TEN
In the morning, I check my cell and find three pressing messages. One is from Teri’s parents, who are now my parents. The next is from Lisa Fetch, a fringe member of our group, back in Missouri. Finally, Matt has called. God knows where he is. He wants me to call immediately.
I should call Matt first, he’s the boss now that I’m not.
But Matt intimidates me. Humans, Telar, vampires—we all put off what we don’t want to do.
I call Lisa Fetch to start. I figure hers will be the shortest call. Lisa’s a mathematician; she’s sort of hyper, smart, quick to get to the point. She’s presently teaching math at Truman College, a school Teri is supposed to return to in the next two weeks. I wonder how I’m going to get out of that commitment.
Lisa and Teri are not close, although Sita was a friend of hers, a point I have to keep in mind while talking to her. In a way, I’m surprised Lisa did not ask for Shanti, until I realize Lisa’s call is about Shanti.
“Did Sita talk to you about how the two of us puzzled over why Brutran wanted to eliminate Shanti when the girl appeared to contribute to the accuracy of the Array?” Lisa asks.
“Yes. Sita and I talked about Shanti’s relationship with the IIC in Goldsmith. She said you had come up with mathematical data that proved Shanti both helped and hurt the Array.” I pause. “To be frank, it confused me a little.”
“Don’t feel bad, Teri, it confused us. Why did Brutran want Shanti dead when she was one of their most accurate psychics? That was the mystery Sita wanted me to solve. There was stuff I had discovered that I wanted to talk about at the funeral, but it didn’t seem like the time or the place. Everyone looked too bummed out. Plus I had to get back to my classes here.”
“I understand.”
“If I explain my findings to you now, can you pass them on to the others?”
“Sure.”
“Ever since you guys ran off to Europe, I’ve been studying the data the IIC fed me when I worked for them. I discovered that when Shanti joined the Array, as an individual, she gave a high percentage of correct answers. At the same time, her connection to the Array caused it to falter.”
“I don’t know why. I just know that it did. As soon as the IIC hired Shanti, the Array dropped four-point-three percent when it came to picking successful stocks. That might not seem like a lot, but it’s staggering when you think how many thousands of kids make up the Array.”
“Did the IIC know it was Shanti’s fault?”
“They must have thought so. They hired a hit man to kill her, didn’t they?”
“Sita told me about that guy. Marko.”
“What else did she tell you?” Lisa asks.
“She had a theory that Shanti’s goodness somehow short-circuited the Array. It was just an idea of hers, but it sounds like you’ve proved it.”
“Maybe. There was another kid who joined the Array the exact same day as Shanti. This kid also scored real high individual numbers.”
“What was the kid’s name?” I ask.
“He or she is designated by IIC’s computers as M3014. We’d have to hack into their system to get personal data on the kid. But you know what happened to my ex when he hacked into their computers.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t,” I lie.
“He got killed.”
“Oh.”
“Look, Teri, the main reason I called was to let the gang know the Array can be weakened. At the same time, I’m not a hundred percent sure Shanti’s the magic bullet we’ve been looking for.”
“Because of M3014.”
I wonder who this kid might be. I want to find him.
“Right,” Lisa says. “I’m sorry I can’t give you guys a conclusive answer. But I’ll keep studying the data, see what I can come up with.”
“I’ll tell the others you’re working on it.”
Lisa hesitates. “How is everyone doing without Sita?”
“It’s rough. She was our leader. I’m not saying Matt’s not doing a good job, but it’s not the same.”
“I understand. Stay in touch. I still want to bring that bitch Brutran down.”
“Don’t we all,” I say.
Mr. and Mrs. Raine are up next. I procrastinate ten minutes before making the call. I feel like I’m screwing with my own mind when I talk to them. This won’t be the first time since I took over her body, but I can’t say I’ve gotten used to it. I have all of Teri’s memories inside. I can recall every birthday party they ever threw me.
Dad’s what people call “salt of the earth.” He works as an engineer at a local aluminum factory. Mom’s soft-spoken. She takes care of the house and spends a lot of time helping at church. They couldn’t be more harmless, or more divorced from the world I live in. That’s why they sound upset on their message. It seems Detective William Treach has called and is looking for me. Just what I need.
