A Changed Man (Altered Book 1) (30 page)

Jackie watched Remington’s shoulders drop as the tension left his body. He was relieved. "Where is he?" She asked.

"The doctor lady operated on him. Hey, is anybody gonna eat that?" He asked pointing to Remington’s large sandwich. "I'm starving."

"It's yours." Remington said pushing the plate in front of Jordan, then dragging it away again. "As soon as you finish telling me about Rick."

"He's fine! She rebuilt his knee. It looks awesome, like he's bionic or something. Last I saw he was sleeping in the recovery room."

"Thank god." Remington said sliding the plate back to Jordan.

Jordan took a huge bite. "She knows him." He said around the pile of food in his mouth.

"Knows him?" Jackie asked before Remington could open his mouth.

"I took her to him, and she ran up to him saying his name. I could tell she worried for him. Said he was her patient." Remington and Jackie looked at each other.

"Don't worry." Jordan said. "I told her if he dies so does she. I have her address." He said tapping the side of his head and taking another bite of Remington’s sandwich.

"Wait, what?" Remington asked. "You know where she lives?"

"Yep." Jordan answered finishing off his last bite.

"We could use her." Jackie said.

"Just what I was thinking." Remington agreed. "If she does care for him, even a little, maybe we could convince her to help us get him out."

"If not, we threaten her life." Jackie said resolute.

"What else did you find out?" Remington asked.

"I went through most of the floor we were on; a lot of cells, at least half of them had people in them. I found an elevator but I couldn't get down to the basement floors; you need a key. I'm guessing that’s where they keep all the shit they don't want anyone knowing about. I'm going back. I need to see what they’re keeping down there."

Just then a moan came from the living room. Jackie and Remington jumped up and ran over to the couch. Dillon was waking up. She began to open her eyes when she caught sight of Jackie and tried to sit up fast.

"Shh, it's okay. We're not going to hurt you. You're safe." She said.

"Where am I?" She noticed Remington then. "You. You got me out." She said.

"Yes. You helped." He smiled at her.

"Where's Rick?" She asked her eyes starting to fill with tears.

"It’s okay, shh." Jackie said trying to soothe her. "He's okay. He's still there, but he's alive."

"How do you know?" Dillon asked looking between the two of them.

"Jordan?" Remington called.

Dillon saw a younger man appear from behind Remington. "It's true." Jordan said. "I just left there not long ago. He's been treated by a lady doctor, he's fine."

"Dr. Morgan." Dillon whispered.

"That’s right." Jordan answered. "You know her?"

"She comes in to take our vitals a couple times a week." Dillon answered. "Rick liked her. I think he had her convinced we weren’t there by our own choosing."

"We're going back for him." Remington said assuredly.

"We can't go in now." Jordan cut in. "That place is swarming with military. We need to wait till it calms down a bit."

"I'm going with you." Dillon said. "I'll heal completely in a week or so. Everything will be back to normal by then."

"I don't think that’s such a great idea." Jordan said.

"I don't give a shit what you think!" Dillon snapped. "Rick saved my life. I won't leave him in that hell hole!"

"No one said anything about leaving him." Jordan reiterated. "Just that, you just got out. Maybe it's not such a great idea for you to go running back in."

"I can help!" Dillon was starting to get aggravated. "I know my way around a lot of that place! I've already been altered, and there will be even more guards next time. I can help you fight them."

Jackie looked at Remington then back at Dillon. "Altered?"

"Yes. They call it alterations. When they change you, they've altered you." Dillon answered looking at Remington. "You can bend metal. I watched you bend that guards gun right before he blew his own hand off."

"And what can you do?" Remington asked.

"You don't remember?" Dillon asked with a smirk. "You don't think that bullet just got tired and stopped short do you?"

"No, I suppose not." Remington said trying not to smile.

"I can put up a shield in front of myself. It's just your luck you were the one carrying me when we were fired at."

"Thanks for that by the way." Remington said smiling now.

"You’re welcome. Thanks for getting me out of that place." Dillon returned his smile. "But I am going back in with you. Rick's not the only one stuck in there. Maybe we can get someone else out."

"We'll talk about it later." Remington said firmly. "You need to rest. We have a room made up for you; let's get you settled and we'll get you some food."

Jackie helped Dillon up and into the guest room she had made up for Rick. "Do I need to call anyone for you?" Jackie asked.

"No, I only have a sister, but I haven’t seen her in years. We're not close. Besides her phone is probably already tapped by now."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm sorry." Jackie said sympathetically. "You're welcome here as long as you want."

"Thank you. That’s really great of you." Dillon said.

"Well, get settled; the bathroom is right across the hall and I'll bring you a change of clothes and some food in a bit." Jackie said and walked out of the bedroom. Jackie walked back in to the dining room where Remington and Jordan had returned. She heard them making plans to go back for Rick.

"I thought you said it was too dangerous right now?" Jackie said taking her seat at the table.

"It is." Said Remington. "But we also need to think about getting back in there before they do something to Rick."

"I think we should give it at least a week." Jordan cut in. "Two at the most."

Remington let out a frustrated sigh. "I know you're probably right Jordan; I just want him out before they do anything to him. Before they change him. I owe him that much."

"Surely they won’t try to change him right now." Jackie said. "He almost died and was just operated on."

"She's right." Jordan said. "They need him at full strength before they try and alter him. He's still a hundred percent human; it's going to take him a while to heal. I think he's safe for now."

"I hope you're right." Remington said.

