Part 20 (1/2)

He rushed in and she hurriedly shut the door behind him. ”Ryder called. Sloan is missing. Diana is trying to locate him. I inoculated one of the rats to make it seem like I'm doing my father's experiments.”

Melissa was wired, he thought. Maybe justifiably so, given all that was happening. Surprisingly, he couldn't muster the same kind of angst. Taking a step toward her, he touched her cheek and said, ”Good night, good morning and-” he paused to look at his watch ”-good afternoon. I missed you.”

The worry evaporated from her face like a soap bubble in a summer breeze. ”I missed you, as well. The bed was empty without you.”

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, a brush of his lips that grew deeper with each kiss that followed. ”Hmm,” he said as she opened her mouth to him. ”I can't wait until tonight.”

She outlined the edges of his goatee, which had grown thicker over the past few days. ”Me, too. But you look beat.”

”I am, but I can get some rest here while you work, if that's okay.” He inclined his head in the direction of his quiet corner of the lab.

”I'd like that. Plus, I just got the a.s.says back from the lab and need to review them. Maybe prepare some other samples for a.n.a.lysis.” After another kiss, she moved to the a.s.sortment of papers laid out on the black countertop before her.

Sebastian opened his laptop on the far side of the lab and tuned into his favorite version of MTV-Melissa Live and Uncensored.

There was a rather earnest look on her face as she studied the lab results; it was followed by a knowing smile.

He liked to see her pleased with her work. Slouching in the hard metal chair, his duster wrapped tightly around him since he was still cold from his walk to her building, he managed to find a position that was comfortable. Crossing his arms, he tucked his hands beneath his armpits to watch her. Occasionally he would nod off, but he battled to stay awake.

Eventually, he lost the battle.

”You understand what you're supposed to do. Get the test tubes and the rat. Nothing is to get in the way.” Sloan examined the young man's face to confirm that he did, in fact, comprehend his task.

The young man-a friend of a friend of a friend who spoke highly of Sloan's designer drugs-fidgeted before finally nodding emphatically.

Sloan was hesitating over this one. The man seemed a little too young and a trifle too desperate. But Sloan was desperate, as well, and had few choices. He should have kept his last a.s.sociate around for a bit longer. He'd been more responsible.

Funny thing to say about someone willing to do anything for their next high, he thought as he reached into his pocket and held up a few bills in front of the man's face. ”This is to get you there and back. Once you arrive with the goods, I will make payment with this,” he said, holding up a vial containing a clear liquid.

The young man's eyes perked up and he rubbed his gloved hands together as if in glee. ”Dude, I so understand.”

Sloan examined him again, from the combat-style boots on his feet to the multiple piercings and tattoo marring what might have otherwise been a handsome face. He was tempted to call this off and find a more reputable minion, but it was too late. This Neanderthal already knew too much, which made him prime morgue material. But not before he did this one job.

”You should get going,” Sloan advised, and his a.s.sociate grabbed the bills from his hand.

”I'm on it.”

Sloan turned his back on the young man and walked around the edge of the table that was a remnant of his old days in the NSA.

He hadn't known what possessed him to keep the setup, but it had certainly proved worthwhile in the last year or so.

Suddenly he was uneasy. When he turned, he caught a glimpse of the man from the corner of his eye. Had his young a.s.sociate pocketed something on his way out?

Sloan returned to the spot where they had both been standing and carefully examined the area. Nothing appeared out of order or missing. At least not that he recalled. One of the problems of his advancing years.

It was also one of the problems that might be remedied once the young man returned with the merchandise he'd been paid to steal.

With a slightly sprier gait and a lightheartedness he hadn't felt in some time, Sloan walked back to the lab table to prepare the payment for the young man.

A payment of the most final kind, he thought with a chuckle.

Sebastian was half-awake when he heard the creak of the door, the abrupt rush of footsteps and Melissa's startled cry.

A gaunt and very scruffy man stood in the center of the lab, barely a foot from Melissa. He had a knife in his hand and his stance was unsteady. ”Get out of the way,” he instructed, his speech slurred.

Melissa remained at her position by the counter, hands braced against the edge of it. Her body was poised for action, but Sebastian wasn't about to let that happen. He couldn't allow Melissa to be hurt.

The intruder hadn't noticed him. Slowly Sebastian rose from the chair and looked around for something he could use as a weapon. Nothing except the chair, which was too noisy to be moved slowly.

The man waved the knife about in the air. ”Get the f.u.c.k out of the way, b.i.t.c.h.”

Melissa stayed in place, staring straight at the young man. Her gaze wasn't fearful, but calculating, as if a.s.sessing the risks and what she could do.

The man lunged at her.

Sebastian experienced a weird sense of deja vu.To this day, he remembered vividly the seconds before his father had been killed. The car had driven by in front of his sister, his father and a.s.sorted others. He remembered shouting at them, although not what he'd said. He'd run toward his sister and father, intent on getting them out of harm's way.

Only he hadn't been fast enough.

He wouldn't be too slow this time.

His senses slipped into hypermode as everything seemed to slow down around him.

His heart pounded, loud and fast, urging him on. The metal chair was cold and slick beneath his hands. His mouth dry, lungs almost painful when he took a deep breath, he sprung into action. The floor beneath his feet seemed unsteady as he grabbed the chair and, half running, swung it into the path of Melissa's would-be attacker, catching him across the legs.

The man went down in a sprawling heap.

Sebastian placed himself between Melissa and the intruder, keeping her trapped behind him with one arm.

The man recovered and awkwardly lumbered to his feet, knife still in his hand. With a ruthless leer, he lunged.

Sebastian blocked the thrust, but his attacker quickly recovered and wildly lashed out at him again.

Fire erupted across Sebastian's arm as the sharp blade bit through the leather of his duster and across his skin. That didn't keep him from landing a sharp punis.h.i.+ng jab to the man's nose.

Blood erupted in a spray as Sebastian's blow connected soundly. The man grabbed his nose with one hand, but continued to threaten them with the knife.

Sebastian was about to strike out at the man again when Melissa grabbed a beaker from the table and threw it at the man's head.

Their attacker ducked the missile and Sebastian seized the momentary distraction by las.h.i.+ng out a dropkick to the man's upper chest.

Their attacker crumpled to the ground in a heap. Sebastian kicked away the knife, which the man had finally dropped. ”Call Security.”

Their intruder gave an odd groan and went into spasms. ”What the h.e.l.l-” Sebastian cursed.