“The detective told us you left town without telling him where you were going,” my father says after I explain the misunderstanding about room-service Ken. My mother is on the line as well but generally lets Dad do the talking when it’s important.
Damn! My hypnotic suggestion didn’t work.
“I don’t have to report to him,” I say. “I gave him a full statement about what happened at the hotel. And I warned him I wasn’t going to be staying in Denver. I don’t know why he keeps bothering me.”
“He said he’s going to keep calling us until you call him.”
“Did he say why?”
“He’s always polite, always brief. But he’s firm. He doesn’t sound like the kind of man you want to get on the wrong side of. Call him, I’m sure it’s just a formality.”
“I don’t know. I wonder if I should speak to a lawyer first.”
“What do you need with a lawyer?”
“I didn’t say I needed one. I’m saying I’m tired of this detective. This guy named Ken disappears and the cops don’t have a suspect so they go after me because I just won a gold medal. That way they automatically get their face on TV.”
“Detective Treach doesn’t sound like that kind of person.”
“Well, you might be right.” I dislike putting Detective Treach down, because I happen to like the man.
“Do you want me to call Fritz Chandler for you?” Dad asks.
Fritz is an old friend of the family, a lawyer from church. He can set up a living trust and help with a DUI, but he’s way out of his league when it comes to a murder case, which is what this is, even if my parents can’t see it.
“Let me think about it,” I say.
“You’re a big girl, you take care of it.” My dad often defaults to that line when he doesn’t know what else to say. “The agencies keep calling as well. ICM, CAA, and William Morris Endeavor all want to represent you. They think you’ve got to strike while you’re hot. But they say you’re not returning their calls, either.”
“The Olympics were only two weeks ago. People haven’t forgotten me. They’re pushing for me to call because they’re in competition with each other. That’s good, I’m flattered. But I’m not sure if I want to go that way. Selling shoes and cereal on TV. What kind of doctor does that?”
“The endorsement money could pay for medical school.”
“I know. I haven’t dismissed the idea. I just want to take it slow is all.”
My mother finally speaks. “Is this the best time to be traveling all over the country with Matt? You know Mayor Spender still wants to throw you a town party. He wants to give you the key to the city. That’s an honor, Teri. I think you should come home.”
“I will. But I promised Matt this time together before the games, when I was training night and day and hardly talking to him. I owe him, Mom. And I need this time to unwind. Really, I’m having a great time. Just be patient with me. I’ll be home soon.”
That’s good enough to pacify them. After hanging up, though, I realize I have to stop Detective Treach from calling. I wonder what state of mind the detective and his wife are in. I worry I might have started a “loop” in one of their brains, where they fixate on an idea and keep repeating it to whoever happens to be nearby. At the hospital, Sandy had shown definite signs of looping.
I decide to give the cop a call and feel him out.
“Detective Treach. This is Teri Raine. I heard you were looking for me. What’s up?”
“Teri, thanks for calling. I appreciate it. How’s all the newfound celebrity treating you?”
“Fine,” I say, already worried about the man. He only has to say a few words for me to know he sounds tentative, like something’s bothering him that he can’t explain.
“Good, I’m glad. The reason I called, well, it’s sort of complicated. You know about the young man who disappeared at the hotel?”
“Sure. Has he turned up yet?”
“No. And it’s beginning to look like he’s not going to, if you get my drift. But he’s not the reason I called. I no longer think you had anything to do with his disappearance. I’m sure of that.”
Shit, I think. The detective is repeating word for word the suggestion I placed in his mind. Not a good sign.
“Why did you call?” I ask.
“There’s another man, his name is Gary Stevens. He works with my wife at her hospital. He’s in charge of their blood supply. The other night, at work, he says he saw someone who matches your description.”
“When?”
“The day we met.”
“Detective Treach, I don’t know your wife or this Gary Stevens.”
Detective Treach sounds embarrassed and confused. “I believe you. I told him that my wife’s never met you and she’s certainly never been to the hospital with you.”
“This hospital must have some sort of security.”
