The Bloody City (12 page)

June grew bored and walked around the room, peering at the licenses and credentials on the walls. They didn’t comfort her.

When Micha went for his MRI, June obviously couldn’t stay with him. She waited outside with Trina in a small room, where two technicians pored over the scans of Micha’s brain. She and Trina sat in chairs, side by side, and the lack of conversation eventually became oppressive.

“So,” June said. “The vampires recruited you guys to disprove Rose Bellevue’s research, I’m told. That’s what you do here?”

“That’s not all we do here. It’s one of many projects.”

“But you jump through hoops for them?”

“We don’t approve of the Institute’s practices, but that doesn’t mean everything they’ve discovered is ripe for the disproving. We’ve clarified and even mitigated some of their research, but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong all the time.”

“So what happens if you can’t do what the vampires are asking?”

“The study is ongoing.”

“You’ll lie for them?”

“I don’t have a say in these things. A governing board oversees all our research and decides what findings we make public. I’m just a researcher.”

“Does the governing board like”—June leaned closer and whispered—“bribery?”

Trina pursed her lips. “What are you implying?”

“I’m implying the vampires are shady. I think they’ll get what they want from you, regardless.”

Trina looked down at the papers on her lap. “June Coffin. You’re one of the aural captivators that disappeared.”

June’s stomach lurched.

“I recognize all the—” Trina made a circular hand gesture, indicating June’s ink. “I followed your story. I was really interested in you.”

June cursed herself for not coming up with another name. Why couldn’t she have said Sally? Barb? Wanda? She kind of looked like a Wanda.

“Aural captivation is an extremely rare skill,” Trina said. “I was hoping when you were through at the Institute I could coax you to come visit us. But then everything happened and you…vanished.”

“Yes.”

“Yet here you are. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. I get the feeling you’re not looking to step back into the limelight.”

June relaxed. “Someone actually remembers me.”

“I paid close attention. But your story eventually got pushed off to the side and just…died. I always wondered what happened to you.”

“My fifteen minutes were up, I guess.”

“I don’t suppose, even if I asked, you’d tell me how or why you’re here, in Chicago still, participating in this strange incident.”

“No, I don’t suppose I would.”

The screens across the room showed a black-and-white composite of the inside of Micha’s brain. Where the magic happened.

“And I don’t suppose,” Trina said, “I could convince you to let me do a work-up on you?”

“No one is ever going to study me again. I’ll never even go to the doctor for a check-up.”

June worried she’d blown their cover, but Trina didn’t seem the type to run to the press. Curiosity glittered in her eyes, behind the lenses of her glasses. She leaned in closer and June tensed.

“Show me how it works,” Trina said.

June frowned. “How what works?”

“Your power. Use it on me.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Something simple. Something that won’t hurt me.”

Doing tricks like a poodle in a circus was far from June’s favorite thing. She needed to explain to Trina how dangerous it could be, how one wrong word could be devastating. Trina didn’t withdraw, poised eagerly.

June glanced to the side, at the technicians, and then back at Trina.

“Give me your pen,” June whispered. Warmth blossomed in her chest and surged up her throat.

Trina’s eyes glazed and she reached for the pen in the breast pocket of her coat. She pulled it out and handed it to June. June took it and Trina blinked, coming back to herself.

“Fascinating,” Trina whispered.

“I guess so.” June fidgeted with the pen.

“What makes the spell break?”

“You complete the action. Unless it’s an indefinite request.”

“Indefinite?”

“If I told you to lie down on the floor, you’d stay there until I told you to get up. Giving me the pen has a…conclusion, I guess. You give me the pen. You’ve completed what I told you to do.”

“So in theory, you could make me lie on the floor until I, say—died of dehydration?”

June grimaced. “I don’t know. I’ve never taken it that far. I don’t want to.” Freakin’ scientists.

Trina gazed at the pen in wonder. “If you made a demand, and there was a whole room full of people who heard it, would they all do it?”

“No. My own will is involved, somehow. I don’t know.” She pushed her fingers through her hair and rubbed the back of her neck. “I will it where to go. I kinda just…direct it at a person. So it doesn’t affect other people.”

