Plagued: Book 1 (7 page)

Reversing the blade, he was suddenly right next to her. Again the spicy smell reached out to wrap itself around her senses. The suit must somehow be porous and 'breathe'. Otherwise, he'd suffocate. That was
his
smell under extreme stress, she realized. He was tense. Maybe as frightened as she was.

With the merest flick, he sliced through the zip tie, freeing her hands.

“You have to go. Now. I don't know if your people will find their way here or not. I'm hoping not. Get back down the hall. Don't say anything, especially not about the stolen blood. You have to understand. Our operation is completely covert. This treason goes very high up. Anyone you tell will be in danger. I'm not trying to trick you. The world is a topsy-turvy place since the plagues. There are good people doing bad things and a few bad people trying to do good things.”

“Which one are you?”

He handed over her sidearm, saying nothing.

Her fingers had fallen asleep and it wasn't easy to holster the handgun. He picked up her weapon and waited until she could manage to grab it, then retrieved her helmet.

Taking her by the arm, he roughly steered her back to the hidden door. “Go!”

She turned to see him watching her walk away. Should she have done an awesome move like in a movie and shot him? Raised the cry. Bring her unit? He shut the massive door, pushing it flush once again with the wall.

The man could have easily killed her. The executive type had wanted to. Didn't that prove he was telling the truth? She was still pondering that as she made her way back to Chase.

Chapter 7

Blood Loss

She'd only been gone a few minutes though it felt like hours. Chase had finished throwing up for now and with her help, climbed to his feet. He couldn't put any weight on his left leg. She decided they should move back in the wrecked hallway since that was where rescuers would come first.

As it turned out, they didn't have to wait for the Guard to dig them out. Now that the dust had settled, Sky's flashlight revealed a crumbled section of wall and pinpoints of light shining through. Several good kicks from her combat boots loosened enough of the cheap drywall for her to scramble across and then carefully help Chase. His wrist was giving him a lot of pain. They hobbled awkwardly through the empty store. His injuries were on opposite sides of his body making it difficult for her to hold onto him. The glass doors in the front of the shop were shattered and they stepped carefully onto the sidewalk.

Outside it was all bright lights and noise and shouting voices. Night had fallen, though the parking lot was nearly as bright as day. There seemed to be a whole platoon of regular soldiers on the ground now. Far more than earlier and almost no young trainees like the Juniors and the Seniors. Banks of spotlights illuminated the area and several jeeps outfitted with machine guns and manned by gunners nearly ran her and Chase down as they roared by. Overhead, armed military drones crisscrossed the skies. The operation had escalated significantly. 

She got Chase to the medics before setting out to find Sergeant McNeil. No doubt a major dressing down was waiting for her. One she deserved.
Reckless behavior. Endangering herself and Chase, etc., etc. Eventually, she spotted her Squad Leader with a group of Seniors. Taking a deep breath, she saluted and explained venturing into the booby-trapped hallway. She had only just decided that she should tell him what happened in the blood freezer when he cut her off.

“Are you hurt, Christensen?”

“No sir, nothing serious. Chase has a broken wrist and a sprained ankle.”

“What?” He seemed distracted. His eyes scanning the immediate area.

“Chase, sir.”

“Medics, right? Good.” He waved over a slight young man in Home Guard fatigues. “This is Private Wainwright. Go with him. He'll take you to the hospital.”

“Sir,” she tried to make him understand. “I'm not the one injured.”

“Not you, Christensen. Your sister. She's been hurt. In the explosion.”

With that, he pushed her towards the Private and left.

An hour later, Sky was back in the hospital, in her uniform, with her weapons, just like the night before. Her ghost dog Alex under her chair. She even had a headache again. The only difference was now she waited in the Intensive Care Unit instead of ER.

No one would tell her anything. Eloise came about a half an hour later. Sky explained about Operation Cineplex and the explosion. Possibly caused by
her
. After that, the two of them sat in silence, holding hands. They got Sky's mom on video conference finally with the tablet PC instead of the phone, that way the screen would be bigger.

