The Bloody City (16 page)

“Your brother was a politician too?”

“He was working toward it.” He patted his hand on the tub. “Like I said, we had money growing up. It got me the education I needed. My mother and father are in New York now. My father took a CEO position there. My grandmother is gone, but my grandfather is still here. He’s tried to get me back to my roots before, even though my mother is a gentile and so I’m not considered Jewish.” He drew a deep breath. “I never really accepted that culture anyway. It never accepted me.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling of being an outcast.”

The bathtub was a strange place for existential angst, yet here they were.

“I didn’t grow up with money,” she said. “Quite the opposite. After my parents divorced, my mother was always working. All I really had was Jason, well…I mean…” Her mind went to Katie, to the tattoo on her arm rather than any concrete memory. She hadn’t told Sam about her dead little sister, but maybe someday she would, if he wanted to talk about his brother. “I was never really alone with Jason. That’s the thing about having a twin, even a fraternal one.”

The light over the sink buzzed. Her hand rested on her chest, her heart beating beneath her fingertips. The hard surface of the tub hurt her side, but the rest of her body was comfortable. Sam flexed his toes against her arm, and that tiny movement drew all her attention away from herself and the demons screaming in her head.

“So are we gonna sleep in here?” Sam asked.

“I’ll be damned if I feel like moving.”

June opened her eyes. Muse stood over the tub, hair sticking up around the bandage, hands on her hips. She arched an eyebrow at June.

“Oh, man.” June lifted her head and winced, her back and neck stiff.

Sam snored faintly at the other end of the tub. He’d turned onto his side, giving her more room. She’d slid down, her legs bunched to one side. The blanket had become twisted around both of them. Sam’s pillow was skewed, his hair hanging over the edge of the tub. She had never seen his face look so relaxed.

She squinted up at Muse. “Seemed like a good idea at the time. That’s how most of my experiences sleeping with guys are.”

“I’m shocked.” The corner of Muse’s mouth jerked. “He rarely sleeps so soundly.”

June sank back down in the tub. “If you gotta pee, go ahead.” She grabbed the shower curtain and dragged it across the front of the tub. “There you go. Privacy.”

June extracted herself from the tub shortly after, slowly and painfully. Sam woke with a start when she stood up.

“Morning.” She wobbled as she got out. “God, my ass hurts.”

Sam snorted and slid down in the tub, dragging his pillow with him. He settled on the bottom and pushed his pillow into the corner. “I’ve heard that before.” He snuggled under the blanket.

“Behave.” She reached up and jerked the shower curtain fully closed.

Trina had moved to the bed during the night. June tried to apologize again, but Trina still wouldn’t speak to her.

Muse called her father to ask for his assistance in finding them a new place to hide. June told her to ask him to bring her some proper clothes, especially shoes. She couldn’t run from bad guys in fuzzy blue hospital slippers.

“He’ll get us somewhere safer,” Muse told Sam after the phone call. “Someone is coming to get us at noon. We’re supposed to leave the car here, and someone will pick it up.”

Sam was rumpled and bleary-eyed, and it was strangely charming. He was always so put-together, even for as long as they’d been in hiding.

“Good.” He ruffled his hair. “I’m going out for food. I’m starving.”

June was too, and grateful Sam had spent enough time with her to know to bring back something she could actually eat. She was also glad they had a shapeshifter with them so they didn’t starve.

Trina remained silent through the morning. She refused to eat. Waves of anger radiated off her.

“Is someone going to miss you at home?” June finally asked her. “Do you have kids? Are you married?”

Her eyes flashed. “So now you care?”

“I always cared. This is a crappy situation, and I’m sorry.”

“I have a boyfriend. He’s going to kick your ass.”

“You can thank Occam for this,” Sam said. “If he’d kept his word, I wouldn’t have to do this.”

“Look at it this way”—June cut Sam off before he made it worse—“we won’t hurt you. Micha may not be so lucky. At least you ended up with the good kidnappers.”

Trina huffed and fell back into stony silence.

Sam had brought back newspapers, so they could find out if their escapade the evening before had come to anyone’s attention yet. They also turned the news on TV, but the reporters were just going on about more threats to the Institute from both SNC and Paranormal Alliance members. They also reported on a strange side story about a telepathic woman who had gotten pregnant and lost her powers as a result.

