THE HALLWAY LED down to darkness, but she walked down it anyway, feeling as if she was being pulled through the dark corridor. She didn’t know where she was, or how she got there, but it didn’t matter. She only knew she had to continue until she reached the end. As she walked, she became aware of light stretching out from beyond the corridor, and she moved faster, eager to reach it before it faded. Nearing it, she saw the light peek out from behind the edges of a large closed wooden door. She reached out to graze her fingers over the soft wood, and the door opened. Light streamed over her, and she could see the figure of a woman. The glare from the light dimmed, and she made out the face of the person within: Varalika. Sarah felt compelled to take a few slow steps forward. Walking through the threshold, the light enveloped her and the door slammed shut behind her.
Sarah’s eyes flew open. She sat up, seeing the morning light pierce the curtains.
Ramsey, who had been sleeping beside her, awoke. “What is it?” he asked.
“Get up,” she said. “We have to go.” She moved into the bathroom and flipped on the shower.
He sat up, still half asleep. “What’s going on?” he asked, rubbing at his eyes.
Sarah poked her head out of the bathroom. “Hurry. We don’t have much time.”
He threw off the sheets and stood. “What are you doing?”
“Come on,” she said, hopping into the shower. “I’ll explain on the way.”
“On the way where?” he asked, stepping into the bathroom.
She stepped out of the shower and grabbed his hand. “Hurry up!”
**
Thirty minutes later, they were in Ramsey’s car and driving down the road. Sarah hung up the phone after having talked with Drake. “Head to Morgana’s,” she said.
“Morgana’s? She’s in the hospital.”
“She checked herself out. Drake’s calling an emergency Council meeting. We’re meeting there.”
“Are you going to tell me what is going on?”
“I’ll discuss it when we all get together. Here,” she said, handing him the phone. “Call Leroy. Tell him to meet us at Morgana’s. I’ll call Hannah and Declan.”
“Hannah’s still at the hospital.”
Sarah put the phone down and put her hand to her forehead. “That’s right. Okay,” she said, thinking. “We’ll wait on them for now.”
Ramsey hit a button on his phone and called Leroy, telling him to meet them at Morgana’s immediately, at Sarah’s request, and that no, he had no idea what it was about.
Hanging up, he glanced over at her. “Is everything all right?” he asked.
She looked over at him but didn’t answer.
Several minutes later, they pulled into Morgana’s driveway and got out, moving quickly up the front walk as Ronald, with a bandage on his head, met them at the door. Sarah rushed in, and Ramsey pointed her in the direction of Morgana’s office. They both entered the room to see Morgana seated at her desk wearing a gray pantsuit, with her hair pulled up in its usual style, looking as if she’d just returned from a day at the spa. Drake was sitting on the couch along with Daphne, the councilwoman whose acrimony toward Sarah had been obvious since their first meeting. Two other men and another woman were also in the room, but their names escaped Sarah.
Morgana stood when they entered. “Welcome,” she said, looking around the room. “You have a captive audience, as you requested.”
Sarah looked over the faces that were staring at her.
“You mind telling us what is going on that requires such urgency?” asked Morgana.
“Is this everyone?” Sarah asked.
“Not everyone can drop everything to be at your beck and call,” said Daphne.
“Be quiet, Daphne,” said Drake. “Charlotte and Benjamin will be here in a few minutes. Anderson is on the speaker phone. He’s out of town but was able to call in.”
Leroy walked into the room. “I’m here,” he said. “Charlotte and Ben are right behind me.” He saw Ramsey. “What’s going on, Sherlock?”
Ramsey shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Sarah advanced farther into the room, her mind racing. She paced back and forth.
“Anyone care for a refreshment?” asked Morgana, sitting back down, revealing the fatigue she felt. “If we’re going to throw a party, we might as well relax and enjoy it. Ronald?”
Ronald appeared at the door just as the two remaining Council members appeared and entered the room.
“A pitcher of lemonade, if you don’t mind?”
“Of course, madam.” And he disappeared, closing the door behind him.
Charlotte and Ben found seats amongst the extra chairs provided, and Leroy and Ramsey remained standing. Everyone was watching Sarah, who became quiet and surveyed the room.
“Well,” said Drake, “you going to tell us what is so urgent?”
Sarah wrung her hands together, as if unsure what to say.
“What is it, Sarah?” asked Morgana. “Does this have something to do with Yates?”
“No,” said Sarah, looking over at Morgana. “No, not Yates. I…” She hesitated, unsure where to begin.
“You what?” asked Daphne. She rolled her eyes. “Please tell me you have something to say and that you didn’t just drag us over here to gush over your success.”
“Oh, shut up, Daphne,” said Drake.
“Don’t tell me to shut up, Drake.”
“She found the serum, for God’s sake.”
“She didn’t find it. Yates did.”
“So what, you want to congratulate him instead?”
“Shut up, both of you,” said Morgana. She sat tall in her seat. “Tell us, Sarah. What do you know?”
Sarah quieted herself before answering and then looked over at Ramsey, who gave her a reassuring nod. “I saw something when I read the Mirror,” she started.
