Unless he’s trying to throw you off his scent.
Caleb shook the thought from his head. Was he going to suspect everyone? That was crazy! But at the same time, it could potentially save his life. He would have to keep his guard up until he knew exactly what was going on.
Dr. Bentley released Caleb from the embrace and held him at arm’s length. “Where have you been? A Detective Hale came by and was asking all kinds of questions about whether or not you have any enemies. Then you haven’t been at work or at home. What happened? I’ve been so worried.”
Unless Dr. Bentley was a spectacular actor, Caleb didn’t think there was any way he could fake the concern in his voice. It shook slightly, and Caleb felt the small trembles in Dr. Bentley’s hands as they gripped him firmly. For the moment, Caleb contemplated telling him the whole story. But then he thought better of it. The less Dr. Bentley knew, the safer it was for him. Although, he was sure Dr. Bentley knew about the cops showing up at Zomtech. That wouldn’t be a secret. No doubt the entire office building was wondering about that.
Caleb took a deep breath. “I received a threat at work.”
Dr. Bentley nodded, waiting for Caleb to continue. When he didn’t, he said, “I heard something about that. That the cops came and took you to the station.” He set his jaw and pushed his eyebrows together. “Why didn’t they come get me? I’m your legal guardian. They shouldn’t have questioned you without me being there.”
Caleb cocked his head to the side and stared at the doctor for a moment. “They said I was still a ward of the state so they would make sure I was taken care of.”
Dr. Bentley pressed his lips into a thin line and let out a slow breath from his nose. “That’s only partly true. They still should have told me what was going one. Otherwise, what’s the point of you being in my care at all?”
Caleb opened his mouth to reply, but then closed it again. Dr. Bentley was right. None of what happened at the police station should have happened that way. He certainly shouldn’t have been released into Samuel’s custody. His mind drifted back to the incident in the park when the police arrived. It was a hazy memory, and he wasn’t convinced he was remembering it correctly, but the officers hadn’t seemed surprised to see the RBZs. In fact, had they commented about needing to clean up the mess? Something about incinerators? He had a hazy memory of them not recognizing Lilah’s arm as one of their own. Caleb’s knees went weak, his stomach clenched. He wobbled in Dr. Bentley’s grip.
“I need to sit down.” The words barely squeaked out of his mouth.
Dr. Bentley helped him to the couch, and Caleb sat down with a whump. He stared out the window, not actually seeing anything outside. He was focused inward. Why hadn’t he remembered those details before? They were more than just a little important. They deepened the mystery. They made him feel even less safe to be in the city. That meant authority figures were involved and the conspiracy probably ran deep. Dang it all! Now Caleb was starting to sound like one of Samuel’s friends, and that was concerning—in many ways.
“Caleb, I need you to talk to me. I need you to tell me what’s going on.”
Dr. Bentley’s voice pulled Caleb out of his mind. He tried to focus on his guardian’s face, and after a few moments, accomplished the task.
“I don’t know,” he whispered.
Dr. Bentley sighed and nodded. He patted Caleb’s arm. “Okay. It’s okay. Everything is going to be all right. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“Yeah.”
Was he? He certainly didn’t feel that way. In fact, he felt trapped, cornered. There was nowhere for him to run. Probably no one he could trust. A numbness settled over Caleb’s body. The darkness edged further into his mind.
You’re making a huge mistake.
Dr. Bentley patted his back. “Why don’t you go take a shower, and get some rest? We can figure everything out later.”
Caleb nodded mechanically, then stood from the couch. He headed into the bathroom and closed the door. He leaned against it for a moment, hoping the solidness would give him some support. What was going on? If he had remembered those details about the cops at the bunker, he would have rethought his plan to come back.
As if on autopilot, he pushed himself away from the door and grabbed the bottom of his shirt with his arms crossed in front of him. He pulled it over his head and threw it on the floor. As his gaze drifted up from his clothes, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He froze. Was that really him? There was no way. He’d always thought he’d looked terrible before, but now he looked on the verge of death. No. Worse. Like a zombie. He shuddered as nausea settled into his stomach. He stepped forward to get a better view of himself.
