“But the skills I learned from Liam and Dillon could help us now,” says Kaden.
“How so?” asks Kyle to Kaden.
Kaden taps the smartwatch that is on his left wrist and it turns on. Kyle watches Kaden tap his smartwatch and he wonders what Kaden is doing.
“I was able to get a couple radio signals on my smartwatch and I heard some people talking over a radio yesterday,” says Kaden.
“What did you hear?” asks Kyle.
“Nothing great, I only heard a couple soldiers talking about some guy Lynch bringing in a couple of fresh subjects to the base,” answers Kaden.
Kyle gets interested in the news about Lynch and Kyle asks Kaden, “Anything else?”
“I only got it working yesterday and there wasn’t much other than those soldiers talking,” answers Kaden.
“Good work though, I like that you are thinking outside the box,” replies Kyle to Kaden.
“Thanks, Uncle Kiran taught me a couple of tricks as well that I’m using,” says Kaden.
Kyle smiles and thinks about his brother Kiran and how Kiran loved teaching him things about electronics, radios, and technology.
“I really miss him. I miss Aunt Evelyn too, and it sucks that they both died… Is there going to be a funeral for them?” says Kaden.
Kyle thinks about Kiran being wheeled away in his hospital bed and answers Kaden, “I doubt it, but I’ll ask around.”
“What happened to them?” asks Kaden.
Kyle thinks about how he should answer Kaden and if he should lie by telling Kaden that they died in a peaceful humane way or tell Kaden the truth that they died like lab rats in a research study.
“I guess it doesn’t matter as they are both gone, but I hope they didn’t suffer,” says Kaden.
Kyle’s anger starts to take over him as he thinks about Evelyn and Kiran suffering before they died and Kyle says, “They were killed as part of the research on base. They were killed by some injection that they are experimenting with here at Fort Derrick.”
Kaden gives Kyle a look of shock and sadness and Kyle instantly feels regret for telling Kaden the truth about Kiran and Evelyn.
“What’s the injection?” asks Kaden to Kyle.
Kyle sees that Kaden’s shocked expression has changed to a look of concentration and focus.
“I shouldn’t be telling you all this,” answers Kyle.
“Why? Will you get in trouble for telling me?” asks Kaden.
Kyle thinks about Kaden’s question and he answers, “No, well maybe, I don’t care about getting in trouble anymore… I just don’t know what to say or do right now.”
Kaden knows that Kyle is struggling right now, and he doesn’t like seeing his father in pain and feeling that he doesn’t know what to do.
“I’m sorry for asking,” says Kaden to Kyle.
Kyle feels bad for making Kaden feel like he couldn’t ask him about Kiran or what happened to him as Kyle and Kristina have tried to be open books with Kaden.
“There isn’t anything to be sorry about. I’m sorry for being short with you and that I made you feel like you can’t ask questions. I hope you know that you can ask me and your mother anything and everything,” says Kyle to Kaden.
“You and mom usually gave me the, it’s classified line when I asked you about work,” replies Kaden.
“Well, that was different. Your mom and I couldn’t talk to you about a lot of our work as it was secret classified stuff,” responds Kyle to Kaden.
Kyle thinks about Kristina and how mean he has been to her lately since Kiran and Evelyn died. Part of Kyle blames Kristina for the death of Kiran and Evelyn as Kyle and Kristina left the lab before they arrived. Kyle remembers feeling the strong urge to go back into the lab, but he didn’t go back, because he felt like he had to stay with Kristina and go check on Kaden in the office.
“But I’ll need my laptop to try and access the USB port on the ACT breaker in our garage,” says Kaden to Kyle.
Kyle partially hears Kaden as he’s still thinking about Kristina and what could have been different if he never left the lab early the day Kiran and Evelyn died.
“Is that possible dad?” asks Kaden to Kyle.
Kyle snaps out of his trance and asks Kaden, “Is what possible?”
“For me to bring my laptop here?” asks Kaden to Kyle.
“I’ll see what I can do about bringing it back here,” answers Kyle.
“Thanks dad, I’ll let you be alone,” replies Kaden and Kaden stands up from his patio chair.
