"Listen Joe, we don"t have much time."
"Then give me carte blanche carte blanche to do this my way." to do this my way."
"I thought you resented this a.s.signment?"
"I"ve made some progress with her. She"s willing to negotiate. I"ll see this through until you get someone to replace Rider. First, no more restraints- she doesn"t want to escape and you know it."
"I don"t know that."
"Bulls.h.i.t Lydia. She"s scared of something."
Lydia removed her gla.s.ses. "They claim they"re hunted by other vampires- what they"re doing is verboten."
"Sanctuary... "
"I"m sorry?"
"She said you promised sanctuary. Now she"s worried you"re out to harm her boyfriend in some way."
"That"s ridiculous. He"s invaluable to us. It"s incredibly fortunate to have a subject of each s.e.x. Why would we want to hurt him? a.s.sure her that the well being of both of them is the company"s utmost concern, but the well being of my staff is my my utmost concern. It"s not a permanent situation. Once everyone is comfortable, we"ll relax things." utmost concern. It"s not a permanent situation. Once everyone is comfortable, we"ll relax things."
"At least get a phone for them to talk."
"I"ll bring it up with Lee Brooks. We"re already way over budget."
"A couple of phones aren"t going to break the company. And by the way, she needs some things."
Lydia shook her head. "According to their contract they must pay for their personal needs aside from... uh... nourishment."
"Now we"re honoring contracts?"
"There"s nothing in the contract stipulating they be housed together- just that they"re comfortable and secure."
"Trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey, drugged and apart from your partner is hardly what I would call comfortable and secure."
"Be reasonable. a.s.sure her it"s just a matter of time. And as long as she continues to behave reasonably, I"ll agree she"s only restrained for test purposes. But the guards must be present at all times."
"She despises them."
"Her personal feelings aren"t the issue. The baboons, baboons, as she refers to them, are necessary for everyone"s safety, including theirs. We must be very cautious. Dr. Rider believes they lack basic empathy. In any case, they"re highly dangerous and can"t be judged by any standard of human behavior." as she refers to them, are necessary for everyone"s safety, including theirs. We must be very cautious. Dr. Rider believes they lack basic empathy. In any case, they"re highly dangerous and can"t be judged by any standard of human behavior."
"She"s no sociopath. Call it crazy, but I suspect she has a higher purpose in being here. She wants wants to be here. As much as she hates the situation, it"s very important to her. Not just because she"s afraid of to be here. As much as she hates the situation, it"s very important to her. Not just because she"s afraid of them them. It runs deeper."
Lydia"s eyes gave away less than Mia"s. "Promise her if she behaves I"ll relent. Get her everything else she wants or needs within reason, at the company"s expense, and for him too, for that matter. I"ll do whatever I can to help. You have carte blanche."
Joe rose to leave. "Just until you get someone to replace Rider."
"Of course, go see her again tonight. Stop in and see him too."
Joe"s stomach sickened. "Him?"
Lydia handed him a slim file, which contained a medical work-up on the subject. "Kurt Eisen is his name. He"s been quite docile so far but he won"t talk to me, or anyone else for that matter. Maybe he"ll talk to you. You"ve done wonders with her."
Joe shut the door, tension building in his head. Wonderful, now he had two charges and the thought of the male frightened him more. He flipped open the file to read it as he strode toward Mia"s cell.
He didn"t see Lydia break into a self-satisfied smile when he closed the door, tapping her pencil against the desk as she picked up the phone to tell Lee Brooks.
Still not awake, Joe observed when he reached Mia"s cell. He frowned and cleared his throat, barking, "Seven p.m. Wake up!" not awake, Joe observed when he reached Mia"s cell. He frowned and cleared his throat, barking, "Seven p.m. Wake up!"
Her voice was harsh and groggy, like someone who had had too much to drink the night before. "Can"t a girl get any sleep around this place? Can"t even be past sundown."
He wasn"t about to be intimidated. "You"ve overslept. Sun"s been down for twenty minutes."
He snapped on the overhead lights even though she hated the glare. Cursing, she sat up, rubbing at her eyes. "Shut them, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!"
The sheet fell, uncovering her naked body. He turned away. "We need to talk. Get up and put some clothes on."
The pheromone drifted his way. "Don"t have any clean clothes."
"I"ll get you some in the morning. Just put something something on." on."
She took her time. Finally, she was attired in black lace panties and tank top. "Acceptable to your delicate sensibilities?"
His eyes ran down her curves. "It"ll do. I talked to Lydia like I said I would."
"And?"
"She refuses until she"s convinced neither of you are a danger to the staff."
"You believe that?"
"I"ve always known her to be a woman of her word."
"Marvelous to live in a world where someone"s word still means something. So she sends you to bring the bad news. Wonder why? But at least I have the pleasure of your company."
He set down his case. "Lydia agreed you wouldn"t be restrained except when you"re being tested."
"And those charming gentlemen from security?"
"Only when staff needs to come in here- and Lydia is looking into phones."
"Phones? Bulls.h.i.t, she"d listen in anyway. She"s stalling. No deal, Doctor." She pulled a chair from the desk and straddled it backwards, Marlene Dietrich style.
