“Zoe died yesterday, right?”
“That’s right. She passed away at 9:43 yesterday morning.”
“So if an autopsy is allowed we could have answers within a day to weeks depending on what they find.”
“Yes, which means the sooner the autopsy is started, the better.”
Given Cate was traveling to Chicago, I knew she’d be busy, but as usual, she didn’t leave me empty-handed.
“Will you help me handle the media? The public knows and trusts you. We need your face for this.”
Sweat erupted along my brow. Public speaking again?
“Relax, it’s not as bad as you think.” Cate’s soothing words strummed through the phone line. “I need you in Des Moines at ANN headquarters tomorrow for an interview. Can you get there by early afternoon so you’re ready for their evening news slot? They’d also like you to spend the night so you can appear on their morning show the following day.”
“Just two interviews? For the evening and morning show? That’s it?”
“That’s right. Only two. Even with your injuries, I figured it wouldn’t be too taxing.”
I took a deep breath. I’d do it for my friends. “Okay, I’ll be there. Since it’s only a four-hour drive to Des Moines we should arrive in plenty of time for the evening interview.”
“Thank you.” Cate’s voice softened. “I always know I can count on you.”
Hearing the relief in her words only reaffirmed that my reprieve from work had truly ended. As much as I knew Davin didn’t approve of my plans, I couldn’t sit at home while a public health crisis unfolded around us.
After Cate and I hung up, I called my parents to let them know I was okay, and then Amy to see how things were going at the Compound.
From there, I studied the unknown number on my phone. A voicemail waited from it. Frowning, I tapped the screen.
“Meghan, it’s Makayla, Bethany’s sister. We met when my sister came to you for help.” She paused and sniffled. “Sorry . . . it’s been an emotional week, but would you please call me? Bethany . . . she did something she shouldn’t have. Please call me if you can.”
She rattled off her phone number.
My heart rate accelerated as I peeked over my shoulder. Davin was in the bathroom taking a shower. The sound of running water filled my apartment.
With a shaky finger, I tapped in Makayla’s number. She answered on the third ring.
“Meghan? Is that you?”
“Yes, it’s me. I just got your message. Is Bethany okay?”
A quiet sob came from Makayla’s end. “No, she’s not.”
I gripped the phone harder. “Why? What happened?
“After we visited you and talked to that doctor at the Compound, we drove back to Minneapolis. Your boss told us to go home since there was nothing to be done right now. I knew it could take a while before you found a cure, and I thought Bethany knew that too, but then the news started talking about that little girl in Chicago, and I think Bethany panicked. She . . .” Another sob came.
“What? What did she do?”
“She found some local doctor and asked him to do surgery on her. I didn’t even know until the clinic called me yesterday from the operating room.” She laughed hysterically. “And I thought she’d gone out to see some old friends.”
My stomach dropped. Operating room?
Makayla sobbed again. “She almost died on the operating table, just like your doctor said she could.”
“She really tried to have surgery?”
“Yeah, even though your doctor warned her not to!”
“Where is she? Is she okay?” My voice rose with each word.
“She’s still in the hospital. They said it will take a few weeks for her to heal from the cuts they did trying to remove her wings. I guess they cut her pretty deep. But when she started bleeding, they called off the operation.”
I closed my eyes. Blood pounded in my ears. Why, Bethany? Why did you do it?
But I already knew the answer.
She was desperate.
And when I couldn’t help her, she’d taken matters into her own hands.
Movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention. Davin stood quietly in the hallway, a towel wrapped around his waist. His intense blue eyes burned brightly.
Bringing my attention back to the conversation, I said, “Tell Bethany that we’re doing everything we can to find a cure, and she’ll be the first to know when we do.”
Makayla replied shakily, “Yeah, yeah, I’ll tell her.”
After we hung up, I dropped my phone at my side. I still had a few messages to listen to, but at the moment, I couldn’t.
