by Sophie Davis
“We have a critical mission in the coming days,” Gretchen declared. “This is most personal to me, and I need each of you to play a part.”
A holo image of a little boy appeared beside her. His angelic blue eyes stared vacantly, though his expression still conveyed fear.
“UNITED agents have kidnapped my grandson.” The Dame turned to look at the blond cherub, and Cressa’s heart dropped. Who could be so evil to involve a child in the war and genocide?
“We must rescue him,” the Dame continued. When she returned her gaze to the audience, tears welled in her ice-blue eyes. “Will you help me save my grandson’s life?”
Cressa nodded vehemently. She was on the right side in this war.
Chapter Seventeen
Talia
It took ten seconds of alertness to remember what happened. The attack, the fight, the fall.
“Alex!”
I bolted upright, leapt from the bed, and made it all the way to a door before I realized nothing in the room was familiar. The door I yanked open led to a closet. Alarm sent my senses into overdrive. My vision adjusted to the darkness, and I started cataloguing the surroundings. The closet, devoid of clothes; oil paintings of septuagenarians; window seat and reading nook, curtains drawn; skylight with only scant moonlight coming in; wardrobe, also empty; bed covered in a burgundy comforter with—
“No, no, no, no,” I moaned. I backed away from the bed and the TOXIC emblem emblazoned on the comforter.
A different door, not the one to the closet, opened. I didn’t hesitate. The visitor went flying backward, slamming against a wall in the hallway. I ran for the rectangle of light now seeping into the room, fully prepared for a daring escape to freedom.
As I ran past, I saw who was lying on the floor.
“Erik!”
“I was just coming to check on you,” he said warily, staring up at me through watering eyes.
“What’s going on? Where are we? And why,” I flung my arm toward the open door behind me, “is there a TOXIC symbol on the blanket in that room?”
Erik got to his feet, a small smile on his lips.
“Penny,” he said simply. His expectant expression made me uneasy.
“What?” I asked, glancing down.
My attire was a navy t-shirt, gray cotton pants, and mismatched striped socks. At least I had clothes on. Why was my boyfriend giving me that weird, bemused expression? Definitely wasn’t the outfit.
“What?” I repeated.
“How do you feel?” Erik asked.
I shrugged. “Fine. I mean, I’m stiff. That bed must be super hard.”
“Sure. Either that, or maybe it’s from the super hard rooftop you landed on.” Erik’s turquoise eyes narrowed. “Do you remember falling?”
“Of course. I was shot—”
I was shot.
I yanked the neckline of the t-shirt to one side and then the other, searching for an injury that wasn’t there.
“You had a few broken bones, too,” Erik informed me.
“Had? How long have I been asleep?”
He smiled. “Few hours.”
I considered that. A few hours later, and I was completely restored other than stiffness that could’ve been from a hard mattress. There was one other time I’d been knocked unconscious while injured and come to uninjured.
“One of the Clearwood kids can heal?” I guessed.
Erik nodded. “Phi. He’s a natural healer, apparently. He patched you up on the flight here.”
“Where exactly is ‘here’?”
“Virginia,” Erik said, holding out a hand. “Let’s get you something to eat and I’ll explain everything.”
I laced my fingers with his. “Alex? Is he…?”
“Sleeping. He’s fine.” Erik refused to meet my gaze as we traversed a long, oak-paneled hallway with strange lamps on the walls. He cleared his throat as though stalling for every second he could get.
I grabbed his arm, stopping in front of a set of glass doors.
“What aren’t you telling me?” I demanded.
“Alex was a little shaken up on the hover,” Erik started. “They had to give him a sedative.”
“Excuse me?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Was that really necessary?”
“Yeah, Tals. It was.”
I shook my head. “No. No way was it necessary. He’s been through worse than what happened today, and he never needed something like that. I mean, his mother was killed in front of him.”
“True,” Erik conceded. “Which is probably why he lost it when he thought he was going to lose you, too. He’s okay, I promise. Alex will be very excited to see you when he gets up.”
