“You using me, McBrien?” She frowned at him.
“No more than you’re using us. Maybe I do you a favor today, and you’ll owe me one.”
“I don’t like being indebted to my enemies.”
“Then maybe we should be friends.” Aidan set off down the hallway toward the kitchens. “Night, Ro.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Allie
Cleveland, June
“You’re here again.” Greyson’s deadpan voice rose above the din of classical music. “And you’re making a mess of my kitchen. Didn’t we learn anything from the fried chicken fiasco last month? You almost burned my kitchen down.”
“Don’t worry, Greyson,” Santi’s voice drifted from Allie’s iPad. “I’m walking her through a simple spaghetti meal she can’t possibly screw up.”
“Oh, you’d be surprised,” Allie said. “That’s why you’re on FaceTime, so you can supervise me.”
“And why did you break into my house—again—to cook spaghetti?” Greyson set his messenger bag on the marble countertop.
“I didn’t break in. I used the key.”
“I hide it for a reason, Allie. How did you even find it in the garden shed?”
“Really?” Allie gave him a blank stare.
“You can’t hide a spare key from a clairvoyant, Greyson,” Santi said. “She’s going to walk right to it every time.”
“Right.” He sighed. “I’m going to have to resign myself to the redheaded bandit forever, aren’t I?”
“Sounds like a private conversation,” Santi said. “Can you take it from here?”
“I’ve got it under control,” Allie said.
“I was talking to Greyson.”
“Funny.” Allie lifted her iPad. “See you at home later.”
“Later.” Santi waved, ending the call.
Greyson nudged Allie away from the stove, removing the pasta from a roiling boil. “It’s overcooking.”
“How can you tell?” Allie frowned at the pot. “You haven’t even thrown it against the wall yet.”
“I lived in Italy for more than a century. I know how to cook pasta.”
“Right. I’ll just make some garlic bread.” She reached for the box in the freezer.
“If you’re going to be here, using my kitchen, you’re going to learn how to cook.”
“Lily’s been trying for years. I don’t think I got that whole cooking gene thing. But I can manage the bread.”
“That box of crap is not food.” Greyson reached for a loaf of french bread. “Cut this lengthways down the middle.”
“Well, the sauce is homemade. Santi wouldn’t let me use the jar stuff.”
Greyson sampled the sauce and nodded his approval. “Tastes good. Next time, I’ll show you how to use only stuff from the garden to make it.”
“Sounds like a lot of work.” She wrinkled her nose. “What’s wrong with the jar stuff?”
“It’s in a jar.” He drained the pasta and tasted it. “It’s edible, but well done.”
“See, I don’t even know what that means.”
“Just work on chopping the garlic.” He handed her a huge bulb of the stuff.
“This is garlic? What do I do with it?” She scowled at the garlic like it was an alien.
“Oh, dear lord, how have you never seen garlic?” He took the thing away from her and showed her how to peel the cloves.
“It comes in jars already chopped, you know.”
“Do you have something against fresh ingredients? This is from my garden. It tastes better.”
“You do realize we bicker like siblings?”
“Why me?” Greyson rubbed his hand across his face.”
“You love having me here, admit it. You’d be lonely if I left.”
Greyson clamped his mouth shut. Grumbling something about “a homeless daughter he didn’t ask for.”
“I’m not homeless. I like my house. I just don’t like it when it’s empty.” The silence was far too loud when Darius wasn’t home. Greyson was a distraction. She enjoyed his company and he didn’t treat her like a child … most of the time.
“And where is Darius? Don’t you two hate it when you’re not together?”
“We don’t like it, but Gregg makes it part of our training to spend time apart, so we aren’t so dependent on each other. We have to spend several hours each day pursuing different things.”
“So, what? I’m your hobby?”
“No.” Allie smiled. “Working as your intern is my hobby, and we have work to do tonight. You’re doing a guest lecture at Cleveland State on modern art next week, and they’re presenting you with an award. You need to work on your lecture and your speech.”
