Cloud Invasion (27 page)

"I know you worry." Ilya braved my anger and reached out to massage the back of my neck.

"I'm concerned that insurgents will fire nuclear weapons at specific countries while their leaders are tied up in a meeting," Auggie said, taking the chair next to Nick's. "That's why we need you outside the meeting and able to do what you do without anyone noticing."

"Nice try, Auggie," I lifted my head to blink at him. "Now, I'm only going to ask this question once-are you absolutely sure you don't want me in that meeting?"

"Corinne, I am absolutely sure," he said.

"Fine. You live with the consequences, then," I said. Dropping my feet to the floor, I stood and walked away. The ugly carpet changed to wood flooring beneath my feet as I left Ilya, Nick and Auggie behind.

* * *

Ilya

Corinne refused to discuss the matter further. It acted as a barrier between us, too, whenever I convinced her to make love. A sadness had come over her, too-one I couldn't banish, no matter how hard I tried.

Every day, Colonel Hunter and Director Michaels had a meeting. I was invited often, to discuss seating at the large table, and how difficult it might be to get to President Zoran from three seats away.

Too, Zoran wanted two guards with him; they'd stand against the wall behind him during the meeting. Nick would be placed five seats to my right, on Madam President's left side, while Maye would sit to her right. Colonel Hunter and Director Michaels would sit on the opposite side of the table, with Opal placed between them.

Colonel Hunter did make a concession, though-he asked Richard Farrell to stay with Corinne inside a smaller room nearby, where the live feed could be seen on several monitors. Hidden cameras would be placed strategically inside the meeting room, so that every attendee would have their image relayed to at least one of the monitors.

I understood why Colonel Hunter wanted Richard with Corinne-he wanted to know if nuclear warheads were launched and Corinne disappeared as a result. Richard was tasked with sending a text if that happened.

I didn't fail to notice that Corinne became quieter after every meeting I attended with Colonel Hunter and Director Michaels. Often, Nick, Maye and Opal were there, too, as they'd be directly involved if pandemonium occurred during the meeting.

Colonel Hunter held off telling Corinne to stand back and let us take care of things unless they went too far-that would come the day of the meeting, which was now two days away.

No additional word had come on the location of the warheads, and the insurgents had settled for beheading two hapless relief workers they'd kidnapped from a small border town; they'd gone to help treat an infection that had run rampant.

Corinne, to distract herself, I'm sure, set about transforming the ugly building. Yes, it still looked the same on the outside. On the inside, it was anyone's dream, from an atrium filled with plants and a fountain to luxurious suites decorated with comfortable furniture and the latest entertainment technology.

Nick attempted to hug her when he found the latest gaming system and a horrendously large television screen installed in his suite.

She'd brushed him off, choosing to walk away, instead.

Our suite was an area of tranquility. The kitchen was something I'd dreamed of in the past and fully intended to get for myself someday.

Corinne had given it to me now.

She listened while I talked about anything except what was important while we cooked. The others showed up for meals and often attempted to engage her in conversation. They barely received replies to direct questions.

Corinne was cutting herself off from all of us.

* * *

Notes-Colonel Hunter

"I've gotten the silent treatment from Laci in the past," I said. "This is worse."

"Yeah." Matt didn't meet my eyes. He felt just as guilty as I did, but wasn't about to back down. For whatever reason, he'd insisted that Corinne be kept from the meeting and the President agreed with him.

Opal, at times, looked as if she'd lost her best friend when Corinne failed to respond or volunteer anything. As badly as Opal was taking this, Rafe was worse. The moment Corinne was out of sight, deadly silence would descend and he'd only respond if spoken to directly.

Even worse, Corinne appeared fragile. Leo Shaw was concerned, but couldn't get her to agree to a session. Unless things changed, I wasn't sure it would do any good anyway.

At least Laci was keeping her appointments with Shaw-she was looking forward to this being over, hoping, I'm sure, that everything would return to normal once the meeting took place.

I wished I could say the same thing. Corinne was upset about it, and if I'd learned anything in the nearly seven years I'd known her, it was to be concerned right along with her.

