by Maira Dawn
Her heart dropped to her stomach as another knock sounded.
After one last glimpse of the girl, Skye choked back a sob and grabbed up some of the bedding she had just dragged out onto the balcony.
Skye flew back into her room and threw the bedspread over the bed, making sure no one would be able to tell the sheets were missing.
The knock came again, more insistent this time.
“Coming!” Skye yelled as she’d mussed her hair, hoping they would assume she was sleeping.
As quietly as possible, Skye dragged the chair she’d leaned against the door back away from it. She cleared her throat twice as if she’d been sleeping as she turned the doorknob.
Sydney and a male guard stood outside the door. The male guard looked irritated. “Just getting ready to bust this door down.”
Sydney was polite. “Sorry, seems I caught you at a nap.”
“Yes, I was.” Skye rubbed at her eyes.
“The Doc needs you back at the lab.”
Her heart pounded. What did Devon want now? “Mind if I go to the restroom before . . . ”
The other guard narrowed his eyes and scanned the room.
Skye glanced over her shoulder, realizing with a start the curtains were open enough to show the bedsheets blowing on the balcony floor.
If either of the guards moved even a few inches closer to her, they would spot it too.
Skye waved a hand. “You know what? I’m fine. Let’s go visit Dr. Shade. The sooner I’m there, the sooner I’m can get back to sleep, right?” She smiled at the guards, hoping to ease any suspicions.
“Okay, then,” Sydney said, motioning Skye out in front of her.
Skye breathed a sigh of relief when both guards followed behind her. She dropped back to walk beside Sydney. “I thought I was done for the day.”
“Yeah. Well, Doc got all excited about something and wanted another blood test.”
The butterflies in Skye’s stomach slowed down. A blood draw was easy enough. She’d rather fluids be going out than going in. Skye scratched at the spot of the injection Devon had given her earlier. She peeked under the bandage. It was red and blistery.
Sydney noticed. “You doing all right?”
“Yes. This is just a little weird.” Skye pulled the Band-Aid open for the woman to look at it.
Sydney winced, then immediately smoothed her expression. “I’m sorry that’s happening.”
“Sydney?” Skye’s voice quivered. Did that mean she would soon be like those others?
“Don’t worry. You’ll be fine.”
But Sydney didn’t sound convincing.
When they arrived at the lab, Devon sat on a stool, hunched over a large microscope. He took his time before addressing them.
After a couple of minutes, Devon swiveled toward them. “Skye. We completed the DNA portion of your blood test. Both you and Kelsey had some fascinating results, but I want to rerun it just to be certain. If it comes back the same, well, let’s just say you are a fragment more than you ever dreamed you were.”
“And that’s a good thing?”
He scowled. “It turns everything I believed upside-down. It may, however, be why you’ve survived. And as I have gotten this result before, I need to face that it is true.”
Skye eyed Devon. He’d said Kelsey’s test also showed these results. Had he sent someone to her room too?
Devon walked to Skye and put a hand on each of her arms, staring at her.
When Skye couldn’t take it anymore, she stared back. “I don’t know what you want me to do here, Devon.”
“I’m just searching, determining if I can see any differences.” He barked out a laugh.
Had whatever he found finally broke him? And what was he going on about? Would his ramblings lead to more of the injections that had ignited the fiery blisters on her skin?
Unsure if she should encourage or discourage him, Skye changed the subject. “The injection site from whatever you gave me is hurting.”
Devon made a face. “Yes, it will do that. I’ll give you something to help it before you leave. And I think we’ll put any more injections on hold for a couple of days.”
So encourage it and change the subject back. Skye nodded and tipped her head toward the microscope. “This seems important.”
Devon gave a wild chuckle as he readied the needle. “It is. Very important.”
Skye sat and waited patiently for Devon to take her blood. He took more than the first time, leaving her light-headed.
She hung her head until, out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement in the hallway.
A nurse pushed a long metal table covered with a sheet out of the room she had snuck into—the outline of a body under the white material.
Which one of those poor victims was that?
“Don’t look at that, Skye,” Devon said. “No sense in dwelling on the failures.”
Failures? Skye scanned Devon. Was that is all he saw?
Devon misinterpreted her gaze and gave her a gentle smile. “We are done for today, Skye. You go back to your room and get some sleep. We’ll talk some more tomorrow.”
Skye glanced at the receding body. Each day was precious in this place. She scratched her arm. If the testing started back up, how many more would she have left?
As Sydney took her back to her room, Skye watched for any panicked guards searching for Kelsey, but there were none.
It seemed Devon hadn’t called for Kelsey this evening—at least, not yet.
Skye had said goodnight to Sydney and sagged against the door in relief. She walked to the balcony and scanned the grounds. When there was no one, she looked out into the distant darkness.
Kelsey had made it! But where was she now? Still in town, or further out?
Skye gathered up the bedsheets scattered across the terrace, ready to throw them over the edge. Should she follow her?
If she did, it might further endanger Kelsey.
Skye closed her eyes and lowered her head, letting the gentle sound of the ocean waves soothe her as she pondered this out.
She ached to leave.
