Forever - 02

by Lauren Burd

  Warning

  “I’m going to check my email,” I announced as we filed into the condo. I tried not to think about the massive amount of mail I needed to wade through. It had been nearly two months since I’d last logged into my account.

  “You have like a dozen or two from Faith and me. And I expect a reply to each and every one of mine,” Tabby joked.

  “I’ll order dinner,” Samuel said. “Did you want anything in particular?”

  I shrugged. “Whatever.”

  My dad and Duncan walked in and sat on the sofa with groans. My dad had let me know he held a grudge against Duncan, but the two of them had surprisingly similar habits. I hid my grin. Tabby and Scott sat on the other sofa. She relaxed almost instantly, but Scott appeared uncomfortable.

  I left everyone out in the living room and went into the guestroom to get on the computer. After playing around for a little while, I finally got down to business. Pulling up my e-mail, I cringed as the number of e-mails ticked higher. It was going to take forever to go through that mess.

  I started with the newer letters first, hoping at least some of them were repeats. Several from friends and acquaintances offered condolences on the loss of my mother. Then, a quarter of the way through the massive stack, I found something bizarre. Marked with bold black lettering to inform me it had not yet been read was a letter with the subject line, “Diagnosis by Dr. Williams.” I thought it might be spam, but it was strange enough to get me to click on it.

  Alina Taylor,

  I hope this letter finds Duncan, Samuel, and most of all, you, safe and sound. I am writing to inform you of the diagnosis that has put you and everyone you care about in such a precarious position.

  During the extensive testing we performed shortly after your infection, it was discovered that you indeed have the ability to become a Hunter. Though I downplayed the magnitude of this to Thanos, I wanted to inform you that you tested far above any others I have studied. This fact alone would make you a very valuable asset to any Archon who obtained your loyalty. However, the other results are what have caused Thanos and myself the most grief.

  While testing the viral load in your saliva, I came across something I have not seen in my three hundred years. You have a viral load of zero. I tested and retested your saliva, but the results were always the same. It wasn’t until I exposed blood from both humans and Immortals to your saliva that I discovered the reason. There was no reaction to the human blood, but the Immortal blood had a marked decrease in the viral load. After one day, the viral load was nearly halved; by the end of the week, it was zero. I ran the test again, but the results were the same. I said nothing to Thanos while I ran tests to discover what could be causing the results. I discovered that, rather than the virus, your saliva carries antibodies to it. I know it may seem hard to believe, but your saliva carries the cure to the Lamia virus. With further testing, I also discovered that the antibodies have no effect on your particular strain of the virus, though I have yet to figure out the reason for this.

  To my disgrace, I notified Thanos of the results. It took him a matter of seconds to decide that your death, and the death of your parents, was the only option to prevent the destruction of our species. I am writing this letter in the hope that this information helps you and your family survive. I will do all that I can here to delay and perhaps save you some small amount of grief. I will keep you in my thoughts. Good luck to all of you.

  My Best Wishes,

  Dr. Charles Williams

  I stared at the screen until my eyes burned. It had to be some kind of sick joke, or maybe someone had hacked my account. But so many of the details were accurate. So maybe it was a trick by Thanos to get me to a certain location. There was no way he would know what location I would be at though. I could convince my dad to go almost anywhere, so that couldn’t be it.

  “Is it all right if I come in?” Dad asked, poking his head into the room.

  I jumped slightly. I hadn’t even heard him open the door. With a few quick clicks, I printed the letter and closed the screen. “Yeah, Dad. I was just finishing up for now.”

  “Great. I want to get out of this suit before we eat.”

  “Is dinner here already?”

  He smiled. “Yes. You’ve been in here for nearly an hour.”

  “Oh. Sorry. I lost track of time.”

  Grabbing the letter off the printer, I went to join everyone else. The kitchen seemed as if it might burst while everyone vied for a spot to stand. Samuel had ordered from my favorite Japanese restaurant and several two-liter bottles of soda were already open on the overcrowded table.

  “How are you holding up?” Samuel asked, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

  “Better now that everyone is here.” Samuel either didn’t notice the tense edge to my words, or he chose not to say anything.

  When my dad joined us a few minutes later, we all grabbed the Styrofoam containers with our orders. After a few box switches, we settled down started to eat. My food tasted great, but despite feeling ravenous, I barely touched it. Samuel and Duncan both appeared concerned but didn’t remark.

  “So Scott, what are you majoring in?” I asked, trying to start the conversation.

  “Right now, I’m undecided. I’m taking my general education courses and hoping to keep my GPA high enough to get into the business program. Not sure if I’ll be able to though. A friend of mine had a three-point-eight GPA and good scores on his SAT, but he was rejected for the fall.”

  “You’ll get in next year,” Tabby assured him. “Scott has a four-point-oh and got nearly a perfect score on his SAT. He just didn’t know what he wanted to do in high school.”

  “What about you? What are you majoring in?” Scott asked. Tabby threw an elbow that caught him in the stomach. “What?” He seemed confused.

  I smiled. “I dropped out last semester and haven’t reapplied so far. I was hoping to start back this spring, but with all of this, it might be summer before I manage to get back to school.”

