Beyond Reach, page 29
part #3 of True Calling Series
“Perfect, completely hidden. I’ll get rid of the evidence,” he says, rising fluidly.
Though I don’t want to leave, I know it’s for the best. Another epic showdown with Isla is the last thing Zane needs.
Twenty minutes later, I’m standing perplexed outside the door to Cal’s apartment listening to the shrieks and whoops inside. I knock loudly on the door, and it’s opened straightaway. Cal pulls me to him, enclosing his arms around me. He smells like home. And I like it very much.
“I missed you,” he whispers. I’ve gone still in his arms and he notices. “What’s wrong?” he asks, following my gaze. My eyes are offended by the scene in front of me. Seated cozily on the couch, thoroughly engrossed in some computer game, are Cal’s father and brother— Commander Remus and Jaden—and sandwiched in the middle is Deacon. I watch incredulously as Deacon elbows Commander Remus in the ribs while he attempts some up-in-the-air maneuver with his controller.
“Only one life left! Ha! Told you I’m the master,” Deacon says, clearly pleased with himself.
“One life is all I need, Deacon, it’s not over ’til it’s over,” Commander Remus says. I scarcely recognize the tone of voice he uses. I’ve only ever heard the snarling, gruff voice he uses on me.
“What’s going on here?” I demand. Shaking Cal’s arms off me, I stride into the living area just as Mel comes out of the bathroom.
“What’s it look like? I’m whipping their asses!” Deacon says gleefully.
“We’re leaving.”
“What?” he says, momentarily taking his eyes off the screen.
“Now. Let’s go.”
“Just let me finish this game, please, Ari.” His eyes are already settled on the screen again, and I hear the naked plea in his voice.
“Mel, a word please,” I say. She raises her eyebrows and shoots Cal a look, before the pair of them follow me into the nearest bedroom. I slam the door shut. “What the hell are you playing at?”
“Ariana, please calm down,” Cal says.
“Don’t you tell me to calm down! Have you forgotten what your dad did to you? Or how he tortured Zane? Because I sure as hell haven’t.”
“Of course I haven’t forgotten! I’ve lived with him for years. They’re only playing a game; Deacon’s hardly in any danger.”
“That’s not the point. I don’t want Deacon anywhere near him,” I seethe.
“Ari, this is my fault, don’t blame Cal. I didn’t see any harm in it,” Mel says.
Hearing a noise behind me, I pivot around so fast I’m surprised I don’t give myself whiplash. I yank open the door and come face to face with the Commander himself. Cal’s beside me in a heartbeat. “Move, you’re in my way,” I say.
He peers at me strangely and amusement glints in his eye. “I’ve no intention of hurting anyone, Ariana. I’ll admit I’ve made mistakes, but I’m determined to make things right.”
“Save it for someone who gives a damn,” I say, my jaw clenching painfully.
“We have to find a way to get along. And you’ll need my help to get out of here.”
“What?” Shocked, I turn and stare at Cal. He looks every bit as confused as I do.
“It was me,” Mel says. “I overhead you talking this morning, and I’ve told him everything. He’s going to help us get out of here, aren’t you, Dad?”
“Unbelievable,” Cal says, shaking his head in disbelief.
I turn my wide-eyed stare on Mel. “You’ve just ruined everything! How can you trust him? After everything you’ve told me about him? How could you be so gullible?”
Mel looks wounded, Cal looks perplexed, and Commander Remus is looking from one of us to the other with a bemused expression on his face. “You find this funny, Commander Remus?” It’s as if I’m transported back to Novo, to another time, when he uttered those very same words to me.
“No wonder you’re all in such a mess, if this squabbling is typical.”
“Get out of my way. I’m done talking to you.” But he refuses to move. His face is millimeters from mine, his body effectively blocking the doorframe. As he looks at me, his gaze is searching, seeking and then almost … tender. I feel decidedly uncomfortable. Cal pulls me back, using his body as a barrier between me and his father.
“Don’t you ever look at her like that again, do you hear me?” he says. His voice is thick with barely contained rage. Loud laughter peels out, and we all instinctively turn around. Seizing the opportunity to escape, I brush past the Commander, pulling Cal out of the room with me.