“And you could make a person do anything, absolutely anything? Kill himself, or someone else?”

June dropped her hand. “Another thing I’ve never tested and don’t plan to.” She handed the pen back to Trina. “Christ, why do all you scientists gotta be so creepy?”

“It’s a big part of science, figuring out what can kill you.”

“I got an easy answer to that. In this city: everything.”

Trina tucked the pen back in her pocket. “I won’t tell anyone who you are. I’m just happy to find out you’re still around.”

“Thanks.”

Micha had to go for X-rays next, and it was supposed to take a while, since they wanted to X-ray his entire body, so June wandered off to find something to do. She went to the lounge where they’d eaten breakfast and tried to watch some TV, but after Trina’s revelation, she was paranoid about being seen.

She found a small courtyard at the rear of the building, an awning over it and surrounded by a high fence. Benches lined the walls, the space obviously where people went to smoke, as there were cigarette butts strewn all over the concrete floor. The day was warm and breezy, the sun bright.

She tried to relax on one of the benches. In the old days, she would have smoked a cigarette and played on her phone to pass the time. With no distractions, her mind wandered. What was Sam doing? Had Diego and Jason left the city yet? Was Muse lurking nearby? She sent out a mental “hello,” and assured her everything was cool.

Talking to imaginary people. She was going insane.

The door to the courtyard opened and June tensed. Trina stepped out. She’d taken off her lab coat and had on a white blouse and black dress pants. She clutched a pack of cigarettes.

“Are you following me?” June joked.

“Sort of.” She sat down next to June on the bench. “Figured you’d find your way out here. It’s a good hiding spot.”

“Must not be that good, you found me.”

Trina shook a cigarette out and offered June the pack. “You smoke?”

June envisioned grabbing the pack and cramming them all in her mouth. “I quit.”

“Good for you.” She sounded genuinely complementary. “I’ve been trying. I know how bad they are. What’s your secret?” She lit up with a little red disposable lighter.

“I got shot.” June poked her side. “In the lung.”

Trina frowned. “I think I’ll just try nicotine patches.”

“Patches wouldn’t work for me. Unless I put them on my tongue.”

Trina took a drag and blew the smoke out the corner of her mouth, away from June. “Getting shot does seem like a habit changer. Who shot you?”

“A vampire.”

Trina flicked the ash to the side. “Not a friendly bunch, are they? Why did a vampire shoot you?”

“I guess I deserved it.” June propped her right foot on her opposite knee and bounced her fuzzy blue slipper. “How long do we have to stay here?”

Trina shrugged. “Depends on how long it takes to do all the tests Occam wants. Not more than another day.” She narrowed her eyes. “So he isn’t your boyfriend?”

“Why is that everyone’s foremost burning concern?”

“I’m trying to assess your reasons for acting as his watchdog. You said you’re not working for Occam. If it’s not because he’s your boyfriend, you’re doing it for someone else. Someone who isn’t the vampires.”

“Maybe he needs a watchdog. Lots of crazy people out there.”

“So who are you working for?” She took another drag off her cigarette.

“My friends None-Of-Your-Business and I’m-Not-Telling-You.”

Trina blew the smoke out. “So much secrecy. We do independent research at the request of lots of various groups, but they don’t often like to tell us their reasons.”

“I’m not asking anything of you. Occam is asking. I’m just making sure Occam returns Patient X in one piece. To us. To the people I’m not working for. No one asked me to come.”

“I’m not stupid, you know. I’m well aware that’s Micha Bellevue. Rose Bellevue’s missing husband.”

June groaned. “Jesus Christ, are you Sherlock Holmes or something?”

“No, like I said, I’m not stupid. I think everyone who’s seen him here knows. The vampires strongly suggested we turn a blind eye to anything we ‘suspect.’ I suspect they’ve given the governing board lots of money. We have standing orders to keep our mouths shut, or else.”

“I’m sorry you’re in that position. But in that case, you probably shouldn’t complain so loudly about it.”

“I don’t like being pandered to.”

“Then get a new job.”

Trina turned her gaze away and took another drag.

“It won’t help you to be plucky,” June said. “I’ve seen what happens to the plucky people.”

