Hybrid Zone Revelation, page 48
“If he’s shutting you out right now, it’s probably because he’s having enough trouble regulating himself without having to filter through your thoughts as well.”
“Yes, I know,” I retorted. I wasn’t trying to be rude to her, but I didn’t want to hear this stuff from her.
“You ready?” she asked and nodded towards the island.
I glanced over at what was left of Langston and shook my head. “Someone should answer for this. She didn’t deserve to end up this way.”
“Someone will. We’ll find the persons responsible. Adam will get what he needs out of Lindsey.”
My face fell at the mention of that scenario. Surely, I could trust Cedars to do things properly. But could he handle an out of control Adam?
“Let’s look at it this way,” she said. “He’ll either get what he needs or kill her trying. However it turns out, the end result works for me.”
Regarding Lindsey, yeah. Her fate was already sealed. But I didn’t want Adam to lose himself in the process, to have what happened last time he confronted her repeat itself. Heaving a sigh taut with worry, I shelved the topic for the time being. I’d find out the answer soon enough, and in the meantime, I had a zombie to eliminate.
“Who do we have to talk to around here to get this counter top replaced?” I griped as I placed both hands on the counter and hopped up.
“Margaret,” she laughed. “I had already made a mental note to talk to her.” She looked at the counter where Langston still jerked sporadically and shuddered. “I don’t care if they soaked it in alcohol and lit it on fire. There was no way I was ever going to eat on that again.”
“I second that motion,” I agreed. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
Olivia positioned herself opposite me and placed a hand on Langston. “I’m thinking this whole slab needs to go,” she said, leaning left and right to survey the top.
“You ever moved anything this heavy?”
“No,” she shook her head. “I don’t even know if it will burn, but any nanobots on it will.” Having made her decision, she extended her hand to me.
“Are you sure you can move all of this?” I asked, eyeing her hand but not yet taking it.
“We’ll find out,” she smiled. “I’m sure it will be fine. It’s not a direct correlation in weight. I believe I can do it, so I can. Isn’t that the theory we’re working under.”
“Not exactly,” I grimaced. “And if that’s the case, what are these little buggers believing for?”
We both turned our heads to stare at Langston’s quivering figure.
“Take my hand. Take it now before I lose my nerve,” Olivia insisted.
“I like it much better when I’m the one trying new things,” I grumbled and clasped her hand.
“Funny. I don’t concur.”
“By the way, thanks. For what you said about Adam.”
“We’re sisters,” she shrugged. “That’s what sisters do, right? Try to help one another.”
“Sisters,” I repeated. It still sounded strange to me. “I guess it’s better than not helping.”
“Don’t let go,” she said seriously. “The crematorium is a small place.”
What? Like I could accidentally end up in the fire? Narrowing my eyes at her, I squeezed her hand tighter. Anything crispy around me better be dipped in chocolate and most importantly, not be me.
Chapter 29
Disposing of Langston didn’t take long. When we were done, Olivia dropped me off in the lobby with instructions to confer with Miranda about the interview.
“Look at this,” I said, gaping at the gargantuan room. Every direction I looked there were huge windows framing picturesque mountains. One of these days, I was going to take a proper tour of this place. Who knew what else I had been missing.
“Check out the fireplace,” Miranda said.
It was monstrous. Three or four people could have easily fit inside. “Whoa,” I mouthed, shaking my head to dispel the image that my recent experience with the crematorium had generated. I really needed to start having more uplifting life experiences. Ending my review of the space, I plopped down next to Miranda, who was sprawled on one of the many large sofas decorating the room.
“Here ya go,” she said tiredly and tossed a message pad onto my lap.
Garrison had called. Someone from General Hurser’s office had called. And the president. Twice.
“Don’t these people have anything else to do besides pester me?” I griped.
“Well, when the world revolves around you…”
I cut my eyes to her in warning. “I’ve just dispatched a zombie. You might want to go easy with the sarcasm.”
“Zombie, you say?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the fake look of surprise she plastered on her face. “Olivia did most of the work. Actually, I just let it in.”
“So you were that girl,” she said knowingly. “Anyone get hurt?”
“Only if fruit are people. In that case, Olivia murdered a whole family of grapes and an orange cousin. Oh, and a banana. You should have seen it, Miranda. I almost died laughing.”
“It was hilarious, I’m sure.”
“I’m not exaggerating. All the air was literally sucked out of me.”
“That was the granite,” Olivia scoffed.
“Ah, the fruit killer,” Miranda hummed. “Or should I call you…The Blender.”
Ignoring Miranda’s jab, Olivia reached down and picked up the message pad. “What did the president want?” she asked.
“It was more of a panini pressing action,” I said, pushing my hands against one another in demonstration. “Is there such a thing as a fruit press?”