Jaden is laughing hysterically though none of us share in the joke.
“Are you going to enlighten us?” Cal asks.
“Now you see what it’s like,” Jaden says, the laughter only slightly subsiding.
“See what, Jaden?” Cal asks. I hear the aggravation in his tone.
“I warned you your time would come.”
“Do you always talk in riddles?” I ask.
“Family business, nothing to concern your pretty little head with. Cal knows what I mean. Shouldn’t you be lying down or something? In your delicate condition.” He smirks.
“Shut your face, Jaden, or I’ll shut it for you,” Cal says.
“Enough!” Commander Remus says, in a tone that’s sounding more familiar to me. “Look,” the Commander says, gritting his teeth, “I know I’ve a lot of ground to make up. But I can assure you that I’m on your side. And I will do whatever it takes to get us all out of here safely.” Cal looks pensive.
A harried knock at the door ceases all conversation. No one moves. Then another knock, more of a thump really, and Commander Remus stalks forward and opens it. Soldier Boyd appears in the doorframe. His eyes quickly scan the room, fixating on me. Oh, hell. “Cadet Skyee, you’re summoned to Micha Kloon’s office.”
“What for?”
“I’ve been asked to fetch you immediately. Those were the extent of my orders.”
“I need to confer with Cal, I know the way.”
“My orders are to escort you myself.”
“Well then, you’d better get comfortable,” I say, slamming the door shut in his face.
Jaden chuckles, and I want to slap his silly, stupid face into tomorrow, but I settle for glaring at him instead. That only seems to make him laugh even louder, and I shake my head in exasperation. How did Cal live with him all these years? I’ve only been in his company five minutes, and I want to strangle him.
“In here,” Cal says, taking my elbow and leading me back into the bedroom. Closing the door, he crosses to the bed and throws himself down.
“This is where she proposes her latest incentive,” I say, sitting down beside him.
“Let me guess. Give me the information and we’ll save Zane?”
“Impressive, and on the mark, in my opinion.” I bite my lip.
“You can’t give it to them.”
“I know. But the potential casualties are mounting. What am I going to do?” I say, raising my eyes to the ceiling.
“We’re going to leave here tonight. Get to Florida and wait for your dad,” Cal says.
“I can’t leave Zane here by himself.”
“I know that. We’ll bring him too. Maybe they can do more for him in the Florida compound anyway.”
I plant a quick one on him. “Do you think we can pull that off? It’s going to be difficult enough to steal out of here undetected as it is.”
“We’ll find a way to make it happen,” he says, lifting my hand to his mouth and gently running his lips across my skin. I know he’s no fan of Zane; that he’s only doing this for me, and I’m overcome with love for him.
“By the way, what’s up with your dad?”
“I’m not quite sure, but I think he’s changed,” he says, in between caresses. Ignoring the urge to roll my eyes to heaven, I arch an eyebrow in surprise. Cal has that faraway look in his eyes again. “He’s explained himself to me. While I still have my doubts, I believe he did what he had to in order to protect me.”
“What if he’s still working for Calavero and this is all a trap?” I inquire, voicing my latest fears.
“I don’t think it is, but there’s no time to delve into it. We have to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“Okay, well let’s hope he has turned a corner. For now, let’s see what Micha wants. Than we can regroup and agree how to proceed.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he agrees, dragging me upright.
We’re seated side by side in Micha’s office, awaiting her return. Apparently, I’m not the only one with time-keeping issues.
Suddenly, it dawns on me. We’re in the witch’s lair and it’s a perfect opportunity for some snooping. I glace upwards and swivel in the chair, searching the entire room for signs of monitoring equipment. There’s no obvious evidence so either it’s lacking or it’s hidden. No time to deliberate though. Hopping up, I run around the desk and start tugging at drawers. Comprehension dawns straightaway, and Cal moves decisively toward the door. “I’ll keep a lookout.”