The circles under his eyes were even darker, his cheek bones much more prominent. Worry lines etched his forehead, and his skin had a gray pallor to it. Oh, no! What if he’d turned? What if he actually was a zombie but because of his immunity, he retained his freedom of thought and consciousness.
Touching his cheek, he pulled his lower eyelid down. His eyes were red and bloodshot. They weren’t milky like the zombies’ eyes usually were, but they didn’t look fully human either. He should’ve stayed with Matt. He could have had more tests run. They could have studied him in depth to find out what was going on. If nothing else, in the desert, he would be far away from groups of people should he decide he wanted to eat them. It was apparent he needed medical attention, but he wasn’t about to trust any doctors in the city. He barely trusted Matt, but at least Matt tried to make him comfortable. Here, he would probably be given over to the authorities.
He sighed and released the hold on his skin. Placing his hands on either side of the sink, he lowered his chin to his chest. You need to calm down, he told himself. Look at this logically. Sure, he looked awful, but he always thought he did. And he had been through a lot the last few days, what did he really expect to look like? He was fine. Everything was going to be fine. The answers were close.
He was here. He couldn’t change anything. He needed to stick to his plan and figure out exactly what was going on. He wasn’t going to trust anyone but himself, so why was he even entertaining the idea of getting medical help? Besides, Dr. Bentley didn’t freak out when he saw him, so maybe he didn’t look as bad as he thought he did. He pushed himself away from the sink and turned his back on the mirror.
Pulling off the rest of his clothes, he stepped into the shower, and then turned the water on. He pulled the knob to divert it to the shower and flinched when the cold water hit his chest. It only took a few seconds to warm up, but the jolt was enough to make him feel more alert. As the water washed away the grime and sweat from his fever, he felt his mind become clearer. The confidence he’d felt earlier about the decision to come back to the city edged into his brain. He could do this. He had to.
He turned to grab the soap, and as he did, his gaze fell on the wrap that covered his wound. His throat tightened as he thought about what happened. He pulled the arm abruptly away and placed it behind his back. He didn’t even want to look at it. He used his other hand to grab the soap, then averted his gaze toward the ceiling to wash, avoiding touching the area so he could pretend everything was okay.
By the time he stepped out of the shower, he held his shoulders back and kept his head up. He walked to the mirror and wiped away the condensation with his hand. He stared into the reflection of his sunken eyes and saw a flash in them.
“You can do this,” he whispered. “You have a purpose.”
He stared at his reflection for several more minutes, waiting for the voice in the darkness to reply with a negative remark. It was surprisingly silent. Caleb didn’t know if that was a comfort or a concern. He shrugged and turned away from the mirror. Placing his hand on the door knob, he was about to turn it when he heard the muffled sounds of a door opening and closing. It sounded exactly like the front door.
CHAPTER 10
Caleb pressed his ear against the bathroom door. Holding his breath, he hoped to hear any
thing else—voices or footsteps. Well, he didn’t actually hope to hear them—that could possibly mean the people who were after him were in his apartment—but he didn’t want to be surprised by them either. Sadly, if they were there, he had nowhere to go. The bathroom only had one way in and out. However, if he had enough forewarning, he might be able to make it to the fire escape. There was only silence. With deliberate movements, he reached for the doorknob and turned it slowly. He cracked the door just enough so one eye could peer out.
He tried to keep himself calm. The sweat on his palm was causing the knob to slip under his grip. The door opening and closing didn’t mean anything. It could have just been Dr. Bentley heading to work or checking the mail or whatever. He highly doubted after the way the doctor acted at his presence he would do anything to hurt Caleb. But then again, it could have been so much more. It could have been the people after him. They could have sent RBZs after him, and the good doctor could be dead on the floor.