Miranda squinted her eyes in concentration. “There’s a wine press. And olives are pressed. Some apple juices, too. I’ve got it,” she said excitedly. “The Juicer.”
“The president?” Olivia drawled.
“What do you think he wants?” Miranda sneered. “A press conference.”
Crap.
“I found your notes on the desk and took them to Juarez. He’s reviewing them. And no, I don’t make random circuits of Adam’s suite. I just knew you’d been working at his desk and figured you’d left something there. Additionally,” she said, taking a moment to bite her lip. “A little birdie told me that the president wants the press conference to take place tomorrow morning.”
This took crap to a whole new level. There was no way I was prepared to unveil this project tomorrow. MAP at this point was barely even on the map.
“I’ll have Juarez forward me his notes and yours,” Olivia said as she tapped out the message to him. “Then we’ll practice.”
“That is a great idea,” Miranda agreed.
Practice. Wait until they saw how little I had actually gotten done. We had a lot more work in front of us before any practicing could happen.
After Olivia had taken a few minutes to read the notes, she looked up at me. “We’re not ready,” she said flatly.
“Not hardly,” I breathed in agreement.
“Then let’s get ready!” Miranda exclaimed unexpectedly. “The president is waiting—nay.” She stood to her feet and raised both arms in the air. “The world is waiting. We have a deadline people!” For her finish, she clenched both fists and dropped her head back to look at the ceiling.
Crickets. That was the sound heard in the wake of her pronouncement. Even the fire seemed to have tamped down on its roaring.
Olivia’s eyes flicked from Miranda to me. “Should I be worried, or does she always get like this?”
“This?” I shrugged indifferently. “Wait until she gets excited.”
Pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes, Olivia folded into the couch. “Let’s get this done,” she sighed.
“I suppose I’ve already signed up,” I grumbled. “How’d that happen again?”
“You took the president’s call,” Miranda quipped.
“I have got to stop doing that.”
“Ladies,” Olivia said, attempting to steer us back on course.
“Right,” I sighed. “Let’s get to it.”
Little did I know what I was getting into when I uttered those words. After hours of just me, Miranda and Olivia working on the plan, which about half the time meant arguing about the plan, Juarez showed up. Between him and Olivia, we were able to nail down most of the auxiliary details about each proposed medical advance. The real meat of the project wouldn’t happen until the actual design and manufacture started, but that wasn’t information that was going to be divulged anyway.
Getting ready for the international press conference was an entirely different beast. It turns out, it takes a whole gang of hybrids toting snacks and lobbing comments like hand grenades to be ready for one of those. It was to no avail when I tried to convince them that reporters didn’t behave in this fashion. Thank God, cause I would never be able to maintain my professional cool. But despite their rowdiness, we managed to cover every aspect of my opening statement. No question was off limits, no matter the rudeness with which it was asked. By the time we were done and most of the gang had left, I was feeling pretty good about the whole thing.
“What is she going to wear?” Reynolds asked, throwing a monkey wrench into my good feelings.
My eyes went straight to Olivia. A monkey wrench for a monkey suit. I could already see the scheming twinkle in her eyes.
Winking at me, she stood and stretched. “We’ll find her something,” she yawned. “For now, it’s getting late, and I have to finalize the details with the president. If there’s nothing further…”
“Olivia,” I said to stop her exit. “I want the press conference held in the Pentagon.”
“Don’t want the bureaucrats getting their hands on it?” she teased.
“No, I don’t. All kidding aside, this needs to be ran as a military operation. We cannot allow this technology to leave our control. The point that Kenny and Wrangle made about having patients stay under lock and key until the nanobots have accomplished their task and verifiably keeled over, we cannot compromise on that.”
“That would require an unprecedented level of security at participating facilities,” she said neutrally.
“Too much for a simple hospital,” Miranda observed.
“It would provide a use for decommissioned military bases, subs and the like,” Reynolds said. “Or, they could construct entirely new facilities.”
I turned to stare at him. That didn’t sound like some spur of the moment thought. “Reynolds, were you in the military?”
“Yes, ma’am. I was given an honorable discharge to come here.”
“And, exactly who did you serve under?”
He smiled real big at me.
General Hurser. “I always did like a military man with a brain.” How he had ridden the wave of craziness to have his man end up on the inside at just the right time was more than a little impressive.
Dipping his head in acknowledgment, Reynolds said, “He’s rather fond of you too.”
Fond? I was proposing increasing the size and power of the military. I was going to be his favorite person in the whole world.
“I’m not sure this is what the president was planning on,” Olivia cautioned.
“Too bad he’s not giving the press conference,” I retorted. “Just secure the location and I’ll do the rest.”
She skewered me with her best look of disapproval.
“Pretty please,” I whined, batting my eyelashes innocently.
Shaking her head helplessly, she pivoted and began walking away from us. “This is how you get yourself into trouble,” she called over her shoulder.