Trina smashed her cigarette out on the bench half smoked. She pushed it back into the pack and stood.

“I’ll try to be a good little girl and stay quiet,” she sniped. “And you can keep guarding your not-boyfriend. And when this is all over, you can leave, and we’ll pretend it never happened.”

“Don’t take your shit out on me. Your issues were going on long before I got here.”

Trina turned and walked briskly to the courtyard door, her heels clicking on the concrete. She went inside and the door swung shut behind her.

June abruptly sat forward, inhaled the lingering smoke on the air, and slumped back with a sigh.

“Goddamn it.”

June was even more worried they’d be outed now. Trina had better be right, that the vampires were passing funds under the table in exchange for silence. They had also better be of the mind that snitches got stitches.

She sat on the bench for a while longer. Cars passed on the nearby street, birds twittering, the breeze whistling softly through the fence slats. The day was almost too warm, like Sacramento. Would she ever see the California sun again?

She was getting up to go back inside when someone cleared his throat and she nearly pissed her pants.

She’d been pretty sure—no, absolutely sure—she was alone out there.

She wasn’t.

Occam sat on a bench in the corner adjacent to her, where the building met the fence. He wore a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and a long sleeve shirt.

He lifted an arm and waved. He also had gloves on. “Hi!”

June glared. “I thought I was safe from vampires during the day.”

“There’s nothing dangerous about being predictable.”

June sat back down, making sure to keep a comfortable—for her—distance between them.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Just wanted to talk to you.”

“Why didn’t you wait until dark?”

“It’s no fun if you’re not surprised.” He flashed his fangs. “Are you surprised, Little Red?”

“I shouldn’t be, I guess. Isn’t the sunlight hurting you, though?”

“It hurts a bit, when I’m directly in it. It weakens me, makes me sluggish and uncoordinated. I suppose that’s to your advantage.”

“Only if you came here to kickbox. I thought we were talking?”

“Yes, we are.”

June spread her arms and shrugged. “There’s nothing to report. They’re doing tests on him. I think they’re planning more, because they told me we might be here another day. I don’t have any news.”

“I’m not here to talk about him. I’m here to talk about you.”

June eyed him warily. His eyes weren’t visible behind his glasses, but his stare was tangible.

“What about me?” she asked. “I’m not very interesting.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” He folded his gloved hands on his lap. “You seem quite intelligent, to start with—which is why I can’t understand what makes you trust a man like Sam Haain so implicitly.”

Of course, he would show up to continue their argument from the night before.

“It’s not so much ‘trust.’” She sat back against the wall. “He’s been the only one who could help me.”

“And you help him in return.”

“I kind of owe him.”

“Sam is weak. He used to have a respectable amount of power, but it started going downhill when he decided to play diplomat and accept Aaron Jenkins’s offer of peace. He’s even weaker now, in hiding. If he had his old power, he would have cleared his own name by now. He wouldn’t need Micha to be his Get Out of Jail Free card.”

“He still has his supporters.”

Occam chuckled. “Don’t you ever wonder how the self-proclaimed smartest man in the city overlooked a huge, glaring issue that if exposed much earlier, might have kept this whole mess from happening in the first place?”

“What are you talking about?”

“How did a man who had operatives inside the Institute not know Eric Greerson was corrupt?”

She flashed back to Sam and Eric rescuing them in the elevator at the Institute. Sam said he’d overlooked Eric. He’d told June before Eric was an ignorant figurehead, nothing more.

“It’s because,” Occam said, “his operatives inside the Institute were giving him false information.”

June stared at him.

“Not all of them, of course. He’s got a few loyal ones in there, ferrying him information, stealing things for him. They got him the research on the serum, obviously. But some of them have been on Robbie’s side for years. They were telling Sam that Eric was docile and stupid. Robbie’s quest isn’t a new campaign, and his supporters aren’t paltry. This has been going on for years. Robbie had the perfect scapegoat, blaming it all on the SNC, trying to break the treaty.”

June furrowed her brow. “That doesn’t make sense. Robbie wants to bring down the Institute as much as Sam does. He was looking for Sam’s approval doing all that stuff. Why would he hide what Eric was really doing? They both want the same thing.”