Cloud Invasion: R-D 2 (R-D #2)(28)

That's when I saw her-a Mary clone. She was here, waiting to report to her superiors about any efforts made to contain DB. That information would likely go straight to Askins and his cronies, and then on to the next one in line.

She knew DB was about to leave his nest to feed.

She knew.

I also saw something else in her, although she was relatively new at this-she'd been staying in Vancouver, and had plans to get on a cruise ship.

I always wanted to see Vancouver.

Shielding my hand to keep her from knowing, I held up the cell phone and snapped several photographs before sticking it in my pocket and tending to business.

The moment the ground rumbled beneath our feet, I mustered all the energy I had and transported DB north of the Bering Strait.

*

"Corinne?"

It took several minutes for me to understand that Rafe was attempting to get my attention.

"Huh?"

I'd used up my last bit of energy to transport myself back to Auggie's office.

"Thank God."

That was Leo's voice. Standing behind Leo was Marcus. I didn't appreciate his presence at all. If I'd been able, I'd have sent him right back to his quarters, just as I'd sent DB to Alaska.

"DB is somewhere near the Bering Strait," I said, attempting to get a hand to cooperate. "I have pictures of a Mary clone down by the wharf. She was waiting to see what we'd do when DB went out to feed. I figure she's really disappointed right now."

"This what you're looking for?" Rafe drew the phone from my jacket pocket and handed it to Auggie.

"Yeah. Thanks. I'm really tired," I said. "Can I lie down?"

*

Ilya

I was beginning to understand that sunlight was as essential to Corinne as food and sleep. I turned two sunlamps on for her after placing her in our bed.

"I'll order more sunlamps," James whispered behind me.

"Be discreet about it-we don't know who's watching," I said. "Come, we'll let her sleep."

*

"Hawaii?" Dr. Shaw and Colonel Hunter drank coffee with Matt Michaels in our kitchen; James and I found them there after leaving Corinne sleeping in our bedroom.

"She and I share a fascination with volcanoes," I shrugged. "We went to Hawaii after I asked her for a more hospitable spot than the top of Christ of the Andes."

"You went there first?" Director Michaels chuckled.

"Unfortunately. James?" I held up a coffee cup. He nodded, so I made two cups of coffee, passing one to him before taking a chair at the island.

"Here's the Mary clone Cori found at the wharf-I've sent Opal and Nick down to look for her, but they're traveling by conventional means and haven't arrived, yet. I doubt they'll find anything, but Nick may pick something up," Colonel Hunter shoved the cell phone across the island so I could look at the photographs.

"Definitely a Mary clone," James said. He'd taken the chair next to mine and studied the photographs with me.

"We'll have to wait until Corinne wakes to get more information," Dr. Shaw said. "I suspect there's more, anyway."

"I believe all these clones have partial information-not enough to set anyone on the proper trail," I said, handing the phone to James. "It's in Phillips' best interest to destroy the originals who know too much and only keep clones. I wonder whether any of them knew that was his plan?"

"Doubt it," Matt Michaels sipped his coffee.

I very much doubted it, too, but I kept that opinion to myself.

"I'm sending Dr. Farrell to Wales, Alaska, to look for DB," Colonel Hunter said. "He asked to go."

"That's probably a good idea," James said, handing the cell phone back to me. "That's not one of our phones," he added. "I wonder where Cori got it."

"Don't ask," I patted James' shoulder.

Why did I have the feeling that I could use that phone to call my daughter and nobody would know?

"I already have copies of the photographs-that's all I found on there," Colonel Hunter said. "You can give it back to Corinne."

"I will." I stuffed the phone in a pocket. Like the binoculars she'd given me, I imagined it worked far better than anything else currently on the market.

"We've postponed any work on the facility," Colonel Hunter began. "I wanted those windows, but bringing people in and out will just be a red flag to anyone watching. I have no idea whether we're safe here or not, but it's looking more and more like we won't be safe no matter where we go."

"Are you intending to let the Governor know that it's all right to make repairs and open the waterfront again?" Matt Michaels asked.

"I'll see that he gets the message tomorrow. In the meantime, I have eyes on Merle and his cronies. I'm interested in what they do when they get the news."

"I have some people I trust with eyes on Elliott Bay," Matt said. "I'm waiting for word-there are a few boats on the water that we haven't been able to identify."

"It makes sense that they'd be watching for DB to make his appearance. I'll bet they have cameras on all those boats, too, so they can scare the crap out of the public when DB shows up. Except he won't," James said.