In a flash, Davin’s arms were around me, and he was pulling me to his chest. Drops of water still clung to him, dampening my shirt.
He held me as quiet tears trailed down my cheeks.
“Bethany almost died, Davin. And all because we couldn’t help her.” I relayed what Makayla had told me, how Bethany had sought out a doctor willing to try surgery despite Dr. Fisher’s warning.
“Shhh . . .” He ran a hand down my back. “You’re not responsible for what she did. She knew the risk.”
“But she’s so desperate, and a cure would fix it. She wouldn’t need surgery then.”
He merely held me as my heart bled for all that Bethany had gone through.
I wasn’t sure how long we sat like that, but as the minutes ticked by, my tears slowly dried. Taking a deep breath, I pulled myself back together. His arms loosened when I picked my phone back up.
“I better see who else called.” I showed him the other messages waiting in my inbox.
He kissed me softly on the neck before gently picking me up and placing me on the couch. “I’ll get dressed and start making dinner. It’s almost five.”
“Oh . . . right.” Once again, I’d completely forgotten about eating.
In a blurred move, Davin was dressed and in the kitchen. From the sounds of it, his movements didn’t slow during any of it.
I blinked when Davin appeared again. He sat on the couch, watching me. His azure gaze followed my every move. Delicious scents from the dinner he’d prepared carried from the kitchen.
I cocked my head at him.
He leaned forward. “It’s in the oven. It’ll be ready in an hour.”
Once again, his sheer power and speed took my breath away. Only five minutes ago, he’d left to start dinner.
“I was just about to call the twins. Should we video call them?”
He smiled. “Yeah. We can talk to my mom too.”
Sara answered the phone call immediately and quickly called for Sharon and Sophie to join her.
Since we used the video feed, Davin and I were able to see the three of them as they crowded around the twin’s phone. Behind Sharon were the old oak cabinets in her kitchen. It appeared she and the twins had piled around the kitchen table while Sara held her phone in front of her.
Sharon’s auburn hair was swept into a bun. Tendrils framed her face. Like Davin, her eyes were large and electric blue. But her normally warm demeanor was absent. Worry had etched itself into her expression.
The twins were no different. Forced smiles flashed across their blue-skinned faces. Silky, blond hair covered their heads, but each styled it differently. Sara’s hair was pulled back in a ponytail while Sophie’s was loose and hanging around her shoulders.
“It’s good to see you’re back. It’s been a . . . uh . . . eventful week.” Sara’s smile grew even tighter.
“Yeah, I can imagine,” Davin replied grimly.
Biting her lip, Sophie asked, “So what does Zoe’s death mean? Will we be locked up again?”
“No!” My reply was immediate and absolute. “It’s impossible that Makanza killed Zoe.”
The twins shared a worried look.
“But that’s not what the news is saying.” Sara frowned. “And that senator said we should be locked up again.”
My heart pounded harder at the fear i
n her words. “He can’t. It’s against the law.”
“But if they overturn the law . . .” Sharon pressed her lips firmly together. “But no, they can’t do that. They just can’t!”
I wanted to reassure them more, to tell them that this would all blow over and nothing would come of it, but the reality was—I didn’t know if it would.
“I’m going to Des Moines tomorrow to appear on ANN. With any luck, I’ll be able to help ease some of the tension this has caused.”
“I hope you can.” Sophie’s words sounded small. “Because I can’t go back to Reservation 1 or Compound 26, Meghan. I just can’t.”
10 – APPEAL
When morning came, I woke at my usual time as Davin slumbered beside me. I crept out of the bedroom so I wouldn’t disturb him. With any luck, I’d be back not long after he woke.
I hadn’t slept well during the night. Thoughts of Bethany kept plaguing me as did the twins’ worry and Sharon’s fallen expression. I needed to help all of them, and the only way to do that was to stop Makanza once and for all.
And while helping Cate with public relations was a step in the right direction, the only way I could truly stop Makanza was if I joined Division 5. And the only one who could grant that admission was Dr. Sadowsky.