“That’s weird,” June muttered. “Like the baby sucked them out of her or something?”

Trina spoke up. “It’s not unheard of. It’s happened before. The baby’s DNA can alter the mother’s DNA. That’s true of any pregnancy.” She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I really need a cigarette. It’d be nice if you could go get me some. Since you’re the good kidnappers, and all.”

“Smoking is a terrible habit,” Sam said from behind a newspaper. “Just ask June.”

Trina glared in his direction. “Maybe you can shoot me then, so I can quit too.”

“My gun is in my bag,” Sam said. “Don’t feel like moving.”

“Look, I really am sorry.” June sat on Sam and Muse’s bed, trying to give Trina her space. “We’ve been in this situation for months. We’ve gotten desperate.”

Trina folded her arms. “What’s really going on with Micha? Why does he have all those abilities?”

Sam lowered his paper. “Micha was a normal, but he fell victim to the Institute. They’re trying to turn normal people into paranormal ones.”

June raised her eyebrows at him.

He shrugged. “We need at least one scientist to know what’s really going on. We need help.”

Trina screwed up her face. “How could they even do something like that? How is that possible?”

“It’s a long, complicated story.” Sam returned to his paper. “They made a serum, and Eric Greerson injected Micha with it. Now he has a bunch of different powers. He’s one of us now. Hooray.”

“He can’t control them, though,” June said.

“So…” Trina unfolded her arms and sat up straight. “That’s why you and Aaron Jenkins killed Eric Greerson?”

“Not really.” Sam turned a page. “That was more self-defense.”

“So the Institute is as corrupt as they say.” Trina stared across the room.

“Even worse,” June said.

“What does Occam want with Micha?” Trina asked. “I thought vampires kept to themselves?”

Since Sam didn’t seem to mind her knowing the details, June went ahead and filled her in. “We have documentation on the serum. Micha is a guinea pig. We want the Institute to be investigated, but we need medical proof for Micha. Occam was our link to you guys. In exchange, he wants Micha to tell the public his wife’s research is false.”

“And how did you get involved in all this?” Trina asked.

“The Institute took my brother hostage. Remember the press conference back in January? That was Sam’s idea, trying to get them to bring him out. We weren’t at the Institute at the time, like they said—or at least, I wasn’t. But things went downhill from there.”

Trina frowned. “Why didn’t you leave with your brother once you got him out?”

Sam dropped the top of the newspaper down, revealing his face. “Yes, June. Why didn’t you leave?”

June glared at him. “It’s complicated.”

“Is it?” He continued staring at her.

“Yes, it is.”

“Wow.” Trina blinked a few times. “This is a lot of new information.”

“Yeah,” June said. “Some days I still can’t believe it myself, and I lived it.”

At noon, a long black car with tinted windows, much like Occam’s car, arrived to pick them up. This was apparently the preferred transport for clandestine travel. Aaron was inside. He looked a little thinner than the last time June had seen him, four months prior. He was dressed impeccably as ever, though.

“Father,” Muse said. “I didn’t know you were coming. Isn’t this dangerous?”

“I have news,” he said. “I wanted to deliver it in person.”

“Sounds ominous,” Sam muttered.

After they pulled into traffic, Aaron spoke. The partition was up between the front and back of the car.

“The police are investigating what happened at the clinic last night,” he said. “Your little kidnapping scheme.”

“It was the only thing I could think to do at the time,” Sam said.

“You’ll be relieved to know the only thing they caught on camera was everyone leaving the building. Thankfully, the clinic isn’t the Institute, and they turned over untouched footage without a hassle. Well, I say thankfully, but perhaps unfortunately. They saw you, Sam.”

“Of course they did.” Sam sounded unperturbed.

“And you,” he said to June.

June shrugged. “So they know I’m still around? They’re interested in me again?”

“I suppose they’re interested in all of us. There’s a problem, though—a wrench in your works, Sam. They didn’t record the fight with Occam, as there weren’t any cameras in that area. And because Miss Watson left with you, with the files, they came to the conclusion it was some sort of inside job.”

“What?” Trina said sharply.

“I held a gun on her,” Sam said.

