Shocked (22 page)

Dr. Ford waits with Captain Jennings. The five of us pile into the captain’s office and shut the door. Dr. Ford greets Dr. Harris warmly and it reminds me that they’re colleagues—friends.

We make introductions with the captain before we sit. Lucas explains how Dr. Harris falls into our laps. We all turn to Dr. Harris expectantly.

“I don’t know where to begin.” He tells us.

“Just start at the beginning.” Dr. Ford coaxes.

Dr. Harris rubs his face and continues. “It begins when I evacuate my family. As with Dr. Ford they force us to leave immediately. There are only so many of us with the knowledge to stop this.

“Dr. Ford and I work together closely in Columbus the same as we do at BioNano once he arrives from the west coast. We’re so hopeful once you come along Kat. We finally have something to stop the nanobots. Until Carch decides she wants you for herself. At the time she leads us to believe that it’s to
stop
the infection. Shortly after you leave it becomes apparent that she wants to keep you from stopping
her.
Dr. Ford is there when things begin to get really bad. Carch takes my family as leverage to make her weapons. I have no choice.” Dr. Harris’ voice breaks.

“We know it’s not your fault.” Captain Jennings assures him.

“What’s been going on since I left Columbus?” Dr. Ford asks.

“Things have gotten much, much worse.” Dr. Harris answers. “Carch began power hungry and slightly unstable. She quickly progresses to insane. Dr. Ford has seen some of it and I’m sure by now you’ve seen the after effects. I’ve never seen these camps they talk of but I hear about them. They say the conditions are atrocious. My family is at one of them…”

“I’m sorry.” I say. The thought hurts of anyone that must endure one of those places.

Dr. Harris continues. “Carch is much eviler now than anyone realizes. That’s why I set the explosion in the lab. She’s far worse than crazy now. She’s psychotic
and
she’s become infected.”

“I’m sorry—did you just say that Carch is infected?” Captain Jennings sputters.

Dr. Harris nods but doesn’t have a chance to respond before Dr. Ford asks, “How is it that she has not succumb to the infection?”

“I’m not sure at first,” Dr. Harris tells us. “I run some tests on her and come to the conclusion that her body somehow mutates it. She changes but in comparison to the others exposure she’s different.”

“It must be similar to how Kat mutates her energy.” Dr. Ford says and sees my grimace. “Sorry!” He adds.

I look meaningfully at Captain Jennings and Lucas. “I should’ve zapped her when I had the chance.”

“There’s more.” Dr. Harris tells us.

“More?” Lucas exclaims. “What more can there be?”

“Carch is no longer susceptible to the infection but everyone else is. Her recent activity leaves her with only a few men left. I have known that people are leaving. It’s yesterday I discover
where.
”

A really bad feeling settles in my stomach.

“She makes a new type of army hidden away.” Dr. Harris says.

“Another underground hive?” I guess.
Please say no!

Dr. Harris nods then looks at us in confusion. “What do you mean by ‘another’?”

Dr. Harris finds the idea of the hive we find incredible. “I’ve been referring to it as an underground army internally, but hive is much more of an accurate description.”

“Kat came up with it.” Dr. Ford says proudly.

“How did you come up with that?” Dr. Harris says.

“It was easy when we were down there.” I explain. “It looks like one so I figure it’s the best way to describe it.”

“You say that the hive from the original infection heads west?” Dr. Harris asks.

“Yes.” Captain Jennings confirms.

“Why?” Lucas asks.

Dr. Harris looks fearful. “I’m fairly certain that Carch pushes east.”

“What happens when they meet?” Lucas asks.

“I’m sure it won’t be good.” Dr. Ford answers.

“Definitely not.” Dr. Harris confirms.

“So let me get this straight.” I say. “We have two underground metalhead hives: the original infection in the east pushing west
and
Carch’s infection in the west pushing east?”

“So it seems.” Captain Jennings looks upset.

“How do we stop them? What do we do?” Lucas asks.

“First we secure the camp. We need to get everyone—and I mean everyone outside these walls here yesterday. Now that we know what Carch is up to we can hit all of her camp locations for survivors. Dr. Ford, how long will it be until the underground barriers are ready and what kind of perimeter size are we looking at?”

“The barriers should be ready in a day or two.” Dr. Ford thinks for a moment. “If I can get a few handy men we should be able to surround the camp by an extra five hundred feet within four or five days.”

“We’ll need more room then that. I’ll have to speak to some of the countries that offer to take refugees.” The captain says. “We’re going to need the space. Our first priority is to ensure the safety of everyone.”

“Will they agree?” Lucas asks.

“These things are destroying our planet from the inside out. If they don’t help us succeed we’re all doomed. They won’t have a choice.” Captain Jennings tells us.

“After Dr. Harris rests up he’s welcome to join me in my lab.” Dr. Ford invites.

“Certainly,” Dr. Harris agrees. “It’s the least I can do.”

“We can use the help.” Captain Jennings says. “I’ll get on the horn now. You two get some rest.” He looks to Lucas and me. “We’ll need you in top form tomorrow.”

