Winter's Storm: Retribution (Winter's Saga #2) (17 page)

“
Thank God. That bought us some time,” Evan said to himself after checking his sister stats that evening.

Only Margo and Evan were in the lab with Meg. Everyone else was trying to catch up on some sleep. The combination of stress and exhaustion was making everyone feel edgy and raw.

Creed had returned to his hotel to get his things. The grown-ups insisted he come stay in the guest house. The others were behaving as though Creed was accepted as a friend, but Margo was too smart for that. She just believed in the old saying, “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” Considering she still wasn’t sure which label fit Creed, staying at the guest house on the grounds made logical sense to her.

Margo had been thinking about Meg’s medical options, as any mother would. She knew she couldn’t just trust Williams to do the right thing, no matter what. She had to think of a way to force him to help without giving up her children.

“
Evan, let me ask you something,” Margo said to him in hushed tones, obviously wanting to keep her conversation private. “How far into dissecting your meta blood samples have you gotten?”

“
We’ve done a lot of research on it already, mom, but what exactly are you asking?” Evan matched his mother’s hushed volume, although there was no one anywhere within ear-shot of their conversation.

“
What I want to know is: How far away are you from decoding the original serum that was given to you three as babies, from the blood?” Her eyes flashed brightly as she spoke.

“
We’ve already done that, for the most part, though you know we were working past that and delving into the how and why of the deterioration factor we discovered,” Evan said.

“
Well, back up. Do you have the data you need to recreate the serum given to you three?”

“
You want me to
create
the formula?” Evan’s eyes were wide with uncertainty. “Why, mom? How would that help Meg?”

“
It wouldn’t help Meg directly, but it would give us bargaining leverage with Williams,” Margo said. “We have the formula to offer in exchange for Meg’s medical assistance. See?” She looked into her youngest son’s eyes pleadingly.

“
Yes, I see,” Evan rubbed his brows with his gloved hands in worried frustration. Realizing he was still wearing his gloves, he pulled them off, one folded into the other, just the way his mother taught him to do all those years ago in her lab on the ranch. That life felt very far away now; so innocent.

“
I would need about five hours,” Evan said looking up at the wall clock and estimated the necessary samples, procedures and calculations to make the serum from scratch. “The product should be exactly what was given to us since I’m using our own blueprint to recreate it, though you have to appreciate that I wouldn’t have time to test it,” his voice slipped. “And we don’t have room for any errors.”

“
Your calculations are always right, Ev. I’ll help you,” Margo stepped closer to her son and gave him a big hug. “Meggie needs us to come up with something. And though those doctors who work for Williams are on the wrong team, Creed is right. They are the greatest scientific minds specialized in metahumans on Earth, and your sister is running out of time.”

“
I know mom. I’ll get you that serum,” Evan said before squeezing her gently once and letting her give him a mom-kiss on the cheek.

“
Have I ever told you how proud of you I am?” Margo smiled up at her little boy.

Evan smiled back and said, “All the time, lady.”

He was exhausted, but he would find the energy it took to keep his promise to his mother.

29 The Spider and the Fly

“
Tell me you’ve made contact,” the Director’s voice was tight with anger.

“
I have done much more than that, sir,” Creed smiled into the phone, imagining the old man’s pleased facial expression.

“
What do you mean?”

“
The female has been given the ‘gift’ as planned, and I hand-delivered her to her family. I’ve gained their trust; I even sat at their kitchen table and ate a turkey sandwich with them! They think I’ve turned against you, just as we planned. The female meta’s condition is worsening, and they’re getting desperate,” Creed surmised.

“
Excellent. Yes, you have done well. Your family will be proud to hear how resourceful and successful you’ve become,” Dr. Williams said, dangling that carrot in front of the young meta soldier. “Have you proposed they seek help from me?” Williams asked loving the anguish that suggestion must have caused his old friend Margo Winter.

“
Yes sir, and though they summarily dismissed the option at first, I know they’re thinking about it. I wouldn’t be surprised if by morning they have a change of heart,” Creed’s voice was intentionally devoid of feeling. “By the way, they’ve invited me to stay at the guest house on their estate.”

“
My, you have been welcomed into the fold!” Williams laughed.

“
Yes, I have. Sir, the female meta, Meg—her condition does look very precarious. The ‘gift’ we gave her, it isn’t going to do lasting damage, is it?” Creed asked, aware his feelings for the girl were at direct odds with his directive and may be showing right through.

“
Lasting damage? Well, if you consider death, lasting damage, then yes. I’d say she is in very real peril,” Williams snickered into the phone.

Alarmed at how quickly Williams could knock the air out of his lungs with just these few words, Creed blurted, “Sir, that wasn’t the agreement. You told me the illness was only for show and she could be cured quickly and easily.”

“
She
can
be cured quickly and easily—once you bring her here, Mr. Young.” Any pleasantries the doctor’s voice hinted to before were gone now. “Bring the metahumans to me and kill Margo Winter. That’s all you have to do, and everything will fall into place,” he summarized.

Creed clenched his jaw. He hated working for this snake and was counting the seconds until he would be free of him. “Yes, sir.”

Creed was just hoping the work Williams was requiring of him before he was given the information to find his biological family wouldn’t leave him permanently scarred and jaded.

“
Call me when the family is ready to make negotiations,” Williams said curtly and hung up.

Creed mumbled into the disconnected phone words that made him feel better for saying, but had no bearing on his current situation. He was still at the mercy of Williams if he wanted a chance to lead a normal life.

