Plagued: Book 1 (18 page)

Sky took it. He stood back to let her pass. She threw the hot coffee and the mug at his head and dove for the gun. They were dead anyway probably, she and Kara.

The two of them grappled together. Sky kept pushing to keep him off balance. Hooking one leg under his, she threw her weight to the side. They both fell. He dropped the gun and turned before they hit the floor. So fast, Sky couldn't compensate. In a heartbeat, she was pinned to the ground. Still smiling, he straddled her, holding her arms above her head.

Arching her back, she reached up with both legs to lock them around his throat in a wrestling move. She pulled with every ounce of strength to overbalance him, throwing herself up and over his body. She twisted her arms inside, towards her, to break his grip. Then lacing her fingers with his, forced his hands back and twisted. This move was excruciatingly painful Sky knew from training.

She pressed harder, keeping him on the floor and at the same time thinking desperately,
'Now what?'
She couldn't fight him indefinitely and the gun was behind her. Then he went limp and she nearly lost her hold.

He began to laugh. “That was fun. Really. I've never wrestled with a girl before. I quite like it.” He turned his head, giving her a sly grin. “Exciting.” 

Without knowing how it happened, she was thrown to the side all the way to the dining room. In a blur of movement, he was standing, aiming the gun once again at her chest.

He glanced down at his stained shirt, frowning.“Now I smell like coffee. Really, was that necessary? Just look at the state of my clothes.” He went to the kitchen sink and picked up a dishcloth draped over the side. Never taking his eyes off her, he carefully wiped his face.

“Perhaps you will sit down right
here,
” he indicated the chair by Kara with the muzzle of the gun. “Or do I have to shoot your sister in a non-vital organ? I'm asking politely. You have a choice. I always give people a choice.”

He turned the gun towards her sister.

Sky got to her feet. Her heart was pounding and for a moment the room spun. She sagged against the wall into the kitchen, waiting for the blood to get to her head again. She stumbled more than walked to the chair and sat.

“Hands on the table.”

She did as he ordered.

“There. That's better. So, I thought we should have a little chat.”

“Who
are
you?”

He raised one eyebrow. “You mean dearest Hugo hasn't explained?” He studied her face. “Ah. I see. I am his brother, Quentin.” He gave her a little bow. “Firstborn and true heir to Winthrop Manor and, eventually, the title of Viscount. You may continue to call me Quill since I feel we are already becoming fast friends
and
if I had friends, they would call me Quill. Most people call me 'sir' or 'please don't kill me,' which is somewhat unwieldy. You did know he had a brother, didn't you?”

Sky shook her head. “Not until today. You're the one that took him from the hospital parking lot.”

“I did actually. I'm giving him back, though. He should already be home by now. Shall we call
mon papa?
”

She just stared at him.

“No? I can't believe Hugo didn't mention me during your little
tete de tetes.
Really?”

She shook her head.

“Well, that wasn't very nice. It's like they're ashamed or something.”

A hint of bitterness crept into those last words, Sky thought.

“What do you want?” her voice came out hoarse and raspy. “Why did you take Hugo?”

“I wanted to speak with him and he refused. So I un-refused him.”

“Two of your men were shot, I saw it. Just so you could have a conversation?”

Quill gave a casual wave of his hand. “'Twas but a mere flesh wound for such as they. Takes more than a few low-caliber bullets to keep one of my minions down.”

Despite the dangerous situation she was in, Sky could not help commenting. “You did
not
just say you had minions?”

“I did, and I do!” He grinned and his eyes practically sparkled with delight. “Doesn't everyone want minions? Come on, admit it.”

“What do you need with my sister and me?”

“My sister and
I.
To business then. Seems your Home Guard has captured my mother. Most inconvenient. I need your help to get her back and Hugo was not willing to ask you for it. Lover's quarrel?” He raised both eyebrows with a knowing look.

Sky said nothing. Actually it was all she could do to keep from throwing up, or worse. There was a chill to this young man that no charm or good looks could entirely conceal. She felt far closer to death sitting here than she had when the sniper began shooting at the mall.

“Your hands are trembling. Really, am I that beastly? Have some coffee, and this time, please drink it.”

Pulling out a coffee capsule, he plugged it in the coffee maker and put another mug from the stack next to it. The smell of hot, bitter coffee filled the kitchen. It was then that Sky noticed she couldn't smell him. Everyone has their own unique scent. That was normal. There were three people in the room. She inhaled deeply. Kara's was musky from stress and illness. She couldn't smell herself. Except for the regular sort of hair and skin smells. Weird but true. Quill's scent. She inhaled again. Was absent entirely.

“Smells good, doesn't it?” Misinterpreting her deep breath, he inhaled the steam from the mug. “I think I'll have a cup as well.”

