His tablet rings with a tone I now recognize as being unique to Wren. Austin rushes over and taps the screen. “What is it?”
The look on her face is pure, unadulterated triumph. “That drive was in bad shape.”
“But mywifeis a fucking genius,” Ryker says from somewhere behind Wren.
“Hey. Whose win is this, soldier?” She throws a pillow off screen, and Ryker’s deep, rasping laugh follows. “Go punch something. And say hi to the team for me.”
“I love you, little bird.”
“Love you too.”
Turning back to us, she rubs her hands together. “Are you ready?”
“Yes,” we say at the same time. Austin has his hand on my shoulder, and the contact helps me focus on my breathing. I woke up this morning with a hint of tightness in my chest, and even though I’m not planning on leaving the house while he’s gone, my rescue inhaler’s in my pocket, just in case.
My heart stutters as Corey’s face appears on screen. The video’s a little glitchy, but he clears his throat and stares directly into the camera.
“Dr. Mik, I hope you see this. It’s been, um…fifteen hours since Arturo pushed you off that cliff. I…I’m so sorry. I tried to go after you, but they knocked me out and when I woke up, we were already halfway back to the Hotel Centro.” Corey rubs the back of his neck and swears under his breath. “I’d just called the localPoliciawhen I heard that guy outside your door. Pritchard.”
After a pause, Corey stares into the camera again. “I lied to you, Dr. Mik. My dad…heisa drug addict. But it’s worse than that. He got himself in deep with the Gutiérrez Cartel. Half a million dollars. I didn’t know what to do. They were going to kill him. And then…you had that call with Dr. Branch. Back in April? When he said this drug could be worth billions…” He tears up a little and swipes at his eyes. “Dr. Branch’s research assistant, Wally? I had drinks with him, and by the end of the night…he asked me to help him.”
The video cuts out, static filling the screen for a full thirty seconds before the image clears again. “…analyze the samples I’m going to send you. The cartel thinks the hybrids are sub-standard. That only the Blushing Note orchids are viable for medical research. But they’re wrong.”
Another few seconds of static, and Corey’s face is suddenly right next to the camera. “If I’m lucky, I’ll have enough time to send the hybrid samples—and the protocol I used to create them—to the Smithsonian. I don’t know if you’re alive, but shit. You gave me a chance when no one else would. And I’m so fucking sorry.”
I turn to Austin. “I have to go to the lab. Right now.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Austin
This is a fucking terrible idea. Especially since I was supposed to meet Trevor ten minutes ago.
“You saw how secure everything is,” Mik says. “The assays—the tests—I have to run will take at least a couple of hours, and I have to slice the samples, mount them on slides, document every stage of the process… You’d be bored out of your mind and just sitting in the corner in full protective gear doingnothing. This is the best solution.”
“Leaving you alone isnotthe best solution.”
“You’ll be two miles away. I’m wearing the comms unit.” She taps her ear twice and a little beep sounds in my unit before she turns it off again. “And Ronan will be right outside.”
Pulling out my phone, I force myself to unclench my jaw. Trev’s messaged me twice since we left Mik’s house.
Where the fuck are you?
Don’t you dare stand me up, asshole.
Mik leans across the SUV and rests her hand over my heart. “Austin, go see Trevor.” She presses a key into my palm. “This is yours. If you don’t want to talk at Dunkin’, bring him back to the house. I can even have Ronan bring me home.”
I stare at the small piece of metal and what it represents. Like my dog tags, it’s more than just one thing. More than a key. It’s our future.
“Hey.” Mik’s soft voice pulls me out of the fog, and I swallow hard.
“You’re really sure about this.” It’s not a question, but she answers anyway with a nod. “You’re sure about us.”
“You’re not?” There’s worry in her gaze now, and I hate that I put it there.
Sliding my fingers into her short hair, I pull her in for a kiss. “I’m sure, sweetheart. The words whisper against her lips, and fuck. I can’t get enough of this woman. “But I’ve been trained to make quick decisions. Ones my life depended on. In my world—or whatwasmy world anyway—there’s no room for error. I was sure about you the night we spent in those old ruins. Hell, probably even before I left the hotel to find you. I want a future with you.”
“Then why…?”