Rafe refused to discuss any difficulties between him and Cori, which was admirable and frustrating at the same time. Shaw had invited him for a session after Corinne's refusal-Rafe refused as well.

* * *

Corinne

"Isn't this premature? You've only known one another for a few weeks," Maye said as she, Richard and James walked into the kitchen the morning of the meeting.

Ilya worked nearby, covering a breakfast casserole with shredded cheese and olives before placing it in the oven. Automatically, I began brewing coffee. I understood, too, without asking, that James and Nathan wanted to be married.

"We don't live in the dark ages, anymore," James pointed out.

"That's not what I'm saying," Maye said. "I'm just saying to get engaged and set a date, instead of rushing into it."

"If you set a date, Corinne and I will stand with you," Ilya said after shutting the oven door and turning toward James.

"Cori, will you be there for us?" James implored.

"If you get married, I'll be there," I said. "Even if I have to move Heaven and Earth to do it."

"That's two whole sentences," Richard smiled. "More than anyone's gotten from her in days."

"Hmmph," I muttered and went back to making coffee.

"What's cooking?" Auggie arrived with Leo and sat down at the island.

"Breakfast enchilada casserole," Ilya said.

"I love that," Leo beamed. "Thank you."

Cori
, Opal sent while dipping casserole onto her plate twenty minutes later.

Opal?
I returned.

Always remember I'm on your side
, she said.
Always
.

I appreciate the thought, but I'm not sure how that might help me in the future,
I replied
.

You never know,
she gave a slight shrug
.
"Aren't you hungry?" she said aloud.

"Not really." I made more coffee. The others were eating, drinking and talking as if the weight of the world hadn't settled like a heavy blanket over the lot of us.

* * *

"He's holed up at the Russian Embassy and has refused to see anyone other than his aides and the new Ambassador since his arrival yesterday," Madam President said after we were ushered into the Oval Office and the door was shut behind us.

Repairs to the office had been made in record time, although a few things still remained to be done. Those things were cosmetic only, as Madam President needed the space to work.

She was referring to Russian President Zoran, although she hadn't mentioned names. "The German Chancellor is offended that he refused to talk over dinner last night at his embassy, the French President is angry on many levels and wants a personal apology, of course, along with finding the culprits inside Zoran's government responsible for handing dangerous weapons to terrorists. He wants to put them on trial-in France," Madam President continued. "The UK is understandably upset, and that doesn't include the fact that the same people are likely behind the theft of their crown jewels."

She then went on at length about all the other world leaders-Ukraine and Australia included-who'd been wronged and whose citizens had died on Zoran's watch.

The Secretary of State had been busy, attempting to calm everyone while delivering messages from Zoran-that rogues in his government had somehow been involved in selling secret technology to the insurgents. He'd even gone so far as to offer proof, but that didn't fly with any of us.

It didn't surprise me in the least that Zoran wouldn't take responsibility-somebody had likely told him to do just that. It made me wonder what else they'd told him to do. None of the photographs I'd been shown even hinted at what that might be, but then the photographs I had weren't recent, either.

I wanted to set my eyes on Zoran the moment the live feed was up and running. Worry still gnawed at me while panic threatened-Leo Shaw had been included on the live feed roster at the last minute, because I'd been shaky after breakfast.

That's when Auggie leveled the last bit of frustration to the heap I'd already dealt with. "I don't want you to come in that room unless there's no other option," he said while Madam President nodded her approval. "Let us handle any problems that arise."

"Is that your final word, Colonel Hunter?" I asked, my voice as cold and emotionless as I could make it.

"By my orders," the President said.

"Fine," I said. I didn't say another thing as we filed out of the Oval Office, Richard, Leo and I going toward a small room equipped with several screens; the rest toward the much larger meeting room.

* * *

Notes-Colonel Hunter

Words are things that can never be taken back, no matter how often you might wish it otherwise. Matt exchanged several glances with Opal as we walked down the hall toward the Cabinet Room; Corinne was herded toward the Press Secretary's office farther down the hall, where the live feed would be shown on several screens.