My apartment door creaked closed as I snuck out. My plan was to find Amy and learn as much as I could about Division 5 before approaching my boss to see if he’d let me join.
The sky was still dark when I drove down the access road toward the Compound. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I approached the main gates. Two weeks hadn’t passed, and since Dr. Sadowsky stated I wasn’t allowed to work until then, I wasn’t sure if I’d be admitted.
Biting my lip, I rolled down my window apprehensively. Cold wind blew into my car when I pulled up to the first checkpoint. In the dark, the snow looked like gray mounds glittering in the moonlight.
An MRRA security guard stepped forward and bent down. A bulky parka covered him along with the standard hat and gloves that all MRRA officers wore.
When he pulled down his scarf, my eyes widened. “Sergeant Rose!”
“Dr. Forester!” Davin’s former guard’s surprise mirrored mine. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I didn’t expect to see you either.” I shivered as another cold gust hit me. “I’ve never seen you at the perimeter. Did you transfer departments?”
“No. I’m just covering for another guard. It’s been a while since I’ve done a perimeter night shift in the dead of winter. I think I’m too old for this.” He laughed.
I smiled at his joke. “It’s a bit different than the warm watch room.”
“Or your lab.” He cocked his head as the heat kicked on from my dash. Wrinkles lined his middle-aged face. “Speaking of which, are you supposed to be working in your lab right now?”
I ducked my head. “Technically, no.”
“That’s what I thought. I heard you were banned.”
Crap. “Am I not allowed in?”
“Nothing that extreme, but we were directed to alert Dr. Sadowsky if you showed up.”
Double crap. “How much time do I have before he knows?”
Winking, he replied, “Let’s just say I won’t send a message for another twenty minutes. That should buy you enough time to reach the lab.”
He took my purse to search and then scanned my access badge. After he finished the admittance procedure, he leaned against the roof of my car. “You look like you’re feeling all right, are you?”
“Yes, I’m much better. I haven’t taken any pain meds today.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I couldn’t believe the news when I heard you were shot. I always thought Dr. Roberts was a bad guy, but I never thought he’d go that far. I’m just glad you’re okay.” Shaking his head, he added, “Speaking of that, have you heard from Davin? Do you know how he’s doing?”
The curiosity in Sergeant Rose’s tone was genuine. Since he’d been Davin’s Monday through Friday daytime guard for almost seven years, he’d spent plenty of time with the Kazzie. And last year, when I’d desperately tried every means possible to break through Davin’s walls, Sergeant Rose had been the one to help.
I shaded my eyes when I looked up at the guard. The bright perimeter lights above cut through the night. If anyone employed by the Compound cared for Davin, it was Sergeant Rose. I knew I could tell him the truth. “Yes, I’ve heard from him. He’s . . . uh . . . actually at my apartment right now.”
I expected shock or disbelief to roll across the guard’s face.
Instead, his expression brightened. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all year. So you two are together now?”
“Yes. As of last week, it’s official.”
“Good. If any two people are meant to be, it’s you two.”
“So you’ll keep our little secret?” I still didn’t know how the MRI would react if they knew I’d become romantically involved with my former research subject.
All joking left Sergeant Rose’s demeanor. “I’ll take that secret to my grave.”
“I knew you would.”
Shivering again, I was about to say goodbye and roll up my window when Sergeant Rose added, “Say, Meghan. Do you think Davin would be up for a visit from me? Maybe I could . . . I don’t know, go and see him today?”
I smiled. “Yes, actually, I think he would enjoy that very much.” I rattled off my apartment’s address and how to get there. “When do you get off work?”
“The night shift ends in thirty minutes.”
It was almost seven in the morning and considering Davin didn’t know anyone in Sioux Falls except me, I didn’t think he had plans to go anywhere.
“I imagine he’ll still be in my apartment when you get off. I’ll send him a message to make sure he stays there. I’m sure you two have a lot to catch up on.”
