Likely they’d both end up ten thousand years ago, in the middle of the goddamn jungle, and the whole thing would start up again.
Chapter 46
Kaitlin took Kane’s hand, and together they stepped through the door of the time machine.
Were they crazy to do this?
They’d just survived the probable end of the world. Maybe they should have taken a little bit of time just to enjoy themselves.
“What a great idea,” Kane said. “Let’s go back to the hotel and go to bed.” He flooded her mind with images of the things they could be doing together instead of this. Heat flooded her body and she almost swayed toward him.
Kaitlin was so tempted. Just not enough. Excitement fizzed in her blood. Besides, it was too late. Behind her, the door to the time machine slid closed.
Kaitlin swallowed.
They were alone inside. Christa had spent the last few hours explaining how the machine worked, or at least, how shethoughtthe machine worked. Melody had helped with programming the time and place.
But who knew if it would go according to plan until they actually tried? This would either work or it wouldn’t. That was exciting. As well as totally terrifying.
She glanced at Kane, who stood with his hands shoved in his pockets—as though he was scared to touch anything—staring at the console in front of them.
“I can’t believe I even thought of this,” he muttered.
“I would have come up with it myself given a little more time. It’s so obvious really.” She grinned. How far had they come that the idea of going back in time, getting a DNA sample from her dead brother, bringing it back and reconstituting Sam, was obvious? “And we’ll be okay. I just know it. Sadie saw us. Wewilldo this.”
Kane turned to face her, cupped her face, then lowered his mouth and kissed her, long and slow, until the heat coiled in her belly and her hands gripped his shoulders for support.
Finally, he raised his head. “I love you. Whatever happens, I’m glad I found you. But I really hope this isn’t the end.”
“Have faith. I love you too.”
He took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s do this.”
Now that the moment was here, she hesitated. Was she taking Kane to his death? Anything could go wrong. If they’d input the time or place incorrectly, it could be a goddamn tragedy. If the place was wrong, they could literally end up anywhere, inside a wall, or stuck underground, or... The options were endless. Butthey weren’t wrong. At least Christa and Melody were 95 percent sure they weren’t wrong. Those were pretty good odds.
They’d decided to go back to the night before Sam had mysteriously become ill. They’d both been seventeen years old. If they managed to get his DNA and regenerate him, then presumably they’d no longer be twins—she’d be his older sister. And they had picked a location inside the compound where they’d all lived—a place where hopefully, a time machine magically appearing out of nowhere would go unnoticed. Then all she had to do was make her way through the compound to the room she had shared with Sam. Knock her seventeen-year-old self and Sam out, then get a sample of his DNA from his brain stem.
Easy peasy.
All they’d been waiting for was the Krellians to give the go ahead. They’d been running some human DNA through their systems to ensure that their technology would work. And it was a go.
They moved forward as one. She reached out to the console, and Kane’s hand came down to cover hers. They would do this together. “I love you.”
And they pressed the button.
At first, she thought nothing had happened. It hadn’t worked. And part of her sighed in relief. Then a green light flashed up on the screen followed by some sort of words she didn’t understand. Krellian, she presumed.
“Is that it?” she asked.
“I don’t know. It didn’t seem enough somehow.”
She’d at least expected some sort of music, or whirring or... Obviously, she’d watched too muchDoctor Who.
“I suppose we should take a look.” But her feet didn’t move. “I’m scared.”
Kane chuckled. “I never thought I would ever hear you admit that.” He took her hand. “Let’s do this together.”
They crossed the space to the door. She placed a trembling hand on the panel, and it slid open. Outside was darkness. It was supposed to be 2 am, so that part looked right. As her eyes adjusted, she could make out their surroundings. It wasn’t total darkness—spotlights from the perimeter of the compound offered enough light to see. She recognized the building to her right.
