Courage (Mark of Nexus) (8 page)

“Okay, so, you have your reasons,” I rationalized, fidgeting with my hands. “I get that. But what role do you expect me to play in all of this?”

“Oh, dear.” She moved around the desk and put her hands on my shoulders. “I'm afraid you've misunderstood me. You're not here to play, at all.”

I stiffened. “I'm not?”

“Heavens, no.” She squeezed tight and leaned in, dropping her voice to a whisper. “You're here to change the game.”

I leaned back to study my masterpiece, ignoring the lecture up front.

On a folded piece of notebook paper, I’d written, “Remember that time I shoved you through a door?” I flipped it open and stifled a snicker at my stick figure drawing of Wallace sprawled out in the hallway. “Me too.”

It’d been four and a half days since the incident, and I still felt bad. Not that he'd gotten hurt. It was what
could've
happened—the threat I now posed, unbeknownst to him—that ate away at me.

I hadn’t seen him much this week, thanks to our conflicting class schedules, so we hadn’t had a chance to discuss the whole I-channeled-his-super-strength thing in private. As soon as we left Mom and Dad’s house, I was out like a light.

Apparently my body wasn’t used to that kind of strain. Wallace had to carry me to my room, for crying out loud.
Too bad he didn't stay…

“So, where do we draw the line when it comes to being a good advocate?” my professor asked the class, as he switched slides. “Can we tell families which foods to buy? Which vaccines to receive? Which rules to abide?”

Ugh.
Twenty more minutes of this. Didn’t he know class was supposed to let out early on Fridays? It was an unspoken rule on campus.
Set the captives free!

“Not in so many words,” he droned on, unaware that no one was really listening. “But we can educate ourselves in order to present the most accurate information possible. To help you with that, I’ve invited Faye Tobler, president of R.S. Tobler Laboratories, to tell us a little about vaccinations.”

My head snapped up.
What?

Whispers coursed through the room as a shadowy figure made her way down the center aisle to settle behind the podium.

“Look at her face,” someone whispered.

“Is that what happens when you don’t get shots?” a guy muttered from behind me.

“Good afternoon,” Faye’s amplified voice echoed around the small lecture hall. “I know you’re all anxious for the weekend, but what I have to say will only take a few minutes, and it’s of the utmost importance. In a few months, it could even save your life.”

Somehow, out of over a hundred students, her good eye locked on me.
Gee, why do I get the feeling her visit has nothing to do with vaccines?

I sat up straight and lifted my chin. It’d been over three months since I’d seen this woman, over three months since I’d turned her powers against her, but for the most part she looked the same. Same silver-streaked hair, same hippie clothes, and her skin was still marred beyond comprehension. Did she think she could just waltz in here and pick up where we left off?

“Has anyone heard of the worldwide flu pandemic?” Faye asked the class.

A few murmurs from the front appeased her, and she gave a nod. “Good. Now, let’s list some types of flu on the board.”

What the hell was this—health class?

People started calling out answers as she uncapped a dry erase marker. “I heard seasonal flu.” She wrote the words in big orange letters. “Let’s focus on the strains of influenza A.”

More answers flew from the back, and her head bobbed in agreement. “Yes, the swine flu. We’ll put down H1N1 and its variant H3N2v. Anything else?” Her soulless gaze scanned the room until she got another answer. “Bird flu. H5N1. Good.” She wrote the rest down, and then drew a fill-in-the-blank line. “So, what’s next?”

Silence.

She quirked a thin brow. “What? You think the list ends there? Even as we speak, these viruses are mutating. If you want to stay safe, you better stay informed. Just this week, over two dozen towns in New England reported flu-like outbreaks.”

Viruses? Is this what Wallace and Cole were talking about?
I’d have to Google it later.

Some girl in the back raised her hand. “But isn’t flu season over?”

Faye frowned. “I’m afraid not. We still have a month to go, and with temperatures as low as they are, it could stretch on a little longer. And that’s assuming it
is
like the flu. This virus could be even more robust, for all we know.”

