Riley's Journey (18 page)

Bethany rounded the corner and strode into the main lab. Miles was bent over the computer, rapidly inputting codes and it wasn’t until she was standing next to him that he even became aware of her presence. Startled, his myopic eyes widened in alarm and he could only stammer in confusion.

“Wha—” he gulped, his face blanching, “what are you doing here?”

Disgust and dislike fought for control of her face as she responded. “The real question is—what are
you
still doing here?”

Nervously, Miles loosened his tie, his Adam’s apple bobbing as the pressure of the collar relaxed. “I’m just finishing up some calculations before I shut the whole thing down.”

“There was nothing left to calculate, you idiot! Everything that needed to be done was already done! All you needed to do was shut the system down.” Peering over his shoulder, she got her first good look at the computer screen. Her mouth dropped open as awareness dawned. “You’re calculating the ripple effect! Why? Why in God’s name would you do such a thing? Are you trying to ruin us?” She shrieked. “Do you ever want to work again?”

Miles sputtered helplessly, rendered speechless by Bethany’s hostile verbal attack. His face flushing beet red, Miles’ eyes flickered briefly to Jonas.

Taking his cue, Jonas stepped forward. “It was my decision. I forced him to do it.”

Swinging around, Bethany pounced. “Why? Why would you do such a thing? What would you have to gain?”

Picking his words carefully, Jonas responded. “It took me awhile, but I finally figured out what was going on around here—and when I figured it out, I made a decision. I plan to go back and join Nathan. Not only me, but fifteen others as well—men and women, hand-picked by me for their background and areas of expertise.”

“You can’t do that! It isn’t possible! The system wasn’t designed to handle that large of a group and the dangers are too great. Forget it! Folding time doesn’t work that way. Surely Miles told you that!”

Miles interjected, refusing to look at Jonas. “I told him it wasn’t possible, but he threatened to kill me if I didn’t go along with his ridiculous plan.”

“I may still kill you anyway just for the fun of it,” Jonas threatened, stepping forward.

Miles gasped, his fat cheeks bouncing in panic as he waved his arms protectively. “I did everything you told me to do!”

Motioning for silence, Bethany continued. “There’s no way I’ll allow this to happen. We’ve only sent one person through at a time, and then only Nathan and Riley. It wouldn’t be safe. It can’t be done.”

Mildly, but with determination, Jonas countered. “It can be done! You just have to figure out how.”

“Why? Why would you want to go?” Bethany’s face was a mixture of bewilderment and anxiety.

“Why? I’ll tell you why. I need this! I was born a couple of hundred years too late. The person I am inside is a warrior—that’s what I was meant to be and that’s why I joined Black Ops. With them, I could utilize my natural talents.” He paused, gathering his thoughts. “Aside from all that, Nathan is the best friend I ever had and if he’s back there, that’s where I’m going.”

“What about the others—why are they here?”

Sneering, Miles answered for him. “They think they are going to form a tribe—how stupid is that?”

Drawing his knife, Jonas advanced on Miles, only to be stopped again by Bethany. “Shut up, Miles, or do you want to be silenced forever? Keep in mind—it wouldn’t hurt my feelings in the least.”

“Yeah! I know! You’d like me to disappear forever, wouldn’t you?”

Glaring at Miles, her eyes narrowed in repulsion, Bethany ground out. “As a matter of fact, I would, along with all your other disgusting friends. If I could have figured out how, I would have done it myself months ago. I just don’t have Jonas’ professional capabilities.”

Jonas grinned wolfishly. Cringing, Miles’ eyes dropped, a hangdog look settling on his features. “I only did what he forced me to do.”

Flicking his hand at Miles, Jones casually dismissed the man. “He said he could do it, that he almost had everything ready. We’ve been waiting for weeks, but he kept hedging on a specific time. Once I figured out that he didn’t have the requisite knowledge or the intelligence to handle the matter, I finally decided it was time to bring you back.”

Miles’ eyes bulged from their sockets. “How dare you! My intelligence is so far above your level, you can’t even contemplate the difference!”

