by Gini Koch
“That . . . makes sense. So, what promise do you want?”
“Help me get used to being a super. Jeff’s frightened, Chuckie’s frightened, I think James is frightened, too. I’m not, and that frightens them more. I don’t know how to be an A-C, so to speak. I have no idea how much more I’m going to mutate, what powers may come. I need to have someone I can go to when I’m scared, someone who’s going through the same thing but is willing to talk to me about it. I need you to be my A-C version of James—the guy I can go to who understands what I’m going through and will also tell me the truth.”
“Jeff won’t, and can’t, lie to you.”
“Jeff can’t, and won’t, tell me the truth all the time, either. He’s my husband. There are things he won’t tell me because he thinks the ignorance will protect me. He might be right. But we’re going down a scary road together, and there are times when I need to talk to someone who won’t get jealous or upset and who understands what I’m going through at the same time. I couldn’t have survived in this new world I’m in without James. I’m not sure I’ll survive the newer one without you.”
Christopher gave me a crooked smile. “You’re right. I’m not in love with you any more. But I still love you. You can run to me if I can run to you.”
I kissed his forehead. “That’s what friends, and family, are for.”
“I’m glad we’re both.”
“Me too.”
CHAPTER 40
CHRISTOPHER SIGHED, AND I felt him relax. “How much longer do you think they’re going to keep me in here?”
I looked at the various instrument panels that lined the one wall the patient couldn’t see. “I have no freaking idea. The pretty lights are all doing their flashy thing, like whenever Jeff’s in here. Still have no idea of what they mean.”
“Guess I’m not surprised. And also guess you’re not going to turn the table so I can see the lights.”
“I don’t think I’m supposed to.”
“And this has stopped you before when?”
“Good point.” I turned the table. I mean, he was restrained and calm.
Christopher stared at the light board. “Why am I still in here?”
“Because you need to be.”
He shook his head. “No, I don’t. The lights indicate I’m cleared . . . and have been for, God, hours.”
“Hang on.” I ran to the door and pounded.
Melanie opened it. “Are you okay?”
I dragged her inside. “Look at that board. What does it tell you?”
She stared at it. “Emily!” Emily ran inside, the Gower girls and my baby following. “Am I reading this right?”
Emily looked at it. “Why the hell is Christopher still trussed up in here?” She sounded furious. “He should have been taken off hours ago, maybe even yesterday.”
Melanie grabbed me. “You didn’t tamper with anything?”
“I took the feeding tube out and gave him some water. That was it.”
Emily was on her phone. “I need an analysis team down to Isolation, Commander White’s chamber, immediately.” She hung up and took every single needle and tube out of Christopher.
Melanie put her hand on Christopher’s shoulder. “Just need to verify some things, then we’ll get you out of here.”
I turned to the Gower girls. “Who was here, other than Paul and Richard?”
“Michael, but he didn’t go inside. Paul wasn’t here very long, from what he said.” Naomi sounded confused. “Paul would know what the lights mean, wouldn’t he?”
“Maybe.” Emily sounded brisk. “But his focus when he’s been here has been helping Christopher deal with withdrawal symptoms and soothing him. He might not have paid the status board any attention.”
“Richard would, wouldn’t he?”
“I don’t think he looked at it,” Christopher said. “He’s spent all his time in here talking to me, like you did, Kitty. Paul, too. I didn’t even ask them about the board, they were both so upset.”
Naomi handed Jamie to me. “Need to concentrate, don’t want her affected.” She leaned against Abigail.
Jamie gurgled and cooed at me. “There’s my baby cat.” Kissed her, did the Mommy Dance. It kept me from totally panicking.
I heard a mewling, and a Poof head stuck up out of my purse. “Man, I’m glad you have Toby,” Christopher said, sounding relieved.
“You didn’t send Toby to me?”
“No. I wasn’t supposed to bring it with me, but it was nice not to be completely alone. The Poofs aren’t exactly stress creators.”
