Cloud Invasion: R-D 2 (R-D #2)(30)

"Marcus is an idiot," I said, massaging the back of Ilya's neck. "First he picked on me, then he decided to show his ignorance." My fingers feathered through Ilya's hair. I could tell he had a headache, and the muscles were tight in his neck and shoulders.

"Let's go to bed," Ilya sighed. "I know a way to take my mind off this."

"Sounds good," I said.

*

The following morning, we woke to pounding on our outside door. James beat us to the door, flinging it open to find Auggie standing outside.

"Marcus managed to escape last night," he said. "I've got a search party out, but we have no idea where he is."





Chapter 7

Corinne

"He may be in Vancouver," I said. "If it's his intention to find the enemy, he may have better luck looking there."

"They'll take what he knows and get rid of him," Matt pointed out. "If he finds them in the first place."

"Well, I think we've already seen that Marcus doesn't bother with thinking things through," Auggie huffed.

"I don't think it's a matter of him finding them, I think it'll be them tailing him until he's caught," I said.

"Fucking fool," Rafe muttered.

"He doesn't know a great deal-they may know what he does already," Leo said.

"He knows more than they do about Corinne," Rafe said. "We don't need that. We have to find the f*cker first. If he places her in danger," he clenched his fists as his face darkened with anger.

"You think he's in Vancouver?" Auggie turned to me.

"I wasn't sure you were listening, but yes, I think he may be there. It's just a train ride from here; the Mary clone was staying there, plus, you said his passport and a few other things were missing."

"How the hell did he get past the guards?" Rafe demanded.

"He told them he wanted some fresh air."

"They let him out?"

"Nobody told them not to." Auggie looked sheepish.

"I want to go after the f*cker." Rafe was pissed.

"How the hell did he get to Seattle?" Leo asked.

"A car was stolen down the mountain-the owner left it unlocked. It was gone this morning. The police found it near the wharf, out of gas."

"So he walked from there to the train station, probably." So far, I hadn't used much of my talent to search for the missing Marcus. I was afraid of what I might do if I did.

"Opal and Nick are on their way back," Matt said. "We can send them after Marcus."

"I want Maye on it, too."

"I refuse to stay here," Rafe hissed. "He may put all of us in danger."

"Fine. Take Cori and see what you can do," Auggie waved a hand in dismissal. "When I tell the President about this defection, what she yells won't be pretty."

"I think he may have contacted Merle Askins," I said.

"Because he thinks that's being a loyal American, no doubt," Auggie blew out a breath. "He knows DB was removed and his general location. He knows where Farrell went. He knows too damn much," Auggie was about to have a meltdown.

"He knows Corinne is even more dangerous than she was before," Matt observed. "That means that Merle Askins probably knows, too-if Marcus contacted him, as Corinne believes."

"Then there's no way to get them to forget what they already know," Leo said.

"I still have eyes on Askins and the Joint Chiefs," Auggie said.

"We're leaving," I announced. Rafe and I disappeared.

*

The crisp chill of a Vancouver morning greeted us as we landed outside a nice hotel near the wharf. A cruise ship was docked nearby; passengers were departing after their cruise from Alaska.

"Why did you land us here, cabbage?" Rafe pulled me against him when I shivered-neither of us wore jackets.

"This is what I saw in the Mary clone's head-she was supposed to be here in Vancouver today-to get on a cruise ship. I think it's a way to get to Alaska without raising too much suspicion."

"She was already planning to go to Alaska?"

"Probably for reasons other than sightseeing. Alaska has a lot of open space, you know, and it borders Canada."

"You think the enemy may be in Canada?"

"It's possible. Those crazies who thought they were the four horsemen were holed up not far from here, remember? I just want Mary to lead us to her contact in this part of the world. Maybe we can get information that way. She really didn't know much-not even the name of her contact."

"Do you know who she was? Before she got the drug?"

"Something made her forget," I said. "She can't remember. She can't even remember that she was someone else. What kind of talent would that take?"

I looked up at Rafe's face-he was just as puzzled by this as I was.

He hadn't shaved, either, and wore just the beginnings of a new growth of whiskers. He looked quite good that way. "When are you going to tell Colonel Hunter that we'll be on the boat with Mary when she sails?" he asked.

"In a few minutes. It sails at four this afternoon, so we have clothes and bags to buy if we're going to be tourists."