“I thought I had a few more minutes,” she grumbled, checking her hair in the passenger seat mirror. “I wanted to do my hair before we go.”

  Dave gave her a sideways glance, starting the engine. “No need. Everyone will be blinded by those legs.” His hand slipped under her light coat and up the silk-covered thigh.

  She swatted at him with a chuckle, and Dave caught her wrist, leaning in for a kiss.

  “You’ll mess up my lipstick,” she whispered from an inch away, her eyes big with exaggerated protest.

  “Screw the lipstick,” he murmured against her lips, then stole a quick kiss and pulled back a little. “You sure you wanna go out tonight?”

  She smirked. “I didn’t get all dressed up for nothing.”

  “I wouldn’t call it nothing…” he said, turning to the wheel.

  “Drive the car!” She laughed as he guided the Mercedes out of the parking lot.

  “I can’t!” He smiled, taking his hands off the steering wheel for a second. “That blue mini’s too distracting.”

  “Stop it.” Elena grabbed the wheel, laughing. “You’re an excellent driver—I’m sure you can work through the distraction.” She bit her lip in that sexy way of hers, eyes sparkling.

  Dave grinned, spinning the car in a perfect U-turn at the exit. “That I am.”

  They sped down the slick road around the field, headquarters a warm smudge of light in its center. He turned out right—it did take him only two minutes to reach the spot where the dog had dropped the camera.

  It took him another five to find the tiny device and return to the car, his eyes on the sky above, searching for Rob’s squad. He knew it was pointless—they weren’t called Ghosts for nothing.

  He slid back into the driver’s seat and tossed the camera into the gloves compartment. “Ready to go?” He looked at Elena, finding her slumped against the seat, and leaned closer in confusion. “Babe?”

  Someone grabbed him from behind. He bucked, clawing at gloved fingers, but they squeezed his neck so hard, stars flashed before his eyes.

  His vision flickered and went black.

  * * *

  Blinding light stabbed through Dave’s eyelids.

  His eyes fluttered open, only to squeeze back shut, struggling to keep the light out. His skull pounded, his skin burning from neck to limbs, fingers, toes, until all of him felt like a living torch. He gritted his teeth. The smell of bleach hit his nostrils, and he winced, trying to remember what had happened.

  “Elena,” he croaked, forcing his eyes open. He twisted away from the light, propping himself with one arm.

  I got tased, he realized dizzily, taking in the white room, the cold metal underneath him. The burning eased somewhat, pushed to the back by the panic, the need to find his girl.

  His vision slowly adjusted, the light tolerable now, and he looked down at himself. No jacket or shoes, just his white dress shirt and pants. Wires clung to his fingers, the crook of his elbow, and he started pulling them off when he saw who was lying on another gurney beside him.

  Elena was unconscious, her feet bare, her elegant dress rumpled. More wires and tubes stretched from her arms to a big machine between them, and her face…

  It looked as white as marble. The air lodged in his throat.

  He pushed himself off the gurney, his feet not obeying him as he stumbled toward Elena. The machine’s beeping sped up when he tore off the wires and patted her cheek, but she didn’t open her eyes.

  “Wake up, wake up!”

  Elena’s eyelids fluttered.

  “Thank God,” he breathed. “Are you okay?”

  Squinting up at him, she opened her mouth only to close it again without a word. Maybe her throat felt as parched as his.

  He helped her up and pulled her from the gurney. Her eyes struggled to focus on him.

  “We have to go, now. Before they return.” His gaze darted around the room, looking for a way out.

  Only then did he notice rows and rows of gurneys with bodies and IV tubes and machines with screens and wires and God knew what else. What the hell is this place? His pulse beat like a drum, his heart threatening to explode from his chest.

  “Dave,” Elena’s rasping voice pulled him out of his shock.

  “What is it?” He leaned down to her, but she backed off. Her arm felt like ice, and she was swaying on her feet.

  “I’m not feeling well,” she whispered.

  “It’s okay. It’ll be all right, I promise. We just gotta get out of here and call someone.” He found his phone on a table nearby. No missed calls or messages. Someone had turned it off. “Here, I’ll carry you.”

