Cloud Invasion: R-D 2 (R-D #2)
Connie Suttle
Chapter 1
Notes-Colonel Hunter
"What the hell is that?" I stared at the exposed spine of the clone pretending to be the President's Chief of Staff, Hal Prentice. Richard Farrell asked me to look at what he'd found in the course of the autopsy.
"That's the reason Corinne couldn't bring him down. Rafe destroyed the device when he broke his neck."
The device, made of metal and electronics, was fused to the clone's spine at the base of the neck. "I imagine it kept the clone's brain and heart working when Corinne attempted to shut them down," Dr. Farrell explained. "The X-rays revealed sensors in both organs. When the device and the victim's neck were broken, everything stopped functioning. There's something else, too."
"What? Tell me it's less terrifying than this," I pointed at the device.
"I believe it was transmitting a signal somewhere-both audio and video. Whoever was on the receiving end has been watching the President for a while."
"And has seen all of us in meetings with the President, no doubt," I said. "Whenever this clone was present, he knew who the President met with and probably what they were discussing."
At that moment, I wanted to hit something. Or someone. This could be the ultimate spying weapon-capture or kill anyone, replace them with a clone who could see and hear everything around them, then transmit that data to a waiting master and the world could be had for the price of a bit of gadgetry.
"Has the President been informed?" I asked.
"I have a meeting this afternoon. She'll see a slideshow and not the body. It's anybody's guess whether the real Hal Prentice is alive or not."
"How's Corinne?" I asked the next question on my list. I'd been in meetings all morning and hadn't gotten an update.
"I left her with Shaw and Rafe. I believe she's waking, but I can't guarantee it, yet."
"We need her," I muttered. I felt bad about that, too. The minute she was capable of walking, she'd be put to work again and that wasn't fair in any sense.
We'd been terrified she'd die after Prentice's clone shot her, but the drug had been administered quickly. So far, her body remained alive and responsive, and the scans Farrell ran showed brain activity.
"We need her help with this," I nodded toward the device clinging to the clone's spine like a creature from a horror movie.
"I wouldn't mind it, either, but we have to take things slowly," Farrell replied. "We've never given the drug to the same person twice, and the physical change we've seen already was somewhat unexpected."
"It's only her hair color, as far as I can tell," I huffed.
"I've checked her eyes. They're a brighter blue," Farrell said.
"If those are the only changes, then we should consider ourselves fortunate."
"I'm concerned about her talents."
"You had to scare me worse than I already was, didn't you?"
*
Ilya
The rest of us woke after a few days, when it became apparent we'd survived the drug. Even Corinne woke faster the first time. This time, three weeks had passed. I was grateful for the scans and other tests Dr. Farrell ran, indicating she was alive.
Still, I was terrified for her. And for me. I spoke to her often and lately, I begged her to open her eyes.
The different hair and eye colors? They meant nothing to me as long as she woke.
"Ilya?" she croaked.
Yes, I'd been far away in my thoughts and failed to see her eyes open.
"Cabbage?" I was up and gripping her hand quickly.
"You okay?" she asked.
"I am more than okay," I responded. "You, however, sound much like a frog in a dry pond."
"Water?" Bright blue eyes blinked hopefully at me.
"Immediately," I said, and shouted for the nurse.
*
Corinne
Rafe sat on one side of my bed, James on the other, while James spoke with Auggie on his cell phone.
"Yes, she's talking. I don't think she's ready for a marathon," James said. "Rafe says her grip is weak."
Yes, the Ukrainian mountain had tested my grip with his hands. I hope he took that as a sign that I wasn't up to lifting weights, running or being smeared across a mat during Krav Maga lessons.
"Colonel Hunter has photographs," James said after covering the cell phone with his free hand.
"Of course he does. Tell him he's a slave driver."
"I think he already knows that. He said sorry at least three times," James blinked at me before going back to his conversation with Auggie.
"Honey, how is Laci?" I asked.
"Colonel Hunter, she's asking about Laci."
"Laci's fine," James relayed the answer.
"Cool. Awesome. Tons of other adjectives," I leaned my head against the pillow.
"Colonel Hunter says we can move, now that you're awake."
"Great. Where are we moving?"
"He says he'll tell you himself when he gets here."
"Joy."
Rafe laughed.
*
"I was afraid to let you see this earlier," Rafe said, handing a mirror to me. I already knew my hair color was different-the white-blonde lengths hung about my shoulders and I couldn't miss that.