04 Last (13 page)

“I…” I started to apologize.

Han smiled and waved a hand to interrupt me. “Don’t feel bad. It gives Beatrice a reason to design a new house. She loves it.”

“I do,” Beatrice agreed.

“Do you feel up to talking about what they had you doing?” Daniel asked. “Or do you want to rest?”

Han and Beatrice exchanged a serious look. They didn’t want rest, but they didn’t want to explain what they had been doing either. Beatrice looked away first; she lost the silent battle to explain.

“A weapon. We were building a weapon,” Beatrice said.

“What kind of a weapon?” Daniel asked.

“A biological one,” Beatrice said. “A virus.”

“I thought Serenity got those plans back?” I asked. “The plans to build a virus…I stole them for her.”

“Science cannot be stopped,” Han said. “No matter if sometimes we would prefer it.”

Beatrice put a hand on his arm in agreement. She explained what he meant, seeing our confusion.

“Marcus forced another scientist to work out the formula again,” Beatrice said. “Nguyen told us if we didn’t perfect it…he would kill a human every hour we refused. We didn’t believe him at first…until. Well, he is a man of his word.”

“We’re you…” I hesitated. “We’re you successful?”

“Yes,” Beatrice said.

It was my turn to share a look with Daniel. Our worst fears were slowly coming to light. The nightmares had a name: virus. There was not a more dangerous person on the face of the planet to have a virus engineered by Han and Beatrice in his hands than Marcus.

“What does it do?” Daniel asked.

“It’s extremely virulent,” Beatrice said. “It mutates once it’s inside the body – it actually bonds to the person’s DNA and uses the weaknesses to tear the person apart. It absolutely ravages the body. What makes it especially deadly is that it lives within the host for a week before the host shows symptoms. In that time period…it infects anyone the person comes in contact with.”

“So, it’s airborne,” Daniel said.

“And it’s out there,” Han added. “We finished it two days ago.”

“Why on earth does he need a virus?” I asked. “He’s got an army of superhuman angels at his beck-and-call. What good does a virus do him?”

“Marcus loves chaos,” Daniel said.

“He’s planning something,” Serenity said, joining us silently.

She was alone, something I was grateful for. I was not in the mood to see Eli. Not when I had just been told Marcus was in possession of a virus that could kill a whole lot of people. Eli would only sour my mood.

“What is he planning?” I asked.

“We don’t know. Odette hasn’t seen that future,” Serenity said.

“That must be killing her,” Daniel said.

Serenity’s eyes hardened. “Marcus is not one to spend money and resources kidnapping people to do nothing. He will use it.”

“We already figured that part out,” I said.

“Have you figured out how to stop him?” she asked me.

“We haven’t got that far,” I said. “We’re still playing catch up.”

“You need to be faster, quicker, better,” Serenity said. “Lives depend on it.”

“Do you have a reason for interrupting us?” Daniel asked.

“I do,” Serenity said. “I have a debt to collect.”

“Does she have to go right this minute?” Daniel asked.

“What are you talking about?” Beatrice interrupted. “What debt?”

The fear that Daniel had made a promise he would regret was in Beatrice’s eyes. She obviously was not as fond of Serenity as the neutral expression on her face suggested.

“Clare agreed to meet with Odette in exchange for Serenity’s help in rescuing you,” Daniel said.

“You didn’t!” Beatrice said in a low, chastising voice.

“I did. And I would make the promise again,” I assured her.

She took my hand in a motherly gesture. She was grateful for the love, but not for the choice I had been forced to make. She was not glad I had given in to Odette. Serenity was waiting for an answer. Her face showed her impatience.

“When Alex is awake,” I said.

“Fine,” Serenity said.

Serenity started to turn away, but Daniel put his hand out to stop her. His hand blocked the way. She didn’t try to move past – to do so would have been an invitation to fight. It would be an invitation Daniel would accept gladly.