  Just as he pulled her into his arms, something banged behind him.

  Dave whipped around, momentarily blinded by the lights again, but managed to make out an open door and a dark, blurry figure of a man inside it.

  “Don’t shoot!” a frantic voice yelled somewhere behind that door. “We need him. Don’t shoot, you idiots.”

  Before Dave could think, his feet pulled him to the left. He slammed into another door, forcing it open with his shoulder. A dimly lit corridor stretched on and on behind it, and Dave ordered his feet to move, step after step, until he reached a steel door.

  Clutching Elena to his chest, he yanked at the handle and cursed. Locked.

  He whirled, kicking at the door even as the voices back in the room kept talking. Cold, detached, as if they knew he couldn’t get away.

  “What are you waiting for?” the angry voice snapped. A woman, Dave realized.

  “Calm down, Victoria,” the other voice replied. “That’s a reinforced door. I want to see what he will do.”

  Dave’s breath came out in quick gasps as he clenched his teeth against the burning that was getting worse by the second. Two figures showed at the opposite end of the corridor, dark against the light. They just stood there, watching. Watching him as he gripped Elena’s body and whispered, “The door’s locked. I need ideas, baby.”

  She stirred, and he looked down, only to freeze. Her shaking fingers reached up and brushed a trickle of blood from under her nose.

  He began, “Are you—”

  Another trickle came out of her other nostril, and Dave could only stare, the door, the people across the corridor forgotten.

  Elena’s eyes widened as she saw the blood on her hand, felt more of it pour from her nose and down her cheek. “Dave, I…”

  “It’s all right.” His lips moved of their own accord, and he wiped the blood with his hand. “It’s going to be all right.”

  But she choked and twisted in his arms, another trickle of blood coming out of her mouth.

  Dave’s heart seized in horror. It was not going to be all right, he knew it then with terrifying certainty. He was stuck here, with the enemy surrounding him and Elena bleeding out in his arms. Helpless, powerless human, as he’d always been.

  She could heal though. His thoughts sped up at the idea, relief giving him strength to cup her head and turn it back to him. Yes, she could heal, if only he could get away and give her time.

  “Elena—”

  Her whole body seized, her eyes and mouth flying wide open as she grasped his shirt. Dave collapsed to the floor with her convulsing in his arms, trying to hold her still, to calm her down, clueless, useless as her back arched and her nails dug into his skin.

  Then she went limp, her dead weight pinning Dave to the floor, her face a mask of smeared blood and her eyes unseeing.

  He drew a strangled breath, the heat in his veins scorching, unbearable—

  The world exploded in a flash of light.

  Chapter 9

  Pain sighed and tapped her fingers against the armrest, looking around the room. Unlike the backup infirmary on the ground floor, the main one had a waiting room, where old armchairs and couches went to die. She scratched at a cigarette burn in the wood just as the infirmary door swung open, but it was only Doc coming out to answer his phone.

  Another disappointed sigh, and she folded her arms on her chest.

  “Hey, did I miss anything?”

  She jumped at the sound of Chad’s voice. “No. How was practice?”

  Chad waved his hand. “So-so. Felt like Skull just needed a punching bag today.” He wiped his brow and sat beside her.

  Pain smiled with the corner of her mouth as she peered at his bruised cheekbone. It had taken some getting used to, seeing him bloodied and bruised all the time. “You can walk, so you’re probably exaggerating.”

  He chuckled and turned his gaze to Doc as he said goodbye and slipped the phone into his pocket.

  “You can go in,” Doc told her. “But only for a few minutes. What Chris needs right now is friends’ support, not questioning.”

  She got up. “All right, all right.”

  The infirmary smelled stale, and she asked Chad to leave the door open as they walked in. Peter was inside, geared up and armed, a troubled look on his face as he gazed off into space. Chris had finally come around a couple of hours ago, but judging from Peter’s expression, the only good news was that Chris was all right. And while it was more important, they’d all been hoping for some breakthrough.

  “Hey,” Chris said from across the room.