“You know, I’ve been writing speeches and lectures longer than you’ve been alive. I think I can handle it. And I can dig up an old lecture.”
“An old lecture on modern art? Come on, you can do better than that. The Cleveland State art program is decent, but they have nothing on CIA. Give them something they aren’t getting from textbooks. Give them something cutting edge.”
“Fine, we’ll work on it after dinner. You know, I pity your Complement, kid.” He winked. “Poor guy’s never going to win an argument.”
“You aren’t funny.” Allie finally managed to get the last of the garlic cloves free from their confinement.
“You’ve managed to mangle those poor things. Give it here. I’ll finish up. You go set the table outside. It’s a nice night. We’ll eat in the garden and talk ideas for my lecture.”
Allie’s phone blared with an alarming ringtone. “That’s Quinn!” She darted to the phone, desperate for any news on Navid.
“Did you find him?” She breathed into the phone. “Tell me you found him!”
“We did, but we have to move fast. Where are you?”
“Greyson’s.”
“I’ll be there in five. Does he have a safe place for you?”
“Yes, meet us in the garden out back.”
“I can’t stay with you. Once I get you there, I’ll hand you off to Brigs, then I have to get to Livia; have you seen her?”
“Livia’s at Liam’s tonight.” She’d recently started spending time there as a break from the monotony of the underground. “Don’t worry about me. Greyson can watch over me while I’m under. I’ll catch him up to speed. Just hurry.” Allie shoved her phone back in her pocket.
“What’s going on?” Greyson turned off the oven and burners, wiping his hands on a dishtowel. “How can I help?”
“They’ve found Navid. Quinn’s on his way here. He’s going to escort me to the dreamworld. Can you watch over me?”
“Watch over you?”
“I’ll be sort of asleep, but not really. I just need protection here in the waking world in case I have trouble leaving the dreamworld.”
“And how do I wake you up and force you back here?”
“Slap me. Throw water on me, whatever works. If I start freaking out, you have to wake me up by any means.”
“Why can’t we just do that with Navid?”
“Doesn’t work like that in his situation. Brecken has him trapped. He can’t do that to me since I’m not a walker, so you can force me out if something goes wrong.”
“Anything else I need to know?”
“Call Santi if something happens and you don’t know what to do. Just FaceTime her on my iPad. She’s the last person I called.”
“Got it. Let’s get you settled and ready before Quinn gets here. I imagine you need to relax.” Greyson pulled his phone out of his pocket, typing a quick text as he followed Allie to the garden.
Allie dragged her yoga mat from the garden shed and tossed it across the grass. Sitting with her legs crisscrossed and her back to the rear garden wall, she placed her palms on her knees, taking slow, deep breaths.
Calming white noise rushed from the garden speakers, driving the frantic thoughts from her mind.
“Thanks Greyson, that helps.” She counted her slow, deep breaths until s
he was only taking a breath a few times per minute. By the time Quinn arrived, she was focused and ready. Allie didn’t even greet him: she stayed in her relaxed position, grasping Quinn’s hand as he settled beside her.
The garden twisted and swirled around her until she felt solid ground beneath her feet. This time she didn’t fall upon entering the dreamworld, but she still ran for the bushes, tossing the contents of her stomach on the ground.
“Where is he?” she demanded of Brigs, wiping the vomit from her face. Quinn had already left her and was back in the waking world, racing to get to Livia.
“Follow me, Beautiful. We have another leap to make before this ride stops spinning.” He took her hand, and Allie insides twisted and turned like ingredients in a food processor.
“Drink.” Brigs shoved a bottle of sweet dreamworld water into her hands. She chugged it before she had a chance to puke, and her mind cleared and her stomach stopped churning. “Thank you,” she managed to whisper through trembling lips. This was the closest they’d come to finding Navid in months, but finding him was only half the battle. Actually getting him out might prove impossible.
“Don’t overthink it, Allie.” Brigs wrapped his long arms around her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “We all love him and we’re going to bring him home. Tonight. And then you and I are going to celebrate. Deal?”
