those samples myself to ensure that they’re truly from them. If the DNA doesn’t match up, and if I find any hint of drugs or barbiturates in any of their systems, the deal’s off.”

  His nostrils flared. “Fine. Weekly blood tests, but that’s it. That’s all you’re getting.”

  I swallowed audibly. A part of me screamed to not do it. My heart bled inside at the thought of giving up Davin. Of giving up ever seeing or speaking to him again.

  The other part cried at how he would react. He’d think I’d left him. He’d think I’d done as he’d said and given up on him. I wasn’t sure what hurt more.

  But it will keep him safe. For the time being, he’ll stay safe, and Dr. Hutchinson and I will continue our work and hopefully have Dr. Roberts removed from power. If he’s removed, I’ll get to see Davin again.

  My soul burned brighter as a new purpose flashed to life inside me. To bulldoze the fence around Reservation 1 and integrate the Kazzies back into society. To forever eradicate the barriers the Kazzies faced in our culture.

  It was the only thought that kept me going. Knowing that the possibility still lived of this all going away, of this nightmare fading and morning once again coming, the sun once again brightening my life—a life that had plunged into darkness.

  Taking a deep breath, I stood straighter and said in as firm of a voice as I could manage, “All right, Dr. Roberts. You have a deal.”

  26 – SAYING GOODBYE

  I left the reservation shortly after that. It was only when I’d been escorted to my car by Dr. Roberts himself that it truly sank in what I’d done.

  I’d given up Davin.

  I’d given up my friends.

  But I’d done it all to keep them safe.

  When I started my car, I tapped on the mental door that linked me to Sara. I knew what I needed to do, but it didn’t make it any easier.

  She answered readily. Meghan? Where are you? How’s it going? Did you see Dr. Roberts? Are they going to let us out?

  I inhaled deeply. My fingers shook as I shifted my car into drive. Yes, I saw him. He’s going to let Davin out of wherever he’s being kept, and he’s going to stop drugging him.

  Sara squealed in glee. Oh, Meghan! That’s wonderful! How did you do it?

  I . . . I knew the time had come. I’d known as soon as I made the deal with Dr. Roberts that I’d have to do this too, but I didn’t want to accept it. I didn’t want to face it. Not yet.

  I need you to know something, Sara. I need you to know that I love you like a sister.

  I know. Of course, I know that. Her tone turned wary. What’s wrong? You’re sounding weird.

  And please know, no matter what happens, that will never change.

  Okay, Meghan, you’re scaring me now. What the heck’s going on?

  I’ve decided to do what Davin keeps telling me to do. I swallowed tightly. I’ve decided to move on and put all of this behind me. Davin’s right. I need to find someone on the outside. I can’t keep fighting for all of you.

  What?

  The pain in her voice almost undid me. Forcing the tears back, I continued. Tell Davin he’s right. I need to give Mitch a shot. It’s time to try to make my own life out here. So now, I have to say goodbye.

  Goodbye? What do you mean, goodbye? Meghan?

  She waited for me to explain, but I couldn’t. If I told her about the deal Dr. Roberts and I had made, it would inevitably get back to Davin what I’d done.

  Sara would do her best to keep it a secret, but it was only a matter of time before she slipped or said something she didn’t mean to. She had so many people in her head. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d accidentally let something through.

  And I couldn’t let that happen. If Davin knew what I’d done, if he knew that Dr. Roberts had threatened me, he’d fly into a rage. He wouldn’t care that it would get him locked up. His safety wouldn’t occur to him. He’d again go after my former boss, and I knew then our deal would be off. Dr. Roberts would be forced to drug Davin and keep him contained.

  And if keeping him contained led to an accidental drug overdose . . .

  My heartbeat increased wildly.

  I couldn’t let that happen.

  I forced myself to take a deep breath. The only way to ensure that Davin believed I’d stopped seeing him was if I’d done it on my own free will. If Davin thought I’d finally followed his advice and decided to forge a life for myself without him and the Kazzies holding me back, he’d accept that I was gone.

  He wouldn’t fly into a rage. He wouldn’t hurt my former boss or any of the MRRA soldiers. He’d quietly accept that I was gone and always would be.

  It was the only way. It was the only way I could keep him safe.

  Meghan? Meghan, talk to me! What’s going on?

  I ignored Sara’s anxious cries. In the back of my mind, I felt the connection that tied me to Sara. It was like an invisible thread that connected our psyches. It was there. Always there. Only now, I needed to make it go away.