Toby jumped out of my purse and onto Christopher’s shoulder. It started purring and nuzzling his neck.
“So, someone let Toby out. Or Toby let itself out.” We weren’t sure what the Poofs could or couldn’t do. They were androgynous and only mated when an Alpha Four Royal Wedding was imminent. Other than that, their ability to go huge and toothy, and their ability to travel at some kind of Poof hyperspeed, we knew almost nothing about them—except that they were adorable.
The analysis team arrived. All younger Dazzlers. Emily had them check everything, including the water, for contaminants. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when all were pronounced normal.
Melanie let Christopher out of the restraints. A part of me was waiting for him to actually do the evil laugh, attack us, and run off to start world domination.
What he did was stretch, bend over, and get the kinks out of his neck. Then he kissed the baby. And hugged me. “Thanks.”
“Any time I can stare at something with no comprehension but save the day, I’m glad to do it.”
Christopher laughed. “Good to know. Now, what I want to know is who the hell kept me in here, and why?” His Commander voice was on full. I felt tons better.
Naomi opened her eyes. “Chuck’s heading for us, dead run.”
“He’s furious, and worried about Christopher,” Abigail added.
I gave Jamie to Christopher. “Hold your goddaughter.” I trotted outside of the chamber to see Chuckie running toward us at full steam. He could have been on the track team with this kind of speed. “Ahead of you, only just.”
He skidded to a stop. “I hope to hell your husband’s kicking the asses of every one of your so-called Diplomatic Corps. How’s White?”
“I’m good. Sort of.” Christopher walked out, Jamie leaning against his shoulder. “Freedom. It’s so nice. Who did this to me?”
“The same damn people who hooked you in the first place.” Chuckie was so angry he could barely talk. “You don’t remember how you started shooting up, do you?”
Christopher and I exchanged a glance. “No, I don’t. Kitty asked me about that, and it’s all . . . not there.”
“Yeah, it’s not there because you didn’t actually do it willingly.” He took a deep breath. “Let me rephrase that. You did agree to take the drug, because they couldn’t have forced you unless you’d been willing in some way. But you were manipulated into it, and your memory was wiped. Once you’d shot up the first time, the drug kicked in and the subliminal suggestions they gave you helped make you want more. By the third time, you were hooked. Anyone would be, it’s that powerful.”
“Who, exactly, did this to Christopher?”
Chuckie looked at me. “Put it this way. I should have killed them at your wedding, not just arrested them.”
CHAPTER 41
“WE HAVE A DIPLOMATIC CORPS WHY?”
“They help us in Washington.” Christopher didn’t sound enthused.
“Uh-huh, yeah, I’ll bet.”
“Tradition,” Melanie added, also sounding unenthused.
“They provide that so-called needed check and balance,” Emily offered, sounding the least enthused of the three of them. I agreed with the lack of joy.
I looked around. “Let’s get out of this area.”
We headed back to the elevators. Christopher kept hold of Jamie, and Toby stayed on his other shoulder. They looked kind of cute and funny. I figur
ed he wouldn’t want me to mention that aloud.
“So, what’s the full story on the drug?”
“Most of what we got we already know. The drug was originally created to put both humans and A-Cs into suspended animation for long-range space flight. It was altered to focus on an individual’s strengths. In the case of regular humans, it makes them more like A-Cs if they have the capacity for it. In the case of regular A-Cs, it makes them stronger. In the case of those with talents, however, the results are less consistent but also much more advanced.”
“What about how the drug focuses on the negative emotions? Was that planned?” I wondered if it would affect me in the way it had everyone else. So far, I hadn’t noticed any unusual emotions, even taking my pre- and post-pregnancy mood swings in stride. I hadn’t had all that many, really. So maybe the drug was helping. I didn’t count on it, of course. Our luck almost never ran that way.
“No. The fact that the drug focuses on the id and enhances negative emotions is a by-product, not the main intent. They’re happy with that result, of course, but I’m fairly sure they want to find a way to control it.”
