Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 110809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“Don’t hold your breath. She’s more close-lipped now than ever.”
“I thought …” My voice catches on the wistful thoughts in my head. I try again, “I thought once we got here, she’d open up. It would be like before. You know?”
“I don’t think we’re ever getting those days back. Not with those creeps always up her ass.”
“She won’t see me.” I meet her gaze.
“I know. She has strict orders that you’re to be escorted off premises if you even step foot inside the White House grounds. Why’d you think I busted my ass to get all the way out here?”
“You missed me?”
She shrugs, a wry twist on her lips. “I guess I just needed the exercise.”
I temper my smile as best I can. “I’m sure that’s the only reason.”
“Don’t be silly.” She covers my hands with hers. “I’ve missed your pointy head.”
“I’ve missed you, too. I think about all of you every day, all the time.”
“Well, hopefully about me more than the rest.” She smiles, some of her old sass sparkling in her eyes.
“Of course.” I nod seriously.
“All right, enough yippity-yapping. I better get back.” She pushes herself to her feet, then lowers her voice. “Watch yourself, Professor. Don’t let your guard down, especially not around that Dragonis. They’re up to no good.”
I walk her to the door. “I wish you didn’t have to go so soon. I could show you my apartment.”
“To make me jealous?” She laughs, the hearty, full throated one that reminds me of days before the plague. “Not a chance. The roaches and I are getting along just fine, thanks.”
“At least let me walk you back?”
“Now that I can do.” She takes my offered arm, and we walk out into the day. She leans on my arm more than she used to, her steps shorter, a little less steady. Her age is catching up to her, and I can’t imagine the move to DC is helping. Worrying about her is just a new layer of sediment settling over me, weighing me down.
“Ladies.” Gage tips his hat.
“Gingers always get me going.” Candice smiles at him.
He gives a surprised guffaw.
I want to melt into the sidewalk. “Sorry. Sorry about her. I think it’s dementia. Early onset.” I pull her along.
“You know where I’m staying, young man.” She points up Pennsylvania Avenue.
“Yes, ma’am.” He grins big.
“Oh my God, Candice.” I groan and pull her away from Gage.
“Still got it.” She chortles lightly. “He’ll be thinking about me for a while.”
“There aren’t enough ‘yikes’, Candice. Nowhere near enough.”
“Just old, not dead,” she grumbles. “Not yet, anyway.”
We walk slowly along the empty street, the sun peeking from behind clouds here and there.
“It’s not safe,” Candice says once we’re out of Gage’s earshot. “Not in the White House, not in your penthouse. Nowhere. They’ve got their fingers in every pie.”
I hold onto her more tightly. “Are you safe? Is Juno?”
“No.” She glances at me. “None of us are.”
“What are they?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know if Juno truly knows, either. I think they’re demons. Old Testament stuff. Pure evil. They use her like a puppet, and something bad is brewing. Something worse than even the plague.” She shakes her head. “I thought coming here would be the start to solving our problems. But it was out of the frying pan and into the fire.” Fear weaves in and out of her words. It infects me, too, and my worry—the pot I’ve kept simmering on the back burner—begins to boil over.
“Could you ask to go back home? Maybe say you don’t like the cold? Or that you want to retire?”
“They’d never let me go. Not when I’m so close to Juno. I’m—what’s the word—leverage? Yes, that’s all I am now.”
“Just ask her if you can go. Maybe—”
She stops abruptly. “Professor, don’t be stupid.” Her eyes meet mine, but then her face softens. “Like I always said, you are such a little dummy sometimes. Don’t you see what this is? A takeover, a coup. Your sister is president in name only. They’re going to use her until they get what they want.”
“But what is that? If she’s only a puppet, they already control the nation. What the hell do they really want?” My whisper is urgent.
“Your guess is as good as mine, Professor.” She pats my hand, and we walk in silence the rest of the way.
13
I’m antsy. Wandering around my apartment and trying to calm my nerves. The next sample is coming tonight. I even left the lab early to ensure I wouldn’t miss Valen.
He’s arrived every night as he promised, but for the last two it was only for a few moments. No more secret messages, nothing passing between us other than barely tolerating each other. I’ve given up on trying to get a sample directly from him, at least for now, and he hasn’t been inclined to talk. In fact, if anything, he seemed hurried. Maybe it’s better this way. Transactional. Cold. From what Candice told me, he’s the enemy. From what Juno told me, he’s not. Damn, which is it?