I swallowed thickly. On Vault, I’d spent a lot of time thinking about how my actions affected other people, particularly Alex. I’d promised both his parents that I would keep him safe. I’d vowed to protect him with my life if necessary. It sounded so noble, sacrificing myself for him. But I’d never stopped to consider the toll it would take if yet another person in his life died.
Erik tugged my hand gently as he pushed open the double doors. We stepped onto a pentagon-shaped landing with four other sets of double doors that seemingly led to more wings. It was an enormous house.
“Hmph!” I yelped in surprise as a tall, gangly shape collided with me. Thin arms yanked me from Erik and pulled my body into a crushing hug.
“Good to see you too, Penny,” I wheezed.
“You’re awake! I was just coming to check on you. How’re you feeling? Does it still hurt? I’ve never seen someone healed before with a talent. Did you feel him doing it? Do your bones hurt?”
“Easy, Penny,” Erik teased. “Let her breathe.”
“Sorry. Sorry.” Penny pulled back and held me at arm’s length. Scrutinizing me, she seemed certain she’d find some remnant of my previous injuries.
Finding none, Penny grinned. The expression reached her eyes, contrasting with the painfully dark circles underneath. The past twenty-four hours hadn’t been easy on any of us, though Penny probably hadn’t slept at all.
“We were headed to the kitchen, wanna join us?” I asked.
She wrinkled her nose. “Can’t. I’m already late for a meeting. Actually….” Her grin grew impossibly larger. “You guys should join me. I’ll have some of that venison you guys made brought up. Or not,” Penny added when I blanched. “I mean, Uncle Ian has one of those household robots to cook and take care of this place. Robo Gentry will make you whatever you want. Just please say yes. Politics this early in the morning makes me nauseous. It’ll be easier with friends.”
I glanced up at Erik, who nodded. “Um, sure.” He looked from me to Penny and back to me. “But do you really think it’s a great idea for Talia to be there? She’s kind of a wanted fugitive?”
Penny waved a hand. “Trust me, this guy has no interest in reporting you. I don’t even know who you’d be reported to, anyway. I have it on good authority that the UNITED council is much more concerned with Gretchen McDonough and the Sons of After.”
My best friend started for the spiral staircase in the center of the landing.
“Um, the Sons of After?” I called after her.
“One of the things I was going to explain over breakfast,” Erik told me.
“Patience, Talia,” Penny sang over her shoulder. “We don’t want to keep the doctor waiting any longer, we’ll get you caught up once we’re done with him.”
Doctor? Ugh.
I hated doctors almost as much as I hated rules.
It turned out Erik and I weren’t the only people Penny had talked into this predawn meeting; Miles DeSanto was already sitting on the sofa in Crane’s study when my friends and I entered. Like Penny, Miles clearly hadn’t been to bed—or shaved—in a while. Possibly days.
“Damn it’s good to see you,” Erik said, dropping my hand to give Miles what could only be described as a manly hug.
“You too, kid.” Miles clapped him on the back. “You too.” The guys
separated, and Miles offered me a small smile. “Natalia, glad to see you looking…not so bloody.”
“Thanks, I think,” I replied awkwardly.
I didn’t know Miles well, but he and Erik had become extremely close during my incarceration. Miles had been part of Erik’s security team, and he’d managed to keep my boyfriend safe for an entire month. For that reason alone, I liked the guy a lot.
“Any word from your uncle?” Miles asked Penny.
Penny checked her wrist comm and shook her head.
“I’m starting to get worried. Should I be worried? Please, tell me not to worry,” she all but begged.
“Don’t worry,” Miles said obligingly. “You worry more than a new mother,” he added around a yawn.
“I should’ve heard from him by now. And Brand.” Penny checked her comm again.
“I’m sure they’re both fine,” I told her, backing my promise with a dose of calm to ease her nerves.
