Chapter 21 #2
It stayed in the body far longer than expected. Two to three days before the body was able to clear it from its tissues.
It had massive effect on existing shifters. It made them more aggressive, yes. But also more emotional all the way around. It was subtle, but it absolutely colored everything a shifter did for days.
Cecilia had already guessed the first three conclusions, but she stared at the fourth for a long, long time.
Shifters who drank the water had heightened emotions and made decisions under the influence of those emotions.
Things like passion and love were artificially increased.
She looked at Hank while her mind tallied up data points.
Would a man like Hank really fall in love with her in the space of twenty-four hours? Was that logical?
No. It was much more likely that he was showing symptoms of the poison. What he called bonding magic was more likely the influence of the Detroit Flu.
Cecilia stared out the window, not seeing the buildings outside.
He’d said he loved her, and she’d believed him.
She’d ignored logic and gone with what she’d been feeling.
What they’d both felt. But what if all of it was a lie because of the tainted water?
What if she’d allowed herself to dream about children and a home in the suburbs when everything would disappear after the poison left his system?
Pain cut deep, shredding dreams she hadn’t even realized she wanted so desperately.
A family with Hank. A life with a man who calmed her, understood her, and was devoted to her happiness.
But his feelings weren’t real, and the pain of that realization nearly cut her in two.
But she wasn’t going to cry. There wasn’t time for it.
What she was going to do is end the Detroit Flu forever and then she and Hank could sit down and figure things out.
Or maybe she’d just go back to Atlanta and pretend that this whole magical nightmare had never happened.
Because it was just too much to process.
Hank noticed her distress. He even tried to touch her, but she pulled back.
She couldn’t allow herself to respond now that she knew his affection was the lingering effects of the poison.
She wasn’t going to expose herself to feeling anything with him until this was over.
Then they’d see where they were. Until that moment, she would just hold herself together by focusing on the problem at hand.
Eventually, they pulled up to Dr. Oltheten’s lab.
She climbed out and headed straight for the front door.
The others parked at different locations, hidden somewhere doing supersecret spy soldier stuff in case there was a problem.
They hadn’t shared the details with her, and she was hoping that none of it was necessary.
She walked in and met the front desk security guy.
He was an older man with dark eyes and a bored expression, but his expression narrowed when he noticed Hank standing a step behind Cecilia.
Hank hadn’t said a word, but she’d known he would follow her inside.
And despite her revelations of the last hour, she was grateful to have him beside her.
His emotions for her might not be real, but hers had solidified the moment she’d seen the wolves attack him. She loved him and wanted to build a life with him. And even if he turned from her tomorrow, at least he was with her now, supporting her as she faced down this damned Flu.
“Hello,” she said firmly, drawing the guard’s eyes to her. “I’m Dr. Cecilia Lu with the CDC. I’m here to see Dr. Oltheten.”
The guard’s expression cleared. “Dr. Oltheten is excited to meet you. He’s been waiting.”
She nodded. “That’s excellent. If you’ll point the way?”
“Sign here,” the man said. He spun a clipboard around, and then he looked at Hank.
“He’s with me,” she said quickly, hoping to forestall a problem.
“No problem,” the guard said. “Always happy to include our ursine friends…assuming he leaves his weapon here.”
Cecilia’s head snapped up. Oh hell. Hank confirmed her thoughts before she could even phrase the question.
“He’s a werewolf. This is the wolves’ lab.”
“Don’t get your panties in a twist,” the guard said. And yes, there was something definitely wolfish about his expression. “We want to solve this Flu as much as you do.”
That sounded reasonable, except now Dr. Oltheten’s words didn’t add up. Why would he hide shifter research from the werewolves?
“I think Dr. Oltheten needs to come down here to me,” she said, but it was too late.
Two more guards came out from a back room and though neither of them looked particularly threatening, she knew they weren’t about to let her leave.
Well, not her, but maybe Hank could escape.
She touched his arm. “Maybe you should wait outside—”
“Not a chance.”
He wasn’t leaving, so they went through the rigmarole of being patted down. Hank gave up two pistols and a knife. How had he hidden those? And she let the guard inspect the briefcase Alyssa had given her, which had nothing but her electronics inside.