All the drawers in her desk are locked tight, so I turn my attention toward the wall-mounted rear unit. My hands clutch one handle after another, all bolted and tamper-proof, until I come to the bottom right-hand-side drawer. It wrenches open at my touch. It’s crammed full of papers, and my fingers weave in and out, as I sift through the contents with lightning speed. These all look like useless personal documentation, nothing of any value, until my hand clamps around a solid, hard shape wedged tightly into the very bottom of the drawer. Dumping all the papers quickly on the ground, I place my hands on the object at the bottom and tug sharply on the corners. It gradually moves underneath my grip, eventually springing loose. I fall back a step before steadying myself against the desk.
“What is it?” Cal whispers.
Looking down at the brown, cardboard backing rimmed by a heavy, black frame, I immediately know what it is. “It’s a picture frame.” I turn it around in my hands. Transfixed, I stare in amazement at the photo. “Oh my God.” Cal’s beside me in a flash. Incredulity registers on his beautiful face as he joins me in staring at the mind-blowing image in front of us.
The man wears a slim-fitting black tuxedo and a wide smile. The woman is dressed in a traditional style white dress, and an elaborate jeweled tiara nestles on her head, glittering and twinkling in the full glare of the sun, captured for posterity by the hidden lens of the camera.
But it’s the look in her eyes that knocks me for six—adoration, love, happiness—she’s as radiant and resplendent as any bride I’ve ever seen. All I can do is gaze in horror at the picture of Micha Kloon and Zolt Rada on their wedding day.
CHAPTER 24
Both of them look much younger in the picture, but there’s definitely no case of mistaken identity. Zolt’s razor-sharp green eyes stare out of the frame and pierce my soul. It’s them. Together. Married. Married.
A young boy, no more than six I’d guess, clings to Micha’s side. His grubby fingers paw at the fabric of her dress. Dressed in a navy blue suit jacket and pants, white shirt, and blue tie, he looks up at her with a surly expression while her hand rests lightly on top of his head. I stare at him, unable to look away. Something pokes at my memory—for a split-second—then it’s gone, plunging back into the dark, hidden recess of my mind.
Acute awareness floods my senses, and I’m abruptly brought back to the present. “Quick, she’s coming!” Dropping to his knees, Cal grabs some of the papers and thrusts them into my hands. I place the frame back in its original position at the bottom of the drawer and start stuffing the papers in on top. Cal rams the remaining documents in while I scan the floor for any strays.
We’ve just repositioned ourselves when the door opens with a flourish, and Micha saunters in. Prickly shivers dart all over my skin, and I have to draw long, deep breaths in order to keep it together. Cal clutches my hand and lightly applies pressure. “I don’t remember inviting Cadet Remus to this meeting,” Micha says, stepping past me. She sits in the chair across from us.
“We’re a team. Anything you have to say can be said in front of Cal.”
“How cute.” I scowl. Turning her head toward Cal she says, “Isn’t it fortunate? Your father showing up like he did.”
Fortunate, I think, and I wonder. But now’s not the time. “Yes, indeed,” Cal replies coolly. I’m amazed that he can act so controlled around her after the torture he suffered at her command.
“I’ve spoken with Dr. Hann,” she says. “Zane requires a heart transplant or he may not live.”
“And?” I prompt.
“And one can be organized … at a price.”
“Predictable. And if I don’t hand the information over?”
“Then Zane’s fate is in the hands of the gods.”
She smirks, and I dig my nails into the flesh of Cal’s palm. He doesn’t even flinch. “Is this how you repay him for everything he’s done for Clementia?”
“Zane has contributed well, but personal value is as transient as money—most critical when it’s in limited supply and of less concern when the pot is overflowing. Zane isn’t our only IT specialist; quite frankly, we don’t need him anymore,” she says, tapping a slender finger against the edge of her desk.
Icy chills creep up my spine at the flagrant manner in which Zane has been so easily dismissed. My will power dissolves in a flash. Focusing hard, I use my anger to channel my mind, and her hand starts to quiver and rise in front of her. She raises an eyebrow in my direction.
“I really wouldn’t go there if I were you. The only thing keeping Zane alive are those machines. One phone call is all it will take.”
