“You’re right. I am here to watch over you, but I’m hardly an angel. I’m just a woman who—loves you,” she said tearfully.
“My angel,” he sighed, closing his eyes, but opened them again. “Don’t cry, beauty. It kills me when you cry.”
Marena took a cloth and wiped the sweat from his face. “I won’t cry if you promise to get some rest. Deal?”
“You won’t float away, will you?”
She kissed his lips and bent down to whisper in his ear. “I’m never leaving you.”
“Good to know.” He touched her cheek. His eyes were bloodshot, with dark, puffy circles under them. He also had intermittent tremors. “I had an angel once—her name was Marena.”
Marena closed her eyes. “Really? That’s a great name,” she told him.
“She was a beauty. I fell in love with her instantly. Bet you didn’t know that.”
“No, I didn’t.” Marena stroked his arm. “But I’m sure she returned your love.”
“Yeah. We had it good for a while. You remind me of my Rena. She loves to help people, too.”
“She sounds like a wonderful woman.” Marena got up and went into the bathroom. She rinsed the washcloth in cold water a few times. Returning to his side, she wiped his face and neck before placing it on his forehead.
Coulter’s hand found hers. Marena felt the heat seep through her skin.
“Thank you.”
She squeezed his hand. “You’re welcome. Try and sleep. I will be here when you wake up.”
He closed his eyes as if the effort to keep them open was too great. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
Moments later, Coulter’s head lulled to the side. Marena watched him to ensure that his breathing evened out. She let go of his hand when it did and placed it at his side. On the way back to the lab, Marena retrieved a water bottle and an energy drink from the fridge. She downed the pick-me-up in a can and half the water. She put her glasses back on at her table and cued up a song on her cell phone playlist. A soft, soulful tune piped into the room. Placing her head on her desk, she started crying so much that she had to remove her glasses.
Seeing Coulter in a state of delirium was expected, but it was troubling nonetheless. He was deteriorating, and time was running out. She cried for a few more moments before drying her eyes and blowing her nose. Frank, you’d better come through as promised.
Putting her glasses back on, Marena grasped the beaker she’d just filled and got back to work.
It paid to have friends with an abundance of resources. Alejandro Reyes owned a crisis management company in Chicago. Marena had done work for him, creating various chemical and technical gadgets used in his work line. So, when she called him for assistance, he was happy to help.
“How’s Coulter? Any improvement?”
“Not yet. He’s in rough shape, Alejandro. One of the drugs I need is in a lab outside of Washington, DC, Biodyne. We need access, and it’s a high-security facility. I can’t go through the red tape. There’s just no time.”
“Understood, and consider it done,” Alejandro replied. “I’ll spec it out and contact you when everything is ready.
“Wait, just like that? Letting us use your jet was favor enough, but this is huge, Dro.”
“Well, it’s not just like that.” He chuckled. “I have to call in several favors, and there will be several moving parts to make this happen. But I promise you’ll have what you need.”
Marena released the breath she’d been holding. “Thank you, Alejandro. I appreciate everything you’re doing to help.”
“Anything for my number one scientist. I spoke to Alexa earlier. She mentioned that you two had spoken and she’s on standby, waiting to help wherever you need her.”
“You two are wonderful.”
“Hey, glad to be of service. Normally we’re the ones calling you, asking for your help. So it’s our turn to return the favor.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Whatever you need, Marena. All my resources are at your disposal.”
Overcome with emotion, she fought to hold back tears. “This means the world to me—and Coulter.”
Hanging up the phone, Marena turned to find Coulter standing there. He appeared as if he hadn’t been at death’s door just hours before. To Marena, it just reiterated that he was fighting against the illness with a Herculean effort.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, more than okay.”
He hugged her. “It’s coming together, Rena.”
“I know.” She touched his forehead. “I just pray we have the time we need.”
“I know we will,” he assured her. “I came in to tell you that Liam’s sending a jet to take us to Jamestown. It’ll arrive at the Sedona Airport in two hours. How’d you do?”
“I was on the phone with Alejandro. He’s provided resources and access to Biodyne. Alexa’s on standby to help where we need her, too.”
“Who’s she?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you. Alexa King is a colleague who’s an expert at close-contact protection. She owns her own company. I’ve done some consulting work for her and Dro.”
“At this point, we need all the help we can get.”
“Yes, we do. Luke is coming with us to Jamestown. He and I will go meet Cutty.” Marena looked hopeful. “This has to work.”
Coulter rubbed her shoulder. “It will. We should get going.”
They went out into the main area to find Lucas eating in the kitchen. He glanced up as they walked in.
“Did you bring Colt up to speed on our game plan?” he asked between bites of his club sandwich.”
“Yes, and I’m going to be there to meet Cutty, too.”
Lucas’s gaze traveled to Coulter.
“Do you think that’s wise?”
“Whether it is or isn’t, I’m not about to let Marena roam around getting in and out of dangerous situations with just you. We don’t know what we’re jumping into, so it’s better to be prepared with a contingency plan.”
