“Gentlemen, have a lovely morning.” Amy smiled sweetly as we stepped into the elevator.
I kept my gaze averted and joined her.
We took the elevators to the fourth floor. Dr. Sadowsky’s office was on the south side of the Compound. Emma, his secretary, greeted us with narrowed eyes when we approached her desk.
“Dr. Forester.” Her frosty gaze slid over me. “I believe you are supposed to be off work resting right now.” Her tone reminded me of our first encounter—when I’d called Dr. Sadowsky repeatedly after being fired from the Compound last year. However, he’d never answered my incessant phone calls, Emma had.
“Hi, Emma.” I subtly glanced at my watch. Over twenty minutes had passed since I’d been admitted. No doubt, Sergeant Rose had alerted the Director to my whereabouts by now.
As if on cue, the Director’s door opened. Dr. Sadowsky shook his head when he saw me.
“Meghan, I see that you’re once again defying my orders.” He stood ramrod straight. As usual, he wore a business suit and silk tie—his tall, elegant manner was unfailingly intact. At over six feet with graying hair and sharp blue eyes, he was striking.
But while his words were direct, his gaze swept over my injury with worry. Despite his annoyed disapproval, I knew he had my best interests at heart.
I stepped closer. “I’m much better now, and honestly, I didn’t come here to work today. I’d simply like to be updated on Division 5. It seemed talking to you and Amy in person would be more effective than a phone call. If you can spare a few minutes, I’ll then be on my way.”
His eyebrows rose. “You’ll be leaving, as in going home to rest as soon as you’re updated on Division 5?”
I twisted my hands. “Yes.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. I would be home for the rest of the morning before Davin and I left for Des Moines. And it wasn’t like the interview with ANN was entirely work-related since it was to help Cate, not Compound 26, but it was still mostly work-related. Still, I knew the Director wouldn’t approve, so I kept Cate’s and my future plans to myself.
“Very well.” He stepped aside and ushered us into his office. “I can spare a few minutes. Amy, I take it you’re the one who informed Meghan about Division 5?”
“I did.” She pushed a strand of red, curly hair behind her ear. Glittering green eyes, now filled with worry, shifted my way. “I was told it was no longer confidential.”
Dr. Sadowsky closed the door behind us, thankfully. I could still feel Emma’s piercing gaze needling into my back.
“That’s correct. I was simply curious who’d informed her. I knew once you found out, Meghan, that you would inevitably be interested in returning to work, especially given the recent news stories.” He gestured to the deep-seated armchairs in front of the bookcase by the large windows.
The Director’s office was huge. It was easily five hundred square feet with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the snowy prairies below. The sun had finally risen. Gray clouds filled the sky, giving a heavy oppressive feeling to the land. The world outside appeared bleak, reminding me of old black-and-white movies set during the Great Depression.
After settling on the chair, I rested my hands in my lap. “So what can you tell me about Division 5?”
Dr. Sadowsky crossed his legs and steepled his hands. “It’s comprised of a very small team of five MSRG scientists.”
I bit my lip. “And what have they discovered to date?”
“I don’t have the specific details, but the latest brief indicated the most recent generation drug is showing vast potential in the trials done on mice. It’s possible they’ll begin human trials within the month.”
My eyes bulged at the same time Amy’s mouth dropped.
“They’re that close?” I asked.
“Perhaps. We’ll know more when we arrive.”
“About that . . .” I leaned forward in my chair. “I was wondering if I could join you. It will have been two weeks by the time you fly out.”
My boss sighed. “I figured that’s the real reason you came.”
“I’ll be fine by then, I’m sure of it,” I said in a rush. “Already, I’m feeling a hundred times better, and I know the virus’ makeup better than anyone. I’m sure I can be an asset to the team.”
I held my breath as I waited for his response.
Dr. Sadowsky’s brow furrowed. He leaned back in his chair. It squeaked quietly. “You do seem to be moving better from the report I was told . . .”
“I am, and I haven’t taken pain meds in two days. I’ll be 100% by next week, I’m sure of it.”
He sighed heavily. “Very well, but I’ll need a doctor’s note stating that you’re fit to return to work.”
A grin spread across my face as I nodded emphatically. “Of course, whatever you say.”
Amy gave me the thumbs-up sign when our boss glanced away. From her expression, I knew she was as happy as me. I bit my lip. But will Davin be?
When we stood to leave, my mind spun with everything that Dr. Sadowsky had revealed. If they were close to human trials, then they’d already made a breakthrough with their current drugs.
We’re already months ahead of anything I could have hoped for!
There was a spring in my step when we walked through the door. My thoughts drifted to my Kazzie friends as Amy turned to shake the Director’s hand. Dorothy had tried repeatedly to lose weight. For months, she’d cut calories and exercised daily, but none of it worked. Strain 8 would never allow her to be thin.
She’ll probably want a cure. It’s not just Bethany who isn’t happy with the Changes made in her. I should tell Dorothy and Bethany about the human trials so they can participate if they want. They could be two of the first Kazzies cured!