Her mom was pretty shaken up by Sky's appearance. She'd completely forgotten her tactical uniform was covered with dust, dirt and more than a little blood. Both she and Chase had been pretty cut-up from the flying debris. Eloise went to get them some coffee allowing Sky to have a little time alone with her mom.

Sky started to cry almost immediately, apologizing incoherently again and again for possibly hurting Kara. That apology eventually slipped into one about being sorry she was not more like her big sister.

“Why would I want you to be like your sister?” Her mom looked surprised. “Darling, why would you say that?”

“Don't you?”

Her mom frowned, rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands. “I hate being far away at this time in your life. Not that there's ever a good time. I should be there with you. Being on patrol in Tactical, putting your life on the line. You're only sixteen and, really, why would you think I want you to be like Kara? I'm glad you two are very different people.”

“Are you? Cause you always tell her how great she is and how strong.”

“And I don't say that enough to you? Sky, I'm sorry. She needs so much more than you.” Her mom tugged her hair back from her face and wound a ponytail holder around it. That's was something she did when she was nervous or upset. Sky did the same thing. She couldn't bear to have her hair touch her face when she was unhappy.

“Of course I admire Kara. Mostly, though, I worry. Raising her was like raising a tiger cub, never knowing when the claws would come out. She's stiff and proud but doesn't actually believe in herself. You, Sky, are so much stronger. You don't need to be constantly told you're smart or pretty or whatever. You're like water, able to shift and turn. Adapt to your surroundings in any circumstances.”

“You mean I'm weak and transparent?”

Her mom placed her hand against the screen as though she could reach out and touch Sky. “No, not at all. God help anyone who wrongs you or yours because you will come down on them like a tsunami.  Your confidence in yourself means you relax around other people and just let them be who they are. Kara always wants everyone to be what
she
wants. Does that make sense?”

Sky liked the sound of that. “You think I'm strong?”

She stroked the screen, “I think you're incredible. I really do.”

“Oh, Mom.” Sky gave a watery sniffle and wiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks and chin. “I miss you so much. I'm not like water. I'm just a little muddy puddle right now and I feel lost and don't know what to do.” She couldn't get the image of the dead man's face out of her mind. His surprised look when the other man calmly shot him.

“Something happened tonight,” she interrupted her mother who was saying more soothing things.

Her tone made her mother instantly alert. “What happened, Sky.”

Sky wanted to unburden herself. Tell her mom everything. But even though they were using a secure government channel, it didn't mean someone wasn't listening somewhere. She needed to be careful. “There was another room, beyond the corridor we ended up at. Something big and important was in the room and I shouldn't have seen it, I think. But I did.”

“Was anyone in there with you?”

Something made her hesitate about revealing the murder and just how close Sky had come to death. “A man.” She decided to say. “Someone more senior than me.”

Her mother leaned in close to the screen and spoke very quietly. “Was he in uniform?”

She shook her head.

“This is important, Sky. What did he tell you to do?”

She swallowed, somehow talking about it made the whole incident much more frightening. “He said not to tell anyone about what I'd seen.”

“Did he threaten you?”

“No,” she said sincerely. “Pretty much the opposite. He said he was trying to keep me safe.”

Her mother looked relieved which ironically made Sky even more scared. What had she stumbled on in that vault?

“If he didn't threaten you or tell you he would come after you, then I think you should follow his request for now. If the situation changes or he approaches you at any time, you call me. Do you understand?”

She nodded. Though unless the mysterious someone was wearing a crazy hi-tech Stealth suit with a voice synthesizer, she wouldn't be able to recognize him.

Eloise came back with some ice coffees and sat close to Sky. The three of them talked until the doctor finally came out in his scrubs.
He asked to speak with Sky's mom first, taking the tablet PC into another room.

Sky excused herself to go to the bathroom while they waited for him to come back. Her stomach was dissolving from nervous tension. This was her fault. She'd entered the building despite not having orders. Until forensics sifted through the debris, they wouldn't know if Sky had somehow set off a booby trap. If Kara died, what could she say to Mom?