“Captain, once we have the defenses set and the people evacuate how will we stop the hives?” Lucas asks.

They all slowly look at me. “There’s only one way I can think of.” The captain says.

Lucas doesn’t look happy about this news. I quickly change the subject. “Dr. Harris, you said your family was sent to one of Carch’s camps. Do you know which one?” The last camp we save is on my mind.

“Sadly, no.” Dr. Harris answers.

“We have some survivors here from a couple of the camps. Let me bring up the logs and we’ll sort through them.” Captain Jennings offers and for the first time since his arrival Dr. Harris looks hopeful.

“If they’re not here, we’ll find them—I promise.” It’s a hard promise to keep but I fully intend to.

“Thanks, Kat. You truly are extraordinary.”

I don’t know how to respond to that. I make my excuses and Lucas follows me out the door.

“I’m going to get cleaned up.” He tells me. “Do you want me to stop by after?”

I steal a quick kiss. “Yeah. I’m going to grab B and check on Brie and Xavier. Plus I want to see if Jared wants to help out in the lab. Just let yourself in when you’re ready. I may be in the shower for a while.”
Seriously—I have dirt on top of dirt on top of things I don’t want to know about.

“Okay. I’ll see you soon.”

Jared happily agrees to help out in the lab and rushes to tell Dr. Ford. My idea stems from the fact that Jared is smart, trustworthy and gets along well with Dr. Ford. I also figure having him there will get him, Brie and Xavier in the loop more. I can tell that Brie wishes she can be more a part of everything.

Brie and Xavier are great. I promise to stop back in the morning to hold him since I’m too filthy to do so now. He looks a bit less breakable now.

B and I go outside before we go back upstairs. It’s a little early but I really just want to relax the rest of the evening (if possible.)

I let myself in and B settles in his favorite spot on the couch. My clothes are so filthy that they keep their form when I discard them on the bathroom floor. I wash my hair three times before the water runs clear.

I step out of the shower and wrap myself in a towel when a knock sound on the door. “I’m here!” Lucas calls. “You want pizza again or this family-size mac’n’cheese?”

I tug a comb through my hair. “Mac’n’cheese, please!” The unintentional rhyme makes me smile.

I decide to blow dry my hair but give up half way through. It’s not my body that tires but my mind receives too much information to deal with today. I leave my hair down to finish drying and step out of the bathroom.

Lucas shuts the oven. “Okay, I just put it in…” His voice trails off as his eyes sweep over me.

I blush and realize the towel I have on doesn’t cover much. I don’t think to bring a change of clothes into the bathroom. This is the most skin Lucas has ever seen from me and that includes our shirtless hotel room incident. “Sorry, I’ll go grab some clothes.”

He doesn’t reply and instead takes a step closer. The look in his eyes is pure desire. It has a strange effect on me. A warm feeling pulls inside me. I can’t move my eyes away from his and find myself moving closer.

I know I should stop. That I’m playing with fire. I have no experience with any of this. Only this feeling that insists I need to kiss Lucas
right now
.

He doesn’t advance like I do an
d the air becomes thicker with each step I take. I stop in front of him. I can see his restraint. He doesn’t want to push me. It’s my undoing.

Part of me screams it’s too soon but that’s only the fear talking. My desire outweighs it. Lucas has been my stability for a long time now. I wrap my arms around him and kiss him deeply.

His arms wrap around me as soon as our lips touch. By the end of our kiss my towel hangs precariously. “Kat, you don’t have to do this.” Lucas says.

“Lucas…” I suck it up and let it all out. “I think I do. I love you, Lucas.”

The look on his face is unmistakable bliss. “I love you too, Kat. I think I always have.”

I kiss him again and he wraps my legs around his waist. My towel falls and he pauses once more. “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive.”

He smiles broadly and carries me upstairs.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Somewhere below us the over timer beeps away. Lucas graciously gets up to retrieve it from the oven. I admire the view while he throws on his jeans. I’m not talking about the window either.

I stretch and feel very content. I know I swear off sex after Brie has Xavier but maybe that’s a little irrational. We’re safe about it. Lucas moves slowly and adeptly. He’s soothing and focuses only on me. I never thought that a connection can be this deep or this comforting.

Lucas climbs back next to me. “It needs to cool off for a while.” He nudges his arm under my head and I snuggle into him. “Are you okay?”

It only hurts for a second and it’s well worth it. “I’m a little more than okay.” I grin

He looks proud and rightly so. “You want to watch a movie while we eat?”

I pout slightly as he pulls his shirt on. “Yeah, that works.”

“What’s the matter?” Lucas asks with concern. “You said you’re okay!”

I shake my head. “I like you better without the shirt.”

He takes it off to throw it on the bed beside me and grins. “I can say the same about you but then we’ll never eat.” He goes down the stairs slightly. “Get some clothes on and meet me down here, Evil Temptress!”

We cuddle on the couch late into the night until Lucas begins to gently snore and I guide him upstairs
half-asleep. He’s still mostly asleep as we fall in bed. I take a moment to admire him before I shut off the lights and climb in next to him.