“And what was that?” asked Morgana.
“I think it’s called your overactive imagination,” answered Daphne. When the entire room looked at her with irritation, she crossed her arms and went quiet.
Sarah ignored Daphne and continued. “I didn’t understand it at first. It was a closed door. I didn’t have access to it.”
“What closed door?” asked Ramsey.
“When I read the mirror,” she said, “I saw Varalika, her husband, how she died. And then a door, but it shut on me.”
“So? What about it?” Ramsey asked, trying to help her. “Did you see something?”
“Yes,” she said, holding his gaze and letting him calm her. “This morning. In my dream, the door opened, and I saw her.”
“Saw who?” asked Leroy.
“Varalika. The door opened, and she stood there, on the other side.”
“She did?” asked Ramsey. “What did she say?”
Sarah’s gaze met the eyes of those around the room. “The serum is no good. You can’t use it.”
“What?” asked Drake. Similar shocked comments could be heard by others in the room.
“Do you even know what the hell you’re talking about?” asked Daphne.
“It’s poison. It’s been tampered with,” said Sarah. ‘It was designed to destroy you, not save you.”
No one said anything as what she said and what it meant sank in.
“Explain,” said Morgana. “Are you saying we are back to square one?”
“No, not at all,” said Sarah. “Quite the opposite.”
“I don’t understand,” said Ben, sitting forward in his chair.
“Please enlighten us,” said Charlotte.
“I’ll explain,” said Daphne. “She’s nuts. She’s having delusions, and you’re all eating right out of her hand.”
“Daphne,” said Ramsey. “Either you shut that trap of yours or I’ll grab one of those lemons Ronald is presently squeezing and I’ll juice it between your teeth.”
Nobody argued with Ramsey. Daphne sat back in her seat and huffed, and Ramsey looked at Sarah. “Tell us what you mean.”
Sarah sighed. “I saw what Varalika knew. What put her life at risk.”
“What was that?” asked Morgana.
“She knew about that serum. She dumped it before the ship had any problems. She deliberately got rid of it because she knew.”
“She knew?” asked Drake.
“She knew it was compromised.” Sarah raised her hand and rubbed at her forehead, remembering the dream. “It was a conspiracy.”
“A conspiracy?” Daphne snorted, but then Ramsey glared at her and she didn’t continue.
“The serum,” said Sarah. “You never needed it in the first place.”
“What?” asked Drake.
“At first you did,” said Sarah, now pacing. “When the Grays first arrived, earth’s frequency was too harsh and a serum did exist, but the longer you stayed, the more you adjusted, and in time, you no longer needed it.”
“Then why did we keep taking it?” asked Leroy.
“Something happened. Something on our home planet. There was a division, a faction of Red-Lines that split from the reigning Council. I don’t know what caused it, but they created their own group, their own party. They were covert, and they planned some type of overthrow. I’m not sure.”
“But what does that have to do with us?” asked Morgana.
“They used you.” Sarah glanced around the room. “All of you, as some sort of experiment.”
“Why?” asked the Council member on the phone.
“You were a perfect test group. Using a serum you thought you still needed, but didn’t. They took over as earth’s controlling research team. Unbeknownst to anyone, they began to experiment with Grays. Sending down various types of serums just to see the effects it would have on the population as a whole. They were testing you, experimenting with you.”
“My God. What for?” asked Drake.
“I think they had some sort of plan to eradicate the Grays, but they had to do it without being discovered. You were the perfect test subjects to do that. They had Red-Lines on earth who were part of the scheme, who helped with their plans. But something went wrong. The secret got out, and they knew if they were discovered, their group would be banished. Varalika had somehow learned of their plans, and she was on her way to reveal what she knew. She took her family with her, knowing if she left them behind, they would be at risk. But they got to her first.”
“But I don’t understand,” said another councilman whose name escaped Sarah. “We’ve been taking a serum for years. You’re saying we never needed it?”
“Not for a long time,” said Sarah. “And it was doing you more harm than good.”
“But our people have been dying,” said Charlotte.
“The older ones have,” said Sarah. “The ones who’ve had more exposure to it. Those who’ve had the least amount, mainly the younger group, will have the fewest effects.”
“But the Reds died off without it,” said Leroy.
“The Reds still needed their serum. They never adapted,” said Sarah.
“So the serum is useless?” asked Morgana.
Sarah looked over at her. “Yes. You will all live long and happy lives without it.” The two women continued to stare at each other before Sarah broke the eye contact.
“I don’t believe this,” said Drake.
“Neither do I,” said Daphne. “You sure you didn’t smoke something before you went to sleep last night?”
“You must be thirsty, Daphne,” said Ramsey just as Ronald opened the door to the office carrying a tray of lemonade and then placing it on the coffee table. Daphne met his eyes but then looked away.
“Where is the serum now?” asked Sarah. “You have to destroy it. You can’t distribute it.”
“It’s at a local lab,” said Morgana.
“Dear God,” said Drake, standing.
“What?” asked Morgana.