When she came out of the restroom, Eloise handed her the tablet. Sky forced herself to meet her mother's eyes.

“Good news. The doctor believes Kara will be fine. Kara and,” her mother hesitated and for some reason, Sky's stomach seized up. “Kara and the baby.”

Sky and her aunt exchanged the exact same looks of surprise.

“Baby?” they both said at once.

“Yes, a
baby
. Big news to me as well. She's almost four months pregnant according to the doctor. Your sister only had some superficial wounds. The impact of the blast, however, threw her into premature labor. She was close to hemorrhaging. That's under control now. If there's one thing University Hospital does better than any place else, it's control blood loss. They're giving her transfusions from the blood I stockpiled at the blood bank.”

Sky felt her lip tremble again. “I miss you so much. I wish you were here.”

“Me too, Sky. I'll try to get leave in the next couple of weeks.”

“Promise?”

“I'll do my best. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.”

They signed off and Eloise hugged Sky tightly. “Don't blame yourself.”

“It's not just that. On the mission. Something happened.”

“What?”

The man in the armor said not to tell anyone or she'd be putting them in danger. She looked at her aunt's face, full of concern and love. She'd done enough damage to her family for one day.

“Nothing. I mean. Everything exploded and Chase was hurt.”

“The things they make you kids go through. I hate it.”

Chapter 8

Blue Blood

Sky's visit to Kara in the hospital Saturday morning had not gone well.

Propped up on pillows with several tubes snaking in and out of her arm, her face pale under the cuts and bruises, Kara did not even pretend to be happy to see her. Apparently someone had told her the rumor Sky and Chase somehow triggered the explosion at the cineplex. Even though no one knew if that really was the case.

“You're a disgrace to Tactical,” was pretty much how the conversation went. “Reckless, juvenile behavior,” was part of it, and, “Go back to the park and play pirates if you can't act like an adult!” made up the rest.

They didn't even talk about the baby. Sky was still trying to process that bombshell. Kara as a mom was not something she could picture. Poor kid. Sky quickly left and Kara did not try to stop her. Jake Chen, Kara's live-in boyfriend and the baby daddy, would be there soon anyway. He'd gotten leave today to visit, Eloise said when she dropped Sky off on the way to work.

Jake was a good guy. Kara had known him since high school and Tactical training. He was still a lieutenant, which Sky thought might be slightly awkward on duty. Having to salute the person you were used to seeing naked and all.

The cloud cover was low and gray and it looked like rain later in the day. Sky buttoned her navy, fleece-line parka all the way to the top and stuck her hands deep in the pockets as she walked to Redwood Shopping Center, kicking through the fallen leaves of yellow and brown. It was less than half a mile from the hospital, an easy walk. She was wondering how Kara acted with Jake. She must be a different person around him, enough so to get her pregnant at least.

She gave a pile of wet leaves an especially hard kick scattering them in the air and directly onto the legs of an oncoming person. She'd been so intent on her anger at Kara, she hadn't noticed anyone else.

She looked up, an apology already on the tip of her tongue, and just stopped, pretty much paralyzed by every female hormone in her teenage body from doing anything but stare.

A boy, no, not a boy. – a young
man
stood in front of her. He was beautiful. Renaissance painting, classic beautiful. Big, dark green eyes, full lips that any girl would kill for, high cheekbones that could slice their way into your heart. Tall and slim with long legs, narrow hips, and broad shoulders. He would have been
too
pretty if not for his nose. It was slightly skewed, giving him a sort of roguish look.

Leaning down, he brushed off the leaves clinging to his trousers. “That must have been a very naughty pile of leaves.” He had a deep voice and the way he spoke in his rich British accent made her...she didn't exactly know what it made her feel, but she wanted to feel it some more.

“I'm so sorry.” Recovering her manners, she went over and knelt to help. “I wasn't paying attention...I...” she trailed off lamely.

