wrath of the Sea Queen (129 page)

"What are you doing?"

"C
a
eli, what do you feel when I do that?"

"I feel
excited, as I do each time you touch me. 
I
love you, Vin
, but I
a
m
much
too tired to
indulge tonight
," C
a
eli answered.

"
That's n
ot
really
what I
was attempting, at least, not at the
moment.  I
s that
all
you feel
?  No
other
unusual
sensations, no
thing else?"

"
S
hould I?"  C
a
eli was curious.

"I suppose not. 
I was
only
testing a theory. 
It's not important. 
Try to sleep now
.
"

CHAPTER
29

When Maku returned from his shift at the levee, he
had only enough time to grab a quick sandwich before heading off to
his job as a security guard
for
the medical conference.  He worked from
afternoon until
dinnertime and
was
on site when
a bomb
threat
was
reported
. 
After the explosion at the levee earlier, he and everyone else on the security team took the threat seriously.  Maku
helped usher the hotel guests into a neighboring parking lot while the bomb techs
thoroughly
searched the building
,
twice
.

As everyone milled about the parking lot, Maku stood near the front entrance keeping an eye on the progress.  Lorrie
startled him when she
walk
ed
by and head
ed
on
toward the
hotel
.

"Hello, Lorrie."

She completely ignored him.
 
Maku watched her walk up to and converse with a few
of the
doctors and nurses who
were
on hand
in case
they were
need
ed
. 
Maku
was not surprised by
Lorrie's
attitude.  She
had
barely spoke
n
to him
since the incident in their youth.  He always thought that
Lorrie
blamed him for not being there
in time
to help her.  As bad as Maku felt about the situation, he now understood that he could not have done anything to change the outcome.
  Though he tried for years to get
Lorrie
to reconsider and to help her deal with the psychological effects of the trauma, Maku realized that she would never be the same again. 
Every time Lorrie saw him, she was reminded
of that ordeal
.  She always turned away, un
willing to expose herself to that memory.
  Therefore,
she would have nothing to do with him. 
Maku remained a part of Lorrie's past
that she wanted to forget
.

After two hours, the guests were allowed to return to the hotel, but Maku had an uneasy feeling.  He walked through the building, checking each of the rooms where
doctors would be giving presentations the next day.  In particular, he and one of his co-workers surveyed the room where Dr. Erickson would be presenting.

"Why are you worried about this doctor
more than the others
?"

"
Her work
is the
main focus of
the protestors.  If they bomb any room, it will be
the one where she is presenting
.  I want to be certain we don't miss anything," Maku answered.

"Well,
the bomb techs
checked everything twice
, and now we have, too
.  There is nothing here.  Let's find som
ething
else to do; something
more exciting
.  Speaking of which, did you see Lorrie earlier?
  Yeow!  She is looking hot.
"

"Yes
, I saw her
."

"Is she still dating that redhead?  I would really like to ask her out
again.  I think the third time will be
a
charm, as they say
."

"I don't know
the details of her social life
.  We don't talk much anymore."

"Oh, I'm sorry dude.  I forgot.  Well, she did say she might stop by later with additional supplies, and I'm on duty for the night shift.  Maybe I will have her look at this cut on my arm."

"What cut?"  Maku asked his fellow security guard.

"The one I will put there if she
shows up
.  It will require a
beautiful
nurse's immediate attent
ion,
"
the man nudged Maku and laughed.

Maku pushed
all
thoughts
of Lorrie
aside
now that
his shift was over and he
was
home.  He
shifted
his attention
to
his
younger
brother.  Pete was
both
nervous
and excited
about their planned
outing the next day
. 
He
wanted to hear Dr. Erickson's presentation and, hopefully, speak with her afterward.

"They are tightening security
again
.  We
wi
ll never get in
side
,
" Pete
fretted.

He had
watched the latest newscast.  The
protestor
s were getting more vocal and aggressive as Dr. Erickson's arrival drew near.
  Police were adding additional security
checkpoints
around the hotel.
 

"
You worry too much
, Pete
.  I told you
that I have taken care of it.  You
are already on the
guest
list for her seminar. 
I will be working security. 
We
both
have permission to be there. 
Whatever you do,
don't forget your ID badge.  Without it, you won't be able to get anywhere near the place.  I
called
in a lot of favors to pull this off, so don't mess it up. 
This is going to be your only chance to
talk to her face to face,
"
Maku explained to Pete as they sat at the small table in their modest kitchen. 

The brothers were eating a simple dinner of
grilled
fish and steamed carrots.  It was one of Pete's favorite meals
.  It
always made him feel better
and gave him an extra punch of energy
the next day.  Maku made it esp
ecially for this evening, so that
Pete
would be at his best
for
thei
r excursion
in the morning
.

Maku had
more
good news to share. 
His day had been filled with interesting encounters, but one in particular h
e hoped
would excite
Pete
.

"
Pete, I met
one of
Apela's
new friends
today. 
I could hardly believe it when I learned about his family.
  He
is married to Dr. Erickson's niece. 
His name is
Vin
, and he seems to me to be
a good man.  He
i
s the one who dove in to save the young guardsman at the levee, though it nearly cost him his own life.  I
think
he
came to hear his aunt's presentation at the conference.  I hope
we will
see him there tomorrow
. 
I
might even be able to
get him to
introduce us to Dr. Erickson personally. 
Doesn't that sound great?  Yo
ur chances are improving already.  I believe fate is smiling upon us, little brother.
"

Maku looked over and noticed that Pete
was
already asleep with his head on the table, dinner only half eaten.
  Even Pete's excitement to finally meet Dr. Erickson could not overcome the growing weakness caused by his illness.

CHAPTER
30

C
a
eli woke up
before the
sun.  She
felt
a bit sick to her stomach, but now
that
she
was certain of
the cause, the discomfort was worth bearing
. 
Q
uietly
, she crawled
out of bed, without disturbing Vin, and made her way to the
bath
room.  Once her stomach settled,
C
a
eli
showered,
brushed her teeth
,
and slipped into some khaki
capri
pants and a
baby blue,
summery
blouse
with swatches of jade green running through it
.