“Deal. Catch me up to speed.”
“We’re waiting here for the others. The prison dreamscape is just up the pathway through the woods.” He pointed in the distance. She could just make out the tower at the top of the hill. “We’re going to give you as much time as we can in there.”
“Let’s go now. Livia can catch up when she gets here.”
“You know that’s a dumb idea, Allie. We stay put until the Commander tells us otherwise so I’m afraid you’re stuck with me, sweet cheeks.”
“Your nicknames need work.” Allie shook her head at him. “You’re not as smooth as you think you are.”
“Admit it, you find me and my nicknames irresistible.” His lips quirked into a half smile that never failed to get her attention. Over the last year, Brigs had asked her out so many times she finally caved a few months ago just to shut him up. To her surprise, she enjoyed their first date, which had turned into a dozen or more since then. He was a fun—irresistible—distraction and it was good for her to move on. But, he wasn’t Aidan. And the fact that he was so very un-Aidan made it easier to enjoy his company. But when they weren’t together, the guilt consumed her. No matter how much she liked Brigs and no matter how long it had been since she last spoke to Aidan, the truth was, she felt like she was cheating on him. And that just pissed her off.
“Well you are a dream walker. I suppose that at least makes you interesting.” Allie’s gaze fell to his lips. He had such pretty, kissable lips.
“If you’d let me into your dreamscape, I could show you just how interesting I can be.” He leaned in close, his breath warm on her face. “This of all the oh-so-interesting dreams I could give you.”
Allie’s face flushed pink under his scrutiny. Brigs was hot and he knew it. He was cocky, but not always confident, which gave him an adorable quality she quite liked. He was just a few inches taller than Allie with short blond hair and sky blue eyes. He also had full tattoo sleeves covering his muscular arms and wide shoulders. He probably had many more tattoos she hadn’t even seen. His angular jaw was covered in a perpetual five o’clock shadow and he dressed casually, always in ripped jeans, t-shirts and boots. Brigs also made Allie laugh. And it didn’t hurt that Darius didn’t hate him. But he wasn’t coming anywhere near her dreamscape. That was sacred Aidan territory and she just couldn’t do it.
“You stay out of my dreams, mister.” She let a teasing tone into her voice, but she was also dead serious.
“We could have so much fun, Allie.” He took a step forward, tilting her chin up. “Just imagine what a date in the dreamworld would be like.”
“I am not going on a date with you in the dreamworld,” Allie said, forcing her attention back on what was truly important.
“Fine, come to my house when this is over. I’ll make you dinner and I’ll up the ante with a cupcake bribe.” Brigs gazed down into her eyes, giving off hella sexy vibes.
“Chocolate?” she asked nervously.
“Gooey chocolate cake and frosting for miles.”
“You’re on. But I want sprinkles too.” Allie said, taking a step back to put some distance between them.
“It’s a date. You know, after we rescue your father from Brecken’s prison world and the threat of madness.”
“You think we can pull this off?” Allie asked, pacing the narrow pathway through the forest. She could see the tower through the trees. Several guards patrolled the area and they were the only reason she didn’t make a run for the tower right this minute.
“Orders are to stay put, Allie. Don’t even think about it.” Brigs came up behind her.
“I know. It’s just … he’s right there and we might not have an opportunity like this again.”
“It’s a trap, Beautiful,” Brigs said. “But if Quinn is our commander, then Navid is our commander’s mentor. We will fight for his freedom, as we would for Quinn.”
“Thank you, Brigs. My family appreciates all you have done to help find my father.”
“And we appreciate all you and Livia have done to help us fight this war and free our walkers.”
“How are they all doing since waking?”
“Better. Some of them were trapped here for a really long time. It will be years before most of them will recover. But they will, thanks to you two.” He nodded behind Allie where Livia and Quinn now stood.
“Let’s do this,” Livia said, her jaw set in a firm line.
