Cloud Dust: RD-1 (R-D #1)(72)

"This troubles you."

"Yes. I can't say who, but I'm uncomfortable now," I said. "The morning may bring terrible news and I don't have information or images to stop it."

"Cutter was not aware of whatever it was?"

"No. See, when someone withholds information from a source, I can't see it at all. Especially if I've never seen the source. If I've seen both, it becomes so much easier."

"A disturbing flaw."

"More than disturbing. Extremely dangerous. When I warned Maye to get everyone out of the villa, it's because I saw their deaths coming, not who was facilitating those deaths."

"Corinne, you will remind me not to interfere with your abilities from now on."

"Ilya, I don't want to interfere with how you feel. That's up to you. If you're mad, then you're mad. Just like anybody else."

"Including you."

"Yes. I was pissed at you and Auggie. Still am, actually. You have no idea how much that hurt."

"He and I may be more willing to listen to you from now on."

"Hmmph."

"I have ground to make up."

"You both do."

"Will this be our suite?" he asked, looking around.

"I hate the whole building," I grumped. "And no window? That's a requirement for my writing. I had an ocean view—for a whole day."

"It still belongs to you," he pointed out.

"And it may as well be on the moon."

"I believe your door will be repaired soon."

"Right."

"My love, I know you are not happy. I would make that otherwise, if I could."

"Corinne?" Leo Shaw knocked on the door and called out.

"Just a minute." I rose stiffly from my corner and went to let Dr. Shaw in.

"I wanted to set up an appointment with you for tomorrow," he said.

"I don't know whether that will help," I observed. "My insecurity inbox is getting crowded."

"What would make it better?"

"A trip to the office supply store."

"They're all closed at the moment. I'll see what I can do for later."

"Cool."

"Corinne suspects that bad news may come with the morning," Rafe said. "So we may have to plan carefully."

"Do you have any idea?" Leo began, offering a concerned frown.

"None, and that's extremely upsetting. I feel uncomfortable, though, and that's never a good thing."

"She hasn't seen the ones responsible, so she can't say what they are planning," Rafe offered.

"I guessed as much. Look, I can give you something to help you sleep."

"I'd prefer not to do that," I said. "I can't warn anybody if I'm knocked out."

"Point taken. I'll go have a word with Colonel Hunter," Leo said. "Corinne, don't escape again. I'm not sure my heart can take it."

After he closed the door, Ilya stepped up behind me. "My heart cannot stand such a blow again, either."

"You started it."

"Are we pointing fingers, now?"

"Yes. I'm tired, grumpy and somebody moved out without letting me explain."

"I regret that."

"Fine. I regret not telling you that I wanted to keep Baikov alive for personal reasons."

"I understand that, just as you understand me."

"Understood."

"Good. Very good. Might I remove your clothing, now?"

"As soon as James is done with us."

"What?"

The knock on the door came immediately. "Come in," Rafe called out.

"Colonel Hunter wants to see both of you," James said.

"What time is it?" I asked, surprising James.

"After midnight. Why?"

"So it's early morning?"

"Technically speaking."

"Yeah."

We followed James down the hall until we reached the rooms August claimed for his office. A cell phone was in his hand and a stunned expression was on his face as Leo Shaw stood nearby, unsure as to what to do.

"Colfer, Montana was the target," Auggie said. "Only twenty people survived, and some of them aren't human anymore."





Chapter 16

Notes—Colonel Hunter

"Somehow, they introduced a variation of the drug into the water supply," Madam President informed us. Shaw and I sat in her office while she explained what she knew. The media was going nuts with the information that nearly two thousand people had died the night before. A few residents hadn't drank water or bathed in it, and those had already been moved away from Colfer.

Initial reports leaked intentionally by the White House said the cause of the deaths was mass poisoning. In a way, that was true. "I suspect they chose that particular town because it was close to the Canadian border and they had sufficient amounts of the derivative drug to test on Colfer's water supply. Face it—Cutter died in Canada, so it makes sense they had a base there."

"Where do you suppose these perpetrators are, now?"