“Yes. But they think it was for show. They think Miss Watson was working with you to get the test results out of there.”

“That’s outrageous!” Trina clenched her fists in her lap. “How could they think I had something to do with it? My reputation is spotless.”

“I do admit it sounds staged,” Aaron said. “Micha leaves with Occam. The rest of you leave behind him. It’s clear you weren’t supposed to be in the clinic, Sam, nor was Occam. There’s nothing to prove you and Occam had a struggle inside. It looks like a heist.”

Sam groaned. “Shit.”

“Don’t despair just yet, though,” Aaron said. “There’s more.”

“Do tell,” Sam said.

“The police wanted to know what was taken out of there. So the clinic gave them a copy of the test results.”

“Then they know what’s going on.” June’s stomach did a flip-flop.

“Yes,” Aaron said. “Word through the wire is the FBI was called in on the investigation.”

For a moment, they were silent. Sam sat up straight. “So the Feds are involved now. Just like we wanted.”

June’s spirits lifted. Maybe this was all about to end without any more stress on their part.

“Yes, but”—Aaron held up a finger—“Micha’s test results only show he has paranormal powers. They don’t show where they came from.”

“They need the information we stole from the Institute,” Muse said. “We have to get it to them.”

“It’s at the house.” Sam’s shoulders slumped. “We can’t risk going there right now. I would bet my right arm Occam is watching the place. He’s going to be one pissed off vampire when he finds out his plans are ruined.”

June swallowed. “I hope he doesn’t take it out on Micha.”

“We have to figure out a way to get in the house,” Sam said, “without anyone noticing.”

“Looks like our first order of business is a brainstorming session,” Muse said.

The car took them to an apartment building in a quiet residential neighborhood. Aaron explained it was another one of his secret places, and they would be safe there, providing they didn’t go outside. In reality, this was the third place Aaron had hid them out, and they were still no closer to being “safe.”

“I’m running out of places to hide you,” Aaron said. “Try not to get yourself into any more trouble.”

“Have Ethan get in touch with me,” Sam said. “Don’t tell him anything. I want to speak to him myself. I’m going to see if he can get some of his connections to dig around and find out what the FBI is doing with the test results.”

The building parking lot was surrounded by a high fence, so they weren’t exposed as they got out of the car. As June stepped out, a solution to their dilemma struck her. She whirled around. Sam was crawling out of the car behind her and he furrowed his brow.

“Oh my God,” she said. “That’s it. Ethan!”

“What?”

She could barely get words out in her excitement. “That day we talked to Ethan in the diner, downtown. You faxed him the documents. He has a copy.”

Sam stared at her, his mouth dropping open. “Holy shit. Why didn’t I remember that?”

Muse climbed out behind him. “You have a lot on your mind. Trust me, I know.”

“I could just—” Sam held his hands out, eyes glittering. His next words were clearly “kiss you,” but instead he grabbed June’s head and did just that: a firm kiss, right on the lips.

He let go of her and she stumbled back, mouth tingling, cheeks hot.

“We have to get in touch with Ethan.” Sam bent down and spoke into the car to Aaron. “Call him for me, tell him where we are. Tell him to come see me at once.”

“We’ll eventually have to answer to someone,” Aaron said. “Even with the proof in hand. But this might get us on the right track.” He leaned over and looked out of the car. “Good thinking, June.”

“Thanks,” she mumbled.

They walked toward the building, Sam leading the way. He hadn’t had so much bounce in his step in months. “If Ethan does this for us, I’ll finally let him into the Paranormal Alliance.”

“He’ll be thrilled, I’m sure,” Muse said.

June followed them, licking her lips, cheeks still hot.

The apartment they were to be sequestered in was a small two-bedroom, a little cramped but much bigger than the hotel room. The place was furnished—simple, bland, but everything was clean and comfortable.

Aaron, as usual, promised he would have someone bring around groceries and supplies. They were the most pampered fugitives in history.

They turned the news on. June wished Occam would send Sam a message, preferably one that wasn’t accompanied by any of Micha’s severed body parts.

“My back still hurts from that tub,” Sam complained as they sat on the couch.

“Mine too,” June said. “Guess that wasn’t our most brilliant idea.”