She'd called me Colonel Hunter, in a voice I'd never heard before. Something was broken between us, and I worried that it couldn't be fixed.

Foreign leaders were already arriving; I watched the French President and the German Chancellor arrive, one after the other. They were ushered into the Cabinet Room by White House employees.

Corinne disappeared into the Press Secretary's office. I almost called out to her. I didn't.

* * *

Corinne

"Have a seat in here," the Press Secretary smiled as he indicated a small cubicle inside his office. It was lined with six monitors, each designated for a different camera hidden in the Cabinet Room.

They weren't on, yet. I fidgeted. I must have made some sort of frustrated noise, too-Richard held out a hand to touch my shoulder.

"Corinne, they'll be turned on soon," Leo said softly.

Snow appeared on each screen first before images appeared. In fact, I believe I heard the screams and shouts first, before the images appeared on six screens. Richard, poor man, watched as Maye, standing in front of the President to protect her, was nearly cut in half by exploding bullets a half-dozen lizard-like troops fired after appearing from nowhere.

Chapter 19

Notes-Colonel Hunter

At the time, I had no idea who'd attacked us. Maye was dead, Nick wounded, from their attempts to protect the President. At least four world leaders were already dead, their blood spattered over everything as armored, lizard-like creatures fired among us, the shots silent-the damage their bullets caused anything but.

Opal, still between Matt and me, had pulled a weapon from beneath her jacket and fired back at the creatures. While I might have believed these creatures were part of a force sent by the enemy, I was wrong.

I didn't learn that until later, however.

Zoran stood behind his two guards, who were shooting at the armored intruders, just as Rafe was shooting.

The French President died before my eyes while Opal took aim, her bullets ricocheting off the shield surrounding the creature who'd done the killing.

Rafe, though, his shield up and strong, downed the creature with a shot from the unusual weapon he carried before taking aim at another and killing him, too.

Only one or two of the attendees had managed to get through the door; one of the assassins went after them, shouting in a language I'd never heard. A huge chunk of the doorway was blasted to dust with a terrible noise as Rafe fired at him and missed.

Three were still up and firing as Nick, bleeding from at least two wounds, pulled Madam President to the floor and shoved her beneath the sturdy, wooden table. He was shot in the back for his efforts. He died as Corinne walked through the door.

If I hadn't seen it myself, I'd never have believed it.

She was herself when she walked in; she transformed before my eyes.

Eight feet tall or taller. Blue skin. Pale, blonde hair. Fury in bright blue eyes. All three lizard-like invaders took aim at her. I opened my mouth to shout. Nothing came out. Instead, I watched, filled with terror and wonder as she lifted her hands, weapons firing all around her, each assailant doing his best to take her down.

I'll remember the wash of that power as long as I live.

Each lizard-man disappeared in a storm of glowing sparks, as if he'd been reduced to atoms before winking out of existence.

Dropping to my knees, I fought for breath-discovering that I'd been holding it for what felt like an eternity.

* * *

Ilya

Zoran's gaze leveled on Corinne-at least she'd been Corinne when she'd walked into the Cabinet Room. What she'd become after that I didn't recognize. Yes, I was motionless in shock when Zoran spoke.

"You," he snapped, drawing my attention away from Corinne. Jerking my head around, I stared into his eyes.

That, as it turned out, was the worst mistake I'd ever made. "You will not harm me," he said. I felt the command grip my mind. It had an ugly, sickening feel to it-I understood, then, what Corinne had meant when she'd described the fog on other's minds. The gun shook in my hand-I wanted to shoot Zoran and found I couldn't. A slow smile formed on Zoran's lips before he turned toward Corinne.

* * *

Notes-Colonel Hunter

"Very nicely done," Zoran spoke to Corinne in the sudden silence. "I see now how effective you can be at killing." One of his guards was dead, the other wounded in the shoulder. He was unscathed.

"Hello, President Phillips," Corinne said. She kept the shape she'd transformed into, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at the one we'd believed to be Zoran.