“Quite all right. Please, I'm fine.”

He put down his hand and Sky let him help her stand.

He was wearing a fine double-breasted coat and houndstooth muffler over black trousers. His thick black hair was cut in a goth-slash-dandy combination that made him look like a bad boy from a Japanese animation. She saw now he had a thin white scar that cut right across his forehead through his eyebrow and onto one cheek.

“Really, I'm sorry.”

“Its fine, honestly. In fact, this meeting is quite lucky.” He gave her an easy smile and her stomach fluttered up and down. “I was walking from the University to the hospital and seemed to have gotten turned around. I was told it is quite near.”

“Oh, yes, absolutely.” She turned and pointed behind her. “Go back that way. See the brown and white building?”

He looked where she pointed and nodded. “I see it.”

“Reception is just through there.”

He held out his hand for her to shake. “Thanks very much indeed.”

She might have said something intelligible like, “your welcome,” or she might have just babbled.

He walked past her in the direction of the hospital. Raising one arm, he gave her a jaunty wave without turning around, as though he knew Sky was watching him walk away.

She felt her cheeks burn. The chance encounter with a handsome young man gave her something to think about beside yesterday's frightening events. Her brush with death in the blood vault kept washing in and out of her mind's eye like waves on a storm-tossed beach. She was fine...she was panicking...she was fine...she was terrified. Walking the rest of the way to the shopping center, she tried to keep the image of the smooth and sophisticated stranger in her mind's eye.

Her first order of business was buying baby pajamas for the party tomorrow. Eloise suggested Toddler Time, a new store in the mall. Birth rates – and more importantly survival rates – were climbing for Positives. Merchants were feeling encouraged enough to start specialty stores for parents again. The store was bustling, mostly with Rednecks, but not only. Sky found two pairs of pajamas, one with yellow ducks and the other, yellow teddy bears. The salesman even gift wrapped the parcel and included a little to-from card. She and her aunt were going half and half on the price. As a Tactical trainee, Sky received a small allowance from the government since she couldn't take a part time job. She'd had her own money since she was twelve.

The outdoor mall was full of old trees and big, fat, decorative planters for flowers all along the center of the rambling promenade. The past three years, the older members of the Neighborhood Watch together with the schools had worked to restore the flower beds the mall was famous for before the plagues. Last spring, Sky's class took their turn helping the decoration committee. This year the fountains were even turned on again over weekends. Sky visited the planters she'd worked on. They were still lush and blooming even in October.

Since the government lifted most sanctions against gathering during the flu season last year, stores in the Bay Area were planning to stay open in the evening for the first time in twenty years this winter. There were plans to actually decorate the mall for Christmas and the other winter holidays. Lights and trees and everything. Sky had already signed on for that project which was scheduled to start next weekend. The merchants, of course, were enthusiastic supporters. Every shop had automatic sanitizers installed at the entrance anyway. As long as people wore their masks for winter, coming to an outdoor mall wasn't seen as a real flu danger.

Sky headed for the Coffee Brewing Company where a blueberry muffin and soy cafe mocha were calling her name. Since the mall had reopened, CBC had become the unofficial town square. Stay there more than a few minutes and you were sure to see someone you knew.

The Saturday morning Farmer's Market in the parking lot was just packing up, making CBC extra busy. Despite the chill, the crowd from the coffee house spilled over onto the wide terrace with more  people sitting on the curb with their coffee, comparing their bags of goodies.

She found one table left outside. Empty probably due to being in the shade and its distance from the space heaters. That was okay, she had her coffee to warm her up. Taking a big bite of the muffin – CBC made fat, tasty muffins – she savored the sweet-tart flavor on her tongue. The scent of the blueberries filled her nose mingling with that of coffee, autumn leaves, and the sharp metallic scent of rain in the air. The world smelled clean and fresh at that moment.

Several bites into her muffin she saw the beautiful, well-dressed young man from the street approaching at a lazy pace, a ceramic cup and saucer in one hand, his eyes roving over the terrace. She didn't know CBC even had ceramic cups. 

