Red-Line: The Shift (Volume One) (29 page)

Morgana continued. “We have no idea who this adversary is or what he wants. And we know nothing about the three men who came here to take Sarah.”

Leroy tried to interrupt. “Morgana…”

“I’m not finished, Leroy,” she said, now in full Councilwoman mode. “Sarah is in a very vulnerable state, and we don’t know how much longer she’ll be this way. There could be another assault on this location at any time. I doubt she can handle another event as she did before. Let’s face it. Those men would have killed all of you if she had not intervened. That you can’t deny. So I ask you, who is protecting whom?”

“And you think it would be any different if you and your people protected her?” Ramsey asked.

“We have the resources—”

“Wrong. You don’t have the resources.” Declan spoke with enough authority that they all turned to look at him.

“What, Declan?” asked Ramsey, hearing his stepbrother’s tone.

Declan hesitated before answering. “I received some initial information from my people, the ones who took the bodies.”

“And why have I not heard about it?” Morgana asked.

“Because I received it just before you arrived.”

“Then you should have shared it with me first,” she argued. “If this is delicate information—”

“Don’t you think we’ve gone way beyond that now, Morgana?” asked Declan, tired of her posturing. “At this point, we know more than you do, and that’s not likely to change.”

Morgana did not back down. “Things change all the time, Declan,” she said in warning.

Declan chose not to respond as she stared at him.

“Perhaps we can get back to his news?” Leroy interjected. “What were you going to say?”

Morgana pursed her lips as if in disagreement, but said nothing.

Declan broke from Morgana’s gaze. “We are apparently dealing with something completely unexpected.”

“And what is that?” Ramsey asked. “You said they weren’t Red-Lines.”

“No, they weren’t.” An almost inaudible sigh of relief emerged from all of them at the news. “But they weren’t Gray-Lines either.”

“What do you mean?” asked Morgana.

“They appear to be a cross between the two.”

“What?” asked Leroy.

“How is that possible?” asked Ramsey.

“It can only be assumed that the genetic testing the Council practiced for some years got out of hand and that this form of ‘mutants,’ for lack of a better word, was somehow created.”

“Impossible,” Morgana stated. “That testing we practiced was carefully overseen by our most intelligent and revered scientists. They were very diligent in preventing any sort of result such as that. And if there were mutants, then any embryo with that signature would have been destroyed immediately. We do not allow any such testing in our Community.”

“That’s very comforting, Morgana,” stated Ramsey flatly, “but apparently you’ve got a poop in your pool.” He returned his attention to Declan. “How can you be sure?’

“Initial blood and DNA results confirm traces of both Red and Gray-Line cells, as well as the marks on their bodies.”

“What about the marks?”

“They’re not gray or red. Apparently, they are a mottled color, as if they are a mixture of both.”

“And that’s on all three of them?”

“No, just X and Z. The elderly gentleman was a Gray-Line. Nothing unusual about him physically, but we did get an ID on him. His name is Edward Bright. He has an address outside the city. According to records, he lived alone and is single. Never been married, and no kids. He’s been retired for twenty years.”

“Twenty years? What’s he been doing for the last twenty years?” asked Leroy.

“That’s the interesting part. Apparently he’s a retired scientist. He used to work as a researcher at a company called Bellator Labs.”

“Bellator Labs?”

“Yes,” said Declan, matter-of-factly. “He worked in the Genetic Science division.”

**

NO ONE SAID A word.

“Son of a bitch.” Ramsey grabbed at the table, absorbing the implications of the news.

“I’ll be damned,” said Leroy, leaning back in his seat. “Sherlock’s right, Morgana. There’s something smelly floating in the Council’s water.”

“It’s not possible. No one could do this degree of testing without being discovered,” Morgana insisted.

“Well, someone did,” said Ramsey. “And whoever it is, they’re still out there. Which begs the question…”

“Who is Y?” Declan said, finishing his sentence for him.

“Exactly,” said Ramsey. “What exactly are we dealing with here?”

“He could be another mutant form, like the other two,” said Leroy, thinking out loud.

“I don’t think so,” answered Declan.

“Why not?”