“Second floor,” the guard said, motioning them to go on through a door set behind the security station. “Right through here.”
He wasn’t following them and being threatening? Cecilia took that as a good sign. Even better was that it was relatively mundane housing for a high-tech lab: a two-story office building with security and offices on the first floor and the lab on the second.
Hank didn’t let her go first up the stairs.
He pushed her behind him as he slowly opened the door to the second floor and then stepped inside before her.
She watched from the stairwell as his body visibly tensed.
She saw his shoulders shoot backward and his hands curl into claws.
But he didn’t shift. He couldn’t since he’d gone bear this morning and had to wait another two days before doing it again. And then he grimly gestured her inside.
She went nervously, but she was determined.
She stepped out into a cluttered, messy lab, allowing the heavy fireproof door to thunk closed behind her.
She looked around her, mentally sorting through the equipment scattered about.
She noted immediately that it was all secondhand, of the ancient model variety.
For all that beta Sims had claimed a beautiful lab, this was not what she was used to even at the cash-strapped CDC.
The second thing she noticed was the smell. Hybrid stench, pure and simple. It made Cecilia’s eyes burn and her gag reflex kick in. Fortunately, it wasn’t bad enough that Cecilia doubled over, but damn, that would take some getting used to. And some industrial-grade ventilation.
And then there were the people. Five plus her and Hank. All men, probably all wolves, and all of them grinning.
That did not bode well, especially since she now recognized one of them as the werewolf alpha Emory Wolf. But closest to her was a middle-aged man with a balding pate and a feverish look in his eyes. He turned to her with the widest grin and approached her quickly.
“Dr. Cecilia Lu. I’m very excited to meet you. Were you at my presentation? I was so sick, but I prayed—literally prayed—that my message would get across. Have you seen my paper? I couldn’t get it to upload onto my website, and of course no one would publish it, but you know about shifters.”
His words came manically fast, but she followed them. Hell, she’d probably sounded like that a few times in her life. So she shook his hand but she kept her expression cold. “Why did you lie to me, Dr. Oltheten?”
“What? Oh, yes! Sorry.” He rubbed a hand over his forehead and across the top of his head.
It was like he was smoothing down hair that had long since disappeared.
“Emory said you wouldn’t come if you knew I was working for him.
But I didn’t lie about the rest. I have data on the Flu.
I know all about it. And he’s an excellent employer, I can tell you that for certain. I’m sure we’ll get along famously.”
She held up her hand to stop him from speaking, and her eyes went to the werewolf alpha. “I don’t accept jobs from people who try to abduct me. Or kill people.”
He arched a brow. “I don’t believe I was the one who killed anyone.
” His voice trailed suggestively away and his eyes went to Hank.
Which was bullshit, and they all knew it.
The werewolves had attacked them first. But now that she was here, she might as well make the best of it.
If she could get any information out of Dr. Oltheten, then this would be worth it.
She hoped. And in the meantime, she’d lead with false bravado before she hightailed it out.
“Whatever,” she said with a sigh. “Consider this my official refusal of your job offer.” Then her gaze went to Dr. Oltheten. “But I need to see your data. People are dying.”
Dr. Oltheten nodded. “You know it’s not a virus. It’s—”
“Privileged data,” the alpha interrupted.
He gestured to two of the other men in the room.
They nodded, each picked up a cardboard box, and disappeared out a far side door.
Meanwhile, the alpha strode forward, his expression congenial.
“Come work for me, Dr. Lu. I’m confident that you and Dr. Oltheten will figure out how to stabilize the hybrids. We need them functional, not crazy.”
It took her a moment, but she figured it out. “You’re creating hybrids on purpose.” Not a question, and he didn’t deny it.
“I’ll admit that this has gotten away from me. I didn’t expect so much damage.”
“Damage? You mean the dead people?”
He sighed. “That’s why you’re here. Work with him. Find a way to stabilize the hybrids. It’s what we all want.”
Cecilia glared at him. “And if I say no?”
He smiled as he headed toward the same distant door. “Don’t. People are dying, and he can’t figure it out alone.” Then he pushed his way through the far door.