New Species 13 Smiley (11 page)

She peeked out and moved once she was sure they weren’t
within sight. She went to the street, peered around the corner and saw Bruce
about sixty feet away. A group of tourists passed and she moved ahead of them
so they’d hide her if he looked back. She ducked into a coffee shop two stores
down.

The waiting customer line was long so she entered their
unisex bathroom and locked the door. Her hands shook as she stared at the
phone. Gregory had a doctor on his payroll. Could they really just send him
into a police station to say she was nuts and take her way? It wasn’t a risk
she was willing to take.

She dialed and got information. “New Species Homeland.” She
pushed the button to connect the number directly. It rang twice and a pleasant
male voice answered.

“Homeland. How may I help you?”

“I don’t have a lot of time. I’m being tracked. My name is
Travanni Abris. I’m the one in the video on TV. I’m in trouble. I need to talk
to Smiley. Gregory Woods is trying to make me give an interview to the press to
tell lies about him and New Species.”

“Right. Sure you are. Look, you can’t talk to him and you’re
the fiftieth Travanni that has called in the past half an hour alone.”

She leaned against the locked door. “Brass was with Smiley.
Brass is a big guy, scary, and wears his hair in a ponytail. The medics were
Shane and Ned. I escaped from them at a truck stop. I’m really Travanni Abris
and I’m in trouble. Gregory Woods kept me prisoner at his vacation home. I just
escaped from two of his guards and they are searching for me. I stole a cell
phone they are tracing right now. I have to dump it or they’re going to find
me.”

The man’s voice deepened. “Where are you?”

She rattled off the address and the name of the coffee shop.
“I’m hiding in the bathroom. I can’t stay here.” She bit her lip. “Can you help
me?”

“We’ll send a team. Stay in the bathroom.”

“They could come in here and take me.”

“Do you know a nearby safe location?”

She didn’t know the town well but she’d seen a park on the
other side of the shopping center when she’d driven through it. It had been
memorable because of the large statues. “There’s a park. I can hide there,
maybe.”

“We’ll send a team. They can be to you within twenty-five
minutes.”

“Okay. I have to ditch this phone.”

She hung up and flipped it over but she couldn’t find a
place to remove the battery. She entered the stall and dropped it in the
toilet. It sank into the water.

Bruce had fifty-seven dollars in his wallet. She memorized his
full name and where he lived. The cash went into her pocket and she dropped the
wallet into the trashcan. She took a moment to dump paper towels over the top
to hide it from sight.

It was terrifying to unlock the door and step out of the
bathroom but she was more afraid to stay put in case the signal from the phone
was still active. It would lead them right to her. The customer line was still
long as she eased out of the room and glanced through the big windows at the
street. Bruce and the driver weren’t within sight so she approached the door,
looking for them. Only strangers passed as she exited.

She turned and walked quickly, trying to stay with groups.
She wished she could change her clothes but all the clothing shops looked
expensive. Fifty-seven dollars wasn’t going to get her an outfit.

She passed a T-shirt shop, paused, glanced at a sale sticker
and entered. The friendly teen grinned. “Hi! Is there anything I can help you
with?”

“Just browsing.”

She quickly assessed the racks and grabbed a baggy black
T-shirt. It was on sale and she didn’t even take the time to look at what was
printed on the front. She moved to the back of the store where they had men’s
cotton shorts. She grabbed a medium that was marked down to ten bucks and
strode to the counter. They had cheap flip-flops and caps. She snagged black
ones, dropping everything on the counter.

The girl rang her up. Vanni winced, handing over most of the
cash. “Do you mind if I change here? I’m running late for a workout session
with my personal trainer. I can’t exercise in this.”

“Did you go to a funeral?” The girl gave her a sympathetic
look.

Vanni looked down at the horrible shirt and skirt. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry. I lost my uncle last year. Who did you lose?”

She picked up her purchases. “Someone I barely knew.” That
was partially true. She’d been wrong about Carl and he might as well be dead to
her.

“There’s a bathroom right there.”

The skirt and shirt went into the trashcan and she put on
the loose, ill-fitting clothes. Her hair was already up so she just pulled the
cap over it, hoping it would help her blend. The heels followed the discarded
outfit into the trash. She stepped into the flip-flops and exited the bathroom.

“Thanks!”

She didn’t wait for the girl to respond or comment if she
noticed Vanni wasn’t carrying her things out with her. She checked the
sidewalk, didn’t see the limo, Bruce or the driver. She tucked her chin, kept
her head down and blended in with the crowds traveling in the direction of the
park.

* * * * *

Smiley had been in Justice’s office arguing his case to
search for Vanni when Flirt rushed in.

“Travanni Abris just called our main line.” He held a phone.
“I downloaded the recording.” He hit play. Everyone listened to the exchange.

