Project Genesis (14 page)

Chapter 17

Tears and mucus.
Helen wiped her face refusing to let Vin’s hand go. The doctor frowned in her
direction but continued to maneuver around her to treat the wound on Vin’s
upper arm and shoulder. Blood stained his white tee shirt in a widening path.
The doctor cut the fabric away, revealing the jagged blistering wound. Dark
spots winked in her vision.

“Steady, hellcat.”
Vin’s fingers squeezed her own.

A large needle
pierced his flesh a moment later. Helen winced and swayed on her feet. How many
needles did a person need? Vin jerked away from the doctor and caught her
around the waist. Helen pushed back. “I’m fine. You’re the one hurt.” Because
of her. Like a fool, he’d covered her body and now had these hideous laser
burns on his back to show for it when he was already injured.

“You shouldn’t
have jumped over me.”

“It aimed for your
head. You think I’d stand around while you died on me?”

The rough growl of
his words wavered between anger and amusement.

“Excuse me, I need
to have Michaels lay back so I can better treat his injury.”

Helen’s hand
clenched. She couldn’t let Vin go. Her mind kept replaying the moment in her
head over and over again as the alien’s weapon fired on them and he wrapped his
arms around her head and shoulders, completely protecting her body from harm.

“I’m not moving.”

Vin chuckled and
reclined on the bed, tugging Helen across his chest. “Might as well get it
done.”

Helen cuddled on
his chest, listening to the reassuring thumps of his heart. The doctor sent the
others away and tried to kick Helen out but after her glare, he’d left her
alone. The healing agent was amazing and had Vin revived in minutes. Helen
hoped to never see Vin like that again.
Ever.

Instruments clinked
in the background. Vin hissed, his arms closing tight around her. Helen turned
her head enough to give doctor a warning look. “He’s already hurt.”

“Easy, Helen. I’m
fine. Promise.”

Helen continued to
watch the doctor use vials to fill needles.

“She’ll have to
move after this last shot, Vin. I need to treat your back with the plasti-heal
strips.”

Helen wished she’d
had plasti-heal strips when Vin arrived at her house. Her cheeks warmed when
she thought of the basic supplies in her car. None of it would have been
sufficient to treat the extent of his injuries.

“Up, Helen.”

She stood, careful
of his injuries but sticking close to the bed as he rolled over onto his
stomach. Vin balanced his chin on his arms as the doctor removed the rest of
his ruined shirt. The flesh was burned with folds of skin and bright red
discoloration.

“Dr. Franklin
Chase meet Helen Scott.”

“Hello,” she
murmured. The good doctor didn’t look pleased to meet her.

“You’re sure my
team is fine,” Vin asked, glancing at the doctor.

“Returning
shortly, according to Slade. They refused to come back until they had
confirmation of your whereabouts.”

“Injuries?” Vin
asked.

It was just like
him to be concerned for others when he could barely stand an hour ago. Unable
to resist, Helen ran her hands through the light strands of his hair.

“Bangs and scrapes
according to Harkum.”

The muscles in
Vin’s back relaxed. Helen started to relax as well until the door to the
medical room opened and Slade entered, wearing a fierce frown, brows pulled
down in a V and mouth curled in a snarl.

“What the hell,
Michaels? First I get reports your team is attacked, then you separate and take
off after one of the fleeing aliens and end up missing”

Helen positioned
herself between Vincent and David Slade. She heard the covers crinkle behind
her as Vin sat up beside her. Chest bare and wearing only his pants, her breath
caught. Dark blue bruising colored his upper torso but the large cuts already
looked half healed. The doctor had mentioned something about his ribs but Vin
didn’t drag out each breath any more leaving her to assume he’d healed those as
well.

Was it natural to
recover so quickly after the severity of his injuries? Or was this part of the
special abilities he’d reluctantly disclosed and the “healing agent”, she’d
never heard of.

Vin grasped the
back of Helen’s shirt and tugged her completely to the side. “You sent us to
deal with the second Rekabian sighting in Baltimore. There were six aliens
terrorizing the neighborhood. We responded and defended the area after
confirming the civilians reached the safety of their homes. Two Rekabians tried
to run but Harkum tackled the first and I ran after the second.”

***

Vin loved Helen’s
attempt to defend him. Every action tonight indicated she still had feelings
for him. He didn’t deserve it after the way he left her the last time but Vin
wanted to kiss the ground in thanks.

Slade, however,
didn’t seem the least impressed with Vin’s accounting of the attack or Helen’s
presence.

“You chased one of
the aliens? Without back-up?” Slade’s tone raised in volume with each question.