“Thanks K, I appreciate your help and conversation,” responds Kyle.
Kaden smiles and starts to walk towards the closed sliding glass door, but Kaden stops and looks at Kyle and says, “You aren’t alone dad, mom and I are here for you. Whatever you need, we’ll be there to help you.”
Kyle smiles and thanks Kaden.
Kaden goes back into the house through the sliding glass door.
Kyle thinks about Kaden’s loving statement and he thinks about Kristina and how he needs to apologize to her. Kyle loves Kristina and he hates when they fight and argue.
Kristina enters the kitchen and Kyle sees Kristina enter the kitchen.
Kyle gathers himself and he opens the sliding glass door. Kristina looks at Kyle, but she doesn’t say anything.
“Can I talk with you?” asks Kyle to Kristina.
“In here?” asks Kristina.
“No, out back,” answers Kyle.
“Let me finish making some tea and I’ll meet you out back,” replies Kristina.
“Okay,” responds Kyle and then Kyle goes back onto his covered patio.
As Kyle is standing under the covered back patio, he hears the sounds of a helicopter flying in the sky.
Kyle walks out from under his covered back patio and he sees a small helicopter flying away from Fort Derrick.
The small helicopter flies out of Kyle’s sight and Kyle sees two larger helicopters fly up into the sky in the same direction as the small helicopter and the two helicopters fly away from Fort Derrick.
Kristina opens the sliding glass door and Kyle says, “Three helicopters just left the base.”
“Any idea about them?” asks Kristina as Kyle walks over to her.
“No way to tell, but it looked like a personal helicopter and two large transport helicopters,” answers Kyle.
“We could ask the doc about them,” replies Kristina.
“Maybe,” responds Kyle to Kristina as he looks at Kristina who is sitting at the patio table with her mug of tea that she just made.
Kristina blows on her tea and Kyle looks at Kristina and he wants to say something, but he doesn’t know how to start the conversation.
Kristina looks at Kyle and asks, “What did you want to talk about?”
Kyle sees the annoyed expression on Kristina’s face and that makes Kyle answer, “I just wanted to say sorry. Sorry for blocking you out and not talking with you.”
Kristina looks at Kyle, but doesn’t reply.
“It’s been a lot recently and losing my brother hasn’t been easy for me,” says Kyle.
“As it shouldn’t. You and your brother were pretty close,” replies Kristina.
Kyle nods his head in agreement and Kyle thinks about what to say next and before he can say anything, Kristina says, “I’m sure you are blaming me for Kiran’s death, and I understand that, but I didn’t kill your brother.”
“I know you didn’t kill him,” replies Kyle.
“Part of you has to feel that you could have done something, or should have done something to save your brother and Evelyn,” says Kristina.
Kyle nods his head in agreement to Kristina’s statement.
“It’s going to take time to get over losing your brother and you’ll probably never truly get over it… And that’s normal, losing a loved one is hard,” says Kristina.
“You are right,” replies Kyle.
“I know, but I don’t want to feel like you are holding back from me and that you can’
t tell me what you are thinking and feeling,” says Kristina to Kyle with a stern tone.
Kyle is about to respond, but Kristina says, “It’s normal to feel what you’re feeling, but remember that we didn’t kill Kiran and Evelyn, the people of Fort Derrick did.”
“I know, but I just feel like if I was there in the lab I may have been able to save Kiran and Evelyn,” replies Kyle.
“Maybe you could have, but I doubt it,” responds Kristina.
“What makes you say that?” asks Kyle to Kristina.
“Please sit down, it feels weird with you standing and me sitting,” says Kristina.
Kyle sits in the chair next to Kristina at the patio table and Kristina answers, “Well, we’ll have to find out more specifics about the human trials, but I doubt there was any chance of the subjects surviving the trials with the new injections they started using.”
“What do you mean?” asks Kyle.
“I’m sure the injections given to Evelyn and Kiran were designed for something they found in their blood panels, and I doubt it was going to magically work on the first two human test subjects they tried it on,” answers Kristina.
“We’ll have to find out more about this HZ23,” says Kyle.
“Is there anything on the drive that Nate gave you about HZ23?” asks Kristina to Kyle.