He placed the coffee on the far end of the table so she'd have to reach for it. Popping out another cartridge, he fitted it in and flipped the switch. The coffee took only a minute to brew. Then, cup in hand, gun tucked into this belt, he leaned against the counter. He appeared completely at ease, as though nothing was amiss and he'd just dropped by for a friendly chat. 

“Here's the deal. That sounded very American didn't it? Your country is rubbing off on me. I hold on to Kara, and you and Hugo help me get dear
mama
out of the clutches of your double dealing Home Guard. We had an agreement with them for a transaction. They've gotten greedy and want more. As a result, Mother is in the detention center of Base 51 with threats of torture and being sent to a prison blood farm dangling over her head.
You
have access to the base.”

“I'm not committing treason for you and your mother. I've never even met Hugo's mother.”

“I'm not asking you to commit treason. If things go according to plan, you can hand over these profiteers to your own authorities. Provided you can find someone who isn't in on the deal already. My side will even provide the evidence. You have some of it already, if I'm not mistaken. From your friend Rickey's memory card. I get my mother; you get your sister back. Alls well that ends well for America and the home of the brave.”

Draining his cup, he set it on the counter and pulled out a cell phone, tapping the screen once. He walked with studied grace across the kitchen to Sky, pulling out the pistol. “Now, don't move.”

Leveling the gun at Kara's head, he leaned over Sky and ran his fingers intimately through her hair. He brushed his lips across the top of her head and breathed deeply. “It was I who saved your life in the forest not so very long ago.”

His lips caressed her ear and his breath was warm as he whispered, “Taking out that Power Company operative so intent on cutting your young life short. Literally cutting. That was a big, nasty knife he had in his hand. Funny, I came to the forest with the intention to kill you myself. How ironic, don't you think? That I should save you.”

He kept stroking her hair and it took all of her control not to just take her chances and bolt for the door. Her eyes kept flicking to the gun resting against Kara's temple and she held on, biting her lip until she tasted blood.

“My brother has grown rather attached to you. I can see why. There's a beguiling sort of enchantment at work here. I sense my father's meddling hand in this. Better loving through chemicals, eh?”

Two men in black came through the door leading to the laundry room. There was a side entrance from there to the car port. Both men were massive. By far the largest human beings Sky had ever seen this close. She could readily believe a low-caliber bullet would hardly slow them.

One was carrying Tricia. The dog wagged her tail wildly and squirmed to be let down. He set her carefully on the floor and the poodle ran to Sky.

The other man went to Kara and lifted her effortlessly out of the chair. Kara's head lolled back. She was unconscious, whether from a blow or drugs, Sky couldn't tell.

Both of them went back the way they came, as though Sky was not even there.

There was a pop of sound and Sky started only to see the poodle slump to the floor at her feet.

She made a strangled noise of denial and dropped to pick up the dog. “No, no, no. Why did you do that? She's just a little dog.”

He looked down, directly into her eyes. He was no longer smiling. “You can see animal ghosts, can't you? If she's dead, she'll be with you forever. You can't say the same for Kara. I'll be in touch with the details. Goodbye.”

Chapter 19

Blood Stains

Sky didn't call the Home Guard 911 hotline. In light of the information she'd learned, she called her aunt, sobbing almost incoherently about Kara's abduction and Tricia's death.

Eloise came home to find Sky rocking back and forth on the floor, clutching the little body of Tricia and crying inconsolably. The poodle had barely bled. She didn't even look dead.

Sky saw a gun in her aunt's hand. Something so out of character with her cheerful, energetic personality that at first Sky thought it must be a toy.

It was not.

Holding the weapon ready with both hands, she moved out to canvas the house. When she was satisfied they were safe, Eloise came, sat on the floor by Sky and held her. Alex appeared, followed by the Dachshund. The two of them licked each other in greeting. Perhaps the dead could touch in that ephemeral world of the spirit. Sky hoped so. Hoped that when Tricia's ghost appeared, if it appeared, she could play with Alex just like they used to.

They cried together for a time, Sky and her aunt. Finally, Eloise stood and picked up the blanket Sky had dropped. She wrapped the little dog softly in it, sobbing as she carried her burden out of the kitchen.

Eloise came back and took a deep breath.“We'll bury her in the backyard. Now we have to see about saving your sister. This is both a private and a public matter, you must understand. I have already informed the proper person and tracking is in motion. We are not alone. Come on, Sky. Get up off the floor and tell me everything.”

Sitting at the kitchen table, she haltingly explained the events and every word she could remember of Quill's. Every word except that he had come to the eucalyptus forest that night to kill her. She wasn't sure why, but she felt that should be shared first with Hugo.

Several times Eloise's phone buzzed and she rapidly tapped in texts as she listened. “I think your kidnapper is a clever boy and has already removed Kara's tracking implants and initiated a dampening field around all communications. Satellite feeds will show momentarily what they were driving and which direction they headed initially, though they will have changed vehicles several times at least.”