“Thanks a lot,” Lucas said.
“That’s not what I meant. I’m talking about there just being two of you,” Coulter corrected.
“Your worry is unfounded. This is my sister we’re talking about, which means I will always watch her back. I protected her long before you came into the picture, after you two broke up, and I will be again when you leave.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Take it however you want, Colt. I’m just saying that she’s suffered more from you than any external danger she’s been up against.”
“I would never intentionally hurt Marena. I left to keep her safe. You know that.”
“Do I?”
“Okay, enough!” Marena bellowed. “We are all on the same team, remember?”
Coulter and Lucas eyed each other but remained silent.
She observed them both. “I’ll take silence over bickering any day.”
Lucas cleared his plate from the table before clapping Coulter on the back. “She’s right. My bad.”
“Yeah, sorry, man,” Coulter replied.
“It’s cool. Dad texted me earlier. I’ll go call him back. He’ll be anxious to hear what’s going on. Never in a million years will he see this coming.”
She closed her eyes. “You’re right about that.”
“I’m sure Terry won’t like hearing that I’m back.”
Lucas snorted. “That’s the understatement of the century.”
“No, he won’t,” Marena agreed. “But he’ll have to get on board because I’m not changing my plans.”
“I get it. Just thought I’d give you a heads-up.”
She went to hug her brother. “Thanks, Luke.”
He grinned. “Hey, we’re family. That’s what we do.”
“I’d hate to be a fly on the wall during that conversation,” Coulter replied.
“No kidding. But when you look at it, you are the fly on that wall,” Marena pointed out. “I can’t even imagine what dad is going to say.”
“True,” Lucas said. “You haven’t exactly been his number one person since you two broke up.”
“That’s understandable. But your dad is flat-out scary. Honestly, I should be happy I’ve been on borrowed time this long.”
Marena had to laugh at that. “You’ve got a point.”
A few minutes later, Lucas went out to the backyard, sat down on one of the patio benches, and called his father.
General Terry Dash was sitting in a recliner, watching television. When his cell phone rang, and he saw who it was, he turned down the volume.
“There’s my boy,” he answered. “We’ve been playing phone tag.”
“Hey, Dad.”
“So, how’s it going? Did you get to the bottom of what’s going on with your sister? Does she have a new boyfriend that she’s keeping from us?” he inquired good-naturedly.
“Not exactly,” Lucas hedged. “She’s been a little tied up lately working on a—uh, project.”
“Project? What’s so important that she’s been evading her father and lying about where she is? That’s not like Marena.”
“You’re going to need to sit down, Dad.”
Terry frowned. “I am sitting down. Now quit beating around the bush and give me a sitrep, Lucas.”
“Coulter is back.”
Terry bolted upright in his recliner so fast that when the footrest closed, it made a snapping sound. “Repeat that?”
“That’s not going to change the answer,” Lucas replied.
“I’m going to kill him.”
“He’s been injected with a biotoxin, Dad. And if Marena doesn’t create an antidote in a few days, someone will have beat you to it.”
Lucas filled his father in on the rest of the details and their location. When he ended the phone call, Terry leaned forward and buried his head in his hands. He was utterly silent and still for a few minutes before sitting back heavily in his chair.
“My God,” he said aloud.
He rubbed his hand across his face before he picked up his cell phone again and dialed a number.
“Hello?”
“Cole, it’s me.”
“Terry, what are you doing calling so late?”
“We have to talk. Where are you? Chesapeake or DC?”
“I’m at the condo. What’s up?”
“I’m on my way. I’ll tell you when I get there.”
Coulter had started going downhill by the time they arrived at Sedona Airport. His temperature was elevated, he was beginning to wheeze, and could only keep liquids down. He also had a violent case of the shakes.
“I was afraid of this,” Marena fretted to herself more than anyone else.
After ensuring that he was resting comfortably on the plush leather sofa, Marena sat next to Lucas.
“He’s in bad shape,” Lucas noted.
“Yes, he is.”
“Is he going to make it?”
“Luke, really?” Marena chastised.
“What? You know I’m a realist. I’m just wondering if, at some point, we’ll be waking up to a corpse.”
“What is wrong with you?” she hissed. “Coulter used to be your best friend. Why are you so cold?”
“You’re right. He was—and then things went south between you two. So now I’m indifferent to the whole thing.”
She eyed her brother. “That’s not true. You talk a mean game, Luke, but I know you. You used to say that Coulter was the best friend you’d ever had. Regardless of what happened between him and me, you two were like brothers.”
“Yeah, well, brothers or not, he wasn’t there for you when you needed him the most. That’s not something I can easily forgive and forget—and neither should you. Which is why I don’t understand why you’re here risking everything to save his life.”
“Like I wouldn’t do the same for you, Dad, Vivica, or Burt?” Marena countered. “Whether I thought the person deserved it or not, I’m still going to do whatever I can to save a life. I would never let someone die when I have the power and the know-how to help them.”