“I know you’re an idiot parading around as a genius,” Jonas smirked. “Not only an idiot, but a coward as well.”

Miles’ countenance subtly changed, his eyes calculating and cold. “Soon, you just might have the opportunity to see how much of a genius I really am.”

“Well, that just isn’t going to happen,” Bethany interjected, returning them to the problem at hand. “The system is going to be shut down and that’s the end of it.”

Refusing to be dissuaded, Jonas pressed on. “We’re going no matter what and you might as well accept it. And unless you have a way to stop us, I suggest you cooperate and make sure Miles’ calculations are correct—or you don’t, and take the chance that something bad will happen to all of us if you leave it to Miles.”

“And if I refuse—what then?”

Jonas’ eyes hardened. “Then Miles does the work and it’s on your head if he fails.”

Solemnly, Bethany studied him, noting the grim resolve stamped on his face. He stood there proud and unafraid, his black eyes steady and unwavering. Nothing in Jonas’ demeanor suggested even the slightest degree of uneasiness about the dangers of the proposed venture. He had already made his decision, and she knew from past experience that he wouldn’t back down. It was out of her hands as he said, and if they were to succeed, a great deal depended on her. A part of her relished the challenge. If they made it, and she wasn’t betting on anything, Nathan and Riley’s chances of survival increased dramatically. There was that! Nathan and Jonas had always made a good team and sending Jonas and his group back would help alleviate some of the guilt she carried. Sighing, fully aware the whole thing was chancy at best, she nodded her acceptance.

“You really think you can send that many through?” Miles reminded Bethany of a bug with his eyes bulging out and his mouth hanging open.

“I’ll have to recalculate a few parameters. Move your fat butt out of the way and let me get to work. Do you know when the next best time is?”

Miles relinquished his chair willingly. “My best calculation points to next Tuesday as being the most opportune time.”

Bethany nodded, her eyes skimming quickly through the computer file. From a cursory review, Miles’ calculations appeared accurate, but she hadn’t gained the reputation of being anal by carelessness. She had to work through each one personally. “Get out of here and leave me alone. If we’re going to do this, I’ve got tons of work to do.”

Jonas relaxed, their fate now rested in Dr. Collins’ most capable hands. Miles was rock bottom on his list of people to trust and he hadn’t felt totally confident in Miles’ work ethics either. Bethany, on the other hand, was totally trustworthy. Leaving the lab, he headed over to the gym to update the team on the good news. Nate, he thought, I’m coming!

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

R
iley snuggled next to Nathan, content to lie there and listen to his strong heartbeat. Stifling the urge to wake him, she gazed long at his face relaxed in sleep. Gone were the lines that were so evident on his weathered skin. Handsome, he would turn any woman’s head, but without the pretty boy features that were so popular in modern day. Personally, pretty boys had never appealed to her and, besides, she didn’t think any of those boys would have survived here as Nathan had.

Snuggling closer for warmth, she grimaced slightly as unused thigh muscles throbbed in rebellion, memories of the previous night flooding her consciousness. Nathan proved to be a surprisingly skillful and imaginative lover—or should she call him her lover now? It sounded so positive, and who was there to challenge her claim? She was fairly certain he wouldn’t. Shyness set in. What would his attitude be this morning? Would he treat her differently and, if so, would it be good, bad or otherwise? She agonized over the possibilities as scenario after scenario flashed through her mind until, in one embarrassingly negative imagining—

Demon whined from the doorway, alerted by her slight movement. Shushing him quietly, she motioned for him to lie down, grateful for the distraction, but refusing to be deprived of the short time left before Nathan woke and the day began, but by the sudden elevation in his heartbeat, Riley was fairly certain he was already awake. She leaned over and glared at Demon, showing her teeth in a mock growl. “See what you did, you big dope!” Demon guilty ducked his head, tail thumping cautiously, his expression likened to a kid caught stealing cookies.

“Don’t try to pretend innocence with me,” she scolded. “I just might decide I need a new fur coat for winter.”