“Your uncle and Meadows can take care of themselves,” Miles agreed. He opened the study doors and gestured us all inside.
“I guess. No, I mean, I know. Obviously. But…it’s just….” Penny trailed off as she made herself comfortable behind her uncle’s holo-desk.
Erik, Miles, and I took seats across from her. The sitting area was easy to picture Ian Crane in, drinking his nightly scotch or holding afternoon tea. If he was the type who held afternoon tea, anyhow.
“So, who’s this doctor we’re meeting with?” I asked brightly to change the subject.
With a mischievous smile, Penny tapped a button on the holo-desk. A full-sized hologram of a middle-aged man in green scrubs appeared in the space between Crane’s desk and the sitting area.
“Dr. Patel?” I asked in disbelief.
He turned to face the sitting area and smiled. “Natalia how are you, dear?”
“Good.” The doctor’s knowing expressing made me reconsider. “Well, you know, relatively,” I amended.
“Dr. Patel is going to update us on his progress with the creation reversal drug,” Penny announced. “Our primary objective is to undo all of the manufactured talents, so we have a smaller population to protect off the bat.”
“You’ve made progress, then?” I asked.
My heart sank as quickly as my hope had risen. Which was also when I realized the files I’d recruited Epsilon to decrypt—the ones I was positive held answers that could lead to a cure—were back at the McDonough house.
“Let’s say I’m cautiously optimistic,” replied the doctor, his voice thin and strained.
“Have you had any successful trials?” Erik wanted to know.
Dr. Patel nodded slowly. “We have,” he held up a hand, “but only in patients with a single foreign talent signature.” His dark eyes were sympathetic. “And only in patients who were not born with abilities.”
I wasn’t sure whether the conflicted feelings were mine or Erik’s. Or maybe even Penny’s. The additional power was becoming harder and harder to control for both.
Erik had me, someone able to share the burden of the darkness swirling inside of him. And the darkness wasn’t new for him. Or for me. We were killers. We’d taken lives in the name of the greater good—whatever that meant. Penny, though, was a different story. Her soul was pure. At least, it had been before Mac got ahold of her.
“Have you given this version to a natural born Talent?” Erik asked quietly.
“No!”
Erik ignored my protest. I knew what he was about to offer. I wasn’t going to allow it.
“Not yet,” Patel answered. “I only give test versions to volunteers. I do have three detainees—all are natural born Talents—who are ready and willing to receive the newest version of the reversal drug.” Dr. Patel met Erik’s gaze, his own eyes sad. “I am afraid you, Erik, are not an ideal test subject.” The doctor’s features hardened. “My team will find a way to reserve what has been done to you, we just need more time.”
“What about me?” I asked. It was Erik’s turn to protest, and my turn to ignore him. “I’m a natural born Talent with one created ability.”
Dr. Patel shook his head. “You are an odd case, since you didn’t receive an injection to create your abilities. A transfer of blood makes it a different situation, indeed. I am afraid you are not an ideal test subject either, Natalia.”
The doctor cocked his head to one side and studied me. I squirmed in my seat. “Do you truly want to be rid of your created powers, Natalia?” he finally asked.
Of course, I wanted the foreign genetic material out of my system.
It’s Donavon’s blood that gave you the ability to morph.
Alex wasn’t the only part of Donavon I had left. In a way, my first boyfriend was always with me. Was I ready to give that up? Truth be told, I liked having the ability to morph. No, I loved it. It gave me a freedom I’d never enjoyed before the talent.
I glanced at Erik, who refused to meet my eyes. He knows exactly why I want to keep my abilities, I thought. Did it bother him? I couldn’t tell because Erik’s shields were suddenly in place.
“We may have information that could help you,” Penny interjected. Her interjection saved me from lying to protect Erik’s feelings.
The doctor turned to face Penny, an eyebrow cocked. “Is that why you insisted we speak so early? You do know it is the middle of the night on the west coast, yes?”
With a toss of her red hair, she ignored the jab. “Last night we recovered Danbury McDonough’s personal records.”