  “Chris.” Pain smiled, grasping his hand. “Good to see you up and kicking.”

  Jane hurried into the room, stopping at Chris’s other side. “How are you feeling?” she asked, looking out of breath.

  He grimaced. “All right. Just pissed about the hair.” He pointed at the side of his head that had been shaved after the accident. Messy blond curls on the other side bounced as he settled more comfortably into the pillows.

  “It’ll grow back before you know it.” She reached up and slipped her fingers into Chad’s curls for emphasis, but Chris just made a face.

  “Yeah, right,” he grumbled. “You would’ve razed the building to the ground if it was your head they shaved.” His face grew serious. “I wanted to ask what you saw when you found me, but Doc said it was just me?” He looked uncomfortable on the narrow bed, with his long arms and legs sticking over the sides.

  She drew a breath, remembering that night. “We heard sounds of fighting, but when we got there, they were already gone. Marco tried to follow them, but it seemed he went in the wrong direction. When he checked from the air, there was nothing. Sorry. I’m just glad you’re okay.” He nodded, chewing on his bottom lip, and she added, “You said they were going to kill us all. What do you remember?”

  He shook his head once, then winced and rubbed his temple. “I saw something down on the street, went to check it out and got jumped. Came around in a car, hands and feet tied. So I pretended unconscious. There was some kind of lab, lots of gurneys. I only remember flashes so I’m not sure how much was real, it was all blurry. They left me for a minute, and I managed to untie my feet and get the hell out of there. But I crashed not far from here, where they jumped me again or maybe someone else? I think they might’ve tased me a few times throughout the whole ordeal. And about what I told you—I’m not sure. I only remember some bits of conversation I overheard, and a name, Victoria.”

  Pain’s heart sank even as she nodded, patting his arm. For two weeks, Chris’s words had been a mystery to her, and she couldn’t wait to talk to him. Now even this small clue was lost.

  “I might remember more later, right?” Chris turned to Doc, who nodded. “Meanwhile, we could try checking that name, maybe? If this woman is of any importance there, and they operate like a military organization, maybe we could check former army or police officers with the first name Victoria?”

  “Already on it,” Peter said with an approving smile. “We’ll let you know when—”

  A loud bang drowned out his voice, and they all whipped around to find Tiffany gaping at the door, a steel tray lying at her feet.

  Dave stared right into Pain’s eyes from where he stood in the doorway. Barefoot. His reddened cheeks and tousled hair told her he’d just been outside, but he wasn’t even wearing a jacket. And in his arms…

  Pain opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat. Her eyes slid over Elena’s lifeless form, her torn dress and bloodied face.

  She glanced at Peter, the look in his eyes cleaving her heart in two. He had raised this girl as he had raised her and Jane.

  It was Doc who spoke first. “Dave?” His voice shook, and for some reason he took a step back, not toward Dave. “What happened?”

  Dave’s wild, unfocused eyes turned to him. “Help her,” he rasped. “Do something. Please.”

  No one moved.

  Pain stepped forward, only to halt when she realized what everyone was staring at. Why Doc had backed off from Dave, his eyes big as saucers.

  Her heart kicked into overdrive. “Dave,” she said, swallowing hard. “How did you get here?”

  The whole room froze, as if everyone was holding their breath, and only the soulless machines kept beeping somewhere in the background.

  Dave looked up at her, a line appearing between his eyebrows as he struggled to form a reply. He opened his mouth, but no sound followed. He looked down at Elena, then back up at Pain.

  His answer came out in a whisper, “I flew.”

  Chapter 10

  Chad was the first to unfreeze from his spot.

  He dashed to Dave, ignoring the churning shield around him even as it parted so he could take Elena from Dave’s arms. Pain wondered if it would let anyone else through in that moment.

  But Doc was already pulling him to a bed, Dave’s eyes following Elena as Chad laid her down on a gurney in a corner. Dave sat down, straight as a rod, the air around him a storming sea.

  Peter still hadn’t said a word.

  Pain watched him gaze at Elena while the others bustled around Dave, even as her own mind refused to believe what she was seeing.