Demon growled back, clearly reiterating his place in the hierarchy of the pack and her obviously inferior position. She laughed and rolled to her side, squealing as Nathan made a quick grab and pulled her back, his two-day old beard scratching as he nuzzled her neck, appreciatively breathing in her scent and thoroughly enjoying the pleasurable sensation of waking up next to her.

“You faker! I knew you were awake.” She squirmed, adjusting to a more comfortable position, titillated by his interest. “If you’d been smart, you’d have let me get up and let the dog out. Now you get to do it.”

“Why me? Why’s that fair?” His roaming hand smoothed over her firm thighs and sleek butt, tickling her private parts casually as though unaware of how his actions were affecting her. He almost managed to confuse the issue.

“Because he’s your dog! She gasped, aroused. “That hasn’t changed,” she managed to calmly murmur. “Some things just have to be, whether they make sense or not—it’s the way the law is written.”

“I’m the lawmaker around here, and as my subordinate, you have to follow my orders, and my first order is that you get up and take Demon out.” Nathan’s eyes crinkled in amusement.

“Who elected you chief judge and executioner?” Grumpily pushing him away, she made to stand up.

Releasing her reluctantly and clasping his hands behind his head, he recapped his dubious appointment. “I was duly elected by the vote of the people. This is, after all, a democracy.”

Groaning in exasperation, Riley threw up her arms. “I don’t remember voting. Doesn’t my vote count for anything?”

Although keenly distracted by the sight of her naked form, Nathan was cognizant enough to defend his position. “Everyone knows the election occurred prior to your arrival, but it was an honest count, no Florida errors here, and when the votes were tallied, I was the winner. We had a victory celebration and everything,” he finished smugly.

“And I bet that was an exciting moment for everyone in attendance!” Chilled by the morning air, she hurriedly donned her leggings and tunic, struggling with the leather boots. Demon whined again, clearly agitated by her tardiness.

“I was just kidding,” Nathan conceded. “I don’t want you going out there alone. I need to check the perimeter before I even let Demon out. We don’t want any unhappy surprises.”

Riley checked her movements, the boot thudding heavily to the ground, as reality surfaced. “I…sort of…forgot for the moment,” she admitted. “Do you think they know we’re here now?”

“I don’t think so, but I can’t be certain. I think if they knew we were here, they’d make their presence known one way or another, and very quickly.”

Nathan threw back the covers and stood up in one fluid motion. Riley’s eyes were inexplicably drawn, admiring his male physique, her senses heightened with reawakening passion. You just didn’t spend the night she had and walk away untouched, even in the modern world where such things happened all the time—at least Riley didn’t. Little flutters of excitement quivered their way through her system. It was not as if they were on a specific timetable and one more hour abed wouldn’t change anything. But no, he was hurriedly dressing, his mind already on the multitude of tasks to be accomplished. His attention to the details at hand was admirable, if somewhat disappointing.

She finished dressing, and stepped into the living area as Nathan headed towards the entrance to the shelter.

“Stay here and keep Demon in for a little bit while I check around. I think we’re safe here for now, but until I know differently, let’s just be careful.”

Anxiously, Riley nodded. She always felt more at ease if Demon accompanied Nathan. If nothing else, the dog was an excellent guard. As Nathan exited, Demon began yipping and barking, offended at being left behind.

“For heaven’s sake, shut up,” she admonished the dog. “It’s not like he’ll be gone forever. Give him five minutes and you can go out.” Demon settled down immediately, almost as if he understood her. Sometimes the dog was just downright scary.

Nathan edged cautiously from the shelter, his eyes scanning the perimeter, alert to any unforeseen threats. Keeping to the dense brush and trees surrounding the open area, he worked his way carefully around, assessing every vestige of evidence that would mark the passing of intruders. So far—so good. Satisfied their position had gone undetected after a complete reconnaissance of the outlying area, Nathan returned to the cave. Riley waited nervously, relief washing her features as he entered the inner room.