“Did you?” Dr. Patel asked. His eyed widened, and he suddenly looked alert despite the answer.
“Did you?” I echoed, relieved. Then, turning to Erik, I added in a flippant jab. “Something else we were going to talk about over breakfast?”
He shrugged. “You’ve been awake for all of twenty minutes. When should I have mentioned it? Before or after I explained about your miraculous recovery? Sorry I was worried about getting you some nourishment before bombarding you with info.”
He definitely knows I want to keep my powers because of Donavon, I thought.
“Enough, children,” Miles scolded softly.
“The data is encrypted, but we have a team working on it,” Penny informed the doctor.
Though I wondered if her “team” consisted of Alpha and Epsilon, I didn’t ask the question aloud. If they were our best hope, I was happy to have the Clearwood children working with us.
“I should have at least some of it decrypted by the end of the day,” Penny continued matter-of-factly.
“Wonderful. As I am sure you are aware, I have been eager to see those files for quite some time.” Dr. Patel’s excitement was palpable, even with the thousands of miles that separated our coasts. “Please, inform me as soon as you have the data decrypted. And if there is nothing else…?”
“No, not right now,” Penny replied.
“Oh, wait.” The doctor’s expression turned grim. “I actually have some information for you, as well.”
His hesitation gave me a sinking feeling in my gut. Without thinking, I reached for Erik’s hand. Dr. Patel met each of our gazes in turn.
“Many of the critical victims from the attack on the Isle have been brought here, to West Bank Medical & Research Facility,” he began quietly, clasping his hands and bowing his head in a show of respect. “Frederick Kraft was brought in an hour ago. I am so sorry to tell you all, but his chances of surviving the day are not good.”
“Have him transferred here, to Mclean General,” I said without thinking.
How many more will die before this ends?
“Natalia, a transfer right now would be inadvisable,” Dr. Patel said, raising a hand in protest. “Besides, what do you believe you could do for him that we cannot?”
A part of me knew it was wrong to want special treatment for my friend. There were so many other hurt and dying people out there. Asking this of a little boy made me as exploitative as Gretchen. Nevertheless, it was exactly what I planned to do.
<
br /> “I can call in a favor,” I said.
Chapter Eighteen
Erik
Frederick had been my friend longer than I’d known Talia. His work with the movement that ferried Talents to Coalition territory during TOXIC’s regime was legendary. The news of his imminent death was heart wrenching.
I refused to accept it.
That was why I understood Talia’s decision to ask Phi to heal Frederick. I also understood the guilt she felt over it. Who were we to play with life and death this way? Who were we to decide who was worthy of saving? Another question made her feel even guiltier. What if she needed to call in this one-time favor to save my life? What if she wasn’t able to because she’d used it on Frederick?
A knock on the study door pulled me from my thoughts. Robo Gentry, Ian’s butler droid, entered without waiting for prompting.
“I have Senators Garkus, Linthicum, and Eienhold on holo-outlets five, twelve, and sixteen for you, Ms. Crane,” the droid informed. He set a tray of coffee, tea, and biscuits on the coffee table in front of us. He directed his eerily lifelike gaze on Talia. “Ms. Lyons, it might be best if you step out now. Allow me to serve you some breakfast, perhaps?”
“It gives advice?” Talia asked, eyeing Robo Gentry as though he might kill her once they were alone.
“I provide council on all affairs,” the droid told her.
“You’ll get used to him,” Penny said tiredly. “And he’s right, you probably shouldn’t be here for this next call.”
“Yeah, probably not.” Tals gave my hand a quick squeeze. “See you in a little.”
Penny waited until Talia was in the hallway before continuing. “Put them through,” she ordered.
The U.S. senators, two male and one female, appeared in full hologram from their respective locales.
“Senator Eienhold, report,” Penny said without preamble.
A woman in her late thirties wearing black-and-green fatigues stepped forward as information from her personnel file appeared in holo-text beside her.