“Why would the parasites redirect the beacon here?”
“It’s a flourishing host.”
“If the Earth isn’t a suitable environment, how will the parasites live outside the environment Tennison creates?”
“Once they are properly embedded in a host, they use that host’s acclimation to survive. The parasites, once they control their hosts, will control Tennison’s lab, and you can be sure that more labs with those same conditions will be recreated all over the world to make the transition more efficient.”
“Okay. Very compelling. I’ll give you that. You get an A for creativity. Why do you keep looking at your broken watch?”
Cy hesitated. “I am scheduled to leave. If I am not at the rally point at the predetermined time, I fear…” His eyes lost focus as he retreated into his mind.
“You fear what?”
Cy stepped out of the darkness into the only trace of streetlight coming into the room. “Apolonia.”
I wasn’t sure if Apolonia was the parasite or something worse. Cyrus’s stories were outlandish, but he hadn’t cracked a smile. More disturbing, Dr. Z clearly believed every word.
“What is Apolonia?” I asked.
“Who,” Cy said. “Apolonia is a who, and if I’m not at the abandoned gas station by the Old River Bridge, I’m afraid she’ll…she’s…emotional.”
“She?”
“Yes. She’ll assume the worst. She’ll come looking for me, and that is never a good thing.”
“Why?”
“If I don’t reach the bridge, you’ll see.” Lights from a passing car lit up the living room, and Cy went to the window to carefully peek outside.
Dr. Z stood up from the couch and brushed off his polyester pants. “Then, we’d better get you there.”
“What about the rock? I thought you were going to take it with you.”
“It’s important that I make contact with my people. Apolonia and her crew can help me retrieve the specimen from Tennison. I don’t want to risk involving you and Dr. Zorba any further.”
“You’ve already involved us. You really think if we sit this one out, they’ll let us go?”
Cy thought for a moment. “You’re right. We should stay together.”
I sat up a bit taller, satisfied that Cy had agreed with me for once. Dr. Z seemed to be pleased with that decision, too.
“What do you mean, her crew? When you say crew, I envision pirates.”
Dr. Z sighed. “We must go now, Rory. You can be a smart-aleck at Cyrus’s destination.”
“Before I go running around in the dark in winter, I want more answers.”
Cy shifted, clearly impatient. “We can’t stay any longer, Rory.”
“Just answer this, and then I just have one more question, and then we can go.”
Cy nodded, impatient. “Crew might not be the right word. They’re more like a retrieval team. Apolonia is the daughter of Hamech. She’s a highly decorated soldier and leads the Jhagat, Yun’s army. She is the captain of her father’s best warship, the Nayara.”
I swallowed. “And she’ll be emotional if you don’t show up because…Apolonia is your betrothed, isn’t she?”
Cy’s eyes turned soft. He looked apologetic, but I wasn’t sure why.
“Yes.”
Fuck. He really was going to leave. If even half of what Cy said about this woman was true, how could Earth compete with a Xena the Warrior Princess?
“I’m sorry,” Cy said.
“Why?” Dr. Z said, taking a step toward Cy. “Why is Cyrus sorry, Rory?” His eyes shifted from Cy to me and back again. His cheeks flushed with anger, and his lips formed a hard line. “Was he dishonest about being involved? You haven’t…uh…”
“What? No!” Cy said, clearly shocked at the accusation.
“No,” I said, closing my eyes. Dr. Z was the closest thing I had to a father. His even having to ask was embarrassing enough.
“Good,” Dr. Z said, taking another step toward Cy. “Or else you would have to worry about more than just Tennison. Let’s get you home.”
Chapter Fourteen
WE FLED OUT THE BACK DOOR, conscious of four vehicles coming down Dr. Z’s street and following each other closely. The Old River Bridge was on the outskirts of town and at least a half hour drive. Traveling on foot and hiding in the shadows meant it would take us half the night.
I looked at my watch. “What time are you supposed to meet her?”
“By sunrise,” Cy said. “Without my sola, I can’t be sure.”
“Do you have a car?” Dr. Z asked.
Cy shook his head. “I only went to your class and the lab. It wasn’t practical.”
“Uh…Dr. Z? I forgot to tell you. It’s about Silver.”
Dr. Z’s expression compressed. “What about Silver?”
“Can we discuss this later?” Cy asked, clearly irritated.
Dr. Z frowned at me. “We’ll talk about it later.”
He walked off from me, and Cy raised an eyebrow.
We continued to the Old River Bridge, sticking to the shadows and avoiding the streetlights and any open shops. A helicopter could still be heard in the distance, and I wondered if any of the local news channels had noticed and reported on it yet.
Headlights hovered over the asphalt a mile away, and I dived behind some bushes. Cy gently pushed down Dr. Z’s head and helped him to kneel beside me. My socks were marinating in cold rainwater, and my skin felt soggy and raw. Only the knees of my jeans were wet, but the puddle of rainwater was traveling up the backs of the denim, and soon, my pant legs would be completely saturated. Aliens, Xena, fringe departments of the CIA I could handle, but nothing was worse than wet clothes.
“Oh, shit,” I said, stopping in my tracks.
Cy walked back to me. “What is it?”
“Benji wanted me to meet him outside at seven. What if they took him? What if he’s at the warehouse?”
Cy sighed and kept walking. “They didn’t take him.”
“But what if they did?” I said, chasing after him. “What if they have him, and they’re hurting him?”
Cy turned. “How can you be so naive, Rory? He’s with them. You heard Ellie.”
“She was lying. She does that.”
“Why won’t you see him for what he is?”
“How did he make Majestic, Cy? Did they recruit him in middle school?”