She pulled Sky to her feet. “Get some fresh clothes. The St. James are deep in this mess. We must talk to Philip.”

Sky drove while her aunt talked and texted. In a matter of minutes, they pulled up at Hugo's house. The Halloween decorations from the lighthearted shopping day she and Hugo spent together  brightened the yard. One thing had changed. The cheerful witch by the front walk was wearing a turquoise bathrobe. As they jogged for the front steps, Sky knew it must be Kara's. A reminder from Quill.

Her aunt had the cell to her ear. “We're here Philip, let us in.”

The door swung open and Sky followed her aunt.

Hugo's father stood in the foyer, dressed in gray trousers and a thick black V-neck sweater. His hands behind his back.

He and Eloise stood awkwardly as if waiting for the other to make the first move.

“Do we shake hands? I feel I already know you, Ms. Edwards.”

She reached out her hand, saying. “Eloise. Call me Eloise.”

“Philip. Please.” He grasped her hand warmly with both of his. “Come, I've set out sandwiches in the sitting room. Skylar is as pale as death. She needs to eat.”

Sky hung back. “Tell me what the hell is going on and why you know each other but are seemingly meeting for the first time.”

Taking her arm, he steered her towards the living room. Sky scanned the entryway and the sitting room.

“Hugo,” the Viscount said, correctly interpreting her actions, “will be down presently. I shall endeavor to explain.”

The two women sat on the ornate antique couch. The Viscount put several sandwiches on a plate and handed it to Sky. “You should eat; though you believe you cannot.”

Sky didn't think she could swallow; her stomach thought differently. Once she smelled the bacon and roast beef, it rumbled and twisted in anticipation. After the first bite, she couldn't seem to chew fast enough.

Taking none of the food, the Viscount sat in one of two high-back wing chairs with lions claws at the end of the armrests. “Hugo said he has explained something about your mother's and my work in the lab during the epidemic. You also know that we were, to all intents and purposes, prisoners there. Unable to leave the compound and eventually confined to the sealed building entirely. I fell deeply in love with your mother. In some ways, those were the finest two years of my life. Once the vaccine was finished, the British government demanded my return. Your's agreed on the condition that I go home to England alone. In return, they would release your mother from the facility.”

“There was no guarantee she would come out without a little help,” Eloise poured coffee from a beautiful china pot into flower patterned cups. Handing one to Philip and another to Sky. “The government wanted total control of their intellectual assets. Chaos was closing in. Many labs are still in lockdown even after all this time.”

“Hugo told me. Brain gulags, he called them.”

“What could I do but agree to their terms? Life in the labs was no life at all. Emily deserved more than that. So they separated us.”

Hugo walked into the room. “And then the Home Office married you off to my mother.”

Sky didn't get off the couch and run to him. Mostly because her heart and head were battling over whether to kiss or hit him. Maybe both. His brother had taken her sister apparently to save his and Quill's mother. Damn the St. James.

Walking to the coffee table, he filled a plate with sandwiches and sat in the other wing chair by his father, draping one leg over the chair arm. He had bandages around both hands, a black eye, split lip and a spiderweb of cuts on his forehead.

“Your mother,” he pointed at Sky with half a bacon sandwich. “Was paired with a covert agent, a former NSA man now with the newly empowered Homeland Security. To keep tabs on her. They were married a few months after your mother left the lab to work for the government. Kara was born less than a year later.”

Sky looked from Hugo to her Aunt like they had temporarily gone mad.“My dad was Black Ops. That's what you're saying. You're crazy, he was a corporate lawyer.”

“That was his cover.” Eloise put her hand on Sky's knee. “David worked for the Power Company, just like me.”

“Is Mom a spy, too?”

Philip shifted in his chair. “Your mother is brilliant at mathematics and pattern recognition. Her enhancements after she received the vaccine boosted her abilities exponentially. She works as one of the top analysts in your Federal Government. Her division shares information with other federal departments.”

“And
my
mother worked for MI-6. Father was matched up with her shortly after his return to British shores. They set up housekeeping. Welcoming two children into the world very quickly. My father, unfortunately, seems to have a tendency for pillow talk.”

“Sinjin!” his father spoke sharply, rising from his chair and confronting his son. “Enough.”

“Why
papa
? Aren't we all practically family here? Even mother knew you never stopped loving the glorious Emily Murphy.”

Philip St. James flinched as though from a blow.

Hugo leaned forward. “At some point, he let it slip that they had created the plague unwittingly in the laboratory and unleashed it on the world. Also, unfortunately for MI-6, my mother had a nascent attack of conscious. She grabbed my brother and hightailed it for the revolution.”

“She
left
you?”

Hugo shrugged. “I prefer to give her the benefit of the doubt that she did not want to be burdened by two toddlers.”