“What you call trouble, I call opportunity,” I yelled back, but she was already gone. Turning to Reynolds, I said, “I just want you to know that despite whatever machinations were used to get you here, you are mine now, and I expect complete loyalty. Furthermore, as my assistant, you are going to be right in the middle of it, as a certain general may have intended. But any decisions you make better be on the level. Is any of this going to be a problem for you?”
“Yours?” he sputtered flakily. “I’m touched.” Lifting his arm, he pretended to mop his eyes with his sleeve.
“He’s just like you,” Miranda muttered at Reynolds’ fooling around.
“I think this is more up your alley,” I disagreed and turned my eyes back to Reynolds.
“I see no problems with the current arrangement,” he said. “I’m not under anyone’s command—”
“Excuse me?”
“Except for you, Sir Knight,” he amended quickly.
“And Hurser’s never mentioned any sort of plan to confiscate nanobot tech?” I asked doubtfully.
“Of course he did. It’s the reason I came here. I think he’s right about folding this into the military. So do you. And, you came to that conclusion all on your own.”
Because it was the only choice that made any sense. With the degree of security needed, the only apparatus big enough to provide that was the military. Even if the Organization got its act together and we were able to send our own people for the procedures, we would still need additional manpower for protection. From what Adam had told me, the great majority of the people here were engaged in research and not trained for that.
“May I just clarify something,” Miranda said. “When she says right in the middle of it, she’s not exaggerating.” She lifted her hand to just above her eyes. “Up to your eyeballs, covered in crap of her making, categorically, inescapably, in it. You,” she pointed at Reynolds. “Ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Here I was, trying to figure out the nature of the relationship between General Hurser and Reynolds and if I should be worried about it, and she was pointing out what a bad boss I was. Typical.
“Sorry, Mace,” she said without a shred of remorse when I trained my scornful gaze on her. “But the guy needs to know what he’s getting into.”
“I think I’ll be alright,” Reynolds chuckled. “The taste I’ve had already wasn’t too bad.” Catching the pillow I launched at him, he chunked it back at me. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
With his exit, only Miranda and I were left. “What do you think?” I asked her.
“About what? The press conference, the plan? Reynolds?”
“Any and all subjects are open for comment.”
“After this rehearsal, the press conference should be a piece of cake. The plan is not too shabby. As long as the reporters are not too zealous in digging for details, we might pull this thing off. And Reynolds…I’m going to keep my eye on him. I can’t figure out what his angle is.”
“His angle?” I asked, tucking my legs underneath me as I swiveled to face her.
“I don’t know,” she frowned. “One minute it seems like he’s into you, and then it seems it’s just platonic. I don’t know. It’s weird.”
So it wasn’t just in my head.
“Do you know what I’m talking about?”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “It’s this strange protectiveness he has for me.”
“Like when he sacrificed himself with Adam for you, and how he stayed by your bedside when you nearly died. Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know.”
“And now he’s like this secret agent for General Hurser?”
“You did catch that.”
“Duh. I’m trying to decide if I need to worry about it.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she sighed loudly. “He doesn’t seem like a traitor.”
“They never do.”
“Does your badometer tell you anything?”
I snickered at her labeling. “No. But next time it shows up, I’ll train it on him.”
“You can’t control it yet?”
“I can’t control half the crap I do,” I blurted loudly.
“Finally, she admits it.”
“Is it okay if we overlook this for now? I really don’t want to expend the brain power to figure it out or push a confrontation with Reynolds. He hasn’t given me any reason to doubt him, and something tells me that he’s his own man.”
“Sure,” she yawned. “Hope it’s not something we need to figure out now. Maybe I should google the signs of a serial killer.”
“He’s not a serial killer, Miranda. And anyway, I can take him.”
“You can take him,” she repeated dully.
“Yes, I can take him,” I reasserted. “And didn’t you agree to dropping this?”
“Dropping it now.”
“Great.”
“Wonderful. Deep cleansing breath.”
We both inhaled and exhaled slowly.
“Are you coming tomorrow?”
“I don’t know what help I would be, but I’ll be there if you want me to.”
“It’d be nice to have someone there that I know is definitely in my corner.”
“The piece that’s broken off from reality?”
My yawn morphed into a coughing fit as laughter tried to intrude mid stretch. “That’d be the one,” I gasped, pounding on my chest in an attempt to relieve the coughing. After regaining my breath, I asked her what I’d been wanting to ask her for the last two hours. “Have you heard from Cedars?”
“He, along with Adam and Juarez, are pouring over the code, trying to isolate the control subroutine? Anyway, Jamie says Adam’s wound tight, but he’s holding it together.”
Closing my eyes, I nodded in relief.
“You two aren’t talking?” she ventured gently.
“We’re not not talking. Just not communicating very well right now.”
