Virals(63)

Kit and Whitney were at a movie, expecting to pick me up at eleven. Their phones would be off.

I checked my watch: 9:20.

Great. I was stuck for almost two hours.

A limo idled by the curb at the foot of the stairs. As I mulled my limited options, the driver's door opened and a black-suited man climbed out. He was speaking into a cell.

He looked at me. I looked at him.

In the lamplight I could see that the man was short and compact, with pale blue eyes and gray hair buzzed to his scalp. A white scar traced the right side of his jaw.

The phone snapped shut. "Miss Brennan?"

"Yes?" Surprised.

"Mr. Claybourne requested that I assist you."

"Mr. Claybourne?"

"The younger Mr. Claybourne." Buzz Cut opened one of the limo's rear doors and stepped aside. For a moment I thought he might click his heels.

Chance must have called the moment I left. Ergo, he'd been thinking about me.

"I'm sorry. Your name sir?"

"Tony Baravetto." Gruff. "Chance Claybourne's personal driver."

I paused. This man was a complete stranger. I'm suspicious by nature and wasn't going to jump into the limo on his word alone.

"I'm sorry, sir, but may I see your phone for a moment?"

Puzzled, Baravetto handed over his cell. I checked. The last call received was Chance Claybourne.

What to do?

Duh. You got another way home?

"Thank you, Mr. Baravetto. A ride would be greatly appreciated."





I slipped inside the house and relocked the door behind me. Then headed straight for my room.

Kit and Whitney were entangled on the living room couch. On hearing my footsteps they flew apart, smoothing hair and clothing.

Gross. Who's the teenager here?

"How was the movie?" I asked.

"Sold out." Kit was clearly embarrassed, tried to play it off. "You're home early. Did you get a ride?"

I nodded.

"Was it grand?" Whitney chirped. "I must hear every scrumptious detail."

"It was fine. I'm going to bed. Night!"

Ignoring their pleas, I scampered upstairs as fast as my dress would allow. Performed a cupcake dive onto my bed. Relaxed. For the first time in hours.

Then I rolled to my belly and screamed into my pillow. What a night.

During the long ride to Morris, I'd dissected my cotillion attack. That's how I labeled them now. By context. The boat attack. The fly on the wall attack. The cafeteria attack. The cotillion attack.

What caused them? Were they random? Or was there a trigger?

Tonight's episode had been different.

I'd felt my brain snap, but no blackout followed. There'd been just one sensory symptom--my ears turning up the juice. Then I'd exhibited a burst of raw physical power. Like Ben catching the engine in his garage.

All things considered, tonight's change had been minor. Manageable. Hell, even useful.

Was the pattern changing? How? Why?

Something incredible had happened to our bodies. Something new to the world, I feared. Whatever we'd contracted had warped us.

In our brains? Our DNA?

I didn't know. But I knew that we were transformed.

Twisted, to the core.

Viral.

I resolved to understand. To get answers.

One way or another.





CHAPTER 45


That night, the storm raging inside me broke.

My dreams were peaceful, free of disturbing images.

I woke energized for the first time in a week. No headache, congestion, fever, or pain. All systems go.

Yahoo!

The gang had agreed to meet before school. I hoped the others had good news, too.

Twenty minutes after rising, I ducked inside the bunker. The mood was light years distant from our last meeting.

Hi and Shelton stood in opposite corners, tossing a tennis ball back and forth. Cooper raced between them, trying to snatch it. Ben sat by the table, watching Coop's acrobatics.

"Hi, guys!"

"Glad you could make it," Hi said. "Only five minutes late."

Shelton dropped the ball. Coop pounced, then rolled to his back to gnaw his prize. Healthy. Content.

"How's everyone feeling?" I asked.

"I'm great!" Shelton's eyes no longer looked haunted. "No problems at all."

"What about you two?"

"Strong," Ben said. "Whatever it was, I beat it."

"I feel like two million bucks," Hi said. "Thank God."

"Even Cooper Dog's tip-top." Shelton tickled the puppy's belly. "Isn't that right, you little fugitive?"

Coop wiggled to his feet and charged Shelton's chest. The two began to wrestle.

Hi, back to his old self, provided color commentary on the Man versus Dog bout taking place on the floor. Even Ben was jovial. A sort of half grin curled the corners of his mouth.

I hated to spoil the good vibes, but decisions had to be made.

"I'm glad everyone's recovered," I said. "I think the worst is behind us."

"Better be," Hi said. "My sweet cheeks can't take any more throne time."

"The worst part?" Shelton pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "That implies there are other parts."