"Well, I can't let you live after that little announcement," Zoran bared his teeth in a caricature of a smile. With bodies piled around us and blood from the dead and wounded soaking into the rug beneath the table, Zoran wanted to bandy words with Corinne. "Kill yourself," Zoran commanded.

"That means nothing to me," Corinne snapped. Zoran took a step back, a fleeting expression of surprise crossing his features.

Rafe, stunned by what he was seeing, stared at the tall, blue creature before him, speaking with Corinne's voice. I understood, then, why Cori had never revealed her true self to us. Rafe had no idea what to do, now.

"You had the same blood type as Zoran, didn't you?" Corinne asked.

"Yes-right again. That's another nail in your coffin." Zoran took another step backward, placing his one remaining guard between himself and Corinne.

"He was born to a drug survivor, wasn't he?" Corinne hammered at Zoran/Phillips, while Rafe and I blinked stupidly at both of them.

"Colonel Hunter," Opal pulled at my sleeve and spoke softly, attempting to move me toward the door.

"Get Hunter and Madam President out of here," Matt hissed on my other side.

Aside from us, only Madam President and the Ukrainian President had survived the first attack by the lizard-men. The Ukrainian President was already limping toward the door-at least he had the sense to do that.

"You need to come, too," I hissed back at Matt.

"I have a problem with any of you leaving," Zoran/Phillips turned toward us.

"I have a problem with your problem," Corinne announced.

"You are such a fool," Zoran/Phillips laughed humorlessly. "You," he turned toward Rafe. "Kill her."

My heart stopped when Rafe turned his weapon toward Corinne. I think I began to realize at that moment where all the brain fog Corinne spoke about originated.

Phillips, who'd shared a blood type with the Russian President, turned out to be stronger, smarter and ultimately more evil than Zoran could ever be.

Too, he'd asked for this meeting, probably to place a fog on every world leader in the room. If he could command Rafe to kill Corinne, whom he loved, then he could command almost anyone to do anything. He hadn't wanted only the White House, this time. He'd planned to take the planet. Corinne was the only one to defy him.

Get out, Auggie
, Corinne sent.

"No," I said. "Rafe, put your weapon down."

"He has my obsession, now," Zoran/Phillips laughed, confirming my fears. "He won't rest until she's dead. What shall I tell you to do, Colonel Hunter?"

Corinne didn't wait to tell me again-she used power to send me, Madam President and the Ukrainian President to the Oval Office, leaving Matt and Opal in the Cabinet room while I shouted at her to stop.

* * *

Corinne

"Remove the obsession," I demanded, "and I'll let you live," I snapped at Phillips. Just because he'd taken the drug and now looked like President Zoran meant nothing to me. He was an evil, evil bastard.

"No," Phillips laughed. I watched in horror as Ilya's hand shook-he was ready to fire the weapon I'd given him.

"They're coming," I said, turning Ilya's weapon to sparks that died quickly, leaving him empty-handed and blinking at his fingers in shock.

"They already got here, or did you miss something?" Phillips snapped. "Kill her with your bare hands, you stupid Cossack," he shouted at Ilya.

I was forced to place a heavy shield around Ilya-he'd leapt toward me with murder in his eyes. "Take off the obsession," I demanded as Ilya punched futilely at the invisible wall around him.

"Let me walk out of here and I'll consider it," Phillips examined his fingernails. "Better yet, agree to serve me and I'll see you get him and anyone else you want."

I turned toward Matt Michaels, who stood immobile on the other side of the conference table, as if he couldn't decide what to do. Opal appeared to be having a mental argument with him. I turned back to Phillips.

"Take off the obsession-this is the last time I'll ask. They're coming," I said.

"Who were those who already came?" his wounded guard asked.

"The descendants of the ones who created the drug," I said. "They've outlawed it and are on a quest to destroy any of it that's left," I shrugged. "Last chance," I said to Phillips. "They're coming."

"I refuse," he said.

His particles separated as he grinned.

I'd made a promise to Ilya.

I kept it
.