If she left, without a doubt, Devon would scour the countryside for them especially after his excitement over the latest test.
If she stayed, he might be content enough to let the girl go.
She had to give Kelsey the best chance she could.
Only by doing that would Dylan have a chance of finding her.
With a heavy heart, Skye walked back into her room and shut the sliding door.
She remade the bed and laid down, imagining Dylan’s strong arms—supporting her, loving her as only he could do.
Tears rolled, unchecked, over her cheeks.
Had he beaten the infection?
Maybe they weren’t supposed to be together now, but later—in a better place.
Skye let her mind wander over that possibility and soothe her.
But a part of her rebelled. She wasn’t ready to leave this earth yet. And somehow, she knew Dylan wasn’t either.
Things needed done. This evil place needed erased from the face of the earth before either of them would go easy to their rest.
Eventually, her troubled mind released its grip. She hugged her pillow to herself as she drifted to sleep, trying to ignore the empty spot near her heart that only Dylan could fill.
It was still dark when Skye woke with a start.
Someone stood over her—a gun pointed at her head.
Thirty-Two
Worlds Collide
Skye gasped, pulling in enough air for a scream. The young blonde woman slapped a hand over Skye’s mouth.
“No!” she hissed. “I will not hurt you.”
Skye glanced from the slim, blonde woman to the weapon and back again. “You have a gun.”
The young woman tipped the weapon up and looked at it. “Yeah, well, it’s not a killing gun. It’s like a stun gun. You’d just be out for a while.”
Skye frowned as the gun moved back to point
at her forehead. It didn’t look like any stun gun she’d seen before. This one looked more like the real thing—though the dark blue color and the longer, thinner barrel was a bit off.
The young woman narrowed her eyes. “So are we good here? It makes me sick to point this thing at you. It’s not something I’d normally do.”
“Then why are you?”
The blonde waved her arm toward the door. “It’s just this place—it’s never what it seems to be.”
The statement seemed to sadden her, and her beautiful features turned downward.
Ok. So she wasn’t happy with what this place did either.
Skye nodded. “I know what you mean—and yes, we’re good.”
The girl dragged the office chair over to the bed and plopped down on it as Skye sat up.
When Skye threw her legs over the side of the bed, the woman brought the gun up again. She waved at Skye to move her legs back up. “I’m sorry. I can’t really trust you yet.”
Skye quickly complied.
Yet. So, there may be a chance this young woman would help her.
“Who are you?” the blonde asked. “And why are you here?”
“My name is Skye Jackson, and I’m from the West Virginia hills. They brought me here against my will.”
The blonde woman brought a hand to her forehead.
Skye studied her. Though smaller than Skye, she had the advantage of a weapon.
Besides, if she had skulked in here like this, she certainly wasn’t a friend of the infamous doctor.
The enemy of her enemy was Skye’s friend.
“Can I ask your name?” Skye asked.
“Oh, sorry. Of course. Sonora. Sonora . . . Orca.”
“Orca? That’s an unusual name.”
“Well, I’m from the Orca Clan now.” Sonora waved her hand and murmured, “Not that you’d understand any of that.”
She was right. Skye didn’t understand. Was it native? Local?
“What are you doing here?” Skye asked.
Sonora threw her arm out. “I came up here for a stupid necklace, a few family things we left behind when we went—Well, when we left.”
Sonora ran a hand through her hair. “This isn’t supposed to be happening! Ian is going to be so mad. There is a cure! What happened to the cure?”
“You mean the one Doctor Shade is working on?”
Sonora’s mouth dropped, and she gaped at Skye. “Devon? Uncle Devon is free?”
Skye startled. This young woman was related to that monster? “He’s here, in charge of whatever this is.”
“I’m not talking about his—" Sonora rapidly swept her hand through the air. “—evil nonsense. There is a cure. We left a real cure here with the military. They should have delivered it to everyone.”
Skye shook her head. “I’ve never heard of another cure. I mean, there were a few crazy ones tossed around on the news. One even supposedly from Atlantis.”
Sonora’s eyes widened, and she pointed her finger at Skye. “That’s the one! What happened to that one?”
Oh, great. The girl was as delusional as her uncle. “I don’t know. Nothing came of it.”
Sonora stood and paced as she again ran a hand through her straight hair. “What? I don’t even know . . . how this happened. I have to go.”
Skye jumped to her feet and grabbed for Sonora’s arm. The blonde woman stepped back and almost tripped but still managed to raise her gun.
Skye raised her hands in surrender. “Please don’t leave me here! Take me with you!”
“I won’t be long. I’ll be back within twenty-four hours—with help. You can’t go where I’m going. I don’t have the extra equipment. And if you leave, it will alert them something’s up.” Sonora reached out and gave Skye’s hand a quick squeeze.“I’m sorry.”
“What help?”
Sonora glanced out the window, and Skye followed her gaze. The sea was in a rare mood. The water tossed and turned as if it were as restless as she felt. Spray flung high into the air as two waves crashed into each other.
“You’re not going to believe this. And when you see them, it’ll seem crazy until it doesn’t anymore,” Sonora explained. “My husband, Ian—his people—are big and strong. They’ll save you.” She flung out her arm. “They will save everyone here. I promise!”
