We have to get out of here. If only Ellesdarm could read minds. With a sigh, she let go of consciousness.

  She dozed, waiting for time to pass, and the dim rays of sunlight woke her. The ache radiated, and her body warmed as the first tendrils of infection flared.

  “We need water, food, and I think there’s an infection setting in,” she said, and caught sight of Fawcett, his face bloodied and bruised, one eye a puffy mass. His arm hung uselessly.

  “We’re stuck here until the day passes,” Ellesdarm murmured.

  The urgent need to empty her bladder warred with the pain and fuzziness invading her mind. “What’s down that way? Is there any way out?” She pointed to the rear of the cave.

  “We didn’t really look that far. It’s a sewer, and we don’t know the layout.”

  She reached for her bag and sighed when she discovered it missing. “My bag?”

  “Didn’t see it,” whispered Fawcett, and she watched as he moved restlessly on the ground.

  “How bad are your injuries, Fawcett?”

  “Dislocated shoulder, maybe a broken leg too. Bruising and so on. I’ll live.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut, willing her mind to whir to life. Two with reasonably significant injuries. One who appeared unharmed. What was the best option?

  “Ellesdarm, are they running regular patrols past here or just when the opportunity comes?” He’d been awake for some time and would have a better idea, she theorized.

  “Irregular. Sometimes it’s a single individual, then at others…” Ellesdarm shrugged. “Why?”

  “Neither of us is going to be able to set any records. Fawcett’s got a suspected broken leg and me… Look, we need to get word to the base that we’re still alive. Everyone will be focused on the launch later—”

  “It took place last night.”

  “Wha…” Reality impinged. Of course they’d launched. Jonah had indicated hours when they’d left the base, and that time had come and gone. Senna just hoped it had gone smoothly.

  “Okay, even so, they’ll be busy re-grouping. We need assistance out of here, but if they can use the sewer system, we can do that covertly. You need to get back, report, and get us help. We’ll stay here. Wait for assistance.”

  She read the shock on his face.

  “You’re our only hope. One person uninjured has more than a chance, and we can’t leave Fawcett here alone.”

  “But how…”

  “We wait until their patrol is complete. Check to make sure the way is clear, then you run until you can blend. There’s a safe house on Vernal. The old bakery. Get there and they’ll assist you. You just have to be careful. Don’t get caught or we’re all in trouble.”

  He nodded.

  “Strip off your uniform shirt and we’ll wipe it in the muck. Get some on your face too.” The heat of the day intensified, and perspiration dripped down her back as she gave directions to him. “Leave the canteen and your munitions pack here,” Senna added.

  Ellesdarm shuffled and divested under her instruction as a thought occurred to her.

  “Do you have a first aiders kit?” she asked.

  He shook his head, and the sudden burst of hope plummeted.

  The stamp of feet nearby shut them all up, and she waited, waited, and waited some more. Urgency growing inside her chest, she needed to know what was happening but couldn’t take the chance that movements would betray them, so she waited.

  The minutes ticked by slowly until she heard the sound of those beyond moving off. “Check, and if it’s clear, go. Don’t look back, Ellesdarm.”

  He shuffled closer to the grate, peered out, then turned. “I’ll send help.” Ellesdarm shoved at the grate, which opened with a grinding whine, shoved it back into place, then with a last harried glance, he set off.

  “Think we have a chance?” Fawcett asked.

  “He’s our only one,” she replied as she turned her attention to Fawcett. “Let’s hope he’s up to the task.”

  The only thing she knew for sure was Franklin knew these guys and vouched for them. It had to be enough, because the weight of their survival lay on it.

  “Let’s hope he can save us,” Senna said with a grimace.

  Franklin fumed and fretted. He’d seen them grab Senna, and he was sure her life was in danger. The only thing was, they’d found the remains of Carrington but there’d been no sign of Ellesdarm, Fawcett, or Senna.

  The youngster who’d attacked him was still out cold when the blast and lighting show of the launch occurred.

  He’d glanced up then swore.