  I’m sorry, Sara, but it’s time for me to start my life anew. Tell Davin that he’s right. I need to begin my own life. Tell him that . . . I swallowed tightly. Getting out the next words was harder than I thought they’d be. Tell him that Mitch and I have decided to start dating. Davin’s been encouraging me for weeks to be with Mitch, so that’s what I’m going to do.

  She started to argue and frantically asked me what I was talking about, so I said the one word that I dreaded saying more than anything.

  Goodbye.

  And with that, I cut the string.

  I felt our connection disappear, the way a breeze snuffs out a candle. One second it was there, the next it wasn’t. I wanted to cry at how easily it was broken.

  Tears poured down my face as my car sped along the highway. The morning sun shined overhead. Birds flew across the horizon. The world kept turning.

  Yet to me, the world had stopped. Everything that I loved and cherished fell behind me as the miles passed by.

  I kept telling myself it was for the best. Davin and my friends would be drug-free. Cate and I would continue working to free them, but it could be months, even years, before that happened. But for the time being, they’d be safe.

  It was now possible they’d be allowed to live normal lives until I found a way to get them out, yet all I could think about was how I’d just said goodbye to the only sister I’d ever had, and I’d just turned my back on the only man I’d ever loved.

  SECTION 12

  Book 3

  1 – TWELVE WEEKS

  Twelve weeks.

  That was how long ago I died.

  Not physically but spiritually. For the last twelve weeks, my body breathed, ate, and lived, but inside, it felt like my soul had died.

  Twelve weeks ago I left my friends on Reservation 1—the old Cheyenne River reservation in northwest South Dakota.

  I’d made a deal with the devil, and now, I was paying the price.

  Each week I received blood samples from Dr. Roberts, the reservation’s new director. Those samples were obtained from my seven friends infected with Makanza: Davin, Sara, Sophie, Victor, Dorothy, Garrett, and Sage. I processed their blood to verify that the DNA matched their profiles. I then screened their samples for drugs.

  They always came back clean.

  It was the only thing that kept me going.

  They’re not being drugged. They’re not being abused. I’ll continue to stay away.

  I kept telling myself that I’d done the right thing. I knew I had, but it didn’t make it any easier. In the fifteen months I’d been employed by the Makanza Research Institute, I’d made true friends, a true enemy, and fell so deeply in love with one man that I didn’t think I’d ever recover.

  It made my daily existence that much harder. But staying away was what I needed to do to keep him and my friends safe. So that was what I did.

 
“Why the sad face, Megs?”

  I jumped when Mitch rested his hip against my lab bench. Forcing a smile, my hand stilled over the blood samples from my seven friends who used to reside within Compound 26.

  “Sad face? I didn’t realize I looked that way.”

  He leaned against the bench, his lab coat draping open. One of his comedic T-shirts appeared. If you believe in telekinesis, please raise my hand.

  A genuine smile spread across my face. “Nice shirt.”

  He glanced down, his large hands spreading his coat open wider. “Thanks. This is a new one. I wore it just for you.” He winked.

  Shaking my head, I stored the blood samples. I kept all of them in my personal lab freezer. I knew it was weird to keep them, but it was all I had of Compound 26’s former Kazzies. It was possible I’d never see Davin or my friends again.

  Cold air swirled out from the freezer when I bent down and opened the door. A few of the glass tubes rattled when I pushed last week’s samples to the side.

  Even though Dr. Cate Hutchinson, our political team, and I had worked tirelessly to free the Kazzies for the past few months, they were still prisoners on the reservation. Until our government held a new vote, and only if the American people voted to free them, the Kazzies would stay contained. Indefinitely.

  As carriers of the Makanza virus, the public was afraid of them. Healthy, uninfected people wanted them isolated. I snorted quietly.

  Never mind that every living, breathing citizen in this country has been vaccinated against Makanza. A vaccine that’s 100% effective.

  My finger hovered over Davin’s blood as cold air swirled around my hand. Bright blue eyes flashed through my mind. With it came the image of a tall, muscular man. His face appeared next. Deep-set eyes, a straight nose, high cheekbones, and black hair that brushed the tops of his ears. As half Lakota Sioux, his skin was the shade of honey and fire.

  He was beautiful.

  I didn’t have a picture of him. Luckily, I had an eidetic memory, so all I had to do was close my eyes when I wanted to see him. His image readily appeared. It was as detailed and crisp as if he stood right in front of me.