* * *
Notes-Colonel Hunter
James appeared in my doorway, his expression mixed. "What is it?" I asked.
"Cori hasn't come to see me, and we got this from the President." He held out a sheet of paper.
"I'll take a look, and Cori said she'd contact you soon."
"All right." He turned to walk away, but I could see in his sagging shoulders that he was disappointed.
The paper was a copy of a telephone conversation Madam President had with the new Russian Ambassador. The current Russian President had been contacted by the same four I'd seen in the Oval Office-asking for a meeting.
It made me wonder how that one would go. Lifting my cell, I punched in Matt's number and listened while it rang on the other end.
* * *
Corinne
"Where are you going?"
"To see James. He's depressed."
Val frowned. I could see he was still out of sorts with humans. "Honey, maybe you've never been human, so you don't realize that they often put their foot in their mouth when they're uncomfortable."
"That is one of the strangest idioms ever created," he pointed out.
"Is that Larentii logic?"
"There is nothing logical about it."
"All right-you got me there."
"If you weren't so adorable, I could possibly be miffed."
* * *
Notes-Colonel Hunter
"What are these?" I thumbed through photographs.
"Pictures of a street in Dublin. Guess who was seen there?" Matt asked.
"No idea." I kept looking through the photographs, hoping I'd see something-or someone-I recognized.
"It's the last photograph, taken earlier today."
Frowning at Matt, I set aside all photos except the last one. It was dusk in Dublin, five hours earlier and just before sunset. A scaled creature, mostly covered by a trench coat and hat, was following a woman into a narrow doorway on a Dublin street.
"That's a small hotel," Matt said. "He's identical to the one killed in Vancouver."
I reached for my phone and hoped my Larentii friends weren't still angry enough to stay away or refuse to answer.
* * *
Corinne
"James, it doesn't make me uncomfortable to be like this for days on end," I told him. We'd settled at a Starbucks table in Silver Spring. "If we were elsewhere and it would make you happy, I'd be my taller, bluer self."
"I'm just glad you're here. I was feeling left out."
"Honey, you never left my thoughts," I patted his hand. "I thought of you the whole time I was on the Larentii homeworld, more than four hundred years in the future."
James had trouble swallowing his coffee. "You can't tell anyone else," I waved a hand. "You won't be able to tell anyone else," I added. "Larentii are one of the few races that can bend time. No, I can't go back and change anything for you-that's considered interference and carries a very heavy penalty."
"I wasn't thinking of that, except for Nick and Maye."
I went still for a moment before squeezing his hand. "There's nothing I would love more than to go back and change that. I'd have to get permission and frankly, the person giving that permission isn't really my friend."
"Who?"
"You would probably think of him as King of the Larentii," I sighed. "That's how much power he holds." My cell phone rang at that moment. Auggie was calling.
"Auggie?" I answered the call.
"Cori, we've had a sighting of one of our scaly friends in Dublin, and he's with a Mary clone."
* * *
Val wasn't happy to see Auggie and Matt so soon after Madam President's gaffe, but there wasn't anything else he could do. I'd sent a message to him while transporting James from Starbucks to Matt Michael's office.
I had no idea solving mysteries would be so aggravating, Val sent the moment he appeared. He didn't bother to disguise himself, either, so James was smiling as he studied Valegar from a corner of Matt's office.
I studied the photograph Auggie gave me shortly after my arrival before handing it to Val. Val enlarged it while everybody watched and then formed a 3-D image of it in a clear spot on Matt's floor.
"That's awesome," James breathed. We could walk in and out of the image while examining it from every angle.
That is awesome, I sent to Val. A corner of his mouth quirked at my compliment.
"Definitely a Mary clone," I nodded. "With a scaly clone version of Merle Askins wrapped up in a coat and hat. I still can't figure out why he's scaly instead of taking a humanoid appearance."
"They can do that?" Auggie asked. Matt didn't seem surprised. His lack of surprise didn't surprise me in turn. He had secrets. He'd either tell Auggie or not.
None of my business.
"Perhaps he hasn't discovered how to make the change, yet," Val surmised. "After all, they learn those things when they are younger-clones are reproduced as adults and do not spend a childhood in experimentation. I imagine this is all he knows at the moment."
"The clones will still look like the new Merle Askins, even if they learn how to change," I suggested. "That may hold them back, too-that once they're recognized as the altered Merle Askins, he'll be on everybody's radar again."
"Excellent point," Valegar agreed. "I understand there's still a warrant for Askin's arrest?"
"Yes, because the body has never been found-officially," Matt nodded. "We know the original was killed in Vancouver. What we don't know is how many of his clones are out there."
"The fact that they are successfully hiding from Larentii, in addition to others with power, indicates that there are remaining Sirenali," Val pointed out.
I'd been afraid to voice that opinion, but he was correct. Val and I-we'd have found them, otherwise, just by Looking.
"So," I said. "We have cloned Lyristolyi running around. Mary clones running around. Cloned Sirenali also running about and hiding the others. Then, we have Bright and Dark Elemaiya, employed by the ASD and supposedly looking for them, all while performing other, more self-serving duties. Everything is fucked up," I tossed out a hand.
