Cloud Invasion: R-D 2 (R-D #2)(37)

Had this been Phillips' plan to get rid of the Program? To kill all of them in the midst of thousands of others?

No wonder the clone drank everything she could get her hands on-she'd been instructed to commit suicide.

We probably wouldn't get a full body count for a day or two-the manifests would have to be examined, and there were a few-not many-who'd lagged behind and hadn't boarded the boats, yet.

They were now being questioned by authorities, when they'd had nothing to do with the explosions.

"Rafe's in the air," James informed me. "ETA around ten, local time."

"Good. I hope he's here by the time Corinne wakes."

"I thought she was going to lose it," James whispered.

"She hasn't shown any signs of PTSD until now-not that I blame her," I said. "I'd lose it if I thought Laci was dead."

"Jeff is dead." James sighed. This affected all of us; we'd lost enough as it was. This was one more death to add to that list-what Phillips and his cronies had to pay for. At least we knew whom to blame, now. We just couldn't find the f*cker.

The other thing that bothered me just as much was he'd found a way to get things past Corinne, and neither she nor I understood that. How could that happen? "Who's with Cori?" I asked James. He was headed back to his desk.

"Dr. Shaw."

"Good."

*

Corinne

"Rafe's on his way back. Jeff didn't make it." Those were Leo's first words to me when I opened my eyes. Yes, I'd been on the verge of another panic attack. Instead, I shoved my grief and fear away while covering my eyes with a hand.

"How?" I whispered.

He understood that I was asking about Jeff. Rafe had likely employed his shield and was bounced into the water, who knew how many miles away.

"Jeff was behind Rafe at the checkpoint. You know Rafe's shield only encompasses a few feet. He was too far ahead and couldn't save him."

"Fuck."

"Don't take the blame for this. Neither should Rafe. It's a miracle any of you survived."

"Leo, how can I not feel guilty? Maybe I should have tried harder to read Mary. Instead, I just followed her around like a lapdog, thinking she'd take us to her leader."

"Corinne, you know what we're up against. As long as our Program is alive, they know they can't take what they want. We're all that's standing between them and whatever they have planned. We've seen they have no qualms about killing-even of their own-if it suits their purpose. If the White House is the ultimate goal, well, you know as well as I that we don't need that in charge of the country."

I gave a slight nod. What Leo said made sense, but it still didn't do much to make me feel less guilty. "Is Marcus on his way back?" I asked, attempting to shove those thoughts aside.

"Yes, and Colonel Hunter says Rafe is ready to break his neck. They're on the same flight."

"I think I want to kill him, too," I said. "He thinks this is the way to be patriotic? To sign up for shit like that? He probably couldn't wait to call Askins and spill everything he knew."

"We're hoping to find that out when he gets here."

"I sure hope nobody else knows he's coming," I snapped. "I don't want somebody trying to get him away from us the same way they dealt with those cruise ships. Askins and his bunch have a lot of blood on their hands."

"Well, we know now they've been behind every attack-in a roundabout way, and that includes Montana and Georgia."

"No doubt looking for the results they achieved in Montana. That's why Askins raised his hand first when the President went looking for a place to keep those survivors."

"And why she was kept in the dark afterward, while we weren't included at all. Farrell at the least should have been pulled into the loop, but they didn't want anybody who had even a short acquaintance with morals to go anywhere near their experiment."

"You know, I think this is the first time you've ever revealed your true feelings, Leo. I'm proud of you."

"That's amusing, Corinne. Rafe should be here in an hour. If you're hungry, I'll allow you to get up."

"I want pancakes," I said.

"I'll have someone make them for you," he held up a hand. "I said get up. Not cook."

"How are Nick, Maye and Opal?" I asked as I slid off the bed.

"Shaken," Leo said. "The enemy obviously likes his surprises."

"We're lucky to be here," I said, shuffling toward the bathroom. After all, there were plenty of people who hadn't been so lucky.

"Nick said the same thing."

*

Corinne, are you awake? Rafe sent while I examined my image in the bathroom mirror.

Honey, I can't say how happy I am to hear your voice, I said.

I don't suppose you'd come get me?

I'll be right there. Leo will have a fit, but the bathroom door is closed, so he can't have one until after the fact.

Good.

Rafe barely had time to send his one word message before I stood beside him. He'd just gotten off the small jet and stood on the tarmac of the military installation on Whidbey Island, watching two agents unloading a docile Marcus.