Caleb’s stomach clenched, a tingly feeling traveled down his arms into his fingers. Despite the steam from the shower that surrounded him, a chill settled over his body. He thought about calling out to his guardian, but his throat had gone dry. Again, he strained his ears, hoping to pick up any sounds. Nothing. He couldn’t stay in the bathroom all day. That was beyond ridiculous. But what may or may not be in his apartment was fear inducing. It was obvious he hadn’t thought this plan through, and it was possible he was in grave danger.
Run. Just take off. You can make it to the fire escape in just a few quick steps …
Caleb’s grip tightened on the doorknob. It wouldn’t take him long to get out the door and to the fire escape. There were only a few problems with that plan. The first being he didn’t really want to run through the streets in a towel with no shoes. Secondly, if the people were here, he didn’t doubt they’d blocked off every possible escape route—especially if they were smart. Thirdly, his leaving totally defeated the purpose of him coming back. He had to face this. He pulled the door open slowly, quietly. Even though he had to face it, that didn’t mean he couldn’t use caution. He didn’t need to run into danger. He kept his head cocked to the side, listening for anything. Everything was still silent. Was that normal? Well, honestly, yeah. Caleb spent the vast majority of his time in the quiet apartment. Normally, he enjoyed the silence. It made him happy not to have to interact with others. Now, though, it was oppressive.
Tiptoeing, he headed into the living room. Empty. He turned toward the kitchen. Empty also. He chuckled to himself. He was completely losing it. Paranoia was getting the better of him. He turned to walk into his room to get dressed, shaking his head at how ridiculous he was being.
After pulling on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, he opened his laptop and turned it on. He plopped onto his bed and waited for it to boot up. He didn’t have direct access to the Zomtech computers from here, but he had access to the code. If he already knew how to get in and out through the cyber security system, that would mean he would spend less time in the lion’s den. In theory, it was a great idea. In practice, the thousands upon thousands of lines of code could cause him problems. But he had an advantage: he had a general idea of where he needed to look and the opportunity to practice before doing it for real.
His computer finished booting up, and he logged on. He was just about to open the file that held what he hoped was the right code when the door opened and closed again. This time, he knew for sure he’d heard it and it was the front door, but he didn’t give it a second thought. No doubt it was Dr. Bentley returning from wherever he had gone. He focused back on his screen and moved the cursor to the folder.
“Caleb! Can you come out here for a second?”
Caleb rolled his eyes and set the computer on his bed. He crossed his room and pulled open his bedroom door. “Yeah?” he called into the apartment.
“I need you in the living room.”
Caleb pushed down his irritation. He should’ve been happy his guardian was showing care and concern—and he was—he just wished it could wait a few hours. He stepped into the living room. Dr. Bentley was standing in the middle of the room, and he wasn’t alone. Detective Hale stood next to him. Caleb’s skin became hot and prickly. His stomach fluttered, and nausea settled over him. He shot a glance at the “good” doctor. He should have known he couldn’t trust the man. He should have suspected he would do something like this. Caleb wasn’t exactly sure why he would have alerted Hale he was back, it wasn’t like he really knew the doctor or could read his motivations, but he should have done something.
Dr. Bentley wouldn’t look at Caleb. His gaze was planted on the floor. One arm was wrapped around his chest, while the other picked at his bottom lip. What was that reaction? Guilt? That’s what Caleb perceived it to be. Dr. Bentley had just been waiting for Caleb to show back up, then he called Detective Hale as backup. Everything before had been a trick to distract Caleb. He was in on the conspiracy.
But something about that thought didn’t seem right. If Dr. Bentley was behind wanting Caleb, why would he feel guilty about that? He would be getting exactly what he wanted. Plus, with the way the doctor’s shoulders slouched, his body language seemed to show defeat rather than guilt.
You should have run …
Caleb placed his hands on his hips and cleared his throat. He tried to put on an air of nonchalance—and hoped the detective bought it.
“Detective Hale, what brings you here?”
