The Athena Effect (34 page)
Authors: Derrolyn Anderson
She came out of the bathroom to find Calvin pacing at the window, anxiously peeking through the drapes every time the flash of a headlight passed by. Caledonia could see how tired he was, and she came up behind him to encircle him in her arms, “You need to rest.”
He turned to look into her calm eyes and let his guard down with a sigh, allowing her to lead him to the bed. He sat down and kicked off his boots, laying back while she snuggled up to him, listening to his heartbeat with her ear pressed to his chest.
He kissed the top of her head. “I was so scared. I still can’t believe you climbed down on bedsheets….” He chuckled, his chest gently shaking her head, “That was like something out of a cartoon.”
She looked up, “Let me guess… Doofy Duck?
“Donald,” he sounded tired.
“Doofy Donald?” she asked.
He smiled wearily, too fatigued to try and explain, “I love you Cali.”
She crawled up to whisper in his ear, “I know.”
Calvin’s eyelids were growing heavy, and she could tell he was fighting to stay awake. She stroked the dark hair back from his forehead, kissing his tired brow.
“It’s okay now. Go to sleep,” she whispered.
“Promise you’ll be here when I wake up,” he mumbled.
“Cross my heart,” she said softly, watching him drift off.
She pulled the blankets up around him, shuddering with a sudden overwhelming happiness. She put all of her doubts behind her, deciding to believe, without any reservations, that everything would be fine. At that moment all was right in the world, and she laid her head down beside his, watching him until she fell asleep too.
Sometime in the middle of the night Calvin woke up and clung to her, desperate for reassurance. “Oh man, I thought you were gone,” he groaned in her ear. “I was so scared.”
They came together tenderly, overcome by the joy of their reunion. Caledonia calmed him with her every touch, feeling his fear slip away as his confidence strengthened. She was happier than she’d ever been, soothing him and taking her comfort from his relief. He finally burrowed his face into her neck and fell back to sleep, his body still entwined with hers.
The bright sun streaming through a crack in the drapes woke him up, and he jumped out of bed, racing to the window to look outside. Relieved to see nothing amiss, he turned back to see Caledonia still curled up sleeping, her wrists tucked under her chin. He climbed back under the covers, arranging himself around her with a satisfied sigh.
He swore to himself he’d never sleep apart from her ever again, remembering how awful it had been to wake up and find her missing. He wanted to let her sleep, but he was unable to resist kissing her shoulder, trailing his lips across her soft skin, following the curve of her neck.
Her eyes opened, and she stirred, stretching as luxuriantly as a cat, “Mmm… Good morning.”
“It is,” he said, kissing her ear and making her giggle.
She rolled over to look at him, and he was struck by the beauty of her clear eyes in the morning light. “What are we going to do now?” she asked.
“I have an idea,” he said, rolling over on top of her.
“Oh really?” she laughed, “I can tell.”
~
They pulled up to a small-town feed store, greeted by the suspicious stares of a few old men populating a bench out front. They all had the weather-beaten faces and bowed legs of retired ranchers, and they eyed the scruffy looking bikers suspiciously. Calvin filled the gas tank while Caledonia went in, nodding and smiling at the men, encasing them in a potent cloud of disarming aqua tranquility.
She went to the clothing section, picked out some jeans and boots, and changed into them in the dressing room. When she came out of the store, Calvin was bent over a map spread out on the bench, listening politely as two of the old men argued about the relative merits of one roadside restaurant over another.
He looked up to see her and smiled wide, making her heart skip a beat. He was even more handsome than he was the first time she’d laid eyes upon him, because now his colors were very different. His cocky nervous energy was gone, replaced by a confident and purposeful rosy peach that was growing pinker as he looked her up and down.
“You look like a cowgirl,” he said.
Then they were back on the road, wind in their faces and Caledonia’s hands gripping his waist. She rubbed his stomach, laughing into his back when she felt his muscles clench and quiver. His colors grew saturated, intensifying to the deepest and sweetest hues she’d seen yet. She pressed her face into Calvin’s back, perfectly satisfied.