He sat heavily on the edge of the hotel room bed. The tacky, green, floral print on polyester bedspread stared back at him with mutual contempt. This all felt so wrong. Now that he’d stepped across that line by allowing Farrow to dose Meg with an obviously deadly unknown toxin, the reality of his actions was stinging hornets to his heart. Nothing about what Williams was telling him to do felt like it was going to be worth it.

And what assurances did he have that Williams was going to follow through with his end of the bargain? Even if he did know his parent’s contact information, why would Williams give it to him? Or was he just going to keep stringing him along, always with one more loathsome task for Creed to complete?

This deal was feeling more and more shaky. Maybe Williams didn’t really know anything about his biological parents and was just pulling on Creed’s heart strings to get him to jump through hoops.

After all,
Creed thought,
Williams has done nothing to earn trust. I don’t know if Gavil’s alive or dead. I was promised more time to heal before being put on this assignment. I was told Dr. Winter was a thief when it’s pretty clear the woman was just trying to protect the meta children. He told me the ‘gift’ was ‘just for show’ and now Meg’s life is hanging in the balance,
Creed thought furiously to himself.

He felt sick to his stomach. Nothing about this was feeling right at all. The eighteen-year-old soldier continued to mumble to himself furiously the entire time it took him to pack his hotel room. And by the time he was ready to leave, he still hadn’t decided what to do. There had to be a way to do the right thing, but he was very worried it was too late for him to wind up a good guy.

30 June in the Month of March

“
Hello, dear. How are we feeling today?” Dr. Kenneth Williams leaned down and kissed the papery dry cheek of the young woman lying on the hospital bed. He didn’t expect an answer after fourteen years of silence. He was just accustomed to speaking with his daughter like this in some vain hope that someday she might hear and know he loved her.

He visited June often, though not often enough, his guilt-ridden conscience told him. He made sure she had the best of care in the basement of this hospital building he designed specifically around her needs. Out of habit, he checked her chart clipped to the foot of her bed. No change.

Long ago, he assigned a trusted meta female named Esther to oversee his June’s every daily need. The meta stood discreetly outside the doors now, allowing the doctor time alone with his daughter.

“
Well, I’m working on your cure, my dear. I’ve sent two of my top soldiers to retrieve the serum I just know will get you feeling better,” he said as he absently adjusted her sheets up around her shoulders.

“
You remember Farrow. She is working with a meta named Creed to make it all happen. We’re just days away from your cure, then we’ll get to enjoy walks in the garden and shopping at only the most exclusive shops; just as I used to do with your mother.”

“
You have your whole life before you, my sweet June. You’ll see. Daddy will fix everything for you.” He smiled as warmly as his leathery face would allow at his pride and joy.

June lay as still as a stone. No matter what he did, Dr. Williams felt her accusatory silence pierce his soul, but not for much longer. Farrow and Creed would bring back the cure. They had to.

Chirping came from his breast pocket. A phone call.

“
Reporting in, sir,” Farrow said obediently.

“
Status?” Williams said, still staring at his baby girl lying helpless in the hospital room bed.

“
Creed has followed directives thus far, and we’re on schedule,” she informed robotically.

“
Well done, Farrow,” Williams smiled at his daughter feeling more confident than ever things would be different soon.

“
What are your feelings about Creed? Is he going to follow through? Or has he gotten too close to the subjects? Do I need to send you reinforcements?”

“
So far, he seems on target. I’ll keep a watchful eye and let you know. But sir, no reinforcements will be necessary. I’ll take care of things myself if need be,” Farrow concluded as any soldier would.

“
I am confident in your abilities. Keep me informed.”

“
As you wish, sir.” Her voice was like syrup on the phone, but that was exactly why he had chosen her to aid in this most important assignment. She was a valuable weapon, as he had determined female metas could be. Farrow was beautiful and voluptuous but as deadly as a viper. Yes, women had their secret weapons no man could duplicate.

“
If you find it helpful, feel free to befriend the male metas,” Dr. Williams added knowingly.

“
I will do whatever is necessary to complete the objectives, sir.” Her voice was like butter on a piece of hot bread.

“
I know you will,” Williams smiled into the phone. “If Creed becomes a liability, I know you’ll take care of him, too.”

“
As you wish, Director,” Farrow smiled widely.

31 Professional Courtesy

“
Leaving so soon, Creed?” a sultry voice whispered from behind him at the hotel’s checkout desk. He didn’t even turn around. He knew who she was. He could smell her perfume.

The guest relations guy, who had been helping with the checkout, stopped to look up at the exchange. He couldn’t help but stare. The girl was gorgeous. Creed ignored his envious ogling and finished signing the receipt in front of him. He grabbed his large suitcase easily, turned and started walking away.

“
You can stop following me, Farrow,” Creed growled once they were out of eavesdropping range.

“
Oh, but I can’t. I have my orders, too, you know,” she said with a smile on her beautiful lips.

“
Your orders are to follow me?”

“
My orders are to be sure your objectives are achieved.” Her voice was crisp.

“
What are you supposed to do if I don’t achieve objective?”

“
I finish where you left off,” she smiled innocently at her fellow meta.

They had stopped walking and were staring at each other in the sunny hotel parking lot.

“
And what happens to me?”

Farrow’s deceptively slender shoulders shrugged noncommittally. “I hope we don’t have to cross that bridge, Creed.” She reached out and touched the collar of his shirt, as though straightening it. Creed reflexively jerked away from her.

Since he first met her some six months ago, she had tried to use her charms on him. She came across, at first, as a thoughtful, intelligent woman, but he learned those were just her weapons. She was poisonous. Fortunately, he hadn’t opened up to her at all. If there was one thing he had learned about himself it was that he hated deceit. That’s probably why Meg’s naïveté struck him as so refreshing and sexy. Meg Winter was the polar opposite of Farrow Schone.