Vin sighed and
climbed to his feet the floor shifting under his boots. “Their behavior was
suspicious, sir.” Vin frowned, replaying the events in his head. “It was almost
as if they were waiting for us to arrive. All previous attacks were in major
cities and human presence was accidental. This time they went to a
neighborhood, scared some people and when Alpha Squad arrived, they began to
attack in earnest.”

Helen gasped.

Vin shouldered
into his torn shirt despite Dr. Chase waving another plasti-strip in his face.
“Something seemed off and I chased him.”

Slade focused on
his words. “What’s this about a tracker?”

This part
concerned Vin too. “I chased the Rekabian for a good two blocks. I think it could
have easily outpaced me with those long legs but it was as if it waited. Next
thing I knew, it jumped from behind a building and raked me with claws that
burned like hell.”

Dr. Chase held up
a clear container. “The tracer’s in here, Mr. Slade.”

The small cylinder
the size of a coin appeared innocuous floating in a blue neutralizing liquid.

Slade accepted the
cylinder tilting it this way and that. “But what led you to guessing you had a
tracker?”

“Right.” Vin
reached for Helen’s hand and squeezed. “I stole a car planning to reconnect
with the team and spotted the same Rekabian following. Ditched the car and used
my weapon to draw it out. Sir, my weapon misfired after my ear com was
destroyed but the alien still took off instead of finishing an easy victory. It
was on the drive to Ms. Scott’s that I began to suspect. When it showed up
later in the parking lot of a convenience store, I knew for certain.”

“Hmmm. We’ll
discuss her later.” Slade handed the container back to Dr. Chase. “Analyze this
and get me as much data as possible first thing in the morning.”

“Where’s your
G32?”

Vin grimaced.
“Destroyed in an explosion.” He’d have to request a new one and get Rock to
modify it. The flamethrower had come in handy when the team was surrounded
today.

“I want to see
everyone in the morning. I’ve news to share and we need to pursue your rational
about deliberately targeting enhanced teams. I’ll find out if our overseas
allies are identifying the same issue.”

“I’ll notify the
team.”

Slade paused, his
gaze shifting to Helen. Vin tensed fully prepared to throw his handle to the
floor if he made one remark.

“Get your body
armor replaced before you crash. Ms. Scott.” With that, Slade rapped his
knuckles on the doorframe and left

Chapter 18

The healing agent
plus the dose of vitamin supplement worked wonders on him but Vin still dragged
as he escorted Helen back to his room. Nearing midnight, he wished the events
of the day hadn’t happened the way they had. As a result of his injuries and
separating from his team, he’d dragged Helen back into his mess.

“I take it, I’m
not going back home tonight?”

Vin tensed at the
calmly stated question and locked the door behind him. Helen however continued
on into his bedroom. Vin followed wondering what exactly to say.

She turned at the
center of his room and folded her arms over her chest. The blousy yellow shirt
looked good on her. The golden color enhanced her natural skin tones and made
him think of sunny days. She wore wide legged dress pants in a navy blue that
swayed when she moved. Casual and sexy. Sure to attract any man’s attention.
Helen knew how to make a statement when she dressed.

“Vin?” her brow
arched at his lack of a response to her earlier question.

“I can take you
home tomorrow.”

“Fine.” Her foot
tapped and she stood there an air of expectancy around her.

Vin walked closer
until inches separately them. He reached out and unfolded her arms to grip her
hands tightly. “Thank you for tonight, Helen.” She could have left him. At any
point. At her house, at the gas station. He wouldn’t have blamed her either.
Not after the way things ended between them.

Her head gave an
abrupt nod.

“I owe you an
apology.” A big fucking one. “Sorry isn’t going to cover it, hellcat. I know
that.”

“Your apology
means nothing at this point.” She held her arms stiffly at her side. The brown
depths he adored, glared hard.

Vin whirled from
the blow. Regret hit him hard. He should have expected this. “I am so sorry,
baby.” Black dots marched across his vision. The boost and healing agent took
care of the bulk of his injuries but he needed rest. Hopefully, Helen accepted
his apology before his face met the floor.

“Vin, I’ll stay
tonight. You needed help but…” She glanced around the room before turning back
to him. Her head angled to the side, the graceful line of her neck in
prominence.

He sensed her
resolve.

“We’re done. I…my
heart can’t take the beating. I don’t deserve it.”

 Vin could have
handled it if she was bitchy when she made the claim. Instead, tenderness beat
at him from her brown orbs making his heart hurt with deep seated guilt. Vin
swallowed but managed to nod his head even though his world crashed around him
and this time it had nothing to do with his injuries. No, the pain clawing
frantically at his middle was due to all he’d lost without ever really having
it.

“I understand.” He
needed to get one more thing out. “I never
ever
meant for you to get
hurt.”

She snorted and
began to disrobe with a lack of regard for his presence. Vin turned and made
his way to the closest side of the bed. Not bothering to remove his ruined
clothes, he dropped backwards and closed his eyes.