  With care, he’d strung the youngster over his back and abseiled down the ladder to the ground, Irbam meeting him below. “What a fuck up!”

  Franklin snarled in response, “They’ve got Senna, and the others.”

  “Carrington was left behind, poor buggar. He got caught in the blow after you destroyed the missile. He’s not going to be easily recoverable.”

  Franklin ran an unsteady hand through his hair. “We have to find the others.”

  Irbam shook his head. “We have to get back and report. We did what we came to do, the shuttle went off, and given there were no secondary explosions, I’m taking it the launch was successful.”

  “I’m not leaving Senna—”

  “We have to get back to base, Franklin. According to Jonah, she’s a professional. Knows the ropes. And Jonah will—”

  “She’s the woman I love, Irbam.” The words tumbled out, and he privately acknowledged they were the truth. He’d just never told her, always sure somehow there would be time. Now it had come and gone, and his fear of commitment had stolen that chance away.

  “Ah, damn!” muttered Irbam, shaking his head. “Look, I understand, but you have to return to base now. We don’t know where they took her, or even if she’s not buried under that rubble somewhere, and all our work and loss won’t fix things if you get caught.”

  Franklin cast his glance over the remains of buildings, the one he’d been on at the time of the explosion, wavering uncertainly, windows smashed, and all around there were smoking ruins.

  If she were there… Franklin shuddered.

  Irbam was right, yet Franklin felt nauseated at the thought of leaving, just in case she was still here somehow. And you know that’s extremely unlikely. You saw them shoot her, then grab her. His mind almost splintered with both those memories.

  Franklin rearranged his load, and Irbam pointed at the youth on his back. “What are you planning to do with him?”

  “He’s a present for Jonah,” snarled Franklin as he started moving away, although inside him, the tearing sensation of loss stole away everything except raw determination.

  CHAPTER 17

  Delirium set in. Noises and sounds. Senna swore she heard Franklin’s voice, but the thud of her head and the roiling of her belly beat her into submission. Once again she plunged into the dark, where surely she was roasted over a hot fire.

  Movement and sounds again, and she rose up through the layers, hearing the beep of a machine and feeling soft hands on her body. The weight of her eyes refused to allow Senna to open them, and the sudden, gasping sensation of breathlessness had her clawing at her throat, her heart thudding wildly then not at all, a whine from a machine filling her senses. Voices yelled, and pain radiated inside her head and chest as something forced itself in. She coughed, and her body arched up, acting on its own.

  “We’ve got her back.” Someone draped a mask over her face.

  Senna’s fingers clenched for the vile-smelling item, trying to grab it away, then she dropped like a stone, back into the dark.

  Senna opened her eyes, mouth dry and swollen, her entire body aching yet weak. “Where am I?”

  An unsteady hand touched the side of her face. The scent and shape she knew. “You scared me, Senna. We found you after Ellesdarm raised the alarm. You and Fawcett were in a pretty bad way when we found you two days after the launch. The fever…”

  With determination, she crept her hand to Franklin’s, her side screaming with the effort, and she panted before letting go. “What happened to me?”

  “Your heart nearly gave out as they were prepping you for surgery. They hit you with a massive dose of adrenaline to restart it. Then they wheeled you into surgery. The infection was deep, Senna.”

  “But I’m here.” She licked her dry lips. “Can I have something to drink?”

  Franklin turned away and returned with a cup. “Drink slowly.”

  Only able to manage a few swallows, Senna held the moisture in her mouth and let it refresh the dry tissues before swallowing.

  “The colony ship?”

  He snorted. “Yeah, we got it off safe and sound. The media circus is doing its thing, and the people have forgiven our carefully constructed stories.”

  “That’s good.” Now exhausted, she lay back, closing her eyes until his hand gripped hers tightly.

  “Senna?”

  Eyes growing heavy, it was all she could do to remain awake and answer. “Hmm?”

  “Don’t go to sleep yet. I want to tell you something.”

  But she was already dozing and let go of awareness.

  For a moment, fear clutched Franklin, worried him until he realized Senna was asleep. The fear he’d felt over the last few days an unwelcome addition to his feelings of guilt and thankfulness.

