Mind Slide (38 page)

“Please, Gabriel,” Suit begged. “We all put so much work into this, including you. Please don't do this.”

“This is how I feel about all our hard work.”

Gabriel went back to the laptop. He pulled the flash drive out and crossed the lab to stand in front of Suit.

He dropped the flash drive on the floor, and stomped on it as hard as he could. The first stomp only crushed the outer casing. The second and third stomps made sure it was ruined.

Suit's mouth hung open. Mason thought the man might cry.

“Gone,” he said. “Sixteen years of work.”

“Gabriel,” Mason said. “You want to kill the project, fine. But Kelly had nothing to do with any of it. Let her go.”

“No,” she said.

He thought it over for a moment. “You're absolutely right. She's not important in all of this.”

He pulled up a chair and sat across from her.

“Screw you,” she said, not breaking eye contact from Gabriel.

“Now, listen to me,” he said. He produced a blade from his pocket. “I'm going to cut the duct-tape. I'm going to let you go.” He glanced back at the timer. “You have about four minutes to move those legs of yours. Don't be a hero and try anything stupid. Do you see this gun here? It doesn't fire knockout juice. I took it from our buddy's office over there.”

“Don't even bother. I'm not going anywhere.”

“Kell,” Mason said.

She turned to look at him. “No. It took me forever to find a man like you. I'm not just running away now.”

Gabriel laughed. “How sweet. Well, you'd better, if you want to live.” He cut the duct-tape starting with her feet. “You gotta love stupid women. My wife was the biggest idiot on the planet.” He cut the tape away from her right wrist, then moved to her left. “Or maybe I was the idiot for ever thinking she loved me-”

Kelly was free. She knew exactly what she needed to do, and didn't hesitate.

She lunged forward. She caught Gabriel completely by surprise, who was still rambling about his wife. He let out a surprised yelp as they tumbled to the ground. He dropped the gun and blade he was holding.

She raked and clawed at Gabriel. She let out every emotion she was feeling. The pain from her father's death. Her love for the man restrained next to her, who had spent half his life in the lab they were in. Her anger at the ridiculous man in the suit, and the man who had dared tape her to a chair.

She had enough.

Her fingernails caught Gabriel under the eye. He pushed her face away with his left hand and slapped her with his right. Kelly fell to her side next to him. Gabriel tried to push himself to his feet with his hands.

Mason rocked in the chair as hard as he could. He tipped forward and fell to the floor.

The arm of his chair crushed Gabriel's left hand.

Gabriel shouted in pain and cradled his hand. He looked at Mason, who was still trapped in the chair. He tried to roll to his side, but failed. His forehead was pressed into the floor.

Gabriel stood up and brought his foot back, ready to kick Mason in the head.

He didn't see Kelly grab her purse from the desk.

She aimed her pepper spray at his face and pressed the nozzle. He howled in pain and doubled over, coughing and gagging. He fell to one knee.

Kelly grabbed the blade and quickly cut the tape holding Mason's wrist. She coughed and felt a tickling in her throat from the pepper spray. Mason took the blade and worked at freeing himself as she grabbed the gun off the floor.

Gabriel could barely see, but noticed his Cocktail-bomb and timer in front of him. He reached out to grab the dial. With one quick turn, they would all be dead.

Kelly kicked the bomb with her foot. Gabriel watched as it slid several feet out of reach.

“Don't move!”

He looked up through red eyes to see Kelly standing over him. She clenched Suit's gun with both hands. She shook as she aimed it at Gabriel's head. Mason knelt down and pulled the Cocktail-bomb toward them.

“I'm sick of you people fucking with our lives,” she said.

Mason gingerly took the gun from Kelly's hands and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She buried her head into his neck for a moment, then gave Gabriel and Suit an angry glare.

Gabriel smiled. “Holy shit,” he said. He coughed and nearly vomited on the floor. “Mason, you definitely know how to pick a good woman.”

“Shut up.” Mason looked at Suit, and handed Kelly the blade. “Cut him out of there.”

“Leave me alone,” he said.

“You want to die? What the hell is wrong with you?”

A tear ran down Suit's face. Mason couldn't believe his eyes.

Suit looked at the destroyed flash drive on the floor.

“That was my life, right there. That was everything I lived for. That was the future, and now it's gone. Sixteen years. You people have no idea of what I've been through. Budget cuts, political changes...” He looked at Mason and Gabriel. “...the both of you. I sacrificed everything. My life, my family. But we succeeded. We made a blueprint to the perfect intelligence agent. And you destroyed it.”

Mason shook his head. He was done trying to reason with either one of them.

Kelly leaned in to whisper. “If we run, he'll just turn the dial on that bomb.”

“I know. But I'm not taking it with us. We're gonna have to be fast.”

“Do you know the way out of here?”

He smirked. “Yeah, I remember.”

They backed up to the double doors. Mason kept the gun trained on Gabriel the entire time. Gabriel remained on one knee, not making any moves. Kelly dragged the bomb across the floor.

She tried to run out of the lab. Mason grabbed her. He wanted to bleed as much time off as he could.

“You're cutting it close, aren't you?” Gabriel called.

Mason waited until the timer had a minute left. He dropped the gun and grabbed Kelly's hand. They disappeared through the double doors.

Gabriel sighed and walked across the lab. He picked up the gun and looked at the timer. Thirty seconds left.

He turned back to Suit. “If I give them another minute, you think they'll get out okay?”

He pushed the suitcase back across the lab with his foot and sat across from Suit. Suit gestured with his head to the gun.