The next five minutes passed by in a blur of questions and answers, while I ran through scenarios in my head. Was this some kind of ruse meant to intimidate me? If so, what purpose did it serve? I’d gone for my check-up. We were being cooperative.

And why would Faye come to lecture my class about viruses if she was making one in secret? It didn't make sense. I looked up front again.

“—at’s an excellent point,” Faye said, nodding at a jock in the front row. “The government takes far too long approving vaccinations aimed at new virus strains. By the time they work their way through the red tape, thousands are already in the hospital. We need to be more proactive in our approach.”

“What other options are there?” our professor asked, rubbing his chin in obvious fascination.

“Clinics, such as the one operated by R.S. Tobler Laboratories, often administer groundbreaking, experimental vaccinations to stay ahead of the curve. Not only are our participants paid, but they stand a better chance of being prepared for”—she leaned back and tapped the end of her marker against the dry erase board, indicating the blank she’d left—”the next virus.”

Hands shot up all over the room, but she waved hers dismissively. “I’m afraid that’s all the time we have today. Could someone please get the lights?”

The fluorescents flicked on, and everyone began cramming their books into their bags.

“I want to thank all of you for your time,” Faye spoke over the noise, standing on tiptoe. “We’ll be sending out more information on our next study in a couple weeks. Expect to see some flyers around campus.”

When our professor walked over to shake her hand, I stood up, threw my bag over my shoulder, and merged into line. Time to jet. Wallace needed to hear about this circus sideshow ASAP. If I could just get to the—

“Why hello there, Rena,” a scratchy voice called from behind me. “I didn’t realize you were in this class.”

“Really?” I turned back to fix Faye with my best shit-calling stare, as my classmates pushed around us. “What a massive coincidence.”

She took a few steps and slipped an arm around my shoulders. “Now, now. I just want to have a chat. We
are
grafted family, you know.”

“So you say.” Should I hit her and run? I looked over my shoulder and sighed.
No, too many witnesses.

“There’s something I want to show you, Rena. Something terribly exciting.”

“Picked out your plot already?” I asked in a dry tone, trying to keep my face hard. The woman played a good part, I’d give her that. For a minute, I’d almost believed her drivel.

She smiled as she guided me out of the classroom and down the hall. “Not quite. You see, I have a gift and a proposition for you. I’ve taken on a new intern, and I believe it would behoove my great-nephew to make her acquaintance.”

I came to an abrupt halt, shrugging off her hold. “What is this?”

“What is what?” Her features contorted into a look of hurt. “Rena, I assure you, I’m here in a professional capacity. I have no ill will toward you.”

“Bullshit,” I snapped, gripping the worn canvas strap of my bag.

A few people paused long enough to glower in my direction. Great. I’d been caught yelling at the old, disfigured woman who wanted to cleanse the world of disease. That would help my reputation.

She dared a step closer and lowered her voice. “You know, don’t you? You went to Henry’s. Surely he mentioned the Nullari.”

Little alarm bells sounded in my head. Bad. This was bad. She shouldn’t have known about Henry’s. I patted my pocket for my phone. Could I get it out and call Wallace before she stopped me? I pushed the door open.

“I found one,” she continued. “A whole line of them, really, but I selected the one most suited to our cause.”

My face must’ve given me away, because she flicked her hand out. “No, not
that
cause, dear. The crippling strength of your beloved.”

“Don’t talk about that here.”

“Very well.” She sauntered out into the afternoon sun and pointed toward The Rec, knowing damn well I’d follow. “This girl—Corynn—can help him, Rena. Her ability will nullify his. With her at his side, he won’t have to worry about hurting anyone.”

It was as if every background noise faded in that instant. My cheeks burned, and I struggled to understand inside the vacuum. “But he…”

“He’s already there,” she said. “I sent Gail to fetch him.”

I swallowed hard and shifted my stance, more unnerved than I cared to let on. “So, why are you telling me this?”

Her one-sided gaze softened. “I wanted to prepare you.”

“Prepare me for what?” My feet set back into motion without warning, leaving her to trail behind. “I don’t see why you would care.”

She grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. “Look, I know you think I'm the bad guy here, but you're mistaken. I am not your enemy, Rena.”

“And what would you call someone who hurts their own family?” I asked, gritting my teeth. “A megalomaniac who thinks herself fit to play God?”

Something flashed in her eye, and she released me. “Wallace was in no mortal danger, I assure you. I could have intervened at any moment.”

“But you didn’t.”

Faye drew in a deep breath and closed her eye. “I had to test the depth of your bond.”

I started walking again. “Bullshit.”

Oh, look. The conversation had gone full circle.

She scrambled to catch up. “Then look at this as appeasement. I’m about to hand Wallace everything—normalcy, the life he’s always wanted. Doesn’t that count for something?”

“What do you get in return?” I growled as I pushed The Rec's glass doors open. “Didn’t you say you had a proposition for me?”

The second I entered the fitness area, I felt Wallace’s unease within me. It was a worried caress as I charged down the hallway, weights clanking in the background. He was in a room near the center of the building. Probably one of the areas they used for Pilates.

“I want you to join us,” Faye said, hurrying to block my path. “Hear me out. I want you to see firsthand what we’re doing, to learn for yourself what kind of difference we’re making. It seems we’ve given you kids the wrong impression. I want to make things right between us.”

There was something in her voice, a note of sincerity that made me question the whole situation. Was it possible we’d misread her intentions? I shook my head. No, the old bat was doing some kind of mind voodoo. She had to be. “I’ll pass.”

“Think of it, Rena. A society where our chosen are of equal strength, intelligence, and agility. A level playing field. Once retrained and reeducated, they’ll have no means—no
desire
—to fight over power. We’ll have one governing body. One collective will.”

I pressed my lips into a thin line. “In other words, a dictatorship.”

“A
utopia
,” she emphasized. “These evolved beings won’t have to worry about war or illness. We’ll take care of them. We’ll take care of everything. You could be a part of that.”

“Pass,” I repeated through gritted teeth.

“You don’t have to decide right now.” She let out a deep breath, stepping aside. “But promise me you’ll think about it.”

My eyes were already scanning the doorways lining the curved wall beside us. “Sure. Now, which one is it?”

I focused on the Nexus, honing in on its distinct pulse. “No, don’t tell me.” I reached for a handle and swung the nearest door open, unprepared for the scene that lay before me.

“Nut-hater!” Maverick called out, his ever-present smirk in place. “How’s it going? ‘Bout time you got here.”

Wallace’s head whipped around, and he stared at me with wide eyes.

Just off to his side, stood a girl in her early twenties, with a flawless russet complexion and piercing silver eyes. Her thick brown hair was swept up in a short ponytail, and her tank top revealed the slightest hint of midriff. She lifted her chin. “You must be Rena.”

Holy unexpected accent, Batman.
Was this the Nullari?

“Yeah,” I mumbled, closing the distance between us. “What’s—”

“Stay back,” Gail instructed from beside Maverick. “We need to see Wallace without your ability.”

Okay, so, Henry was wrong. They
did
know about me.

I stood a good ten yards back and took in the situation. Three Dynari, one Nullari, one compromised human, and me—a supposed Augari. They outnumbered us two to one.

“Wallace.” I kept my voice calm, watching for any sign of movement in the mirrored walls. “Is Gail holding you there?”

“My legs, yeah.” His broad shoulders lifted in frustration. “Apparently, I’m the unwilling participant in an experiment.”

Gail rolled her eyes. “I’m about to let you go. Just do as we asked. It’s for your benefit, anyhow.” She shot her grandmother a look. “Though, I still don’t see why…”

The Nullari girl, Corynn, didn’t emit the same vibe. She just stood there, hands on hips. “So, is he good to go or what?”

“Yes.” Faye patted my shoulder and lowered her voice. “If you don’t let him do this, Rena, you’ll never know.”

Wallace lurched forward in a sudden stumble and whirled around, eyes locking on me. “You okay?” He started to move off the blue mat, but I took a step back.