Helen moved around
the room and the covers shifted beneath him as her weight depressed the bed.
Vin rolled to his side facing the view of her slim back. He ached to reach out and
touch her but no way she wouldn’t blast him. A full twelve inches separating
them in the bed.

Desire overcame
common sense. He needed to speak with her. “Helen, let me.”

She rolled in the
bed abruptly, her hand slashing in the air. “No. Just, no, Vin.”

He heard the break
in her voice and the chasm in his chest widened. Still, his hand stroked
tenderly through her hair. “Sleep, hellcat. I won’t bother you any more.
Tomorrow, I swear…I promise, I’ll make sure you get home.”

“Thanks.” Her
words mumbled as she again presented him with her back.

Vin flung an arm
over his eyes and blinked away the burning sensation.
Fuck him
. He’d
lost her for real this time.

***

Helen laid down in
the bed intensely aware of the man in bed next to her. Darkness flooded the room
and she could just make out the shadows dancing on the wall. She kept her
breathing steady, feigning sleep while her mind whirled. Her heart felt ripped
down the middle. Trying to put feelings for Vin in perspective and battling the
wave of emotions just seeing him caused.

She loved him.
Rushing around to save him tugged at her heart and Helen admitted what she’d
fought in the last few weeks. She loved Vincent Michaels. But she also had to
accept that Vin wasn’t interest in the love she offered. His firm resolve
during that fateful day spoke clearly to his feelings on the matter.

Tears trickled
down her cheek.

“Shit.” Vin cursed
behind her and his arm curved around her waist and he hauled her body across
the bed until she bumped his large frame. “Don’t cry. Don’t lie here and expect
me to ignore you crying, Helen.”

She sniffed, her
body going lax in defeat. Her hands moved of their own accord along the smooth
hardness of his chest to settle on his broad shoulders. “I can’t understand
you.”

He sighed above
her. “You’re right. I can’t go on like this.”

Helen dug her
nails into his flesh. “What?”

Vin feigned a cry.
“It’s time I told you everything.”

Helen remained
silent. His hands she noticed, absently slid up the sides of her torso and back
down. The soothing caress had a hypnotic effect and she found herself relaxing
further despite her wishes to keep her feelings bottled away.

“Six months ago,
the military gave me a choice,” he started. “It involved a highly unorthodox
experiment dubbed Project Genesis.”

Helen sought to
lift her head but he palmed her hair in the back and pressed down until her
face rested in the crook of his shoulder. “Vin.”

“Shh, let me get
it all out. The drugs given to us had the desired effect. My team and others
developed enhanced strength and psychic abilities. We thought we were the only
ones. The government’s special soldiers but David Slade revealed that there are
others. The program…Project Genesis was shared with other countries' military
forces when signs of the Rekabian ship was detected by satellites a year ago.”

“That explains the
other soldiers around the world on TV. They used powers too as they fought the
aliens. I saw them on the news.” Helen remembered how confused she’d been at
the time. She lifted her head completely.

“Yes. In exchange,
all of us had to sign a contract for five years of continued service to the
military.”

Helen frowned as
she lined the dates in her head. “That’s why you left me.” All this time, she
thought she’d done something wrong. Failed in some way but in reality he hadn’t
trusted her. It stung.

“Stop, it’s not
what you’re thinking.” Vin’s hands moved and cupped her face. “I trust you.”

Helen stiffened
and shoved hard at his chest. “Stay out of my mind.”

“Helen, I’m not in
your head. I promise, hellcat. Your face, it’s easy to guess what you’re
thinking.”

“Why didn’t you
tell me instead of letting me wonder and worry.” Her voice locked but she
forced the rest out. “I thought something must have happened to you but then I
spotted you one day leaving the coffee shop where we met when I was at a
seminar in DC.”

Helen remembered
the feeling of betrayal as if it were yesterday. Hurt, she’d run without
getting her favorite latte. Now months later, he was telling her he’d made the
decision without a care for her feelings.

“Listen, we were
each sworn to secrecy. A lot of bad things happened during the experiments.
There were days when some of the teams didn’t know if they’d survive. Secrecy
was stressed and in light of the changes,” he paused and leaned back. “I don’t
know what other abilities I might develop.”

“But…”

Vin pressed a
finger to her mouth. “We were only supposed to be stronger. Soldiers capable of
dealing with more, lasting longer in the field but the psychic abilities seem
to be an unexpected side effect.”

Helen swallowed.
“Are…” She cleared her throat. “Can you do more than what you told me?”

Vin shook his
head. “Electronic charges. Like when I electrocuted the alien at the
convenience stop. I haven’t developed any new skills in the last couple of months
but the drugs they gave us, no one knows what to expect.”