Skye closed her eyes, praying that even a little of what the woman said was true. “How will I know them?”
Sonora giggled. “Oh, you’ll know them. They will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen.”
She gave Skye’s hand one last squeeze and walked out the door, locking it behind her.
Skye dropped back onto her bed and covered her face with her hands. What had just happened?
Almost nothing about the interchange had made sense, except the young woman’s promise to come back for her. And even that was strange.
But the brief conversation gave Skye hope. Every day she was here, she was closer to death. She could feel it.
She prayed that Sonora, the conversation, and the rescue were real. It could come even sooner than anything Kelsey could bring.
Skye tossed and turned for the rest of the night. She would’ve sworn she didn’t sleep at all, but she must have.
Because when she woke, it was to the sound of sirens.
Thirty-Three
Alarm Bells
Skye jolted upright. Were the alarm bells for Kelsey? Or Sonora?
Sydney and two other guards burst into Skye’s room, guns raised.
Skye pushed back against the bed’s headboard, hands raised.
The guards scanned the room, balcony, and bathroom.
She watched them in silence, her heart thundering.
A guard walked over to Skye and grabbed her hair. “Where is she?” he shouted.
“Who?” Tears of pain flooded Skye’s eyes.
“You know who!” He shook her for emphasis.
“I don’t! I really don’t!”
She couldn’t tip them off about either Kelsey or Sonora.
The guard leaned closer, almost spitting his words. “The girl! The little girl in the next room!”
Skye wished he had meant Sonora. She didn’t know where she’d gone. “I don’t know where Kelsey is.”
He tightened his grip on her hair, and Skye’s scalp burned. She pushed at him. “Please! I don’t know!”
“Cliff,” Sydney said as she stepped closer. “I don’t think she knows.”
Cliff stared at Skye before glancing at Sydney. “She does,” he said.
Cliff turned his attention back to his victim. “It’s Sydney who will be punished for this, and you know how he is. Sydney will be fortunate if she lives a month.”
“I’m sorry.” Skye glanced at Sydney’s pale face. “Kelsey could be anywhere. I don’t know where she is.”
Sydney moved toward Skye. “Kelsey is important, so important. We need her—both of you—for the cure. Doc will be irate when we tell him she’s gone. I can’t even imagine his reaction.”
Skye dropped her gaze to the floor.
Still clenching Skye’s hair, Cliff shook her head.
She moved her hands to his wrist, hoping to slow him. But Cliff slid a hand under her jaw and pulled Skye off the bed. She gasped. Her skull flared with pain.
Dylan’s lessons were instinctive now, and she raised a knee.
The guard jumped back, pulling her with him at first, then pushing her away when she tried again.
A chunk of hair ripped from her head. Skye yelled and flung out a fist.
It caught Cliff beside his eye.
The three came after her, and she scrabbled back onto the bed, practically hugging the headboard.
She looked for a weapon, but there was nothing.
They had all the power here.
“Wait,” Sydney said, “we can’t hurt her without his permission.”
Cliff waved her back. “When he knows what she did, he won’t care as long as we don’t hurt her too bad.”
&n
bsp; “I don’t think she knows anything,” Sydney said. “And I don’t want to do this. She’s my responsibility.”
“You’re too soft on them. That’s what got you into this mess. You go on outside and I’ll take care of this.”
Skye shot the woman a pleading look. “Please, Sydney, don’t let them hurt me. I really don’t know where Kelsey is!”
“Ignore her,” Cliff growled. “It’s her or you. And she’s dead meat, anyway.”
“I’m sorry, Skye,” Sydney’s voice wavered as she apologized. “In this place, a person needs to look out for themselves.”
Skye’s heart fell.
Her arms flailed as Cliff and another guard grabbed her and pulled her to the end of the bed.
She struggled to sit up.
Cliff sharply slapped the side of her face, slamming her back onto the bed.
They hauled her up and landed another blow. Skye grunted as she fell.
“Sydney, help me! Please!”
Sydney kept her eyes glued to the floor and ignored her.
They pulled Skye up, again and again, each slap harder than the last.
On the fifth, Cliff’s iron grip held her shoulders as he shouted, “Where. Is. She?”
When Skye only shook her head in denial, he curled his fingers and punched her in the face.
Skye puddled at their feet, her head ringing.
He pulled her up and balled up his fist again.
This time red fire burst from behind her eyeballs. Pain—unlike any she’d felt before—rushed through her skull.
When Cliff shook Skye, her head wobbled. He let go of her. She dropped to the floor into darkness.
When Skye woke her clothes were soaked through to the skin. Her head ached. Everything seemed wrong.
She moved a hand, sloshing water. What was she doing in the tub?
She frowned and looked up at the three guards standing over her.
“No, no!” she murmured.
Cliff glared down at her. “You have two minutes to decide what’s going to happen next.”
Skye raised one of her wet hands to the side of her throbbing head and winced.
The guard crouched to the edge of the bathtub. "It’s you or us, girl. And we will have answers.”