“I haven’t looked at that drive since we got here, but I’ll have to check it out,” answers Kyle.
Kaden slides open the sliding glass door, and he says to Kyle and Kristina, “There is some skinny white guy at the front door, and he wants to talk with you two.”
“Who is it?” asks Kyle to Kaden.
“I think he said his name is Ty,” answers Kaden.
“Did you let him in the house?” asks Kristina to Kaden.
“No, he’s still on the front porch,” answers Kaden.
“Good, thank you K,” replies Kyle and then Kyle walks into their house with Kaden.
“Is he alone?” asks Kyle to Kaden.
“I’m not sure, but I only saw him through the peep hole in the door,” answers Kaden.
Kyle opens his front door, and he sees Ty standing there by himself on Kyle’s front porch.
“Hey Kyle,” says Ty to Kyle.
“How can I help you Ty?” asks Kyle.
“I’m sorry about your brother and sister-in-law,” answers Ty.
“Thank you,” answers Kyle.
Ty looks around at the houses next to the Sinclair’s house and down the street and Kyle notices that Ty is nervous.
“Everything okay Ty?” asks Kyle.
“Is there somewhere we can talk?” asks Ty.
“Yeah, we can go out back,” replies Kyle.
Kyle invites Ty into his house and Kaden looks at Ty and he notices Ty seems fidgety.
“Should I come with you dad?” asks Kaden to Kyle.
Kyle looks at Ty and Ty says, “It would be best if we talked alone.”
“Well Kristina is out back, is it a problem if she hears what you have to say?” asks Kyle to Ty.
Ty looks at Kyle and answers, “It’s just about some sensitive topics that’s all.”
“Up to you K, come with us if you want,” says Kyle to Kaden as Kyle walks towards the sliding glass door that leads onto their back patio.
Kaden looks at Ty and says, “I would like to hear what you have to say.”
Ty walks onto the back patio with Kaden and Kyle and Kristina notices that Ty seems nervous and that his Caucasian skin is paler than usual.
“Everything okay Ty?” asks Kristina to Ty.
Ty wipes some sweat off his forehead and answers, “Yeah, I don’t know why I’m so nervous to talk with you.”
“Would you like something to drink?” asks Kyle to Ty.
“Some water would be great,” answers Ty.
Kaden goes back into the house and grabs Ty a bottle of water.
“Where is the rest of your crew?” asks Kristina to Ty.
Kaden hands the bottle of water to Ty and Ty thanks Kaden for the bottle of water.
Ty opens the bottle of water, drinks some of the water, and answers Kristina, “They don’t know I’m here. They are in the lab today.”
“Why aren’t you with them?” asks Kyle to Ty.
“I called out today, I haven’t been feeling well for a couple days now,” answers Ty.
“What’s wrong?” asks Kristina to Ty.
Ty looks around the Sinclair’s backyard and Ty asks, “Is it safe to talk here?”
Kyle nods his head yes and answers, “Just keep your voice low and you should be fine.”
Kristina looks at Kyle and it is obvious that Ty feels uncomfortable being in the Sinclair’s home and talking with them.
Kyle, Kristina, and Kaden look at Ty and wait for Ty to start talking.
Ty takes a couple of deep breaths and says, “I don’t know why I can’t just say what I want to say.”
“What is it about?” asks Kristina to Ty.
Ty exhales and answers, “It’s about Kiran and Evelyn and what happened to them.”
“You mean before they died?” asks Kyle to Ty.
“Yeah… I just feel like it could have been avoided and didn’t need to happen,” answers Ty.
Kyle, Kaden, and Kristina look at Ty and impatiently wait for him to further explain.
“Your brother and sister-in-law were brought into the lab after you two left, and they were both alive. They were sedated but alive,” says Ty.
“And they were given the HZ23 injection?” asks Kyle.
“Yeah, but they were given the injection after they were brought into the lab and the tests were run on them,” replies Ty.
“Who ordered the injection?” asks Kristina to Ty.
“Whoever Alex reports to,” answers Ty.
“Are you telling me that Kiran and Evelyn where alive and fine before they were brought into the lab?” asks Kyle to Ty.