“We have a problem in that area as well. That night, the man in charge of the security cameras was knocked unconscious and his digital records were removed. When we add to that Gary Stevens’s accusation that you assaulted him, just before you stole a large quantity of blood, then we have a problem.”
I chuckle lightly. “This is getting more complicated all the time. Does Gary Stevens say your wife stole blood as well?”
“He says she helped you steal it, which is of course ridiculous. My wife would never do such a thing. The entire case is a mystery, but I’m still required to investigate it, especially since my wife stands accused.”
“This is obviously a case of mistaken identity. I’m not a vampire. I have no need to go around stealing blood.”
“My partner’s working on the case as well. He’s sitting across from me right now. He’d like to talk to you. It’s his understanding that many endurance athletes do what’s called ‘blood doping.’ They store up their blood months before a big race and then inject it into their veins to boost their red blood-cell count. It’s supposed to heighten their endurance. I’m sure you’ve heard about the procedure.”
“Sure. I know athletes who’ve done it. But they withdraw their own blood before a major event like the Olympics. They don’t just stroll into your local hospital and steal a few gallons of strangers’ blood and inject it. If the blood types didn’t match, it would probably kill them.”
“That’s exactly what I told them. That the hospital’s blood couldn’t possibly help you. But that’s the only motivation they can come up with for why you might have wanted the blood.”
“Lieutenant Treach, to be blunt, it doesn’t sound like Gary Stevens or the hospital has a shred of proof that your wife or I was involved in this theft. For that reason, I’m not going to worry about it. I suggest you do the same.”
Lieutenant Treach is slow in answering and I feel bad for him. He can’t point the finger at me without pointing it at his wife. And besides the fact that he doesn’t want to get her in trouble, nothing about the case makes any sense.
“I told you, I’m inclined to take your word that you’re innocent. But Gary Stevens is pressing charges against you, and my captain wants you to return here for questioning. I tell you this as a friendly warning. If Gary Stevens should go to the papers and associate you with blood doping, even if you’re totally innocent, it could damage your name. That’s why I prefer we nip this in the bud.”
“I can’t return to Denver at this time. I’m busy and I’m innocent. Tell Gary Stevens that if he does speak to the media about this incident, I’ll sue him for slander. Impress upon him how serious I am. Also, please stop calling my parents. If you need to speak to me, call me.”
“I tried your number. I only went to your parents when you didn’t return my calls.”
“From now on, I promise to call you back. But right now I have to go. Tell your partner I’ll speak to him later. Okay?”
“He just needs a minute of your time.”
“Not now. I’ll check in with you in two days. Bye.”
I hang up and groan. For centuries I fed my thirst without raising eyebrows. Even when modern times arrived, I adapted and kept my need for blood hidden. Largely because I required so little and because the power of my gaze was so formidable. Now I slip up a couple of times and I’ve set a whole mountain of suspicion in motion. The only positive in this whole mess is that these are mistakes Teri would make.
I finally call Matt and confess to him the mess I’m in. The guy has his sources. They are much more extensive than my own. He already has a fairly clear idea about my legal problems. He reminds me that it’s all my fault, that I should have turned to him for help. But he doesn’t spend a lot of time scolding me. He probably considers Detective Treach and Gary Stevens minor irritants. Matt has power. If and when he returns to Denver, he’ll visit both men and look them in the eye and they won’t even remember who I am.
“I’ll take care of them when I get a free moment,” he says. “For now, Charlie might have fixed the T-11 vaccine to work on your average person. He’s anxious to try it out on Shanti and Seymour.”
“That’s incredible. How did he do it so rapidly?”
“The guy’s a genius. We underestimated him because of the way he carries himself. Also, he admits that the Telar did experiment with normal people while they were developing the X6X6 virus, mostly in backward villages in Africa where it was easy to hide the atrocious results. Before Charlie joined our team, he was already thinking how the vaccine could be adjusted. But he didn’t want to admit it until he had something concrete to show us.”
“Shanti and Seymour will be relieved to hear this news. I’ll get them back to you tomorrow. The next day at the latest.”
“We’re investigating an important IIC lead. A guy who was part of the company at the start, but who has carefully separated himself from Brutran and the others.”
