“Jake,” Jasper offered his hand.
Jake Shannon appeared obliging and then hesitated to accept the gesture. “I’m sorry, Captain, it- it’s spreading.”
Hearing the brief, quiet affirmation, sent concern blooming across Jasper’s dark, handsome face. “Jake,” his tone was equally soft and relayed a manner that expressed concern as well as regret. “You should visit the infirmary.”
Humor instantly sliced through the rising tension. Despite Jake’s evident physical misery, he managed a shaky smile. “A visit won’t help,” he practically laughed out the words but quickly sobered. “I know I can figure this out. It’s my profession, after all.”
“You could still use the rest, man,” Jasper noted the other man’s pallor- the sallow hue to his honey colored complexion. The pale blue eyes Jasper knew to have been surgically enhanced, even appeared heavily bloodshot.
“I’ll sleep whenever I beat this,” Jake was saying while shaking his head insistently. “Whatever it is, I’ll beat it. I was probably only a few feet away from the cure to whatever I got into when I picked this up.” He shrugged noncommittally. “It’s usually how these things work. Maybe I only need to find the right mix of herbs.”
The outlook had Jasper bristling, a reaction he didn’t mind showing to his top scientist. “Maybe you should stay away from the plants. No doubt it was your carelessness with the strange flora of this island that led to this,” he silenced then noting the thick, ashen substance spotting Shannon’s neckline where his white shirt was open at the collar.
“I shouldn’t have said that, Jake. Apologies.” Jasper met the man’s stricken look.
“No need for apologies,” Shannon’s lashes fluttered. “You’re right.”
“No Jake-”
“It’s spread.” Shannon sighed as though the confession had relieved some weight. “To Caro and the baby my- my little girl, Captain she-she’s just an infant.”
Jasper closed his eyes, stricken then as well. “Jake,” regret hummed through as he thought of the man’s wife and two children.
“I came to ask about taking some of the lab assistants off post to sit with Caro and the kids while I work.”
“You didn’t even have to ask. Of course, take whatever you need.” Concern returned to Jasper’s face. “And what about you?”
“I need to work,” Jake smoothed his hands across his gaunt face which shone with faint rays of hope when he looked to his boss then. “We only just noticed it on our little Saf. Perhaps it’s a weaker strain that Caro may’ve passed through her breastmilk.”
“And your boy?”
The hope was undeniable on Jake’s face then. “It hasn’t touched him yet.”
Jasper moved in to clap a hand to Jake’s shoulder. “You’ll have everything you need.” He gave the man’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “You also need rest. Nothing good will come from this if you die from exhaustion.”
“At least I’ll die fulfilling what’ll be my life’s mission.” Resolve sharpened Jake Shannon’s weary features. “I won’t stop, Sir. I can’t. Not until I reverse whatever idiocy on my part now threatens my family’s life. I’ll happily give my own if it means saving theirs.”
“We’ll see that it doesn’t come to that,” Jasper spoke over his shoulder while reaching for the phone on the lab desk. “Sam.”
Sam Cruden returned in seconds, lending an expectant gaze to each man.
“Jake’s gonna need some things. Find someone to fix him up.”
Sam beckoned Jake over with a wave. “See my assistant Magill. He’s just outside the door. He’ll fix you up.” He pat Shannon’s shoulder as the man passed.
“What do you think?” Sam was asking once he and Jasper stood alone in the room.
Jasper’s eyes remained on the lab door. “He won’t stop until he cures this.”
“Hell Eston, can you blame him?”
“Not one damn bit,” Jasper was still focused on the lab door. “But I know that sort of drive can lead to obsession. It can be as deadly as disease.” Jasper tried, failed to deter the thoughts of how his own drive had stoked similar tendencies. He noticed Sam watching him and turned from the door.
“I pray he finds that
cure,” he said, “finds it before the obsession finds
him.”
PART ONE
To go is at one’s own option,
but to return depends on
another
-Chinese
Proverb
CHAPTER ONE
Napa, California~
SyBilla Ramsey’s spacious A-frame abode had been designated as the command post for much of Vestige operations. This, following Bill’s kidnapping and subsequent rescue thanks to several elite operatives associated with the organization.
Bill’s rescue also resulted in the capture of one of her captors. Unbeknownst to Luke Baker; then cooling his sore heels in a rickety shack along the outskirts of Bill’s backyard, his next destination promised to be leagues more uncomfortable. At the moment, those arrangements were being finalized.
“The asswipe’ll probably keel over from fright before we make it halfway to the camp,” Hilliam Tesano predicted after he’d enjoyed a long lazy grin over the comment that had just come through his phone line.
“...Nah, the one van is fine,” Hill was saying then, “we’ll transport him that way.” He rested his head back against the corridor wall where he’d taken the call. “It’s doubtful he’ll require more restraints. Lots of big talk with a gun. Now that the gun’s gone, the big talk is a shit load of whining,” Hill followed his words with more laughter.
“Anyway, we’ll lay it all out for him tomorrow, see if he talks before my little brother tries to beat more of his face into his skull.” Hill tried to keep his laughter soft, but it still resonated down the long hall. “I seriously doubt the fool’s got anything to bargain with,” he continued when a modicum of seriousness returned to the discussion. “If he does have anything, he’s too stupid to realize he can never go back to his life. He’d be killed just for spending time in our presence.”
There was still more laughter and then Hill was noticing the time.