“I’m coming with Clare to meet Odette,” Daniel said.

“Odette is already expecting you,” Serenity said. “She said for the girl to bring along Alex, Reaper, Spider and you.”

“Why the interest in Spider?” Daniel asked. “This is the second time you’ve included him in something you normally wouldn’t bother to include a human in.”

Serenity smirked at Daniel, but did not answer his question.

“Are you going to let me pass?”

Daniel’s eyes narrowed at her words. He moved his arm, and Serenity moved down the hallway with her hips swishing a sultry retreat. Reaper passed her in the hall with barely a glance in her direction. He was rubbing his neck thoughtfully. His eyes still had a fuzzy look in them, but he was infinitely more aware. He stopped in front of us.

“Serenity plying you to uphold your end of the bargain?” Reaper asked.

“Yeah,” I agreed.

Daniel moved behind Reaper and looked at his head wound. “It’s healing okay. How are your symptoms?”

“Just a general fuzziness. Nothing I haven’t faced before,” Reaper said.

I pulled his lighter out of my pocket and held it out to him, to return what was his. Reaper’s mouth twitched when he saw it. It was a strange twitch – almost as if there was more to what he was about to say then I knew.

“Keep it,” he said.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Definitely,” Reaper replied.

“Thanks,” I said.

“How’s Alex?” Reaper asked.

“Sleeping,” Beatrice said.

Reaper nodded. “Good.”

He looked at Beatrice and Han curiously. They looked back at him just as curious. Han and Beatrice were interested in the man who had helped them escape…they were also curious at Daniel’s obvious familiarity with Reaper.

“It’s nice to meet you finally,” Reaper added.

“Thank you for helping in our rescue,” Han said. “It was very kind to rescue strangers for no payment or reward. There are many people who are safe today because of you.”

“It was my pleasure,” Reaper said. “Though I don’t feel as if you are strangers…”

“How do you mean?” Han asked.

“This is Ashley,” Daniel said.

“Your friend from the streets?” Beatrice asked.

She had obviously heard the story – not only heard, but had lived through the depression Daniel had faced when he had heard of Reaper’s supposed murder.

“Yes,” Daniel agreed.

Beatrice’s smile was twice as warm with the knowledge that Reaper was an old friend. Reaper looked affected by her affectionate smile. He returned the smile without thinking. There was something else; a longing to have that motherly smile directed at him more often.

“I am so glad that rumors of your death are not true,” Beatrice said.

“Thanks…” Reaper replied. “You are welcome to stay on our boat as long as you need. It’s not much…but it’s safe.”

“Thank you,” Beatrice said.

Reaper put a hand on Daniel’s arm. “Can we talk for a minute?”

Daniel looked at me then at his parents. It was as if he was looking for permission. Han nodded once at the unasked question.

“Yeah, sure,” Daniel said.

Daniel put a hand on my cheek and gave me a small smile. Then he and Reaper walked down the hall and out of sight. Beatrice put her hand around my shoulder as they walked away.

“Did Daniel give you that ring?” Beatrice asked after a brief pause.

I looked down at the ring Daniel had fashioned out of a tear he had shed when he had lost me to the torture room. It glittered in the light. It was also very prominently displayed on my ring finger on my left hand.

“Yes,” I replied a bit sheepishly.

“I think it’s wonderful,” Beatrice said.

A blush was heating my face. It wasn’t just because they were his parents. It was because I wasn’t sure what the ring really meant. He had given it to me with a promise to be there for me forever. But a promise to be there forever wasn’t the same as the conclusion Beatrice had jumped to.

“We need to check on the others,” Han said gently, seeing my blush. “There’s a lot of confused, scared people who could do with some kindness.”

“Okay,” I said.

Beatrice took her hand off from around my shoulders, and Han claimed her hand. They shared a look of absolute love they did not think I noticed and walked away. My heart sang with relief to see them again. When they had turned the corner, I went in to Alex’s room.