“Are they involved in the supersoldier project or projects?”
Chuckie shook his head. “No idea. I don’t think Clarence knows everything, and he certainly doesn’t know how the drug was perfected. However, I do think he knows who else may have been used as a test subject, in addition to Serene, Martini, White, and, essentially, you, Kitty.”
“More of our people are being drugged like this?” Christopher sounded pissed. Couldn’t blame him; the feeling was clearly mutual among our group.
“Can’t tell yet. There’s more there, but I think we need Martini or Mimi and Abby to try to read him. Later,” Chuckie added, as we reached the elevator bay. “I think we need to get the Diplomatic Corps under lock and key first.”
I pushed the button for the fifteenth floor. I wanted to go to the Lair as fast as I could get there. “Chuckie, is Fluffy with you?”
“Yes.” He mumbled it.
“Good.”
Upon hearing its name, Fluffy stuck its head out of one of Chuckie’s suit pockets. Purred at me, then spotted the Gowers, mewled with what I took to be joy, and leaped out of the pocket onto Naomi’s shoulder. Purred, rubbed, jumped to Abigail, did the same, jumped back to Naomi’s shoulder and sat there purring.
Naomi laughed. “Hi, Fluffy, missed you, too.”
“What’s the plan?” Emily asked me. “I mean, are we assuming Jeff and the others are okay?”
“I never assume that.” I didn’t. Our plans went awry at the drop of a shoe.
Left the elevators to see several Security A-Cs guarding one of the interrogation cells. Tito was with them. He came over as soon as he saw us. “How’re you feeling?”
Christopher shrugged. “Okay.”
“Kitty?” Tito had his Doctor Face on.
“Great. Worried but great.”
“Yeah.” Tito looked more worried than I was.
“What is it?”
He sighed as we went into the Lair. “I can’t reach any of them.”
I stopped walking and turned around. “By any of them, I assume you mean Jeff, Paul, James, and the others?”
“Right.”
“Com on!” Chuckie, Christopher, and I shouted that in unison. Too worried to let it freak me out.
“Yes, Commander Martini, Commander White, and Sometime Supreme Commander Reynolds? You bellowed?”
“Gladys, what’s the status at the Embassy?”
“We’ve been monitoring since Commander Martini left. No change. We still have the Diplomatic Corps inside and no one else.”
“Hang on. How many people is that?”
“Twelve. We have six diplomatic couples.”
“So there are no servants, no children, no adjuncts, no random A-Cs or humans who were there when it locked? Just the twelve of them?”
“Yes.”
I looked at Chuckie. “How easy would it be to fake?”
“They’ve had plenty of time to plan for it. I’d figure easy.”
“Christopher, can you see Jeff?” I did my best to sound calm and cool, not panicked and freaked. Failed.
He closed his eyes. I considered taking Jamie from him, but they both seemed okay. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “He’s outdoors.”
“How can you tell?”
“He’s wet. I can see rain hitting him.”
“Landmarks?”
“Not . . . really. I can see a circular turn with cars in it. Paul’s with him, James is too. Who else could be with them?”
“Michael, Amy, Kevin, Tim, and four of your A-C agents.”
“I see Kevin. But not Michael, Amy, or Tim. At least, not with Jeff.” I could tell he was concentrating. “Jeff looks angry, but he’s not hurt. Same with the others with him.” He winced. “Amy looks terrified. Michael seems scared. They’re with Tim. He’s hurt, but not badly.” Christopher was quiet and then opened his eyes. “They’ve tortured and killed the other agents.”
CHAPTER 42
“HOW DO YOU KNOW?” Chuckie’s voice was low.
“I just watched them kill the last one. They’re using them as lab rats.” Christopher handed Jamie to me very carefully. “We need to get to Jeff and then get to where they have the others.”
“Where is that?” Chuckie had his patient voice on.