"I don"t know the reason you agreed to all of this or even how you came to find us, but you must have a reason. If you don"t help us, how can we help you? I swear, I"ll continue to lobby for you and Kurt."
She shook her head. "I doubt you have any influence after all."
"I"m the best. They"re d.a.m.n lucky to have me."
"Your lack of false-modesty is refreshing. You"re brilliant, but full of hubris Doctor."
"Hubris?"
"Tragic heroes suffer from hubris."
"Right."
"You had no idea what I meant. You have no idea what you"re up against- but you"re no coward. I believe you"ll fight for us but my problem still remains. Kurt"s on one side of the wall and I"m on the other."
"Isn"t there anything I can do?"
"Perhaps... " She rose from her chair and went over to the desk to open a locked drawer. It amazed him how tiny she really was, no taller than his eleven-year-old twins. After rummaging for a moment, she pulled out a cream-colored envelope with the Genpath logo and brought it to him. "If someone could act as postman between us? Someone not enamored of the inscrutable Dr. Loy? I"d be distressed if our intimate missives were to fall into the wrong hands."
"Deliver love letters between you? Fair enough. By the way, Lydia authorized me to obtain anything you and Kurt might need- at company expense."
"This cell is hopeless. The sheets are cheap. Get new ones."
"So much for resting on the soil of your homeland," he muttered under his breath.
"I wouldn"t recommend the soil of Flatbush Avenue to anyone. Pima cotton."
"Pima cotton?"
"Fine Egyptian cotton- three hundred threads per square inch at the very least. And drawing and painting supplies."
"You"re an artist?"
"I"m a vampire. I paint in my spare time. Books, toiletries, clothes, lingerie lingerie. Send your girlfriend if you"re embarra.s.sed."
He ignored her remark. "So we"re on? You"ll answer my questions?"
She flipped her hair off her face. "Hmm... "
"Who"s hunting you?"
"Who told you that?"
"Lydia. What did you do?"
Her face twisted into distaste. "First, I was born a girl."
"Huh?"
She shrugged. "I have a habit of p.i.s.sing others off."
"That I find difficult to believe. So you are are hiding out?" hiding out?"
"Nosy, aren"t you? Why are you haranguing me- aside from official snitch duty?"
"Seems to me we"re the ones who stand to profit most."
Her eyes glazed over. "When the idols fall, we"ll dance on the ruins... "
"Idols?"
She shook her head, her mind obviously having danced somewhere far off. Just whom whom was she dancing there with? was she dancing there with?
"All right Mia, I did my part. Promise to do yours."
Suddenly she was back in the room. "Gee, heard that plenty of times before, usually after men buy me dinner." Malice flavored her smile. "Just remember Doc, who ends up dessert."
He shuddered at her gastronomical reference.
"I won"t tell anything until I know Kurt"s safe." Her face set into cherubic resolve. "Bring me back his answer. Then we"ll talk."
He stood up, placing her letter in his pocket. "Fine."
"Don"t bother to read it. You won"t be able to- neither will Dr. Loy for that matter."
Joe supposed they communicated in some kind of code unknown to mortals. "I"ve no intention of it falling into enemy hands."
"Good. Get out."
Joe let himself out and continued down the hall to the next cell. The huge guard nodded and grunted, moving aside to let Joe pa.s.s. Joe took a deep breath before he placed his palm in the reader of the inner door.
The male looked up but said nothing as Joe entered. A narrow beam of light from the lamp next to his chair carved his fine-boned face into an ivory mask. Large, haunted blue eyes regarded Joe impa.s.sively. His shape was that of a very young man but one undernourished. He sat upright, dressed in blue jeans, a soft b.u.t.ton down shirt and sneakers, tawny blond curls clipped and combed. Long delicate fingers held a book.
Silent, shunning the fluorescent lights as Mia did, but in contrast to the way she paced like a caged animal about the perimeters of her cell, he sat in solemn stillness, a condemned man waiting for the hangman. Yet to Joe"s eyes, he appeared alien, unlike Mia who looked human and female.
The male hadn"t spoken in three days. When anyone approached, he just fixed an icy blue stare and they"d back off in terror. A basin of water containing a plastic bag filled with blood sat in the sliding panel beside the door. Nausea gripped Joe momentarily, surprising him. He"d seen surgery performed on the brains of living people. Why did this bother him so much?
Joe cleared his throat. "Good evening, I"m Doctor Ansari. I"ve brought a letter from Mia. I"m not sure how you prefer to be addressed."
The vampire"s eyes blinked once as he replied in a boyish voice, his English slightly accented, "You may call me Kurt."
"Very well then... Kurt. How are you getting on?"
The vampire stared at him. Sudden tension flared between them. Kurt tugged at the left sleeve of his shirt then smoothed it down with his fingers. "Mia attacked a staff member. I heard screaming and shouting."
"Yes, the psychiatrist."
Kurt shook his head. "What have they done to her?"
"She was restrained and sedated until she calmed down."
"You"re the neuroscientist. I"ve read your work." Kurt smoothed his hand again over his shirtsleeve. "I suppose it"s pointless to ask when we"ll be re-united."
"Dr. Loy a.s.sures me it should be soon. You read scientific journals?"