Scarlet (5 page)

"It's better now," he said, nuzzling her neck. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too. I can't wait until we can get out of here."

Morgan grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "Me either."

The viewer in his office glowed to life. The only time it came on was when there was breaking news for the republics. They both turned, ready to see the latest announcement.

The Santa Fe Cloning Laboratory Corporation would like to announce an amazing breakthrough. We have developed an inoculation that, repairs damaged and abnormal cells. Just think about it. No more diseases. No more illness. Reverse the signs of aging. We're calling it Project Scarlet.

With Scarlet running through your veins, your life will never be the same.

Have your credits ready to sign up now.

"What does that mean?" Red asked.

Morgan's brow furrowed. "If I understand them correctly, it could mean an end to the Others."

"A cure? Are you saying they've developed a cure?" Red squealed in delight. Maybe she wouldn't have to learn how to control the change after all if the Scarlet vaccine worked. She could go back to the tactical team. The people of Nuria wouldn't have to hide any longer. "That's wonderful," she said. "Don't you think?"

Morgan's expression became unreadable. "There have been vaccines that made the same kind of promises before. None of them have worked."

"You sound like you're speaking from experience."

"I am," he muttered.

"Oh," she said, deflated. "But it's still possible."

"Anything is possible," he said, looking more and more unhappy.

A woman's face flashed on the screen. She had warm brown hair and laughing green eyes. Her image slid to the left and a child's face popped onto the screen beside her. The child reminded Red of someone, but she couldn't place whom. It was obvious that he was somehow related to the woman. He had the same coloring. Red reached for the remote and turned the volume up.

Santa Fe Cloning Laboratory Corporation would also like to announce its two latest clone models. The Sarah-3000,
the woman's face enlarged on the screen,
will be released as a pleasure model starting in the spring.
Sarah's face faded and the boy's smiling image took center screen.
And Joshua-200, who will be a nice addition to any home. He can be used as laborer or you can make him part of the family. Just think what it would be like, having an eight-year-old child for life. We are taking preorders now.

What would they think of next? Red shook her head and looked at Morgan. The color had drained from his face and his features were twisted in agony.

"What's wrong?"

He didn't respond, only pointed to the screen with trembling fingers.

"Morgan, what's wrong?" Red shook him to get his attention. He didn't move. "You're starting to scare me," she said.

He turned to her, his amber eyes full of pain, before looking back at the viewer in disbelief. "It can't be. It's not possible."

"I don't understand. You look like you've seen a ghost." Red's chest clenched, strangling her breath. She looked back at the screen at the woman and child. A shiver ran down her spine. "Do you know those clones?" she asked.
Please say-no. Please say no.
But she knew from the look on his face that he did.

"Not ghosts." Morgan's tormented eyes met hers once more. He was looking at her, but Red was pretty sure he couldn't see her. His gaze was so distant. "It's worse than that Much worse."

"What could be worse?" she asked. Her mind filled with various scenarios. All bad.

"That's my wife and child."

chapter four

Punching her would've hurt less. Red couldn't breathe. The air in the room refused to enter her lungs. She forced herself to her feet and stumbled away, her body protesting her movements. She dropped into a metal chair, hearing the echo of Morgan's words in her mind. It couldn't be. He'd said he loved her. Begged her not to leave him. Swore he'd never leave her. She'd heard him last night and this morning. There had to be some kind of mistake.

Blood roared through her veins until the world around her bled to crimson. Red hadn't realized Morgan had moved until he touched her. She jumped, pulling away from him.

"Don't—don't." She held out her hands to keep him at bay and blinked rapidly to get the world to come back into sharp focus.

"Gina." He reached for her once again and she growled in warning.

"I said don't touch me." Red pulled her legs into her chest, hugged them close, and began to rock. "How could you? After everything we've been through." How could he not tell her about a wife? Hell, he'd had a child. A son. Those things were important. The kind of things you shared with someone you loved. Maybe he didn't love her as much as he'd claimed. She hated even thinking it, but why else would he have kept something so important a secret?

Morgan ran a hand through his hair and began to pace. "You have to understand it was a long time ago. Another lifetime."

"Oh, God, you left her?" Would he do the same to her when he grew tired of her?

He spun on her. "No, never," he said, continuing to pace. "It wasn't like that."

“What was it like then?" Her eyes narrowed on him. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't anyone mention this before?"

He stopped and looked at her, letting her see the torment that clawed at his insides. "Not many people know. Like I said, it was a lifetime ago—
literally.
Long before I came to Nuria."

"Why did you leave them?" Red's stomach soured and she fought to keep from throwing up. How could the man that she loved abandon his family? She had made a mistake. A huge mistake. She never should've come to Nuria. Never should've allowed herself to fall in love with Morgan. Her gut had warned her in the beginning and she'd ignored it. Maybe it wasn't too late to go back to IPTT.