I answered. “Jeff’s outside the Embassy. They think the others are inside. But no one’s inside, it’s a trap, rigged to get whoever goes inside it. They weren’t chasing Tim, they were herding him.”
“That’s a pretty big leap, Kitty.” Chuckie didn’t sound unconvinced.
“Dude, you trained me up in the conspiracy theories, and there isn’t a psycho or megalomaniac around I can’t feel the love with. The others are in France, probably Paris. But why can’t we reach Jeff by phone?”
“Weather?” Tito asked.
“Proximity,” Chuckie replied without missing a beat. “Whatever’s causing Security to ‘see’ twelve people in there is probably interfering with the phones.”
“James just crossed the street,” Christopher said.
I dug my phone out and dialed. He answered on the second ring. “James, don’t go in the Embassy!” Jamie fussed at my voice level. Christopher shook his head and took her back from me.
“Stop screaming, girlfriend. What’s going on?”
“Get the others over to where you are, away from the Embassy!”
“Stop shrieking, I need my hearing.” I heard him shout something.
“They’re moving to where James is.” Christopher sounded relieved.
“James, I need to talk to Jeff.”
He sighed. “Sure, break my heart.”
“Still love you best, want to keep you all alive, that sort of thing.”
“So you claim. Here he is. Your woman.” I heard the phone pass.
“Why are you calling us? We’re in the middle of an operation.”
“Don’t go in the Embassy!”
“Baby, why the hell are you screaming at me?”
“Do not go in the Embassy! It’s a trap.”
“Yeah, well, we figured something when Michael and Amy tried the subtle approach.”
“What did they do?”
“Went to the door and pretended to be stranded and seeking shelter from the storm.”
“Whose idea was that?”
“Amy’s. She’s not as good at this as you, but she can sure get into the same amount of trouble.”
“So what happened?”
“Door opened, they went in, door slammed shut. Called Michael, cell phone dead or inactive.”
“Yeah, they’ve got something on or around the Embassy scrambling signals. We couldn’t reach any of you until James crossed the street. There’s probably no one in the Embassy, but it’s a trap. By the way, get the hell out of the rain before you get sick.”
“How do you know it’s raining? I mean still. I know we got the weat
her report hours ago.”
“Christopher has new, fun talents, similar to Serene’s. Look, it’s scary bad, only, thankfully, not where you are. Get back here, fast. We have to get to Paris.”
“No ‘we’ involved in that.” I heard him bark some orders, and I was pretty sure I heard the word “floater.” “You are staying put with Jamie. Do you understand me?” He had his “growly man in charge” voice on. It was the voice he somehow always thought I’d obey, even though I never did.
“Yes, I do. Jeff, they’re experimenting on them. If you barge in, they’ll experiment on you, too.” My voice was heading to the dog-only register.
“We’ll be fine.”
“Like hell! You’ll be in trouble. Tim’s hurt but still alive, Michael and Amy are alive; they’ve already tortured and killed the four agents with them, though.”
Jeff was quiet for a few moments. “How do you know this?”
“Christopher. Scary expanded talents. So expanded he knows we should send a baby gift to Jareen and Neeraj so it arrives when they discover they’re pregnant.”
“How is he?”
“Happy to be out of isolation hours later than he should have been, undoubtedly due to that bastard your sister’s married to. Of course, from what I can tell, all your sisters married jerks.”
Chuckie shook his head. “Jerks, yes. Traitors, no. At least, not all of them.”
“Chuckie says not all your sisters married badly. Hurrah. Get out of the rain, and please, please come back here and go to Paris from a gate out of the Science Center. Please.” Normally I begged like this when we were having great sex. This was not my preferred trade off.
Chuckie took the phone from me. “Or you can let her stay here with me. I’ll protect her. Better than you. And, you know what? I’m betting there are plenty of things I can do for her better than you can. Things I know she likes.” The way he said it, it was obvious he was insinuating bedroom things.