“It’s what I picked up from them. There was definitely a subordinate feeling to it, as if they were here on orders. And they were afraid of him, or her, for all we know.”

“It’s a him,” responded Ramsey.

“How do you know?” asked Leroy.

“Just by the way they talked about Sarah, as if she were a piece of meat. I don’t think they would have done that if their superior were female.”

“Interesting observation,” said Declan. “And you’re probably right. My gut tells me it’s a male.”

“And he’s not a mutant?”

“If he were, I don’t think they’d be subordinate to or afraid of him.”

“So,” Ramsey deduced, “if it’s not a mutant…”

“Then we have a Red-Line on our hands.” Morgana finally spoke up. She looked amongst the group, waiting for an argument, but none came.

“Jeez.” Leroy put his hands on his head and puffed out some air.

“Terrific,” added Ramsey, rubbing his throbbing temples. “A rogue Red-Line on the loose. This should be fun.”

“Before we break out the party hats, gentleman, perhaps we should ask ourselves who this man is and why he is rogue?” Morgana posed her question to all three of them. “Assuming this is all true, shouldn’t he be in the same situation as the rest of us? How is he surviving without the serum? Why is he fighting against us? Between him and Sarah, we could have an excellent chance of working together to solve our crisis.”

There was a brief pause before Declan answered. “Something tells me he doesn’t share our point of view.”

“I think the violent tendencies are a big sign,” Ramsey agreed.

“I’m not arguing the point,” she said. “But it still poses the question. Why is he angry? What does he have against us?”

“I suppose that all comes down to who raised him,” said Leroy. “Who raised all three of them? What made them hostile? And how did two mutants and a Red-Line grow up among us and yet we know nothing about them? Who would have the resources and ability to do that and not be discovered?”

“And how did they survive without serum?” asked Declan. “If we can answer that question, then we might go a long way to discovering a solution to our own problem.”

“There is a possibility we ought to consider,” Ramsey stated.

“And that is?” asked Leroy.

“The obvious. How much does the Council trust Arnuff and Emerson?” He looked at Morgana.

“What are you saying, Ramsey?” asked Morgana. “That the last two remaining Red-Lines are somehow involved in this? That’s preposterous.”

“Is it? They had the resources, and they would certainly know about how to raise and care for a Red-Line. It’s not impossible.”

“They were instrumental in our own line of testing. Why would they branch out on their own?”

“I don’t know, but it’s something worth considering. How is Emerson? Is he well enough answer some questions?”

“I am not going to interrogate our last remaining Red-Line to see if he is somehow involved in covert genetic testing and raising radical offspring.”

“You might want to, before he dies.”

“And how do you know he’s going to die? Last I checked, Ramsey, he was stable.”

“Because in all likelihood, with his injury, the lack of serum will probably kill him, if what we’ve been told is true.” He watched Morgana for her reaction, which never came. “And I’m assuming it is, but more so because these attacks are too coincidental. If Arnuff or Emerson were involved, then their ‘child,’ if that’s what you want to call him, may have shown aggressive tendencies, and once Sarah came into the picture, may have begun to show something worse. The two of them may have acted to neutralize the threat but realized too late that they weren’t strong enough to stop him.”

“It’s a good theory,” responded Declan. “Which is why you should talk to Emerson sooner rather than later.”

“And why is that?”

“Because Y realizes that he knows too much. He’s a threat to him. And Y may not leave any loose ends.”

“Again, this theory is highly unlikely,” Morgana stated.

“Then Emerson will look at you like you’re crazy, which must be entirely commonplace for you by now. Either way, at least you might get closer to knowing the truth.” Ramsey shifted in his chair as his ribs protested, and he waited for her reaction.

She took a breath as she noticed all three men watching her, and she knew she had to consider the possibility, however absurd it might seem. “All right, I’m willing to see where it leads. I’ll make some phone calls.”

“Soon. Today in fact, if you can,” Ramsey suggested.

Morgana shifted her eyes to him and debated arguing with him, but she suppressed the urge. She knew a whole new argument awaited her, and she wanted to reserve her energy for the impending outburst. “The question still remains, though, regarding Sarah,” she said. “When I make my phone calls, I’ll arrange transportation for her, as well.”