“Yes,” answers Ty and Ty starts to get upset.
“Did you and Alex and Ovi recognize my brother and sister-in-law?” asks Kyle to Ty.
“I did, and I think they did as well,” answers Ty with tears in his eyes.
“Why didn’t you stop the fucking injection then?” shouts Kyle at Ty.
“I tried to... I tried to stop Alex. I told him that I knew who the two human subjects were and that they were related to you Kyle,” answers Ty.
“What did Alex do when you told him that?” asks Kristina to Ty.
Ty wipes a tear away from his left cheek, looks at Kyle, and answers, “He grabbed the injection pen and gave Evelyn the injection.”
CHAPTER 14
DAY 59
“What are we going to do about Alex?” asks Kristina to Kyle as they both stand in their master bathroom early in the morning.
“I know what I want to do, but I think we have to meet with doc and get some answers first,” answers Kyle.
“How are we going to talk with her?” asks Kristina.
“I wish I could call her smartwatch, but we don’t have her number. I think we go to her house and try to meet with her,” answers Kyle.
“When do you want to go there?” asks Kristina.
“Whenever you are ready,” answers Kyle.
“What about Kaden?” asks Kristina.
“He can come with us, or we can have him hangout in the office,” answers Kyle.
“The office is on the way to where doc lives,” says Kristina.
“So, I think we go to the office and then head over to doc’s house,” replies Kyle.
“Can we have breakfast first?” asks Kristina.
“Yeah,” answers Kyle.
Kristina, Kyle, and Kaden sit at their dining room table and have breakfast.
Kaden asks, “What are we doing today?”
“We are going to the office and then we are going to try and go see doc,” answers Kristina.
“I have to stay in the office again?” asks Kaden.
“Yeah, we think it’s the
best option,” answers Kyle.
Kyle sees that Kaden is frustrated and Kyle says to Kaden, “I know it sucks here, and you’re bored.”
“I’ll find something to do in the office,” replies Kaden.
“Thatta boy, you have to find the best of any situation,” responds Kristina to Kaden.
Kyle, Kristina, and Kaden finish having breakfast and they exit their house and enter Kyle’s SUV.
“How much gas do we have?” asks Kristina to Kyle.
Kyle looks at the gauges on his SUV dashboard and answers, “Like half a tank, but I’ve been keeping my speed down to make sure it runs on electricity.”
As Kyle reverses out of his driveway, Kaden asks, “Can I bring back my laptop and tablet today?”
Kyle and Kristina hear Kaden’s question and Kristina asks, “Is it safe to bring that equipment back home?”
Kyle approaches the house where Alex, Ty, and Ovi live and he notices that their driveway is empty. Kyle stops his SUV in front of Alex, Ty, and Ovi’s house and asks, “I wonder what ever happened to Julian?”
Kristina looks at the front of Alex, Ty, and Ovi’s house and answers, “That’s a good question, he’s been missing for a while now.”
Kyle thinks about going and knocking on Alex, Ty, and Ovi’s front door and Kristina notices that Kyle is staring at the house intensely and she fears that Kyle may do something dangerous.
“I don’t think anyone is home, their car isn’t in the driveway,” says Kristina as she places her left hand, in a comforting way, on Kyle’s right forearm.
Kyle looks at Kristina, who is sitting in the passenger seat of Kyle’s SUV, and then Kyle glances at Kaden, who is sitting in the backseat of Kyle’s SUV, and Kyle thinks about how lucky he is to have Kaden and Kristina with him right now.
Kyle calms down and thinks that it’s better for him to get answers from Dr. Smith before going after Alex.
“Let’s go to the office babe,” says Kristina to Kyle.
Kyle drives away from Alex, Ty, and Ovi’s house and as Kyle’s SUV drives down the street a front window curtain inside Alex, Ty, and Ovi’s house moves slightly and someone watches Kyle’s SUV drive away from the house.
“What do you think dad?” asks Kaden to Kyle.
“About what?” answers Kyle.
“About me bringing my laptop and tablet back home today?” asks Kaden.
In 100 Days | Book 2 Page 15