  “Oh, sorry.” He glanced down at the floor. Tabby must have told him not to bring up the subject.

  “Wait. I thought you were going back this spring,” My dad added.

  “It’s too late for me to get into UF this spring. I would have to go to Santa Fe instead.”

  “Then go to Santa Fe.”

  “Dad, can we talk about this later?” I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

  He glared at me long enough to let me know he wasn’t going to let it drop.

  “When are you heading back to L.A., Dr. Taylor?” Tabby asked, changing the subject. I mouthed a thank you to her for the save.

  “I have to be back to work in two days. I think my flight leaves first thing in the morning.”

  “You should probably check on that,” I said.

  He glared at me. “You should probably check into getting back into school.”

  I blushed. “Fine. I’ll look into it after we get you on the plane tomorrow.” He beamed at his small triumph.

  Several hours passed, and the sun descended toward the horizon before Tabby and Scott decided to leave.

  “Thank you so much for coming,” I said, giving Tabby a hug. My mouth felt as dry as the Sarah Desert when I breathed in her salty scent. She emitted an aroma like the beach right before it rained, so I couldn’t understand why smelling Tabby always left me parched.

  “I’ll always be there for you.” She squeezed me tighter. “You take care of yourself and let me know what you’re doing.”

  I wasn’t fooling her. She knew something else was going on, and that was the reason I hadn’t reapplied to school. I hated keeping her in the dark, but it was safer if she didn’t know.

  “I will.” I was reluctant to let her go. I didn’t know when or if I would be able to see her again. “Be careful.”

  I held the door open for her and Scott, and then stared wistfully after them. I couldn’t help feeling a little jealous. Tabby would get a chance at the
normal life I always planned would be mine. She would never know about all the monsters that surrounded us. When I turned around, I caught Samuel staring at me. A warm sensation flooded through me, and I remembered why I’d given up my chance at normal.

  “I’m glad Tabby and her family made it to the funeral,” Dad said, stretching. “I’d forgotten how nice the Bishops are.”

  “I’m glad they came, too. Mom didn’t care for them, but it was nice to have someone there just for us.”

  My dad sighed. “As much as I want to sit around here with you young people, I think I should start packing.”

  “Put any dirty clothes you want cleaned outside the door, and I’ll get them washed.”

  He walked over and gave me a kiss on top of my head. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

  I smiled up at my dad. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  He looked into my eyes, and I could see the sadness in his. He went to the guest room and closed the door.

  Samuel picked up the remote as soon as my Dad was out of the room, and turned on the television. He found some random action movie and turned the volume up just loud enough to cover our voices.

  “I think it’s time for you to tell us what’s going on,” he said from the dining room table. Duncan didn’t seem surprised by Samuel’s statement as he got up and walked over to join Samuel at the table.

  I took the note out of my pocket and laid it on the table. I waited while they read it.

  “This is a joke, right?” Duncan asked.

  I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”

  “The fact that Alina’s mother is dead should be proof enough that Thanos believes what’s in this letter. What I’m curious about is why Dr. Williams would risk helping us?” Samuel asked.

  “He was always nice to me, but he seemed really sad.”

  “The doc was never really thrilled with the way Thanos does things. He’s just never had the guts to do anything about it,” Duncan clarified.

  “Why the change of heart now?” Samuel asked in an accusatory tone.

  Duncan shrugged. “Maybe he thinks we can take Thanos down.”

  I stifled a laugh. “We can’t even be sure if what he wrote is true. The only way to test it would be for me to bite someone.” Samuel and Duncan stiffened. “Don’t worry I’m not planning on testing it.”

  “I guess the real question is do we believe him about your dad?” Samuel asked. “I personally don’t think we should.”

  “And what if you’re wrong?” Duncan asked. “What would you lose? It’s Alina who would pay the price.”

  “So we should just believe him? If you’re wrong, more people than just her father would be hurt. Are you willing to accept responsibility for that?”

  Samuel and Duncan continued debating while I sat silently, trying to ignore their growing animosity. I stared at the table, contemplating the letter. What if Thanos was using it as a way to trap us? Then he would have us in Los Angeles, one of the largest cities in the world, with a chance to kill us whenever he felt like it without much risk of discovery. After all, what were a few deaths in a city that large? If Dr. Williams was telling us the truth and we did nothing, I would never forgive myself.

  “How do we know you didn’t just come here to get us to go to Los Angeles?” Samuel accused Duncan.

  “Do you really think I would put Alina in danger?” Duncan lowered his voice to a menacing whisper.

  “It wouldn’t be the first time.” Samuel shot back.

  “And I’m sure you’ve been nothing but a gentleman,” Duncan sneered.

  Both men stood up, and it seemed like they were about to come to blows.

  “I think we have to believe Dr. Williams.” They turned their attention to me. “If it’s a trap, then we’ll have to face them, but we might be able to save my dad. If it’s true, then maybe we can get the upper hand. Either way, we have information Thanos doesn’t want us to know. Hopefully, we can use it to our advantage.”