I pictured the other Kazzies, the ones who looked different. They may want the cure too. Not everyone was as lucky as Davin. Nobody would ever know he was a Kazzie unless they saw his mind-numbing speed or inhuman strength. It was easy for him to hide and blend in.
But the others . . .
The vast majority of Kazzies had been physically Changed by their strains. They stood out like neon-vested hunters in the woods. Most likely, none of them could venture outside without being stared upon.
“Meghan?”
“Hmm . . . what?” I snapped my head up.
Dr. Sadowsky and Amy both looked at me expectantly. Crap. I missed something. It wasn’t the first time that had happened. Whenever I became consumed in my thoughts it was like the rest of the world shut-off.
Dr. Sadowsky clasped his hands behind his back. “I was just saying that I’ll need your doctor’s note before you’re allowed to board the plane.”
“Of course, I’ll be sure to get one.”
Dr. Sadowsky nodded curtly. “Then perhaps we’ll see you next week.”
With that, he walked us to the elevators before we parted ways. Back on the main floor, Amy accompanied me to my car. Even though she didn’t have a coat, she still braved the bitter wind outside.
“That would be fantastic if you joined us!” Her green eyes glittered with excitement while a strong gust blew red curls around her shoulders.
It would be the first time Amy and I had ever traveled together to another Compound for work.
“It would be fun,” I agreed. “I’d love to work with someone there who I know.”
Just the thought of all the new directors and Makanza Survivor Research Group scientists made my palms sweat. Even though I’d been learning how to better manage my social anxiety, I still had my moments.
Amy waved me off after I slipped into my vehicle. My grin didn’t fade during the entire ride home. Come next week at this time, I could be in sunny California working with a dedicated team of scientists to find a cure.
The thought of Bethany’s expression, when I invited her to the human trials, made my smile stretch even wider. But my smile disappeared as I remembered Zoe. If anyone else died before we found a cure, it could be too late—the public could
turn completely against us and no cure would help that.
11 – THE INTERVIEW
The roads were mostly clear on our drive to Des Moines. Davin drove while I leaned back in the front passenger seat. Memories of our brief trip down south fluttered through my mind, like leaves falling on an autumn day. They brought a smile to my face.
“What are you thinking about?” Davin glanced over as we sped by snowy fields on the two-lane highway. As usual, he wore a t-shirt and jeans. Not even South Dakota’s fiercest winters diminished his heat.
“Just our trip last week. Driving like this reminds me of it.”
Strong muscles rippled in his forearms as he gripped the wheel. “You do know that was the first trip of many, right? As long as I stay free, we’ll have years ahead of us to explore this country.”
A chill settled over me, dimming my good mood. “It’s not as long as. You will stay free.”
The thought of him not being with me, of not having him at my side . . . I couldn’t think of it. Just the idea of him locked up again . . . My hands shook.
Taking deep breaths, I gripped my knees.
He placed his large, warm palm over mine. It felt so good. Already, my fingers were ice. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
I shrugged the feeling off. “It’s okay, but that’s why we’re taking this trip, right? To assure the public that Zoe Mathison couldn’t have died from Makanza. Something else killed her.”
Biting my lip, I stared out the window. When Davin began to remove his hand, I grabbed it and held it between the two of mine. I needed him close right now. As much as I wanted to believe that our future was secure, I wasn’t naïve. Without a cure, every Kazzie was at risk of future imprisonment if public hysteria grew too strong.
At least he’s coming to California with me. We won’t be apart. I’d told Davin about my meeting with Dr. Sadowsky this morning. While Davin was resigned to me joining Division 5, I knew he still wasn’t happy about it. But he’s going to come. He’ll be at my side.
When my heart finally felt like it beat steadily, I let go of Davin. “So how was your visit with Sergeant Rose?”
A hint of a smile ghosted his lips. “Good. Really good, actually. It was nice to see him again.”
“You two certainly spent a lot of time together.” As Davin’s Monday-Friday daytime guard, Sergeant Rose had been with Davin consistently during his seven-year imprisonment within Compound 26.
“We did. Too bad I spent so many of those years ignoring him.” He laughed.
The sound warmed me. It was good to see that Davin had let go of the rage that had consumed him when we’d first met. I knew Sergeant Rose had helped with that. It seemed at times that the middle-aged guard and I were the only ones within the MRI who truly cared about Davin’s well-being.
“He has a lot of respect for you.”
Davin glanced over as we sailed around a turn in the road. “I have a lot of respect for him too.”
His gaze grew distant, and I could only imagine what memories he was reliving.
Since he seemed lost in his thoughts, I pulled out my phone and tapped in a familiar number.
Cate should be in Chicago by now. With any luck, she’d give me an update on how progress was coming with the autopsy. Once the autopsy started, it was only a matter of days, possibly longer, before we knew what really killed Zoe Mathison.
“I was wondering when I’d hear from you.”
Cate’s brisk tone made me smile. “You’re in Chicago?”
“I arrived last night. I’m at the hospital now and am about to meet with the family.”
I sat up straighter. “Do you know yet why the autopsy hasn’t been conducted?”
She made a guttural noise, almost like a growl in frustration. “The coroner said he was specifically instructed by the CEO of the hospital to not conduct the autopsy against the parent’s wishes. As for why the CEO would instruct that, I have yet to uncover.”