“I’m surprised she let any of her key people go.”
“When she could just kill them, yeah, I know what you mean. It’s odd. But let us finish investigating this guy. We think he has the answer to many interesting secrets.”
“Is he willing to share them with you?”
“That’s just it, he’s a great guy. He has heart. You can’t imagine he would have anything to do with Brutran.”
“Be careful, Teri. It might be a trap.”
“I will.” I pause. “Hey, have you heard from your mother yet?”
He hesitates. “No.”
“But you’ve tried to contact her?”
“Yes. I told you we haven’t spoken in ages. I would have been surprised if she’d gotten back to me right away.”
He’s lying, I can tell. I can hear the disappointment in his voice. He fears his mother is avoiding him, or worse, that she’s dead. I know nothing about their relationship. Perhaps I can spray more of Yaksha’s pages with my blood and see if I can find any hidden messages that talk about Umara and Matt.
“Where are you?” Matt asks.
“Santa Cruz. You?”
“The East Coast. I’d rather not be more specific right now. Tell me what you learned from Professor Sharp.”
“Let me tell you tonight, after we finish questioning his student. To me, they’re two sides of the same coin. We’ll have a much better idea of the IIC when we’re done.”
“Whatever you discover, I still think it’s a mistake to go to the IIC for help.”
“I understand. You have a rare insight into how evil they are. Like Sita, you’re one of the few people who has lived through an Array attack.”
He is silent a long time. “Why do you bring that up now?”
“I know it upset you. It would upset anyone to have their mind ripped away from them.”
“Yeah,” he says softly.
“But there is one thing I don’t understand about what happened that morning up on the mountain. I’ve been talking to Seymour and he said that Sita believed the IIC needed a sample of her blood to turn the Array against her. How did they get a sample of your blood?”
“No one connected to the IIC has my blood.”
“They must have it. Seymour said—”
“I don’t care what he said. From the time I was young, my mother and father taught me to guard my blood carefully. In the last few years, since the IIC came into existence, I’ve never let anyone close enough to me that they could have gotten even a microscopic amount of my blood.”
“Then the Array shouldn’t have worked on you.”
“Sita had a theory the IIC needed her blood in order for it to work. She was obviously mistaken. I know you idolized her, Teri, but she wasn’t always right.”
“I know.” He’s wrong. They must have his blood.
“However their Array works, the IIC are monsters. We can’t go to them with our hat in our hand. Chances are they’ll cut our hand off.”
“I don’t totally disagree. Professor Sharp made it clear Brutran’s a witch. It’s just an option. Let’s not close any doors until we know what’s behind them all.”
Once again he takes a long time to respond.
“You’re beginning to sound like Sita.”
I fight not to freeze up. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Seriously, Charlie has got to see Shanti and Seymour immediately. He’s confident he can get rid of their symptoms. You know how much is riding on this vaccine.”
“If we don’t fly out tomorrow, maybe you can fly here.”
“I already have Charlie set up in a temporary lab. I don’t want to take him away from his work, not even for an hour. The fate of the world might rest with that guy.”
“That’s a scary thought.”
“I trust him. I know he helped the Telar create the virus, but he’s working himself to death to make this right.”
“Tell him we’re all rooting for him.”
“I will.” He pauses. “I miss you.”
“Do you?”
“Of course, silly. How can you ask that?”
“You’re a vampire now. You’ve gone through a major change. Your feelings toward everything must have changed.”
“They have. Except when it comes to you. My love for you will never change.”
He draws in a deep breath. “That’s nice to hear. Will you call soon?”
“Of course. Take care, Matt. Watch out for the Telar.”
“Watch out for the IIC. You’re poking your heads in their backyard, questioning these people. Make no mistake, Brutran’s going to hear about it. My advice to you is, finish questioning this guy as fast as you can and charter a plane and fly into New York tonight.”
I tell him I’ll consider his suggestion. When I put down the phone I discover my heart’s pounding. The strain of talking to him and keeping up the facade is immense. I can’t maintain it forever. A single mistake and it could all be over. He’s faster and more powerful than lightning. In his rage, he could snap my neck before I saw him coming.