“What’s the plan? Same as last time?” Allie asked, eager to get inside the tower.
“Sort of,” Quinn said. “But this time, we’re bringing every able-bodied walker to stand sentry around the prison while you’re in there.”
“What about Brecken’s warriors?” Livia asked.
“We’re going to have to fight to get you inside. It’s what they want. They’re drawing us out so it’s going to be a dirty fight. You guys need to do this quickly. In and out. Raina will take Navid home the second you have him.”
“And then I’ll get you two back home safe and sound,” Brigs added.
“I wish we were with Navid’s body now,” Livia said, shaking her head. “I should have stayed home.”
“Santi and Sasha are with him now,” Quinn said. “They’ve done this before with other walkers we’ve returned to the waking world. They’ll know what to do for him when he wakes up.”
“Can you pick me up at Greyson’s?” Allie asked her sister. “We’ll get to the underground together?”
Livia nodded. “Liam is ready to go as soon as I get back. I should have never let him talk me into leaving Dad alone tonight.”
“We’ll get to Dad soon, Liv,” Allie said. “And we’ll help him get better.”
“Damn right we will. Let’s go.”
Allie and Livia followed Quinn’s growing team into the barren landscape surrounding the new prison tower. At the top of the hill, Allie got her first glimpse of the black tower. It was worse than the last place, and at least ten walkers patrolled the perimeter.
“When we get down there, Brigs is going to get you close to the tower.” Quinn nodded. “Try to get inside before you puke, Allie.”
“Just like last time,” Brigs said. “You’ll be fine.”
“I swear, I’ll drag you in there while you’re puking if I have to,” Livia almost growled.
“Just be safe, Quinn, please? Don’t let anyone else end up inside that thing,” Allie said.
Quinn nodded and his walkers vanished, reappearing at the top of the hill amidst the guards. All hell broke lose as Livia and Allie grasped hands with Brigs and followed suit.
Allie stumbled this time, but Brigs wrapped his arms around her
and poured water down her throat before he shoved her toward the open tower archways. She barely had a moment to absorb the intensity of the battle before she was inside the prison world.
Allie’s feet moved the instant she felt solid ground beneath her. “Navid!” she called, sprinting in the opposite direction of her sister.
“Dad!” Livia shouted.
This world was different. It was a desert with no end in sight.
“How are we going to find him?” Allie shouted across the barren landscape after Livia’s retreating form. She shielded her face from the blistering hot sun, gazing in every direction. Miles and miles of cracked earth stretched out before her.
“We aren’t leaving until we find him,” Livia called.
But Allie feared only a walker could search this dreamscape in the time they had. That was Brecken’s doing. He knew Allie and Livia would never find Navid in such a large prison world. And no walker could step foot in here and not be affected by the nightmares surely haunting this place.
Allie ran, pumping her arms and legs, stumbling across the rocky ground, but she never saw a single landmark. Nothing but wasteland.
“Allie!” She turned to see Livia in the distance, running toward her, shouting something. Allie hurried to meet her, but something was wrong. Her limbs didn’t want to obey her.
“Come this way,” Livia panted, dragging Allie behind her. “There’s a small lake over that ridge. He’ll likely stick close to a water source.
Allie’s limbs grew heavy, and her cheeks stung like someone slapped her.
“No.” Allie gasped, clinging to her sister’s hand.
“What’s wrong?” Livia demanded. “Are you waking up? No, Allie, stay with me!”
But Allie no longer felt the hot desert air against her skin. The evening breeze of Greyson’s garden chased the heat away, cooling her face and the sticky perspiration on the back of her neck. But something else was there. Something wrong and unnatural. Allie felt weak. So weak, she struggled to open her eyes. “Greyson,” she slurred her words. “I wasn’t ready.” She was so tired. She’d felt like this only once before. Allie’s eyes snapped open and she clawed at the collar around her throat. She sat in the garden, but she wasn’t alone. Three strange men stood between her and Greyson.
Emerge- The Betrayal Page 28