"You two need to get some sleep; you both look exhausted." Jackie said. "Jordan why don't you come back tonight? We'll talk about it some more and I'll make dinner for all of us."

"That sounds great." Jordan said getting up. "Try not to worry." He looked at Remington. "I'll see you guys tonight."

Jackie walked Jordan out than returned to where Remington was still sitting at the table. He had his head down on his folded arms that rested on the table. "You want me to fix you something else to eat?" Jackie asked him. "I was going to make Dillon something too."

"No, that's okay. I think I'm just gonna get some sleep." Remington stood and faced Jackie; he gently put his hands on her face and pulled her toward him. He placed a soft kiss on her lips then headed down the hall toward her bedroom.

"I'll be in shortly." She said as he walked away.

Jackie prepared another roast beef sandwich and added some chips to the plate. She grabbed a coke from the fridge and headed to the guest room. She gently knocked on the door.

"Come in." Dillon answered in a low, raspy voice.

Jackie pushed the door open. "I brought you some food."

"Thanks." Dillon said taking the plate Jackie offered her.

"I'll get you something to change into. You look about the same size as me, a little taller." Jackie smiled at the girl. "How's your arm?"

"It only hurts when I try to move it." Dillon answered, then took a bite of her sandwich. She leaned her head back on the propped up pillows and let out a satisfied sigh. "This is so good."

"I'm glad you like it. I'll go get those clothes."

Jackie left Dillon and went into her room. She saw Remington lying in her bed. He was on his back; his eyes closed with his hands tucked behind his head. She could picture him laying like this under the warm sun on a sandy beach somewhere; he just looked so content. He was uncovered from the waist up. She watched his beautiful muscled chest slowly rise and fall with his quiet breaths.

Snapping herself back to her task she quietly went to her dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans, an old Broncos t-shirt, and a pair of warm socks and went back to Dillon’s room. "Here's something that might fit..." She stopped talking when she realized Dillon had fallen asleep. Jackie laid the clothes at the foot of the bed and picked up the plate with the half eaten sandwich from Dillon’s lap and set it on the bedside table. She left the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Tess was still at her desk when Mr. Smith came through her office door.

"Dr. Morgan." Slade said walking into the office. "I heard you've had quite the evening."

"Yes sir." Tess answered standing. "It was very frightening." She wrung her hands together in an effort to look shaken up from earlier. "I'm so sorry about you're men. It's terrible what happened."

"Yes, yes. But you didn't get hurt? How on earth did you manage to stay safe?" He asked in an unsympathetic tone. "I walked through a sea of bloodied bodies when I came in and here you are, not a scratch on you."

"I, I hid under my desk." She answered trying to work up a few fake tears. "I was so scared! I had a few things I wanted to finish before I left. I was in here working when I started hearing gunshots. I quickly hid under my desk. I stayed under there for what seemed like hours; then, when it got quiet, I opened the door and went out into the hall."

"You didn't think to call security?" Slade asked.

"I did! I picked up the phone but the line had a busy signal. I figured someone else was trying to call them too. I was worried about the patients so I headed through the corridors. That’s when I saw all of the men, just lying there." Tess had worked up a full cry now. She balled loudly trying to act embarrassed that she was doing so. She could see it made her boss uneasy. She didn't know if he was believing her story or not, but she kept up the act.

Slade didn't care for crying women. He didn't care for crying period. It made people seem weak, and weakness was something that made his stomach retch. "And Rick Davis?" he asked.

Tess sniffed loudly and grabbed a handful of tissues from the box on her desk. "I saw him laying in the hallway. I don't know how he had gotten out of his cell but he was lying there, badly bleeding. I noticed he had been shot through his knee. Guards came up then and I asked them to take him to the O.R. for me. I knew how much you wanted him, so I did what I could to save him." Tess blew her nose loudly and wiped at the fake tears that filled her eyes.

Slade didn’t know if she was telling the truth or not, if not she was a glorious actress. He was trying to decide if she had a reason to lie about the events of the evening. He knew she had previous contact with Rick Davis, but that was her job. She had previous contact with most of the patients, and he did tell her earlier to rush his paperwork. Maybe she was just a scared woman trying to please her boss in the middle of a crisis to keep her job.

"Well done." Slade said and started clapping.

"Sir?" Tess asked. She was sure he was calling her out on her horrible acting skills.

"Well done Dr. Morgan. You're right. He is very special and I want him in the program. You did the right thing by taking it upon yourself to see that he remained alive. You have my gratitude." Slade turned and walked toward the door.

"Thank you sir." She said. "Can I go home now?" She asked, sniffling loudly again.

"Of course." Slade answered. "You must have been terrified. Take a few days off, you've earned it."

"Oh, no sir, that’s not necessary." She said with feigned disagreement.

"Well, whatever you think is best." He answered. "If you need a day or two, feel free to take them. We will be halting exams for a few days until we can figure out how we were breached and get a new crew of guards to come in." Slade said with his lip turned up in disgust. He left the office in the same foul mood he had when he came in.

He couldn’t believe this was happening again so soon after the last escape. He needed to take a good hard look at the perimeter of this place, and the guards he had working for him. The only positive was that the scientists and lab techs had gone home for the night. They were much harder to replace, and that the underground labs hadn't been breached. That was something he couldn't afford to let happen.

Tess blew out a pent up breath when Mr. Smith left her office. She didn't know if he bought what she had told him, but she hoped so. This man scared her; she knew he could make her disappear if he wanted to. Or worse, throw her into one of those cells. The thought terrified her. She gathered her things and headed home.