“This morning. Declan called me. Asked me if he could get some.”
“Get some?” asked Ramsey. “Get some what?”
“Some serum,” said Drake.
“For what?” asked Sarah.
“For Hannah. He thought it would help.”
“He what?” asked Leroy.
Ramsey reached for the phone, hanging up on the council member who was listening in, and immediately dialed Declan.
“You gave him some?” asked Morgana.
“I didn’t give it to him,” said Drake. “He merely wanted to know which lab he could get it from.”
“Damn it,” said Ramsey, listening as the phone rang, but Declan didn’t pick up.
Sarah walked up beside him and pulled out her phone. “I’ll phone Hannah,” she said.
Leroy pulled out his cell as well. “I’ll try the hospital,” he said.
Ramsey disconnected the line and dialed again. The phone rang over the speaker. “Come on,” said Ramsey. “Pick up, Declan.”
**
Several miles away, Declan opened the door to Hannah’s hospital room carefully so as not to wake her. He’d spent the last two nights here, sleeping little on the short couch in the room but not wanting to leave. Hannah’s condition had not worsened, but her lethargy and fever continued, and the doctor, suspecting the flu, suggested an additional night in the hospital. She’d had a fitful sleep, waking when the nurses did rounds and then after a nightmare where she’d dreamed of a man chasing her with a syringe, but Declan had sat with her, helping her to relax and rest again.
Waking early on the second day, Declan had contacted Drake. He’d asked about the serum and learned the name of the lab which had begun to process it. He didn’t know if it would help Hannah heal from Yates’s toxin, but he figured it was worth a try. He’d found the lab, and he’d watched as a technician measured out a dose, diluting it to the necessary proportions, and gave him the prescribed amount.
Now, watching her sleep, he gave silent thanks that she was alive and would recover. The thought of a future without her made his insides quiver. He wanted her well.
As he sat beside her, he drew the syringe from his pocket and pulled off the plastic-covered tip, planning to inject it directly into her IV tube while she slept. He didn’t think she’d be too keen on seeing any needles right now.
Declan placed the syringe at the tip of tube. Before he could inject her, though, he caught her staring up at him. “Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” she said, sounding drowsy but alert.
“Feeling better?” he asked.
“I am. Tired, though.” She shifted on the bed. “When can I get out of here?”
“Soon as the doctor clears you. Shouldn’t be long.”
She eyed him with a worried look. “You look terrible.”
“Yeah, well, worrying about you is not conducive to an overall pleasant appearance.” She moved her hand out from the covers, and he took it in his. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“I know.” She squeezed his fingers. “But I’m good now. The bad guy’s gone, and we’re all alive and well.” She paused, looking around the room. “Mostly well, at least.”
“About that,” he said. “I brought you something.”
“What?”
He lifted the syringe in his hand.
She pulled back. “What the hell is that?”
“Serum,” he said, smiling.
“Serum?”
“Yes.”
“The serum?”
“Yes. The serum.”
“Sarah found it?”
“Yates had it all along.”
“He did?’
“Yes. He found it and had it hidden in his office. I just got back from the lab. They gave me a dose.”
“They did? What for?”
“For you.”
“For me? Why?”
He looked at her surroundings. “I think that’s obvious.”
She looked hesitant.
“What?” He looked down at the syringe. “We’re all going to get some eventually anyway.”
“I don’t know. It’s just weird. Why should I get it first?”
“Well, considering you were instrumental in its recovery and you risked your life to save us all, I think it’s only fitting.”
“You’re sure about that?”
“Of course.”
She looked at the syringe with obvious distaste.
“I promise,” he said. “It won’t hurt a bit.”
She peered up at him with uncertainty, but then relaxed. “Okay,” she said, “if you think it will help.” She placed the arm with the inserted IV in his lap.
“It will. We’ll get you back on your feet in no time.” He brought the tip of the needle to the IV tube just as the phone in the room rang. He considered ignoring it, but something urged him not to. He sighed, recapped the needle, and answered the phone.
**
Three weeks later, the police found Yates Reddington’s body two hours outside of the city, at a remote cabin owned by his corporation. The cause of death was unknown, although an autopsy revealed he’d suffered severe internal hemorrhaging. He’d been on a missing persons list since his wife had filed a domestic violence report. On the day of his abuse, she had confronted him about her discoveries regarding his questionable business practices and his lies about his whereabouts. After turning over the evidence she’d found on his computer to the police, she’d moved out of the house and back into her apartment. She’d cooperated with the authorities, giving them all the information she could, as had those who worked in the home. And although there were suspected issues between the couple, they were only suspicions and nothing concrete.
After searching the records provided and the cabin in which Mr. Reddington had been found, they discovered files on a man named Marco, also reported missing. A knife had been found in the cabin, along with Marco’s ID. Having questioned Reddington previously about Marco’s disappearance, police could only speculate that he’d had some involvement in Marco’s case. But without Marco’s body, there was little they could prove. And with Reddington dead, few business partners grieving over his absence, and with no physical evidence to connect his wife to any suspicious activity, the case went cold.