"The Lyristolyi who arrived and made a debacle of the meeting over a year ago fucked things up most," Val said. I lifted an eyebrow in his direction at the use of foul language.
Well, he wanted to talk like humans. I think he was getting the hang of it rather quickly. "You're right," I said. "The Lyristolyi should have realized that a frontal assault would only force the criminals into any nook and cranny they could find. Now, after a year has passed, those cockroaches are venturing into the kitchen again."
"This means they had at least one alternate site to make clones and managed to hide it from everyone," Matt slapped the arm of his chair before standing. "And they likely still believe that we're behind the attack. Not good news for us," he added.
"Here's my question-now that Phillips is out of the way, who's calling the shots for them?" Auggie asked.
Chapter 4
Corinne
"Auggie, I think they're looking for Katya and Sergei."
Auggie gave me a startled look-one that said he hadn't considered that angle, yet. It made sense to me-they'd already caught Sergei once. Not only had he gotten away, but I'd pretty much damaged their goons beyond repair.
"It's my guess that the underground operating out of Dublin is putting a crimp in their plans, somehow. So they're going after them," I added.
"Katya and Sergei are here-currently living with Rafe," Auggie blew out a breath. "It probably won't be difficult to trace them to the U.S."
"Then we need to move them," I said. "Like yesterday."
"The house in Port Aransas is available," Matt said.
"Are you sure?" I began. After all, that's where Ilya and I were when he bought my ring.
"I think it will be fine," Matt said. "Besides, that one isn't on anybody's radar."
Somebody's put up a shield, haven't they? I sent mindspeech to him.
Somebody knows too
much for her own good, Matt shot back.
Don't worry-your ass and your secrets are safe with me.
If you weren't who you are, and protected by who you are, I'd have my doubts, he returned.
Awesome. Pardon me while I have doubts about your judgment in times of crisis, I snapped back.
Look, somebody has already chewed my ass about that and the fact that it shouldn't have happened.
Who might that be? I asked sweetly. Honestly, I wanted to shake their hand for doing my job for me.
Hank Bell, he grumped. If you know who he is, then I'll open a new bank account for you and put the first hundred thousand in there.
You know I don't know who he is, so your funds are safe, I said. Although now I want to meet him, just to say thanks.
If he comes around again, I'll be sure to have him look you up.
He outranks you, doesn't he?
By a lot. Matt didn't sound happy about it. You know who I was, don't you?
Yeah, Jayson Rome, I do.
This is so fucked up, he rubbed his forehead. Opal said you knew. I didn't know whether to believe her or not. You're not supposed to be able to see that in-well, you know.
I wasn't supposed to get the drug twice, either.
You have a point. Has Valegar offered to study that phenomenon yet?
It hasn't come up.
Look, I hope we can be friends, he said. Really. I know how badly I screwed up.
I just want Nick and Maye back. Figure that one out, okay?
He lifted an eyebrow. I'll ask, he said and left it at that.
"When do we move Rafe and his family?" Auggie interrupted our silent conversation.
"How about now?" I asked. "I'll provide transport."
* * *
We startled Rafe by knocking on his door-I figured that was better than just showing up in the living room. He had a hand on the gun in his waistband anyway when he answered the door.
At least he suspected his daughter and son-in-law were still in danger.
"We have to move you," Auggie said when Rafe relaxed. "We have a sighting of unsavory characters in Dublin, and it's a good bet they're looking for Katya and Sergei."
"Do we have time to pack?" Rafe asked after standing aside to let us in.
"You do not need to waste that time, I shall transport everything," Val declared. In ten seconds, we were at the overly large beach house in Port Aransas, where it was raining.
* * *
"I'd feel better if you stayed here to guard them-if they decide to go out," Matt said. I gave Matt a look that said how painful that might be-for Rafe/Ilya to ignore me or treat me as an alien, when I was his wife.
There it was-the crux of everything. Yes, I was coming to care for Val, but Ilya would always be my husband.
"Otherwise, I'll be forced to place armed guards, and that could draw attention," Matt continued.
Auggie lifted a hopeful eyebrow when I looked his way.
"It makes sense, Lara'Kayan," Val said. "I will be here with you, should the situation overwhelm you."
"Opal is on her way to Dublin," Matt said. I'd made coffee for him, Auggie, James and me-Matt sipped from his cup after making the statement. "She'll be tracking clones Merle and Mary."
"I would like to go to Dublin." Rafe stood in the doorway, but he spoke with Ilya's accent. I drew a shaky breath.
"I won't let you go without a good disguise and powerful protection," Matt said. "At the moment, you have neither."
"You do not have to remind me of my heartache," he mumbled.
"Want coffee?" I asked brightly to break the gloomy mood. I admit, my hands shook as I made a cup of coffee for Rafe-as he liked it-and set it in front of him. He'd taken a chair at the island next to James-who sat opposite of Val. Val's hand rubbed my back and neck when I regained my seat; he knew what this was costing me.
"Papa?" Katya walked into the kitchen, followed closely by Sergei.
"Coffee?" I asked automatically. Rafe's eyes met mine across the island before turning to his daughter.