  “Dammit,” he muttered as the door opened to admit Clarissa.

  “She woke?”

  He glanced at the woman standing in the doorway. “Yeah. For a couple of moments.” He moved, uncomfortably aware of the woman’s focus on him.

  “But not long enough?” She advanced and touched a soft hand to his shoulder. Under normal circumstances Franklin would have toughed it out. But today wasn’t normal and he’d almost lost her. Twice.

  “No. I was too slow.” He shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

  “She’ll make a full recovery now, Franklin. Another opportunity will come up. Michael said she was pretty sick, but he got most of the infected tissue cleaned up and the antibiotics will do the rest. He does want to drain the wound itself until he’s sure they got everything, then they’ll tidy it up.”

  Franklin pulled his hands out of his pockets, clasped them on his knees, and looked at Senna, imploring her to wake again. “I’m lost, Clarissa. I want to tell her how I feel, but I don’t know how.” Emotions he couldn’t contain welled.

  Clarissa rubbed his shoulder. “All you have to do is say the words, Franklin.”

  If only it were that simple and I was brave enough.

  A sound at the door had him turning. Jonah stepped inside, and the room now felt crowded. “How is she?”

  “Michael says she’ll recover,” Franklin answered, lips stiff and his emotions a ball of complication.

  “Look, I know these last few days have been hard.” Jonah squatted down beside Franklin as Clarissa left them alone.

  “She nearly died, Jonah. The woman I love.” He hated that he wasn’t in control of his emotions, the fury that coursed dashed down by the terror he’d experienced when he’d found her limp body, burning to the touch. “I should have known!”

  Jonah sighed, a long, drawn-out exhalation which betrayed his frustration. “We all know the risks, Franklin.”

  “I don’t care!” His bellow had his long-time friend rearing back in surprise. “I…” Franklin shook his head, trying to clear the fog which filled him.

  “You need time, but I can’t give it to you, not right now. We need you. You’ve got to pull yourself together, because things are happening. We’ve finally located Lilly and her mother. We need you and your skills.”

  “You need mine too.” The voice, a mere whisper of her usual presence, had Franklin and Jonah swinging around to stare at Senna. “You woke me.”

  His hand, the one that reached and cupped her cheek, was unsteady. “I’m sorry, Senna. Jonah was just—”

  “We’ve found them. But you’re going to be on medical leave for some time, Senna, so I’ll take Franklin and we’ll discuss it—”

  “No. I can assist Maylin. I’ll stay quiet, but I need to be useful. I can’t stand being trussed up here and letting you all have the fun.” Her voice regained some of its usual force, and he couldn’t contain the joy that all but burst from his chest.

  “Well, that would have to depend on what Michael has to say.”

  “I’m not planning on waiting around for him to make up his mind. As soon as I’ve got the strength to get out of this bed, I’m—”

  “You’re what?” Michael leaned against the doorjamb, a laconic smile on his face. “You’ve got a few more days trussed up, I think was the term you used? Then if—and that’s a very big if—I’m sure you’re up to it, your work status will be carefully monitored. I’ve worked hard to get you to this point, and you’re not going to make me look bad.” Michael advanced into the room, displacing Jonah who muttered and stepped into the hall. “You too, Franklin. Wait outside while I take a look at my patient.”

  “I can stay—”

  “Go,” they both ordered in unison, and he stepped out, leaving them to it. The curtain around the bed closed with a metallic zshhh.

  “That’s a pretty determined woman you’ve got there. Sure you can handle her?”

  Franklin nodded at Jonah’s prodding. “I couldn’t think of anyone else I want to be with more.”

  Jonah clasped him on the shoulder hard enough that his teeth rattled. “Then welcome to the club,” he said before he walked off.

  Franklin waited, time passing slowly as he leaned against the wall then pushed away as Michael slid the curtaining back. “Amazing woman there. But it will take time and rest. And speaking of rest, she’s asleep. Go get some of your own and come see me in the morning when I have a better idea of when she should be released.”