A few steps from her table, he stopped and cocked his head to one side.“Hello.”

Sky looked over both shoulders, sure he must be talking to someone behind her. No way this handsome stranger was speaking to her again in anything but her imagination. Especially since she'd kicked wet leaves all over his expensive clothes.

He chuckled, low and slow, meeting her eyes with his. “Hello to
you
. We didn't introduce ourselves before. I'm Quill.” He held his hand out for her to shake.

She took it, a little too quickly to establish any credibility for being cool. “Sky.”

“Thank you for the directions. I navigated my way there and back again quite quickly. Would you mind terribly if I sat with you while I drank my coffee?” He looked at her from under his lashes, his expressive face smiling in polite inquiry. “All the tables are full and I am not only alone but very new to this area. I promise not to be annoying.”

Sky made some sort of gurgling noise of assent and waved towards the chair.

Luckily he was able to interpret that as a 'yes.'

Setting down his cup, it had to be espresso it was so small, he gave her an easy smile. “This is very lovely.” He indicated the mall with a sweep of his hand, the long tapered fingers spread wide. “I can see why everyone recommended I visit Palo Alto. The recovery seems quite advanced here.”

She kept stealing glances at him. He was younger than she first thought, probably only a year or so older than her. His manners and clothes were so fine, she'd just assumed he was more grown up.

“Where are you from in England?” Be polite, she advised herself. Ask questions. Don't be weird.

“London,” he smiled again. “Have you been?”

Sky shook her head. “I'd like to go. See everywhere, you know? After my placement exams, I'm hoping my duty will be with the Department of Defense. I'm going to ask for the diplomatic service.”

He nodded, giving her comment serious consideration. “That would be an exciting career. Intellectually challenging. I thought all Negatives in the US were drafted into the military after high school?”

“Well, yes, but you get college if your test scores are high enough and you have a choice of careers. It's not like we have no freedom. If people enjoy what they're doing, they'll probably stay even after the ten years of service are up.”

“Of course. Astute planning.”

Sky thought he might say something biting or sarcastic, but he didn't. He gave her another engaging smile and encouraged her to talk about Palo Alto, her school and her friends.

The next hour or so seemed more like a scene out of a clever movie than Sky's life. Quill was funny and charming and full of amusing stories about the differences between America and Great Britain. Or not-so-great Britain as he laughingly called it.

She talked a little about her training in Tactical, her complicated relationship with her sister and, somehow, her ghost dog Alex and how much she missed him.

Sipping his espresso, he nodded as she talked about Kara. “My parents and I have a prickly sort of dynamic as well. Particularly with my father.”

“Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

“A brother. He and I, well, we don't speak very often.”

Sky felt very grown up talking to him. This light-hearted conversation with a worldly young man gave her a little insight into what slightly more mature relationships could be. Plus, he openly admired her town and how well the area had recovered from the plague years.

She got him to talk about London and how that city was coping with recovery.

“Much like cities in America or here in your town. The government designates specific areas of London and other cities for clean up and recovery. Every citizen pulls their share of community service. A number of schools and colleges are open. Lower forms still are largely on the Net. Many monuments are open again. The Tower of London, National Gallery and Museum of Natural History, for example. They've worked very hard over the past ten years to re-establish reliable railroad and shipping links. We suffered terribly from the breakdown in transportation for our oil supplies. Though your country has helped improve that. You're lucky California is practically self-sufficient with the oil fracking and shale fields. Fuel is still rationed at home and blackouts are common in the winter to conserve energy. We burn a lot of peat and coal again, rather like the industrial revolution. Skies can be a bit gray.” He laughed. “Rather like Victorian London of old.”

Sky felt disappointed when he finally stood to go. She wished the conversation could go on.

He looked at her frankly, the sly smile she had seen as he sauntered over back again. “Very nice talking with you, Sky. I''m sure I shall see you again.”

It was only after he left, Sky's eyes watching him every step, she realized she forgot to ask why he was in town.