“I never keep that thing loaded.”

Gabriel smiled. “Yeah, I know. That was the first thing I checked when I knocked your ass out back in your office.”

“You could have killed both of them. You're letting them walk away? All that talk about killing the project? Another lie?”

“No, I was gonna kill him. That was the point of all this.”

“Why did you change your mind?”

Gabriel lowered his head. “I've never seen two people look at each other like that. I know my wife and I never did.”

Suit once again stared at the flash drive. “You've destroyed everything. You've murdered people. We could have helped evolution along.”

“Evolution doesn't need our help.”

“I'm not arguing about this with you anymore. You're insane.”

“Maybe I am. But I know I'm right.”

“Aren't you worried with Mason alive, the project could start up again? Someone could take him and figure out how his brain works?”

“He'll just have to look out for himself. I think he'll do fine.” Gabriel looked at the timer. “Looks like about ten seconds left. Any last words?”

“Fuck you.”

“That somehow fits.”

The timer started buzzing.

The lab exploded around them.

*****

Mason and Kelly ran through the dark, deserted hallways. He never thought he'd see Yingling again. If they didn't hurry, it would be their grave.

He tossed his shoulder into the first emergency exit they came to. The door didn't budge.

“Dammit!”

Kelly grabbed his hand and pulled. “Let's just cut through one of the patient's rooms.”

“Can't. They were never big on windows here.”

“Maybe that bomb isn't too strong? Can we hide somewhere?”

“Maybe. But I'd rather be as far away as possible.”

They ran down the hall. The old lobby was just up ahead. The front desk was turned on its side, graffiti on the walls.

He had the feeling the bomb should have went off already.

They pushed through the front doors into the night air. The sun was finally starting to rise.

They dove to the ground as the explosion rocked their ears. The building didn't catch fire or fall apart, but shattered glass rained down on them.

Mason pulled Kelly into his arms and covered her as best he could. He waited a few seconds before rolling off her.

They held hands and sat in the grass. They didn't even realize they were leaning against Gabriel's car. They were quiet as they tried to collect themselves.

Finally, it was all over.

Mason could see smoke billowing over the lab. It would only be a matter of time before the fire took over the entire center.

“Let's go. We'd better get out of here.”

He helped her to her feet.

She gestured to the car. “Should we take this? The keys are still in the ignition.”

“Nah. For all we know, there's a bomb under the hood. I'd rather walk.”

She leaned into him as they walked side by side.

“I can do walking,” she said.

Mason smiled and closed his eyes as the wind howled around him. Paris was a beautiful place to visit, at any time of the year.

He sat on top of the Eiffel Tower.

The
very
top.

It was the early afternoon, at least in Paris. He watched the people tour the area below, looking like ants. There were a few couples on the highest level beneath him, taking pictures and pointing at the scenery.

He flew up in the air, just a little higher. He descended and soared over the neighboring cafes and restaurants. The scent of the delicious cuisine grabbed his nose. The quiet sound of Kelly's snoring filled his ears.

He felt the bed move around him. Kelly let out an adorable moan as she slowly roused from sleep.

Then she screamed.

“Mason! Lucy's sleeping at the bottom of the bed again.”

He laughed as Paris faded around him. He felt Kelly's body next to him. He opened his eyes to see the familiar basement ceiling above Kelly's bed.

They were both naked. The sheets were still on the floor from where they tossed them the night before. Kelly had an arm and leg draped over Mason's body. He ran a hand through her hair as he let the nausea settle. She sighed at his touch and rested her hand on his stomach.

Lucy nibbled at his big toe. He shooed her away. Lucy liked Kelly's house as much as he did. She had plenty of room to run around. But he had to agree with Kelly. On nights he brought her along to visit, and Mason and Kelly ended up staying awake most of the night in bed, Lucy would have to be locked upstairs.

“Where were you this time?”

“Paris. Just checking out the Eiffel Tower. I've always loved it there.”

“I'm so jealous of you.”

He smiled and kissed her. “I can think of other places I'd rather be.”

She tossed a leg over his hips and straddled him. Even after a mind slide, it didn't take long for the blood to flow to certain parts of Mason's body. He put his hands on her hips and shifted.

“How much time do we have?” she asked.

He looked at the clock on the nightstand. “Brian said they'd be over around nine. So about an hour.” They both heard the doorbell ringing upstairs. “Unless they come over early.”

She leaned forward and hugged him close, resting her head on his chest. “I haven't even showered.”

“Go ahead. I'll entertain.”

She smiled and let her lips trail across his chest. “We'll finish this later.”

He laughed. “Sounds fun.”

Mason put on a pair of shorts and a shirt while Kelly stepped into the basement bathroom. Lucy darted by him as he jogged upstairs. He opened the front door to see his family waiting.

“Hey!” Brian said. He led Lisa and Dani inside. “You want a donut?”

“How many times do I have to keep telling you about donuts?”

He frowned. “I didn't have any.” He nodded at Lisa. “She wouldn't let me have any.”

Lisa laughed. “Where's Kelly?”

“Downstairs in the shower. We'll be ready soon. You're early.”

Brian put a hand on Dani's shoulder. “Well, we can't keep my girl away from the amusement park, can we? I'm telling you, with all your money, you should have just bought the whole place out.”

Mason rolled his eyes and hugged the other women in his life, Lisa and Dani. Dani turned on the television while Lisa went to the kitchen to get a drink.

“Uncle Mason, you and Kelly are gonna get on rides with me, right?” Dani asked.