  Senna swung her legs over the side of the bed. “So, when are you planning to let me out, doc?”

  Michael, the cybe-enhanced doctor and close friend of Franklin, smiled. “Maybe tomorrow. Your temp is down, and I can see the healing in your side, which is looking healthy. You’re very lucky though, because it wouldn’t have had to be much closer and it would have hit your liver. If that had happened…” Michael spread his hands, and she realized how close she’d come to death.

  That sobered her. “Who found me?”

  “Does it matter?”

  She rubbed a hand over her forehead. “I guess not. So, can I help Maylin once I’m released?”

  “Yeah. On the proviso you rest. You’ll be in her care during the day, and when she tells you to stop, that’s what you do, otherwise you’re back here. And I’m releasing you into Franklin’s care.”

  Senna couldn’t control her scowl.

  “You don’t want to be in his care?”

  Tread carefully, Senna. “It’s not that I don’t want to, doc, but he’s got enough things on his plate. I’m a distraction and I can’t do that.”

  Michael scowled. “Distraction?”

  Dammit, I knew I’d stuff this up. “What I meant is, he’s got a dangerous mission coming up. I would prefer to be there with him. But instead I’ve got babysitters, including him. It’s splitting his attention, and he could get—”

  “Hurt?” The tension in Michael’s face melted a little, and the savage headache she’d been battling released slightly.

  “Yes.”

  Michael bent down. “I think he’d be more concerned if you weren’t in his care. He’d be constantly concerned, then his concentration would be split further. At least this way, you’re close by until he heads out, then with Maylin. And when he’s away, you’re welcome to stay with us. Clarissa would probably like some female company about now.”

  “Uh, sure. Can I think about that?” She picked at the ugly hospital gown. “And when can I have my uniform back?”

  He poked at her side, albeit gently, and a ripple of pain and shock surged. “What did you do that for?” Her voice came out like a wheeze.

  “When that stops being the case, then a uniform will be acceptable. Nothing that rubs over the wound site, Senna. Now, I’ve spoken with Daniella, Clarissa, and Erin. They’ve sent along a range of clothing items for your use,” Michael said as he picked up a satchel and waved it before her.

  He dropped it beside her, and she peered in. Dresses. “Fine. Thanks.”

  He retreated with, “I’ll leave you now. I believe your tea is on the way, and when I see you in the morning, it should be to release you.”

  CHAPTER 18

  Franklin waited as Senna lowered herself into the seat at the briefing. He’d chosen one where she’d be against the wall, thinking that way no one would jostle her injury.

  Jonah entered the room, an electronic pad in his hands. “Thank you for coming. Today’s briefing is to plan the final push toward reinstating the true government to power and defeating those behind the warrior children. We’ve received intelligence that leads us to believe Lilly Montaine,” he said as her image flashed onto a screen behind Jonah, “is holed up in a cabin in Forsythia, located in the Gerstaldt Ranges. I have reason to believe one of the others in attendance is in fact Vandra Montaine, wife of the late senator. However, the difficulty in proving her identity is that we believe she may not look like, or in fact be, herself any longer.”

  The ripple of disbelief in the room was a tangible thing. It took everything Franklin had not to jump up and explain how he knew this could, in fact, be true.

  “After the attack on the World Bank, we took into custody a person we believed to be Carlos Phenja. That was when we became aware of another series of Dr. Jeremy Colvert’s experimentations. He’d been undertaking brain transplantation, among other forbidden therapies.”

  Indrawn breaths and mutters filled the room, the tension palpable.

  “His actions are a Level 5 Breach of the Transplantation Ruling and a Code 5 Breach of the Medical Policies Act. We brought the person we thought was Phenja in and discovered it was Larossa in a different body. Needless to say, before we could act, the Larossa-Phenja individual committed suicide. What we do know is the transplantation act itself leads to a chemical imbalance and forces the recipient to become subject to increased chemical imbalances of the brain. Where a negative brain function existed before, it seems to exacerbate the issues. We believe Vandra Montaine exhibits the same status and behaviors.”