  “What happened?” she heard Doc’s voice.

  “The Commandos… We were in my car,” Dave started in a lifeless voice, only to fall silent.

  Doc let out a hiss as he grabbed Dave’s wrist and touched his forehead. “He’s burning up, Peter. I…” He turned to look at his boss. “I don’t know what to do with this!” He spoke through his teeth, his voice hushed, as if he could keep it from Dave. As if Dave even cared.

  At last, Peter unfroze from his spot and moved to them. His broad back blocked Pain’s view.

  “Jesus Christ,” he muttered. “Just deal with the fever for now, don’t give him anything else. I have to make a call.”

  Doc stared as Peter strode out of the infirmary with his cell phone in hand.

  “What?” Doc snapped. “Peter!” He cursed and ran to the nurses’ room, while Chad took his place in front of Dave.

  “No-no, you stay awake.” Chad gripped Dave by the neck, crouching down to look him in the eyes. “Tell me what happened.” He slapped Dave’s cheek, and Dave’s eyes fluttered open, but he still looked more exhausted by the minute.

  Someone grabbed Pain’s forearm, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. “How the hell is this possible?” Jane hissed in her ear.

  “I don’t know,” the words tumbled out of their own accord. Her brain was too absorbed in what was going on.

  Pain took a step back and perched on Chris’s bed. Chris, who had just come out of a coma and was supposed to be resting.

  “We stopped to pick up the camera,” she heard Dave whisper. “They were in the back seat when I got back. I don’t understand how. I came around, and Elena…” He broke off in a sob, then took a deep breath and continued after a moment. “There was a woman giving orders. They called her Victoria.”

  Doc appeared next to them, a syringe in his hand. “Okay, back off.”

  He made Dave lie down, and as soon as Dave’s head touched the pillow, his eyes closed again.

  Tiffany was close on Doc’s heels, carrying a number of bottles in her hands. The blonde shot them all a scowl but didn’t get a chance to say anything, because Peter came back, still talking on the phone.

  “Yes, I know. No, I’m not demented, I know how long it’s been.” His growl rattled Pain’s bones. He turned away, lowering his voice. “…I would not be calling you. Just speak with the doctor, that’s all I’m asking.” He went still, fingers fisted in his graying hair, before saying, “Thank you.” He handed the phone to Doc, whispering, “Careful.”

  Doc glared at him. “You knew this was possible?” he hissed, bringing the phone to his ear. “Hello? Yes, I’m the doctor. Yes. History of cardiovascular disease?” Doc looked at Chad, who shrugged and shook his head. “He’s twenty-four, fit, healthy… A stab wound a few months ago, nothing serious.”

  Doc’s voice was drowned out by their hushed argument.

  “You knew about this?” Pain locked gazes with Peter.

  “Yes, I knew,” he snapped. “What do you want me to say?”

  “Some heads-up would’ve been nice!”

  Peter glowered at her. “Here’s your heads-up: Some people have succeeded in turning humans into us. The result is totally uncontrollable and unpredictable. Dave here can die of heart failure any moment. You happy?”

  “No, I’m not happy. I just—”

  Chad interrupted her, his face ashen, “Heart failure?”

  Peter turned to him. “Yes, but that’s all I know. We just have to watch him and help him make it through. He’s young, he’s strong—if anyone can survive this, it’s him.”

  “And then what? He’ll be like… us?” Chad forced the word out.

  Peter let out a shaky breath, his eyes on Dave. “No,” he whispered. “Not quite.”

  Is this what the Commandos are after? Pain thought. Peter avoided her gaze.

  Behind him, Tiffany was hooking Dave up to some machine as Doc quietly instructed her, still holding the phone to his ear.

  “He’s passed out,” Jane noted. Chad hurried to Dave’s bed, unaware of Tiffany’s cold stare.

  “It’s just the fatigue. Please, step back,” the nurse said.

  He stumbled backward, darting Pain a frantic look over his shoulder. She moved to pull him back to Jane and Chris. They grabbed a few chairs and sat down.