"I'll get it," he said, motioning for her and Sergei to sit.
"Rinnelar?" Sergei said in heavily accented English.
"Yes?"
"Thank you. For my life."
"I would prefer that you keep it," I said, giving him a weak smile.
"How do you do that-heal something?" Katya asked.
"We work at a cellular level, to put everything back the way it was," Valegar shrugged. He was getting his human gestures down quickly. "At times, if there is poison involved, we change the molecular makeup of the poison itself, in order to neutralize it."
"I've seen that first-hand," Rafe acknowledged. He placed Sergei's coffee in front of him and dropped his gaze as he reclaimed his seat. He wasn't looking at me deliberately. I understood why-he was doing his best to prevent his mind from making a connection between Rinnelar and Corinne.
I see it, Val informed me silently. I will consider this. Perhaps there is a way to isolate the obsession and place a shield about it. Allow me to consult with my father and with Kalenegar, first.
Thank you.
I would do anything for you, my love.
Yes, it was my human roots that made this difficult for me to understand-that someone who loved me would look for a way to overcome an obstacle, so I might fling myself into another man's arms and weep my heart out.
"I think I'll take my coffee outside," I said. "The sun is peeking through the clouds."
"I will join you," Valegar nodded. He transported us-I was rising to walk outside. We ended up on the beach instead of the deck.
"We cannot be seen, my love," Val said, taking my hand and lifting it to his lips. "I merely want you to love me as much as you love him."
"This is such a strange concept," I lowered my eyes. "When you're human-or seemingly so-you tend to shut others out when you make your vows to one."
"As you know," he lifted my chin with a finger, "you are no longer human. Were not human in your last incarnation, either. If helping you through this is my task, then I take it up gladly. Removing Ilya's jealousy is no problem-that can be done easily. You can do it yourself, if you so choose."
"I just hope segregating his obsession will be that simple."
"My love, we will find a way." I was pulled into arms that radiated the warmth of a summer day.
Soon-very soon-I would have to shove away my human feelings and admit that Valegar and I were meant to be. I would never give up Ilya, however, and the Larentii who held me understood that-even encouraged it.
* * *
Ilya
The Larentii were gone more than an hour. Suspicions formed, only to submerge and transform into other thoughts. Someone was keeping me from making a connection. I was grateful.
I hadn't had a destructive dream in several days, for which I was also grateful. Under normal circumstances, my suspicions would be examined until a conclusion was reached. In this case only, the suspicions slid away with barely a struggle.
Everything else received my usual, focused attention.
"Why would they keep making clones of those we recognize?" I asked. Director Michaels and Colonel Hunter now sat in the media room with me; Katya had accompanied Sergei to their suite so he could rest.
"Because their supply of the drug was either taken or destroyed," Val and Rinnelar appeared in the room. "They only had a few survivors left, in my opinion, so they are forced to make clones. They neither have the formula nor the ingredients to recreate the drug."
Val spoke; Rinnelar nodded her agreement. It made sense, too. Without a drug survivor to draw blood from, there would be no clones.
"What about," I began.
"They have to have blood from the original survivor," Val answered my question before I could voice it entirely. "They were foolish to allow the original Merle Askins to die in Vancouver. They should have sent a clone in his place."
"Then do they know that they can't make a clone from a clone?" Colonel Hunter asked
.
"Unknown. It is also unknown how much blood was gathered from Askins before his death."
"If they started taking blood from him shortly after his survival, then they could have a thousand vials or more," Rinnelar pointed out. "It only takes a small amount to create a clone."
"Then we should search for their supply of blood," I said.
* * *
Corinne
Auggie, where's the rest of the drug from the U.S. stash? I asked.
Everybody in the media room knew I'd sent him mindspeech, because he shifted uncomfortably on his barstool.
"You don't know, do you?" I accused aloud.
"Not all of it-no," he shook his head. "You have to understand that some of it was sent to the Nevada facility, and we don't know what happened to it."
"Where are those people now-the ones who were there?" Rafe hissed. He'd understood immediately that our conversation concerned the drug.
"Most are dead." I said the words, my voice flat as I read the admission in Auggie's gaze.
"Murdered, most likely," Auggie massaged his forehead. "Although their deaths were meant to look like accidents, until they kept piling up."
"So the enemy may have the drug back in their hands," Rafe growled. "They may be misleading us for now by only making clones, until they unleash the next round of survivors to hunt us."
"That went downhill in a hurry," I turned to Val, who nodded in agreement.
"We know what Phillips looked like after his turn," Matt said. "A certain former Russian President comes to mind. I doubt that the current Russian President will be very accommodating if one of Phillips' clones shows up."
"You're assuming that one of Phillips' clones isn't pouring obsession into his ear already," I pointed out. "I think I hate the fucking Sirenali, already."
"Dearest, they're not all bad," Val corrected gently.
"The ones I've run into are," I defended my statement.
"You know that troubles often come from assigning the same traits to all within a race," he began.
"Yeah. You're right."
He smiled at me. I love you, he said silently.
Well, I love your blue ass, too.
What other color would it be?
Cloud Rebel: R-D 3 Page 5