Ramsey sat up, wincing with the movement. “She’s not going anywhere, Morgana.” Angry indignation dripped from him. “And that’s not up for discussion.”

She kept her face placid. “Is that in her best interest, or in yours?”

Ramsey stared at her. “What are you implying?”

“Merely that you’ve lost sight of your objective here.”

“And what objective is that?”

“That she stay safe and alive.”

“And you question that I want that for her?”

“No, I question your need to be the one to ensure that for her.”

“And you doubt that I can do it?”

“Don’t you?”

Ramsey hesitated at that. He’d managed to keep the past at bay, but Morgana’s question brought it sharply into focus. He couldn’t help but consider it. For the first time since this ordeal began, he allowed himself to question his gut. Was Morgana right? Was he capable of protecting Sarah? Was he too personally involved? He shot an ambivalent glance at her as he considered his answer, and she returned it with a look of impending victory. Her history with him allowed her to manipulate his vulnerabilities, especially when it came to protecting someone and failing.

“That’s not fair, Morgana.” Leroy knew the history, too. “That was years ago.”

“Nevertheless, Leroy, this is too important to take chances. We can’t afford any unnecessary risks.”

Leroy watched as the previously inflamed energy of his friend contracted, and he knew Morgana had aimed well and hit her target. His anger began to build, but Declan made a loud interruption, stopping his retort.

“Whoa…” Declan said, leaning back in his seat as if something whizzed by him. “Did you feel that?”

At that moment, what felt like an electric current rippled the air, and the glass in front of Morgana, previously carrying her scotch, shattered into pieces. Glass fragments flew wildly across the table.

Morgana jumped back in her seat. “What in the…?” she said, just as the glasses in front of Leroy and Declan both shook and shattered as well. Fragments littered the table and fell onto the floor as all four of them looked on, mouths open.

“I think you pissed her off,” said Declan, picking some glass off his lap and putting it on the table.

“Excuse me?” asked Morgana, delicately picking up pieces and looking at them as if she expected them to move on their own.

“It’s Sarah. I think you’re making her mad.” Leroy smiled. “I wouldn’t push her, Morgana. She’s got a temper.”

Morgana gaped at him with obvious disbelief. “What are you talking about, Leroy? Are you saying Sarah can hear our conversation? She’s in the other room.”

“She’s a Red-Line,” Ramsey stated, unaffected. “She’s quite capable.”

“Regardless, why would she break the glass? She’s obviously emotional and unstable.”

“Don’t…” Ramsey held up his hand, trying to stop Morgana, but he was too late. There was a loud cracking sound, and the back leg of Morgana’s chair broke in two and Morgana fell backward in her seat and hit the floor.

“…say that,” Ramsey continued fruitlessly. He watched Morgana try to right herself and sit up, but he made no effort to help her. He doubted he had the strength to lift her anyway.

Declan emerged from his seat and leaned over to help her back on her feet.

She stood and smoothed out her pantsuit before looking at the amused men before her. “I’m getting the definite impression she doesn’t like me.”

“You seem to have that effect on people,” answered Ramsey.

“I highly doubt that if you try to take her away from here, she’s going to go quietly,” Leroy stated as he watched Morgana attempt to digest the situation.

“She’s been with all of us for several days now. She knows us and she trusts us,” said Declan. “And whether you like it or not, she has a connection with him.” He nodded his head toward his brother. “And she’s not likely to let go of it.”

Having regained her composure, Morgana eyed the bedraggled men before her carefully, considering her options. “So, are you telling me that because Robin’s band of merry men has bonded, that this is the group with which I apparently now have to entrust the future of our race?”

The three of them regarded each other and then looked back at her. “Seems so,” said Ramsey.

She gathered her small purse, reaching into it to locate her phone. Once it was in her hand, she made as if to leave. “Then God help us all.”

Leroy stood to see her out. “I hope he does.”

Morgana made her way to the door. Once there, she stopped and looked back. Ramsey sat at the table, looking winded, Declan stood next to him, and Leroy was beside her at the door. “I’ll make some calls in the car. Hopefully, we can talk to Emerson today.” She paused before continuing. “I hope you all know what you’re doing.”