I hate her. I want to kill her. Though I’ve no option but to release her. I wonder if I imagine her insides twisting in on themselves if she’d crumple in front of us? I haven’t progressed very far in my training with Raina, so it’s doubtful I could pull it off. Gritting my teeth, I retract my mind, and her hand trembles gently before falling down onto the desk in front of her. She flexes her fingers and smiles at me in triumph.
Continuing this conversation is of no benefit to anyone, and I desperately need to get out of here before I do something I regret. I stand. “I’ll need to consider this overnight.”
“You have until eight a.m. tomorrow morning. Don’t forget that Zane’s on borrowed time.”
Shooting a vicious look her way, I stride toward the door. Cal keeps pace with me, his arm resting firmly against my back. “Oh, Ariana?” she calls out. Whirling around, I drill her with my most hateful look. “I thought you’d be interested to hear the new information on the genetic modification program.” She smiles, one of those fake, sugary-sweet grins.
I know there’s no point resisting. “And?” I ask, hands poised on my hips.
“President Calavero was the sperm donor for the project. He’s your baby’s father, not Cal.” I can only stare at her dumbstruck. Ew, that’s so gross, and I feel instantly repelled. She’s waiting expectantly for my outcry, but I’m not going to satisfy her sick craving. Shaking my head, I turn and walk away. “One last thing, Ariana.”
I mentally count to ten. Turning, I bite down on my tongue.
“Make the right decision, there’s a good girl.”
Cal has to physically drag me out of the room after that. I’m still spewing vitriol as we push through the long grass on our way back to the living quarters. “She’s mine; when the time comes, I’m taking her down,” I seethe.
“I suspect you’ll have to toss for it.”
“What a thoroughly despicable human being she is. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she was a man trapped in a woman’s body, for no woman could surely be that cold and unfeeling.”
“She’s a nasty piece of work all right.”
“Do you believe her?” I whisper.
Placing both hands on my shoulders, he stares at me earnestly. “This is our baby, my baby. She’s just trying to mess with your head.”
“She’s doing a damn fine job,” I admit, whipping the hair tie off my ponytail.
“Don’t give her that power,” he replies, shaking my hair loose over my shoulders.
“You’re right. Forget about her. Will you round up the others while I pack and rouse Deacon? We’ll meet back at the tree in thirty minutes?” I say, reiterating the agreed plan. I’m jittery and tense and he can tell.
Nodding, he unexpectedly pulls me into his arms. Resting my cheek on his chest, I shut my eyes and breathe deeply. My fingers curl around his shirt, and I bask in the smell and feel of him. It helps ground me. “Everything is going to be okay,” he whispers. He tilts my chin up, and his piercing blue eyes radiate steely determination. Yearning churns my insides as I feel the usual pull toward him, and my body automatically pushes inward. It’s crazy to feel such rampant desire in the midst of such danger, but I just can’t seem to get enough of him. My mouth closes on his urgently, and I draw him toward me. As the kiss deepens, every inch of my body feels electrified and I want him. So badly. Right now. His hand trails under the hem of my dress, and his nimble fingers trace a delicate line up and down my thigh. My whole body trembles in response. Clutching at his shirt, I tug at the edges and free it from his pants.
“Ahem,” a voice behind us says. Startled, I jerk violently and whip around. Cal’s arms latch around me, and I can feel the pulsing movement of his body at my back.
“Sorry if I scared you,” Agent Leena says.
“Jeez, that’s the understatement of the century,” I say, trying to slow down my beating heart.
“I thought there was a meeting?”
“There is, that’s where we’re headed,” Cal says.
“Just taking a little detour?” Her teasing smile is wide.
“Something like that,” I mumble, as the flush starts to spread over my chest.
“Well, don’t let me interrupt. Guess I’ll see you there,” she says, walking away.
Smirking, Cal reaches down and starts tucking his shirt back into his pants. I smooth my dress down over my knees and try to steady my still-labored breathing. “Her timing sucks, that was just getting interesting,” he says. My heart falters at the look he gives me. “God, you’re so beautiful when you blush, it gets me—right here,” he says, grabbing my hand and placing it over his heart. “I know we have to go, but it’s killing me.”