“Hugo, there is much you don't know. So much.”

“Then tell me!” He riveted his gaze on the Viscount. “What is it I don't know about my twisted brother and terrorist mother?”

“You mother is not a terrorist. She never left MI-6. She's working for them now, as is your brother. We are here on the same mission.”

Eloise poured herself more coffee. “I didn't know
that
. My God, Philip. Exactly what sort of game are the St. James playing?”

“Yes, father of mine. What sort of game?” Hugo''s voice had taken on a dangerous edge, his hands clenched tightly into fists.

Sky had had enough. “And does this have any freaking bearing on getting my pregnant sister back?” Sky spoke louder than she intended but barreled on. “I don't care what happened in the labs and with your runaway wife and mom. Screw your family therapy session.
What-is-the-plan!
”

“The plan,” said a new voice that made them all turn to the entryway. “Is that we go into Moffett Field and by any means necessary, get Helena St. James out. Because if we don't, tens of thousands of children will be turned into monsters.”

“
Mom!
”

Sky ran and threw herself into her mother's arms, practically knocking her over. “Oh, Mom. Everything is so terrible. I'm sorry.”

Side by side, they moved through the entryway into the sitting room.

“You've got nothing to be sorry for, darling,” she said, stroking Sky's hair and kissing her forehead. “Hello, Philip.”

Hugo's father had one hand outstretched towards her. He swayed a little and Sky got the impression it was taking all his willpower not to come across the room and throw his arms around her mother as well.  “My dear, darling, Emily. We've made a mess of things.”

Sky felt her mother give a deep sigh. “What could we have done differently?”

The Viscount shook his head. “Everything, nothing.”

Her mother guided Sky back to the couch, sitting between her and Eloise.

Eloise reached over to hold her sister. “Emmy, I'm so sorry about Kara. You should have told me about Hugo sooner.”

Sky's mother winced as though in pain. “I know. All my calls are monitored out of the base. I couldn't say anything. And besides, how could we protect them from this? The whole situation escalated far too quickly.” She took a shaky breath. “My poor Kara. Oh god, Ellie what have I done to my children.”

“It's not your fault.” Aunt Eloise put an arm around Sky's mom and hugged her tightly.

With a glance at Sky, she said, “You know that it is, Ellie.”

Hugo was watching them intently. He had his feet up on the chair and was hugging his knees.

Sky's mother took a deep breath and spoke to Hugo. “I believe I asked my daughter to stay away from you. By inverse reasoning, that also means you stay away from her.”

He went a shade paler, which didn't seem possible given his pallor already. “In my own defense, this is not entirely my fault. She is a trained soldier and spotted the stealth bikes that set some of this carnage in motion.”

“
And
you couldn't stay away from her,” her mom added bitingly.

He cast his eyes down and would not meet either Sky's or her mother's face. “And I could not stay away from her.”

Philip St. James came to stand behind the couch, laying one hand on her mother's shoulder. Her mom reached up to grasp it tightly.

“I couldn't tell you about your mother, Hugo. Especially not at first. We learned they were coming for Quentin, he had shown aberrant behavior as they like to call it. So they ran. We fabricated the lies to protect you. Of course, they were captured within the year. Quentin has talents that they were not about to lose. I could not burden a child with such secrets. You could not lie about what you did not know, even under questioning.

Her mother twisted around to look at him. “That must have been hard for you, pretending she had deserted you and Hugo.”

“Hard for him?” Hugo jumped to his feet sending the plate of sandwiches clattering to the ground. The fine china shattered into a dozen pieces. He and pointed accusingly at them. “
For him?
The Home Office had their claws into me from the time I was six. They like to keep it in the family, you know? Spying You led me to believe my mother was a traitor! Do you have any idea what I had to endure at the Home Office because of that? The humiliations. The doubt. Constantly having to prove my loyalty. You could have spared me that or at least helped me to cope with it. Burdened with secrets? My God, father. I was smothered with shame. Choked.”

“You saw your mother and you saw Quill many times in secret over the years,” his father said calmly. “I am not the only one adept at subterfuge.”

Hugo flushed and turned away, going to stand at the windows overlooking the front yard.

“Helena and I discussed what to do,” Philip moved back to the wing chair and sat. He crossed his legs and smoothed the fine wool trousers over one knee. “She was the trained field operative and had a better chance against the difficulties and dangers ranged against us.” He spoke bitterly, “What did it matter. They got them both in the end. Took Quill's talents and twisted them into knots. He's like a magician, you know. Makes people see things that are not actually there. Some of it is tricks, some of it isn't. He was such a sweet child. Loving and sensitive. Wore his heart on his sleeve, that boy.”

“That
boy
,” Sky couldn't help pointing out. “Is threatening to kill my sister. He shot my aunt's dog just to make a point.”