The slightest sense of relief flooded through him as his voice came out calm and controlled. He gave himself a mental high five, but then had to clench his jaw to keep his teeth from chattering.
The look that crossed the detective’s face was a combination of sadness and disappointment. He stared at Caleb for several moments. His arms hung by his sides, his palms faced Caleb and were angled out slightly, as if his stance was asking a silent, why?
What was all that about? What was going on? Caleb’s stomach clenched, his muscles tensed. He tightened his grip on his waist in an attempt to keep his body under control.
“I’m glad to see you’re safe,” Detective Hale spoke softly. His hands turned inward and rested lightly against his thighs.
“Did you find any information on who sent me that email?” Caleb had to speak slowly and deliberately to keep the quake out of his voice.
Hale shook his head. “No, we’re still working on that, which is why I’m worried. You shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe. I thought you were with your friend.”
Dr. Bentley stepped forward and stared at the detective. “And why exactly did you release Caleb to another minor? That makes no sense.” He didn’t attempt to hide his anger. It added to Caleb’s reassurance that maybe his guardian hadn’t actually sold him out.
Caleb fought the urge to defend the fact he didn’t think Samuel was a minor. He wasn’t sure if that was true or not, but Samuel seemed a bit older than he was. It would have also taken the focus off him, distracted the men for a moment, maybe giving Caleb a few moments to figure out what to do.
Hale held up his hand and addressed the doctor calmly. “We’ve been through this. I had no idea who I could trust.”
Dr. Bentley huffed and turned away. His face was bright red.
Hale turned back to Caleb. “Why did you come back?”
Caleb shrugged. Obviously, he couldn’t tell him the truth. No doubt he was going to break numerous laws. If Hale was just a detective and not part of the people who were after him, he’d have to do his job and stop Caleb. If the detective was part of the group that wanted him, he would have to do his job and stop Caleb. He cursed himself for not coming up with a reason to be back. But then again, he didn’t think he’d need one.
“Well, whatever. You’re here now.” Hale folded his hands across his chest. “I think we should head to the station. It’s safer there. I have some questions I would like to ask, then we can figure out what to do with you.” Hale gestured toward the door, indicating Caleb should lead and he woul
d follow.
Apparently, Caleb didn’t have a choice in the matter. Hale wasn’t asking him to go, he was requiring it.
“Sure. Fine. Let me get my shoes on.”
Hale nodded. “Of course.”
Caleb turned on his heel and headed for the bathroom. He had left his shoes in there with the rest of his clothes. Dr. Bentley wouldn’t be too happy about the pile of laundry on the floor, so he decided to clean it up. It also gave him an opportunity to stall and maybe come up with an escape plan. He picked up his pants and shirt to take to the hamper. As he did, something slid out of his pocket and clinked onto the floor. It was the flash drive from Matt. Snatching it off the floor, he squeezed his hand around it and buried his hand under his clothes. He glanced nervously at the door, half-expecting Hale to be standing there, watching. It was empty. They wouldn’t know about the flash drive, but that didn’t mean he wanted to get caught with it. He had no idea what was on it. He needed to put it somewhere safe until he had a chance to look at it. He took his clothes to his room and placed them in the hamper. He placed the drive on the floor behind his bookshelf, and then pulled on his tennis shoes. His gaze drifted to the window and the fire escape. It was right there and could be accessed in just a few seconds.
Do it. Get out.
He stepped toward it. Placing his hands on the window to pull it open, he saw movement through the grates of the stairs. He couldn’t see it clearly, but it was roughly human shaped. Was it his imagination or was it larger than average? He pulled his hands away from the window, like it had gotten hot, and turned away. He would rather take his chances with Hale. He went back into the living room. Maybe he’d think of something once he got out of the apartment.
“I’m going too.” Dr. Bentley stepped up next to Hale, making sure his presence was recognized. “As his guardian, I have a say in what happens to him.”
Saving Humanity Series (Book 1): Humanity's Hope Page 10