She was back on a journey into the unknown, navigating a world full of danger, only this time, she wasn’t alone. The future ahead of them was uncertain, but neither one of them cared. They were in love, they were together, and for now, that was all that mattered.
They were heading south.
~
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Epilogue
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“What is taking so long? I need you to get moving! I must have her back immediately!” Professor Reed screeched, leaping to his feet when Max appeared in his office.
The big man took a seat, unbuttoning his coat with his good hand and settling in with an air of insolence, “I’m glad to be rid of her.”
The old man was so agitated he was practically jumping up and down, “Hire more staff if you need to, but I want her back right away or else–”
“Or else what?” Max asked, a challenge in his voice. He leaned back in his chair.
Reed sat down, struggling for composure. When he spoke his voice was menacing, “You imbecile… What kind of security operation are you running?”
Max looked disgusted, “You really are a crazy old coot, aren’t you?”
The professor was taken aback, not used to such blatant disrespect from his staff. He paused for a moment, finally asking, “What about the women… Have you procured them for me?”
Max leaned forward with an evil smile, “There’s been a little change of plans. I’m no longer working for you.”
Professor Reed looked at him incredulously, “Are you serious? Is this about money?”
Max threw his head back with a laugh; he’d been waiting for this moment for a long time. He pulled out a cigarette, lighting it and drawing deeply. He calmly explained to the professor that he’d drained the bank accounts and was going to be leaving, taking Layla and Michael with him.
“You probably should have been a little nicer to that boy… He’s been a big help to me. I know all about how you’ve been running your scams, and now that I’ve got the accounts… I don’t need you at all now… Do I?”
The professor gasped as the enormity of his mistake was revealed, “Layla would never betray me…”
“Oh, but she has no choice in the matter. She’ll be working for me now…. And you can rest assured that I’ll be putting her talents to much better use than you
ever
did.”
The professor frantically logged onto his computer, checking his accounts; his face blanched. He reached for the phone with a shaking hand and his eyes flew open with shock when he found the line had gone dead.
Max stood up, “I’m going to need you to stay in your office until we clear out. Don’t worry about the twins,” he snarled. “You won’t be seeing either one of them ever again.” He buttoned his coat and reached over to grind his cigarette out on the desk, nodding towards the big man standing just outside the door. “Joe will be keeping an eye on you for me.”
Max smiled again, clearly enjoying the professor’s shocked reaction. He left the room without saying goodbye.
Professor Reed dropped his head into his hands. He had made a fatal error; he should never have told Max how to avoid being manipulated by the Athena effect. He wouldn’t have needed to know if it wasn’t for the mission to collect Caledonia… And now she was gone forever.
His servant had become his master.
“When you lie down with dogs…” he whispered.
He slid his desk drawer open and pulled out a picture. It was a group photo of the first research subjects smiling happily. They all looked very young, and so did he, standing with a smile between David and Jenny. The thought occurred to him that his entire life’s work had been a waste, and his lips tightened into a thin line.
“NOOOOO…” he screamed, his voice cracking from the effort.
~
Layla was trapped in her room without so much as a new book to keep her company. The help refused to answer questions or make eye contact, and the corridor between her and Michael’s room was locked up tight. She nursed a bruised cheek and hurt feelings, thinking Teddy must really be angry with her to allow Max to get away with treating her so brutally.
Restless, she got up to look out through the bars of her window, wondering if she would have had the courage to climb down like Cali did. Maybe, she thought, if there was a boy blazing with passionate love waiting to take her away. She sighed, going back to the couch to re-read one of her old favorites.
A muffled scream echoed throughout the building, and she sat up, straining to listen. She heard a door slam shut, followed by an eerie silence. She frowned, settling back down to return to her book.
Before too long, she was lost in the story.
~
THE END
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Look for the sequel to “The Athena Effect”, due out in 2013
“The Mackenzie Legacy”
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Other books by Derrolyn Anderson:
“Between The Land and the Sea”
“The Moon and the Tide”
“The Fate of the Muse”
“The Turning Tides”
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