Cloud Dust: RD-1 (R-D #1)(40)

Here was cuddled against Ilya's chest.

"Come along. You can't wallow in bed all day."

"I'll bet I can."

"You want Colonel Hunter to turn the bugs on again?"

"I'm up."

"You are so very fine," his fingers trailed down my ribs as I sat up in bed.

"I thought we were getting up."

"We are. I merely wanted to remind you that this is for me."

"Who else would it be for?"

"You make me laugh."

"Right. Are you getting out of bed first, or do I have to crawl over you?"

"You may do whatever you like. I will enjoy the sight of it, either way."

Forty-five minutes later, we were on our way to the restaurant downstairs and the meeting with Auggie, Maye and Nick.

*

"You will be driven to the White House at oh-five-hundred tomorrow morning, where you'll be briefed by the Secret Service agents riding with you and the President. The First Gentleman isn't going," Auggie said when we took our seats at the round table he'd chosen inside the restaurant.

"Thank goodness," I slumped in my chair. Graye Sanders, the First Gentleman, was just another target and his absence would make things easier for Rafe and me.

"The same goes for you," August nodded to Maye and Nick, "only you'll meet with the VP's guards."

Nick didn't seem happy that he'd been assigned to the VP, but Rafe and I'd had nothing to do with the assignments.

"Why the time change?" Rafe asked. "I thought we'd be leaving at seven."

"I had a conversation with the President, that's why," August replied. "Only she and I are currently in the loop on this, so keep it to yourselves and be ready by the designated time. Corinne, did you get a message from Dr. Shaw?"

My appointment with Dr. Shaw had been rescheduled so I could do this assignment. He didn't seem to mind—I'd gotten an e-mail from him earlier, giving me the time for the rescheduled session. "Yeah. We're good," I said. I wasn't looking forward to rising at four in the morning for our drive to the White House, but there wasn't anything I could do about it.

"Dalton has left the Mansion," August went on. "He'll be reassigned next week."

"Will he keep the Program secret?" Maye asked. I suppose Jeff had given her the particulars on Dalton's exit.

"He'd better," August muttered. "His communications will be monitored anyway. He probably knows that."

"This is a snarled mess," I said, rubbing my forehead. Our food arrived, so the conversation slowed as we began to eat.

*

"I don't feel good about this," I mumbled as I joined Rafe in the kitchen early the following morning. We'd slept in our own suites, if you can call tossing and turning sleep.

"What's not right?" he asked.

"Everything. It just feels—weird."

"We have to be downstairs in ten," he pointed out. "Are you ready?"

"I'm dressed. I guess that's ready."

"Come, then." He took my hand and led me to the door. "What do you think is the problem?" he asked as we walked toward the center of the floor and the stairs leading downward.

"It's as if everything is in flux," I said. "Like somebody who can't make up their mind whether they want strawberry or vanilla ice cream."

"Is it that unimportant?" We took the steps together at a quick pace.

"I don't think so—well, that's not exactly true. It's like deciding on strawberry, when you know it's safer, or vanilla, because it holds danger."

"An unusual analogy." We reached the second floor landing and proceeded down the steps to the first floor.

"It's the best I have after little sleep and an early morning," I said.

"Perhaps they'll stop at Starbucks, then," Rafe grinned at me.

"I'd kill for a vanilla latte right now," I mumbled.

"Even though vanilla might be more dangerous?" he teased.

"Please stop. You're way too cheerful. Don't you know that cheerfulness at this hour is unconstitutional?"

"I will curtail that activity immediately."

"Please do. And don't start it up again until I've had more coffee."

"I will keep that under advisement."

"Ready?" August waited at the bottom of the steps for us. Maye had also arrived, but Nick hadn't shown up yet.

"He's on the way," Maye said when August turned to her. Thirty seconds later, Nick came trotting down the stairs.

"Let's go," August said. Until then, I had no idea he was coming with us. I didn't question, however. August was finally getting the authority he deserved, and that was a good thing.

We didn't get to stop at Starbucks. Instead, we drove directly to the White House. Halfway there, I shrieked as the images hit me, and I must have shouted at Auggie while mentally screaming at everyone left inside the Mansion to get out. August hit an alarm on his cell phone, but that early in the morning, few people were already up and time was short.

The Mansion exploded with more than a third of its inhabitants still inside.