“We have to get her.” Smiley wanted to rush out the door and
go to the helipad immediately. That was the fastest way to reach her. “Call the
pilot to start the helicopter.”

Flirt glanced at him. “Already done.”

Justice frowned. “It could be a trap.”

“You heard the fear in her voice,” Smiley snarled. “Let’s
get her. They held her against her will. It was just as her friend said. She is
in trouble.”

Fury stood. “I’ll go.”

“No, I will.” Justice rose from his seat and opened his top
drawer, withdrawing a holster and gun. “She briefly met me at the hotel. I want
her to see a familiar face. You heard what Smiley had to say about what she may
have overheard in the SUV on her way to Homeland. She might believe we have
sent a team to arrest her if we just send them to her location. I don’t want
her to run if she really is in trouble.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Fury protested. “I’ll go with the
team. It might calm her just seeing a Species face.”

“I’m going.” Smiley surged forward.

Fury leveled him with a cold stare. “No. It could be a trap
to lure you there. You going after her would make you appear guilty of their
charges. They’ll say you arrived to prevent her from speaking to the press.”

“That’s another reason I’m going. I’ll handle the press if
they are lying in wait to see if we show.” Justice clipped on the holster and
yanked his jacket off the back of the chair. He stared at Flirt. “I assume you
asked for a team to assemble at the helicopter?”

“Yes. I wanted them on standby in case you decided to pick
up the female.”

“At least allow me to ride in the helicopter. I won’t get
out.” Smiley needed to be there. Fury and Justice worried it was a trap but he
didn’t believe that. She’d sounded so frightened in the recording.

“No.” Justice approached him and gripped his shoulder. “You’re
too emotional and that’s the last thing we need. We’ll bring her here safely if
her story checks out. You can see her then.”

He wanted to protest but Justice spoke again before he
could.

“We can argue or I could go to that helicopter, getting it
in the air faster to reach her. Which is it going to be?”

“Go,” Smiley ground out.

Justice and Flirt strode out of the office and Fury sighed.

“I hope it’s not a trap.”

“She’s in trouble.” Smiley was certain.

Fury’s gaze held his. “I hope so for all of our sakes. I don’t
know the female but I really detest the Woods Church. Do you wish to go to
Security with me? We’ll monitor the situation from there. The team will stay in
constant contact with us.”

“Yes.” Smiley at least wanted a minute-by-minute update if
he couldn’t be there.

Vanni craned her neck, peering around the large bear statue
she hid behind. The street wasn’t too far away and the limo had passed twice.
Bruce and the driver were hunting her and she was afraid they’d find her before
the NSO arrived. She wished for a watch but had to guess at how much time had
elapsed since her frantic phone call to Homeland.

What if they don’t come?
It was a scary thought.
What
if they are coming to arrest me?
That was a real possibility if Gregory
made good on his threat to hand over that vial with her fingerprints on it. She
leaned against the front leg of the large white statue and hugged her waist.

It all boiled down to her being more afraid to call the
police. Bruce wouldn’t have bluffed about Gregory having a doctor on his
payroll since he hadn’t known she was close enough to overhear the plan. She’d
end up sounding as insane as the doctor would claim if she ranted about an
entire church out to get her.

Her purse was still at Gregory’s vacation home. Though she
had no money, no identification and no car she refused to risk putting Beth in
danger by asking her to come pick her up. Bruce knew what her best friend
looked like. She shivered, imagining how terrible it would be if he spotted
Beth. He might shoot her on sight.

Beth said she had talked to Smiley. She knew Beth wouldn’t
have urged her to contact Homeland unless she thought it would be okay.
What
was said?
She peered out at the street again. There was no limo but no SUVs
were in sight either.

“Where are you?” It had to have been twenty-five minutes. It
seemed as though it had been hours. It was the fear and adrenaline. She leaned
back and looked up at the sky. It was growing warmer by the second. The shade
of the big statue kept her out of direct sunlight but it would be a long day if
the NSO didn’t show. She’d be too afraid to make her way across the park until
it got dark. Bruce didn’t seem the type to give up easily.

Maybe he’ll bleed to death.
It was something to hope
for. At some point he’d need to seek medical attention. She doubted he’d go to
a hospital though, unless he blamed her for being shot and wanted to cause her
grief by reporting it. That was a grim concept. The police would be searching
for her too. She pictured the headlines in her head.
Deranged woman shoots
poor bodyguard who was trying to get her help.
She snorted.

A distant sound caught her attention and she peered up at
the sky again. Her heart rate increased when she realized what it was. The
helicopter neared and she spotted it over a line of trees. It was black with
white lettering on the side. She squinted against the sun behind it but was
pretty sure it spelled out three letters—NSO.