  “I don’t think this is a good idea,” Samuel spoke up first. “Thanos has been playing these games for thousands of years.”

  “That’s our advantage, though. He’s been doing this for so long, and he’s never had a reason to be worried he wouldn’t survive. Whether it’s true about Alina carrying the cure to the virus or not, Thanos at least believes it. That gives us an advantage,” Duncan countered.

  “What about Tabby and the Bishops? Are you willing to leave them here alone?” Samuel asked.

  “I don’t like it, but this seems like the best option right now.”

  “Maybe you’re right, but I’ve got a bad feeling.”

  “We all do, but right now this is the best option we have.”

  “So we’re going to L.A.?” Duncan asked.

  I nodded.

  A Long Goodnight

  I was a nervous wreck until we found a place to stay in Los Angeles near my dad’s condo. I didn’t know how Samuel had managed it, considering there were no vacancies anywhere nearby, but I suspected that the couple living there had received more than adequate compensation for moving out on such short notice. The previous occupants certainly left in a hurry; most of their furnishings, electronics, and even some clothes had been left behind in the apartment. The only thing we needed to purchase was a telescope so we could look into my dad’s condo several blocks away.

  The first week in the apartment passed in a blur of dry eyes from watching my dad through the tiny telescope lens, and bumps, bruises, and exhaustion from training with Samuel and Duncan. They insisted I learn how to defend myself. I trained daily until I felt as though a herd of elephants had run over me. Thankfully, within a few hours of quitting, I would feel better, but the rapid healing left me ravenous and hardly able to make it into the bed before I passed out.

  Samuel and Duncan at least got to take breaks from our grueling workout sessions. They rotated between instructing me on how to throw a punch and following my dad to and from work. I wasn’t allowed to leave the apartment due to safety concerns. I tried to convince them to let me, but it was hopeless.

  Samuel and I had been working on some sort of kickboxing or karate for the past three hours with hardly any break. I could have sworn I was worse at fighting than when we had started eight days ago.

  “Why even bother with all of this?” I asked between gasping breaths. “All they’d need to do is shoot me.”

  Samuel glared at me. He still didn’t like when I spoke of myself as the object of some violent act by Thanos. “Shooting you might work if they get you in the right spot, but bullets and guns are traceable, and most people, even Immortals, don’t carry them around all the time. Not to mention, they attract a lot of unwanted attention.”

  “And two people beating on each other doesn’t?”

  He shook his head. “Not as much as you might think, especially if you can catch them in an empty room or dark alley.”

  “I still think it would be easier to shoot someone.”

  “Even so, you still need to know how to defend yourself. Now, let’s get back to work.”

  He got into position. I glared across the few feet separating us. My hands felt like lead weights as I tried to land even a glancing blow. My muscles were on fire as we danced around the empty apartment floor.

  “Does your dad do anything other than work?” Duncan asked a couple of hours later, coming in from his latest trip.

  Samuel glanced over in Duncan’s direction. I used the opportunity and my last bit of energy to move in closer. With a quick shift to the side, I put everything I had left into a punch aimed directly at his stomach. At the last possible second, Samuel shifted his weight to his other leg, and I stumbled forward. He caught my arm and spun me around so my back was pressed against his chest. He placed a soft kiss on my neck that made my blood boil. I wanted to be mad at losing yet again, but there was no point. I could never stay mad at him for very long.

  “He’s dedicated,” I answered.

  “Dedication i
s one thing. That man is a workaholic.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Any sign of Thanos or Lucina?”

  “If there was, I would have called. What’s going on with your mother’s case?”

  “Detective Johnson said they’re questioning Jeff again. My mom leaving everything to him in her will gives him a pretty good motive. It seems like they may charge him soon. I kind of feel bad about him being falsely accused, though.”

  “Why? The guy’s a jerk.”

  “I know that, but he’s not the one who killed my mom. And being a jerk doesn’t merit twenty-five years in prison.”

  Duncan shrugged. I sighed.

  I pried myself from Samuel’s arms and walked over to the window. The view was spectacular, but the twinkling lights held little appeal for me. I looked through the telescope and into my dad’s condo. He stood at the kitchen counter, eating. The light from the television cast varying shadows across the room, making everything dance. It felt weird spying on my father. I kept telling myself it was just to make sure he was safe, but I couldn’t help feeling that I was violating his privacy.

  I also felt the prickle of Duncan’s words as I watched my dad eating his solitary meal in the empty condo. He was right about my dad needing some sort of life. All he had was his work. I had tried to get him to go out on a couple dates when I stayed with him the previous summer. I even went so far as to set him up with a woman at the grocery store, but he called and canceled on her as soon as I had my back turned. He would never admit it to me, but I knew he was still in love with my mom.

  “I’m going to shower,” I announced.

  “What do you want for dinner?” Samuel asked.

  “You know what I like.”

  I peeled off my sweaty clothes and hopped into the steaming shower. Samuel and Duncan were both careful not to hit me hard enough to leave any visible bruises, but I still felt every spot where I received a blow. My muscles also ached from the workouts to build my endurance. I knew in a couple hours the aches and pains would be gone, but it was little consolation right now.