Morgan dropped to his knees before her and pressed his hands to the sides of the chair, effectively caging her in. "I told you. I
didn't
leave them. I would've never left them." His voice choked with emotion. "They died a long time ago. In a bombing. So you see, they left me."

"God, I'm sorry," she said. "I know what it's like to lose your family. The pain never goes away. One minute everything is moving along nicely, then the next, the world shakes, knocking our feet out from under us. I'm trying to understand. This is just a lot to take in." Red's thoughts jumbled into a blur of shock and panic.

"I never meant to hurt you," he said softly.

Red knew he meant every word, but that didn't stop the pain. "Why do you think they're back now?" she asked.

Morgan let his head fall forward until his hair brushed her shins. Soft wisps caressed her arms and she clutched her legs tighter. If she didn't, Red knew she'd reach out and pull him closer. And she just couldn't do that right now. She was too confused. Too upset. Too hurt. Damn him.

"I don't know, but I have to stop this." He pushed back onto his feet and stood.

Red frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I can't allow them to turn Sarah into a whore. She deserves better than that."

The love he infused into Sarah's name scorched Red,  leaving her raw. "How do you plan to do that?"

Morgan met her gaze. "I'm going to go to the Santa Fe Cloning Lab to reason with them. If need be, I'll get a job there, so I can find out what's going on. I can be very persuasive when I have to be. If they don't listen, I'll find the cells and destroy them."

"You can't do that. It would cost the corporation millions. They'll arrest you and put you away for life."

"I don't care!" he snapped.

"I do," she whispered. He was going to risk everything they'd built together for a ghost. It was there in his amber eyes. Red wanted to be supportive. She really did. She understood the need to protect one's family, but there had to be some other way to stop them that didn't require sacrificing his freedom and their future. Her distress must have shown on her face.

"You don't understand. I can't let them do that to Sarah and Joshua. I can't." He shook his head. "There's no way I can sit back and do nothing. They are ... they
were
my family. My world."

"I understand more than you think." The slip he made was a little one, but it might as well have been a death knell. A wall dropped down between them. Red couldn't see it. but she could sense its presence. And it was more impenetrable than maglev armor. "What about Nuria? We're in the middle of trying to build a tactical team to protect them and Others around the world. What we're attempting to do is greater than the genetic material of two people. We need you."
I need you.

"They have you." Morgan gave her a small smile. "You can continue to build the team. You're already off to a good start. I plan to leave you in charge while I'm gone. Maggie will be your second in command. She knows everything about running Nuria and the Sheriff's station. The deputies love and respect her. They'd do anything for Maggie, so if you need help, ask her. She'll be more than happy to pick up the reins."

Now he was dumping that responsibility into her lap. He didn't ask. He just assumed she'd take over running the town. "They might listen to Maggie, but they're not going to listen to me. I'm an outsider. The only reason they accept me at all is because of you." Red hated the desperation she heard in her voice. Next she'd be begging him to stay.

"That's not true," he said.

"It is. You don't see it." Most people just tolerated her presence. What would happen when the person standing between them left?

Morgan's gaze softened. "You are the strongest person I know. If anyone can hold this town together, you can."

He was wrong. She wasn't strong. At least not in the way needed to keep this town ticking until he returned. His will alone did that.

"What about us?" Tears blurred her vision as she swallowed back a sob. "I-I need you." It hurt her to admit it, but he needed to hear it. "I can't do this on my own."

Morgan pulled her to her feet. Red tried to resist, but there wasn't much fight left in her. It had seeped out the second he'd said the words "wife and child." It didn't matter that they were dead. They were back now. The fact they were clones wouldn't mean a lot once Morgan laid eyes on them. Red knew that was the case, since she would give anything to see her family again and have them back in her life.

"You know I love you. And I wouldn't be leaving if it wasn't important," he said. "I have to do this. I hope someday you understand. I'd do the same, if it were you in that laboratory."

She nodded, but couldn't speak the words. She
did
understand, but that didn't stop the pain. Nor did it stop her from wanting him to stay.

"I need you to be strong while I'm gone," he said, brushing her cheek with his knuckles.

Red felt the warmth of his skin beneath his shirt. She leaned forward and inhaled, taking his clean scent into her lungs. "When are you going to leave?"

Morgan loosened his hold so he could look into her eyes. "As soon as I've informed my staff. I'm not going to tell them everything because I don't want anyone to interfere. This is my decision, and mine alone. I'll be back as soon as I can," he said, then kissed her good-bye.

Red watched him walk out of her life. Her insides were on fire, or at least that's what it felt like. How could this have happened? She wanted desperately to prevent Morgan from leaving, but didn't know how. What could she say? If you want us to work, you'll stay? It was the truth, but hardly compelling enough to change Morgan's mind at this point. Nothing was strong enough.