Alex had a blanket tucked around her shoulders, to hide her naked body, and her eyes were closed. Her face twitched with her dreams, which looked violent. I squeezed in to the tiny space between her bunk and the wall and sat on the floor next to her. I put my back against the wall and looked at her. The emotions and the sense of darkness that had found its way in to my brain with Han and Beatrice’s admission of a virus finally found the space to breathe.

“Well, we did it,” I said to Alex, knowing she couldn’t hear me but needing an outlet for the emotions I was feeling. “But it doesn’t feel like much of a victory. I mean, I’m glad Han and Beatrice and the others are free. I’m glad we did that. But it feels like a pinprick to Marcus’ overall plan. He has a virus. He could kill a lot of people. He
will
kill a lot of people. And nothing’s changed with me. I still can’t control what I can do. I don’t know why Marcus wants me…everything is just…blah.”

Alex didn’t reply, but I hadn’t expected her to. We sat in silence and I contemplated another truth I had discovered in the caves.

“I was terrified down there,” I said. “The cave-in almost killed me...I almost couldn’t think to move in to the space in-between. I’ve never been so scared in my life. What if I find that kind of panic in a situation where I have to act? What if it means yours or Daniel’s life?”

Alex groaned and put a hand to her forehead at my words. I sat up straighter and looked at her face. Was it part of her dreams that had her groaning or was she waking up?

Her eyes fluttered briefly then opened. Clear blue looked back at me. She looked tired but very aware of her surroundings.

“I had the strangest dream that I was trying to sleep and this girl kept going on and on about impossible destinies and uncertain powers. It was really quite annoying,” she said.

“I didn’t think you’d hear,” I said.

Alex smiled at her teasing. “I did.”

Her smile disappeared as she took stock of her body. She looked under the blanket with a confused look on her face.

“I’m naked.”

“Yeah,” I agreed.

“What happened?” she asked.

“You turned when you saw Eli,” I said.

“Eli…” she whispered, turning his name in to a curse.

She shut her eyes and took a deep breath to prepare herself for the next question on her lips.

“Did I hurt anyone?” she asked.

“Bad people,” I said. “You saved my life…and Reaper’s.”

“Reaper?” she asked sharply, her eyes opening again.

I told her the story of what had happened before and after her transformation. She listened with a growing panic on her face.

“You let Reaper find out about me?” she asked.

“That’s not fair,” I replied.

“Neither is him finding out the truth, without my permission,” she said.

“I told you,” I replied. “He volunteered to help me find you. I couldn’t have stopped him.”

“Sure you could have,” she said. “You’re resourceful.”

“You’re not putting this off on me,” I said. “I can’t control his choices any more than I can control yours…What are you really thinking?”

Her eyes stopped searching the opposite wall. They were scared as she turned to face me.

“What if he shares Eli prejudice? He’ll kick me out of the Saints. I like it here. People respect my opinion. They come to me for things. Now, I’m just…an animal. What if the others find out? They’ll stop coming to me. Nothing will ever be the same.”

“Reaper knows how to keep a secret,” I said. “He’s kept a couple in his day.”

She didn’t seem to register my words.

“And Eli…what if Eli goes blabbing his mouth to the others? He’s on the ship, isn’t he?” she asked.

“Yes, but you’re forgetting one little detail. Eli doesn’t like talking,” I said.

“Meanness makes people do things they sometimes wouldn’t. It eats you up and you have to find an outlet,” Alex said. “He’ll talk.”

“I think he knows to keep his mouth shut. Reaper hit him pretty hard.”

Alex blushed at the reminder. She realized in a second’s time that she didn’t want to talk about her problems anymore. She was through with dwelling on the past. Alex was like that. She didn’t let it go, but she did redirect. She sat up - keeping the blankets wrapped tightly around her body - and pulled my grandfather’s book out from a bag on the floor. She set it on the bed.