“So does this mean the autopsy is now underway?”
“It will be shortly. I’m going to talk to the parents first, but we’ll start it this afternoon with or without their consent.”
I rested my head back against the seat. “I hope they take it okay.”
“They’ll have to,” Cate replied grimly. “Whether they like it or not, they don’t have a choice in the matter.”
WE REACHED DES Moines an hour later. America News Network’s headquarters was located on the south side of the city. The building was large yet simple. Glass windows interweaved the steel structure. The modern design contrasted with the older brick buildings across the street and the ancient diner on the corner.
Davin glided the car into a parking spot. Biting my lip, my gaze traveled across the snowy lot. Around thirty other cars filled the spaces—evidence of the network’s small size. While ANN was our national news station now, after the fall of the major networks during the First Wave, it was by no means a powerful corporation. Most nights and mornings, it was one of two newscasters. And the correspondents who traveled to areas of the country for news coverage weren’t more than half a dozen.
So much had changed in the past ten years.
“Who do you check in with?” Davin asked after cutting the motor.
“I’m supposed to go to the main desk by three this afternoon.”
It was just after two.
“We’re early.” Davin rested his elbow on the windowsill. “Do you want to check into the hotel first?”
“No, I’d rather know what I’m getting into. Let’s see if they can provide a list of questions I’ll be asked. With any luck, I can have rehearsed answers for the segment tonight.”
“Do you want me to come in with you?”
My hand stilled on the door handle. We were about to enter the largest news station our country now had. Davin was a Kazzie. It was inevitable some of ANN’s reporters had seen him before when reporting on the reservation.
He leaned closer and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I can see those wheels churning in your mind. I’m guessing you’re also debating if it’s wise for us to be associated together here.”
I relaxed under his feathery touch as my eidetic memory roared to life. Memories flashed through my mind with images of reporters that had traveled to Reservation 1. Scenes filled my mind, like snapshots from a camera. With lightning speed, my brain filtered through them.
When I felt confident that I’d identified each ANN reporter to have ever seen Davin and me at the perimeter, I smiled. “Only two were present on the occasions we were together near the fence. Neither is local. Both are affiliates who only report on long-distance news stories.”
He shook his head in amazement. “Unbelievable. How did I snag a genius for a girlfriend?”
I laughed as cold wind blew into the car when I opened my door.
He unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car.
It was a briskly cold walk to the door. I kept my head down and scarf pulled up.
Davin hurried ahead. While he moved fast, he didn’t turn into a blur. Who knew if anyone inside was watching.
He had the door open when I reached the entrance. Gliding into the entryway, he stepped ahead of me at the last moment and opened the second set of double doors.
ANN’s entry opened to a high-ceilinged spacious lobby. Black tiles covered the floor, a curved desk waited directly ahead, and potted ferns filled the shaded corners. A hint of fresh paper smell hung in the air, while a subtle hum from the heating system reached my ears. The adjacent walls were covered with windows, allowing natural light to spew in.
At the curved desk, two receptionists worked. Directly behind them was a solid, freestanding wall with the large letters ANN printed on it. Several awards hung below it.
Each woman wore headphones with attached microphones. Their fingers flew across their keyboards while they stared at computer screens. A shrill call rang on the main line, getting a jump out of me. One absently reached for it and clicke
d a button before bringing her hand to her headset.
The other continued tapping away on her keyboard.
Since both seemed busy, I hovered a few feet back and waited patiently.
Davin, however, boldly stepped forward and rested his forearms on the tall receptionist desk. He then drummed his fingers, the tapping loud enough to be heard over the receptionist’s voice as she spoke to the caller.
The other woman glanced up. Her eyes widened when she saw Davin.
Davin still didn’t seem aware of how he affected women. Since being freed from the reservation, and mending things with me, a new, playful side had emerged in him.
It was a side I loved since he didn’t seem as dark or angry anymore. Instead, he was a tall, broad shouldered, devilishly handsome man who smiled much more readily. Couple that with cobalt blue eyes, raven black hair, and honey-hued skin tinged with fire, he was also drop-dead gorgeous.
Despite his looks, the most alluring aspect about Davin was that he had no idea how attractive he was. Right now, I imagined the receptionist’s heart was fluttering inside her chest as she reached a hand up to smooth her hair.
An ache filled my belly at how much I loved him. It didn’t occur to me to be jealous. I knew he was all mine, but it didn’t stop me from wanting him as much as I did. Wanting him in a way that we hadn’t experienced yet.
No sense in thinking about that. He may be more carefree now, but he’s still just as stubborn. Until I’m fully healed, nothing is going to happen in that department.
The receptionist finally took her headset off and smiled brightly while her co-worker continued to take calls and work on her computer.
The woman’s gaze stayed on Davin, never once shifting my way. “Yes, sir? How may I help you?”
Davin raised his eyebrows and gestured toward me. “I believe you should be asking Dr. Forester that question.”
With a startled glance, as if just realizing someone else stood beside the tall, half-Lakota Sioux, her head turned my way.
The Complete Makanza Series: Books 0-4 Page 97