Helen studied his
guarded expression and came to her own conclusions. “Did you think you were
protecting me? That I wouldn’t want to be there for you, Vin?”

He broke her gaze
for the first time and turned away, his hand coming up to grip his head. “Being
with you, those times together are cherished memories for me. I don’t know what
I’d do if you… if your feelings ever changed because of the man I am now.”

Helen pushed
sympathy away. “You had no right to make the decision about our relationship
without giving me a chance. I’m tired.” She rolled back away from him. His arm
didn’t let her go but she snuggled into the covers.

A beat of silence
and then. “Sleep, hellcat.”

And she did.

Chapter 19

Once more Vin
found himself in the conference room with Alpha Squad and Slade. His team
celebrated his return with hearty smiles and jokes. Harkum leaned over and
gripped Vin’s shoulder tight. They exchanged a mutual look and Vin acknowledged
the depth of his friend’s concern.

The doctors had
probably shared everything about his condition upon arrival. “I’m good,” he
murmured and met the glance of the others. Bodies relaxed and postures resumed
a casual slouch at his disclosure. They talked amongst themselves until Slade
started to speak.

“I’ve read
everyone’s recap and the lab techs are working on the alien technology
discovered in Vin’s wounds. A file is loaded on the main database with all the
information we’re gathering on the Rekabians. We’re sharing with our allies to
put together a plan.”

“What’s the
General’s opinion?” Vin asked.

“The General is at
a meeting with the President. He’s been at the White House all week with the
heads of several security forces and they’re we conferencing with leaders around
the world.”

“How do they want
us to handle the escalating attacks?” Vin thought about the strain on all of
them trying to neutralize the Rekabian threat. Even enhanced, they’d need rest
soon and not just in sporadic hours here and there.

Slade frowned. “We’ll
continue to do what we have to.”

Vin thought on
that and realized, there wasn’t anything else they could do. Everyone would
fight until they couldn’t anymore and a victor was declared.

***

The next morning
when Helen woke, she was alone. She fixed the bed and went into his living area
to wait. Vin entered without knocking. She immediately got to her feet even as
she marveled at how sexy he managed to look. Once more, he wore his black
uniform, gun holster strapped to his thigh and the longer gun on a strap across
his back. Reluctantly, she admitted the look worked for him.

“Morning, Helen.”

Vin’s words lacked
their usual flow of intimacy. Helen inclined her head. “Vin.”

“The team and I
will escort you to your home. Thank you for last night.” He folded his arms
over his chest and spoke directly to her.

As if she could
have done anything else. Helen raised the barriers around her heart. She just
needed to get through the ride home and she’d put Vin and their relationship
behind her permanently. Maybe date one of the guys at work who always flirted
with her. Helen wanted to settle down now more than ever.

“Right. Well I
have the guys waiting. Wanted you to get your rest after yesterday.”

Vin’s voice and
tone conveyed nothing but his eyes mirrored the sadness she hid inside.

“Thanks.” They
were like polite strangers.

Helen expected him
to walk her out but he continued to stare. “Helen?”

She paused.

***

“Okay, just
listen. I’ll talk and you don’t have to do anything but listen.” Vin took a
deep breath as he prepared what to say. When Helen bared her feelings to him,
she took a risk and he’d thrown her offer back in her face. Now he could do no
less than to take the same risk.

The blasé look on
her face did not encourage. “Fine.” Her eyes snapped and the glare left him in
no doubt that her mood was not conducive to listening.

“My mother was a
junkie that left me in the hospital after I was born. It took two weeks for the
state to find a relative to take me.” Vin ignored her gasp and continued. “My
grandmother raised me until I was six. Soon after she died from a massive heart
attack. She was really old. Too old to be raising a kid.” Whenever Vin thought
of his grandmother, his thoughts darkened. She’d been a good woman but in no
way equipped to handle a growing baby.

“When the state
couldn’t find my mother or another relative, I entered foster care and didn’t
get out until I was seventeen and joined the military.”

“Why are you
telling me this, Vin?”

“In hopes you
understand why I tried to push you away. I wanted to protect you. You’re the
only one whoever wanted me.”

“It doesn’t
matter, Vin.”

He flinched but
forged on. “Everything about you matters, Helen.”

“Does it?”

The terse question
gave him pause. Vin owed her. She’d offered him her heart and he’d pissed away
the gift. “Hell, we’re the same in a lot of ways. You got shit on by two men
and have trust issues with relationships. I’ve never had a relationship and my
issues are too many to list.” Blue gray eyes snared her. “But I want you and
for some unknown reason that I’m thankful for, you want me too.”

One hand ran
impatiently through his hair while the other gripped his neck tight. “I know I
fucked up earlier. Give me a chance, hellcat. Us.” His eyes and tone pleaded
but he didn’t care.