Chapter 46
Kaitlin took Kane’s hand, and together they stepped through the door of the time machine.
Were they crazy to do this?
They’d just survived the probable end of the world. Maybe they should have taken a little bit of time just to enjoy themselves.
“What a great idea,” Kane said. “Let’s go back to the hotel and go to bed.” He flooded her mind with images of the things they could be doing together instead of this. Heat flooded her body and she almost swayed toward him.
Kaitlin was so tempted. Just not enough. Excitement fizzed in her blood. Besides, it was too late. Behind her, the door to the time machine slid closed.
Kaitlin swallowed.
They were alone inside. Christa had spent the last few hours explaining how the machine worked, or at least, how she thought the machine worked. Melody had helped with programming the time and place.
But who knew if it would go according to plan until they actually tried? This would either work or it wouldn’t. That was exciting. As well as totally terrifying.
She glanced at Kane, who stood with his hands shoved in his pockets—as though he was scared to touch anything—staring at the console in front of them.
“I can’t believe I even thought of this,” he muttered.
“I would have come up with it myself given a little more time. It’s so obvious really.
” She grinned. How far had they come that the idea of going back in time, getting a DNA sample from her dead brother, bringing it back and reconstituting Sam, was obvious?
“And we’ll be okay. I just know it. Sadie saw us. We will do this.”
Kane turned to face her, cupped her face, then lowered his mouth and kissed her, long and slow, until the heat coiled in her belly and her hands gripped his shoulders for support.
Finally, he raised his head. “I love you. Whatever happens, I’m glad I found you. But I really hope this isn’t the end.”
“Have faith. I love you too.”
He took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s do this.”
Now that the moment was here, she hesitated.
Was she taking Kane to his death? Anything could go wrong.
If they’d input the time or place incorrectly, it could be a goddamn tragedy.
If the place was wrong, they could literally end up anywhere, inside a wall, or stuck underground, or.
.. The options were endless. But they weren’t wrong.
At least Christa and Melody were 95 percent sure they weren’t wrong. Those were pretty good odds.
They’d decided to go back to the night before Sam had mysteriously become ill.
They’d both been seventeen years old. If they managed to get his DNA and regenerate him, then presumably they’d no longer be twins—she’d be his older sister.
And they had picked a location inside the compound where they’d all lived—a place where hopefully, a time machine magically appearing out of nowhere would go unnoticed.
Then all she had to do was make her way through the compound to the room she had shared with Sam.
Knock her seventeen-year-old self and Sam out, then get a sample of his DNA from his brain stem.
Easy peasy.
All they’d been waiting for was the Krellians to give the go ahead. They’d been running some human DNA through their systems to ensure that their technology would work. And it was a go.
They moved forward as one. She reached out to the console, and Kane’s hand came down to cover hers. They would do this together. “I love you.”
And they pressed the button.
At first, she thought nothing had happened. It hadn’t worked. And part of her sighed in relief. Then a green light flashed up on the screen followed by some sort of words she didn’t understand. Krellian, she presumed.
“Is that it?” she asked.
“I don’t know. It didn’t seem enough somehow.”
She’d at least expected some sort of music, or whirring or... Obviously, she’d watched too much Doctor Who.
“I suppose we should take a look.” But her feet didn’t move. “I’m scared.”
Kane chuckled. “I never thought I would ever hear you admit that.” He took her hand. “Let’s do this together.”
They crossed the space to the door. She placed a trembling hand on the panel, and it slid open.
Outside was darkness. It was supposed to be 2 am, so that part looked right.
As her eyes adjusted, she could make out their surroundings.
It wasn’t total darkness—spotlights from the perimeter of the compound offered enough light to see.
She recognized the building to her right.
“We’re here,” she said.
Nothing moved. At this point in time, there were only a few guards based at the compound.
The Kindred hadn’t been prisoners. They had been there because they’d believed they were doing important work, making the world a better place.
It might have been better if there were more guards.
Then they might have gotten a hint that something was wrong and gotten the hell out of there before Sam was taken.
They kept to the edge of the wall as they made their way around and to the back of the building where there was a door that led into the living accommodations.
It was locked, but Kane opened it with ease, and they slipped inside.
They moved up the staircase to the second floor.
A light was on at the far end of the corridor—Jake’s room.
Trust him to be still awake. But they didn’t need to pass it; the room she’d shared with Sam was the first door on the left.
It was never locked, there hadn’t been any point.
She placed her hand on the handle and turned it slowly.
If either of them awoke, they would be in trouble.
She slowly pushed open the door, then rolled the gas grenade into the room, heard the almost silent pfft as it erupted. Christa had made it; it contained a sedative that would knock the occupants out for enough time to get the sample.
Closing the door again, she counted to thirty in her head.
Then she reopened it. The room was in semi-darkness, the curtains open so half-light filtered in from outside.
Nothing moved, and she slipped into the room and then came to an abrupt halt.
Her heart stopped, and she blinked to clear her eyes.
There he was. Sleeping peacefully. Tomorrow they would come for him, and she’d never see him alive again. She took in his features and her heart ached.
Then she dragged her gaze away to the other bed. And there she was—her seventeen-year-old self. She’d asked Melody if it was okay to occupy the same space and time as her other self. Melody had said she obviously watched too many science-fiction films. She looked so young. And too thin.
She turned and nodded to Kane.
He stepped to the side of the door while she moved to stand over Sam. He was sleeping, sprawled on his front as he always did. His overlong hair flopped over his cheek, and she leaned down and stroked it away from his face. He was so beautiful. And she’d missed him so much.
“I wish I could save you the pain you’re going to go through. But you won’t remember it.”
Hunkering down, she got out the kit Torvil had given her.
She took the syringe and removed the cover.
After brushing the hair away from the back of his skull, she ran her fingers down his neck, feeling for the vertebrae.
She found the space in between and placed the syringe against his skin.
Then she pressed the button on the top and waited.
A yellow light flashed, telling her that the sample was good, and she released the breath she was holding.
She tucked the syringe back in the case and straightened. Then she went still.
Footsteps. And a light flicked on in the corridor outside.
She moved quickly to stand beside Kane, out of sight if anyone should open the door.
If whoever it was actually came inside, they were fucked.
She realized she’d left the precious case with her DNA sample by the bed, but it was too late to retrieve it now.
The door opened and she pressed herself closer to Kane.
“Kaitlin?” It was Jake’s voice, speaking quietly. “Are you awake? I thought I heard something.”
She held her breath as he stood still in the doorway.
But when nothing moved in the room, he drew back and pulled it quietly closed.
Her heart was racing, and they stayed motionless until the light flicked out in the corridor.
Then Kane wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against him, kissing her neck.
“That might have taken some explaining,” he murmured.
“Yes. Come on, let’s get out of here.” She grabbed the bag from the floor and turned for one last look. She’d thought she would never see Sam again, and yet here he was. It should be enough, but it wasn’t, and she clutched the bag to her middle.
“Time to get back.”
The light was out in Jake’s room as they left, and they tiptoed down the stairs and out of the building.
She stood outside and looked around. This place had been her home for seventeen years.
It was a cold, soulless place, and she was glad she didn’t live here anymore.
If they hadn’t killed Sam, would she still have broken away?
Or would she and Sam have stayed, doing the colonel’s crappy jobs and persuading themselves that they were the good guys?
The machine was where they had left it. She’d half expected it to have vanished—disappeared to God knows when. She pressed her hand to the panel, and they entered. The console had reset itself to go home, and all they had to do was press the switch.
“Time to go save Sam.”
I hope.