“They came,” she muttered and pushed away from the statue.

The helicopter flew closer and she lifted her arms, waving
to get the pilot’s attention. He seemed to have spotted her since it changed
direction. Her exuberance dimmed a lot though when the wind from the blades
ripped off her hat and the loud engines almost deafened her when it lowered
about a hundred feet away on the grass between the line of trees and the big
bear. She threw up her hand to protect her eyes and waited until it touched the
ground.

The side door opened and four black-clad, uniformed men
jumped out. The assault rifles cradled in their arms didn’t bode well for a
friendly welcome. They spread out fast, dropped to one knee and pointed the
weapons outward as if they were expecting an attack. None of the muzzles were
aimed at her though.

A figure in a suit climbed out last and he kept his head
tucked until he passed the moving blades. Vanni recognized him and stumbled
forward, unsure if she should approach Justice North or flee in the opposite
direction. His dark gaze locked on her and she couldn’t miss the grim set of
his mouth.

She paused and waited until he halted before her. “You came!”
She had to yell.

He glanced around, speaking loudly enough for her to hear, “Come
with me. You’ll be safe.”

She shifted a little to look around him at the helicopter.
She had hoped Smiley would come to get her but he wasn’t there.

“We can’t stay on the ground long. We didn’t get permission.
The police will arrive soon and probably news crews.”

She swallowed hard. They’d come at her request and it wasn’t
as if she had any other options. A helicopter landing in a park would draw a
lot of attention. She turned her head and looked at the street. Cars were
stopping and people rushed out of the stores to stare. She faced Justice North
and nodded.

He reached out his hand and she took it. He had warm skin
that reminded her of Smiley. She followed when he tugged gently. Her legs
trembled and the sound of the helicopter wasn’t exactly soothing. She’d never
flown in one but Bruce could show up at any second if they were still in the
area.

Justice tucked his head and led her to the open helicopter
door. He released her hand and she gripped the floor of the cargo area, unsure
how to climb in. It was higher than she imagined one would be. That dilemma was
solved when Justice gripped her hips and just lifted her. She grabbed at one of
the seats and scrambled inside. It wasn’t graceful but she was in. His entry
made it look easy when she fell into a seat and watched him. He just put his
hand on the floor and kind of jumped. He motioned her to scoot over and she did.

The four uniformed men rose and returned to the helicopter.
They were inside in seconds and the door slammed. It didn’t mute the engines or
blades by much. Justice sat next to her and handed her a belt. He pointed over
her lap to the other side and she glanced down. She strapped in and watched him
do the same. One of the uniformed men sat next to him on his other side while
three of them sat opposite.

She stared at their guns since their faces were covered with
tinted full-face shields attached to helmets. They all wore NSO patches on
their Kevlar vests. The helicopter lifted off and she moaned in response to the
queasy feeling the motion caused. The entire thing seemed to sway back and
forth for a few seconds. She looked out but regretted it as they lifted higher
than the treetops.

Justice touched her arm and she started. She turned to him
and he held out chunky headphones, motioning for her to put them on. She
accepted them and watched him put on a matching set. He even showed her how to
push the mic close to her mouth. She followed his example.

“Can you hear me?”

His voice came out clearly in the headphones against her
ears. “Yes.”

“You look unwell. This mode of transportation is safe. Don’t
look out the windows if you are bothered by heights or fast motions. Just focus
on me.”

“Okay.” She kept her gaze locked with his. He had pretty
eyes and the grim expression in them had faded.

“I’m Justice. Do you remember me from the hotel?”

“I do.”

“You don’t look well, Travanni. Do you need medical
attention? We can have our doctors standing by when we land.”

“It’s probably just the makeup. I’m okay. Scared but okay.”
She sealed her lips. She was nervous and didn’t want to babble. He was Justice
North. Her fate was in his hands.

“There’s no need to be frightened. Can you tell me why you
called us?”

“I was held against my will at Gregory Wood’s vacation home
last night. They were planning to force me to say Smiley drugged me.” She let
the story come pouring out. She babbled after all but it kept her distracted
from the horrible way the helicopter bounced around. Her fingers dug in to the
seat tightly enough that she worried she might do damage to the leathery
material.

“I didn’t drug Smiley,” she swore. “They said they paid the
bartender to do it. That Bruce guy put on gloves, withdrew a glass vial and
forced my fingertips against it. They put it in a plastic bag so Gregory could
frame me if I didn’t say what he wanted.” Tears filled her eyes. She really
wanted him to believe her.

He scowled. “We ran background checks on all the employees.
The bartender worked several shifts with other Species in his bar without
incident. That’s why we assumed it was you. The team said you walked directly
to Smiley when you entered the bar, as if you targeted him.”