Auggie skidded to a stop in the hallway outside the door as they landed all around me. Blinking tears away, I saw that Ilya had beaten his hands bloody, attempting to punch his way through my shield.

* * *

Notes-Colonel Hunter

Six tall, blue men surrounded Corinne, all of them with close-cropped blond hair, except the tallest. His hair was deep red and hung in waves to his shoulders.

I still don't understand how I could decipher their language, but for a moment, that's what happened.

"You will come with us, and if you wish to live, you will not resist," the red-haired alien spoke to Corinne.

"I understand," Corinne replied, hanging her head. I watched as a crystalline tear fell to the floor, followed by another. Corinne wept.

"Who?" I said, struggling to keep my voice steady while stepping into the bloody, bullet-riddled room.

"We are Larentii," one of the others said. "It is what this one has become, after the drug was administered. We have never seen such and must decide whether she will live or be subjected to particle separation."

"Auggie, don't argue. There's nothing you can do, now," Corinne quavered. "Good-bye, Ilya." Those words were accompanied by a sob.

The Larentii disappeared with Corinne. The shield around Rafe dropped at the same time. I will never forget his scream of rage and loss as he dropped to his knees on the blood-soaked floor.

* * *

Ilya

I can't even think her name without going into a terrible rage. Doctor Shaw showed me her photograph once.

I destroyed his office as a result.

The truth that I see-in his eyes and others around me-is that they fear she is dead anyway.

Nevertheless, the obsession stands. If I were to see her again, I'd attempt to kill her.

Madam President survived the attack, as did the Ukrainian President. All the others died-if not during the initial attack, then later, at a hospital.

The lizard-like attackers also had other targets-six locations in Russia and one in Canada were destroyed. In all, more than four hundred bodies were discovered-both drug survivors and civilians-including Hal Prentice, whom everyone believed to be former President Phillips. The alien attackers in Russia and Canada managed to escape-at least that's what appears to have happened. She and I-we'd killed those who'd appeared at the White House.

At a terrible, terrible cost.

Nick and Maye-both dead.

President Zoran-the real one-was found dead at a facility in Russia hit by the attackers. That information wasn't released to the public. Instead, the public believes the man in the meeting room was the one responsible for all the deaths. Either way, both died. There was little sorrow expressed at their passing.

Sorrow was saved for world leaders who'd died at the White House meeting. State funerals were held, one after another. Madam President attended several of those. Director Michaels was forced to find additional guards for her.

I know the President discussed
her
death with Colonel Hunter.

I was left out of that conversation-for obvious reasons.

Six months have passed since she was taken away. Colonel Hunter turns pale every time anyone speaks of her. Maye and Nick received highest honors and a burial in Arlington for saving Madam President's life.

Richard Farrell is little more than a ghost. He and I-we are the only known survivors of the U.S. Program. Both of us are empty shells, our love torn away from us. We have no idea if any of the Russian drug recipients survive, although Colonel Hunter and Matt Michaels are watching constantly for any sign. As for the drug-every grain of dust is missing and presumably destroyed. Perhaps it is just as well.

After all, we have no idea whether there are more Zoran clones out there. If there are and they have the same talent as Phillips, we could all be in very deep trouble.

In my dreams, however, I see her.

Love her.

Touch her.

When I wake, I find my suite destroyed.

There is no escaping this affliction-it consumes me in my waking hours and in my sleep. I have to destroy what I love; that is the nature of Zoran's curse.

I weep.

Not for myself, but for her.

* * *

Notes-Colonel Hunter

I told Laci I had to go to Seattle to shut down the Pilchuck facility once and for all.

It was an excuse.

I'd taken a rental car as far as I could drive before leaving it in a clearing and climbing up the rest of the way. When I arrived at a peak near the summit, I stopped to catch my breath and look about me.

The night was clear, with a sliver of moon shining low over Puget Sound in the west. Stars so close they appeared to be woven together, wheeled overhead. I drew a ragged breath and breathed it out again.

"Cori," I said. "I'm so sorry. I hope I can see the stars of your world from here. I wish-I pray-that you're alive, and that the Larentii welcomed you home."