“We do. Thanks, Meghan.”
Sergeant Rose and I said goodbye, and I hastily typed in a text to Davin before pulling forward and hurrying to park and reach my lab. Even though the guard wouldn’t report my admittance for twenty minutes, I knew it was only a matter of time before Dr. Sadowsky cornered me.
When I reached the lab, the door swung open with a hiss. I stepped onto the metal platform overlooking the lab below. Only Amy was working, but Charlie and Mitch would probably arrive within the hour.
Holding the railing, I took the steps easily but wasn’t able to jog down them like I usually did. While I was getting better, running was still out of the question.
“Meghan!” Amy’s red curls swished around her shoulders when she looked up from her lab station.
Our lab’s twenty-foot tall white walls towered around us. Lab benches and equipment filled the area.
“What the heck are you doing here? You know you’re not supposed to be back at work yet.”
“I know.” I dropped my purse on the bench. Considering I could be kicked out at any minute, I hadn’t wasted time stopping at my office to drop it off. “Which means we need to talk fast. Tell me everything you know about Division 5.”
Amy grinned. “I was wondering when you’d want to know more about it.” She snapped her gloves off and propped her hip against the bench. “They’ve begun recruiting more scientists. Dr. Sadowsky asked if I wanted to be one of them.”
My eyes bulged. “Really? Where are they stationed?”
“California. Compound 3 has been the main facility since the group began.”
My eyes widened. “You’re moving to California?”
Amy’s smile broadened. “Yep, for a while at least. We’re flying there in the MRI plane next week.”
My heart beat faster at how quickly things were moving. “So who are the other researchers in Division 5, and why has it been kept a secret?”
Amy rolled her eyes. “From what I’ve heard, they didn’t want the Kazzies or public knowing. If they did know, that could have prevented the Kazzies’ release since the public may have insisted a cure be found first.
As for who’s involved—Compound 3 is where this all went down. They have a small team of MSRG scientists—only five of them, hence Division five. But now that the secret’s blown, the team is drastically expanding. Those of us chosen to join the team are heading to California next week.”
“And what have they discovered so far?”
“That, I don’t know yet.”
I bit my lip. Two weeks will have passed by the time Amy and Dr. Sadowsky fly out. “Do you think Dr. Sadowsky would be open to me joining Division 5 too?”
She arched an eyebrow. “That’s a good question. I guess the only way to find out is to ask him.”
FIVE MINUTES LATER, Amy and I were sailing down the halls on the way to see our boss.
“Do Mitch and Charlie know about Division 5?” My words sounded excited. Just the mention of the secret group created a hum of anticipation in me.
“Yeah, it’s not classified anymore, so I told them the same day I told you.” Amy’s feet tapped on the floor as we trailed through the never-ending white corridors.
“Will Mitch and Charlie be involved? And do you have any idea how Division 5 will be run now that everyone in the MRI knows about it?”
“Nope, Mitch and Charlie weren’t invited, and I don’t really know any more than what I’ve told you. Maybe Dr. Sadowsky can enlighten us.”
We rounded the corner to the elevators. For the most part, I’d walked at a normal pace. My chest didn’t hurt except for a slight twinge when I reached for the elevator button.
Within a few weeks, I’ll be back to normal.
Two other researchers waited in the elevator area beside us. I managed a thin smile when they eyed me curiously. When one leaned down to whisper to the other, I knew they recognized me.
I scoffed. Everyone in Compound 26 recognized me, even more so than the general public.
“Yeah, yeah.” Amy rolled her eyes. “It’s Dr. Meghan Forester. It’s not like you’ve never seen her before or that we don’t hear your whispers.”
I smothered a smile. Leave it to Amy to call out the elephant in the room.
Following Amy’s comment, the researcher stood straighter and cleared his throat awkwardly. His co-worker smiled as his cheeks turned pink. The ding of the elevator saved all of us from further embarrassment.
The Complete Makanza Series: Books 0-4 Page 96