“I didn’t even realize he was New Species until after I sat
down. Gregory said you have graveyards full of bodies at Homeland and
Reservation. Please don’t kill me.”

“We don’t kill females.” He reached out and hesitated before
patting her knee. It was a comforting gesture. He stopped after two taps. “That
male says a lot of things about us that aren’t true.”

“Gregory also said they paid some woman to sit by Smiley but
she was running late or something. Instead, I showed up and interfered with
their plan. It was just by chance that I chose to sit there. I wouldn’t ever
drug someone. I need you to believe me. I hate the Woods Church and everything
they stand for.”

“Why were you at the hotel with them then?”

“Carl told me he wanted to make it up to me that we weren’t
spending any time together. He works a lot. I thought it was just going to be
the two of us for a romantic weekend. Instead, after we got there, he lays it
on me that his father is paying us to attend. I wanted to leave but I didn’t
have my car. Carl tricked me and then I felt stuck.”

“Why would his father pay you?”

“The media was giving his dad grief because Carl and I never
attend his church or go to social events with him. That was a good thing in my
mind since Gregory and I never got along. I guess Gregory figured it would make
them stop if we were his guests. Carl was fixated on the money and kept telling
me we could have a better wedding if I’d just keep my mouth shut and smile for
pictures. It’s been a constant argument with us since we started planning our
wedding. It’s traditional for the bride and her family to pay and the groom
springs for the reception. He wanted four hundred guests but the chapel I could
afford only seats a hundred. I absolutely refused to get married at his father’s
church. He offered that but it was a deal breaker for me.”

Justice opened his mouth as if he intended to speak but then
closed it.

“Carl said his dad was going to pay us fifty grand to be at
the hotel to take pictures with him. Carl started guilt-tripping me into just
staying for a few days. I should have left. Let’s just say I got to see a whole
new side of my ex and I didn’t like it one bit. I’m glad the engagement is off.”

He grimly regarded her. “Do you know why they drugged you
too? It would have been more effective if they’d just heavily dosed one of our
males. He would have attacked any female near him. That would have been
horrific. You experienced a milder version of the drug but full dosage of even
that drug would have made Smiley deadly.”

“Gregory said he wanted a victim to parade around in the
media to keep the story active. He was afraid the NSO would sweep it under the
rug otherwise by blaming Mercile Industries.”

“That male is deranged.”

“Tell me about it. I just got an up-close-and-personal
experience with how nuts he truly is. His church members think he’s some kind
of messiah who can predict the future. I’m still confused whether they just
think New Species are going to take over the world or believe they plan to
slaughter everyone. I don’t even think they can decide.”

“Why would we kill others? We lock ourselves behind secured
gates to protect our people from the out world. They come after us, not the
other way around.”

“I know. I follow the news.”

He grew quiet and she lowered her gaze to her lap. Mr. North
seemed really nice and she hated to repeat any of the garbage Gregory or his
members had shared.

“They plan to send us a vial with your fingerprints then?”

She looked up. “Yes. I swear I didn’t drug myself or Smiley.
It was the bartender.”

“It makes sense. You were the only female to go near our
male but the bartender was the one to mix the drinks. He had no criminal record
and showed no hatred for us during his interactions with our group.”

“There’s always a first time, right?”

He cocked an eyebrow.

“You know, every bad guy was once good until he crossed a
line. I don’t think they come out of the womb being assholes.”

His expression cleared and he smiled. “I like you, Vanni. I
see why Smiley was so adamant about defending your innocence.”

That news surprised her. “He was?”

“Yes. He’s protested our assumption that you dosed him but
you have to admit the circumstances made you appear guilty. You had no form of
identification on you that night and you weren’t registered at the hotel. Then
you escaped the SUV taking you for medical treatment at Homeland.”

“I was afraid I was going to be arrested for something I
didn’t do. That’s why I ran away.”

“I understand. We’ll be at Homeland soon. I need to contact
them so I’m switching broadcast signals to a secure one with the NSO. Just tap
me if you need to speak and I’ll switch to the short-range one we use to
communicate in the helicopter so our signals don’t travel.”

“Thank you.”

She made the mistake of turning in her seat and staring out
the window. The helicopter flew high and fast, the ground far enough away to
assure her they’d die if it crashed. It made the swaying sensation worse.

I hope we get there soon or I’m going to throw up.
Good
thing I haven’t eaten anything today.

* * * * *

Smiley paced the floor. The pilot had radioed in that they’d
picked up Vanni and she seemed unharmed. Justice had not contacted Security
though, and it drove him insane.

“Relax,” Fury ordered. “We knew he planned to speak to her.”

“He should have broadcast it.”

Jericho shook his head. “What if our channels are breached?
It could happen. It’s safer if any of the details Justice learns from her are
secure.”